The Newspaper of St. George’s Independent School
Gryphon Gazette
The
February 2012
Volume X, Issue IV
Celebrating Three Unsung Heroes of St. George’s
Mr. Lunati puts his blood, sweat and tears, into the school at the January blood drive, with a little help from Mr. Cooper.
By: John Marc Shelly ’12
Students at St. George’s see that the teachers and administrators put in a lot of work every day to make St. George’s the exceptional school it is. What some students may not recognize is the “behind the scenes” efforts made by the assiduous workers at the Collierville campus who make sure that the school days and years run smoothly. Larry Lunati, Lori Good, and Unita Garett (known to most students as Ms. Ann) are three of those people who work hard on the St. George’s Collierville campus, most days going unnoticed.
However, without their contribution, St. George’s might not be the school it is now. Lunati, a maintenance associate, will have been an employee of St. George’s for four years this August. Although having several ties to St. George’s before he was hired, he never had any plans to work here. “Before I came here, I worked at Lowe’s for a year. Before that, I was involved in a family project,” explained Lunati. “My grandfather owned a 64-acre potato farm on the corner of Highway 64 and Germantown Road. We turned it into a shopping center with a Best
Never Too Late:
Gryphons Learn New Tricks
Photo by: Suzie Cowan Henry Cowan kicks to start off a varsity football game.
By: Blake Carruth ’13
As we move into 2012, it may be a good idea to try a few new things you have never done before. It might be hard to take that first step sometimes, but in the long run, trying new things will enrich your life.
As American author William Ward said, “The greatest failure is the failure to try.” An example of something you could try is a new sport in the spring trimester that you might not have ever participated in. You might find that sport to be one of your favorite things to do, but you would have never discovered it if you had not taken a chance and gone out to play it. If it turns out not to be the best fit for you, that is fine; you can try something else, and at least you gave it a shot. Junior Henry Cowan tried something new this year—football. “It was great to go and try something that was different than what I usually do, and I really enjoyed being on the football team this year.” If sports aren’t your thing, there are many other activities you could experiment with. Continued on page 5
Photo by: Trish Dianetti
Buy, a Target, and a Walgreens. I was the point man for our family with the developers, the attorneys, and the leasing agencies for close to 15 years,” said Lunati. After this long development project, he retired, but an unexpected back operation for his wife made finding a new job a necessity. “My wife and I have health issues, and they kept putting all of these riders on us,” he said referring to an additional cost to his original insurance policy. “It was not worth the money we were paying, [but] if you get on group insurance, they can’t put riders on you. And thank God that I did, because my wife had a
$100,000 back operation.” Mr. Lunati is thankful to St. George’s for a lot more than his insurance; he is grateful for the people who surround him. “I love y’all, I really do,” Mr. Lunati said. “My favorite part of my job is being around the students. The administration here and the teachers are the top of the line. You won’t find a school any better than this one. I’m working with the best of the best.” Recently, the 2011 State Champion Gryphon football team dedicated their championship trophy to Mr. Lunati during a Friday chapel. “What was so weird was that I was on the boardwalk and Bill Taylor was walking behind me. I asked him if he was headed to chapel and he said ‘Yes.’ I decided to go to chapel too because it would be my last chapel with Cort Casey,” stated Lunati. “I don’t hear good, and Cort told me they announced my name. I stood up and waved because I didn’t know what to do or what happened.” Lunati said with a smile, “I walked up there and didn’t know what to do! It was a great gift to me. It is something I will never forget and I’ll always remember that. I don’t think I’ve ever had anything like that happen to me in my life. It overwhelmed me. I went out into the woods and just tried to get my head together. I cried for like an hour. It was the nicest thing ever.” Continued on page 7
Everything in Moderation:
The secrets of microwaves, sweeteners, and tanning beds By: Ashley Moody ’12
In a world of different people with different opinions, controversies and scams run wild. We have all heard of the multiple controversies surrounding issues such as microwaving plastic and Styrofoam, artificial sweeteners in sodas and foods, and tanning, but what are the real risks involved with these “dangerous” things? Plastic and Styrofoam in the Microwave: According to Harvard Medical School, many Styrofoam containers can be safely used in the microwave. However, you should always be sure to check the label. Plastic containers, however, have a bit of a different story. Food wrapped in plastic or placed in the microwave in a plastic container often times have plasticizers (plastic particles) that leak into the food. Fatty foods such as meats and cheeses tend to be the worst foods to microwave in plastic containers as they release a specific chemical plasticizer called diethylhexyl adipate. In order to determine which
plastic is microwave safe and which plastic should never be placed in a microwave, the FDA spends time testing these plastic containers. Scientists examine the ratio of plastic surface area to food surface area, how long and how often a specific container is going to be used in the microwave and how hot the food is expected to get while in the microwave. Scientists then examine the differing amounts of chemicals that leak into different types of foods. This is how plastic containers are labeled microwave safe. You should never use a container that is not labeled microwave safe because these are often times not tested by the FDA. If there is no label at all, you should avoid placing it in the microwave as that specific container has not been tested or failed testing with the FDA. It is important to note that most take-out containers, water bottles, and plastic tubs and jars used for mayonnaise, mustard, butter, yogurt, and whipped cream are absolutely not microwave safe.
Continued on page 6