Sentinel may 2013

St. Luke’s School

377 North Wilton Road - New Canaan, CT - 06840 www.digitalsentinel.org

May 2013

Inside the Oval Locker Jackson Prince Staff Writer

Felicitations my classmates! After 8 months of academic exploration, we look toward brighter days- both literally and figuratively!

That’s right, summer vacation is upon us. It seems only days ago that boys and girls alike exercised some of their more audacious faculties in the annual “asking people to prom” routine. It feels like only a week ago that 95 upper schoolers and 3 sneaky little middle schoolers curled up in front of a towering inflatable movie screen under the covers of nightfall to experience perhaps the most inspiring night in their life. Am I not the only one that relives the sweat of Third Quarter exams as if it was yesterday? Has reality pulled a fast one on us? Where is Juan Pablo!?

But, alas! Here we are. Seniors are rapidly decelerating, juniors are gearing up to be as cool as this year’s seniors, sophomores are dreading junior-hood, and freshmen are positioning themselves for their inevitable plunge into the watery expanse of Upper School. Time takes no prisoners, and it’ll roll on through before you know it…

From left to right: Ally Frattaroli (Secretary), Emma O’Brien (Treasurer), Molly Pivirotto (VicePresident), Wyett Dalton (VP), Chris Shurr (President), Tunde Johnson (P), Will Bloomer (P), Ben Decatur (P), Robert Powis (VP), Sebastian Bates (T). Not pictured: JoJo Brame (VP) and Liza Epprecht (P). (Julia Muller)

Decision 2013: Election Season Here on the Hilltop Mac Zech World News Editor

[Full Disclosure: Sebastian Bates, candidate for Treasurer, is Editor-in-Chief of The Sentinel; Ben Decatur, candidate for President, is Sports Editor; Will Bloomer, candidate for President, is a Staff Writer; Liza Epprecht, candidate for President, is a Staff Writer; Robert Powis, candidate for Vice-President, is a Staff Writer; Emma O’Brien, candidate for Treasurer, is a Staff Writer.]

As the gusty gales of April bid us adieu, as gloomy clouds give way to bright blue skies, and as Sentinel staff writers—normally wellsprings of industry and creativity— give up and, in lieu of writing interesting introductions to their articles, decide instead to briefly describe the recent weather, one event still demands the attention of the entire Upper School: the Student Council elections.

This year’s slate of candidates, especially for the executive offices, is shaping up to be both exceedingly varied and robust, with popular incumbents and political newcomers vying for positions. With the election season underway, five presidential candidates have emerged from the hinterlands: Ben Decatur, Tunde Johnson, Will Bloomer, Liza Epprecht, and Chris Shurr.

Inside this issue...

Teacher Farewells

Tunde Johnson was the first of these five candidates to confidently and candidly expound her intentions of running for office. This self-assuredness is, however, not unwarranted; Johnson’s successful bid for a representative seat last year highlighted her status as a popular candidate.

By remaining active in sports as well as school spirit events, Johnson has certainly managed to both retain support from the rising Senior class and get her name out to younger grades.

Formerly the only girl running for President, Johnson will no longer be able to rely on a “gender bump” due to the entry of the ever-enthusiastic and high-spirited Liza Epprecht to the race. Liza’s eleventh-hour decision to run for president fundamentally altered the campaign layout and highlights her own potential selling points as a candidate. To declare her executive aspirations, even after the entry of several strong candidates, sends a message to voters that she would tackle the challenges and duties associated with the presidency with equal vigor, singlemindedness, and bravery.

Unfortunately, Liza has, thus far, done little to cultivate

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Senior Advice

Hold the phone — isn’t this supposed to be a congratulatory memorandum? Where have the “brighter days” gone? Have no fear. My melancholy is met with unbridled exuberance. And do you know why? Because after the six weeks of paper-plated hardship, twentyfive failed LeBris chem tests, five composer concert legends, three beautifully directed short plays, and one Bobby Forese no-hitter, St. Luke’s School continues on in full force. Students of St. Luke’s: expect to round out 2013 stylishly.

The blurring excitement of May and June continued on May 17 with UnSchool. Not only was this day amazing for students because we literally got to learn whatever we wanted to (call to mind the cinematic masterpiece “Accepted,” perhaps? #BBQ #OutdoorMovieNight).

And if that wasn’t enough, folks, then remember the May 21 Thespian Awards and MS/US Band concerts, when our most adept actors and musicians shone brighter than diamonds – only to joined by the sparkling brilliance of our vocal musicians in the Spring Choir Concert.

You see, before it’s all said and done, before the graduates of 2013 stroll down the aisle of adulthood (Ed: “Yeah, right” says Mr. Flachsbart), permanently claiming their place as the most magnificent class of St. Luke’s alumni to date, strides will be made. Brilliance will be witnessed.

So if you plan to partake in the making of history, if you wanna go down with the greats, then stay tuned, because the rest of 2013 has enough firepower to knock you to Bach and back.

President Prince – over and out.

SLS Golf

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May 2013

HILLTOP NEWS TEACHER FAREWELLS

from page one an effective ground game while Tunde’s pins, posters, and campaign mindset has cast her as one of the frontrunners.

Although there is no doubt that Tunde will bring the thunder, Ben Decatur, currently a Junior representative and SLS lifer, is confident that he will be able to weather the storm. The archetype of affability, Decatur has a very strong support base among the rising Senior class and name recognition among underclassmen. The votes are there but, unlike Johnson, Decatur, a naturally laid back and easygoing figure, will have to go against his natural temperament and channel the charisma of the Commodore (Ben is a descendent of the famous American naval hero Stephen Decatur) in order to drum up support for his campaign.

Mr. Sargent

lucky enough to get to know Mr. Holyfield over these past ten years will be saddened by this news.

Alex Robertson Editor-in-Chief

When the Sentinel asked Mr. Holyfield if he had one final piece of advice for the School, he said that:

After a midyear bout of swirling rumors and general confusion among students, History teacher Mr. Sargent announced that he will be leaving St. Luke’s next year.

Though he has chosen to do so in the most Mr. Sargent way possible--choosing to focus his energy on attaining a graduate degree in Art History from New York University-the news nonetheless has left some of his more ardent fans, myself among them, a bit melancholy.

“If I had to leave St. Luke’s with a parting comment, I would say be mindful to always try to look at others through a lens different than your own. Realize that we all have something to offer and that we should all go out of our way to make people feel that they are valued.”

Up till last Tuesday, the day of executive speeches, there had been relatively little talk of Decatur’s bid and many SLS students counted him as just another incumbent candidate. This notion was completely dispelled by Decatur’s speech, in which he blended humor with calls for student mobilization and delivered it all with a confident charisma akin to that of the graduating President Prince. There is still ample time in this election season for Decatur to rise or fall in the polls but, so far, he has succeeded in spreading his message throughout the school and attracting a strong following.

Even as Johnson and Decatur, with the efficiency of veteran incumbents, start to mobilize their followers, two more rising Seniors are attempting to do the same. For Will Bloomer and Chris Shurr the race will be won not by posters and vitriolic supporters (though both candidates have sufficient poster-making abilities as well as devoted friends) but by the presidential speeches and upcoming debates. Both Shurr and Bloomer have already poured countless hours into crafting their 2-3 minute orations so as to appeal to the widest voting base possible. Both hope to also do well in the upcoming question-and-answer session.

The rising Seniors, Juniors, and Sophomores all witnessed first hand the energy and hilarity that Jackson “the Swan” Prince brought to both his presidential speech and the weekly town meetings. Jackson’s success throughout this past year has undoubtedly raised the bar for the prospective Presidential candidates. The Upper School electorate knows this and will definitely put a greater emphasis on the varying comedic capabilities of their candidates.

Although the Presidential race is enthralling in and of itself, there are three other, equally contentious races being run. JoJo Brame, Robert Powis, Molly Pivirotto and Wyett Dalton are all vying for the office of Vice-President.

This year’s race will be nothing like last year’s, in which Lindsay Bralower was elected to the vice-presidency unopposed (as were all the candidates for the offices other than president). Robert Powis’s inventive strategy of mocking his identity as St. Luke’s resident Canadian may vault him to frontrunner status but, with such vibrant candidates, it is too soon even to guess how this race will pan out.

The race for secretary, meanwhile, has already seen the first casualty of the 2013 electoral season. Drew Lord, who was briefly running unopposed, dropped out of the race last week, as Ally Frattaroli and Carter Bergeron entered the race. As of now, there is no clear frontrunner in this race.

The election for treasurer is equally difficult to predict.

Sebastian Bates delivered a relatively strong speech, but Emma O’Brien can count on widespread support, and her speech, humbly admitting her potential flaws as a candidate but emphasizing her strong character and her hopes for next year, can not be ignored. As in the race for secretary, this is a two-person contest with a gender-balance, so it’s difficult to predict how the electorate might split.

With such diverse, thunderous, hilarious, and amiable candidates, there is only one certainty in this 2013 election: we are in for quite a showdown.

I had the luck of landing Mr. Sargent as a teacher not just once, not twice, but thrice throughout my St. Luke’s career. In sixth grade, he changed the way I thought about history, lending it a personal, idiosyncratic touch that was far removed from how I once approached history-Mr. Sargent’s World History class was not a mere series of facts and events. He also let me expend my creative urges on a poster about Hephaestus and his daycare program, or something of the nature. Mr. Sargent seems to remember the project more lucidly than I, its creator, another testament to the care he puts into teaching.

Tenth grade World History was more of the same, in a good way; I found myself completely engrossed in the complexities of Poland and its fractured history, even when fearing Mr. Sargent’s typically--but lovingly!--harsh essay grading. (Seriously, though, they should create a Nobel Prize specifically for anyone who can notch a straight-up A on a Mr. Sargent paper.)

For those of you have not been able to get to know Mr. Holyfield over the years, I hope this simple comment serves as a look inside one of the School’s most prominent administrators. I’d also like to include an anecdote that may reinforce Mr. Holyfield prominence in our community: halfway through our interview, Mr. Holyfield caught a glimpse of a fire in the toaster oven from halfway across the cafeteria! With the help of two Flik employees, Mr. Holyfield rescued the school from disaster.

Mr. Holyfield will be missed by his students and his colleagues because not only does he protect our school from ‘disasters’ on pretty much a daily basis, but he also cares about everyone at this school. Next year will be difficult as students adapt to not having Mr. Holyfield around as a friend, a confidant and a role model. St. Luke’s will always remember him and eagerly await his visits.

Mr. Schacht Mac Zech World News Editor

It just got better with AP European History, one of the most intellectually satisfying classes I’ve taken in high school and one perfectly taught by the man himself, even with his own grad school course load to deal with. In addition to his famed “Euro Lunches,” Mr. Sargent also doles out fascinating lectures, no small feat given the content of such dreary chapters as “Society and Economy Under the Old Regime”. Perhaps it’s sufficient to say that AP Euro is one of the few courses that has genuinely steered me in my projected course for college and onward--all thanks to Mr. Sargent, no doubt.

There are some teachers who go above and beyond the call of their profession, who cultivate meaningful relationships with their students, who tirelessly work to spark intellectual curiosity, and who delve into their subjects with relentless vigor and noticeable expertise.

An anecdote, if you’ll forgive me: just the other day I was trying to conduct a faux-interview with Mr. Sargent to fill out the empty spaces in this article, so I asked him about his projected master’s degree in Art History from NYU-why get a degree like that? He looked incredulous and then said, without a trace of irony, “I’m in it for the intellectual stimulation. Simple as that.” Classic.

Of the many students immensely saddened to learn that Mr. Schacht will be leaving us at the end of this year, none were more upset than the Latin IV Honors students, who were finishing up their second year with Mr. Schacht and were looking forward to next year’s Latin and Ancient Greek classes. We had come to love the obscure 80’s movie references, the corny Latin jokes, the vibrant class discussions, and the genuine, unceasing passion for the classics that Mr. Schacht seems to exude from his every pore.

Godspeed, Sarge.

Mr. Holyfield Meagan Maguire Staff Writer

This June, the St. Luke’s community must say goodbye to many people who will be missed immensely. Not only will our seniors be graduating, but some of our beloved and respected faculty members will be ending their St. Luke’s journey as well. Mr. Holyfield, the Director of Multicultural Affairs and Dean of Upper School Student Life, will be finishing up his tenth year on the Hilltop and will not be returning next Fall. All of those who have been

Highly sought after teachers like these are hard to come by and, when found, are enshrined for eternity in the minds of their students—ethereal statues upon cerebral pedestals.

One such pedestal (appropriately a Corinthian column) rises distinctly to the fore: that of Mr. Schacht.

Whenever a student set foot in his classroom (a computer lab turned a lush classical haven by devotees seeking pop-tarts and a momentary respites from the high school grind) he or she was met with not only a feast to rival those of King Priam’s court but also the cheerful visage of its mustachioed provider.

After the boisterous crowds had left King Schacht’s court, there would, very often, be one or two stragglers. These struggling students, whether stressed, despondent, irate, lonely, or all of the above, could rely on Mr. Schacht as an empathetic listener and a calming counterbalance to

May 2013

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HILLTOP NEWS the rigors of academic achievement. However poorly you did on the last Science lab, however badly you played in the last sports game, or however behind you were on schoolwork, you could count on Mr. Schacht to be there for you. The knowledge that his classroom was right around the corner even at the toughest of times is, to put it lightly, infinitely reassuring.

In the words of the Yearbook team’s senior staff members, “with his honesty [Mr. Bruner] makes everyone feel welcome and at home. The senior class will remember him for fantastic spirit week outfits, a courageous and inspiring meditation, and countless jokes and life lessons shared; it is our honor to dedicate the 2013 Caduceus to Mr. Bruner!”

Mr. Bruner first came to St. Luke’s five years ago. Since then, he’s truly become a remarkable member of the school community and a friend to many. He’s overseen St. Luke’s switch over Google Apps. He’s taken students on Spanish immersion trips. He’s watched over a club’s transition from GSA to GLOW and to a different GSA (though people still don’t know what any of the letters stand for... Gay something...?).

But more importantly, he has motivated so many of us to see the world with more positivity and open-mindedness.

Mr. Bruner has invigorated and captivated us all with his charming and inspiring lessons, helping the students of St. Luke’s to learn, and, (as we are instructed in our motto) to “go forth to serve.”

All in all, Señor Bruner has become an extraordinary piece of our St. Luke’s puzzle, exhibiting every one of our highest values with ease, and we will all miss him dearly next year. You’re part of our school’s story, Mr. Bruner, and we hope you’ll think of us kindly every now and again wherever your own story may take you.

Not every student has had the express pleasure of taking one of Mr. Schacht’s classes. Not every faculty member got to know Mr. Schacht the way his students did. But those who did understand that Mr. Schacht’s leaving St. Luke’s is a profound and deeply saddening event. We as a community must simply be consoled by the knowledge that Mr. Schacht has left an indelible mark on the school and that the life lessons he managed to impart upon his students will forever elevate him to a place of reverence within our minds and our hearts.

Thank you, Mr. Schacht.

Mr. Bruner Clare Livingston Contributing Writer

Whether you know him as St. Luke’s whiz Technology Coordinator, contagiously high-spirited Spanish teacher, or fearless faculty advisor of the Gender-Sexuality Alliance, there is no doubt that Mr. Bruner has made a unique and last impression on our community here on the Hilltop. How fitting it is that, in his last year at St. Luke’s, the senior Class of 2013 made the decision to dedicate this year’s edition of the yearbook, the Caduceus, to him.

The dedication ceremony consisted of a speech, given by members of Caduceus senior staff, articulating how Señor Bruner has been significant to the lives of the Class of 2013. It touched on his roles as their coach, mentor, friend, and confidante. The speech outlined and detailed how he impressed the senior class, as well as the entire St. Luke’s community, with his fun-loving attitude, bravery, and helpful charm. Meanwhile, the entire student body and faculty beheld the exciting ceremony and unveiling of the year’s yearbook, while silently thinking to themselves how Mr. Bruner has affected their own lives or despairing at not have had the chance to know him. And how could they not? After all, as senior Patrick Quinn observed, Mr. Bruner is “SHEER GREATNESS.”

New Additions to the Hilltop Robert Powis Staff Writer

It seems that for every class that graduates from St. Luke’s, there is always some new addition to the School that they will not be able to enjoy. Recent graduating classes have missed out on hanging out in the Fireplace Commons, on eating in the new cafeteria, and learning in the Center for Leadership.

Although our newly-minted alumni curse their bad luck for missing out on these renovations, their misfortune pales in comparison to that of the students of the classes of 2013 and 2014, who will miss out on the new science wing.

Heavy construction on the new science wing will begin less than two weeks after Commencement, and will continue until school starts again in September. Work will then be paused until next year’s graduating seniors have put on their caps and gowns and left – meaning that this year’s sophomores will be the oldest students still attending SLS when the doors of the new wing are opened.

And how lucky they are. The building is a natural next step for St. Luke’s, “designed by the teachers,” says Mr. Davis, “to reflect the way that they want to teach,” and while the exterior will be similar to that of the hundred year-old original schoolhouse it extends from (albeit with a twenty-first century flair), the interior will be nothing if not revolutionary.

Mr. Davis believes that “students learn better when the room is naturally lit,” and with this in mind, the new wing has been designed to maximize natural light. The building will be lined with large windows, and the roof will feature the same kind of “light catchers” that illuminate the Fireplace Commons. The new classrooms, meanwhile, will have both lab tables (as in the current science rooms), as well as a table for lectures; this way, chemicals will no longer be mixed where you take notes.

The whole structure will be attached to the current school by means of a glass walkway, which will also alleviate the infamous “hallway traffic jams” by redirecting the flow of students after classes. The addition will also feature a new black-box theater.

The new wing is primarily designed with the Upper School in mind: middle schoolers will not take classes in it.

Instead, the Middle School will take over the vacated old labs on the bottom floor. This separation- which is part of a long-term plan- will help the Upper and Middle Schools

develop distinct identities, as well as allow for separate scheduling (the issue of scheduling is one that bedevils science education here on the Hilltop, as the current rotation system does not allow for heavy-duty labwork).

Of course, St. Luke’s doesn’t plan to cease construction once the new wing is complete: instead, there are plans on the table for a new library, a new humanities wing to replace the current English and History wings, and an Arts Department housed within the main building. The plans for these- which include a larger book collection and dedicated art studios- are remote, as their completion dates will be chiefly determined by when the School receives the donations necessary to turn them into reality, but well thought-out.

Unfortunately, new additions mean putting an end to old St. Luke’s traditions. The CLAB, and the brisk morning walk through the subzero December air to physics or health, will cease to exist after the new wing is built. The field between the Athletic Center and the front of the School, beloved by class after class as a place to play Frisbee and to hang out in the warm spring sun, will similarly be eliminated in order to provide space for the construction equipment and, later, for the extended entrance to the School. The softball field will have to be reoriented, and the otherworldly pile of rocks leading to the Upper Field will be removed.

Ultimately, however, the benefits that students in generations to come will reap because of the new construction on campus are so impressive and important that they will soon make alumni and students alike forget how these things stood in “the good old days” and make them come forward and embrace the future of St. Luke’s.

The Sentinel Staff Editors in Chief Alex Robertson Sebastian Bates Sports Editor Ben Decatur School News Editor Melanie Bow Arts EditoIan Corbet World News Editor Mac Zech Staff Photographer Julia Muller Social Media Director Drew Lord Staff Writers Will Bloomer Liza Epprecht Kevin Jahns Maddie Jodka Emma O’Brien Meagan Maguire Robert Powis Riley Vaske Contributing Writers Clare Livingston

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May 2013

TIMELINE “Baby Overload” On the Hilltop

January

by Sebastian Bates

Jackson Prince Takes Over After being elected in an election that seems almost tame when compared to the contentious nature of this year’s race for the presidency, Jackson Prince took over Kelly Seaver’s role as student body president by ringing in the new school year during the first town meeting.

President Prince has since proven himself as one of St. Luke’s finest presidents in recent years, continuing the traditions established by his predecessors, Presidents Seaver, Quindlen, and Sexton, by regularly providing the Sentinel with a “From the Oval Locker” reflection and presiding over town meetings with great aplomb, and, of course, an interesting factoid with which to start the week.

November

September

2012-2013 School Year Timeline

The SLS population grew by three almost simultaneously in January, when faculty members Mrs. Tobler, Mrs. Bueckman, and Mrs. Kaplan all gave birth within days of each other in the early weeks of 2013.

Even more extraordinarily, Mrs. Tobler’s son, Eric Lars Tobler, also set the record as the first baby born in the New Year in Norwalk, having entered this world at fifty-eight minutes after midnight on January first.

Dracula In November, the Drama Department here on the Hilltop put on one of its most anticipated productions in recent years: Dracula, based on Bram Stoker’s Gothic masterpiece.

The show starred Clare Livingston ‘14, Liza Epprecht ‘14, and Mac Zech ‘14 (as Count Dracula himself ), alongside such luminaries of the SLS stage as Lexi Zargar ‘13,.

Mrs. Kaplan was pleased that the new birthdays came so closely together. “It is great to have friends and colleagues within our community,” she said to the Sentinel in January, “who are experiencing some of the same joys and challenges together.”

The play was a resounding success, though how much of the student body’s enthusiasm was for the show’s high production values, and how much of it was the accents put on by the stars, remains up for debate.

2012 Hurricane Sandy After the “Snow Day Ever Week” winter of the 2010-2011 school year, and the destructiveness of Tropic Storm Irene and the freak October snowstorm of 2011, it was only to be expected that Connecticut would experience some wacky weather in 2012- and indeed it did.

Perhaps “wacky” is too gentle a word: Sandy destroyed several communities out in Queens and Long Island, successfully managed to cancel Halloween for the second year running, and probably shifted the results of the 2012 election, as pictures of New Jersey governor Chris Christie and President Obama actually (gasp!) getting along hit the airwaves.

New Head of the Upper School

December

October

After announcing last year that Mr. Yavenditti would be stepping down as Head of the Upper School after the 2012-2013 school year in order to take on the new position of Director of Studies, curiousity abounded as to who his replacement would be.

In January, after a search process that last several months and a grueling interview stage that involved administrators, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and students, Mr. Davis was able to announce that the Upper School had found a new leader in Ms. Elizabeth Perry, currently Director of Educational Design and Innovation at The Berkeley Carroll School in New York.

“I am very excited to be joining the St. Luke’s community,” said Ms Perry in a statement in January to the Sentinel. “During my two-day visit to the school, I had the opportunity to sense the energy and spirit that make St. Luke’s so special. All my interactions with Upper School students--from formal interviews to chatting at the panini press--left me with a strong, positive impression.”

May 2013

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June

TIMELINE Golf Outing Mr. Bucci, a former coach at St. Luke’s (and still a common sight on campus as a substitute teacher), in cooperation with the Alumni Association and with the Director of Alumni Relations, Mr. Hirx, will be offering a special outing at New Canaan Country Club for alumni on June 3.

The event will provide former students with a chance to meet old classmates, teachers, and SLS staff members and to play a game of golf at the same time.

April

St. Luke’s Remembers the Holocaust St. Luke’s observed Yom HaShoah, the “Day of the Catastrophe” or simply Holocaust Remembrance Day, for the first time this year. The commemoration is held on the twenty-seventh day of Nisan, a month of the Jewish lunar calendar.

Motivated by a desire to teach the St. Luke’s community “more about our collective past...[to] make sure that horrors like the Holocaust never happen again” (in Mr. Yavenditti’s words), students and faculty remembered those murdered by the Nazi regime by sharing poems and by reciting the names of those killed throughout the day. In addition, a video, created by Mrs. Smock, was played during a special assembly highlighting the Choir’s visit to Terezin, , a concentration camp, in March.

2013 #GetFoley Glass

The campaign aimed to ensure that our own Mr. Foley, Director of the Center for Leadership and a faculty advisor on the Sentinel, had the opportunity to participate in the beta stage of Google’s new project, Google Glass.

Dozens of students participated, tweeting about what they would do if St. Luke’s acquired a pair of Google’s new hi-tech glasses and tagging each one “#getfoleyglass.”

And yes - it worked. Mr. Foley was indeed invited to take part.

UnSchool Day St. Luke’s had the opportunity to hold its second annual UnSchool Day this May. UnSchool Day, a special half-day during which the Upper School has the chance to explore what it means to teach and to learn in a fairly unstructured setting, was a special success this year, perhaps due to the fascinating “Master Class” taught at the beginning of the day by SLS parent Michael Maboussin, author of several books and a senior executive at Credit Suisse.

Sessions on offer this year included “Surviving College,” “Frisbee 101,” “Create Your Own Font,” “Exploring I Ching,” and “Bicycling Poetry” (the latter was taught by none other than St. Luke’s own resident cycling guru and English Department Chair, Mr. Flachsbart, a faculty advisor of the Sentinel).

May

February

The enduring influence that social media has had on education in the twenty-first century, and on St. Luke’s in particular, was made very clear in February, when the Center for Leadership and the Sentinel launched the “Get Foley Glass” campaign.

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May 2013

ARTS Team Vampire Weekend

can also find out that the melody of the chorus is snatched from the sappy ballad “Aubrey” by Bread.

Alex Robertson Editor-in-Chief

This is always how Vampire Weekend has been, ardently corralling visible influence upon visible influence, never ceasing in their all-encompassing search for the most kaleidoscopic indie pop ever. But where their first two albums had the benefit of strong melodies and captivating production, Modern Vampires has non-entities like “Don’t Stop” and “Everlasting Arms”. The resulting product is a series of references submerged in excessively cool production and left out to dry.

If nothing else, I at least have to give Vampire Weekend this: with the release of their third album Modern Vampires of the City, they have almost entirely done away with the tired narratives that surrounded their first two (great) albums.

No more will you hear about cultural appropriation, polo shirts, and the Ivy League; these discourses have been abolished in favor of one praising the band for their newfound maturity. Intuitively, this seems like great news: the endless speculation around Vampire Weekend’s collective mores and social identity often masked the music underneath, which was at its core breezy and agile indie pop. So the “maturity” that has been pre-packaged with Modern Vampires--no more oxford commas, kids!-should come as a respite from the onslaught of distasteful tags that used to adorn each new Vampire Weekend release.

Even the tracks that seem a little warmer don’t reach the heights of past singles like “Cousins” and “A-Punk”.

“Finger Back” has to its credit some brilliant verses that finally showcase the athletic pop songwriting we all know Koenig has in him. Even that song manages to fizzle out, however, its chorus unable to support the considerable weight it has been given, its unwieldy production not exactly helping the cause. “Worship You” is certainly sprightly but also completely ridiculous--a clumsy reachfor-the-stars chorus rings disingenuous coming from a band usually so grounded.

Only “Hannah Hunt,” the album’s immaculately constructed centerpiece, manages to rise above the mire.

The song keeps its volume barely above a whisper for most of its running time until the band decides to take the song to another level, bursting brilliantly into emotional catharsis with Koenig’s impeccably strained voice leading the way. The song is ambitious and perfect--perhaps the best the band has ever done.

It’s really too bad, then, that Modern Vampires couldn’t have been a more interesting--or easily definable--failure.

As it stands, it’s just another Vampire Weekend album, except the songs are less catchy and more sterile this time around. I am loath to slot it into a pre-determined chronicle of The Vampire Weekend Story because it seems to me like mediocrity of the most pedestrian variety. The band sought to write a great album and instead came out with a merely okay one. It happens.

But in apparently escaping the narrative of class and privilege to which they were so beholden, Ezra Koenig and his crew have simply leaped right into another, this one inviting eager critics to open their reviews lauding Vampire Weekend for “growing up”. This is fine, I guess, but the music of Modern Vampires suffers quite a bit for its apparent sophistication. For all its external indications of progress, this is a deeply boring album.

“Obvious Bicycle,” the album’s opener, is a portent.

The song moves along at a glacial pace, Koenig belting some austere falsetto over a simplistic chord progression.

Vampire Weekend has done slow songs before, most notably Contra’s “Taxi Cab” and “I Think Ur a Contra,” and I am fine with them. But those songs had both momentum and intimacy to them, whereas “Obvious Bicycle” genuinely seems to go nowhere. “Unbelievers” turns the tempo up but with similar results; it has the quickness of a “Holiday” but none of that song’s melodic agility. This is why I consider Vampire Weekend’s maturation to be such a false narrative: the band aren’t critically changing their formula so much as calling back to past successes, a technique bound to have diminishing returns.

Even “Step,” one of two lead singles and probably the most inventive song here, still displays Vampire Weekend’s reliance on tropes. Awkwardly alluding to Souls of Mischief’s “Step to My Girl” (a la “Oxford Comma”’s Lil Jon shout-out: guys, Ezra Koenig likes rap music!) the song is essentially a classical re-interpretation of-shocker--Pachelbel’s “Canon in D”. It also contains as its opening line “Back back, way back, when I used to front like Angkor Wat.” I don’t really know what that means, but I’m sure Koenig wants me to Google it, after which I

outs Tim Steckler ’14 and Clare Livingston ’14 as the “conjure-man” and “conjure-woman.” While there was the occasional giggle from the audience when a fellow classmate sported an Appalachian accent or emphatically uttered the phrase “witch boy,” it was all in good fun as the performance was thoroughly entertaining and well done.

The hype train is nonetheless already rolling; some people who previously disliked Vampire Weekend will like this, most people who liked the other albums will like it too, Pitchfork will drop a solid 9.0, and everyone will go home happy. But the twenty or so listens I’ve spent on this record are beginning to feel like a waste of time, a whole bunch of ”Why isn’t this good?!” pleading with no real response. That may be some essential part of growing up, both for the band and myself. But I reserve the right to remain disappointed.

One Acts on the SLS Stage Melanie Bow School News Editor

With just the right mix of comedy, drama and the bizarre, the Spring One Acts made the Hilltop the one-stop spot for theatrical entertainment 2 weeks ago. Students from all four high school classes exhibited stellar performances in each of the one acts: Dark of the Moon, Train to Brooklyn, and Twelfth Night: a Ghost Story. The vast range of directing styles, character portrayal, settings and plot lines brought a variety to the one acts that made them thoroughly entertaining for all.

The first one act was Dark of the Moon directed by our favorite Music Man, Mr. Griffa. The story follows a young “witch boy” who falls in love with a woman from an Appalachian village. But there’s a catch! She has to remain faithful to him for one year or else he turns back into a witch… I think you can see where this is going.

The performance done by the SLS cast was adapted from a much longer play to a one act. This was a smart change as cutting the play down allowed for a quick pace that advanced the story line and kept the audience on its toes. The short scenes and abrupt passages of time also heightened the suspense a bit.. Augie Barringer 15’ and JoJo Brame ’14 carried the lead roles very well but they were sustained by a large supporting cast with stand

The second performance acted as a good dose of dramatic irony, telling (with excellent humor) the story of three women stuck on a New York subway on their way to a baby shower. Mrs. Doran directed the one act flawlessly, as the nuances in the characters’ lines and dialogue brought out their personalities and established the relationships between them. For an avid fan of the HBO series Girls as myself, I couldn’t help but think of “Train to Brooklyn” as if it were an episode: it had the same subtle, dark and realistic humor, and the characters eerily reminded the audience of someone they know.

It was refreshing to see a performance executed so well by a young cast staring freshman Sarabeth Davis, Nicole Fox and Anna Massek. Each one was a very strong actress and brought truth and intrigue to their potentially archetypal characters; I would single out Massek as her naïve, linchpin character softened the battle of wits between those of Davis and Fox (to continue with the “Girls” references, she was the spiting image of Zosia Mamet’s superb, inexperienced character Shoshanna.) This performance was well cast, brilliantly executed and wholeheartedly engaging: a true A+ production!

Twelfth Night: A Ghost Story, written and directed by SLS Renaissance man Alex Robertson, was exactly the tension filled finale that the audience was anticipating. The innovative story line followed a family that was affected by the blackout of hurricane Sandy. The languid pace of the scenes and the sparse (and somewhat haphazard) dialogue created an air of unrealized dysfunction in the family dynamic that heightened as the one act progressed.

The contrast between dramatic events (such as when the son, Charles Simmons ’16, ran away) and the little occurrences (like a sentimental song playing) gave the piece tremendous depth.

Patrick Quinn ’13 and Riley Vaske ’14, who played the mother and father, portrayed their characters with realism and gave the audience insight to how the members of a family would act as they slowly started to realize that they were in a sheer state of paralysis, hardly moving forward, yet not completely falling apart. Nick Jodka ’16 made a memorable appearance as Quinn’s absent father as he gave us a preview of the possible future for the family if they continued to live in a state of “disconnect”. My favorite part was the Chekov/Beckett-esque ending where Simmons returns home and announces that the power will turn on any minute, and yet nothing happens. The piece as a whole was executed seamlessly, and it was hard to believe that it was student-written. It was a profound and incredibly sophisticated script, brought to life by a very strong cast.

The one acts this year were phenomenal and each one brought something so different to the stage that the audience left with all expectations fulfilled. Job well done!

May 2013

7

JUST FOR FUN Random Kid of the Month: Tim Steckler

Top 10:

First off, everyone else is doing that, so colleges are used to that kind of stuff. More importantly, though, what will really make you impressive and genuinely happy throughout this, your last year of high school, will be a set of interests and activities that really reflect who you are.

As the 2012-2013 school year comes to a close and the senior class approaches graduation, we at Sentinel figured it was time that the rest of the school gets to know this year’s junior class. There are many soon-to-be seniors who we fear the rest of the school may not know or appreciate.

I figure, as our grade is about run this school (that’s right, get ready underclassmen) it’s about time people knows the students that define our grade. That is why I sat down to have a chat with Tim Steckler, (student, thespian and comedian extraordinaire) one of the people that gives the class of 2014, your rising seniors, the vivacity and individuality we are proud to have.

Rejected Senior Pranks

I know the hype around the college applications process may seem to suggest otherwise, but you will have a really fulfilling senior year of high school if and only if you choose your path based on what you want to do--quaint a notion though it may be.

Melanie Bow School News Editor

10. Park Legally 9. Replace Student Art with Forgeries 8. Slip n’ Slide Down English Hallway 7. Install Clap-on Lights in SPAC 6. Game of Risk on CFL Globe 5. Super-glue Fifth Grade Together 4. Roll the CLAB Down the Hill 3. Unleash the Ten Plagues 2. Kidnap Mr. Holifield

Tim Steckler: Hey Mel. (He laughs and smiles vivaciously) S: Tim, you’re always smiling, it just brightens my day!

Why do you smile all the time?

TS: I haven’t even realized that I do. (He again laughs and smiles with the wide-eyed joy of a child on Christmas morning) It’s probably because I figure why not smile? It helps lift the mood around you and makes you feel happier inadvertently, so why not?

S: I love that answer! I just have to ask, is your smile or something else your defining characteristic?

TS: I would say its probably the vast assortment of unusual faces I can make. I have seen few others make as strange expressions as I can, and while they can be both funny or really embarrassing on Facebook, I’d say that’s definitely a salient characteristic of mine.

S: You’re definitely a funny guy (I mean you just won a Thespian Award for Best Comedy Actor for your performance in Godspell) and your unusual faces are certainly one of the strangest things our grade enjoys; are you proud of that?

TS: I’m proud of the fact that I can make people laugh without necessarily speaking. Yes, everybody can make a funny joke here and there, and some can do it more easily than others. But since actions do indeed speak louder than words, I feel like my ability to actually do funny things, whether its inadvertent or not, is something that I’m good at pulling off and that I’m somewhat proud of.

S: I just have to ask, what gives you the energy to come to class every day (albeit 10 minutes late) and have the energy to brighten the room?

TS: My favorite cereal is without a doubt cinnamon toast

Jacob Henny: Senior year is not perfect. If you thought that everything just works out, and life will be unbelievable, then you are wrong.

It’s still life, but there are a lot of positives about it. Being able to leave campus is fantastic. It allows you to bond more with friends, whether you all just go out to lunch, go bowling, or play golf together. Also, having more free periods allows you to sleep in some days. Leave early if you are having a rough day, or just relax.

1. Flatten the Hilltop

Even though it is not a perfect year, it will definitely be your most memorable year of high school.

crunch. I wish I had it more, but there am something about the taste that makes me feel more nutritionally enhanced as I start my day after I eat it.

Myles Gaines: For all of you upperclassmen out there, start saving your money during Christmas break! Prom season is very expensive! Going out is always expensive, but prom expenses and weekly lunch excursions surely add up for people who most likely don’t have jobs.

S: I agree, that’s probably my favorite too, although Captain Crunch is a close second. Now tell me, as we move closer to senior year what are you most looking forward to doing?

Sentinel: Hello Tim!

Lexi Zargar: Don’t think that failing one test will ultimately determine where you end up going to college—it won’t.

TS: I’m looking forward to enjoying all of the various perks that comes along with being a senior. Whether its using the college counseling office, driving off campus for lunch, pranking, or planning our own class trip, these are things that we have been waiting for our entire time at SLS, and it’ll be great to actually enjoy them ourselves.

Ron Holland: Do whatever you want because…if you have my luck you will get away with it.

Ana Graczyk: Don’t sweat the small stuff.

S: Same here; I am especially excited to hear your idea for a senior prank. But on the same topic, if you could have any senior superlative next year what would it be?

TS: I would definitely say class clown. Although I would be surprised if I got that superlative, It would be great to look at my senior yearbook when I’m 93 years old, and say to myself, “Wow, school may have been hard, but at least I made a few people laugh along the way.

Senior Advice From the Class of 2013 Sebastian Bates & Liza Epprecht Editor-in-Chief & Staff Writer

As Commencement approaches and their days here on the Hilltop slip away, many of our beloved seniors become philosophical about their time at St. Luke’s.

Top of the Hilltop Movie: The Great Gatsby

The Sentinel decided to corner a few of them to see if they had some last-minute advice for their younger fellow students.

Album: Random Access Memories

Alex Massek: Senior year is a time to look forward to college and your future, but don’t forget to take time to enjoy it. These are your last few months of high school, so branch out, try some new things, and have a good time doing it.

TV Show: Arrested Development

Alex Robertson: I have a very specific piece of advice and one you guys have probably heard already (and are fittingly skeptical of). But please--seriously--do not choose any of your activities, inside of school or out, solely because you think they’ll get you into college.

Word: Philosophunculist

Eurovision Competitor: Azerbaijan

Dictator: Robert Mugabe Sport: Frisbee

Restaurant: Flik College: St. Lawrence University Event: Commencement

8

May 2013

SPORTS SLS Softball FAA Champs

SLS Golf Falls to Brunswick

Ben Decatur Sports Editor

Ben Decatur Sports Editor

They did it!

On Tuesday May 21, the Varsity Girl’s Softball Team was able to capture the FAA title against a tough Greenwich Academy team. The 7-5 victory was a brilliant way to end the season and it left the Storm with a stunning 13-2 record.

The win was also a wonderful way for Ms. DeMarcoHavens, who has led the Varsity Girls for 32 seasons, to finish up her softball coaching career here at the hilltop.

Just six strokes stood in the way of the St. Luke’s Varsity Golf team from winning their first FAA title since 2006 (when Cameron Wilson was in eighth grade). Led by captains Jacob Henny ’13 and Jake Hamill ’13, the Storm headed to New Canaan Country Club on Monday, May 6 for the heavily-anticipated eighteen-hole tournament.

St. Luke’s was a heavy favorite, as they beat their main competitor Brunswick earlier in the season.

It was certainly a long journey for the Storm facing tough teams such as Rye Country Day, Greenwich Academy, and Cheshire Academy throughout the season, yet the girls were able to show their athletic prowess, breezing though the majority of their opponents.

On Monday May 20th, in the FAA Semi-Final the Storm had perhaps their most impressive victory. Racking up an unheard of 17 hits, St. Luke’s was able to cruise past the Masters School by a score of 22-1 and earn their spot in the FAA final.

In the victory against Masters, it was the Marissa Ruschil show. Striking out eight batters and only giving up one earned run, Ruschil was able to improve her record to 7-0 on the year.

Although that description was quite brief, Jeff captured the simplicity of the game that has led to “Ultimate Frisbee” becoming SLS’ favorite pastime.

Many find themselves wondering at this point how a game involving the tossing of a plastic disk in the blistering sun can be described as “ultimate,” unless the word “ultimate” is followed by the word “torture.” In search of answers, your intrepid reporter went out and gave it a try.

If one actually gives Ultimate Frisbee- or simply Ultimate, as its devotees call it- a chance, one can find that the simplicity and pleasure of standing outside in the warm air playing, effectively, a game of catch is intoxicating. It’s no wonder that the St. Luke’s students have become so enthusiastic.

Of course, SLS is famous for going through phases in the spring, but this trend is one that is unlikely to simply die out. While it’s certainly true that our fellow FAA schools don’t have Ultimate Frisbee squads, many schools do in fact field teams. Darien High School, for instance, has a very competitive team, and other local schools may quickly follow.

Although playing at their home course and seeing strong play from Jacob Henny and Cameron Chottiner ’16, the Storm’s best efforts could not stop Brunswick from winning their second consecutive title.

The rules of Ultimate, like the concept of the Frisbee itself, can be easily explained. Cue Jeff again: “Frisbee becomes a very competitive Sport when two teams are made and given the simple objective to get the Frisbee into the end zone without running with it or dropping it.”

The tournament is a stroke play format, as six players compete for each team, with the FAA title being granted to the team with the lowest combined five scores, as the highest score is left out. Co-medalist Jacob Henny fired an impressive one-over par 72, while ninth grader Cam Chottiner shot a two-over par 73. Jake Hamill also showed a strong performance carding a nine over par 80. These three players earned All League Honors due to their impressive performances.

When asked how the team dealt with the loss Henny responded this way: “We were devastated. For the people who were on the team for their entire high school career it was heartbreaking to realize that through four years of golf we still couldn’t take home the FAA. I will always feel like I’m missing something when I look back at high school.”

The final was Ms Demarco-Havens’ last game as coach of the Varsity Girls’ Softball Team Ruschil also dominated at the plate with a triple, two singles, and 3 RBI’s. The decisive victory certainly put the girls in a perfect position for the FAA final.

It was only fitting that in the FAA final, need I say the biggest game of the year, Ruschil would have the gamewinning hit. Down by a run in the sixth inning, Ruschil smacked a three run homerun to put her team up by a score of 7-5. Jamie Schlim ’15 threw a complete game, which was capped off by three strikeouts in the final inning.

The Storm fans erupted after the victory, as the girls ran to the mound to celebrate with each other. Sasha Clark ’14 was especially jubilant saying after the game, “It was really just overall a great year, we all get along really well together and it is so nice to know all our hard work paid off!”

Well, this is certainly just the beginning for the Storm.

With young stars such as Ruschil and Schlim, winning might be a common theme for St. Luke’s Softball in the years to come. For right now, the girl’s will enjoy their victory before they take the field again for the 2014 season.

It seemed as though this was a prime year for the Strom to capture the title, as five out of the six starters will be graduating this year. Second place has been a common spot for the Storm, as they have been in second place every year since 2006, besides a third place finish in 2008.

Despite the heartbreaking FAA loss, the Storm will remain upbeat, as they still have a majestic 12-1 regular season record. In fact, it has been a great year overall for St. Luke’s golf and everyone on the team would like to thank Coach Murphy and Coach Bucci for all their help this season.

Frisbee Craze on the Hilltop Robert Powis Staff Writer

Go outside during any period during the fourth quarter, and you will see little plastic disks lying on the lawn in front of the School. What are these disks, you ask? Are they UFOs? Are they the plates that never seem to be in the Dining Commons?

No, they’re neither of these things. They’re Frisbees.

For those Sentinel readers who don’t know what a Frisbee is, Jeff Mitchell ’14 has got your back. When asked by the Sentinel to define “Frisbee,” Jeff answered, “Frisbee is a competitive sport involving the tossing and catching of a disk.”

With that laconic description, Jeff captured the simplicity of the game that is sweeping the Upper School: Ultimate Frisbee.

Of course, naysayers may object to Ultimate Frisbee being classified as a sport, even if Darien High School competes for a Frisbee title. To them, I will just say that looking up Ultimate Frisbee on YouTube was enough to change my mind: the dives and saves- the pure athleticism, in other words- displayed by the competitors in the most hardfought games of Ultimate make it the equal of any other sport.

Perhaps there is a slight chance that St. Luke’s may someday find itself with an Ultimate Frisbee team: certainly there are enough students playing the game to make it a possibility, if a remote one. But regardless of whether or not students will ever have a chance to try out for Varsity Frisbee here on the Hilltop, the fact remains that Frisbee will continue to grow as a casual pastime during lunch breaks and free periods, especially over the next few weeks of glorious sunshine as we round out the year.

“When the weather gets dramatically better,” said Jeff, our guide to the world of Frisbee, “all the grades go outside for the fresh air, and with nothing better to do they end up playing Frisbee- and loving it.”