Sepember 2014 Issue

CHRONICLE the harvard-westlake

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Los Angeles • Volume 29 • Issue 1 • Sept. 3, 2014 • hwchronicle.com

All-school meetings to replace Civitalks

By Enya Huang

SCOTT NUSSBAUM/CHRONICLE

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: President Rick Commons speaks about the new mission statement during the second-ever all-school Opening Convocation Tuesday on Ted Slavin Field. Following the Convocation ceremony, Commons announced all classes on both would be shortened by ten minutes to alllow all students to eat pretzels and speak with faculty and other students on Ted Slavin field.

Commons sums up mission in 26 words

By Zoe Dutton

The new mission statement emphasizes the importance of “joyful” learning in addition to academic excellence.

President Rick Commons spoke about the statement at Opening Convocation on Tuesday. He first announced it Aug. 26 at the opening faculty and staff meeting and on the school website.

“Harvard-Westlake strives to be a diverse and inclusive community united by the joyful pursuit of educational excellence, living and learning with integrity, and purpose beyond ourselves,” it reads.

A small committee led by Commons drafted the statement last year, and the school’s Board of Trustees revised and approved it during the summer.

The new version contains way the culture affects her, I many of the older draft’s sen- want her to call us out on that,” timents, but in what the ad- Commons said. “I want her to ministration hopes is a more say, ‘We aspire to be a diverse condensed and memorable and inclusive community, and form. we did this?’ And that should “I thought, ‘I need to know happen, because, of course, we my credo,’ and I realare always aspiring ized I didn’t,” Comto be better.” mons said.

“So I Upper School looked it up, and it Dean Beth Slatdidn’t sing to me. A tery said the statecouple days later I ment was reflective was in a meeting with of a larger pivot by the administrative the administration council and asked if towards addressing anybody knew it, and student concerns. nobody really did.”

“I think a big fonathanson’s Commons said cus for the upcoming Beth Slattery the new statement is year will be on the meant to encourage students new mission statement and to hold the administration ac- also on the workload study,” countable to its principles.

Slattery said. “How we are go“If there is a student who ing to be providing balance to does not feel that she is being kids moving forward, how we included by the policies or the are going to take those recom-

mendations and really act on them.”

Some students appreciate the administration’s effort to make the mission statement more accessible.

“I think the HarvardWestlake mission statement reflects the community vibe,” Carolyn Hong ’17 said. “As a new ninth grade student, I was so glad to find a student body that was so welcoming and shared my passion for learning and achieving excellence. Because the students have such an accepting and joyful view on education, I think this new version was able to portray the students’ and the school’s intentions almost exactly.”

Commons will speak in greater detail about the new statement at the Parents’ Association General Meeting Sept. 17.

Neighbors post signs protesting construction

By Scott Nussbaum

Opponents to construction of a parking lot and bridge adjacent to the Upper School placed signs on the lawns of neighboring homes in early July. The signs were created

by Save Coldwater Canyon!, a non-profit organization of neighbors formed to stop the school from breaking ground across Coldwater Canyon Drive.

“Every group has a right to make their own statement,” Vice President and construction plan overseer John Amato said. “We just have to push forward with our plan.”

The signs display multiple messages, including “Say No Harvard-Westlake’s 3 Story Parking Garage!” and “Stop Harvard-Westlake’s Destruction of Coldwater Canyon!” and provide the name of Save Coldwater Canyon’s website, www.

savecoldwatercanyon.com.

Suellen Wagner said. “I don’t “The project is out of step know why the school would and scale with what the land take a risk in making this is meant to be used for,” Save proposal.” Wagner also said Coldwater Canyon! president that she heard reports of the Sarah Boyd said. “The open signs being taken from houses land is not meant for a parking by people associated with structure.”

Harvard-Westlake.

Save Coldwater Canyon!

The Los Angeles City was created after the release Planning Department of the construction proposal in is currently reviewing April 2013. the construction and The organization is led environmental proposals and by a board of nine residents responding to the public’s from near the c o m m e n t s Upper School. on the issue.

Members have Public hearings spoken out will be held against the on the results project at public once officials m e e t i n g s , have finished posted concerns reviewing the on their proposal. website and, “There is a most recently, certain attitude KELLY LOEB/CHRONICLE displayed signs of, ‘It’s our in front of houses. property, and we can do what “This project is a public we want with it,’” Boyd said. relations disaster,” Save “‘We need it, we want it, it’s Coldwater Canyon! member ours.’”

As part of their efforts to stop the construction of the parking garage, the organization hired geological and environmental experts to study the construction site for issues. Boyd said that the Wilson Geosciences report found the bridge would be susceptible to failure in a major earthquake. Additionally, Boyd said the environmental report found protected trees and birds on the hillside.

“Whatever we build will be safe to the nth degree,” Amato said. “We are providing a safe place for students, faculty and guests.”

Though the school allows neighbors to use the track, he said there are no plans at this point to allow them to use the new parking lot and accompanying field.

“I think [the school] is making a really bad decision,” Boyd said. “It is a great school, but the project is not necessary.”

Upper school students will gather in the gym during 20-minute-long breaks on the first and third Wednesdays of each month as a new form of community building, Assistant to the Head of Upper School and Community and Character Committee member Michelle Bracken said. The committee, formerly known as the Character Education Committee, has discontinued Civitalks.

The new program, called 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, will allow the whole campus to gather in one place on a scheduled total of 13 Wednesdays during the year, Bracken said.

The system of meetings is modeled after the Middle School’s Monday assemblies and will “allow students and faculty to hear what’s happening in the community and to celebrate accomplishments and successes,” Bracken said.

The 1st & 3rd Wednesday assemblies will occur on an asneeded basis, swim program head and Community and Character Committee chair Jon Carroll said. If the committee decides that a meeting is not necessary, clubs will be able to use the activities period meet instead.

The new arrangement came into fruition when the Community and Character Committee met at the end of last school year to discuss Civitalks’ successes and failures, Bracken said. The committee gathered data from faculty surveys and individual discussions with students regarding the monthly hour-long meetings.

“There was a number of negative feelings about Civitalks which were too complicated to overcome at [that] time,” Bracken said.

• Continued on page A2

INSIDE

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FREEDOM WRITERS: Seven students worked at the Stephen S. Wise Temple Freedom School, helping children from low-income areas learn to read and write.

A2 News

The Chronicle

Sept. 3, 2014

Activities Fair allows students to browse clubs

By Jake Saferstein

ANGELA CHON/CHRONICLE

GETTING ORIENTED: Shelby Weiss ’16 leads a group of sophomores on a tour of the upper campus at Sophomore Orientation Aug. 29. Head of Upper School Audrius Barzdukas also spoke to students and lunch was served, so the students had time to socialize together.

School admits record number of new sophomores

By Eugenia Ko

Twenty-three new sophomores and three new juniors joined the school this September, the most new upperclassmen the school has enrolled in the past five years.

“This is the most that we have had since my time here,” Dean Beth Slattery said.

Better applicants have allowed for an extended sophomore and junior class, said Scott Turner, associate director of admission.

Students joined the cam-

pus from 23 sending schools, including multiple schools in England.

Asya Alekhina ’17, who attended King’s Canterbury School in Kent, England, moved to America in the spring.

“When I was looking at the best schools in Los Angeles, Harvard-Westlake was on top of every list,” Alekhina said.

“The culture will be different from any previous schools I went to.”

New students are looking forward to all aspects of the

school, ranging from philosophy classes to the basketball team.

“I’m coming to HarvardWestlake because I wasn’t challenged enough at [Flintridge] Prep, and I thought the environment at HarvardWestlake was a lot friendlier and nicer,” Alyson Lo ’17 said.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting new people and being put in a new environment.”

Andreas Werner ’16, who attended school in Switzerland, joined the football team during summer practices.

“I’m really excited to be in an environment with motivated people,” Werner said. “I already feel familiar with everything.”

Although no official orientation for new juniors exists, sophomores attended orientation Friday with their class where they met Head of Upper School Audrius Barzdukas and head prefects Albert Choi ’15 and Sarah Winshel ’15 among other student leaders.

At orientation students also took a tour of the upper campus.

All students, faculty to meet bimonthly for assembly • Continued from page A1

While Civitalks met the goals of allowing students across grades and faculty to get to know each other outside of a classroom setting and providing 45 minutes of recess from schoolwork, the committee ultimately agreed that Ci-

vitalks was not a success.

Civitalks “was too timeconsuming and inconvenient in terms of scheduling for some teachers,” Bracken said.

“Some students felt like Civitalks was too forced, and some groups struggled with awkwardness between teachers and students. While there was

some positive feedback, there was an overwhelming number of faculty and students who just didn’t like the format or feel that it was useful.”

The 1st & 3rd Wednesdays system is designed to retain the benefits of Civitalks. At the end of this school year the Community and Character

Committee will meet to evaluate the success of the program, Bracken said.

“I like the idea of convocation,” Upper School Dean Beth Slattery said. “I think it is a great addition, and if we used that time to all get together, I like the idea that everyone gets one message.”

Prefect Council will host Activities Fair during break Sept. 15 to allow students a chance to browse and sign up for clubs.

“I didn’t really have much time to participate in clubs at the upper school [last] year, but now that I’m used to the campus, I’m thinking about joining the math club,” Sean Jung ’16 said. “Hopefully I’ll make a final decision at Activities Fair.”

Every club will have a table where they can present what they do and encourage other students to sign up.

David Ozen ’16, co-head of the Computer Building Club, which plans to build computers and donate them to schools that need them, looks forward to attracting kids to join.

“As a new club, we are very excited for the Activities Fair because it is one of the only times we can put our club on display to recruit members,” Ozen said.

In order for a club to form, they must create a charter, which has to include information such as the club’s purpose and goals, and logistics such as when and where they meet.

Charters must be submitted

by Sept. 12, and will be reviewed by Prefect Council.

Clubs that already have a charter from last year can just resubmit it.

Other student organizations such as Prefect Council and Community Council will have tables to advertise what they do and have sign-ups as well.

Previews A BIG HIT: Seniors from last year’s baseball team and Beanie Feldstein ’11 perform “No Time at All” from “Pippin” at the surprise gala to announce the Ted Walch Endowed Chair.

A4

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF TED WALCH

CLAY CREATION: Diana Kim ’15 carves a pattern onto a ceramic cup. Kim attended a ceramics apprenticeship program and visited museums in South Korea as a recipient of one of the fellowships, which were awarded to four juniors and two seniors.

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PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF DIANA KIM

The Chronicle, the student newspaper of Harvard-Westlake School, is published nine times per year and distributed free on both the upper and middle school campuses. There are 727 students at the Middle School and 866 students at the Upper School. Subscriptions may be purchased for $20 a year for delivery by mail.

Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the seniors on the Editorial

C1

JONATHAN SEYMOUR/CHRONICLE

PUNT PRIDE: Albert Choi ’15, Desmond Butler ’15 and Brendan Sanderson ’16 line up before the Wolverines punt the ball. The Wolverines went on to lose 48-6 in their season opener against Loyola High School Aug. 29.

Board. Letters to the editor may be submitted to chronicle@hw.com or mailed to 3700 Coldwater Canyon Ave., Studio City, CA 91604. Letters must be signed and may be edited for space and to conform to Chronicle style and format. Advertising questions may be directed to Kelly Loeb at 818-487-6511. Publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product or service by the newspaper or the school.

Sept. 3, 2014

hwchronicle.com/news

News A3

Filmmaking

trip to go to Cuba

By Lauren Kim

Information about an eight-day documentary filmmaking trip to Cuba during semester break will be presented Sept. 18. The trip is open to 20 students.

Officially titled “Digital Storytelling Adventure: Cuba,” pre-trip preparations will include “webinars,” which help participating students understand the historical context and socio-political significance of Cuba.

Students will explore the Cuban cities of Havana and Vinales, visiting museums, attending performances and touring famous sites, all while filming and documenting what they see. They will gather elements that they will eventually use to create a documentary film.

“There’s a little bit of something for everyone,” said Visual Arts department head Cheri Gaulke, who is leading the trip. “When the students come back, it’s really nice because you can go to one place together, but everybody comes back and tells a different story.”

This is the third trip that Gaulke has planned, and previous trips traveling to Laos and Rwanda. Students can also use the trip for directed study credit, due to the preparations involved and the documentary that is made afterwards.

“I love going [to foreign countries] I’ve never been to before and learning about them, but the biggest thing that I love is the empowerment that students get about making documentaries and using film as a vehicle to make someone else’s story visible,” Gaulke said.

CARMEN LEVINE/CHRONICLE

Third floor of Seaver Academic Center hallway renovation depicts school history PICTURE PERFECT: Framed photographs of Harvard and Westlake students hang on the newly-constructed walls of Seaver’s top floor. The new hallway now features approximately 45 black-and-white photographs of the school’s history displayed in chronological order, beginning with the founders. After History Department head Katherine Holmes-Chuba proposed a renovation to the school, Archivist Allan Sasaki chose and printed the photographs. The hallway renovation took two years to complete.

New student advisory program to ease transition for new upper school students

By Connor Reese and Bryant Wu

A new student advisory system headed by Assistant to the Head of Upper School Michelle Bracken and Director of Student Affairs Jordan Church will be instated for all students new to HarvardWestlake at both the Upper and Middle School. In previous years, the Upper School has lacked a support system for new faces on campus.

“The purpose of these advisers is to give the student somebody to talk to and a friendly face on the Upper School campus,” Church said.

The 23 incoming sophomores and juniors will meet once a week with their advisers. Juniors will meet with Father J. Young, and sophomores will meet with their Choices and Challenges teachers.

This is to help ease the students into their different learning environment

and community at the Upper School campus. The meetings are designed to be one-on-one, but there is the possibility of having meetings with groups of students in one setting.

They are based on the advisory program that has been used for a few years for new ninth graders.

“It worked so well on that population that the thinking was we should expand it. So new ninth graders are a unique group at this school,” Head of

School Jeanne Huybrechts said. “They come in and have to hit the ground running in high school so just giving them a little extra counsel and opportunity to have a teacher there to serve as their advocate and helper and mentor because they were in a unique position. It worked so well for that population it was extended to include all new students.”

Each group will decide when to meet and what to discuss during each meeting.

Admissions cancels Family Visiting Days, extends tours

By Jonah Ullendorff

ambassadors, as the upper school ambassadors cannot Starting this year, family help in family visiting days visiting days will be eliminated anymore, she said. from the admissions program, “I really like family visiting and tours will be extended days,” Noam Rimgach ’17 said. from 20 to 40 minutes with “I think it is a good way for two 20-minute interviews with families to see the campus but parents and students.

I also think extending the tour As the new length is a good combination of idea.” tours and inApplicants terviews now will have the We feel sixth span two peoption to pargraders’ lives on the riods at the ticipate in an Middle School, evening with a weekend are so busy two student faculty memnow. I like that we’re ambassadors ber, as well as trying to simplify the will be needthe addition of ed.

Director an optional half process for applicants.” of Admissions, shadow day, Elizabeth —Elizabeth Gregory where a stuGregory said, will shadDirector of Admission dent the change was ow a student made to take ambassador. pressure off of The admisapplicants. sions program will also con“People just felt obligated tinue its Evening with the to come,” Gregory said. president program and a MulGregory notes that there ticultural Reception. were too many days for fami“We feel sixth graders’ lies to visit and applicants lives on the weekend are so were getting more informa- busy now,” Gregory said, “I tion than they needed. The like that we’re trying to simchange will put more pressure plify the process for applion the middle school student cants.”

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SCOTT NUSSBAUM/CHRONICLE

STEMMING OUT: Annelise Colvin ’15 and Head of School Jeanne Huybrechts discuss Colvin’s display at the Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research.

3 seniors participate in stem cell research

By Tiffany Kim

Three students from the Upper School attended the USC Early Investigator High School for an eight week summer program focusing on stem cell research and developing scientific research skills.

Annelise Colvin ’15, Scott Nussbaum ’15, and Sriram Rao ’15, along with students from Lifeline Education Charter School, the Chadwick School and Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School, were able to work in professional research laboratories at the USC Health Sciences campus

and Childrens’ Hospital of Los Angeles to grow and analyze stem cells for a multitude of projects. Before they were able to work in the lab however, the students participated in a week-long introductory stem cell course at the Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research.

The course included numerous lectures and lab classes which addressed specific skills each student would need throughout their eight weeks.

This program is one of the only opportunities for high school students to work with

embryonic stem cells handson, according to the program website.

All 23 local students then celebrated their graduation at a Colloquium from the EiHS Program and CIRM STAR program, an additional research internship program held by USC specifically for high school students living in the areas surrounding the Health Sciences Campus. At this event, each participant in both the EiHS and STAR program presented the results of an experiment they had conducted for the duration of the program.

A4 News

The Chronicle

Sept. 3, 2014

School to supply free software

By Kami Durairaj and Cole Feldman

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF NICHOLAS ABOUZEID

JUNIOR ENTREPRENEURS: Computer science teacher Jason Fieldman ’98 instructs students as they brainstorm ideas for business plans to be presented to a panel of alumni. More than 20 alumni and 10 faculty were involved in the event on panels or as instructors.

Students propose apps at StartUp Scramble

By Benjamin Most

Thirty-eight students developed business plans and pitched ideas to entrepreneurs during StartUp Scramble July 20-22.

Led by Nicholas Abouzeid ’15 with help from Chief Financial Officer Rob Levin, the program gave students an opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship, brainstorm ideas in groups, and discuss those ideas with a team of alumni entrepreneurs that included Natasha Case ’01, the founder of ice cream sandwich vendor Coolhaus, and Sameer Gupta ’99, Vice President of Business Development at Hollywood Electrics.

The weekend began with a speech from Joe Weinberger ’00, a music talent finder who performed as a disc jockey while at Harvard-Westlake and was in the artists and repertoire division of Capitol Records, where he worked with rappers Eminem and 50 Cent and facilitated Kanye West’s signing with the company.

Weinberger encouraged students to follow their interests and be themselves without fearing the judgment of others.

Students were also encouraged to embrace a “phoenix mentality;” even if their projects failed at first, they were told they should not give up.

“You’re going to have ideas that die,” Levin said. “You’re going to have frustrations.

You’re going to run into problems.”

Students presented concepts on the first day and developed ideas and designs on the second. Groups shared their ideas with the alumni panel to end the weekend.

Concepts ranged from a partyplanning mobile app to a new cupcake design.

StartUp Scramble was based on an event held at the Harvard Innovation Lab. When Tarlin Ray ’92, who came up with the HW Works internship program, told Levin about Harvard’s program, Levin approached its founder, Stephen Douglass,

who was skeptical at first, but founding of Hewlett-Packard, after several conversations which took place not far from with students agreed to help.

Stanford.

Levin encouraged Abouzeid The rise of tech compato participate, and assembled nies in the area was fueled by a team of students who would Stanford students with access help lead the event. to the same resources “We had over 20 that Levin claims are alumni participants, available to Harvard10 faculty on staff Westlake students: who helped run the enthusiastic and caevent, eight student pable teachers, a sucleads and over 35 parcessful alumni base ticipants,” Abouzeid and capital to fund said. projects.

Levin hopes that “This school could StartUp Scramble be the epicenter, and nathanson’s will eventually lead to we’ve just now decidNicholas a second Silicon Valed that’s how history Abouzeid ’15 ley in the Los Angeles is going to play out,” area.

Levin said.

“We’re all happy for SiliMolly Berger ’16 will lead con Valley,” Levin said. “We’re the second StartUp Scramble, all happy Stanford helped to which will take place next spawn it. But people are work- summer and will last a week ing very hard to make South- to afford students more time ern California a tech hub, and to learn. they’re asking, ‘Why not?’

“There is a huge pool of And as long as people are ask- talent and potential among ing, ‘Why not?’ why shouldn’t the students, alumni, parents, we ask, ‘Why not?’” and faculty,” computer science Levin said the Silicon teacher Jason Fieldman ’98 Valley boom began with the said.

As part of an effort by the school to coordinate technology use by faculty and students, all grades will be able to download and install Microsoft Office for free by following steps that will be in an email.

Director of Computer Services Dave Ruben said this service will increase the compatibility between what students turn in and what teachers read.

“My understanding is that using those Office products, like Word and Excel, is going to be actually required at the Middle School this year and will probably be required at the Upper School next year,” Ruben said.

In addition, the computer services department is continuing two other programs, both of which aim to encourage the use of laptops on campus and ease communication between students and faculty.

Faculty and staff were given either new touchscreen laptops or tablets in continuation of the program that replaces this equipment every three years.

The second project this year, a subscription to the online learning company, lynda. com, will provide faculty, staff and students with access to hundreds of video tutorials on software, technology and creative skills such as photography.

This resource will be accessed with a Harvard-Westlake username and password at lynda.hw.com.

Ruben said he hopes that encouraging an environment where students and teachers have easy access to new software will be beneficial for the school.

Walch endowed chair acquires another $50,000

By Cole Feldman

had flown in from Ohio and Missouri by surprise. And that The Ted Walch Endowed is when I truly thought that Chair for Performing Arts maybe I died or this was some and Cinema Studies has ac- weird version of heaven where cumulated more than $50,000 I returned to Rugby.” in donations since the initial Fundraising for the en$1.5 million was announced at dowed chair started six years a June 2 show where perform- ago and was headed by proing arts and cinema studies ducer Marc Platt (Samantha teacher Ted Walch was sur- ’01, Jonah ’04, Hannah ’08, Ben prised by alum’11, Henry ’17) ni who sang and and aided by danced for him.

Upper School Walch arDean Sharon It could have rived at school Cuseo, Walch happened to any that evening said. thinking he was “I was teacher here. I was just meeting peolucky enough lucky it happened to ple for dinner, to get to parme.” only to discover ticipate in nearly 100 of his the secret —Ted Walch f u n d r a i s i n g former students performing Performing Arts and process over numbers from course of Cinema Studies teacher the musicals he dithe past few rected over the years,” Cuseo last 20 years. said. “I had “I briefly thought that I fun helping Marc Platt and had died and it was my funeral others put the big Ted Walch … I had no idea what was go- extravaganza together. It was ing on,” Walch said. “There great seeing all of the former was this corridor of former students and families who students applauding … And showed up to honor him and then I look down the aisle and getting to recruit current stuthere are my brothers who dents to perform or help out.”

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PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF TED WALCH

THE BIG CHAIR: Former President Tom Hudnut gives Performing Arts and Cinema Studies Teacher Ted Walch a miniature representation of the Endowed Chair that he was awarded June 1.

There are four endowed chairs at the school, but this is the first bearing the name of a faculty member.

“I was greatly honored, and I was humbled,” Walch said. “I couldn’t wait to say thank you to the group and to acknowledge that the only reason this

happened is I teach in such a great place with such great colleagues.”

“It could have happened to any teacher here,” Walch said.

“I was just lucky it happened to me.”

Walch said he initially had mixed feelings regarding the

event.

“I was slightly annoyed because I don’t like being surprised,” Walch said. “I’m a director. Directors like being in control. But after all was said and done, it was marvelous. I have to be honest. It was just marvelous.”

Sept. 3, 2014

hwchronicle.com/news

Making global connections

News A5 Leadership activities, extracurricular learning and soccer were highlights at two international events at the Upper School in July.

Upper School hosts workshop

By Benjamin Most

Thirty-three high school students from the United States and China honed leadership skills during the World Youth Leadership Institute held in the Kutler Center July 14-18.

Intended to foster a relationship between Chinese and American schools, the institute focused on international leadership in a world connected by technology and instant communication.

“Participants learned leadership concepts and compared those concepts across Western and Eastern culture,” said Director of External Learning and Summer School Jim Patterson.

Students had class from

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF JORDAN CHURCH

GLOBAL HORIZONS: Students participate in a team-building activity in the Kutler Center during the World Youth Leadership Institute July 14-18. The Upper School hosted the workshop before holding the World Leadership Schools Association conference July 20-24.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day and then explored the culture of Los Angeles.

Afternoon activities included laser tag, shopping and playing sports.

“Simply creating a venue where students from two dif-

ferent cultures can interact creates tremendous opportunity for cultural and global understanding,” Patterson said.

Students who attended the leadership program were also encouraged to attend the annual World Leading Schools

Association student conference that took place the following week in order to further promote communication between Chinese and American students.

Next year’s leadership institute may be two weeks long

instead of one.

“This is complex interdisciplinary course work, so additional time is needed to delve deeper into the subject matter,” World Youth Leadership Institute teacher Jordan Church said.

International participants attend school conference

By Danielle Kaye

Harvard-Westlake hosted students and faculty for the second annual World Leading Schools Association student conference, hosted at the Upper School July 20-24.

The 75 attendees included high school students and accompanying faculty members from WLSA member schools in China, South Africa, Canada, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom. About 50 percent of the schools were Chinese. WLSA encourages interactions between the east and the west, setting it apart from similar organizations that support international relations.

“The purpose of the association is to promote crosscultural and educational exchange between the member schools,” said Director of External Learning and Summer School Jim Patterson.

In 2013, the first WLSA conference of this type was held in Shanghai. Both years

the event began with student conferences. Students toured cultural sites across the host city, keeping in mind this year’s conference theme, “learning outside the curriculum.” Destinations included the Grand Central Market, Disney Hall, the Museum of Contemporary Art and Olvera Street.

“I would say that handsdown [the conference] was a great success for WLSA as an organization but also for Harvard-Westlake as a school to be able to host this type of event that brought together so many different kids from so many different parts of the world,” Patterson said.

Conference participants said they built lasting connections with each other. Co-leader of the WLSA student planning committee Nina Woythaler ’16 said that she has stayed in touch with her new friends.

“The funniest and most fascinating conversations we have always revolve around differences in our cultures,” Woythaler said.

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF JASON KELLY

ROLL CALL: The Harvard-Westlake varsity and JV soccer teams line up on the Ted Slavin Field before competing in the Hudnut Cup. The combined Harvard-Westlake team won the tournament.

Combined soccer teams win first Hudnut Cup

By Dario Madyoon Harvard-Westlake won the inaugural Hudnut Cup this year, a soccer tournament that was a part of the World Leading Schools Association conference at the Upper School July 20-24.

Harvard-Westlake players from the varsity and junior varsity teams competed together against a team from

Sophomore studies in China

By Liz Yount

Theo Velaise ’17 spent six weeks studying Chinese language and culture at the Xiamen University in Fujian on a scholarship he won through the National Security Language Initiative for Youth.

The NSLI program is sponsored by the U.S. State Department and provides scholarships to high school students so they can study languages abroad that are not commonly taught in school.

After applying online with the State Department, Velaise went through multiple rounds of cuts before his interview with NSLI. Velaise spent three weeks

with a host family, two weeks in the university and one week exploring China alongside other American students.

“Every morning from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., I had Chinese class studies where we learned grammar conjugation, writing and speaking,” Velaise said. “It was a really educational trip because I learned a lot, and I went over structures that I had previously learned before but was able to expand upon…

I reaffirmed what I have learned at Harvard-Westlake.”

Adjusting to life in China was difficult at first, according to Velaise.

However, it did not take long for Velaise to become acquainted with their way of life.

“The culture shock was my biggest worry because China’s culture is so different from how we live in America, but after that the trip was not hard,” Velaise said. “You just have to welcome the culture.”

Velaise said that he was drawn to the language in seventh grade because of the boom in the Chinese market and its prevalence in business and economics.

“I would like to do something business-oriented in China with Chinese speaking ability,” Velaise said. “Hopefully I’ll get a degree in economics… I would love to live in Shanghai.”

In addition to learning Chinese grammar and cul-

China and an international team with players from Europe and South Africa.

Harvard-Westlake won its first game against the international team 5-0 and its second game against the Chinese team 5-0.

The final game of the tournament was between the Harvard-Westlake team and a mixed international and Chinese team. The Wolverines

“

won 4-0, which determined that Harvard-Westlake won the Hudnut Cup. “It was an amazing experience to be able to play against kids from other countries,” Jadon Yariv ’16 said.

The purpose of the cup was to build better relations with schools from other parts of the world. The next Hudnut Cup is expected to be played in England in July of 2016.

I think what’s good is now I can always think from a different perspective.

Whether I’m solving a problem or speaking to someone, I can always take a step back and look at it differently.

—Theo Velaise ’17 nathanson’s

ture, Velaise said that one of the most impactful parts of his trip was meeting other American students and learning from them.

The experience was one that Velaise said will carry with him throughout the rest of his life.

“I think that now I’m much more open-minded because I know how people live in other places,” Velaise said. “I think

what’s good is now I can always think from a different perspective. Whether I’m solving a problem or speaking to someone, I can always take a step back and look at it differently, and I will always take that with me.”

Velaise will take AP French, Chinese III Honors and Directed Study in Italian during the 2014-2015 school year.

A6 News

The Chronicle

inbrief

Sept. 3, 2014

Campuses to host Back to School Day

Parents will follow their child’s schedule, which has been compacted into 10 minute classes, and meet teachers Sept. 13 at the Middle School and Sept. 20 at the Upper School for Back to School Day. There will be a meeting for new parents, and during free periods, parents will be invited to visit the Library Book Fair or the Kutler Center.

During ninth period, sophomore parents will attend Choices and Challenges while junior parents attend a meeting about upcoming college tours in Rugby Theater.

“Back to School day is for parents to get to see the upper school campus and meet their student’s teachers,” Assistant to the Head of School Michelle Bracken said. “After all, students spend most of their day at school.”

—Sharon Chow

Derrick Gay to speak to faculty, staff No classes will be held on professional development day Nov. 12 while educational consultant Derrick Gay visits to speak with faculty and staff about making the school a more diverse and inclusive community.

Gay will lead a day-long workshop and also speak with interested parents on Nov. 11.

“I invited Mr. Gay to do something similar at my previous school,” President of School Rick Commons said.

“And he was excellent.”

—Angela Chon

Peer Support to attend annual retreat The senior leaders and junior trainees will attend the annual Peer Support Retreat in Malibu Sept. 12-14. It will be chaperoned by counselor and humanities teacher Luba Bek and Director of Counseling and Psychological Services Kavita Ajmere. The retreat will be a bonding experience for the approximatly 50 students.

“It’s really important that we are all comfortable with each other so that Peer Support can expand and become really great,” Peer Support coordinator Rebecca Katz ’15 said.

The primary goal of the retreat is to strengthen the bond between the leaders and trainees.

—Isabel Wiesenthal

School hires 4 new debate coaches Four new debate coaches will assist Head Coach Mike Bietz this year.

Steve Knell, the previous coach at Rowland Hall St. Marks in Salt Lake City, will be a full-time administrator and coach.

Harvard student Danny Debois will help coach the upper school team, along with Annie Kors ’14.

The middle school parliamentary debate team will be coached by Shania Hunt, a graduate of Northland-Christian in Texas.

—Katie Perrin

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF SUSAN CARR

IN MEMORY: Susan and Darrell Carr stand beside KCBS producer Raymond Bell as KCBS is awarded a regional Emmy for its news piece. The piece, which aired on Aug. 12, 2013, features Carr’s parents explaining how they were dealing with Justin’s death.

Carr story wins regional Emmy for KCBS

By Benjamin

most

The local station KCBS won a regional Emmy Aug. 25 for its coverage of the death of Justin Carr ’14, who died from idiopathic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in February 2012.

The honored news piece, in which Carr’s parents explain how they were dealing with their son’s death, aired Aug. 12, 2013.

It showed pictures of Justin from birth to death, including images of Justin swimming and on vacation.

The piece also included a sound clip of Justin singing “The Star Spangled Banner” and an explanation of Justin Carr for World Peace, a foundation aiming to spread awareness of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

“We had been approached 2010 for sports news producby many news stations to talk tion. about Justin,” Susan Carr, The film crew spent 10 Justin’s mother, said. “After hours in the Carrs’ home, filma few months of gathering ing Justin’s parents and bedour composure, we felt that room, which had been left unCBS producer changed since Raymond Bell his death. was suited to “ T h e y They captured the cover Justin’s captured the story because essence of essence of who Justin he had actuwho Justin was and how he was such was and how ally met Justin before on a he was such an integral force in our few occasions. an integral home.”

Mr. Bell had force in our interviewed —Susan Carr (Justin ’14) home,” Carr Justin twice said. before, and he The Carrs was personattended the ally connected and wanted to local Emmy presentation at tell the story about who Justin the Nokia Theater as guests of was, not necessarily the details CBS. of what happened.”

Justin’s story was categoBell also won an Emmy in rized as a light news story.

“

“Prior to the start of the show, the audience was told, ‘You have one minute to get to the stage and one minute to make your speech,’” Carr said.

“We had not communicated with Ray [Bell] before we sat down what we were to do if we won. When Justin’s story was called, Ray motioned for us to come up on stage with him.

I could not believe it. When we got there, Ray was emotional because we found out that he too lost his only son, and he could not get the words out until about 30 seconds into it. His was probably the most emotional speech of the evening. Darrell and I were speechless.”

The news piece on Justin can be viewed at www.emmys. com/video/la2014-314450.

Teacher receives Carolyn, Marion Hays Award

By Juliana Berger

Upper school mathematics teacher Kent Nealis was awarded the Carolyn and Marion Hays Award Aug. 26 at a joint faculty meeting.

The award is given to a member of the faculty or staff who contributes to the school community in ways beyond what is expected.

The recipient is to show “loyal and dedicated service to the school; friendliness, good humor and encouragement; patience and thoughtful consideration for all members of

the school community,” Head school for 24 years and has of School Jeanne Huybrechts also served as the Faculty Acsaid in her presenademic Committee tation speech. chair for more than The award was 15 years. created by HarFormer Hays vard School alumni Award winner Thomas Hays ’53 Eric Zwemer said and Louis Hays ’62 all teachers at the in honor of their school are both inparents: Harvard telligent and openSchool teacher, minded. dorm head and as“That is an ensistant headmastirely apt descripnathanson’s ter from 1944-1970 tion of this year’s Kent Nealis Marion Hays and Hays awardee,” wife Carolyn.

Huybrechts said.

Nealis has been with the “He is a formidable intellect,

a life-long learner, an experienced and accomplished teacher, a leader of teachers.

He values rigor as a way of seeking truth, and integrity as the foundation for a life of consequence, and he seeks to develop his students’ intellects and their character.”

Nealis was amazed when he received the award.

“It was a complete surprise to me,” Nealis said. “I wasn’t expecting it at all. I’m very appreciative, I’m honored, I’m humbled, but I was taken totally by surprise.”

School awards Kogan Family Award to English teacher

By Elly Hong Middle School English teacher Julia Grody received the Kogan Family Award for Innovation in Teaching at the Aug. 26 meeting for faculty and staff members.

“When presented with a problem to solve, [Grody] responds by listening first, understanding the problem well, examining options, and then proposing solutions that meld what she has learned with her own profound wisdom,” Huybrechts said.

“

The Kogan Family Award ment of Wang Hall, as well as recognizes her personal original apzeal. proaches to “Over the When presented improving past decade with a problem to solve, the teachshe has coming process, mitted her[Grody] responds by Huy b r ec h ts self to several listening first... and then said. big projects S h e — each with proposing solutions...” highlighta long gestaed Grody’s —Jeanne Huybrechts tion — and modification backed Head of School has of the Midup that comdle School mitment with scheduling process and her great energy and stamina,” role in driving the develop- Huybrechts said. “She sticks

with it. You can count on her.”

Grody said that she considers the connection between teacher and student to be the most important part of teaching.

“When Ms. Huybrechts made the announcement, I was so excited,” Grody said. “I thought it was such a lovely way to begin the year. And I couldn’t imagine that it could get even better. But then my friend Mr. [Kent] Nealis won the [Carolyn and Marion Hays] award, and I thought, ‘Oh, it can.’”

Sept. 3, 2014

KAPA hosts annual dinner

hwchronicle.com/news

News A7

inbrief Annual Giving exceeds $7.2 million

By Eugenia Ko

More than 100 students, parents and faculty attended the 20th Korean American Parents Association Annual Family Barbecue Aug. 24.

KAPA hosted the dinner at the Oxford Palace Hotel to welcome new Korean families to school.

Students performed a Korean cultural fan dance as an addition to the usual festivities.

While last year’s dinner theme was Korean pop culture, the association opted for a more traditional performance this year, wanting to showcase oriental Korean culture to faculty and staff.

“I was amazed by the number of administrators, teachers and new students that showed up at the event,” Jason Chang ’17 said. “It was a great way to bond, especially with new members to the community.”

Learning the cultural dance was also an opportunity for the participants to immerse themselves in their own culture; many of them didn’t

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF MIAE CHON

BIG FANS: Angela Chon ’16, Caitlin Chung ’20, Britany Hong ’18, Jane Kim ’18 and Astor Wu ’20 perform a fan dance at the Korean American Parents Association Annual Family Barbecue Aug. 24. even speak Korean, lead program organizer Angela Chon ’16 said.

Among the dancers were Chon, Caitlin Chung ’20, Brittany Hong ’18, Jane Kim ’18 and Astor Wu ’20.

The girls wore traditional Korean gowns, called “hanbok,” and danced with pink and green fans.

“It was a really good op-

portunity to get to know more about my culture,” Chung said.

“I really enjoyed it.”

Chon, John Chung ’16, James Chung ’19, Nicole Kim ’18 and Christine Park ’18 played in a classical music ensemble at the start of the dinner. President of KAPA Stacey Chang (Jason ’17, Justyn ’18) also welcomed new families in a speech.

Like in the family barbecues of previous years, the association provided catered Korean food for the guests, including many traditional and popular dishes.

“The fan dance was exquisite and I only wish I hadn’t had a late lunch so I could have enjoyed more of the delicious kimchi and japchae,” Spanish teacher Aaron Bluestein said.

Rosetta Stone website to publish Pike’s article

By Cole Feldman

“I wanted to show that language instructors with pecuMiddle School liarities and idiosynDean of Faculty and crasies are integral Latin teacher Moss parts of the commuPike wrote an article, nity,” Pike said.

“Elevate and Empow“It will argue that er: World Language language teachers Instructors as Key are often leaders in Players in the Shift to the community and Competency-Based, pioneer the shift toBlended Learning,” ward using technology which will be puband creating blended nathanson’s lished online in late learning environMoss Pike September for Rosetta ments.”

Stone’s website and education Pike wrote “The Next Genblog Getting Smart. eration of World Language

Learning” last fall about the direction of language education in the future and was asked to write for the websites again.

“I based the [Next Generation] article on my own professional developments and experiences,” Pike said.

“I’m really into the direction of language study. I think it is the perfect time for language teachers to sit down and think how we are relevant.”

Pike wrote a blog post for Getting Smart this summer as a prelude to the upcoming

article.

Pike will give a presentation of “Elevate and Empower” at the International Association for K-12 Online Learning conference in Palm Springs in November and will continue to write for Getting Smart.

“It feels great to have a second paper published, since it falls directly in line with what I do on campus every day,” Pike said. “I’m excited to share these ideas with the wider teaching community and hope that it inspires us to do even more.”

Physics teacher writes article for science journal

By Jackson Novick Upper school physics teacher Antonio Nassar’s article titled “Bohemian Trajectories of Airy Packets” was published in the Annals of Physics Journal this summer.

The quantum mechanics article, which discusses the variations in the paths of particles and the influence of the act of observation upon these paths, took him about a year and a half to complete.

“There’s always a sense of satisfaction because you can share with a world of people,” Nassar said. “For example, when I go to Google Scholar,

you can track how many people have read my paper, downloaded and referenced my paper — 1,500 times ... a lot of people read it.”

This is Nassar’s 59th published article.

“I have a collaborator, we exchange ideas, send them back and forth around 20 times, sometimes more than that, then we start writing,” Nassar said.

Nassar, who has a doctorate in physics and has pursued quantum mechanics since graduate school, was also asked to write a book based on the topics of his research.

He has composed such

pieces in the past, expounding six chapters or seven chapon and adding to the study of ters — two chapters to explain quantum mechanics and oth- all that has been done, then er branches of in the third physics. chapter, you Na s s a r’s introduce your There’s always prospective idea and pour a sense of satisfaction book has been out everything requested by you’ve develbecause you can share Springer, a oped.” with a world of people ... publishing While Nascompany with sar has writa lot of people read it.” headquarters in ten books in —Antonio Nassar the past, they Germany.

“A paper Physics Teacher were not like is condensed, his current asand somesignment. times it can be “It has very condensed,” Nassar said. been a joyful pursuit of excel“But in a book, you can have lence,” Nassar said.

“

626 students participate in AP examinations

By Eugenia Ko

A total of 626 students this past school year took 1,736 Advanced Placement exams, the highest number of exams in recent history. 91 percent of students received passing scores of 3, 4 or 5. Six middle school students also took four

BC Calculus and two Computer Science A exams and all scored 5’s.

“It’s unusual for us to have four students who are ready to take AP Calculus — unusual, but it is not unknown,” Head of School Jeanne Huybrechts said. “We are able to meet the needs of those students when

that becomes necessary. We have teachers down there who are completely qualified to teach these subjects.”

Eleven students passed AP exams in European History, Italian Language and Culture and Psychology, all courses not offered in the Harvard-Westlake curriculum.

Despite the curriculum change two years ago and an entirely new test, 99 percent of the 197 students who took Biology passed by receiving a score of three or higher. All 55 students who took either of the Physics Courses (Mechanics, and Electricity and Magnetism) earned 4’s or 5’s.

Annual Giving donations for the past year have exceeded $7.2 million, making Harvard-Westlake the first independent day school to receive more than $7 million in donations during one year.

The faculty and staff achieved 100 percent participation in the annual giving campaign for the sixth consecutive year, and 92 percent of students’ families donated as well, with the seventh grade class achieving 97.8 percent participation, a new school record for participation by grade. The average parent gift also increased 6.8 percent.

“This is a spectacular milestone in the school’s history,” Director of Annual Giving Eli Goldsmith said. “Every single call, email and thank you note made a difference.”

—Benjamin Most

VIP club video to be screened at film festival A film created by the Vietnam Initiative Project about Kiva, a non-profit organized to loan money to entrepreneurs in low-income countries, will be screened at the Fifth Annual Awareness Festival taking place from Sept. 11-21.

The video, “My Aunt Kim,” is up for an award.

“It’s really not about the awards,” Vietnam Initiative Project founder Raymond Chung ’15 said. “It’s about being able to show our video to a bigger audience.”

—Katie Plotkin

5 juniors attend LASA infrastructure program Five juniors began their exploration of city infrastructure and culture with the Los Angeles Service Academy and will continue the program throughout the year.

Ben Winters ’16, Noah Redlich ’16, Shelby Weiss ’16, Emma Schechter ’16 and Patrick Hudnut ’16 visited the Huntington Library, downtown Los Angeles, Playa del Rey and the Los Angeles River in a group of approximately 20 students.

LASA is in its third year and is run by the HuntingtonUSC Institute on California and the West.

—Sacha Lin

Renovations to Wang Center affect classes Renovations began June 7 to modernize Reynolds Hall, which will be known upon completion as the Wang Center.

While the building is being renovated during the school year, history, world languages, visual arts and human development classes will be taught in portable classrooms on the middle school campus.

After the renovations are complete, the Wang Center will be more capable of increased technology usage, and it may also host an improved Wi-Fi network.

—Jonathan Seymour

The Chronicle

A8 News

New in the Classroom Middle School Faculty and Staff

Lauren Nichols ’03 Lauren Nichols ’03 returned to her alma mater and joined the Middle School History Department this fall as an eighth and ninth grade history teacher.

Nichols majored in history at Duke University, and then studied law at New York University and began her professional career working as a corporate lawyer.

“I’m looking forward to getting students to think critically about history,” Nichols said.

—Sophie Cohen

Christina McClendon Christina McClendon had wanted to be a librarian since she was in college. Before joining the middle school staff, McClendon worked at the Los Angeles public library, the Pasadena public library, the UCLA research library, the Stanford library and most recently, the Esther and Sol Smith library at Milken Community School.

“It’s really a gift to be part of [students’] everyday lives.

The library is such a central place in between classes, and it’s really nice to be able to have that,” McClendon said.

—Carina Marx

Steve Knell After about half a decade of coaching debate in his home state Utah, Steve Knell has become a full-time coach for both middle school and upper school debaters this year.

Knell will oversee the middle school program and have multiple responsibilities in the Lincoln-Douglas program.

“I’ll be on [the upper school] campus three days a week at least working with students at individual appointments, so any debater can schedule an appointment with me and come talk to me. And then I will also be traveling and coaching with the team,” Knell said. “I also am essentially the team’s travel agent so I do all of the arrangements of the fees of flights and hotels.”

Along with working with the team, Knell plans on coaching at various summer programs.

—Jesse Nadel

Sept. 3, 2014

Eleven new teachers, eight at the Upper School and three at the Middle School, joined the Harvard-Westlake faculty this fall.

Jamie Chan — Upper School Dean

Erica Carpenter ’08 — Performing Arts

By Katie Perrin

By Scott Nussbaum

Jamie Chan left her job of eight years in Atlanta as an Emory University assistant dean of undergraduate admission to become an upper school dean, replacing the recently retired Mike Bird. At Emory, Chan admitted students from the Southern California area and worked with the upper school deans during the admission process.

“Coming from the admissions side to the high school side is helpful because I have sat on the other side of the desk at a highly selective institution. I have seen how they read through applications and what they look for when they are shaping a class,” Chan said.

Chan attended Emory

Returning to school after a summer spent performing in various dance shows, Erica Jansson ’08 has joined the upper school dance department as a part-time teacher.

The recent newlywed took her first ballet class at 4 years old and has loved the art form ever since. She transitioned into modern dance; however, in seventh grade she pursued her passion throughout high school, taking advantage of school classes and any opportunities to dance in concerts or shows with her classmates.

“My love for dance has always stemmed from the creation of dance,” Jansson said.

“I love creating stories with movement.”

KATIE PERRIN/CHRONICLE

University as a sociology major and subsequently became the Residence Hall Director Fellowship. After one year of interning with the admissionsoffice, Chan became the assistant dean of admissions.

SABRINA DE BRITO/CHRONICLE

Mahshid Hariri Feiz ’92 — English

Maura Roosevelt — World Languages

By Kami Durairaj

By Sammi Handler

Having worked as an attorney, an editor of the Los Angeles Times Magazine and a full-time mom, new 11th grade English teacher Mahshid Feiz ’92, said she is ready to take her place among the upper school faculty. Feiz believes her background in these careers has prepared her for teaching.

Her time at Westlake and Harvard-Westlake and her own memories of junior year also influenced her decision to become a teacher at her alma mater.

“I recognize how difficult and challenging junior year can be but also how much you learn, how much you grow,” Feiz said.

Feiz said she wants to create a nurturing environment

Maura Roosevelt, who will teach English II this year, is writing a literary fiction novel during her spare time. Having worked on it for two years, she is about halfway done.

“Over the summer I was writing every morning – bright and early,” Roosevelt said. “During the school year that will be shifted to afternoon or evening hours, but hopefully I’ll still write a little bit every day.”

Roosevelt attended Harvard University before moving to Connecticut. For the last three years, she taught creative and essay writing at New York University, but she always wanted to go back to teaching at a high school, Roosevelt said.

KAMI DURAIRJ/CHRONICLE

in her classroom and hopes students will take to heart what they learn in her discussions, as she did when she was a student.

“I’m so happy to be part of the energy that makes this place run,” Feiz said. “It’s the symbiosis of give and take between the students and faculty [that] I’m really looking forward to being part of.”

SAMMI HANDLER/CHRONICLE

“The thing I’m looking forward to the most is meeting and working with the students,” Roosevelt said. “I got to teach a demo class when I was interviewing, and everyone was so eager and sharp.”

Bradford Holmes — World Languages

Jenny Hontz — Communications

By Liz Yount

By Lola Clark

Brad Holmes, self-proclaimed music enthusiast, has joined the World Language department this year to teach Latin III, Latin III Honors, Latin IV and the Ancient Greek directed study. He previously taught students at Saint Margaret’s Episcopal School in Orange County. Holmes said that he looks forward to teaching high school, and feels prepared for the upcoming year.

“Having six years of teaching experience in secondary school classrooms should definitely help with the transition to teaching at Harvard-West-

Freelance journalist Jenny Hontz has reported on safaris in Botswana, pedophile priests and jiu-jitsu, and now she will be teaching journalism and co-advising the Chronicle this year.

Hontz attended Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. After college she worked as a political reporter on Capitol Hill, a television editor at Variety and a vice president at Touchstone TV before launching a freelance career.

“The most rewarding stories have been the investigative pieces that were uncover-

LIZ YOUNT/CHRONICLE

lake,” Holmes said.

Holmes received his degree in classics from Harvard in 2004 and later earned his masters degree in USC’s classics program.

LOLA CLARK/CHRONICLE

ing some sort of wrongdoing,” Hontz said.

The step from uncovering scandal to working at Harvard-Westlake came from her interest in teaching. Hontz had served as head instructor at Northwestern’s Cherubs summer journalism program.

Amandine Nelaton — World Languages Kyle Graham — Upper School Dean

By Juliana Berger

Incoming French teacher Amandine Nelaton has wanted to live in the United States since she was a child.

“Everything I was doing in school and in life, was all [in preparation] to move here,” Nelaton said.

She came to Los Angeles after teaching at West Virginia University and heading a high school French department in Washington, D.C., where she met her husband.

Nelaton knew about Harvard-Westlake before she was hired to teach.

“It is a successful school that strives to provide an excel-

By Phoebe Sanders

JULIANA BERGER/CHRONICLE

lent education, and I’ve always been interested in teaching in this kind of environment, surrounded by students that are motivated and want to learn,” Nelaton said.

Nelaton enjoys both cooking and eating all types of food, especially dishes from France and Asia.

Contemporary thinkers, courteous people and an excellent community attracted dean Kyle Graham to Harvard-Westlake from all-girls high school Marymount this fall. Graham wasn’t searching for a new job. In fact, he enjoyed his former position as codirector of college admissions so much that he would “skip to the office,” he said.

However, friend and upper school dean Tamar Adegbile convinced him to replace Dean Pete Silberman, who moved to Tennessee.

Graham’s expertise is in the

college admissions process. He believes that it has become a game of “moneyball” and numbers. At Marymount, Graham sought to teach his students how to understand the data that would one day determine their future in higher education. He is looking forward to doing the same with his students this year, and wants to demonstrate that he is a trustworthy support for students in all aspects of their education.

“I’m one of those people who doesn’t want to say, ‘trust me,’” Graham said. “I want to show students exactly what is happening behind the scenes, and the more they understand

PHOEBE SANDERS/CHRONICLE

it, the more they buy in.”

Graham sees a lot of similarities between the schools.

They both have friendly environment and warm families and teachers. Nonetheless, Graham is excited to experience the diversity of a coed school.

C HRONICLE the harvard-westlake

Los Angeles • Volume XXIIII • Issue I • Sept. 3, 2014 • hwchronicle.com

Editors in Chief: Zoe Dutton, Scott Nussbaum Managing Editors: Elijah Akhtarzad, Jessica Spitz Executive Editors: Marcella Park Presentations Editors: Leily Arzy, Jacob Goodman

Opinion The Chronicle • Sept. 3, 2014

editorial

News Managing Editors: Enya Huang, Jake Saferstein News Section Heads: Angela Chon, Cole Feldman, Eugenia Ko News Assistants: Asya Alekhina, Sammi Handler, Elly Hong, Layla Moghavem, Jackson Novick, Jesse Nadel, Oliver Richards, Teresa Suh, Izzy Wiesenthal, Claudia Wong Opinion Managing Editors: Haley Finkelstein, Sophie Kupiec-Weglinski Opinion Section Heads: Kelly Riopelle, Jonah Ullendorff Opinion Assistants: Carmen Levine, Mady Madison, Katie Perrin Features Managing Editors: Carly Berger, Aimee Misaki Features Section Heads: Sacha Lin, Benjamin Most, Su Jin Nam Features Assistants: Eshanika Chaudery, Lola Clark, Kami Duraijaj, Sabrina deBrito, Danielle Kaye, Lauren Kim, Jean Sanders, Phoebe Sanders, Liz Yount A&E Section Heads: Sharon Chow, Pim Otero A&E Assistants: Nico Brown, Hannah Cho, Sophie Cohen, Tiffany Kim, Katie Plotkin Sports Managing Editors: Tyler Graham, Audrey Wilson Sports Section Heads: Bennett Gross, Jonathan Seymour, Henry Vogel Sports Assistants: Aleksei Aguero, Juliana Berger, Zach Harleston, Cole Jacobson, Joe Levin, Jacob Liker, Dario Madyoon, Carina Marx, William Park, Emily Rahhal, Rian Ratnavale, Connor Reese, Griffin Richter, Cameron Stine, Bryant Wu Art Director: Vivian Lin Multimedia and Online: Nikta Mansouri, David Woldenberg Photography and Multimedia: Caitlin Neapole, Lexi Bowers, Kelly Loeb Photography and Multimedia Assistants: Eshanika Chaudery, Kami Duraijaj, Tiffany Kim, Joe Levin, Phoebe Sanders Ads and Business Manager: Kelly Loeb Advisers: Kathleen Neumeyer, Jenny Hontz The Chronicle is the student newspaper of Harvard-Westlake School. It is published eight times per year. Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the seniors on the Editorial Board.

Letters to the editor may be submitted to chronicle@hw.com or mailed to 3700 Coldwater Canyon, Studio City, CA 91604.

Letters must be signed and may be edited for space and to conform to Chronicle style and format. Advertising questions may be directed to Kelly Loeb at 818-8255059. Publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product or service by the newspaper or the school.

VIVIAN LIN/CHRONICLE

A step in the right direction

In the condensed new mission statement, the most significant change lies in the phrase, “the joyful pursuit of educational excellence.” It acknowledges the emotional aspect of learning, reminding the community that academics are about more than just tests and GPAs. While the new statement retains the school’s focus on excellence, its tone is kinder and gentler. We don’t just want students to be smart, but happy and healthy too.

This declaration prompted us to question what practical measures the administration has taken, and how it can continue making tangible progress. We came up with three examples that, while they may be imperfect, are all at least positive indicators of the school’s willingness to embrace change.

First, the English Department’s decision to offer alternative essay options to students in all junior classes and seniors in AP English Literature was a welcome measure. Their approach recognized that not all students learn similarly, and that analytical essays are not the only way to write about literature. Other departments should follow this example, and try to introduce alternative assignments that a wider range of students would find compelling. Although this particular method may admittedly apply to some academic subjects more easily than others — a biology student can’t exactly write a creative essay about homologous structures for credit — teachers can still find new ways to teach material.

Secondly, the new mid-year assessments that are set to replace midterms this year exemplify innovative thinking by the administration. The results of moving the exams from mid-January

to the week before winter break remain to be seen, but we are encouraged that the administration took action to relieve student stress.

Regardless of how students respond to the change, the point is teachers are looking for new ways to test students’ knowledge. We hope that this year’s assessments will serve as a learning experience that will further the administration’s understanding of how to best evaluate students.

Lastly, ending Civitalks and instead introducing bimonthly all-school assemblies, to be held on “1st & 3rd Wednesdays,” shows the administration’s willingness to respond to feedback. Discontinuing Civitalks, which was generally agreed to have failed in fostering a sense of community, shows that the administration is responsive to the student body.

These three examples set the standard for the new mission statement. If President Rick Commons and fellow administrators want to follow through on their promise of a “joyful” learning experience, they need to continue this trend of flexibility.

Commons has also said that he welcomes comments from students, and hopes that those who are unhappy with any policy will “call” the school on it. We appreciate his openness to feedback, even negative, but hope it will prove to be unnecessary. Students may serve as the catalyst, but it is ultimately the administration’s job to ensure lasting progress.

To that end, we ask the administration to continue being receptive to change. HarvardWestlake students are smart, passionate, busy and, yes, competitive. But we are all here for a single reason: to immerse ourselves in education at the finest academic institution.

A10 Opinion

The Chronicle

Sept. 3, 2014

Think mind over matter

By Nikta Mansouri On the first day of seventh grade in 2009, I nervously walked into the Saperstein Theatre for the first time.

Surrounded by my new classmates, I was greeted with a projection of the school’s motto: They can because they think they can. The words filled me with trepidation and fervor. I came into the Harvard-Westlake community thinking that anything was possible. I may have been naïve, but I was also determined about all the things I could accomplish here. I came into this community thinking I can do anything as long as I believed I could.

Now it’s the first week of my senior year and after a couple years spent at the upper school, I’ve come to understand what the words I saw that first day really meant. I don’t know at what point in my Harvard-Westlake career I lost the passion and confidence I had coming in, but it was definitely gone for a while.

I’m trying hard not to constantly second guess myself, but so many people have told me that this is such a crucial point in my life that it’s hard not to feel regretful. Did I try hard enough last year? Did I push myself enough? Did I do all the things I wanted to? Did I spend too much time with my friends and not enough with my teachers? Did I study for the SAT enough?

Why didn’t I just take more subject tests last year? I can’t help but feel that I didn’t give it my all.

There’s no denying that junior year was incredibly stressful. I had my fair share of panic attacks and mental breakdown, but I didn’t feel as stressed about college as I should have been. For the most part I knew where I wanted to go, and I knew I’d probably get in. I had the grades for the school, and I was a good fit. It made sense.

I didn’t consider any other colleges because I thought, “What’s the point?” I was comfortable with my choice because it was safe. Not to say that it isn’t a great college, and I think I would be very happy there, but I didn’t think I could push my limit when it came to college. I played it too safe last year.

The more I thought about it during the summer, the more I realized just how little confidence I had in myself during junior year. I should have been open to more colleges, but because I didn’t think I could get in, I didn’t let myself explore other colleges. I didn’t let myself aim higher because I didn’t think I had a shot anywhere else.

The deans also made sure that students didn’t have any unrealistic expectations by showing us utterly terrifying statistics in our deans meetings. I appreciate that they tried to protect us from possible disappointment but I think so many juniors came out of those weekly meetings feeling utterly crushed, like at first Harvard-Westlake told them they can and now they’re saying that they can’t.

I recently found again the ambition I had starting in seventh grade. I went on a college tour during the summer, and I’ve reconsidered my options. I’m starting a bit late, but at least I’m giving it my all.

The advice I have for my underclassmen is to have faith in yourself.

From what I’ve found, self-confidence is just as important as your GPA, your essay and your test scores because if you don’t try, you won’t get in. I’m not saying you can get into an Ivy League by just believing in yourself, but it’s crucial to be passionate and sanguine.

Don’t settle before you’ve even put yourself out there.

MADY MADISON/CHRONICLE

Getting the bigger picture

By Marcella Park

T

he Dude abides.

That’s probably the most important thing I learned during break, but the Dude probably doesn’t care how high he ranks on my list of summer lessons.

It all started when my cousin got into film school from his local community college. His new purpose in life was movies, and by the end of his first year at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, movies were all he would talk about, even with non-cinephiles like me.

Something about this newfound passion, maybe the happiness that accompanied it, transformed Stephen into a much better older cousin.

He started taking my brother and me to screenings of classic films and coming over to our house afterward to eat tacos and lecture us on those films. Then he gave me a list of must-watch movies.

This summer was supposed to be one of the most important in my life. I was supposed to do amazing things to put on my college applications and make amazing progress putting said amazing things down on said college applications.

A home away from home

All that expectation stressed me out, and my cousin’s list of movies became my refuge.

They were the only way I could stop working without feeling like I was wasting time. My excuse for putting off my college essays to stare at a screen for two or three hours at a time was that I was getting cultured. Having watched these films would probably make me sound smart at some point in my life, I rationalized. I predicted that I might even reference them in some of my writing (like this column).

What I couldn’t predict was that a few of these films would directly contradict the reasoning behind my watching them.

Characters like the Dude, Ferris Bueller and police chief Marge Gunderson reminded me to relax. I wasn’t really relaxing by taking the time to watch these films, I realized. I was only pretending to.

Even though these characters’ examples were a bit extreme (I still wonder how Marge could have walked around seven months pregnant and dealt with murderers without anything terrible

happening to her), I needed some of that extreme to balance the extremity of my stress.

And of course, stress is by no means banished from my life. I can’t anticipate what it’s going to feel like in a few months to be rejected from colleges, and I still don’t have my Common App essay figured out. Even writing this column is stressing me out because it’s not coming out perfectly.

But I’ve been able to relax in small ways.

Sometimes I took breaks from sending emails and updating my calendar to lie on my mother’s bed (the only one in the house that was always made) and think about life (or nothing). A week ago I was made to attend a KoreanAmerican Parents’ Association barbeque. I couldn’t do anything but sit back and wait for it to be over, so I decided to have fun doing it.

Being deliberate in relaxing helped, even though trying stressed me out at first.

I think with practice my efforts to relax will break out of sheer trying into something real, something for the sake of itself.

Spending time away from Los Angeles can open your mind to the world around you.

By Aimee Misaki

I

don’t mean to offend anyone, but my junior year was better than yours.

I spent it at School Year Abroad in Rennes, France.

If you enjoy meeting new people, experiencing freedom and gaining a more open perspective of the world, then you’ll like SYA. My friend Matthew Kelson ‘14 had participated in SYA the previous year and told me that I should, but I still wasn’t convinced. Was I ready to put my life in Los Angeles on pause and go to France? Could I leave my mom? What if I didn’t make friends? What if no one understood me? I had travelled before, but this was different.

Still, I decided to push aside all of my worries and signed myself up. And let me tell you, that was the best decision I

have ever made.

My first day, I was as nervous as my first day at Harvard-Westlake in seventh grade, but I soon realized that everyone was just as lost as I was. During our first lunch, one girl said she was full, and everyone succumbed to peer pressure and left the table with their plates barely touched. I was left with my soon-to-be best friend, Flora, from Charleston, a Taylor Swift look-alike who unexpectedly listened to Neutral Milk Hotel and Dodos and was way cooler than I was.

My first host family was a full house — parents, four sisters and one brother. I thought I could easily fit into the family, but all they did was watch television, and none of my host siblings wanted to talk to me. As a re-

sult, I changed my host family, and my new family gave me space and a lot of freedom, while still caring about me.

For some reason, seven girls and I just clicked, and we became the best of best friends. Every day for lunch, we’d go to the nearby park or downtown, and after school, we’d stay out drinking coffee just to enjoy the five months we had left. For New Year’s, three of us went to Paris and rented an apartment on Rue de la Roquette just next to Bastille. Forget all the takinginstagrams-at-Tour-Eiffel junk; we went to boat parties on the Seine, met plenty of rad Parisians and pretended the world was ours.

Every month, we would visit another place. I visited Berlin, London, Sicily, Nice, Amsterdam, Brussels, Aix-en-

Provence, Cassis, Marseille, Avignon and a handful of châteaux and cathedrals around France. When I traveled with my friends, we never stayed at hotels but rented hip apartments. We knew that traveling wasn’t about luxury and sightseeing. It was about discovering small shops and restaurants and connecting with the people there.

The farewell with my friends was the saddest goodbye, even though I knew I would see them in the summer. I cried and waved until my friends disappeared into the street. In retrospect, I don’t think I cried because I couldn’t see them for a few months but because I knew we would never have the same experience. During our last week in Paris, I had enjoyed every second spent walking

along the Seine, biking around Fontenay and listening to live music in the forest with the French boy I had sworn I wouldn’t fall in love with. But I was very close to doing so.

Coming back to Los Angeles was somewhat okay because I got to see my family and my friends, but I couldn’t help but compare my life here to the almost perfect one I had there. I am going to sound very cliché, but I feel like such an outsider. I see the people, and most of them care only about the social scene and their image. I guess that’s part of being a kid in Los Angeles, but it’s sad to see people think this city is the only place that exists. In the end, it’s okay because I know my journey has just begun and I can still visit more places.

Hey world, you ready?

Sept. 3, 2014

hwchronicle.com/opinion

quadtalk

The Chronicle asked:

Opinion A11

“Do you think the newest version of the mission statement will have any effect on your day-to-day experience at school?”

219 students weighed in on the Chronicle poll “I don’t think that the mission statement will have much of an effect on my experience at school because it’s not something that comes to our minds on a day-to-day basis.”

No

2 0 4

—Katherine Calvert ‘15

Yes

“I don’t really think the new mission statement is something that will have much effect on the students. It’s more for potential applicants.”

15

—David Goldberg ‘15

“In what ways do you think the administration will enforce the mission statement changes?”

“I do believe that the new statement sets a new standard for our school and its identity, but I don’t think it’s necessary to enforce it in any form or shape. Maybe the administration has a plan, but as far as I believe, there isn’t one very clear and effective way to enforce it.”

—Max Cho ‘15

“I’m assuming the administration will probably keep the mission statement posted around campus so that people can have easier access to it. I didn’t really know much about the old one.

Also, the teachers may remind the students more because it’s new and probably in their heads more.”

—Marisa Hattler ’16

PHOTOS BY KELLY RIOPELLE/CHRONICLE

Letter from the Editors

New methods of connecting

By Zoe Dutton and Scott Nussbaum

W

hen the administration recently rewrote the mission statement to make it more accessible to the student body, it recognized that while content always comes first, the manner in which it is communicated can be just as important.

If nobody reads something, what’s the point of having written it? The Chronicle faces a similar challenge, as we ponder how to continue producing high-quality content that is also easily available.

From the awards that cover the walls of Weiler Hall and the experience of our

two advisers, we know the newspaper itself is stellar. The website is impressive too, and our coverage of breaking news timely and in-depth. Yet the question remains of how to ensure that such fine, relevent material is read by the rest of the community.

As with all other media sources, our mission is further complicated by the array of competing digital platforms and devices with which we surround ourselves.

Gone are the days when a newspaper — something actually printed on dead trees — was the sole source of information, and every house on the block had at least

three newspapers delivered daily. Now everyone consumes news from more than half a dozen sources, and the Chronicle needs to keep up.

To this end, we’ve launched accounts on a variety of platforms.Follow @hw_chronicle on Instagram, hw_chronicle on Snapchat, and hwchronicle.tumblr.com on Tumblr for an assortment of news and eye-catching visuals. We are working to increase our presence on Facebook, with more interactive features to encourage reader engagement and interest in the school news.

We will also continue our frequent postings on the

NIKTA MANSOURI/CHRONICLE

TAKING CHARGE: Editors in Chief Zoe Dutton ’15 and Scott Nussbaum ’15 hope to increase the Chronicle’s presence via various social media platforms, including Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram.

Chronicle website, and Twitter updates and we will host live-streaming of events.

As the school community’s primary news source, we have always tried to address the needs of the community.

Rather than dumb-down our current content for entertainment value, we seek to provide the same quality product, plus more visually pleasing

design.

Whether it be on-campus news events or the effects of international issues on the school community, the Chronicle will continue to provide the same reliable coverage and thought-provoking stories.

Here’s to new methods of connection and maintaining old standards of reporting.

exposure

A12

Sept. 3, 2014

Beginning of the End

The senior class and faculty members came together on the upper school campus for the annual senior barbeque to celebrate the upcoming year and enjoy food prepared by Wood Ranch Barbeque on Aug. 28.

KELLY LOEB/CHRONICLE

RECONNECTION: Garrett Robinson ’15, left, upper school science teacher Nate Cardin and Annelise Colvin ’15 converse about class schedules, the football game and upcoming school events during the gathering.

TERESA SUH/CHRONICLE

CATCHING UP: Rachel Persky ‘15 and Jack Price ‘15 chat about their summer activities and fall plans while waiting for food at the beginning of the barbeque.

KELLY LOEB/CHRONICLE

BUILDING A NETWORK: Senior Alumni Officer Harry Salamandra speaks to students about how they will soon be alumni and how to join the alumni network for job and internship oppurtunities.

KELLY LOEB/CHRONICLE

HIGH FIVE: Prefect Hannah Kateman ‘15 (center) talks with Katie Lipkin-Zeed ’15 and Chris Han ‘15 over drinks.

KELLY LOEB/CHRONICLE

KELLY LOEB/CHRONICLE

JOKING AROUND: Katie Zipkin-Leed ’15 and English teacher Paul Chenier chat after lunch.

CATCHING UP FOR LOST TIME: Erica Jaffe ’15 and Head Prefect Sarah Winshel ’15 talk to each other at the barbeque.

Features The Chronicle • Sept. 3, 2014

Tip of the Ice Bucket The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge generates controversy ranging from water conservation to foreign affairs. • See page B12

B2 Features

The Chronicle

Sept. 3, 2014

GRAPHIC BY BENJAMIN MOST

By Jessica Spitz

Watching the news unfold

for most of the summer. At the end of June, three Israelis very time he heard kidnapped and killed a Paleswarning sirens, Judd tinian boy.

Liebman ’12 calmly These events occurred made his way to the in the middle of Jake Sonfortified safe room in the Tel nenberg’s ’11 trip to Tel Aviv, Aviv building where he was where he was also in Birthworking. In northern Israeli right Israel Excel. Like Liebcities including Tel Aviv, the man, he became accustomed warning meant people had 90 to the frequent sirens, and seconds to get to safety before though his family members a rocket might land. back home were worried, they “There were sirens two to did not seem overly concerned, three times a day, he said. waking us up in the “Obviously it’s middle of the night tough for parents or the morning, or to have their kids during Shabbat dinin a situation that ner, so that wasn’t can seem so scary that scary because from so far away, we kind of got used but I think they to it,” Liebman said. also understood, Liebman spent 10 especially after weeks in Israel this talking to me and nathanson’s summer as part of hearing about my Judd Liebman ’12 Birthright Israel Exexperiences, that cel, a summer proit’s not quite as gram for college stubad on the ground dents that includes in Israel as it an internship with seems,” Sonnena prominent Israeli berg said. “Life company. goes on, especially Liebman was one somewhere like of many HarvardTel Aviv. People Westlake students still go to work. staying in Israel People still go to nathanson’s during a summer of Nina Woythaler ’16 the beach. You violence sparked by just have to althe deaths of three ways know where Israeli teenagers in the closest bomb June. Hamas, the Isshelter is.” lamic militant group As a part of that controls much of the Birthright the Gaza Strip, took Israel Excel proresponsibility for the gram, each stukillings in August. dent was paired Erica Jaffe ’15, with a current or who traveled to Isformer Israeli solnathanson’s rael with the B’nai Jake Sonnenberg ’11 dier. Sonnenberg’s B’rith Youth Organi27-year-old partzation, witnessed the ner was called to a reaction to the killings first- reserve in Gaza, where he was hand. critically injured in an inci“I went to the Western dent that claimed three Isreali Wall the next day, and I saw soldiers’ lives. After enduring protests and people screaming, several emergency surgeries and it was all terrifying, so we and spending four days in the left pretty much as soon as we intensive care unit, he is on his came,” Jaffe said. “But when way to a full recovery, Sonnenwe were there, it was scary.” berg said.

Following the teenagers’ “It really showed just how deaths, Israel invaded Gaza, awful the conflict can be,” Sonand the two sides began ex- nenberg said. “That a young, changing fire that continued healthy man studying to be a

E

lawyer gets pulled up and has to the names of all the Wito go fight and is so seriously Fi networks in her building,” hurt in a conflict that doesn’t Sonnenberg said. really show many signs of beIn addition to a strengthing resolved any time soon.” ened community, Liebman also Nina Woythaler ’16, who noticed another significant spent a month in Israel change: a clear shift in politithrough the North American cal views.

Federation of Temple Youth, “It’s funny because there felt relatively safe due to the is such a two-sided, pluralistic protection of the Iron Dome, debate in Israel when there’s the Israeli air defense system peace,” he said. “There’s althat intercepts and destroys ways a desire for a two-state missiles. peace resolution. There’s alAlthough some partici- ways a desire for Gaza for selfpants went home because of determination and to survive parents’ concerns, as a separate entity.

Woythaler never When the conflict considered cutting began, you could reher trip short, she ally see a shift tosaid. ward more right “There was a wing policies. Not little bit of fear,” only policy, but also Woythaler said. “It rhetoric.” was there. People Sonnenberg felt would talk about it. that his time in IsPeople would be askrael helped him unnathanson’s ing counselors quesderstand the realiErica Jaffe ’15 tions. Parents would ties of war. be contacting them and telling “It’s really easy to see a rethem the news, and the kids port on TV of some disaster in would get a little worried. In Iraq or Afghanistan and not the end, it’s all very abstract, really have it hit home that and I guess the these are peounity that was ple who have there in the families and Just walking country made friends and us feel like communities,” down the street, people we could stay he said. would say, ‘Pray for there, because Though he everyone else is an American Israel’ to us, or ,‘I’m was there going Jew, like Jaffe, praying for our safety.’ It S o n n e n b e r g through it with us.” and Woythaler, was strange but nice to Both Jaffe being so close hear.” and Sonnento the conflict berg agreed —Erica Jaffe ’15 e n c o u r a g e d that the conLiebman to flict fostered a recognize the sense of unity. valid arguments on both sides.

“Just walking down the “[Visiting Israel] definitely street, people would say, ‘Pray made me understand the plufor Israel,’ to us, or, ‘I’m pray- ralist aspect of every conflict,” ing for our safety,’” Jaffe said. Liebman said. “To say, ‘We “It was strange but nice to need to carpet bomb Hamas’, hear.” or to say, ‘It’s all Israel’s fault,’ Sonnenberg said neighbors is really not productive. Evgot a chance to know one an- erything has two sides to a other. story, and we don’t have all the “One of my coworkers at facts. It’s unfortunate to know the office told me that one of that there are many innocent the highlights of her bomb people being killed, and it’s shelter experience in her also unfortunate to know that apartment building was that Hamas wants Israel wiped off she could finally put faces the face of the earth.”

“

Sept. 3, 2014

hwchronicle.com/features

Features B3

All-Access Summers They spent their vacations interning for a reality television show, volunteering to teach reading to elementary kids and taking yoga certification classes.

NATHANSON’S NATHANSON’S

SET PASS NAMES: Rachel Persky Julia Safir POSITIONS: Interns AGES: 17

Working behind the scenes

nathanson’s

Carly Berger ’15

nathanson’s

Tess Haber ’17

nathanson’s

Katie Jones ’15 nathanson’s

NAME: Trishta Dordi

By Lauren Kim

For most people, an summer internship means fetching coffee and filing paperwork.

For Rachel Persky ’15 and Julia Safir ’15, however, it meant watching audition tapes and interviewing potential contestants for reality shows like Survivor and The Amazing Race.

Persky and Safir participated in an internship for Lynne Spillman, a casting director for CBS. Both knew Spillman through family members.

“I contacted Lynne and told her how interested I am in everything she does, and how I would love to be all eyes and ears to her job over the summer,” Persky said. “She called me and interviewed me and told me I could start over the summer.”

Both students worked for four weeks, with one week of overlap, Monday-Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This summer, Spillman’s team of casting directors worked on casting for “The Amazing Race”, a reality TV game show with teams of two people racing around the world in competition with other teams.

People who want to participate in the show must submit a video and, if they pass through this first step, travel to Los Angeles for an interview.

“Lynne made sure I was there for all the interesting things, like when we got to meet the contestants, and when she had me watch videos of applicants that sent in and stuff like that…. I would call them and interview them, or I would go onto the website where all the videos were submitted, or when the contestants actually flew into LA, I would help chauffeur them around,” Safir said.

Through her internship, Safir learned that casting is much more complicated than it seems, she said.

“There was a lot of psychology involved, which I didn’t really expect going into it,” Safir said. “Some people lie and say their relationship with their partner is different than it actually is, and you kind of have to be able to watch their body language and the answers they give and figure out whether they’re telling the truth.”

Still, Persky and Safir were not exempt from the typical intern duties, taking coffee orders and looking at contestant contracts. Both agree that this was their least favorite part of the job.

Even so, working this internship has sparked an interest for both in the casting business. Safir, who currently is looking to perform as a career, says that now casting has become a viable second option for her.

Persky even looks to work for Spillman again either during second semester or next summer.

“It was such a privilege working with Lynne and the rest of ‘The Amazing Race’ casting team,” Persky said. “I love seeing how the process works, and it was so cool being able to be exposed to the casting and production business.”

POSITION: Yoga Instructor nathanson’s

Katie Kreshek ’16

nathanson’s

Libby Sondheimer ’15

nathanson’s

Alan Yousefzadeh ’15

Helping to hit the books

By Pim Otero

The attraction of being involved with another education-oriented charity is what inspired Alan Yousefzadeh ’15 to volunteer at the Freedom School for the first time in July.

“I chose to work there because the mission of the organization resonated with what I believe in,” Yousefzadeh said. “As cofounder of Bridge to a Brighter Future, a tutoring organization with a chapter at Harvard-Westlake, I thought it would be a great opportunity to be a part of another organization whose focus is also education.”Seven students in total volunteered at the Freedom School: Yousefzadeh, Libby Sondheimer ’15, Rachel Persky ’15, Carly Berger ’15, Katie Jones ’15, Katie Kreshek ’16, and Tess Haber ’17. Each student sent applications to a member of the Stephen S. Wise Freedom School earlier in the school year.

The Freedom School is a summer and after-school enrichment program part of the Children’s Defense Fund that enhances self-esteem, reading and writing skills, and classroom attitudes of children in kindergarten through sixth grade. The summer program officially operated from mid-June through July, but volunteers were welcome to come and go as they please.

“I really like working with kids and tutoring and stuff like that, and a lot of people I know had [volunteered at the Freedom School] and said it was amazing so I figured it would be fun to try,” Sondheimer said. “I also like how it was over a longer amount of time so it wasn’t just only a week. It was a substantial amount of time so I felt that I would actually be making a big difference and really helping.”

Elementary students were divided into classrooms of 10 to 12, while each classroom was paired with one teacher and an assistant; during class time, volunteers from Harvard-Westlake often worked as teacher’s assistants one-on-one with Freedom School students on classroom skills.

Books read in the classroom were chosen based on a predetermined theme for each week. Examples included “I can make a difference in myself ” and “I can make a difference in my community”.

“The number one thing I learned was patience. But then I also learned how putting in a little time and giving my full attention to a kid that might not get it at home or at their school can really make a difference for them and make them feel great, because at their schools there are a lot of kids and not enough teachers so it’s easy to see that this one-on-one attention is really beneficial for them,” Sondheimer said.

AGE: 17

Finding her inner peace

By Leily Arzy Ahimsa, non-violence. Santosha, contentment. Asteya, non-stealing.

These are just three of the eight virtues in yoga that Trishta Dordi ’15 used to shape her life during the summer.

“It takes dedication,” Dordi said. “Throughout the whole training, they said that whatever you give to this training is what you get out of it. It is kind of like school in that way.”

Dordi spent eight weeks, a total of 200 hours, training at Core Power Yoga to become an instructor. The training consisted mostly of adults in their late twenties and early thirties, but she said she enjoyed the wide range of ages and felt like part of a bigger family. After completing her hours, Dordi took both a written and physical exam, a process she said she found mentally invigorating.

“Just the things that they tell you, like how to be happier, how to change your perspective, to better yourself. It was a good, grounding place for me and that is why I wanted to try teacher training.”

Now certified to teach in most studios, Dordi plans to give private lessons to neighbors in her apartment building. Throughout college, she hopes to continue yoga as a part-time job in nearby gyms or studios.

Since her ninth grade year, Dordi had used yoga to improve her flexibility for track and cross country. But because of an injury that prevented her from running for the most of last season, Dordi increased the amount of yoga in her life to distract from her injury.

“It did not only help me through that injury, but it was also a mental recovery,” she said.

Through this process, Dordi said that she has learned better ways to relax, which she says is especially helpful because of the stressful environment at school.

“My training was more focused on breath and how the simple things in life can make you happy,” she said. “It was really about bringing you back to your roots and how it can make you a better person.”

B4 Features

The Chronicle

Point People

Sept. 3, 2014 Here are some upper school faces that are good to know

G

JEAN SANDERS/CHRONICLE

ATTENTIVE IN ATTENDANCE: Preciado learns the names and faces of new students to prepare for the upcoming school year. Preciado’s office is located on the second floor of Seaver.

abe Preciado is the upper school attendance coordinator.

Students visit his office for any issues with tardiness, absence or early dismissal.

He also makes sure that students have the proper forms to enroll in classes and participate in sports.

If students wish to leave school early, they must sign out and receive a gate pass from Preciado’s office.

If students need to get a school absence excused, they visit Preciado’s office.

Preciado worked all summer to prepare for the upcoming school year.

“I did not go very far,” Preciado said. “I stayed here, working on medical forms making sure [students] have the appropriate certification from the doctor to participate in sports here.”

Preciado can be found in his office in Seaver, across from the receptionist’s desk.

LEXI BOWERS /CHRONICLE

STANDING WATCH: Mark Geiger monitors visitors at the security kiosk ouside Taper.

M

ark Geiger is a security guard from CJL Security stationed at the kiosk adjacent to Taper Gym. He regulates who gets on campus and who leaves, and he makes sure students are safe throughout the day.

Geiger also helps students practice A.L.I.C.E training, an emergency procedure to increase the safety of students in the event of a threat on campus.

In his free time, Geiger enjoys working on his family’s rodeo with his 12 horses. His favorite horse is named Thunder.

Geiger has worked for the past 10 years as a security guard at Harvard-Westlake.

KELLY LOEB/CHRONICLE

JEAN SANDERS /CHRONICLE

TRAINERS ON CALL: Director of Sports Medicine Milo Sini and athletic trainers Sandee Teruya and Amanda Zamani greet students on the quad during the senior barbecue.

BEK AT WORK: Luba Bek plans an upcoming Peer Support event in her office in Seaver. Peer Support takes place on Monday nights and offers students an opportunity to bond with their peers.

M

L

ilo Sini, the director of sports medicine, spent his summer working on campus and served as a trainer at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He has been at HarvardWestlake for 10 years. Like Sini, Sandee Teruya, an athletic trainer, spent her sum-

mer helping students. She has also been working at HarvardWestlake for 10 years. Amanda Zamani, another athletic trainer, spent her summer working at school and relaxing by the pool reading a book. She has been working at HarvardWestlake for three years.

uba Bek, counselor and humanities teacher, spent her summer traveling the world. She spent two weeks in Greece, nine days in Hawaii during Hurricane Julio and visited Las Vegas.

Bek is also a coordinator of the Peer Support program at

the Upper School and a faculty advisor. Students go to Bek for counseling, Choices and Challenges classes, psychology classes and questions about Peer Support.

Students can find Bek on the second level of Seaver at the end of the hallway.

KELLY LOEB /CHRONICLE

STAY IN THE CONES: Sanders Jackson directs traffic in front of the Ted Slavin Field.

JEAN SANDERS/CHRONICLE

KELLY LOEB /CHRONICLE

SEARCHING THE SHELVES: Shannon Acedo helps a student locate a book for her History class research project.

NEED A BINDER?: Allie Costa reviews students’ book orders for the upcoming year. The bookstore is located in Chalmers Hall.

S

A

hannon Acedo is the head librarian at the Upper School.

She has a master’s degree in library and information science.

Over the summer, she camped and backpacked to Mount Shasta with her family.

This year is her eighth at Harvard-Westlake. Students

go to the library for help finding books, for help with research and bibliographies, to print out homework assignments and for book suggestions.

Acedo can be found in the Mudd Library at the main desk, in her office in the library or helping a student in the library.

llie Costa is the bookstore associate for the Upper School at Harvard-Westlake.

Students go to Costa to pick up school supplies, aquire bus passes or sometimes just to chat.

When not working in the bookstore, Costa acts, sings and directs for film, television and plays.

During the summer, she worked on productions in the United Kingdom and Broadway as a part of the Manhattan Theater Club.

Costa has been working at Harvard-Westlake for eight years.

“I love getting to know and helping students prepare for the coming year,” Costa said.

S

anders Jackson is a security officer and parking associate on the Upper School. He also regulates Upper School parking. Students and teachers go to Jackson with parking issues, such as reserving parking spots.

During the summer, Jackson went on vacation and visited and relaxed with his mother in Louisiana.

Jackson has worked at Harvard-Westlake for 19 years.

Sept. 3, 2014

hwchronicle.com/features

Reacting to Ferguson

By Leily

arzy and

Aimee Misaki

Michael Brown, an unarmed, black 18-year-old, was shot to death by a white police officer, Darren Wilson, on Aug. 9 in Ferguson, Missouri. Police allege Brown stole a box of cigars from a local convenience store, but Brown was actually stopped for jaywalking. The facts of the encounter between Wilson and Brown are in dispute, but some witnesses say Brown had his hands up when the officer fired. A preliminary autopsy, paid for by Brown’s family, showed that he was shot at least six times, including twice in the head. After the shooting, residents and other protesters held prayer vigils and took to the streets of Ferguson, where they were met by police in riot gear. As tensions increased, some protesters threw rocks, bottles and Molotov cocktails at the police, who fired stun grenades, rubber bullets and tear gas canisters in return.

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Three perspectives on acts of violence in Missouri.

A Parent’s Perspective Lisa Robinson (Garrett ’15), know if the issue is going to be a member of Parents of African fixed,” she said. “It’s going to cost Americans at Harvard-Westlake young black men their lives. It is School, hopes that all members not just an issue with the black of the community, regardless of community. It is an issue that race, will get involved in the pur- we are going to have to take as suit of justice for innoa whole, all minorities cent, unarmed black and majorities.” victims.

Robsinson tries to “That could have teach her children that been [Garrett]. That everyone is equal, but could have been any because shootings of of our kids,” Robinson unarmed black men said. “Unarmed, going happen often, she said about their business she has no choice but with friends. Our kids to prepare her children do that everyday. It just for the realities in a nathanson’s saddens me that these black man’s life.

Garrett things are still going “You want them to Robinson ’15 on.” feel like they are equal Robinson views the issue and you want them to feel like from a dual perspective. they will be treated the same, She comes from a police fam- but it does become a challenge to ily and has two black sons. Con- do that when you are in a world troversies like Brown’s death are where even far away, and it hapespecially sensitive for her fam- pens in Los Angeles, where they ily, she said. see every day kids who look just “Until the public perception like them being judged for their of black males change, I don’t color,” Robinson said.

Perspective of Alumni at Washington University

GRAPHIC BY JACOB GOODMAN AND AIMEE MISAKI

A Student’s Perspective Rachel Savage ’15, a leader will get anonymity. That’s just of Harvard Westlake’s BLACC, trying to cover their mistake said she worries for the life of when they shouldn’t. They her brother, who attends Yale have to make an example of it University, because he could to make sure it doesn’t happen have been walking to classes again.” and been in Brown’s situation.

Savage believes Harvard Although the Westlake students BLACC did not meet are reluctant to disduring the summer cuss the shooting bebreak, Savage anticicause of the heaviness pates that the tragof the subject matter. edy will be a hot topic “When it comes at the meetings this on TV, they will say fall. She hopes to or‘that’s’ crazy,’ but it is ganize fundraisers to a sad subject,” Savage improve gun control said. “It is a sensitive laws. subject. I do not think nathanson’s “I think that afthat people just want Rachel ter the fact, after to ignore it and hope Savage ’15 something like that that it goes away, but has happened, the deat the same time, I partment needs to own up to it do not want to just be eating and not try to protect the po- lunch and have to start thinklice officer, like they’re doing,” ing and talking about the tragshe said. “They’re trying to get edy. It is just not dinner table bills passed where police offi- conversation and not somecers involved in fatal shootings thing that gets talked about.”

Alumni at Washington university-wide email from University in St. Washington UniverLouis, which is about sity Chancellor Mark eight miles from the S. Wrighton. shooting, have expeSome students, rienced the conflict however, believe they at a closer range. have not seen eviThe day of dence of social unrest Brown’s funeral was on the university the same day that campus.

Washington Univer“Although there sity’s classes began is talk and awarenathanson’s on campus. ness, Washington Katie “When I stepped University is similar Ehrlich ’14 out of my dorm to Harvard-Westlake building this mornin that it exists in a ing, I found that the bubble and is aware ground was covered of but safe from the in chalk drawings gross injustices of the and sayings such as outside world,” Anton ‘Black Lives Matter’ Beer ’14 said. and ‘Chalked Un“I think it is armed,’” Katie Ehdefinitely the most rlich ’14 said. discussed current nathanson’s The univeristy event on campus, but Anton Beer ’14 sent emails to stumove-in is taking up dents about the Fereveryone’s time,” Anguson shooting bedrew Meepos ’13 said. fore school started, “If the whole incident and the issue was had happened in a referenced in the few weeks, when peoopening convocation ple were settled into speech. campus, there would “We must be likely be more active steadfast in our comparticipation.” mitment to have a Meepos said nathanson’s diverse and incluaround 500 out of Andrew sive community, in 6,400 undergraduate Meepos ’13 order to provide the students protested in best possible educaSt. Louis, which was tion, research, clinical care about 5–10 percent of the stuand service,” read one such dent body.

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Alex Grande: Spain

By Sharon Chow

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Annelise Colvin ’15 was both nervous and excited about volunteering at a French orphanage in Douala, Cameroon, after receiving a Junior Summer Fellowship. In the two and a half weeks she spent with the Humanity Exchange, an organization that Foreig sends students to foreign places, Colvin n worked Friends: An worked with children to prepare them for nelise with in Co Camer their upcoming school year. oon. Co lvin ’15 takes lvin he a photo Colvin applied for her grant by submitting lped pr w it h th epare t a project proposal that included her goals for hem fo e students sh r the sc e the trip and why she thought she deserved to hool ye ar. win.

While volunteering in a local orphanage, Colvin spent time with 10 children, bringing them candies and pastries and helping them prepare for the upcoming school year.

She said that she was surprised by how the children were always smiling and seemed overjoyed despite their circumstances. A current French student, Colvin also took advantage of being around native speakers to improve her conversational French.

“In a classroom, you are taught to speak very proper French, but all the children spoke really fast slang French,” Colvin said. “I’ve found that I already understand a lot more of what people around me are saying than before I went there.”

She lived with a host family who introduced PRIN TED W her to other locals during dinners.

ITH P ERMIS SION OF AN Many of the traditions seemed foreign to her NELIS E COLV IN as an American.

“We ordered this entire fish, and it was a whole fish with heads and eyes, and you eat with your hands,” Colvin said. “That was my first real look into their culture.”

Although Colvin was apprehensive about staying in a foreign country alone, she said that she was extremely glad that she was able to experience such a unique opportunity.

“I would tell anyone thinking about applying for a fellowship to just go for it, and think of the craziest place you can go and just do it,” Colvin said.

“Now I appreciate things I had d u z st s. never thought about before, like e r Jua r peer taking a bath and going out to e an. p h o ap s with Z eat knowing that everything f ho die Arc er stu is cooked well… Originally e h er t hare h d I didn’t know what to n su to s expect, but the whole and plans t s d ’16 [experience] has rez xico an a u a J n Me really opened my n i i n e e Kar ic whil eyes to what is e: s u yp T m happening i h h c c Ar aria in AfM ied rica.”

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Alex Grande ’16 took cooking classes in cia as part of her Iberian Latin American Fellowship.

She studied Spain’s history and how its was affected by historical events.

In addition to taking classes where she about Spanish traditions and cuisine, Gra traveled to learn more about the food.

“I went to El Palmar,” Grande said. where they grow Valencia rice, which is they use for their paellas, so I got to go th I got to see where the rice was grown and try some.”

Using what she learned in Valencia, chose to create a historical booklet with tr al recipes of Spanish foods along with info about the dish and historical background.

Some of the foods that Grande will be in the booklet include paella, tortilla de and a variety of tapas.

She chose Valencia for this project the city is well known for its food.

“Since that’s what I was studying, I wanted to make sure I went somewhere that had that specifically,” Grande said.

The city of Valencia is smaller than Los Angeles, Grande said, and she appreciated the fact that she was able to go out to restaurants and cafes to meet with friends and eat.

Grande also appreciated the extensiv transportation, which made traveling arou ier.

The friendliness of the people also mad pression on her.

Along with learning about Spain’s cult tory and cuisine, Grande also learned to pendent: how to look out for herself and way around a foreign city. She got lost in one day, but managed to get money from h and find her way back home.

“That experience, as terrifying as it wa moment, helped me learn how to do things self and problem solve in a foreign city,” said.

6W Fe

Four seniors and tw countries on gran various eye-openi pottery, volunte

Karenina Juarez: Me

By Sabrina

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Karenina Juarez ’16 interviewed Maria sic scholars and gathered research this after being granted the Iberian Latin A Studies Fellowship, with the goal of ul compiling her findings into a short docum and a proposal for the teaching of a Maria sic class at Harvard-Westlake.

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Mariachi history and technique, all the while checking in with Interdisciplinary Studies department head Larry Klein.

Juarez traveled to Washington D.C., to interview Daniel Sheehy, Mariachi historian and Director of Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. She also traveled to Texas Tech University in June to meet with Professor of Musicology Lauryn Salazar.

Juarez recently returned from the International Mariachi Festival in Guadalajara, Mexico, one of the final legs of her summer fellowship where she attended various workshops.

She has begun work on her documentary, organizing her film and has begun editing together.

In this way, she hopes to expose her peers to her newfound fascination.

She plans on finishing editing the movie during the month of September. After the documentary is complete, Juarez will write the proposal for the Mariachi master class she hopes to put into place at Harvard-Westlake in collaboration with the school’s music department. In this class, orchestral and vocal musicians would learn the origins and ways of performing Mariachi.

Juarez’s interest in the music style stemmed from hearing executive producer of Latino USA Maria Hinojosa speak on National Public Radio about the rising numbers of Mariachi ensembles in American colleges.

J u a r e z said that she hopes to join a student-based ensemble in college to get more involved in the LatinAmerican culture and to realize her newfound passion.

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Diana Kim: South Korea

By Sacha Lin Diana Kim ’15 studied ceramics through a hands-on workshop and visits to museums in South Korea as a recipient of the Gunter-Gross Asia Initiative Summer Fellowship. For 10 days, she participated in a ceramics apprenticeship program with Master Choi In Gyu in Icheon.

“Icheon is a home to families of potters that have stayed there for generations,” Kim said. “The potters are known as the ‘Living Cultural Treasures of Korea,’ as they reside in these villages and produce some of the finest ceramics in the world.”

The goal for the workshop was to complete a traditional Korean tea set, which Kim decorated with lotus patterns. She used a celadon glaze, which results in a distinct green color. Kim spent her mornings throwing clay on the wheel, and her afternoons trimming, carving and glazing for a total of eight hours at the workshop each day.

“It was an extremely intense experience,” Kim said. “My teacher wanted to teach me the most in the short time I had, so the 10 days were both physically and mentally exhausting but incredible nonetheless.”

During the first days of the workshop,

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na 6 stands o Grande ’1 ed about rn a f : A le x le e e h d C n Top . Gra er in Spain alencia. lture in V street corn cu d n a e in is cu h Spanis

Kim made b a s i c forms such as cups and bowls to improve her technique at the wheel. In that time, Kim made more than 20 cups but had to throw almost half of them away. “[Master Choi] imparted a lot of wisdom on what it’s like to create ceramics for a living and the mentality you have to have to create art,” Kim said.

After the program, Kim spent five days in Seoul museums viewing white porcelain, celadon and earthenware pottery.

Sophia and Sabrina Szu: China

By Jesse Nadel and Izzy Weisenthal Twins Sabrina Szu ’15 and Sophia Szu ’15 studied the effects of China’s air pollution and environmental factors on the country’s society and culture this summer as part of the Gunter-Gross Asia Initiative Fellowship.

After receiving the grant, the twins studied under a professor at Peking University in Beijing.

ALEX GRANDE PERMISSION OF PRINTED WITH With the professor’s aid, they were able to write a scientific report documenting their findings.

In the report, they discussed the amount of sulfur in the Chinese atmosphere and compared it to that of the United States.

Now that they are back from the fellowship, the Szus said that they are hoping to publish their report in a scientific journal.

“We talked to our environmental science teacher, and she told us to submit it to the science journal at Harvard-Westlake,” Sabrina Szu said.

Both Szu sisters agreed that the experience was very impactful to their lives and changed their perspective.

“I think that, especially at our age, researching with a university professor at one of the top schools in China was really eyeopening experience that really affected Throu g us both and how cient e h the Look ing Gl a rthenw we view eduass are in a muse : Sabrina a cation,” Sond Sop um. Th h e siste phia Szu rs stud ia Szu ’15 ob se ied air said. pollutio rve ann in C hina.

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Finalizing college lists

By Carly Berger

The Artist: Blair* spent a month in Dublin, Ireland studying acting at Trinity College. Blair recorded various types of songs at the studio, such as Irish Folk songs.

She plans to attend a conservatory or a drama conservatory attached to a liberal arts college and hopes to major in drama.

“I would like to act 24/7 if that’s possible, but it’s a hard career to go in to, so I would have to do things on the side, but the goal is to act all of the time, “ Blair said.

She is looking at schools on the East Coast and in the British Isles, such as The Juilliard School in New York and The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

“I like the weather over there better, and I just think that I learn better in that environment,” Blair said. “I feel like the schools in the British Isles and the East Coast will give me more of what I need to become a better actor.”

Blair overall is pretty stressed about the college process. She plans on applying to 12 different colleges and does not have a first choice.

“I just want to apply regular decision because if I apply early decision somewhere, then I might be missing out on other opportunities,” Blair said.

While Blair has completed most of her Common Application, she still has to practice her monologues, supplements and auditions to go along with her applications.

Blair said that her parents have been supportive of her throughout her college application process so far.

“They want me to do well, and they don’t want to see me fail,” Blair said.

‘They are very pushy to get it done, but it’s all good.”

Each year the Chronicle follows the path of four seniors through their college processes. Their identities are kept anonymous until after their final decisions have been made.

Blair also plans to audition for the school musical, “Company,” in the fall, and while she wants to audition for “As You Like It” in the winter, she does not know if she will be able to, due to auditions that she may attend for international schools.

The Athlete: Summer* spent the summer working at a film production studio and as a camp counselor at Perfect Day Surf Camp. Although Summer is not really a surfer, she worked at the beach taking care of campers all day.

“It was fun,” Summre said. “I loved it. It was way better than sitting in an office all day.”

In order to stay healthy and injuryfree for her track season this coming year, Summer limited herself to running and pole-vaulting four times a week. She has been communicating with various coaches from Division III schools over the phone and via email.

Summer hopes to run in college.

“I can’t imagine my life without running,” Summer said. “I really hope to get recruited. That’s the goal.”

Summer hopes to attend a fouryear traditional college that is not in an urban setting and that has a very enclosed campus.

“I was hoping to look more into the liberal arts colleges, either liberal arts, D3 or D1,” Summer said.

Summer has toured various colleges on the East Coast and in the Midwest.

“I am going to be honest: I don’t have a first choice,” Summer said. “I am just going to reach for Princeton then see where I land.”

Summer is currently focusing on raising her test scores. She has taken both the SAT and the ACT, but plans on retaking them this fall. She also intends to work more on her Common

Application, which she has started but has not completed.

Summer felt quite pressured by the college process at the end of last school year but says that it makes more sense to her now.

“I am afraid that I am just underestimating how hard senior year is going to be, and I know I will take it seriously, but I hope that I stay on track,” Summer said.

The Brain: Seth* spent his summer creating a fencing scorekeeper app at the Harvard-Westlake Innovation Lab program. After competing at fencing nationals in Columbus, Ohio, he realized that there needed to be a simpler app to help keep score.

“I am focusing on keeping it simple because one of my coaches pulled me over and asked me how to use one, and I had no idea because it was so complicated,” Seth said. “So I am just making sure it is easy to understand.”

Seth has a few people testing his app and received good feedback about its simplicity and accuracy.

Seth has completed all of the Common Application except the essay.

“The essay is asking something that is hard to know about yourself,” Seth said. “At least for me it is difficult.”

He is looking for a college environment with hardworking people, nice weather, and a town with internship and job opportunities. Seth is also looking for a school with a great fencing program.

Seth believes that Stanford University fits his criteria pretty well. He is thinking about applying early action there, but also is interested in Brown.

“I am kind of worried that I won’t get in to my top choices, but I don’t think that I will not get in anywhere,” Seth said.

The All-Around Football offensive lineman Walter* plans on auditioning for the spring play, “As You Like It.” Although he would like to audition for the fall musical, “Company,” he cannot because he will be in season.

Walter spent his summer traveling with his family to Canada and doing the Common Application. He has completed almost all of the application except the essay and written the UC essay. In July, Walter began football practices.

Walter hopes to attend a midsized college that is near a city.

Walter visited colleges in the spring and has seen local schools such as University of California, Los Angeles, and University of Southern California.

Although Walter intends to apply to a college early decision, he has not yet decided which college. Walter plans on deciding where he will apply early decision within the next couple of weeks.

As an only child, Walter feels his parents are relieved that they only have to go through the college process with their child once. He helps to reassure his parents who sometimes get anxious that everything will be okay.

“I am an optimist,” Walter said.

“It’s not like I’m open to any college, but I can always see the good and the bad in a situation, because I know wherever I end up, I will make the best of any situation.”

Walter is currently more excited than nervous about applying to college.

“I am more excited at this point because I haven’t had to hear any bad news yet,” Walter said. “I’m excited for the process and to weigh my options and see what happens.” *Names have been changed

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Arts&Entertainment The Chronicle • Sept. 3, 2014

The shows will go on

The performing arts calendar this year includes plays, festivals, showcases, screenings and concerts. Though performances do not begin until October, auditions for the musical, “Company” start next week.

September Sept. 8: Singing auditions for “Company” Sept. 9: Acting auditions for “Company” Sept. 10: “Company” callbacks

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October Oct. 15: Screening of student films on domestic violence Oct. 25: “Wider than the Sky: A Celebration of Word, Image and Performance” Oct. 29: Screening of Rwanda documentaries

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Sept. 3, 2014

Art students to post lunch photos on site

By Aimee Misaki

Middle school photography teacher Joe Medina has launched a Tumblr page for a new art project titled, “One Moment One Meal One Photograph,” which will include photos of different meals by photography students and artists from around the globe.

Anyone is free to participate by eating and taking a photo of a meal at exactly noon wherever the individual is on Sept. 4.

The idea is to have food photographers virtually sit

down for a meal in unison.

Medina hopes “to inspire a feeling of community across geographic and cultural boundaries.”

Harvard-Westlake students are planning meal photos inspired by artists such as Sophie Calle, Fabine Plangger, and Justin Reyes, Medina said on his Tumblr page.

Participating photographers can submit photos of themselves and their meals or to Medina’s e-mail, jmedina@ hw.com. The photos will be posted at www.hwmeal1photo. tumblr.com.

Stone-cutters wins first class NSPA rating

By William Park

The 2014 issue of Stonecutters received a first class rating from the National Student Press Association.

The magazine had never been submitted before for a critique from national journalism organization.

“I feel really proud of the talent of the students at our school,” staff member Kacey

Bae ’15 said.

She said she thought advisers Cheri Gaulke, Amber Caron and Sasha Watson had contributed to the rating.

Yearbook students also helped with the full-color magazine, laying out the pages during their eighth period class.

Gaulke said that the critique of the magazine would help this year’s staff.

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF TED WALCH

AT THE MOVIES: Performing arts teacher Ted Walch researches “The 400 Blows” with a colleague, above. Nick Lieberman ’11 holds the title page of the first draft of the movie, below.

Walch researches book in Paris

By Henry Vogel

Performing arts teacher Ted Walch spent his second summer in Paris researching the lead actor of his favorite film in hopes of writing a book next year.

In the second semester of Cinema Studies, Walch shows his students “The 400 Blows,” a 1959 French film directed by François Truffaut, starring Jean-Pierre Léaud. Walch says he has been studying the film for a long time.

The movie is called “Les quatre cents coups” in French, which literally means “making mischief ” but is translated into “The 400 Blows,” Walch said. The film is the story of an adolescent boy living in Paris who leaves home because of a lack of attention and delves into a life of petty crime, according to the Internet Movie Database.

Walch was interested in learning more about Léaud, who plays the adolescent boy.

In the summer of 2013, he went to Paris for a week to learn what materials might be available for his research.

This summer, he returned for a month to explore the Cinémathèque Française, the repository of all papers, letters and other materials having to

do with Truffaut. speakers to translate.

The film “The 400 Blows” “We kind of had this funky inspired the book as well as a team of people working on the film project. project,” Walch said.

Photographers and vidWalch plans to return to eographers collaborating with Paris next year and finish the Walch in Paris allowed him to book by the end of next sumwork on both the book and the mer. film at once.

“At the moment, I think Walch’s film is about 27 the book is more about our minutes long, and it shows search for the story about the scenes from actor and not as the original much a biogramovie folphy,” Walch said.

At the moment, lowed by a “In our search I think the book is more for this story, we scene showing what about our search for the really find that that location there is a largstory about the actor looks like in er story to tell m o d e r n - d ay about the film.” and not as much a France.

In Paris, biography.”

W a l c h Walch tried to used alumni —Ted Walch get an interview and friends with the leading Performing Arts Teacher actor, Léaud, but to help him in Paris. Nick he said Léaud, Lieberman ’11 helped Walch now 72, is very reclusive. He with research and will co- did, however, secure an inwrite the book. Michael Mor- terview with an 85-year-old genstern ’03 and Sebastian woman who was the editor of Spader ’08 went on the trip the original film. to take still photographs. All “The highlight of the sumwere previously enrolled in one mer for me was [the interview of Walch’s classes. Walch said with the editor],” Walch said. he met up with an old friend “She was an extraordinary from France and his fiancée to human being with a lightninghelp with videography. fast memory. To hear her talk Neither Walch nor his about working on the film and alumni speak French, so they working with the actor was, to enlisted the help of French me, worth everything else.”

“

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF DIANA KIM

MUSIC FOR ALL: Students in the Soma Club accompany members of the Shalom Disability Center in a concert last summer.

Soma Club raises money for the disabled

By Sacha Lin

The Upper School’s Soma Club was scheduled to hold a concert Aug. 31 to raise money to help a disability center in Burundi. The club will use the donations to purchase wheelchairs, crutches, shoes and vaccines and ship the equipment to the missionary who runs the center.

The hour-long concert at the Shalom Disability Center was expected to include performances by 12 student musicians and the Shalom Disability Ministries Choir.

The students planned to play a wide variety of classical and jazz music.

The club was founded in May 2013 to give student musicians the opportunity to support the disabled by means of music. In addition to performing at the Soma Club’s biannual concerts, members

volunteer each week at local disability centers and ministries. At Young Nak Church, students teach disabled persons how to play music.

“We spend the morning teaching them how to bow, how to read music, and how to work as a group,” Soma president Diana Kim ’15 said.

“Their first concert is planned sometime this winter, so the members will be working hard with them to prepare for the concert.”

Some students also play once a month at the Little Jesus Family, a small home in Los Angeles where a nun looks after three women with learning impairments.

“I think Soma offers a meaningful experience to me personally because I have never worked with or played for people with disabilities, and it’s really opened my eyes,” member Ryan Lee ’15 said.

Sept. 3, 2014

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Nordstrom, McRae attend Grammy Camp

By Eshanika Chaudhary

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF CLAIRE NORDSTROM

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF JENSEN MCRAE

PRODUCTION PROCESS: Claire Nordstrom ’15, above, plays a jingle using her ukulele to help her friend pitch a business idea while at Grammy Camp. Also at Grammy Camp, Jensen McRae ’15, below, laughs as she and two other lyricists write a song during a panel with four music producers.

how to better collaborate with other musicians.

Claire Nordstrom ’15 and “I wrote three songs at Jensen McRae ’15 attended the camp, which was amazGrammy Camp, a 10-day mu- ing,” Nordstrom said. “It’s sic intensive camp for a variety just a great way to get out of of musical studies, at USC this your comfort zone. I always summer. Both girls focused on just write solo, so it was a songwriting at the program, great way to have an experiwhich also offered courses in ence with writing songs with singing, music journalism and others, and I would have never video production. done that had I not gone to the Both Nordstrom camp.” and McRae have McRae said that been interested in from the moment music since a young campers woke up at 7 age. a.m. to when they reNordstrom turned to their dorms has been singat 11 p.m., their entire ing seriously since day was spent focusfourth grade, and ing on music and songMcRae has been writing. singing since she “It’s really for a nathanson’s was a small child certain kind of muJensen McRae and started writsician,” McRae said. ’15 ing songs seriously “Everybody there when she was 12. takes it really seriously, so if The two found out about you’re just kind of casually the camp from other Harvard- into music, I don’t think you Westlake students who went would really get much out of the previous summer. They it, and I think it would be kind stayed the full 10 days and of overwhelming. But if you’re made many new friends, they really serious about pursuing said. music as a career, then I think “My roommate actually it would be really worthwhile lives in the Palisades about to check out.” five minutes away from me, Nordstrom also added that and I had the camp was never met a great way her before,” for potential I always just write No r d s t r o m applicants to solo, so it was a great way said. “It was get to know to have an experience with also so crazy the USC to go somecampus. writing songs with others, where for 10 “I don’t and I would have never done days where even feel the that had I not gone.” everyone need to take a around the —Claire Nordstrom ’15 tour now becountry was cause I lived going and to there for ten meet somedays,” Nordone who lives five minutes strom said. “We looked at all of away from me. The whole the music areas, and I’m only camp got really close, and I applying to colleges for music, still keep in contact with so so it was just a great way to many people from the camp.” look at the campus.”

USC Professor of SongMcRae said that meeting writing Chris Sampson taught other people “that were that both McRae and Nordstrom, serious about music helped me introducing new songwriting become a much stronger colexercises and teaching them laborator and person.”

“

Junior attends Aspen Music Festival and School in Colorado

By Sabrina De Brito

professor Alexander Kerr and USC professor Bing Wang.

Sacha Lin ’16 spent eight “We worked a lot on getweeks improving her musical ting my basics down and imabilities through one-on-one proving my technique,” Lin violin classes and orchestra said. “Both of my teachers performances at the Aspen were very energetic and inMusic Festival and School in spiring, so I was motivated to Aspen, Colorado this summer. to practice more.”

The school offers Living situations courses and activiat the Aspen Music ties in a wide range Festival and School of musical subsets, varied by age. Lin attracting students stayed in the underfrom around the age dorms at Maworld. Programs inrolt Ranch, a nearby clude opera, compohousing facility. sition and a conductThe city offers a ing academy. Lin was free bus service that part of the orchestral Lin and her friends nathanson’s program and played found very useful, Lin Sacha Lin ’16 in the Aspen Philsaid. harmonic OrchesConcerts were tra. Members of the orches- held daily and showcased both tra consisted of students and faculty and student performmentors who led the front of ers. each section. They rehearsed “There were too many conand performed a new program certs to count,” Lin said. “It every week. was sometimes even hard to Lin has played the violin make time for them with such for more than 10 years. Her a busy schedule.” private teachers at the festiVocal students also perval were Indiana University formed three operas during

the two-month span that Lin was at the camp.

Lin said she had to apply for a spot in the program. She submitted an audition video in January.

A summer in Aspen also provided an opportunity to explore the natural beauty of the mountain environment that the city has to offer, Lin said.

“I went hiking three or four times,” Lin said. “It’s really nice around there because of all the greenery. I never got tired of seeing the Aspen trees everywhere. The downtown area was also fun to explore because there were quite a few antique stores. My friends and I found the weirdest souvenirs.”

Lin said she made new friends and has kept in touch with them through Facebook.

“It was great to meet new types of people — people who are more serious about a professional music career, but who still share that love for making music,” Lin said. “The overall environment was just so different from what I’m used to.”

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF NICOLE CHUNG

WITH THE MASTERS: Sacha Lin ’16, third from left, listens to instruction from pianist Rita Sloan, far left, during a piano and strings master class during which her group played the first movement of the Shostakovich Piano Quintet in G minor, Opus 57.

B12 Features

The Chronicle

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Sept. 3, 2014

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PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF PARTICIPANTS

ICE COLD: President Rick Commons (1), the varsity water polo team (2), Talia Lefkowitz ’17 (3), Justin Rose ’17 (4), Dani Mirelli ’17 (5), Teddy Sokoloff ’15 (6), Nina Kiley ’17 (7), and drama teacher Ted Walch (8), take the ALS ice bucket challenge by dumping ice water on top of their heads.

By Su Jin Nam Step 1: Be nominated.

Usually by a friend or family member. Step 2: Get a bucket.

Step 3: Have someone hold the camera for you. Step 4: Fill the container with ice and water.

The more ice, the more impressed your friends will be.

Step 5: Look into the camera; explain that you are participating in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Say who you were nominated by, and say who you are nominating. Step 6: Brace yourself. Step 7: Dump the mixture over your head, or have someone throw it at your face. Step 8: Be extremely cold.

Step 9: Upload the video onto social media.

This challenge is the most recent phenomenon, spreading through social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram. The Challenge has spread to other countries too.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is described by the ALS Association as a progressive neurodegenerative disease that leads to the paralysis of the entire body. It is usually fatal, with an average life expectancy of two to five years after diagnosis. There is no cure for ALS yet, though riluzole, a drug approved by the FDA in 1995, is known to slow the progress of the disease and increase life expectancy by a few months.

According to the ALS Association, donors had raised $100 million between July and August. $2.7 million was raised during the same period last year. The association not only funds research for a drug to potentially cure ALS, which is estimated to cost about $1 to 2 billion, but also provides aid for families who have been affected by the disease.

The biggest issue, especial-

ly in California, is the wasting of water in the middle of the drought. The Los Angeles Times estimates that about five million gallons of water have been dumped across the U.S. since the challenge started. But even environmentalists acknowledge that the five million gallons used is miniscule compared to the 37.5 billion gallons Americans use daily in their homes.

Others argue that there are global issues larger than ALS. Journalists and activists in the Gaza Strip and Syria created parodies of the Ice Bucket Challenge, the Rubble Bucket Challenge, in an attempt to bring public attention to the Middle East. That challenge requires a bucket filled with debris.

The State Department sent out a notice preventing all U.S. diplomatic employees from participating.

“One of the Department’s primary missions is to protect human health abroad,” the notice reads. “U.S. funding of global health programs has led to worldwide progress against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, smallpox, polio, and other lethal diseases. Recently, we sent medical experts abroad to combat the re-emergence of Ebola in Africa. On a Department level, our global mandate to fight disease is clear. On a personal level, it is often difficult for us, as concerned citizens to pick and choose among many worthy charities, particularly those that fight life-threatening diseases. It is even more difficult when highranking State Department personnel with high-profile positions are asked to participate in charitable fund-raising, and concerns about preference and favoritism always arise.”

Despite the backlash, the challenge continues to garner support.

“Granted, some people may take a shallow approach to the whole thing and not think much about ALS or even research,” Audrius Barzdukas, Head of Upper School said.

“Indeed, they may not donate.

But on balance, I think that there has been more good than bad from this whole phenomenon. You can always find a problem with something, but I prefer to try and see the good.”

Some critics say that a person donating $100 to ALS will be less likely to donate to other charities, but Forbes writer Matthew Herper believes that the challenge gets previously less-charitable groups of people to become more open to donating to causes of all kinds, making it more likely for them to donate in the future.

“It’s equally likely that the result will be to cause those charities to find their own, effective promotion techniques to compete,” Herper said.

“This is likely to result in even more money being raised for good causes.”

President and CEO of the ALS Association, Barbara Newhouse, is grateful for the awareness that the Ice Bucket Challenge has brought for ALS, she said on the association’s website: “We couldn’t be more thrilled with the level of compassion, generosity and sense of humor that people are exhibiting as they take part in this impactful viral initiative.”

Sports The Chronicle • Sept. 3, 2014

Field Hockey

Wolverines expect to defend title

By Bennett Gross

JONATHAN SEYMOUR/CHRONICLE

DOGPILE: Running back #6 Garrett Robinson’15 is tackled by almost the entire Loyola defensive line in the game against the Cubs last Friday. Despite struggling offensively throughout the game, the Wolverines were able to score a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

No Luck Against Loyola

The Wolverines were unable to score against the Cubs until the fourth quarter and ended up losing their season opener 48-6.

By Tyler Graham The Wolverines fell last Friday to the Loyola Cubs 48-6 after beating them in last year’s season opener. It took the Wolverines 42 minutes to get on the scoreboard, when Garrett Robinson ’15 punched in a touchdown run from the three yard line. The team went into halftime down 41-0.

Costly penalties and sloppy turnovers were the story of the first half for the offense. Ryan Dominick ’17 started at quarterback for the Wolverines as Marshal Cohen ’16 remained sidelined from an ACL tear he suffered in a game against Pali High last season. Cohen is expected to return before league competition begins. The team failed to complete a pass during the game and Dominick threw two picks.

Coming off of a grueling offseason complete with two-

a-days, lifting, and hell week, the football team will aim to take a step in the right direction and make the playoffs for the second time under Head Coach Scot Ruggles.

Ruggles guided the Wolverines to the playoffs in 2012, his first season as head coach, but failed to earn a postseason berth last season. Last season, the Wolverines started with a perfect 4-0 record, but were unable to win for the rest of the season, losing every league game and ending with a 4-6 record.

The team will be competing in the newly formed Angelus League this season, and won’t have to play perennial powers Serra or Chaminade.

Linebackers Albert Choi ’15 and Desmond Butler ’15, running back Robinson, safety Hassan Smith ’15, and quarterback Cohen were chosen as team captains and will try to

put last year’s disappointing league campaign in the rearview mirror.

“I’m very confident in our team’s prospects for this upcoming season,” Butler said.

“If we play hard and smart we will have a chance to win every game.”

Robinson echoes Butler’s confidence, and feels a responsibility as captain to help the team realize its full potential.

“Being a team captain is a great honor,” Robinson said.

“To me, I just think it means leading by example and going 100 percent on every play. I’ve definitely learned some things about being a leader along the way, like being more vocal and bringing guys up when they’re down and giving them props when they do something amazing.”

In mid-August the team completed hell week, an intense week of practice devot-

ed to building mental toughness and mimicking game situations. The players lived in Hamilton Gym for the entirety of hell week.

“Hell week went very well overall,” Butler said. “We started off slow but really picked up our intensity later in the week. It was a great lesson on how to focus and finish strong.”

Hell week was also oriented toward team bonding, as players took part in a bowling night, watched movies together, and even staged video game tournaments.

A typical day during hell week included early morning conditioning, multiple film sessions, two practices, and a lifting session. Players spent their lifting and conditioning sessions with Head of Strength and Conditioning Greg Bishop.

JONATHAN SEYMOUR/CHRONICLE

RED SEA: The Fanatics section at the Loyola game prepare to cheer for the Wolverines at the start of the game. Due to realignment of the football leagues, powerhouses Serra and defending state champion Chaminade have been moved out of the league.

Major changes by the CIF in the league alignments and lawsuits filed by other schools objecting to their assignments impacted the fall schedule and resulted in the early homecoming this year, Head of Athletics Terry Barnum said.

There are close to 600 schools in the Southern Section of CIF, and each of those schools, including HarvardWestlake, is placed into an area. Once the areas are decided, it is the schools responsibility to meet and create leagues within their area Barnum said.

These areas are typically

• Continued on page C7

• Continued on page C6

Lawsuits against CIF affect football schedule

By Henry Vogel

After defeating Edison High School 2-0 in the Los Angeles Field Hockey Association Championship last season, the biggest game on the schedule this season is the team’s Sept.

12 rematch against the Chargers.

Last season, the team went 9-1-1 in Mission League play on their way to yet another league title.

“We have a lot of new, young players, and we also have a strong senior class, and I know we are looking for a repeat of last years’ LAFHA Championship,” Maddie Oswald ’15 said.

This past weekend, the team played a tournament in St. Louis against some of the top teams in the nation to prepare them for the tougher teams in the Southern California area. It was the first time the squad played together as a whole, and they worked out the problems in their offense and defense. The results of the tournament were not available as of press time.

“It was great to get together and play in a tournament before school starts,” Brooke Reese ’15 said. “We really became a cohesive team.”

The team is trying to cope with the loss of captain and center midfielder Glenne Carter ’14 as well as seven other seniors. Therefore, many underclassmen will have to play bigger roles than they did last year.

“Glenne was a great team leader and we’ll definitely need to replace her talent as well as leadership on the field,” Caitlin Neapole ’16 said. “We have a lot of new players added to our team this season. We kept our roster small for this year, so all the new players will gain lots of experience playing at a higher level, and many of them will have starting positions.”

Other games to watch for this season are against the Huntington Beach Oilers and

determined by geography, with schools in the same vicinity being grouped into the same area. For private schools, however, geography is less of a factor.

The large Catholic and private schools in Southern California are in the Parochial Area. Though HarvardWestlake isn’t Catholic, it is a big private school similar to private Catholic schools, so it was added into the Parochial Area as well. Marlborough is another example of an exception: though the school is not religious, it is in the Parochial Area, Barnum said.

• Continued on page C5

INSIDE

C2

CATCHING UP: Check on the progress of Austin Wilson ’10 (above) and six other former Harvard-Westlake standouts in their rigorous pursuits of their respective Major League dreams.

The Chronicle

C2 Sports

Sept. 3, 2014

Facts &

Figures

3

The place that Jenna Thompson‘s ‘16 US junior women’s crew team finished at club nationals

Cross country runner Ben Weissenbach’s ‘15 best mile time last year

34

4:29 Jack Flaherty’s ‘14 MLB draft pick, the last of the 1st round

210

The average weight of the Wolverines’ offensive line this season

Game to watch OCT. 2

Girls’ Volleyball vs.

Notre Dame At Taper Gymnasium

In a rematch of last year’s five-set CIF semifinal game, the Wolverines play the Knights in their league opener and first of two matchups.

Notre Dame is returning most of their starting lineup while many changes have been made to the Wolverine lineup. Harvard-Westlake needs strong defense to dig the Notre Dame pin hitters.

KEY PLAYER

Alex Florent ’15 Florent returns to the team after a year-long break and has already earned the starting opposite position.

Florent’s blocks will be instrumental in shutting down the Notre Dame offense.

Junior Varsity Cross Country First Meet:

Sept. 5 at Seaside Invitational

Football (0-1) First Game:

L (13-38) @ Loyola

Field Hockey First Game:

Sept. 4 vs. Westminster HS

Girls Tennis First Match:

Sept. 9 vs. Peninsula HS

Girls Volleyball First Game:

Sept. 11 vs. San Marcos HS

Boys Water Polo First game:

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF BRAD HAND

Sept. 9 vs. Ventura HS

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF ZACH SPEDDEN

BIG LEAGUE DREAMS: Lucas Giolito ’12, above, winds up a pitch during a game for the Hagerstown Suns, the minor league team he played for this summer. Max Fried ’12, top right, plays in a game last year for the Fort Wayne Tin Caps. Fried had Tommy John surgery this season and aims to return in 2016. Right, Brennan Boesch ’03 watches the ball after registering a single during a game for the Los Angeles Angels.

Seven for The Show

By Jake Liker

June. In his first game back from graduation, Wilson hit A select few former Wol- a home run for the Mariners’ verine baseball players are still class-A affiliate Clinton Lumplaying the game known as ber Kings. He is hitting .301 America’s pastime in the mi- with 13 home runs and 55 RBIs nor and major leagues. Right- over 75 games this season. handed pitcher Jack Flaherty First round picks Max ’14 was drafted in Fried ’12 and Lucas the first round of the Giolito ’12 were in2014 MLB First-Year jured early in their Player Draft by the professional careers.

St. Louis Cardinals Shortly after bein June, making him ing drafted by the one of seven former Washington NationWolverines currently als 16th overall in the playing baseball at 2012 draft, Giolito the professional level. underwent Tommy Flaherty was the John surgery. Giolito nathanson’s last pick of the first fully recovered in less Austin round of the draft, than 11 months. After Wilson ’10 34th overall.

The throwing 98 innings pitcher had already over 20 starts for the committed to atNationals’ Class A tend the University affiliate Hagerstown of North Carolina at Suns, his season was Chapel Hill but opted cut short in August to forgo college after in accordance with the Cardinals offered the organization’s him a $2 million signprotocol for young ing bonus. pitchers in the final Flaherty has stages of rehab, acstarted six games for cording to the Washnathanson’s the Gulf Coast League ington Post.

Jack Cardinals, St. Louis’ Baseball America Flaherty ’14 lowest tiered minor says that Giolito is league affiliate. Flathe 11th ranked baseherty has gone 1-1 with an ball prospect in the league, ERA of 1.59 and 28 strikeouts third ranked pitching prosin the minor leagues. pect, and the top prospect in Austin Wilson ’10 was also the Nationals organization. drafted by St. Louis in 2010, In Hagerstown, he went 10-2 but the Redbirds failed to lure with a 2.20 ERA, throwing 110 the Stanford commit away strikeouts and allowing only from Palo Alto. The outfielder seven home runs. did not sign, and was drafted Nationals Assistant Generin the second round by the Se- al Manager and Vice President attle Mariners in 2013. of Player Development Doug He still managed to earn Harris discussed Giolito’s perhis degree in four years despite formance at an appearance on playing in the minor leagues, the MLB Network Radio show graduating from Stanford last “Minors and Majors” in Au-

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF LEON HALIP

Former Wolverine stars are taking their talents to professional baseball, starting in the minors.

gust. wasn’t drafted out of high “[I am] really pleased with school but after a winning what [Giolito]’s been able to baseball career at UC Berkeaccomplish,” Harris said. “He’s ley, he was drafted in the sixth really done a nice job for us.” round of the 2008 draft by “Probably the most strik- the New York Mets. Satin has ing thing with him is the matu- made 106 appearences in the rity, but he’s got great humility MLB since his debut in 2011 that goes with it,” Harris said. but has fluctuated between the Fried was drafted seventh pros and triple-A over the past overall in 2012 by the San Di- three seasons. ego Padres but has made only Now he is with the triple37 appearances over nearly A Las Vegas 51s, hitting .293 three seasons in the minors. with nine home runs and 48 After recording nearly 120 in- RBIs in Sin City this season. nings pitched with the class A Right fielder Brennan affiliate Fort Wayne Tin Caps Boesch ’03 also played baseball in 2013, Fried won’t even get 11 at UC Berkeley, but left after innings of pitching under his three years and was drafted belt in 2014. He by the Detroit sat out the first Tigers in the half of the seathird round son with a sore of the 2006 [I am] really forearm. After draft.

Since pleased with what returning, he 2010, Boesch reported a sore has played [Giolito]’s been able to elbow. Doctors over 400 accomplish...he’s really determined that games in over Fried had to five seasons. done a nice job for us.” undergo Tommy When he John surgery.

—Doug Harris was traded to He is slated to the Yankees Nationals Assistant in 2013, his return in 2016.

Pitcher Nik Team Manager major league Turley ’08 is appearances now in his sevdecreased enth season. dramatically, Drafted by the New York Yan- and he was demoted to the kees in the 50th round of the minors.

2008 draft, he is climbing up In late 2013 Boesch was the ranks of their farm sys- traded to the Los Angeles Antem. gels. Like Satin, he has teeAfter his promotion to tri- tered between the majors and ple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre triple A. Now he’s in No Man’s in late June, he struggled for Land, hitting just .129 in 13 the Rail Riders, going 1-2 with MLB games this season but an ERA of 6.43 in his first nine hitting .333 in 90 AAA games games. He is turning things this year. Boesch is averaging around as of late; since Aug. about one home run every four 10, he is 3-1 with an ERA of games in Salt Lake, but he’s 2.21 over four starts. barely averaging a hit every Infielder Josh Satin ’03 four games in Anaheim.

“

HWTV increases number of streamed games

By Tyler Graham HWTV will livestream more than 40 Harvard-Westlake athletic events with student broadcasting teams this year, beginning with the boys’ water polo game against Dana Hills at Copses Pool Sept. 16.

The Athletic Department has made steps to expand and

improve HWTV for the upcoming school year.

“In previous years we’ve rented equipment, but now we bought our own equipment,” Athletic Director Jason Kelly said. “We’re definitely going to utilize that new equipment to do a lot of sports games and also some non-sporting events. HWTV is definitely

expanding, and we’re excited about it.”

The broadcasts will feature pre-game and post-game analysis as well as half-time interviews conducted by student broadcasters and faculty advisers.

“I’m excited to do HWTV sports because it was an enjoyable experience last year,

and I am looking forward to doing it again,” student broadcaster Matthew Gross ’19 said. “I like being assigned to a variety of roles, and it is great to have the opportunity to try many different jobs. I have become better at filming and working with the technology. I have learned a lot about sports broadcasting.”

Sept. 3, 2014

hwchronicle.com/sports

Sports C3

inbrief

Water Polo

Team returns six starters

Preseason watchlist names Oliver ’10

By Mila Barzdukas

Coming off last season’s CIF Southern Section Division 1 Championship win and a number one national rank, the Wolverine boys’ water polo team is certainly not the unCAMERON STINE/CHRONICLE derdog it was last year. Starting center defender and All- COME TO PASS: Center Raphael Raede ’15 warms up before practice with his teammates. Raede American Warren Snyder ’14 is one of six returning starters and six seniors looking to pursue back-to-back league and CIF titles. graduated, but the starting Krutonog ’18. Krutonog trav- hasn’t tweaked is its philoso- tle again. Loyola finished last lineup has remained mostly season ranked fifth in Division intact. However, a few pre- eled to Serbia this summer to phy and drive.

“Our philosophy is, what 1,but also lost few to graduaseason tweaks have put the compete as the youngest memteam in a good position to cap- ber of the USA Men’s Cadet we did to get to the top is what tion. Last year, the WolverNational Team. The most im- works,” Hallock said. “We’re ines won the league title over ture the title again.

Reigning CIF Division mediate question the Wolver- not going to change what Loyola for the first time since 1 Coach of the Year Brian ines will have to answer is who works once we get there. It’s 2007.

The out-of-league rival Flacks ’06 started the pre- will fill the hole in the starting a grind mentality. We go into lineup Snyder left behind. every game knowing we need is once again predicted to be season by adding a “I don’t think to outwork the other team in Mater Dei. The squad won five little more firepower anyone will replace order to win.”

CIF Championships in a row to the coaching staff.

Warren,” Flacks Flacks confirmed Hallock’s before being upset in the final Former head coach said. “He was an theory, saying that the men- by the Wolverines last season. at Agoura and former All-American. Now tality is the same as last year.

“It’s important to keep in teammate of Flacks he’s a national team “We’re just getting back to mind the standard that they’ve Peter Schiavelli ’05 member and UCLA the basic fundamentals and set and that we need to work was hired at the end athlete, but we have a principles that made us suc- to be a rival with Mater Dei,” of May. In his first few younger athletes cessful last year,” Flacks said. Flacks said. “It’s really imporyear with the Charthat will come and “We’re fighting some of the tant that we give them credit gers, he guided them nathanson’s take at least a por- complacency that comes with where its due.” to the Division 2 Ben Hallock ’16 tion of his role.” winning a championship. But I The Wolverines will get Championship.

Flacks named Da- don’t think our philosophy has to face off against Mater Dei “[Schiavelli] brings a lot to the pool,” Ben Hallock ’16 said. vis Wachtell ’16, Evan Rosen- changed in terms of how we for the first time this season “It’s almost like having two feld ’17 and Alec Mendelsohn approach practice and how we in a scrimmage Sept. 6. They ’17 as players to potentially train and play in games.” will also face against Cathehead coaches.”

The Wolverines clinched dral Catholic. The first official Despite only graduating fill the spot and also said that two players, there is a lot of Hallock would be helping out the league championship over game is against Ventura High Loyola last year, and a battle School Sept. 9 at 4:30 p.m. at young talent in the program, with the position.

The one thing the team is predicted for the league ti- the Copses Family Pool. starting with goalkeeper Sam

Girls’ Volleyball

After being knocked out of championship contention

by Valencia High School, the girls’ volleyball team finished third at the So Cal Summer Challenge at Thousand Oaks High School when it defeated the Thousand Oaks Lancers Aug. 9. The team hopes to win league as it did last year and improve upon last year’s run to the CIF finals, which ended in a loss to La Salle High School.

“We come in to practice everyday with an all-in mentality,” outside hitter Rachel Savage ’15 said. “We never take a play off, even in practice, because we can’t when we [are playing games]. The fact that our league is so tough this year makes us want to win it even more. We’re focused, and we make sure we support each other on and off the court.”

The team has been practicing Monday through Friday since July 28, and it has played in three tournaments, the So Cal Summer Challenge at Thousand Oaks as well as a tournament at Oxnard High School, in which the girls placed eighth, and a tournament at Redondo Beach High School.

“We’re just spending a lot of time together as a team and trying to build strong relationships,” middle blocker Kayla Dillard ’15 said. “How well you know and trust your teammates really translates onto the court.”

With the replacement of Alemany, Louisville and

Chaminade by Marymount and Marlborough, whom the team views as tougher opponents, in the Mission League, the team believes that it will have to play harder to win league.

“Every year we emphasize the importance of learning and getting better,” head coach Adam Black said. “We ask our athletes to stretch themselves by reaching beyond their current abilities [to] improve.”

To increase their strength and playing ability, the girls have been lifting twice per week with strength and conditioning coach Marcin Jagoda.

“I think I can speak on behalf of the team [when I say] that we are all pumped for league games,” Savage said.

“Every single match is going to be exciting, so we can’t take any teams for granted or take any games off. Anyone can win [league] this year.”

To improve team chemistry and promote bonding in preparation for the upcoming season, the girls did karaoke as a team.

“This group of girls is very driven and focused,” Dillard said of the team’s work ethic. “We know how important it is not to take a single play off. Another key component to our success will be how well we can support each other and play as a cohesive unit when we get into tough situations.”

The team is in the midst of its first tournament, the Molten Classic, a five game tournament which started Sept. 1 and will run through Sept. 9.

The girls’ goal is to play their

Cyclist wins bronze at Junior Nationals

Cyclist Jordan Ellison ’15 finished with a bronze medal at the 2014 USA Cycling Juniors Track Nationals at Carson, Calif. in June.

“The thing I’ve enjoyed the most is training with and being mentored by members of the US National Team, specifically Missy Erickson, a national champion, who will be representing the US at the upcoming Pan American Championships,” Ellison said.

Ellison said she plans to pursue cycling in college, and eventually, train for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

-Rian Ratnavale

Swoope ’10 sticks on the Colts’ roster

Team in ‘death’ league

By Jonathan Seymour

University of Colorado Boulder student-athlete Will Oliver ’10 was named to the Lou Groza Award watch list during the summer.

The award is presented by the Palm Beach County (Florida) Sports Commission to the best kicker in college football at the end of the season. Oliver, a kicker for the Buffaloes entering his senior season, was among the 30 kickers named in the commission’s preseason list of top candidates to win the highest honor given to a college kicker. Oliver was one of 20 semifinalists for the award last season and has not missed an extra point for the Buffaloes since his freshman year.

-Jake Liker

PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF BERNARD DILLARD

JONATHAN SEYMOUR/CHRONICLE

JONATHAN SEYMOUR/CHRONICLE

hardest in every game and to work as a team.

“Marymount and Notre Dame have historically been our biggest rivals, so those are definitely the games to come to,” Savage said. “Besides those two, playing Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy as well as Oaks Christian at Homecoming will be exciting.”

When asked what the vol-

NEW LEAGUE: Josie Treadwell ’16, left, serves the ball in a scrimmage against Thousand Oaks last week. Top, Rachel Savage ’15 passes the ball in a league game against Chaminade last year. Above, the team regroups after winning a point against Thousand Oaks. leyball team’s hopes are for this season, Dillard said that the team decided that since they are in a new and more challenging league this year, their goal is to remain a threat throughout the season and to end up winning league. “[We want to advance] as far as we can in the CIF playoffs,” Dillard said. “Making it to state is always in our plans.”

Erik Swoope ’10 never played organized football before this summer. Now, he’s a member of the Indianapolis Colts.

Colts GM Ryan Grigson saw the success of basketball players turned tight ends Antonio Gates and Jimmy Graham and decided to give the 6’5” Swoope, who played college basketball at Miami, a chance to be an NFL tight end ,according to ESPN. Swoope made strides at Colts camp, surviving two rounds of cuts and earning the praise of head coach Chuck Pagano, who called the rookie’s improvement “unbelievable”.

In his preseason debut, Swoope caught one pass for a six-yard gain.

-Joe Levin

Taper Gym gets new air conditioning This summer, a state-ofthe-art air conditioning system was installed in the Taper Gym, along with an access ramp for wheelchairs. This brings the long-needed air conditioning system to the Taper gym, allowing athletes and spectators to play and watch games in more comfort than before.

“There has been a lot of construction going on this summer, and when the fall sports season comes around, athletes and spectators should be able to enjoy a cool and comfortable gymnasium,” said Athletic Director Jason Kelly.

-Connor Reese

The Chronicle

C4 Sports

THE NEXT LEVEL

Sept. 3, 2014 Eight athletes have already committed to play their sports in various colleges and universities across the country.

“

I'm really excited because Princeton provides a top-notch education and the opportunity to compete for a championship."

—Philip Thompson '16 Lacrosse

“

“

Compared to the other places I was considering, Georgetown felt like home to me. I love the people, the spirit and the intensity of their D-I sports program."

—Maddie Oswald ’15 Field Hockey

I have a great relationship with the coaching staff at Yale. My godfather played point guard there, and I really feel like it is the right place for me."

—Alex Copeland ’15 Basketball

“

There was a point where I realized that Kenyon has everything I want in a school.”

—Joe Woody ’15 Lacrosse

“

“

I chose Stanford because of its outstanding academic reputation, its storied athletic program and its great location. I love the coaches there, and I feel like I can improve the most there."

—Michael Genender ’15 Tennis

“ “

Although the process was pretty stressful, I am so grateful to have ended up at Yale, the perfect place for me. I can pursue medicine and law, learn from amazing professors and play a D-I sport.”

—Brooke Reese ’15 Field Hockey

I'm excited to go to Colgate to get a chance to play with and against some of the best players in the country. Colgate has the perfect mix of Division I soccer and academics."

—Matthew Glick ’15 Soccer

I went on a trip to the East Coast not expecting Yale to be my No. 1 choice. But I visited the town for a couple of days as I went to one of [Yale's] baseball camps, and the environment of the school really clicked with me."

—Tom Fuller '15 Baseball

Sept. 3, 2014

hwchronicle.com/sports

Sports C5

"We believe that participation, play, and the joy of physical activity should be at the heart of our athletic program. We will teach habits of body and mind that contribute to a healthy and happy life. We will encourage our student-athletes to challenge themselves through honest competition and to learn lifelong lessons of responsibility, commitment, and initiative. We will practice and teach teamwork and good sportsmanship. We will respect our student-athletes and their commitments beyond athletics. We expect all members of our community to respect the athletes and support the officials who join us in competition. We recognize that our athletic program is an integral part of the Harvard-Westlake community and complements the academic mission, which is central to the life of our school."

—Existing Mission Statement

RESTATING THEIR CASE

By Audrey Wilson In light of the school’s new mission statement unveiled by President Rick Commons Aug. 26, the Athletics Department announced that it will be rewriting its Athletic Department philosophy this year.

“It’s the perfect time,” Head of Athletics Terry Barnum said. “We want to make sure that everything we are doing down here is in line with what the rest of the school is doing. We want to make sure that the goals that we are setting for ourselves are congruent with the goals that the school has set for itself.”

The revised philosophy will focus on the four main values mentioned in the school’s new mission statement: purpose, excellence, community and integrity.

The new mission statement will reevaluate the values of the programs and their coaches in order to reinforce the new principles set for the school.

The school's coaches will focus on leadership, knowledge of sport, administrative skills, HarvardWestlake culture and character, and as a result, the programs themselves

can improve on identity, athletic de- when we come up with this new phivelopment, efficiency, pride and in- losophy it’s something that everyone tegrity, Barnum said. feels ownership of and can be a part “There is no one component of of.” Barnum said. this that is more important than the Upon presenting the departother,” Barnum said. “They are all ment’s plans at a faculty meeting equally important and they are all Aug. 26, Barnum reported a positive interdependent.” response from the community.

Barnum, along While the dewith the athletic dipartment has derectors Scott Bello, cided not to put Darlene Bible, and a timeline on this

We want the Jason Kelly will project, there are be working with hopes that it will entire community to various sports prodone by the end have an opportunity to be gram heads, faculty of this school year. speak up and give their members, students Barnum does not and parents to anticipate these ideas." create a new phiplans taking lonlosophy that the —Terry Barnum ger than a year, whole community it is possible Head of Athletics but can feel connected that the new phito. Members of the losophy will not be department plan complete until this to attend faculty time next year. meetings and other departmental “We want to make sure that we meetings along with holding a par- have good information first and that ent group or two during the year to it is a philosophy that everyone can gather input. believe in as opposed to just putting “We want the entire community something on paper simply because to have an opportunity to speak up we are just trying to get it done,” and give their ideas about it so that Barnum said.

“

League controversy results in delayed release of schedule • Continued from page A1

Four schools, Oaks Christian, St Bonaventure, Damien and St. Lucy, were relocated to the Parochial Area by the CIF for the 2015 season. The CIF believed that those schools were more like the private schools in the Parochial Area than the public schools they played in their current areas.

All four schools objected.

When they sued the CIF, they cited issues of travel time, competitive balance and financial reasons, all of which contributed to their plea of returning to their original areas.

Though Oaks Christian and St. Bonaventure have had success in football in their areas, they felt that they would be at a competitive disadvantage when matched up against Parochial Area teams such as Serra, Chaminade and Crespi, Barnum said.

The lawsuits eventually went to arbitration. The arbitrator decided that the four schools were right and that they should go back to the

areas that they were originally in. Because this process took a substantial amount of time, it was not until late May when Harvard-Westlake finally knew what league it would be in, Barnum said.

Prior to the final schedule’s establishment in May, the football team’s league was constantly changing. At first, the team was told they would be in a four-team league. This means they would have three league games. To fill up the CIF’s limit of 10 games in the 11 week season, the team scheduled seven games against non-league competitors.

The team was then notified that they were in a five-team league, meaning they had to eliminate one non-league game from their schedule.

When it was settled that their league would have six teams, another game was eliminated Barnum said.

The final arrangements for football in the Parochial League show four leagues.

The Mission League, which includes all the typical Mission League schools except for Harvard-Westlake and St. Francis, who were

replaced by Serra and Bishop Amat, is reserved for the top seven teams in the Parochial Area, Barnum said. HarvardWestlake and St. Francis are both in the Angelus League, one below the Mission League, with Cathedral, Salesian, St. Paul and La Salle. The two leagues lower than Mission and Angelus are the Camino League and the Santa Fe league.

Back in March, the final schedule was still unclear, but the homecoming committee needed to begin preparations to be ready by in time for the event. Even though the Athletic Department usually tries to schedule homecoming for October, it was unclear at the time if there would be any home games in October.

“Now that we know what our league is going to be for the next four years, hopefully we will be able to pick a game that falls in October,” Barnum said. “It will give us a little more time to prepare and plan and it will be a lot easier.”

Sept.

27 was chosen because no matter what league the team ended up in, it would be able to schedule a home

“

It is great for us to come back to [the Loyola] rivalry because it is a big community building event. It is a way for the fans to come together."

—Terry Barnum Head of Athletics

game for that date. It was a safe option, Barnum said.

The Loyola game, however, was decided in spring of 2012.

Harvard-Westlake and Loyola signed a contract agreeing to a two-year deal in which the schools would play each other for their first football game of the season.

The two matchups would occur regardless of what league the two teams were in, Barnum said.

“Starting the football season against Loyola is perfect for a couple of reasons,” Barnum said. “It is great for us to come back to school to that rivalry because it is a big community building event. Students get excited on Facebook before the game and it is way for the fans to come together and get in contact with new friends at the beginning of the school year.”

Last spring, the two schools extended the contract to include two more years.

The first game was played

nathanson’s

last Friday at Valley College, which served as Loyola’s home stadium. Next season, the game will be played at Ted Slavin Field for HarvardWestlake’s home game.

Last year, the game fell on the first Friday after school started. Though it may seem earlier this year, in reality this misconception is a product of the post Labor Day start of the school year Barnum said.

The game itself has always been scheduled for the same day since the original contract was signed in 2012.

When the playoffs come around, the football team will be vying for one of three spots awarded to the top three teams in the six team Angelus League, Barnum said.

If accomplished, the team will enter into a 16 team bracket where it will be matched up against schools from other leagues, each of which will be shooting for the CIF championship awarded to the best of those 16 teams.

C6 Sports

The Chronicle

Sept. 3, 2014 Girls’ Golf

Young talent poises to propel senior-less squad

By Cole Jacobson and Dario Madyoon

LUKE HOLTHOUSE/CHRONICLE

ON YOUR TAIL: Henry Roskin’s ’16 teammates follow him as he prepares to pass his competitors.

Last season, the boys’ cross country team finished third at CIF Finals and the girls’ finished second.

Cross Country

Practice continues after Big Bear retreat to prepare for Friday’s opener

By Henry Vogel

After returning from a team retreat to Big Bear, the cross country team has continued training to be ready for their season opener Friday.

“The overall experience of Big Bear is great,” Jeffrey Ehlers ’16 said. “We bond more than we bond at any other point in the season.”

The team arrived at Cedar Lake Camp in Big Bear on Aug. 19 and stayed for six days with two daily workouts in the early mornings and late afternoons.

The retreat also included activities such as a trip to Big Bear Village and a talent show.

Ben Weissenbach ’15, the squad’s number one runner

two years ago as a sophomore, suffered a growth related injury in his knee and a calf injury from training in the sand that sidelined him for all of the 2013-2014 season.

“I’m not at full strength yet,” Weissenbach said. “I am only running 20 miles a week, but I am slowly building up.”

It is unclear whether Weissenbach will be ready for preliminary competition, but he says he will competing in the biggest meets and at full strength by the end of the season.

Nick Sweeney ’17 transferred from Campbell Hall into tenth grade, and he will most likely run in the five or six slot.

Also, rising freshman Aus-

tin McNab ’18, who ran a 4:52 minute mile with minimal training in eighth grade, could improve with the training the team goes through each season and really help the team as a result, Ehlers said.

The squad’s schedule includes meets throughout September and October. They will be competing in two Mission League Clusters and five other invitationals before Mission League finals Nov. 5.

After Mission League finals, the team aims to compete in CIF prelims Nov. 15 to qualify for CIF finals at Woodward Park Nov. 22 and potentially California State Championships Nov. 29.

•See C8 for Araya Q&A

velopment” that Coach Chamberlain stressed.

Despite the general growThe varsity girls’ golf team ing numbers within the prowill open its season with a gram, there are no players league match against Mary- from the Class of 2015 on eimount, whom it defeated last ther team -- still, players beyear by a score of 245-264, on lieve this deficit might ultimately work in their favor.

Sept. 4 at Rancho Park.

“I definitely expect us to The team lost two talented players in Madeline Abrahams bond … it’s an advantage be’14 and Kate Kushi ’14, but still cause nobody will be leaving returns four of its six scorers the team,” returning varsity from the 2013 CIF-SS North- player Lauren Song ’16 said.

Madhogarhia had similar ern Division finals (where the team finished in 10th place) feelings about the roster, sayincluding Emma Kateman ’17, ing that “there is a stronger Paula Lahera ’16, Chantelle sense of community and our team is much closer Wang ’17, and incumthis year.” bent captain Vivian Furthermore, due Lin ’16. to the fact that all of Still, the 2014 this season’s players squad’s leading scorer will return in 2015, might very well be a “the probability of newcomer. building a dynasty Based on her perwill only increase,” formances in sumChamberlain said. mer workouts, rising Still, for now, the freshman Karina Guo nathanson’s focus is on the 2014 ’18 is “currently #1 on season, when the the varsity team, and Josie Baker ’18 Wolverines’ already will definitely make a significant impact” as team- difficult Mission League slate mate Rachel Madhogarhia ’17 becomes even more rigorous as said, while second-year head it welcomes Marlborough.

“In the past, Notre Dame coach Marge Chamberlain also anticipates Josie Baker ‘18 to has given us the most competition. However, Marlcontribute heavily. borough has joined “Talent alone our league this year, won’t propel the Wolso it will be a new verines to a champiexperience playing onship,” Madhogarhia against the school,” said. “as offseason Song said. dedication to imIn the 2013 reguprovement is just as lar season, the Wolimportant to eventual verines took second success,” place in the MisThe team’s summer workload has insion League to Notre nathanson’s cluded weekly weightDame.

Vivian Lin ’16 lifting sessions as well With the mixture as practices three of returning varsity times a week at some of the players, a strong freshman various courses the team will class, and an increased off-seaplay at during the regular sea- son work regiment, the team son. has even bigger plans for this “Everyone has been work- season. ing really hard, and it will pay “We expect to win the Misoff when we start competing,” sion League and advance to Baker said.

CIF,” Coach Chamberlain said.

The girls’ golf program op“Every single one of our erates on a no-cut basis, and players has improved dramatithe 2014 season will be the first year that there will be a cally… we have a very talented JV team to allow more players captain, Vivian Lin, who will definitely lead us to the CIF to participate in the program.

Madhogaria This was a necessary move championship,” for the “emphasis on skill de- said.

Football

Team optimistic despite loss to Loyola • Continued from page C1

“I feel that everyone has made strides in gaining strength in the weight room during the summer,” Butler said. “We work hard every day and Coach Bishop does a tremendous job preparing us. Our efforts in the weight room will definitely play a big role in our success this season.”

Robinson said Ruggles will continue to employ a no huddle, fast paced offense, predicated on scoring as many points in as little time possible.

“Our offensive identity for this year will be to score first, score fast, and score frequently,” Robinson said.

“We’re running the no huddle offense again this year, and we’ve got the tempo down pretty well.”

Robinson believes the of-

fense has all the pieces needed to be a force to be reckoned with in the Angelus League this year “We have a great receiving core for our pass and screen game,” Robinson said. “We have some power and speed in the backfield, with a couple talented quarterbacks and a powerful running back rotation. And of course, our line is the center of it all, protecting us and making sure we can get the ball in the end zone as quickly as possible.”

A possible area of concern for the team is the offensive line, losing three of five starters from last season.

The relatively inexperienced group is undersized, averaging just 210 pounds across the line. Despite being inexperienced and undersized, other players on the team are confident that they can get the job done.

“As a team we really have no glaring weaknesses,” cornerback Cole Fletcher ’15 said. “The offensive line may not be huge, but they should still be able to be successful with proper technique and good effort.”

The defensive side of the ball returns nine starters and will use a 3-4 base defense.

“We’re never going to be the biggest defensive unit, but we will always be the best prepared in terms of game plan and schemes,” defensive end Jeremy Tepper ’15 said.

“If each man on defense does his job, it’s going to be very hard to score points on us.”

The team has a much needed bye-week before facing Granada Hills Sept. 12.

The Wolverines will host Taft Sept. 19 for the team’s home opener, and the league opener will be a home game Oct. 10 against St. Francis.

JONATHAN SEYMOUR/CHRONICLE

JUMP ON IT: Defensive end Jeremy Tepper ’15 (20) brings down a Loyola running back and prevents a first down. The team lost 48-6.

Sept. 3, 2014

hwchronicle.com/sports

Sports C7 Field Hockey

Veteran Oswald leads team • Continued from page C1

GRANT NUSSBAUM/CHRONICLE

EYE ON THE BALL: Jenna Moustafa ’17 begins her forehand as she attempts to return the ball back to her singles match up opponent.

Girls’ Tennis

Team set to defend seventh straight title

By Audrey Wilson

While the girls’ tennis team went undefeated in league last season, it lost in the second round of CIF playoffs and ended its winning season early.

This season, with its seventh straight Mission League title under its belt and an 11-0 League record, the girls’ varsity tennis squad is back and ready to continue its undefeated league record into playoffs.

To ensure a longer season, program head Chris Simpson has the team working with the boys’ tennis head coach Robert Bo Hardt, who helped foster CIF Champion Michael Genender ’15 last season.

“We have started using the boys varsity tennis coach,” co-

captain Paige Moelis ’15 said. attending training camps and “He has been really great mak- clinics throughout the summer. ing us focus more on conditionTeamwork is especially iming and drilling.” portant to the team dynamic “This season I hope to be after all the players have been more consistent and improve training individually all summy plays,” Rebecca Li mer, according to ’15 said. “In addition Moelis. The WolverI’d like to work on my ines exited early from weaker shots like volthe 2013 season with leys and my slices.” an 11-7 loss against The Wolverines Los Alamitos in the plan to combat the second round of CIF individualistic nature Playoffs giving them of the sport by eman overall record phasizing teamwork of 14-3. The team’s in practice and parstrength lies with its nathanson’s ticipating in bonding Paige Moelis ’14 experienced captains events off the court. and four-year varsity While many playplayers Moelis ’15 and ers like Li have just started up Arin Schwimmer ’15. Returntraining with the team again, ing underclassmen to watch many of the players have been are Jenna Moustafa ’17 and

Lara Mikhail ’18.

To challenge its biggest rivals Santa Barbara, Peninsula and Palos Verdes, the team looks to its leading doubles partners Schwimmer and Moelis and Marissa Karo ’16, Joelle Choi ’17 and Juliana Simon ’16 who will rotate to form another strong doubles squad.

Standout singles players include Moustafa, Mikhail and Sophie Cohen ’18 “I think I speak for the team when I say that our goal is to make it to the CIF playoffs and, hopefully, win,” Moelis said.

The team scrimmaged Beverly Hills at Los Angeles Valley College Sept. 2 and will have its first League game against Palos Verdes High School Sept. 9.

the Bonita Bearcats. In the 2012 season Huntington Beach beat the Wolverines in the Los Angeles Field Hockey Association Championship, creating a recurring rivalry between the two. After the Homecoming game last year was canceled, The Bonita game on Homecoming this year one that the team is very much looking forward to.

“It is very exciting to play again on Homecoming since last year was the first time we haven’t played on that Homecoming Saturday,” Oswald said.

While the Wolverines did not play on homecoming last year, they have played in years past along with football, volleyball, and water polo.

However due to a scheduling conflict, the team was left without a game on the Saturday of Homecoming.

Before the team’s big game against Edison, the squad will have two games against Westminster and Marina after the St. Louis trip to prepare for the Chargers. They played in a scrimmage against Newport Harbor yesterday but results were not kept to comply with the LAFHA rule against officially recording scrimmage scores.

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C8 Sports

The Chronicle

Sept. 3, 2014

Amazing Pace Q&A with Nicole Araya ’16

AUDREY WILSON/CHRONICLE

COOL RUNNINGS: Nicole Araya ’16 runs at Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Park in preparation for the season. She recently ran 53 miles on the team’s preseason trip to Big Bear.

By Bennett Gross

Why did you decide to start running track, and how old were you when you started?

I started running track in seventh grade, actually to get in better shape for soccer. However, by 10th grade cross country became my top priority.

How do you train for cross country, and what is the time commitment like?

Now that we have transitioned into full training, we run every day and plan our workouts to meet our weekly mileage goals. Last week at Big Bear, I hit 53 miles. We have lifting twice a week before school. I was also able to get first period block to do some short runs, as well as after school practices.

What are your goals for the upcoming season?

My personal goal this season is to run in the low 18-minute range on a threemile course. Our team’s goal is to win first at CIF for our division. We came really close last year, and this year I believe we can do it.

Which meet are you looking forward to most this season?

I’m looking forward to the Woodbridge Invitational. It’s a flat course that runs really fast, and it’s also where I ran my best time last year. Even though it’s at the same time as the homecoming dance, I’m really excited to run at night, and hopefully I can get a personal record again.

Do you have any pre-meet rituals?

Before we run our really important meets, Coach Tim Sharpe gives us each a cup of “Super Juice,” which is a mixture of spring water from Big Bear and Gatorade. The Big Bear water reminds us of all the hard training we have done, and the Gatorade is to give us some lastminute electrolytes. Coach Sharpe also has us touch this lucky quarter and an old stopwatch. The idea is that all the great athletes he has coached have also touched the items and they will bring us good luck.

How do you think that the Big Bear trip will prepare you for this year?

Big Bear this year was a great experience both for training and team bonding. There is less oxygen up there, so when we come back to sea level, running and breathing feels much easier.

The hills in Big Bear also prepare us for courses with more varied terrain, namely Mount San Antonio College.

What has been the most memorable moment of your Harvard-Westlake running career so far?

My favorite moment was last year’s Wayne Walker Invitational. It was on my birthday and I won the sophomore girls’ division. I remember everyone was so happy with their times, and Lizzy Thomas ’14 brought cookies. It was a really great team moment.

NATHANSON’S

Stats:

11:49.26 Two Mile Time

2

Girls’ team’s finish at CIF