Sentinel march 2009

The Sentinel

St. Luke’s School New Canaan, CT

Inside This Issue...

SLS Puts on a Happy Face

Bye, Bye Birdie a Big Hit! Alexandra Jaffe Assistant Editor

The St. Luke’s production of Bye, Bye Birdie, directed by Mr. Griffa, with assistance from Mrs. Doran, premiered last weekend on Friday, March

The Truth Behind St. Patrick’s Day (3)

March 2009

by Amanda Ackerman, before he leaves for service. The performances by these leads were outstanding.

Other notable roles were that of Mae Peterson, Albert’s demanding mother, by Ali Tesluk in a hilarious performance; the peppy, enthusiastic Conrad-obsessed teenager Ursula Merkle portrayed by Carrie Osborn; and the maternal and slightly ditsy Mrs. MacAfee

by Mary Kelly. The interaction between Mr. MacAfee (Conor Swanberg) and

CT Challenge (3) St. Luke’s Faces: Aggie Kelly (4) Getting in Shape for Spring (4) Movies Over Spring Break (5) SLS Spring Sports Preview (6)

6th to a full house, with two more packed performances over the weekend. The show followed the original script by Mike Stewart, Charles Strouse, and Lee Adams.

The plot centers on the romantically challenged relationship between Rose Alvarez and Albert Peterson, played respectively by Kara Clark and Jake Pressman.

The twosome manage superstar Conrad Birdie, portrayed by Connor Stirland, who has been drafted into the Army. As a last publicity stunt, they organize an event where Conrad will kiss one lucky fan, Kim MacAfee, played

Randolph MacAfee (Christian Langalis) kept the audience laughing every time the father-son pair appeared together on stage. Other highlights of the show were the tap-dance routine in Put on a Happy Face, impressively performed by Joanna Bornstein and Molly Brown, and a full split, executed by April Walsh.

The show was bursting with energy from the enthusiastic cast. No extravagance was spared as the stage was filled with a bright array of props and costumes. The magnificent set,

Continued on pg. 2

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News & Editorial

March 2009

Birdie from pg. 1

designed and built with leadership from Mrs. Parker-Burgard, Mr. Thieret, and Mr. Shee, was the largest ever made for a St. Luke’s production, and was possible only by the dedication and hard work of the Tech Crew. Mr. Anglin and Mr. Shee also managed the lighting and sound for the musical.

This show employed unique methods to support the actors in singing popular songs like Put on a Happy Face, Lots of Livin’ to Do, and Kids. A sevenpiece band was tucked right offstage in the landing area, adding to the live, energetic feel of the show. Mr. Griffa helped direct students in their performance by watching the action onstage on a television and projecting his conducting directions onto a screen above the audience that the actors could look to during the show for guidance and cutoffs. Also deserving mention was Lilla Goettler’s organization and aptitude as Stage Manager. In addition to acting in the role of Helen, one of the teenagers, Lilla also successfully coordinated and managed the backstage scene.

Bye, Bye Birdie, a laugh-out-

loud comedy, was one of the most successful St. Luke’s musicals to date and reflected the commitment and efforts of all those involved. A special thanks goes out to the parents who were invaluable

in the production process, especially Mrs. Tesluk, who coordinated the entire volunteer effort. This show marks the last musical at St. Luke’s for seniors Jake Pressman, Kara Clark, Connor Stirland, Carrie Osborn, Mary Kelly, Peter Benoliel, and Dominique Bandoo.

March 2009

News & Editorial

When Irish Eyes are Smiling Kelly Wendt Sentinel Staff Writer

Although most of us think of St. Patrick’s Day as a day of Irish pride in America, it hasn’t always been about wearing green. St. Patrick is the Patron Saint of Ireland for his famed missionary works there. He went to Ireland to spread the Catholic religion in Ireland around 400AD. It was St. Patrick who made the shamrock the symbol of Ireland when he explained the idea of the Holy Trinity in a sermon one day. He explained that the leaves of the shamrock are all separate but connected, just like the

and celebration of Irish pride.

St. Patrick’s Day is not considered a national holiday in America, but there is a campaign called the Guinness Campaign, to make it so. The Guinness Campaign aims to do more than just make it a national holiday, however: they also want St. Patrick’s Day to be a day of cultural awareness of Ireland.

Some teachers at St. Luke’s have taken a more traditionally Irish approach to St. Patrick’s Day. Mr. Dolan has observed it as a religious holiday and now goes into New York City to march as a way of showing his Irish pride. Mr. Havens, another teacher of Irish descent, also goes to the parade and views the day as a national holiday. So, there’s a little more to St. Pat’s day than wearing green, hoisting a pint, and singing “O Danny Boy.”

This time, team alternate Caroline Cullinane took Sam Fomon’s place. Although St. Luke’s pulled ahead of Greenwich in the last round, Greenwich was able to answer the final question, “What is the capital Kuwait?” As a guess, Greenwich answered “Kuwait City,” and won the round.

The episode will air on News Channel 12 Connecticut on April 4th and 5th at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. St. Luke’s is proud of the team, even though the season ended earlier than anticipated.

CT Challenge

Assistant Editor Alexandra Jaffe

Kelly Wendt Sentinel Staff Writer This past week, the St. Luke’s CT Challenge Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, or the Holy Trinity.

When Irish immigrants came to America, they searched for a way to show their pride and eventually settled on St. Patrick, the most famous Saint in Ireland.

March 17th in the church is St. Patrick’s feast day and is widely celebrated with Americanized traditions such as wearing silly green hats, dyeing the Chicago River green and staging large parades in New York. It was, to the Irish, a highly religious day of holy obligation and prayer.

However, in America it is a festival of fun

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The Sentinel Staff Editor Caroline Cullinane

Layout Editor Jon Salamon Sentinel Staff Writers Kelly Wendt Doug Walker

Faculty Advisor Mr. Flachsbart Photo credits go to: Clara Xie Mrs. Parker-Burgard

Jon Salamon Various internet locations

team journeyed down to New York again to fight it out against Greenwich High School.

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Editorial Etc.

Faces of St. Luke’s: Aggie Kelly Doug Walker Sentinel Staff Writer

On a most beautiful afternoon, on March 7, Aggie and I meet at the New Canaan Nature Center. Waiting in the woods may not be something that the typical socially savvy teenager would do, however, Aggie Kelly is not exactly socially savvy.

Doug: Salve.

Aggie: And the mightiest of “Salve”s to you, Douglas.

Doug: How’s your year going so far?

Aggie: Quite delightfully swell, thank you.

Doug: We didn’t do too well at the CT Challenge; has Nicho forgiven you -- have you even talked?

Aggie: I’ve called him every night since, with tears in my eyes, as he scolds me for my imperfections.

Doug: Obviously the Kelly house is conducive to intelligence, what does Mrs. Kelly feed you?

Aggie: Well Douglas, we Kellys are bred on only the finest of foods. In the mornings, I eat some combination of Eggs Benedict, salami, crumpets, and beans on an English muffin -- in the evenings, chicken, steak, pasta, and salad. However I also make a special effort to eat as many Big Macs as possible. They stimulate brain cells. I read it…. in a book.

Doug: Theoretically speaking, if you two could mentally arm wrestle, who would win?

Aggie: Hmm cerebral pugilism -- Nicho and I have often engaged in this type of combat. A bout can often last for hours at a time, and typically ends in extreme exhaustion and sometimes even selfdeprecation. Each battle could go either way. He is quite the worthy adversary.

Doug: Along the lines of the previous question, You or your adviser, Mr. Yavenditti?

Aggie: Considering that he personally rejected my Senior Page, by the powers vested in me by Mordor, I would destroy him and devour his remains, to put it lightly.

Doug: I’m not quite sure what to say to that. What’s the one thing holding you back this year?

Aggie: My two fears: having my Bowdoin acceptance withdrawn, and anything related to Adam Trampe.

Doug: Please describe our cafeteria food in one word.

Aggie: Ehhhh….

Doug: If you don’t like the food so much why don’t you join the St. Luke’s lunch committee? You could make a massive difference, you know.

Aggie: I’m pretty sure Steve personally obviated that committee using fish sticks alone.

Doug: Haha.

Shoutouts?

Aggie: AHHHHHHHHH!!!! (the idea being that I am shouting out) Doug: Thank you.

Then Aggie suddenly runs off in a sprint.

I’m left there, sitting on a log, in a dither.

That was the most random, planned encounter I’d ever experienced. He left his copy of John J. Audobon’s Guide: Birds of the Northeast, and the only word that came to mind was “wow.”

March 2009

How to Get in Shape for Spring Alexandra Jaffe Assistant Editor

Students anticipate spring break as a much-appreciated escape from school and an opportunity to work on a tan on the sunny beaches of Florida, Mexico, or even in a lounge chair in their backyards.

But tanning means only one thing, well, two: bathing suits and exposed skin. And after the holidays and the whirlwind of apple pies and hot chocolate and sugar cookies, many people are uncomfortable in anything more revealing than dress code attire. However, with nearly three months until summer vacation, there is ample time to start shaping up. Getting in shape is a three-fold plan of exercise, eating healthy foods, and letting your body rest, but the real key to getting in shape is staying healthy and staying energized.

Exercise is crucial to getting in shape. As they say, “no pain, no gain!” As difficult as it is to be motivated to work out, exercise is critical to getting fit and toned.

There are two kinds of exercise: cardio, which gets you fit, and isometric exercises and weights, which get you toned. To get in shape, you need to incorporate a mix of cardio and isometric exercises into your workout. Start your cardio by jogging for 30 minutes, three days a week, and continue to increase your pace and endurance over the next few weeks. If you don’t have a treadmill at home or a membership at a gym, and you think it is still too cold to run outdoors, there are two treadmills and three elliptical machines available for any student’s use in the SLS workout room. Isometric exercises include pushups, sit-ups, and weights. Versions of these exercises that are more geared toward beginners are the plank and crunches.

Whereas the cardio will get you fit and increase your endurance, the isometric exercises are also key because they tone the body.

When trying to get in shape,

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March 2009

Spring Break

In Shape from pg. 4 equally important to exercise is eating healthily. Snacking is actually not bad for you; it is just the choice of snacks that can be detrimental to getting in shape. Instead of chips or doughnuts, choose to snack on healthy snacks like whole foods. Whole foods have not been processed and contain no unhealthy chemicals. Any fresh fruits, vegetables, and protein such as eggs and meats are very healthy snacks. In addition to eating well, you must also drink healthy beverages.

Especially if you are increasing or changing your workout routine, it is very important to stay hydrated. Drink lots of water to help your body perform at its best.

The last tip for getting in shape is simply to go to bed at a reasonable hour.

People tend to snack on junk food late at night, so avoid that by getting to bed earlier before the cravings attack. Also, your body digests food better when you are sleeping, so by going to bed earlier, you are giving it more time to properly digest your food.

And remember, it is statistically proven that less sleep increases risk for sickness.

When you are sick, you can’t work out.

Stay healthy, stay energized, and work hard to get in shape by spring break.

Want to write for the Sentinel?

Ask any member of the staff listed on page 3.

You may come full-time, or contribute as you see fit (within the deadline, of course).

Join today!

Spring Break Movies Jon Salamon Layout Editor March 13th (Friday the 13th): Race to Witch Mountain Based on the book Escape to Witch Mountain, Race to Witch Mountain follows a Las Vegas cab driver and his sidekick, an astrophysicist, as they race to rescue two supernatural siblings from a villain.

The Last House on the Left This is a remake of the 1972 film. When Mari and her friend arrive at the Collingwood lake house, recent prisonbreakers kidnap them and take them to the only place where they thought they could be safe…

March 20th: I Love You, Man Peter Klaven’s getting married, and realizes that he doesn’t have a best man. He’s determined to find one, and when he does, it doesn’t sit too well with his fiancé.

Duplicity Starring Julia Roberts and Clive Owen, Duplicity follows an ingenious con scheme crafted by ex-lovers, now professional spies.

Knowing Featuring the beloved actor Nicholas Cage, Knowing is an apocalyptic sci-fi movie that will twist your perception of time forever.

March 27th: Monsters vs. Aliens From the makers of Shrek, this film centers on different creatures, both scary and silly.

12 Rounds This action thriller focuses on Detective Danny Fisher who must rescue his girlfriend Molly from a deadly terrorist by playing “12 Rounds” of perilous games.

This movie was filmed in New Orleans.

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Adventureland James Brennan just got out of college, and wants a job. After being rejected by multiple employers, he finds his niche at a local amusement park.

The Haunting in Connecticut Based on a true story, this movie is bound to disturb those wary of horror films. Due to the poor health of their son, a family moves to a new home and begins to experience supernatural phenomenon.

Top 10 Reasons to Stay at Home for Spring Break 10. Two week hibernation period after the rough semester 9. Get a head start in studying for the APs!!!!!

8. Excessive sun in Mexico or the Bahamas is bad for your health 7. Catch up on the new season of Gossip Girl (xoxo) 6. Laugh at public and Catholic school students for not being on break 5. Two weeks of gorging and worrying before your college letters arrive 4. Spring cleaning--alphabetize your hundreds of DVDs 3. Channel your “green” energy for St. Patrick’s Day 2. Master the accordion 1. Enjoy the dismal gray weather… there’s so much to do in New Canaan in March!

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Sports Etc.

March 2009

SLS Spring Sports Preview Alexandra Jaffe Assistant Editor

Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse Coach: Mr. Butler Captains: Beau Duncan, Andrew Clark, Chase Begor Look out for: This season, the team has one of the toughest Division II New England schedules, playing powerhouses like Avon Old Farms, Choate Rosemary Hall, and even St. Andrew’s College, a boys’ prep school in Canada. With a strong defensive core, the team has high hopes for an extremely successful season.

Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse Coach: Ms. Besgen, Ms. Hoffman, Mr. Helstein Captains: Tara Carey, Brooke Lawrie, Kim Callaghan Look out for: Last year, the team had a very successful season, and this season, with veteran leadership, coaches hope for another banner year. The team is already looking forward to a strong showing in the New Englands.

Boys’ Varsity Baseball Coach: Mr. Lord, Mr. Brown Look out for: Coaches are excited to work with the competitive, spirited group of athletes. The team anticipates intense games against FAA League rivals like Hopkins and Rye. Girls’ Varsity Softball Coach: Mrs. Demarco, Mr. Haynie Captains: Rachel Brittenham, Julia Ward, Caitlin Wood Look out for: This season, the League is very competitive, so the team is looking forward to good games. Quality seniors hope to help lead the young team to work together and always be competitive. The team especially hopes to beat King and have a winning record.

Boys’ Varsity Tennis Coach: Mr. Sargent, Mr. Smitobol Captains: to be announced Look out for: The team will have a lot of young talent and coaches are excited to develop the potential of each player. This season, the team hopes to be competitive with conference rivals, including Hamden Hall, which is the team’s first opponent.

Girls’ Varsity Tennis Coach: Mrs. Ehlers, Mrs. Tregellas Captains: Megan Douglass, Maggie Seaver Look out for: This season, the team has a lot to live up to after an undefeated season last year. The team has expanded this year to playing four singles and three doubles each match. The season’s goal is to repeat winning the FAA championship; Captain Megan (#1 singles) is the defending FAA champ.

Varsity Golf Coach: Mr. Murphy, Mr. Bucci Senior leadership: Will Delano, Billy Prince, Andrew Hilboldt Look out for: The team has been one of the top three teams in the league championship for the past five years, but this season, after coming in 2nd place last year, the team hopes to win the league championship. This season looks especially bright since the team has much depth with many strong players, especially Cameron Wilson, defending champion of the individual championship.

Varsity Crew Coach: Mr. Haynes, Mr. Kolomiets Look out for: The crew team competes in their first big race at the Mercer Sprints in Princeton, New Jersey in April. St. Luke’s plans to host a St. Luke’s Invitational on May 10th of this year. The team is young but enthusiastic and the coaches see lots of potential.