February 11, 2011

Friday, February 11, 2011

Volume XX, No. 6

San Rafael, CA

DON’T ASK DON’T TELL GENDER STEREOTYPES MARRIAGE EQUALITY PROPOSITION 8 OVERTURNED WORK DISCRIMINATION GAY STRAIGHT ALLIANCES The Voice examines the progress of the Gay Rights Movement Pages 6-7

Chaperones Page 4

Lit Fest Fever Page 8

Qatar 2022 Debate Page 11

http://blogs.ft.com/ftfmblog/2009/05/

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News

February 11, 2011

Students win prestigious service awards Ella Storey & Henry Lyons Staff Writers On January 7th, Seniors Dhruv Maheshwari, Betsy Dimas, and Courtney Jacobson won the Marin Youth Volunteer of the Year Award.

These students were nominated by Co-director of the MA/Aim High Program Vielka Hoy, and were among 16 other nominees.

“The award is part of the The Center Volunteer and Non-profit Leadership which supports different non-profit agencies all over Marin and they are also a reference point for people who are interested in working with non profits,” said Community Action Program Coordinator Lauren Toker.

The Heart of Marin Youth Volunteer of the Year Award is a way for leaders to be recognized and to inspire new leaders to step up to the plate. “[The award] was really just honoring all of the work that’s be-

ing done in Marin county,” said Jacobson. “It’s a pretty special place for social justice and nonprofit work; everyone is kind of on the cutting edge for every green movement and social movement that there is.”

These awards not only recognize hard work, but also come with a prize.

“Six of the 16 [nominees] selected receive a certificate from the congresswoman, they receive $1000 scholarship, and they receive the recognition that they’re one of the winners of that award.” said Toker.

Both winners and nominees of the award hoped not only for the scholarship, but also for a bigger effect.

“I hope that it shows the adults in the room that the youth are really capable of doing cool projects on our own, not just being forced to do things,” said Jacobson. “We really are interested and want to

Ella Storey

Jacobson, Dimas, and Maheshwari all work in the local Canal District.

get involved.”

Dimas agrees with Jacobson.

“I think that recognizing what people have done will motivate a lot of people to do more,” said Dimas, who was nominated because of her efforts to bring the green movement to the Canal District.

Toker feels the award is a great way to recognize students’ work.

“We have such an active student body volunteering in the community,” said Toker. “We’re not even always aware or actively acknowledging those kids with in our every day here,” said Toker All three seniors were inspired by the message that the award connotes.

“It’s just amazing knowing that

people recognize what you’re doing and knowing that you’re trying to make a difference in your community,” said Dimas.

Four upperclassmen were nominated for the Heart of Marin Youth Volunteer of the Year Award.

Junior Rebekka Dagher, the fourth nominee from MA, was not chosen as one of the six to be a recipient of the award.

“It wasn’t anything like I needed to win, it was more of recognizing the work that I have been doing,” said Dagher.

Others agree with Dagher.

“You shouldn’t volunteer for these awards, but it’s nice to know that you can get recognition for community service,” said Maheshwari.

Students can always talk to Toker or Hoy if they are interested in taking up a volunteer position.

Comprehensive changes made to end-of-year activities Andrew Miller & Ted Billings Copy Editor & Staff Writer A change to the schedule beginning this year means students will no longer have to take final exams at the end of the spring semester.

In addition to the existing junior and senior projects, freshmen and sophomores will spend four of the last five days of the school year participating in end-of-year culminating experiences.

According to a letter sent to families by Academic Dean Joe Harvey, the activities are intended to encourage “the development of deep disciplinary thinking combined with regular, intentional opportunities to undertake challenging interdisciplinary problems.”

Harvey, along with English Department Chair Jim Baldwin, led the committee that developed the new system. In order to ensure that all aspects of Marin Academy life were considered, students Bryn Bliska and Ben Bogin of the Academic Affairs Committee par-

ticipated in discussions, as well as a member of each department on campus. The culminating activities in their current form are a product of years of discussion and experimentation.

“In [the 2006-2007 school year] the Academic Affairs Committee looked at… the trade-off of giving an exam as the last thing we do in a class and [found that] there was a more teachable moment there that would allow students to culminate and reflect and move into summer,” said Harvey. “This task force was a chance to really take a look at what we were doing and why. This has been something that we have been working on for at least five years.”

Other students prefer the old traditional approach “I do well with classes that end in exams,” said sophomore Daniel McCann. “For me personally, a test is easier to stomach than a large project.”

Freshman Charlie Hurtt likes the idea of a culminating.

Dan Babior

Current Seniors participated in a heated debate last year for Junior Project.

“For most classes it would be nice to go out with a bang at the end of the year, which the project would do,” said Hurtt.

In order to furnish effective experiences, each grade’s culminating project attempts to bring together aspects of that year’s experiences. Freshmen will create a character from the 1940s and catalog their experiences in World

War II in a scrapbook. Sophomores will investigate human rights in the form of a series of mock trials. Juniors will create proposals for the U.S. and present them to a mock U.N. in the Conference on American Possibilities. Seniors can choose between participating in the 30th iteration of Vision Quest, going on a weeklong local outing, and performing commu-

nity service.

“Our focus initially was on how we can end senior year in a way that actually gives everybody an opportunity to culminate and then come back together [as a grade],” said Harvey. “When we started with that, it became clear to us that there was no way we could staff culmination for the whole senior class, junior project, and classes into exams.”

Through five years of refining, the school has come up with a set of activities that offers all students an opportunity to miss final exams in favor of hands-on, collaborative, and interdisciplinary learning.

“We threw everything up in the air,” said Harvey, “and said what’s the way that we can create culminating experiences that capture the strategic vision of the school and allow us to actually staff them and have them be meaningful.”

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News

February 11, 2011

Pizza Orgasmica serves pleasure by the slice Olivia Lloyd & Isabelle Kitze Copy Editor & Staff Writer

Pizza Orgasmica & Brewing Co., a Brazilian pizza restaurant and bar, opened in San Rafael during the last week January, making it the third pizza venue on Fourth Street alone. Though Marin Academy students frequent Amici’s East Coast Pizzeria and Extreme Pizza for lunch during school, many already know about Pizza Orgasmica from its three other San Francisco locations.

When Founder and Owner of Pizza Orgasmica, Taylor Maia emigrated from Brazil more than 15 years ago, he began working in a pizza restaurant to make money.

“I used to make pizza, cut pizza, deliver pizza, I did everything,” said Maia. “I worked really hard there; I really wanted to make things happen.” Maia’s success in the restaurant he was working for prompted him to open his own business.

“After working in a pizza restaurant for many years, I decided, you know what, I can do it all,” said Maia. “I went ahead, and I

Olivia Lloyd

The new Pizza Orgasmica is located at 812 Fourth Street and is hard to miss.

found a place that was available here in San Francisco. That’s how I started the whole thing. I had a great chance, a great opportunity and here we are now, 15 years later.”

Maia wanted to create an eclec-

tic atmosphere in his restaurants that reflected his native Brazilian culture and food. The newly opened restaurant on Fourth Street is painted bright yellow and green.

Pizza Orgasmica is most widely known for its ethnic cuisine and

combination pizzas, but clients also appreciate its young, urban atmosphere.

“The people there are in their teens to their twenties,” said Sklarin. “Mostly about our age.”

While the adolescent scene appeals to students, some faculty members find the crowd and setting a little strange.

“All I really remember was how weird it was there,” said biology teacher Nicole Jensen. “Just the names and pictures up on the wall.”

This contemporary pizza joint has gained popularity and media attention in the last few years.

Members of the community who have visited Pizza Orgasmica over the years have noticed a change in the clientele.

“There are a ton of tourists now.

It’s been a huge tourist attraction for the past few years,” said sophomore Zane Morrissey. “I remember when the slices were cheaper.”

Other students have noted the price as well.

“The one flaw that this place has is that it’s pretty expensive,” said freshman Charlie Hurtt.

Maia explains that his restaurant is in a different category than other pizza places.

“Quality. Taste. Ingredients.

Also the way we prepare the food, the pizza and our combinations,” said Maia. “We use quality, fresh produce, top of the line.” While the pizza can be expensive, most say that it is well worth it.

“Since I’m a vegetarian, I really appreciate the huge variety,” said Sklarin.

The pizza does seem to live up to the restaurant’s unique name.

“The pizza is ORGASMIC!” said Morrissey.

Maia agrees and urges students to come try the new restaurant.

“It’s a great place. If you look at the place in San Francisco, we have people from all over that are our customers,” said Maia. “All types of people, families, teens, adults, elderly people, everybody.

People just like good food, great pizza, great beer, and great times!”

House of Air is fun for some, dangerous for others Kyle Newell & Claire Schurz Staff Writers Stepping into the retired airplane hangar at 926 Mason St. in the Presidio, one might expect to find a museum dedicated to San Francisco’s once prominent military history or perhaps even a restored biplane used during World War II. Such relics of aviation will not be found there, but Dave Schaeffer and Paul McGeehan still try to make visitors soar.

The House of Air, which Schaeffer and McGeehan opened in September of 2010, is a stateof-the-art indoor trampoline park.

Divided into five sections (the Matrix, 2x (Double) Bowl, Colosseum, Training Ground, and Air Junior Bounce House) the House of Air offers over 8,000 square feet of trampoline entertainment.

In addition to typical trampoline

recreation, the House of Air offers competitive dodgeball and basketball.

“My favorite part about the House of Air was that it was something different for me and my friends to do in the area,” said sophomore Lauren Hansen. “It was a cool way to get competitive and get our energy out. I would definitely recommend the House of Air to anyone who is really active and just wants to have a good time” However, it is not all fun and games at the House of Air. In collaboration with Planet Granite climbing gym and La Petit Baleen Swim School, both located in the Presidio, the House of Air also offers daily fitness classes to encourage and promote a healthy lifestyle for both teens and adults.

“Not only was it a whole lot of fun, but a great workout out too,”

Steve Disenhof

Seniors blow off steam and celebrate second semester at House of Air.

said junior Alex Moss-Bolanos.

For some, the House of Air was not the fun, jumping experience they hoped for.

“It has too many little kids and

is kind of overrated,” said sophomore Chase Porter.

Other students echoed complaints due to injuries they sustained while jumping.

“[The padding in between the trampolines was] very painful,” said sophomore Alex Herdman.

“I almost broke my ankle on that ‘padding.’ You would think it would be soft…but it’s not at all!'

Aside from the danger at the House of Air, other students were worried about sanitary conditions.

“We had to wear special trampoline shoes,” said senior Cara Neal, “and they were all sweaty from other people’s feet, which was pretty disgusting.”

While some leave the House of Air with bruises and discomfort, others disregard the safety hazards and feel perfectly at ease throughout their experience.

“It was a lot of fun,” said Senior Alex Jacks. “Going back is definitely high on my to do list.”

House of Air representatives were not available for comment.

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Features

February 11, 2011

The mystery behind Vision Quest uncovered Katie Eiseman Editor-in-Cheif This Spring, the Vision Questers heading to Death Valley will celebrate the 30th anniversary of this quintessential Marin Academy tradition.

The first Vision Quest took place in the spring of 1981. John Morris, the outings director at the time, invited Stephen Foster, the author of “The Book of Vision Quest”, and his wife, Meredith Little, to lead the minicourse. Former math teacher Beau Leonhart served as the faculty advisor and joined the students, Foster, and Little for what would become one of the longest standing traditions in the community.

“I was hooked from that day forward,” said Leonhart. “We had two minicourses a year then, and I wanted Vision Quest to be one of mine.”

After a couple years, Foster determined that Beau and other fac-

ulty members could lead the trip without his assistance. Leonhart is still a base camp leader for the trip, and she works in conjunction with her husband, and Marin Academy history teacher, James Shipman and faculty members such as math teacher Doreen Clark, biology teacher Mark Stefanski, and Outings Director Peter Poutiatine.

This group of teachers determine which students will take part in the ritual. VQ is the only minicourse that requires an application because of the unique nature of the journey.

“The trip is limited to those who have the maturity to go,” said Shipman. “You are going to be the only person you see for three days and three nights and you have to take care of yourself.”

The selection process begins with every interested student writing an essay. The essay asks for answers to questions such as why the individual wants to go and what outdoor experience he or she

David Warren

Shipman (third from right) and Leonhart (far right) on a VQ in the 1980s.

has had. According to Shipman, in reading the essays it is clear which students have both a genuine desire to go and the maturity to do so.

All of the essays that fit these criteria are separated into categories based on grade and gender. From there, the group determines a ratio of boys to girls and of juniors to

seniors. Each category of essays is placed into Shipman’s hat and the names that come out are the group that will go.

“It is not a popularity contest and you do not need need to suck up to me or Doreen,” Shipman said. “It is purely the luck of the draw.”

In 1983, Graduation Vision Quest, or Senior VQ, was created to supplement the trip in late February.

“Because the process of questing is tied so closely to time, there are some significant differences in the [Senior Vision Quest],” said Poutiatine. “[It] comes at a time when the students are all facing an important transition -- leaving home -- in most cases for the first time -- to go to college and live on their own.”

While there have been a few surface level changes to the programs, the leaders say that the general idea is to maintain the experience and preserve the environment that gives that experience shape and form. They emphasize that it is something that everyone really ought to do at least once in their life.

The elephant in the room: teacher dance chaperones Maddy Scheer & Vanessa Gerber Staff Writers Imagine this: You’re at a school sponsored dance. You hear the music, feel the beat, and begin grinding up on that shawty that’s been eyeing you all night. You’re in the zone and become unaware of the fact that people may be watching.

All of a sudden, you feel the tap of doom on your shoulder. Oh no!

You’ve just been called out by a teacher chaperone!

Each school dance, from the themed spirit events to prom, is manned by about 10 teacher chaperones who circulate around the dance floor, make small-talk, and bob their heads to the music. Apart from this activity, teacher chaperones generally get a bad rap from the student body for interrupting the casual mood. They are infamously known for cracking down on the students who decide to get a little freaky.

“Nobody wants their teacher

watching them a little bit of trepiin a social setdation,” said Dean ting,” said seof Students Lynne nior Lisa LerHansen. “It’s proboux, “It’s just ably the one part of too awkward.” my job that feels The teachthe most policeer may just be man-like.” doing his job, It may not be the but for a stueasiest job being dent who finally the adult in charge feels comfortand responsible for able at a school student safety and Maddy Scheer dance, turnbehavior, however, ing around and Recognize these faces? Yeah, that’s because they’ve been watching you. not all chaperones locking eyes find dances comwith a curiously disturbed teach- and enjoy themselves out on the pletely unbearable. er, is horrifying and causes that dance floor.

“There used to be a lot more student to avoid that teacher for “You know, when I go to the anxiety from the faculty,” said the next week at all costs. Some dances I’m in my zone,” said math teacher Jamie Collie. “From students have even devised tactics junior Evy Roy. “It doesn’t mat- my perspective it’s gotten better in to avoid this situation. ter; there’re no chaperones. What my five years at MA.” “I hide in the middle of the are chaperones anyways? Is that While Collie and other faculty dance floor to stay away from French?” find the task of chaperoning to be teachers,” said sophomore Matt Students often forget there is quite tolerable, a select few absoFields. another side to this dilemma. Many lutely dread every second of the However, some students remain teachers feel strongly about their forced contact with a few hundred unbothered by the potentially own experiences. sweaty high school students gyratbadgering teacher chaperones “I always go in there with just ing in a massive heap.

“I would rather coat myself with bacon grease and swim through a piranha tank than chaperone an MA dance,” said history teacher and Senior Class Dean Bill Meyer.

It may come as a surprise, but some students share this sentiment.

These students are more often upper-classmen, having years of experience with inappropriate dancing at school functions.

“I don’t want to see these friggin’ dirty freshmen shaking their things on the dance floor. That is not appropriate for a school dance” said senior Lauren Phipps. “I feel bad that the teacher chaperones have to be the ones to prevent students from being all naughty when the students should really have the dignity to not do it themselves.”

So next time you’re at a school dance, feel the beat, and begin grinding up on that shawty, just think: who’s really watching?

Features

February 11, 2011

Ski, snowboard getaways: Tahoe and beyond Greig Stein & Ilana Salant Staff Writers Extended holiday breaks allow for many to escape to the mountains in pursuit of snow, not only for making forts or snow angels, but also for carving perfect turns and destroying beautiful sheets of powder.

The three-week winter break is in particular a popular time to getaway to ski and snowboard.

After weeks of studying and taking finals, the mountains seem to have a healing effect on those who enjoy them. “Just being in the mountains helps me unwind and takes my mind of the stress and busywork of my daily life,” said junior Jamie Muresanu.

These escapes aren’t limited to just Tahoe and the United States. For example, junior Kendall Reinhart had the opportunity to travel to Val-d’lsére, France, an internationally renowned ski town, over winter break with her family, .

The Reinharts had a unique opportunity to go off track, skiing in an avalanche danger zone while in France.

“I had so much fun,” said Reinhart.

“Later that day, we found out the two people had skied the same run, and one of them died in an avalanche.”

However, sometimes winter break adventures just aren’t enough for snow enthusiasts. Those experiencing withdrawls tend to ski or snowboard for a few more days over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.

Muresanu had the opportunity to travel to a popular ski location this past MLK weekend.

“I went to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Its got sweet pow[der],” said Muresanu.

For those who are not able to go out of state or abroad, just going to Tahoe is a convenient possibility, especially if you only have three days.

“As far as three day weekends go, I probably go to Tahoe half of the time,” said sophomore Matt Feder. “I like to go to there because it’s nice and relaxing.”

Even though Tahoe crowds can be dense, there are ways to avoid them. “[My favorite resort] is probably Alpine because there are so many runs,” said Feder.

“Since it’s so big, it doesn’t feel like it gets too crowded.”

In order to avoid the crowds altogether, more remote resorts in Tahoe provide an escape.

“I like to go to Big Trees in Calavares County,” said freshman Nathalie Garcia.

“It’s in the mountains, like Tahoe, but there’s nothing there, only one ski resort.” Just three hours away, Big Trees offers an uncongested skiing experience that is rare to Tahoe.

“No one really knows about it, so it’s a treat,” said Garcia, who often goes there for three-day weekends.

For some, skiing takes a more competitive nature. Junior Paige Whistler traveled to one of America’s most popular ski destination to race: “I went to Steamboat and Winter Park, Colorado. I was there just for racing.” Whistler favors the conditions to Tahoe, but says it depends on the mountain. “It is significantly colder, so the snow is lighter and there’s much more powder.”

Whether it be to race, have fun or de-stress after a long week of finals, skiing and snowboarding have a lot to offer. This season, students took advantage of both local and foreign places to find an escape from everyday life while enjoying the outdoors.

Kendall Reinhart

The Reinhart family in the snowy tundra of France.

Dear Neha:

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academic strife Dear Neha, Will you teach me how to dougie? Teach me, teach me how to dougie?

From, Cali Swagdistrict Lover

Aparna Budhraja

Dear Neha, Being a second semester freshman has got me down. I’m having trouble finishing all of my work – some teachers give 20-30 minutes worth of homework! It’s tough to do all this AND have time to explore all the cool applications on my new Facebook AND “like” all of my friends’ artsy statuses about song lyrics. What do I do?

Sincereley, Lost Frosh

Dear Cali Swagdistrict Lover, I’m afraid that’s not really my area of expertise. However, I’m sure a good YouTube search will get you to the right tutorial. If you’re still in doubt, ask Jesse Moore.

Neha Dear Nish (and I guess Neha if he’s not avaliable), I’m really stressed about a History paper I have coming up. Could you write a reply with five paragraphs about Stephen Biko and the cause and effect of apartheid?

That would be great!

Thanks, CheatingCathy

Dear Lost Frosh, I hate to break it to you, but enjoy your 2030 minutes of homework while it lasts. It’s not going to be too long before that seems like an easy night of homework (that might amount to one fourth of the time it takes me to do my Calculus homework). That being said, you have a valid point about Facebook being a distractor when you’re trying to get work done. Know that Farmville is not all that cool and your friends will always have more artsy statuses tomorrow night.

Neha

Dear CheatingCathy, I am thouroughly offended you would consider seeking advice from my brother over me. So what if he was an Editor-in-Chief of “The Voice”, a Cum Laude graduate, and the president of the student body!?!? Like that gives him any qualifications…

And your pleas only get worse! Cheating is absolutely intolerable at Marin Academy and now all papers on Stephen Biko will have to be investigated for plagarism. Way to go CheatingCathy, way to go.

Neha

Dear Neha, How do I stay focused on school when I am surrounded by slackers (my friends)?

Anonymous

Dear Neha, Just wanted a little help with a math problem:

Dear Anonymous, I know it may be difficult to sacrifice time hanging out with your friends to do homework or go see a teacher, but sometimes you just have to do it. This might mean deciding not to go off-campus during tutorial or deciding not to go to a basketball game on a weeknight; but know that your friends will understand. And if they don’t, for lack of a better way to say it, are they really your friends at all?

Sincereley Neha

∑ sin3(x+16) – ln(arctan(x3-2x-7) n=-e17/3 4x87 – 3x2/3 + √(x! + cscx)

cot π/129

Thanks!

Math Junkie Dear Math Junkie, Can I get back to you in a month or two?

Neha

6

Features

February

Mixed messages National The recent repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy, which was passed during the Clinton Administration, has re-ignited a national controversy over LGBTQ rights. Bills such as Proposition 8 and DADT continue to challenge how the nation defines marriage and how far the coutry is willing to stray from its conventional definition.

“As with all ethical issues, there needs to be a time period for change and I think we are in the midst of that right now,” said junior and coleader of Gay Straight Alliance, Andrew Schleeter.

“This transition from homophobia to acceptance is evident in the repeal of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy.”

The controversy surrounding DADT has flooded the media in the past few years and has been one of the hottest topics of conversation. This policy restricts the U.S. military from efforts to discern the sexual orientation of closeted homosexual or bisexual servicemembers, while restricting those who are openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual from military service. Debates, protests, lawsuits, and riots have sprouted up throughout the country in response to the issue of DADT, as well as other gay rights issues. Whether for gay marriage or not, the topic has caused a lot of outrage.

“I support gay marriage more than not, but I don’t see why people in the U.S. have to get so worked up about this topic,” said senior Eric Slamovich. Currently, only six areas in the United States will issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Although the Bay Area generally views gay rights from a fairly liberal standpoint, the national consensus demonstrates a far more conservative perspective. According to recent polls, areas of the country where religion plays a bigger role in the culture tend to show far less support towards gay marriage. The 2010 American Survey found that U.S. citizens not affiliated with any religion backed gay marriage by a 4-1 ratio.

“I am for gay marriage personally,” said sophomore Austin Reid, “and I think there is no argument against it that doesn’t have to do with religious beliefs”.

Many states in the U.S. still experience high levels of anti-gay sentiments including Minnesota and Indiana where a pair of 15-year-old boys recently committed suicide as a result of anti-gay bullying and harassment. This, along with many other horrific series of events in the LGBTQ community, prompted the “It Gets Better” movement, a movement intended to inspire LGBTQ youth to persevere in their fight for acceptance and convince them that whatever they are experiencing now, be it family rejection, bullying, or harassment, soon enough it will be better.

Although there are many people fighting for gay rights in the U.S., there are anti-gay rights movements too. These various movements have both brought people together as well as driven them apart, testing the country to see how far we will go in the name of love.

Marin A

Just like many schools across the country, Marin Academy has a Gay-Straight Alliance club known as GSA. Although the community is considered to be very accepting, leaders of the club find it hard to encourage students to become involved. Senior GSA leader Lauren Phipps attributes this to the common misconception that every club member is automatically gay.

“I do not identify as gay and I lead the club, so if that is not proof enough then I don’t know what is,” said Phipps.

Many consider MA to be a place of complete acceptance, but Human Development teacher Sanjai Moses challenges that assumption.

“Kids at MA don’t really see being gay as a big deal,” said Moses. “It’s kind of a non-issue...they assume that it’s totally accepted.” She insists that the situation is not that simple and that “there are definitely kids at MA who are closeted.”

Moses believes that words play a large role in this.

“I would like to see the community at large recognize and understand the power of language,” said Moses. “The use of slurs creates an unsafe environment for gay and straight students.”

Senior AJ Roy agrees.

“Theoretically we are a really supportive environment,” said Roy, “but practically, not many are open about it, so we are not confronted with it [gay couples] as often.”

Phipps attributes this to MA’s perception of prevalence as an indicator of what is normal. Because there are many straight couples at school, they are accepted and it becomes natural. She is confident that the community would support a same-sex student couple but said that “it starts with two peoples’ bravery.”

Over the years senior speeches have been used as a time to address the topic of being gay.

“I don’t think that your senior speech should be your coming out speech,” said Roy. “If you have an issue relating to sexual orientation that is important to you, that is better.”

Many students today still recall the topic of Susie Ashkenas’ speech and its memorable ending line: People fall in love with people, not genders.

“For anyone who watched that speech, it was

y 11, 2011

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Features

about gay rights

Academy

really powerful and memorable,” said Roy. “It was one of the best I’ve seen here.”

Among the faculty, a lot of work has been done to ensure that gay rights are honored. People in relationships are referred to as partners, not husbands or wives in order to avoid excluding people. There is also same-sex partner insurance at the school, a right that is often excluded from those who are not legally married.

Head of School Travis Brownley hopes that students’ imaginations are not limited to what the greater culture says about sexual orientation but that they see many different adults on campus and many different ways to live. Brownley contrasts her own time as a student to her experience at MA. “When I was 17 and gradated from high school, I knew that I was gay, [but] to be sitting here, having this conversation with you [about gay rights] was beyond my imagination,” said Brownley.

She feels that the biggest gift given to her, her partner Liz, and their family is that they are treated like everyone else.

“I almost forget that I am [gay] and I feel very lucky about that. Not all of the Bay Area is like MA,” said Brownley.

Despite some progress, many feel that at MA the bigger problem can be pressure to fit into labels, whether it be in regards to sexual orientation or gender stereotypes. Roy says that people are often confused by those who do not cleanly fit a label.

“They [members of the community] couldn’t believe that I could like to tap dance and also like to kiss girls,” said Roy. In a high school setting, many recognize that there is great risk associated with expressing feelings to another student.

“It’s hard to say, ‘I like you, do you like me? Do you want to go out?’ Or to say, ‘no I don’t, I really like you in my math class, but I’m not interested in you like that.’ It’s hard to say, its hard to hear,” said Brownley.

Brownley hopes that in the community we can work through the things that over-complicate an already difficult process by being accepting of all couples, regardless of their sexual orientation.

California California’s Proposition 8 was a controversial piece of legislation that effectively banned gay marriage in the state. Though Proposition 8 has faded from public view since its passage in late 2008, the legal battle continues. The results of the tumultuous 2010 election for California’s governor will also help shape the future of California’s stance towards gay marriage. However, the ultimate decision regarding the status of gay marriage rests with the courts and could go either way.

It’s a complex issue.

“The issues around gay marriage right now are very complicated,” said Nikki Carman, co-leader of the Gay Straight Alliance. “On the one hand I feel like there is a lot of positive activism for gay rights in California, but on the other hand, everything we’ve been seeing in the news about gay marriage rights… has been causing a lot of emotional stress to all the LGBTQ people involved.”

Proposition 8 has a convoluted history. California approved the Proposition, banning gay marriage, with 52 percent of the vote. After David Boies and Theodore Olson, two prominent lawyers filed a federal lawsuit on behalf two gay couples, alleging that Proposition 8 infringed on constitutional rights, the case was brought to Judge Walker at the Federal District Court in San Francisco and he struck down Proposition 8 as unconstitutional, but stayed his order to give proponents of Proposition 8 time to appeal.

“My mom described the last couple years as feeling like a second class citizen,” said Carman.

The case was appealed and is currently being heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The order has been stayed, this time by the court of appeals, until the court renders a decision.

“People’s sexual orientations shouldn’t affect their ability to get

married,” said freshman Anna Cardall. “That’s ridiculous.”

Supporters of gay marriage contend that Proposition 8 violates constitutional rights under the 14th amendment by denying equal protection under the law. They say that banning gay marriage unfairly discriminates against gays.

“We live in America,” said freshman Ari Goldstein. “We have freedom of religion, freedom of press, so why can’t we have freedom of sexual orientation?”

The main argument of the groups against gay marriage is that gay couples harm the institution of marriage because they cannot conceive children.

Outside of the courts, people in support of Proposition 8 are also sometimes influenced by the many religions that discourage or forbid gay marriage.

“The argument against gay marriage has never made very much sense to me,” said Carman. “I do not think gay marriage is a threat to the institution of marriage for the purposes of procreation - there will still be plenty of people raising children in a ‘traditional’ marriage. Also, having been raised by two moms for part of my life I think that the campaign ‘Yes on 8’ used about protecting children was completely illogical.”

Governor Jerry Brown and former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger have voiced opposition to Proposition 8. They are listed as defendants in the case, and their lack of support for the Proposition could make a difference in the court’s decision.

The two democratic judges on the three-judge panel of the appellate court do not seem swayed by the arguments presented by the defense. One compares Proposition 8 in a New York Times interview to “’reinstitut[ing] school segregation by a public vote.’”

It is unlikely that this hearing will be the last regarding Proposition 8. Both sides are preparing for appeals. This case could go all the way to the United States Supreme Court.

8

A&E

February 11, 2011

Wildcat gaming phenomenon powers up Kevin O’Hehir & Lena Felton Staff Writers In an age in which COD is no longer just a type of fish, WOW is no longer just an excited exclamation, and “Wii” is no longer just a phrase children yell as they spin on rides, it is obvious that videogames are an integral part of our technological society.

From its origins as a wooden box created to play “Pong” to the multi-billion dollar industry it is today, videogame production has been one of the fastest growing industries of the past 30 years.

This revolution in entertainment has formed communities of gamers around the world who participate in this pastime together. Like other schools, Marin Academy finds itself hosting a “gaming” community.

“I like playing [video games] because it’s an escape from reality,” said freshman gamer Charlie Hurtt. “There are things that can happen in video games that can’t

in real life, and that’s pretty awesome.”

A walk through the library on any given day reveals at least one group of students huddled around a computer furiously playing web-based flash games like “BM Tron” or “Tank Trouble.” This scene conveys a common level of video gaming that takes place on campus.

The introduction of the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad has also presented a new gaming outlet. These

accessible Apple mediums create even more buzz around electronic diversions. Due to the prevalence of these easy ways to game, “gamer” students are found spread out amongst many social groups and every grade throughout the school.

Senior Brodie Lockard said that MA’s gamer population operates as a sort of “underground culture.”

“It has a large amount of people involved in it, but I am always surprised when I hear someone games,” said Lockard.

M A’s g a m e r population, which reflects the gamer population of the world, lacks a large number of female members. In a poll presented in FoxNews, four in 10 Americans say they play computer or video games.

Kevin O’Hehir According to the poll, 45 percent of these gamers are men while only 35 percent are women.

“The gender divide exists in gaming because most girls just don’t want to participate in playing video games,” said senior Laura Schrier in response to the statistic.

A self-proclaimed “Mario KartChampion,” Schrier one of the few female students at MA who identifies herself as a form of a gamer.

Although they are often only discussed within social groups, videogames have united a spec-

trum of different students under a common interest.

Last year’s Super Smash Bros. tournament drew many of the school’s gamers out into the open and encouraged bonding between gamers.

The “hardcore” gamers, such as sophomore Michael Jacks, spend a staggering majority of their free time playing videogames.

“I play probably 30 hours a week,” said Jacks. “Three hours on weekdays and even more on weekends. Video games are a distraction and waste of time. They’re also just fun.”

The development of video games has the potential to take society into another dimension.

In the last 30 years, video gaming has become a multibillion dollar industry, and with more games being sold each year, there is no estimate as to how much money and popularity the industry will acquire in the future.

Lit Fest was started to “[Bring in] inspiring writers to inspire the MA community to write,” said Baldwin. It has also functioned as a platform for members of the community to share their voices.

A variety of faculty members have presented their work in years past.

“I remember teachers reading their own work and being blown away,” said senior Liz Ezell.

One defining characteristic of Lit Fest is the annual keynote speaker.

“The keynote speaker last year [Alexandra Fuller] was really good,” said sophomore AJ Johanson. “I’m definitely excited for this year’s keynote speaker as well.”

Author Barry Lopez, this year’s speaker and winner of both the National Book Award and Pushcart Prizes, has generated lots of buzz around campus.

The Poetry Slam has also garnered much attention from the student body. Originally a com-

petition between two English classes once a year, the slam has now taken a new life.

Past poetry events have even been relocated from the BBLC Lecture Hall to the theater in order to accommodate the huge audiences that regularly attend them.

Some, however, believe that Lit Fest is not as highly regarded as it has been in the past.

“Unfortunately, the enthusiasm for Lit Fest [in years past] is equivalent to the enthusiasm David Liittschwager for the poetry slam This year’s keynote speaker Barry Lopez now,” said Alexander. resonate with the entire student Alexander’s sentiments do not body, though.

“I’m glad that [the school] has a conference like this to promote literature,” said Ezell, “and I think that more people should go to the sessions.”

“Go as much as possible,” said Alexander, “It’s so unusual what we do here. Students and faculty should take advantage of the people that come here. Past authors have read things before they were published!”

Many members of the MA community agree.

“I’m definitely excited for what future Lit Fests have to offer,” said junior Jamie Muresanu.

“I think it’s a testimony to the school’s creative nature and will forever remain an important part of [the school], regardless of its popularity.”

19th edition of Lit Fest binds community together Hannah Shank & Joseph Kind Staff Writers If English teacher Chris Alexander, who self identifies as a “literary groupie,” had to describe Marin Academy’s annual Literary Festival solely in one word, it would be “inspiring... [because] we are lucky to hear and see people speak here and learn about writers [as well as] their work.”

Literary Festival, commonly referred to as Lit Fest, takes place on campus every February. It was created by former English teacher and Assistant Head of School Joseph Coulson. Coulson based Lit Fest on a similar program he was exposed to when he worked in Southern California.

Jim Baldwin, English Department Chair, has been responsible for the success of Lit Fest for the last 14 years, with the help of fellow English teachers Alexander and Trixie Sabundayo.

“BLACK SWAN” “I definitely think Natalie Portman will win because her performance was truly raw; she was vulnerable and horrifying all at the same time – an incredible reflection of the cutthroat world of ballet.”

“The black swan had a lot of layers of symbolism, and the film was very Jungian in its contrast between the light and innocent nature of a person and their corresponding darker side.”

–Lauren Phipps ’11

“THE SOCIAL NETWORK” “Fincher [the director] had an eye for detail and was adventurous with his choices in ‘The Social Network.’ The way he captured the main character’s development throughout the film was impressive and commendable.”

– Desirée Wattis ‘11

“INCEPTION” “Inception is a shoe in for winning an Oscar in the visual effects department. [The visuals] were enticing … the slow motion effects, the way a city would just magically appear … the loneliness and horror of “deeper” memories and secrets was actually palpable through the graphics in the film.”

– Maya Rhine ‘12 “’Inception’ absolutely.

The sheer creativity required to even imagine the idea behind the script is insane, let alone the level of detail within the plot.”

– Caitlyn Birer ‘12 Quotes Gathered by Julia Irwin & Sam Pritzker

9

A&E

February 11, 2011

OSCAR PREDICTIONS 2011 ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Annette Bening in “The Kids Are All Right” Nicole Kidman in “Rabbit Hole” Jennifer Lawrence in “Winter’s Bone” Natalie Portman in “Black Swan” Michelle Williams in “Blue Valentine”

DIRECTING “Black Swan” Darren Aronofsky “The Fighter” David O. Russell “The King’s Speech” Tom Hooper “The Social Network” David Fincher “True Grit” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

VISUAL EFFECTS “Alice in Wonderland” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1” “Hereafter” “Inception” “Iron Man 2”

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Christian Bale in “The Fighter” John Hawkes in “Winter’s Bone” Jeremy Renner in “The Town” Mark Ruffalo in “The Kids Are All Right” Geoffrey Rush in “The King’s Speech”

WRITING - ORIGINAL STORY “Another Year” Written by Mike Leigh “The Fighter” Written by Keith Dorrington , Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson “Inception” Written by Christopher Nolan “The Kids Are All Right” Written by Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg “The King’s Speech” Screenplay by David Seidler Infographic by Riley Champine

Javier Bardem in “Biutiful” Jeff Bridges in “True Grit” Jesse Eisenberg in “The Social Network” Colin Firth in “The King’s Speech” James Franco in “127 Hours”

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM “How to Train Your Dragon” “The Illusionist” “Toy Story 3”

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Amy Adams in “The Fighter” Helena Bonham Carter in “The King’s Speech” Melissa Leo in “The Fighter” Hailee Steinfeld in “True Grit” Jacki Weaver in “Animal Kingdom”

“127 hours”

“Even without an arm, James Franco is a fox.”

– Lauren Phipps ‘11 “He deserves best actor; he was phenomenal. He took me through the pain of cutting a limb off. Favorite movie of the year. It was hard to watch, very gory, and the explosion of sound when he was cutting his arm off was disturbing. It delivered the most catharsis of any movie this year, and I made a point of watching all the really good ones over Christmas break.”

– Tom Ogden ‘13

“TRUE “TrueGRIT” Grit”

“I didn’t really like it because of the unnecessary cutting off of fingers.”

– Tess Denison ’13 “I thought it was a good western movie and the child actress had a great breakthrough performance. Plus, Matt Damon was hilarious.”

– Lena Redford ’14

CINEMATOGRAPHY “Black Swan” “Inception” “The King’s Speech” “The Social Network” “True Grit”

BEST PICTURE “Black Swan” “The Fighter” “Inception” “The Kids Are All Right” “The King’s Speech” “127 Hours” “The Social Network” “Toy Story 3” “True Grit” “Winter’s Bone”

“BLACK SWAN”

“Oh, I definitely think Black Swan will win as far as cinematography goes. It was beautiful. The handheld and grainy scenes gave the film an intimate feel, while the high definition bits were visually appealing.”

– Meera Garriga ‘12

“The King’s Speach”

“I think ’The King’s Speech’ will win best picture because it is a unique storyline and not anything a general audience has witnessed before. The film blends superb acting, a compelling story-line, and great cinematography – its outcome: a riveting movie that outshines the rest.”

– David Fisher ‘12

10

Opinion

February 11, 2011

Tuscon tragedy shows dangerous power of words Max Weiss Op-Ed Editor As it is impossible to get completely into the mind of a killer, no one knows exactly what motivated the shootings that occurred in a Tucson, Arizona Safeway on Jan. 8 that left six dead, wounded 14 others, and placed Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona in critical condition.

Some offer the opinion that the increasingly violence-oriented language used by our politicians inspired the man to attempt to assassinate Gifford, but no one knows for sure. Yet the shootings still served to spark a national debate over whether the politicians of this country need to tone down rhetoric that has become increasingly inflammatory.

The filter over both pundits’ and politicians’ mouths seems to have been removed in recent months, as we have been treated to comments that aim at not only inspiring division but also violence.

Annie Warner

For example, Joyce Kauffman, a right-leaning Florida radio host, recently commented in support of a Tea Party gathering by saying, “If ballots don’t work, bullets will.”

This kind of talk has been fired from both sides of the political spectrum, and it is completely and unequivocally deplorable. In

a time when so many domestic issues that require political unity remain unresolved, language like Kauffman’s only serves to undermine the country’s goals. And for all we know, a plea for “bullets” over peaceful discourse may just cause an unstable mind to commit an act of violence like the Arizona

shootings.

The larger theme with this kind of rhetoric is what seems to be the increasing opinion by pundits, politicians, and voters alike that their view and only their view is correct. This leads to a complete dismissal and rejection of any other perspective, and what is left is an uncompromising deadlock.

It’s not exactly how progress and change—two words that we seem to be promised oh-so-often nowadays—is achieved.

Public figures should take a long, hard look at their behavior and the ramifications of their language before they suggest the use of “bullets” again.

They aren’t the only ones who should engage in a little bit of selfreflection, though. Often I have felt that while Marin Academy preaches tolerance and diversity, its students, and even its faculty, are so liberal that they are decidedly intolerant.

Take an oft-cited example: Two years ago, during Confer-

ence on Democracy, the school hosted speakers from both ends— conservative and liberal—of the Proposition 8 spectrum. What should have been a very intriguing debate turned into an embarrassing event for the community, as many students openly booed the conservative speakers, simply for not agreeing with their point of view.

People should not be bullied into thinking their opinion is incorrect.

I have heard faculty say that it is because of these types of negative occurrences that the school is finding it increasingly hard to bring speakers to the school who don’t necessarily say what the majority of the student body wants to hear.

It is this type of intolerance— while not violence-inciting—that wounds the school’s mission of creating a diverse and stimulating environment for its students.

We must realize that our words can be almost as harmful as bullets.

Advocacy for gay rights needed as proof of our openness When approaching the issue of gay rights, many often draw comparisons to the civil rights movement of the 1950s and ‘60s, and indeed, there are parallels to be found. In both cases, a group of individuals singled out for some innate aspect of their nature (then it was the color of their skin, now it is their sexual preference) struggled for equal recognition and treatment from both the government and society.

Today, we look back at the era before civil rights and wonder how people could have stood idly by as a whole group of the population suffered the injustices of our country’s laws, or even carried out the injustices themselves. While there are differences between the civil rights movement and gay people’s struggle for equality today, the comparison still begs the question: how will our children view the inequalities perpetrated against the homosexual population in the

21st century. Will they understand society’s sentiments, or will they wonder, as we similarly wonder of the time before the 1950s, how our nation could have ever considered gays as undeserving of equality?

At Marin Academy, we tend to consider ourselves as an open community accepting of all people, yet there is a disconnect between theory and practice. Although we label ourselves as fully supportive of gays, we rarely go out of our ways to champion their cause other than to debate our views of gay marriage with a largely assenting group. In this sense, our actions pale utterly in comparison to our words. Our speech, in saying “that’s so gay,” betrays an intolerance that we would normally otherwise attack with zeal.

Our community is very liberal on the issue of gay rights (and, indeed, on almost all issues), especially when compared to other areas of the country. Yet even we

are not above subscription to gay slurs and stereotypes. We may comfort ourselves with the notion that comparatively, our tolerance and actions are better than most, but the truth is that we at Marin Academy rarely settle for “better than most.” We constantly challenge ourselves to be the best we can, to crush the rival team and get all the right answers, plus the extra-credit, on our quizzes and tests.

Why, then, are we content in our lethargy surrounding gay rights? For a community with such strong opinions, our actions are very limited on this issue. Action isn’t always easy or obvious, but the truth is, there is more that can be done. Write a letter to your local congressional representative, march in a rally, or, at the very least, speak up the next time you hear someone say “that’s so gay.”

Most of us may not be able to vote, but there are other ways to make our voices count.

marin academy voice 1600 Mission Ave., San Rafael, CA 94901 The Marin Academy Voice is a student-run newspaper published free from faculty or administrative censorship or prior review. Unsigned editorials represent the views of the entire staff. Columns represent the views of the writer, not necessarily those of this paper.

If you have any questions or would like to receive The Voice, please send a request to voice@ma.org.

Editors-in-Chief Katie Eiseman Lauren Thomas News Editor Ruby James Features Editor Neha Budhraja Managing Editor Riley Champine Op-Ed Editor Max Weiss Sports Editor Marshall Levensohn A&E Editor Sam Pritzker Copy Editors Olivia Lloyd Andrew Miller Faculty Advisor Mary Collie

Staff

Everett Barger Ted Billings Ben Bogin Alex Claman Lena Felton Vanessa Gerber Avery Hale Julia Irwin Matthew Jackett Joseph Kind Isabelle Kitze Charlotte Lobdell Henry Lyons Jenelle Mathews Miles McCreary Kyle Newell Kevin O’Hehir Ilana Salant Maddy Scheer Claire Schurz Hannah Shank Greig Stein Ella Storey David Sutter Annie Warner Tess Winston

11

Sports

February 11, 2011

Editors’ Debate: is Qatar the right World Cup host?

Marshall Levensohn Sports Editor While the pronunciation of the nation’s name might be perplexing, Qatar’s goals in hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup are perfectly clear. Many immediately disregarded Qatar, which would be the first Middle Eastern nation to host the World Cup, as a contender; however, Qatar distinguished itself from the rest of the competition by emphasizing its commitment to promote world peace through sport.

Qatar’s location, bordering Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, brings the World Cup to a region with longstanding political unrest. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is considered the longest and most heated international dispute. But Qatar used the surrounding area’s turmoil to its advantage, centering the 2022 World Cup bid on the ideal of peace. To prove its commitment to mending bitter relations between enemies, Qatar played peacemaker in a soccer feud analogous to the Middle Eastern conflict.

Lifetime enemies and arguably the two best soccer players to ever play the game, Diego Maradona and Pelé put their differences aside, came together for the first time, and shook hands in Qatar. It is rumored that the two each received nearly half a million dollars to do so, but either way, Qatar’s efforts enabled a day that was deemed impossible to become a reality.

While it may take more than a little economic incentive to help resolve the age-old conflict of the Middle East, Qatar and FIFA are collaborating and using the universal language of sport to initiate more of these “firsts” and progress towards peace.

It is well documented that Qatar, an oil rich country, has money

to spend over the next 11 years. To start, Qatar plans to spend an estimated $3 billion to build state of the art stadiums. The architectural plans for the stadiums, which can be seen on YouTube, are breathtaking to say the least. One of the structures of the proposed stadiums include a design that looks like a seashell. Another stadium is surrounded by 420,000 square feet of television screens around its perimeter, architecturally symbolic of world peace, and many even include views of the Persian Gulf from the seats.

Concern has been expressed over the profoundly hot weather of Qatar, which is on average 106 degrees Fahrenheit; however, the wealthy nation has created a state of the art solar cooling system that will keep the stadiums at approximately 81 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition, Qatar has devoted a projected $50 billion for infrastructure for the tournament.

Qatar, however, will not be the only beneficiary of all of this investment in construction. The stadiums are being carefully built so that they can be deconstructed after the World Cup and shipped to underdeveloped countries that do not have the resources for such stadiums. The generous donations of Qatar to other less fortunate countries are a first step to promote peace through sport long after the 2022 World Cup ends.

Soccer and sports in general provide a common ground for people around the world and tear down cultural barriers. Athletes near and far have made friends and strengthened relationships participating in sports and bonding over competition.

Qatar has begun preparations on what will surely be an extravagant World Cup that will provide the foundation for such bonding and thus others should not belittle its capabilities as a host nation.

While it may be said that money can’t buy happiness, I remain optimistic that in the summer of 2022 the world will see that the combination of money and soccer can catalyze peace across the globe.

Statistical BReakdown 1,699,435

Number of People Living in QATAR ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CENSUS. Qatar’s Population is slightly larger than That of Phoenix, Arizona.1

11,586

Area of land occupied by qatar in Square kilometers.

Qatar is slightly smaller than The State of connecticut.2

106 F

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF QATAR IN JULY.3

1

NUMBER OF STADIUMS THAT CAN CURRENTLY Host WORLD CUP MATCHES IN QATAR. The COuntry Plans on Building Eight New Stadiums and Expanding two more.4

80% OF QATARIS LIVE IN THE CAPITAL, DOHA

QATAR5 Sources:

CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 3 WEATHER.com Flag: Qsa.gov.qa 1245

World Cup: aneki.com/images/world-cup-trophy.jpg

Riley Champine Managing Editor In the months leading up to the final vote for the 2022 FIFA World Cup host, the bid from Qatar was considered a joke. Even though it has now been set that this tiny nation will be hosting the planet’s biggest tournament for its most popular sport, I still think the idea is a farce. But let’s get one thing straight: I am not opposed to a Middle Eastern country hosting the tournament. However, the way in which Qatar will prepare for its World Cup goes against two core values I learned from being a part of Marin Academy: sustainability and compassion.

Qatar has the second highest GDP behind Lichtenstein. With this wealth and the huge sums of money pledged by the government, Qatar plans to build nine completely new 50,000-seat stadiums and expand three more in preparation for the Cup. Due to the country’s scorching heat during the summer (the average high is 116 degrees in July) each of these stadiums will be equipped with solar powered outdoor air conditioning to lower the temperature around the field.

Though I applaud the Qataris for using clean alternative energy for this massive endeavor, the environmental impact and recourses wasted on these structures will be substantial considering that these stadiums will be used only a handful of times.

To tackle this issue, Qatar has pledged to dismantle these stadiums and ship them to developing countries. But once again, egregious funds and fuel will be spent to fulfill this farfetched promise.

And when the pieces finally arrive and are reassembled I doubt that these developing countries will be able to maintain and operate these high tech facilities.

As any MA student knows, the three tenets of sustainability are reuse, reduce, and recycle.

The construction and shipment of these brand new stadiums violates these principals. Incorporating solar power into design, though innovative, in no way compensates

for the huge amount of resourses needed for building the venues from scratch.

Another consequence of Qatar’s audacious construction aspirations will be a colossal use of labor. And this labor is not just for building and renovating an absurd number of stadiums, it is also for creating a railway network connecting each stadium, doubling the country’s hotel capacity, building airports, and improving roads, at an estimated cost of $50 billion.

It is highly likely that this massive amount of labor will come from foreign workers. Unfortunately it has become common in Qatar for foreign workers to be lied to, mistreated by their employers, and placed in a form of bonded labor. Qatar remains on the CIA’s Human Trafficking Watch List.

Though the government of Qatar promised to combat this issue in 2009, there has been little evidence of investigation and prosecution of human traffickers. Given abundant documentation of the awful circumstances many foreign workers face, it is simply irresponsible of FIFA to award the tournament to a nation that is so likely to continue to violate human trafficking laws in order to accomplish its outrageous building plans.

Already there is indication that FIFA may be recognizing some of the fatal flaws of having the World Cup in Qatar. There has been talk of moving the tournament into December, a rumor which has outraged leagues around the world.

And more recently, it seems that there is a possibility that some matches will be held outside of Qatar. These developments suggest that FIFA gave little forethought to the consequences of having the world’s most beloved tournament in a country like Qatar, and will atone for its huge mistake for next the 11 years.

12

Sports

February 11, 2011

Nine students recruited for collegiate athletics Marshall Levensohn Sports Editor

While the majority of seniors have dedicated the last year of their lives to preparing for the SATs, writing personal essays, and stressing about the process they call “applying to college,” some have had the fortune of learning their college fate early due to their involvement in sports. The senior class of 2011 has had an increased number of college athletic recruits for Marin Academy standards.

Boys soccer co-captain, Mason McDowell, who is attending Loyola Marymount University next year, kept both soccer and academics in mind throughout his college selection process.

“You can go just for soccer or you can go to a good school where you can play soccer too,” said McDowell. “So, I looked for a good school academically, keeping my future in mind, and also a school that was a contender for the NCAA tournament.”

A total of seven Wildcats will

attend Division I sport schools next year.

“If you are playing a sport at a Division I school, it’s a job,” said College Counselor Jennifer Blake. “You train year round and miss a lot of school due to travel.”

Many of this year’s athletic recruits, however, eagerly await the increased level of competition and commitment that Division I schools offer.

“It’ll be way more official than high school,” said boys soccer cocaptain and UC Riverside recruit, Eric Johanson. “It’s going to feel like a job, but it will be way more fun.”

Other Division I athletes from the class of 2011 include volley-

ball co-captains Savanah Leaf and Hannah Shank, cross country captain Lucy McCullough, girls soccer captain Lorin Hom, and rower Vanessa Gerber.

However, many colleges provide opportunities for those who don’t want their sport to be their

job in college.

“Division III schools are not allowed to offer scholarships, but they also have great athletics,” said Blake.

Co-captain of the boys tennis team Jamie Grossman has commited to a Division III school, while captain of the short distance track team Kate Kimball is yet to decide between multiple Division III offers. “[Collegiate athletics are] a big time Anna Kelly commitment,” said Kimball. “Most Division III schools still value academics over athletics…they understand that you’re a student before you’re an athlete.

That was big part of why I wanted to do Division III.” Division III colleges are known to put more emphasis on the title

of student-athlete; however, the competitiveness and the caliber of players is still very high.

The recruiting process is not as straightforward as many might believe.

“It varies,” said Blake. “The whole recruiting process is a very complex dance.”

After years of experience, Blake has sage advice for the student-athletes who hope to participate in athletics at the collegiate level.

“You have to be able to honestly evaluate yourself,” said Blake.

“Sometimes, students think they can get into a Division I college, but they are not good enough to play, and they have to come to their senses. That’s tough. Be able to think carefully about how much you want your sport to be a part of your college life.”

Additional Reporting By: Alex Claman, Charlotte Lobdell, Miles McCreary

Spring sport seniors prepare for last wildcat season Chet Kristy

Tess Winston & David Sutter Staff Writers

TW: How is your fan base for tennis? Do you personally have a number one fan?

CK: Our fan base is absolute garbage, very likely because anyone who has come feels too badly for the teams we slaughter. The number one fan is Dan Grossman.

TW: What are your goals for this season?

CK: Our team goals for the season are winning NCS Division II, and gaining a much larger fan base at school.

TW: How do you pump yourself up before a match?

CK: I pump myself up for a match by listening to “Mafia” by Koan Sound, “Power” by Skism, or “Kill Tess Winston Everybody” by Skrillex.

TW: Does the tennis team have any rituals or traditions?

CK: Our traditions include showing up late for practice, taking our time to get dressed and get water, and scraping schools our soccer team loses to.

TW: What is your favorite thing about being on the tennis team?

CK: My favorite part about being involved with the tennis team is being respected and revered at school, for excelling in such an extremely competitive, mentally demanding, and physically strenuous sport.

Becca Rich

DS: How do you view yourself as a role model for freshmen?

BR: It is important for me to be a role model and positive to the younger athletes, so that they can carry on that same sense and keep the team positive.

DS: As a senior what responsibilities do you take on?

BR: As a senior I have to be on time to all practices and games and be prepared; I have to be the example.

DS: What are your hopes for the team this year?

BR: I think the team is going to do really well this year, we are getting a few new strong playMarshall Levensohn ers and everyone is ready for the season and to do even better than we did last year.

DS: What are your goals for the team this year?

BR: My goals are to have a fun last season and also go further than we have gone in my four years. I hope to help create a strong team dynamic.

DS: As a senior, how do you contribute to the team?

BR: I contribute by playing my best, and giving others motivation to do the same.