Seniors receive their class rings in annual ceremony.
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Harvard-Westlake School • North Hollywood, CA • Volume XIX • Issue 2 • Oct. 15, 2009 • chronicle.hw.com
Habitat chapter sets world record By Jessica Barzilay
field of dreams: Construction began Monday on Franklin Field, the off-campus park at which the baseball team plays. An excavator digs in the infield (clockwise from top). A worker cuts into a light pole. A skid loader operates on the field.
Allegra Tepper/chronicle
$750,000 Franklin Field upgrade begins this week By Michelle Nosratian
Construction will begin this week on a $750,000 renovation of Franklin Field in Encino, where the school has a long-term lease to play its baseball games. Head of Athletics Audrius Barzdukas said that Harvard-Westlake baseball has been playing at Franklin Field for approximately the past 30 years, which has caused the playing surface to become less level. Head Baseball Coach Matt LaCour lists new fencing, a new playing surface, new outfield configurations and new dugouts as among the biggest anticipated changes. “The field is disproportional, the grass was dead, there were holes in the outfield, the sprinklers were broken, the drainage system didn’t work, and they had to repaint the grass multiple times,” said Lucas Giolito ’12, a varsity pitcher. “The field will be less dangerous, more spectator-friendly, and there will be an unobstructed view of the entire field.” Barzdukas said that the players themselves were the inspiration behind the Franklin Field renovation project, which the school’s board of trustees and administration approved more than a year ago. “[The players] kept talking with the coaches about the quality of the fields for away games,” he said. “And, thus, was born the idea.” Since Franklin sits on federal land, the school has had to work closely with the Army Corp of Engineers managing agency. Chief Financial Officer Rob Levin said that
in addition to the board-approved budget of $700,000, an extra $50,000 for a new scoreboard and related structural and electrical work is on hold pending funding. The baseball community at Harvard-Westlake has rallied to support the cause, Barzdukas said. Levin agreed that a significant amount of money has been raised to help fund the project. “Fundraising results have been heartening, especially in light of the economic environment,” Levin said. “Gifts and pledges to date total about $575,000 and confidence is high that the remaining $175,000 will be raised prior to the field’s opening next spring. We are all very excited about this project, as it will give Harvard-Westlake baseball a facility whose quality matches that of its players coaches and program.” LaCour and the baseball team said that they are enthusiastic about the upcoming changes in their home field. “We couldn’t be more excited about the renovation of Franklin Field and look forward to February when we can begin using the new field,” LaCour said. “Franklin Field will be a facility that is on par with every other Harvard-Westlake facility,” Barzdukas said. “We are committed to giving our students every opportunity and necessary resource to succeed and Franklin Field will soon be added to that list.” The baseball team will practice in another venue until the construction is slated to end this spring by their season’s start.
A team of Harvard-Westlake students helped surpass a world record by breaking ground on 24 houses in two minutes at the Habitat for Humanity “The American Dream” 5K Walk last Saturday, which was documented by the Guinness Book of World Records. The Harvard-Westlake chapter also received a $5,000 donation from the Southern California Gas Company for being the leading Fundraising Youth United Chapter. The combined total of money raised under Harvard-Westlake’s name is enough to fund half of the construction of a home. Representative groups from other local high schools and universities and the casts of “Melrose Place” and “90210” began the construction to improve local substandard living conditions alongside the Harvard-Westlake volunteers, while Jimmy Kimmel served as master of ceremonies. The walk marked the first official event of the Harvard-Westlake chapter of the international Habitat organization. Participants met at 9 a.m. in Pacoima, walked to the construction site and broke ground, then returned at 1 p.m. for a short awards ceremony hosted by the organization and a performance by YouTube performer Justin Lanning. The purpose of the walk was to simultaneously gain a broader base of younger participants for the organization and to offer the newly instated Harvard-Westlake chapter a chance to get to know each other on site. “It’s a fun day and a great way for the new chapter to gain camaraderie,” Jason Mohr ’11 said. The Harvard-Westlake group participating in the walk included the chapter’s supervisor, history teacher Leslie Rockenbach, executive team, and volunteers. The executive group consists of Mohr, Melanie Borinstein ’11, Jordan Gavens ’12, Gabi Kuhn ’12, and team captain Cami de Ry ‘12. “The walk is a way for kids to construct on site and also to be a part of something greater,” Mohr said. The Harvard-Westlake chapter is planning another event Oct. 31, in which Harvard-Westlake volunteers are invited to visit a completed Habitat site and partake in holiday activities with the 62 children who live there.
AND THE NOMINEES ARE:
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7
students nominated for national
scholarships, A8
National Merit Scholarships
42 72
See full coverage on A3
Seniors who were named National Merit Semifinalists
2
Rank among independent schools in California for semifinalists
Seniors receiving Letters of Commendation
source: NATIONAL MERIT CORPORATION