Sentinel november 2009

The Sentinel St. Luke’s School

377 North Wilton Road - New Canaan, CT - 06840

November 2009

Names Can Hurt Sam Fomon Contributing Writer

Courtesy of Brenda Meany Caroline Hopkins ‘12 and Charlotte Seiler ‘12 emphasizing the importance of washing hands to prevent illness.

Swine Flu- Not for You!

Caroline McCown Contributing Writer

It’s arrived. Swine flu has struck St. Luke’s School. At least ten SLS students, including the student government president, have been diagnosed with H1N1. And you could be next.

More than usual, health care providers, school administrators, teachers and parents are on guard against germs. The reason is H1N1, more commonly known as swine flu, an influenza virus.

Because H1N1 is relatively new, the medical community’s understanding of it is still developing. The virus is characterized by such symptoms as fever, sore throat, coughing, lethargy, nausea and vomiting, among others. The illness in known as swine flu because it has two genes from flu viruses found in pigs in Asia and Europe. It also has avian genes and human genes, which, together with the swine genes, make H1N1 a “quadruple reassortant” virus. Sound scary? It can be. However, by being especially diligent about staying healthy and preventing illness, this spook can be beat. How? SLS school nurse, Marge Kimball, has some of the answers. She is the source of information about how to avoid the flu and what SLS has done and continues to do to ward off transmission of germs.

According to Nurse Kimball, taking the following precautions both in and out of school is essential to staying healthy during flu season. They are: • Stay home if you are sick. If you have a fever, do not return to school for 48 hours after your fever has subsided without medication.

•

Wash your hands thoroughly – for at least 15 seconds – and dry with a disposable towel. Turn off the faucet with another

towel.

•

Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol and use it when washing is not possible.

•

Cover your coughs and sneeze with a tissue, if possible, or into the bend of your arm, if not. Dispose of the used tissue in the trash immediately after using it.

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Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

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Never share drinks, water bottles or personal items.

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Refrain from shaking hands. Some people touch elbows instead.

•

Stay away from people who are sick.

St. Luke’s has its own list of precautions it follows to scare off germs. These precautions include: • cleaning and disinfecting school facilities, especially high-touch areas; •

providing anti-bacterial soap, hand sanitizer wipes and gels in bathrooms, classrooms and other key locations (e.g., the fifth grade hallway, the cafeteria, the locker rooms);

•

communicating relevant information and updates to students, faculty, staff and parents;

•

encouraging people to get vaccinated.

See SWINE page 2

St. Luke’s students are lucky to lead a school life largely free of clichés. There are no cheer captains or homecoming queens, no greasers or pink ladies, and thankfully, no spontaneous outbursts of song or dance sequences in the hallways and cafeterias. Best of all, here on the Hilltop, imprisonment in a locker instead of Latin class and unceremonious dumpster dropping are things of the silver screen.

But by being cliché free, the school is left with a more trying and serious issue: how to deal with the subtler manifestations of cliques, bullying, and unjust treatment in the student body.

Hiding beneath the surface, prejudice, discrimination, even mere unkindness can manifest itself in ways that may only be noticed by those whom it hurts the most. Thanks to its stringent honor code, strong community, and plentiful affinity groups, one could only hope that St. Luke’s would be able to avoid these issues for the most part, and many would agree that it has. But alas, this is no perfect world we live in. Because these issues are often so hard to detect and can cause so much emotional distress—and possibly even physical harm in some cases—St. Luke’s will be holding a “Names Can Really Hurt Us” assembly on December 2nd with the help of the Anti-Defamation League’s A World of Difference Institute.

The goal of the Names Can Really Hurt Us assembly is to give a voice to targets, build empa-

Courtesy of Brenda Meany Three students on the panel of the ADL program. thy in perpetrators, and to inspire bystanders to become allies. These four terms along with others will be presented and discussed in the opening of the day-long assembly, followed by a Student Panel, during which selected St. Luke’s students will present their experiences as a target, perpetrator, bystander, or ally.

“I’m really excited for the assembly because I think it’s a good opportunity for people to hear all sorts of stories that they wouldn’t otherwise know happened, and hopefully many will get a chance to learn from that,” says Molly Brown, a junior who after volunteering was selected to be a student

See ADL page 2

Inside this issue...

Blues Band Preview

Boys Soccer Champs SLS Celebrity Look-a-likes

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Movember

HILLTOP NEWS

The Sentinel Staff

Alexandra Jaffe Editor in Chief

By now, you may have noticed the facial hair sported by many male members of the St. Luke’s community. Students have described these mustaches as “furry,” “sexy,” “outstanding,” and “frightening.” But most don’t know the reason behind the ‘stache.

Movember is a global fundraiser for prostate and testicular cancer. The slogan of Movember is “Changing the face of men’s health.” Men who choose to participate by growing mustaches request donations from family and friends. The goal is to start clean-shaven on November 1st and keep the mustache as the facial hair continues to grow.

The money from donations goes to the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Lance Armstrong Foundation to support research in cancers affecting men. The Movember campaign started in 2003 in Australia and has since spread across the world and has raised $47 million globally, which makes it the world’s largest charity for men.

Women are also encouraged to support Movember by donating and helping with fundraisers.

Using Australian lingo, men who participate are called Mo Bros and women who support are called Mo Sistas.

The St. Luke’s team is named “Mornings on Horseback,” after a biography on Theodore Roosevelt (who is famous for his moustache). Some of the participating members of the St. Luke’s community are Mr. Mitchell, Mr. McClure, Mr. Kress, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Lord, Mr. Parsons, Mr. LeBris, and Mr. Smitobol. There are many others participating as well, including some upperclassmen students. So, when you see someone with an especially impressive moustache, make sure to voice your support. Donate to the St. Luke’s team at www.movember.com/m/395626.

Who has the best moustache at St. Luke’s?

That’s up for debate. “Mr. Smitobol has the best mustache,” said Mr. Mitchell, “He may not have facial hair, but he’s got heart.”

Guess that ‘Stache!

November 2009

Editor in Chief Alexandra Jaffe

Courtesy of Brenda Meany Ellie Werner ‘10 using a newly installed hand sanitizer.

Protecting Yourself From Swine

On Friday, October 23, SLS hosted two nurses from the Ridgefield Visiting Nurses Association who held a flu clinic on campus. Both seasonal flu and pneumonia vaccines were offered to students, faculty, staff and parents who wanted them.

Recently, Nurse Kimball sent an email to the SLS community in response to the mounting number of questions she continues to receive regarding swine flu. “I have answered more emails and returned more phone calls than I have in the last ten years,” she said.

Could the precautions SLS is taking to fight the flu be working? According to Nurse Kimball, the absentee rate due to illness is just about the same as it has been at this time of year for the past few years. There are several children in the school who have been diagnosed with one strain of flu or another, at least ten with H1N1. That is not to say there are not more children that are absent with flu-like symptoms.

With a goal of keeping these numbers low, SLS students and the school continue to be vigilant against the virus. As of now, by working together to promote and practice smart hygiene, SLS is holding its own against germs. “I cannot stress the importance of good health habits enough,” said Nurse Kimball.

Remember, the flu, especially H1N1, can be scary. Knowing how to prevent it is empowering.

Make it a priority to reduce your exposure to and transmission of germs. Follow Ms. Kimball’s advice and make it a priority to stay healthy. Stay away from the swine and you’ll be fine.

ADL: A World of Difference

panelist speaking on the day of the assembly.

After the panelists have spoken, an open microphone will follow where anyone can volunteer to share their thoughts, sentiments, or story concerning discrimination, bullying, or negative treatment which they have experienced, witnessed, or been a part of. Subsequently, group sessions facilitated by trained students and faculty will provide the opportunity for smaller and more specialized activities and discussions concerning the day’s issues.

Having already held the assembly in previous years to a great response by the school, St. Luke’s is expecting the day to be a positive and constructive learning experience for both students and faculty. As headmaster Mark Davis emphasized in his State of the School address, St. Luke’s is proud to foster and encourage leadership in its community. The Names Can Really Hurt Us Assembly will offer students countless opportunities to be leaders, even in the most unlikely of places or when previously, they would not have stepped forward and done or said something.

With the genuine participation and engagement of its attendants, this assembly is guaranteed to be an additional step in the right direction along St. Luke’s path towards a fully accepting, nurturing, and positive educational and social environment.

Layout Editor Jon Salamon Sports Editor Doug Walker Arts Editor Kelly Wendt Photo Editor Brenda Meany Visual Design Maggie Goldstone Staff Writers Elina Berglund Maria Carlucci Megan Cullinane Jenna Decatur Naomi Dubissette Janay Parrott Theodor Trampe Contributing Writers Catherine Bradley Lily Holland Caroline McCown Lena Parker-Duncan April Walsh Ellie Werner Sports Writers Ryan Giggi Kevin Mahoney Brian Stan Kevin Young Contributing Photography Caroline Chadwick Faculty Advisor Mr. Flachsbart

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November 2009

A Day in the Life:

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HILLTOP NEWS

Walker Thompson Elina Berglund Staff Writer

Walker Thompson is a thirteen-year-old boy, a surprisingly young and extremely intelligent ninth grader here at St. Luke’s. Having skipped both second and eighth grade, Walker is two years younger than most of his classmates. While most eighth graders find going into ninth grade a challenge, Walker found it a breeze. Not even his two AP classes, Spanish and Biology, weigh him down,

Day in the Life of Walker Thompson: 6:15 am – I wake up, get dressed, and eat breakfast. After that I fool around and get distracted by things that interest me, such as physics or a section on the daily news, until I have to rush out the door to get to school on time.

7:30 am – Arrive at school. Unless I have AP Bio, I spend this time sitting around, relaxing, and unpacking my bag.

8am – 2:45 pm – During the school day I am constantly on the move from one class to the next. My schedule is packed with AP Biology, AP Spanish, Honors English, Honors French II, Honors Geometry, and World History. By working very hard in my study halls and paying attention in class, I am able to finish nearly all of my homework in school.

3pm – Off to cross country practice, where I run fast and cover three to four miles of distance a day.

4:45 pm – Arrive at home, and quickly write a lab report for AP Biology, translate a passage into Spanish, and read tonight’s chapters in the Odyssey. As the quick worker I am, homework never takes me more than three hours.

8pm – Since homework takes precedent over food and showers, it is not till now that I have dinner.

While eating, I enjoy watching the news to stay on top of current events.

8:30 – Time to play around and relax. My new calculator, the CAS, came tonight so I am really excited to explore its uses and applications!

9:30 – As the day comes to an end, I go up to bed and spend some time reading quantum physics books unless I have some molecular pursuits, of course!

Get Ready to Shop

Courtesy of Brenda Meany

Walker Thompson ‘13 and as Walker says, “Going into AP Spanish was easy, I’ve had no problems adapting.” His schedule is packed tightly with three honors classes and two APs, and only one regular (since another honors class didn’t fit into his schedule). One may think that he has a photographic memory, but in reality, Walker Thompson is simply a genius. Rather than being able to memorize everything he reads, he develops videotapes in his head, recollecting a previous experience, something he’s read, or something a teacher has said. But Walker is not purely interested in academics. In fact, during his free time, he greatly enjoys watching the Science Channel and the Daily News. He has never watched reality shows, but has “been inflicted by some of [his] sister’s movies.” Moreover, while an enthusiastic member of the school’s Cross Country team, and hopes to try out for the JV Squash team this winter, athletics has never been his forte. Furthermore, while he partakes in art and piano lessons on weekends, arts or music have never truly captured his interest. For what sincerely interests Walker is anything academic. When asked what his favorite subject was, he replied, “I really enjoy studying foreign languages, math, science, English, and history. In fact, I love everything academic.” The future looks bright for this ninth grader. Hoping to attend MIT, Middlebury, or Bowdoin, Walker plans on going college for three years. Next, he intends on gaining PhDs in a variety of subjects, including particle or quantum physics, molecular biology, organic chemistry, and medicine. At that rate, he’ll be graduating sometime in his forties. Next, Walker plans on becoming a researcher, preferably at the Princeton institute of Advanced Studies, where some of the smartest individuals on this earth are employed. His other goals in life include becoming fluent in Arabic, Chinese, and German. More than anything, however, Walker hopes to expand his knowledge, study what interests him, and achieve something for the betterment of mankind.

Naomi Dubissette Staff Writer

On your mark…get set…SHOP! With just a little less than a few weeks until Black Friday, we want to give you a sneak preview of what to expect. For those who don’t know, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving when major retailers around the country discount products to help kick off the Christmas shopping season. This year, an estimated 10 percent of holiday sales will be made on Black Friday with an anticipated 25 percent of overall shoppers.

For fashion lovers, retail stores such as Nordstrom are kicking off the season with 33-77% off on all women’s apparel. Any fashionista would find this incredible as it means paying $35 for a dress that was originally $119! And if lavish department stores such as Lord and Taylor and Sak’s Fifth Avenue are slashing the prices, then imagine what great deals bargain stores such as Kohl’s and TJMax are offering. But if you don’t like fashion, prices on technology and books are also being slashed. Half Price Books is cutting the prices of all books, CDs, videos, and DVD’s 50% off which is an incredible deal as you will find a unique assortment of entertainment in every genre. Last year, Best Buy reduced 22” LCD monitors to as little as $99. Businesses are responding to the American consumer craze with aggressive promotions and radical price drops.

Stores are even ensuring that the little ones participate in the holiday bonanza as WalMart plans to offer one hundred toys for $10. This included Barbie Repunzel, My Little Pony, Battleship, Connect 4, Monopoly, Trouble and Jenga, and more! With so many offers before the Christmas shopping season, the stores are guaranteed to be packed. That mean’s it’s all about timing. The earliest bird catches the worm. Arriving late means someone has already walked off with the last flat screen monitor. For those who don’t like standing in long lines or the competition to grab the last pair of jeans in your size, you can purchase items online from any store at Black Friday discount without having to leave your driveway. Now, that’s a good bargain!

Soccer in the Sand April Walsh Contributing Writer

The Global Scholars Seminar Course had the privilege of meeting Awista Ayub last week during lunch. Awista Ayub was born in Afghanistan and immigrated with her family to America at the age of two. Growing up in an Afghan home in America was difficult. However, she was able to thrive in the states through her love for athletics. Ayub still felt a connection to her native country and desperately wanted to give back. After the fall of the Taliban, Ayub with Global Scholar and teacher Ayub knew that it was time to act. Ayub knew how sports had changed her life and wanted to share that with Afghanistan. She chose soccer to bring to their culture because all the sport requires is a ball. Therefore, Ayub anticipated that her mission would be easily accomplished. She would teach young girls how to play and then they would bring the sport back to Afghanistan. Ayub founded the Afghan Youth Sports Exchange; an organization that she hoped would improve the lives of many girls.

Mrs. Wilson arranged this opportunity since she had a previous relationship with Ayub.

The students in this class learn about the current global community and the issues in the modern world. At the end of the Seminar, there is a symposium where the students present their findings on an individual topic of choice studied throughout the year. Awista Ayub’s presentation touched on the issues of women’s rights, international athletics, cultural change, creating beneficial nongovernmental organizations, and the implications of such organizations in countries.

Soccer was a men’s sport in Afghanistan prior to Ayub’s efforts. Gender boundaries of the culture made the people question if women would be allowed to play soccer. Ayub and the girls of Afghanistan were persistent. In Ayub’s novel How Tall the Mountain, she tells the story of eight girls and the challenges faced in order to be able to play soccer. Ayub realized that the initiative needed to be locally driven and that change could not happen over night. She understood that no one wants to be told what to do so instead Ayub gave the women the tools to succeed. The results were outstanding.

The women and girls building the soccer program became a community. The culture experienced another shock. Prior to the Taliban and the unstable Soviet invasion, Afghanistan was fairly progressive in women’s rights. Thanks to Ayub, women are empowered through sports. There is room for progress but thus far there are fifteen women’s teams and hundreds of girls playing soccer through Ayub’s program. Awista Ayub is currently working with a friend to empower women through soccer in Morocco.

The Global Scholars students were greatly impressed with the accomplishments of Ayub. The class of five girls was moved. All of the girls have participated in athletics and could not imagine not being allowed to. Of the five students, two will be studying women’s rights extensively this year and so learning about the way athletics can both empower women and transform a culture was especially interesting. On the hilltop athletics and extracurricular activities are given but what would happen if the right to access such activities was suddenly stripped away? Meeting with Ayub gave the Global Scholars a better perspective if these rights were taken away.

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Art Around Town

November 2009

ARTS

Kelly Wendt Arts Editor

All of us know what there is to do on the weekend: go to the movies, go out to eat, but what about supporting local artisans by going to a local crafts show? It is a great way to get ahead on holiday shopping (which is right around the corner), and there are always unique gifts to be found at local arts shows.

From November 13th to the 15th in Hartford there will be the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival, exhibiting all kinds of craftsmanship. There will be contemporary and fine art, all handmade. Live music will be played throughout the weekend. Admission is $8 but will get you in for all three days.

Not to far off in December from the 4th until th the 6 the Castleberry Christmas Craft Expo, also in Hartford. More than 250 booths will be there to sell items ranging from American made crafts to cultural foods. Live holiday music will be playing all weekend to get everyone in the spirit.

This coming weekend on November 14th the H.C. Wilcox Arts and Crafts Festival in Meriden, CT, more than 50 artisans will be displaying their crafts for one day only.

For more Christmas Shopping, the Celtic Christmas Craft Fair in Danbury will exhibit Celtic gifts, including jewelry and other cultural items such as clothing and food.

This coming weekend on November 15th come down to the Holiday Shopping Part in Trumbull. There is free admission and opportunities to shop for unmatched party supplies for the Holidays. There will also be jewelry and other accessories for sale as well as homeopathic remedies in stock for this holiday season.

Two more festivals coming up soon are on November 21st. In Winsted, there will be the Northwestern Regional Craft Faire with different vendors selling their completely homemade, oneof-a-kind crafts. In Wallingford, Lyman Hall HS Holiday Craft Fair will be open with free admission and parking. Along with local artisans and vendors, there will be a bake sale and raffle, plus plenty of fun for all ages.

Also on November 21st through the 22nd is Craftwestport, formerly known as the Creative Arts Festival. It will be at Staples High School in Westport, one of the most culturally adapted towns in Connecticut. Therefore, all kinds of ethnic artisans will be coming from around town to show their work. The money made off of the minimal gate fee are donated among local charities.

Cast of Modern Family pictured above.

Fall TV: the Good, the Bad, and the Cancelled

Lena Parker-Duncan Contributing Writer Throw out your TV guide—here’s a real look at the hot new TV shows on the air and the old ones that might not last much longer.

Modern Family is rare gem among the millions of cheap cut glass shows currently on the air. The show, shot in an Office-esque documentary style, follows three very different families. The Dunphy family is your “typical” nuclear family, while the Delgado-Pritchett family is made up of Jay, who is married to a much younger woman and raising a pre-teen stepson, and the Pritchett and Tucker family, made up of Mitchell Pritchett, his boyfriend, and their adopted Vietnamese daughter. Modern Family has received rave reviews from TV critics and is averaging around 9 million viewers, a solid opening in a not so stable industry. Edward Norton, the Oscar winning actor, has expressed his enthusiasm about the show and is set to appear in an upcoming episode. It airs at 9:00pm on Wednesdays on ABC. Gossip Girl here and she is telling you that the show isn’t doing so well. Most of the characters (specifically Blair, Dan, and Vanessa), have moved on to college and with them has gone much of the shows’ intrigue. The third season is currently taking a dip in ratings with 2 episodes so far hitting below the 2 million viewer mark.

The show isn’t in too much danger, but if you

Polaroid on Steroids Jon Salamon Layout Editor

A local arts center.

want to save it, tune in Mondays at 8:00pm on the CW. ‘House’ needs a checkup, STAT! Jennifer Morrison, who plays Cameron on the show, surprised everyone when she announced her departure from the show. ‘House’ took a turn for the worst when it started killing off its characters last season, so now they are left with Chase, Foreman, Thirteen, and Taub. The show has been averaging around 12 million viewers, far down from its average of 19 million viewers during its third season. But don’t worry, House and his cranky attitude aren’t going anywhere, anytime soon.

‘Glee’ is one of the most talked about show of the season. The buzz began in early 2009, when the pilot episode aired to critical acclaim. The show, which focuses on a high school show choir, has been averaging 7 million viewers, a strong entry for its slot on Wednesdays at 9:00pm on Fox. Every year, shows are up for the axe, both new and old. Even though it is an early prediction, here are the shows that are in great danger of being canceled now, or later in the season: Ugly Betty, Hank, Eastwick, the Forgotten, Three Rivers, Cold Case, Melrose Place, Trama, Til’ Death, Brothers, Dollhouse (sorry Josh Whedon fans!), and Mercy. [Editor’s note: Lena was right—since this article was written, many of the above shows have indeed been cancelled.]

they quickly morph into the exact pixels of the photo. This allows for a fast, easy, no-mess print, In recent years, Polaroid has discontin- in even less time than the old-time Polaroids. Out ued their most popular product: the instant film comes a 2-inch by 3-inch, vibrant color photo. You camera. This timeless American treasure was a don’t have to shake it, either.

Polaroid provides extra software on the popular means of photography for the masses, due camera to remove red eye, edit, or crop each picto its revolutionary quick-developing technology. ture. In addition, there are nine borders to choose Simply aim, shoot, and out comes a black photofrom to add a little fun to each photo; one of these graph, which develops into a color image after a includes the traditional Polaroid look. The backs few minutes. Unfortunately, with the surge of can also be peeled away to turn the photos into digital photography, the Polaroid camera began to stickers, which is perfect for making a photo colfall out of popularity, and point-and-shoot digital lage or scrapbook.

The camera is also more ecocameras fell into favor. friendly, as there are no bulky ink cartridges or In the spirit of the digital age, Polaroid has instant film canisters to throw away. invented a product that fuses the “instant film” If you’re looking for a new digital camera, aspect of their old camera with the digital side of consider buying this one. If you don’t feel you’ll use today’s technology. Playfully named PoGo, the dethe printing function, the camera will also funcvice can be used as a conventional digital camera, tion as a digital camera alone. It’s 5.0-megapixels, and can also print full-color photos in roughly 40 which is plenty for sharing photos on Facebook, seconds. PoGo uses a unique technology, called and even making professional prints. The PoGo ZINK (zero-ink), reminiscent of the instant film of costs $199.99, and is a great investment for both the past. Each special sheet of photo paper has the casual and serious photographer. billions of crystals, waiting to be activated by the camera. The heat causes the crystals to react, and

November 2009

Jamming Out

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ARTS

Theodor Trampe Staff Writer

Over the past few years, the Blues Band has become an integral part of St. Luke’s School.

Many students find themselves looking forward to the November assembly where they’ll have the chance to listen to their fellow students and teachers perform classic and popular songs.

“Live music is a very powerful medium and it gives everyone a chance to express themselves in a unique and meaningful way.” says Mr. Leinbach, current Blues Band faculty advisor.

Blues Band was initially formed by English teacher Mr. Bisson. At first, the members primarily played blues songs; however, when Mr. Leinbach took over eight years ago, the group became less focused on a specific genre and became more of a general rock band. For the most part, this rock aspect is the Blues Band that students have come to know and love. As the advisor of Blues Band, Mr. Leinbach has given the student musicians a large amount of freedom in song choices and band composition. Mr. Leinbach serves as a guiding force and mentor for the members of Blues Band.

This year, the members of Blues Band have broken themselves up into three distinct groups.

Each of these groups is going to perform a series of songs on their own. The members of this year’s Blues Band include both veterans of the band as well as some new faces. Some returning vets include Sam Fomon, Conor Swanberg, Andrew Veidenheimer, Vitaly Fetissov, Andrew Wagle, and Theo Kelly, and Tommy Champion. Although these students do not want to reveal what songs they will be performing, they have promised that nobody will be disappointed and the number of special guest performers will rival that of previous years.

Some of the members of Blues Band are concerned that they will not be able to rival the energy of the performances from the last two years. This year, Blues Band has lost well-known members, like Aggie Kelly, Teddy Benson, and Nick Conforti. These musicians were remembered as indispensable members of Blues Band and some people are fearful that their departure from the school has left a musical void. In the end, it will be up to the St. Luke’s community to decide how well this year’s performance stacks up against those of years past.

Blues Band is scheduled to perform on November 24th, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

Like in prior years, Blues Band will perform in two different School assemblies, one of these assemblies will be for the Upper School, and the other will be for the Middle School. It is clear that everyone in the school is looking forward to these assemblies and the chance to see the members of Blues Band perform.

Courtesy of Caroline Chadwick One of the bands rocking out.

The End of the World

Matt Muney & Jenna Decatur Co-Writers

spread societal concern for an impending doomsday echoes the famed Y2K scare preceding the year 2000, which never lived up to its hype. Who’s

Last week, 2012, a science fiction disaster to say that the theories about 2012 won’t be the movie, was released. The movie plays off of the same? If I were you, I wouldn’t consider doing anypublic interest in the phenomenon of the possible thing too drastic just yet. apocalypse approaching. The Sentinel is here to Thousands of people across the world are give you the facts about this potential crisis. preparing for this very day, gathering supplies If you have been following the media re- and materials in an attempt to survive. Survival cently, you might have noticed something: Peo- groups have formed in the United States, Europe, ple are abuzz with talk of what changes may oc- and Canada. There are even cases where men and cur during the rapidly approaching year of 2012. women have quit their jobs, knowing they have The predictions are ambiguous, to say the least- just enough money to last them until 2012. a quick internet search will net you a dizzying In terms of middle and high school stuamount of information postulating what human- dents, the majority of you won’t even make it to ity will be experiencing just three years from now. your high school graduation. Freshmen: what’s Slated by many to be the most mystifying time the point of learning how to survive high school in our history, the year 2012 has been subject to when you won’t even make it halfway through widespread speculation, and is predicted to com- your junior year? Sophomores: why bother to take mence a multitude of global phenomena, spanning five honors classes when you won’t even be able to from the seemingly logical to the utterly outland- show it to colleges? Juniors: why apply to college ish. The most foremost theory as to what will occur when we’ll only be there for not even four months? stems from the ancient Maya. Their Long Count Seniors: why stress over college applications when Calendar, which commenced on the date 0.0.0.0.0. you will only be there for a year? And to everyone (5,123 years ago), is believed to end on the date else, enjoy life while you can… The End. 13.0.0.0.0, or in modern terms, December 21st, 2012. It is largely believed that the termination of this calendar marks Doomsday.

In reality, though, there is little evidence that an apocalypse will actually occur on the Winter Solstice of 2012. Experts remain divided as to when the calendar is supposed to finish, and merely think the cycle could end on this day, since the 10. Thanksgiving cancelled when swine Maya typically used the numbers 13 and 20 as nuflu spreads to turkeys. merical roots. It is also important to note that the Mayan prophecy is entirely based on the assumption that something bad is going to happen when 9. During flag football, trying to pull off the Long Count Calendar runs out, however, the Great-Uncle Ned’s flags, you pull off his Maya often associated the end of cycles with good pants... fortune. In fact, many archaeologists and mythologists believe that the Maya predicted an age of 8. Grandpa spills boiling gravy on his lap. enlightenment to culminate on this date, ushering in a new era.

Nonetheless, many other 2012 theories 7. Uncle Ned passes out at the table. have spawned from the Maya prophecy, which typically focus on polar shifts, ice ages, planetary col6. Your dog eats Aunt Myrtle’s prized lisions, and black holes-in fact, there is so much inapple pie. formation about these ideas it would be impossible to cover them wholly within this article. However, most of these theories have no legitimate proof and 5. Big Bird balloon escapes from Macy’s have been widely popularized through the Interparade and is shot by hunters. net. The only factual occurrence corresponding with the Maya prophecy is that, on December 21, 4. Cranberry sauce is discovered to con2012, the sun will be aligned with the center of the Milky Way for the first time in about 26,000 years. tain 0% cranberries.

(Astronomers, Scientists, and Historians maintain that this is merely a coincidence and the Maya 3. Fox News declares Thanksgiving a comwere not aware of this occurrence when constructmunist plot. ing their Long Count Calendar.)

Nonetheless, our sensationalist media has capitalized on this far-fetched apocalyptic scenario 2. Extended family asks you about college with the creation of a slew of books and programs. plans for the millionth time...

The most obvious case in point is Sony Motion Pictures’ new film 2012, starring John Cusack, which 1. Turkey is still alive. is slated for release on November 13th. This wide-

Top 10 Thanksgiving Mishaps

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Coming Back Home Doug Walker Sports Editor

Personally, there are two times each year that truly embody unity and tradition: Thanksgiving and Homecoming. Nothing can beat turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing, right? Quite honestly I have always enjoyed Thanksgiving a lot more than Homecoming but I have a feeling that will soon change. For me, Homecoming is about the sports, but more so about seeing old faces and catching-up. While scoring a hat-trick against Harvey would’ve definitely gotten me fired up, I truly believe that the renewal of a palpable relationship is much more valuable than a moment on the pitch that will become, no doubt, a terrific memory.

What brought an unprecedented 250 alumni and around 750 other stragglers to Homecoming last year was not the unadulterated joy of supporting a bunch of teenage football players, most of whom would never play in college – that was just an excuse. Unity, relationships, and love for what St. Luke’s has done for us brought us together this year and will bring us together again next year.

Ultimately you have no obligation to go to Homecoming but I think at the end of the day (or rather in the beginning) you realize that you need to be there.

St. Luke’s used to be a different place. Just think what it’s like to be a wide-eyed alumnus who left a generally amorphous campus 50 years ago only to come back to a school that has a trifecta of centers: the Timothy Cantrick College Counseling Center, athletic center, and performing arts center.

Moreover, our school is different in that current students are more committed to their academics, extra-curriculars, and the well-being of this establishment than ever before. St. Luke’s has evolved immensely in the past ten years re-inventing its reputation on so many different levels.

One of the levels is commitment. Each year more alumni come back to reacquaint with people they haven’t seen in decades. Why the marked change? About seven years ago a new administration culled and refocused some of the best teachers and coaches who have, in turn, instilled students with a sense of solid fidelity towards the school.

We are a school that is gaining a reputation for pride and dedication to its legacy. Yet, throughout this time of change we have maintained a tight knit community as a central element of the St. Luke’s experience. I know the name of everyone in my grade and the grade below me, and I think my

OPINION friends do too. I also know my teachers extremely well (maybe too well.) A school that fosters close relationships between both teachers and peers is certainly something remarkable.

Next Homecoming expect alumni to not only be attending the big game at three, but after it’s all over to continue the reunion on to dinner and late into the night Laughter and more laughter will commence in the morning and continue late into the night. I look forward to that next October.

Maybe I’ll even claim the elusive and illustrious title of Buck-O-Ball Champion, but probably not.

November 2009

A Worthy Winner?

Theodor Trampe Staff Writer

President Barack Obama’s first year in office will be defined by his Nobel Prize award.

This is simply because he has not accomplished anything drastically significant in the past nine months. There is a widely held belief that President Obama will accomplish something during his presidency. However, that is no reason to rush to give him an award. The Nobel committee cited President Obama’s stance towards world diplomacy and nuclear nonproliferation as reasons why he deserves this year’s Peace Prize. In all honesty, these are rather weak reasons to support Ellie Werner why President Obama deserves the award. For the Contributing Columnist most part, President Obama’s policies are based on

The truth is… it is completely preposterpromises and will take some years to pan out. The ous that visitors and Norwegian Nobel committee argues that President guests at St. Luke’s Obama is being awarded for what he has already get priority parking accomplished and not the outlook for the future. over the students This does not seem like good rationale because who go here. Every President Obama was nominated for the prize a day licensed stumere two weeks after his election. Even before his dents at St. Luke’s election President Obama has been built up by a must take parking great deal of hype. Americans have finally reached spots that are so far a threshold with Obama praise that they can look away from school back at the situation and say: “enough is enough.” that by the time we Even President Obama does not feel he has a right finally make it up to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Although he may the hill, we are all deserve the Peace Prize in the future, the fact that out of breath and he was awarded the Prize simply diluted the value most likely late to of the prize and even the value of his presidency. class. And when Ellie Werner ‘10

Besides the fact that the award was quite teachers mark us late, premature, there were plenty of other candidates all we can think about is the time wasted driving who deserved the Prize more then President Obama. around campus in circles searching for a free spot.

There were many contenders for the Prize and each Seriously. Why is it that a person who comes to one exemplified human character that reflected on this school for maybe an hour at most to meet with a teacher gets VIP parking spots at the top of the hill, and yet us students who are not only exhausted from going to bed at 3 am after the unnecessary amounts of work that we get, but also come here every day and put in long hours of work, have to park further away? I mean let’s face it; we basically live here. St. Luke’s is supposed to be a “second home” for us students. Now I know my parents don’t make me park all the way at the end of the street when I go home, it just wouldn’t be fair. And when we have a dinner party, the GUESTS are the ones that park furthest away, not the people who own the house and live there. The truth is… we students deserve the best parking spots on campus.

Ellie Speaks the Truth

Top of the Hilltop Website: www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com Band: Owl City Game: Farmville Video game: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 TV Show: Modern Family on ABC Movie: Paranormal Activity Sport: Ping pong YouTube video: search- “cute puppy whistling” Most awaited opening: New Canaan Diner Celebrity: Levi Johnston Team: Yankees (Sorry Phillies fans!)

Student car: Cole Bishop’s Smart Car Mustache: Movember men Illness: Lice

President Barack Obama, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

the merits of the Peace Prize. These other nominees had been working to further peaceful ideologies for many years. Why is President Obama, a man who has been in office for less then a year, considered worthy of this prestigious honor?

Facebook Tip of the Month

Before you Comment or Like that funny photo or post, think twice; do you really want a stream of notifications on your Facebook and cell phone about every other person that Liked or Commented on it? That hilarious photo or thought-provoking status won’t seem so great anymore.

November 2009

7

JUST FOR FUN

Celebrity Look-a-likes

Facts of the Month

Lily Holland & Catherine Bradley Contributing Writers

Ever thought that person in the hall looked like they belonged on the big screen?

Maybe you had trouble taking your physics teacher seriously because he looked like he should be starring in the latest Jude Apatow comedy flick.Check out these familiar SLS faces alongside their celebrity counterparts.

1. 315 entires in the 1996 Meriam Websters dictionary were misspelled.

2. You may not swear in front of women and children in the state of Michigan (by law).

3. Americans collectively eat 100 pounds of chocolate per second.

Doug Walker ‘10 and James Franco

4. The chances of making two holes-inone in a round of golf are about 1 in 67 million.

5. You will have to walk 50 miles for your legs to equal the amount of exercise your eyes get daily.

Collin Hill ‘11 and Finn from “Glee”

Kelly Maguire ‘12 and India Eisley (Sister from “The Secret Life of an American Teenager”)

6. A bowling pin only needs to tilt 7.5 degrees to fall.

7. A rainbow can only be seen in the morning or late afternoon.

8. Astronauts get taller when they are in space.

Mr. Mitchell and Seth Rogan

9. Americans did not commonly use forks until after the Civil War. 10. 23% of all photocopier faults worldwide are caused by people sitting on them and photocopying their butts.

Josh Dugas ‘11 and McLovin

11. In 1998, Sony accidently sold 700,000 camcorders that had the technology to see through peoples clothes.

Mr. Flachsbart and Tony Hawk

Thanksgiving Madlib It’s Thanksgiving again: a day where all of my __adjective___relatives head on over to my house to enjoy a nice day of __noun__. As my Aunt Myrtle __verb__ into the house, she gives me a big __noun__, and Great Uncle Dennis grins at me __adverb__ as he __verb__ me Lily Robinson ‘11 and Ashley Tisdale

a __noun__. As we sit in the living room, my dad tells stories of his travels in __place__, and we all smile and laugh at my little sister’s __noun__. Mom and Grandma are in the kitchen cooking the turkey and preparing the __noun__. About an hour later, they step out of the kitchen and announce, “Come on __plural noun__, dinner’s ready!” Everyone gets up and __verb__ to the dining room. We all sit down and eat. “This is __adjective__!” shouts Aunt Myrtle, rising from her chair. All of a sudden, we notice that Great Uncle Dennis is __gerund__. Dad scrambles from the table and calls out for __noun__. After the whole matter is settled, everyone gets ready to leave. I’m just a little bit __adjective__ to see everyone

Mr. Parsons and Bob Saget

go. ‘Til next year!

8

The NFL’s Brightest

SPORTS

Ryan Giggi Sports Writer

Here we are in week eight, and the NFL is in full swing. The Browns still stink, the Broncos are suddenly 6-1, and Brett the Vet has joined the AARP—life goes on. Yet, while there has been some truly spectacular play on the field this season, and some hilariously bad play as well (many thanks to JaMarcus Russell), I feel less satisfied by the NFL as a whole this year. The reason for that is this: all the bad behavior that has transpired in the NFL over the past couple years seems to have hit a climax over the past 12 months, and still some of these criminals are idolized by America’s lowest common denominator. Don’t we care at all?

Just because I find everything having to do with the Oakland Raiders funny, I’ll start with their famous coach Tom Cable. Needless to say, things are always wacky in the Land of Al Davis, but a coach who ‘allegedly’ assaults his assistant is just above and beyond the accepted level of California hilarity. Out here in the real world, big fat guys, guys like Cable, who assault their subordinates usually spend a night or two in the clink, lose their job, and get a few solid years of blacklist time to think about what they did. Cable was acquitted of all charges, and truthfully we don’t know what, really, happened around him personally, but he’s still calling the shots out there in Oakland after Papa Davis bailed him out of the DA. And really, does anybody doubt that Cable is guilty? I guess Davis just wants to keep him ripe for the firing come January…

Another story that makes me cringe is the tall tale of the tall Plaxico Burress. The man is an impressive football talent, but, really, what kind of head is screwed onto his shoulders? On top of being something of a cantankerous teammate, he decided it would be a good idea to bring a cocked and loaded gun, an unregistered gun at that, into a nightclub where he quite literally shot himself in the foot, as the gun went off in his pocket mid dance, much like I sometimes pocket dial my mom’s cell phone when I stand up after class. Thankfully, Plaxico has moved behind bars for a scheduled 20 month stay, but I really don’t think somebody with that low of an IQ belongs in the NFL, especially given Football’s nature as a sport that delivers frequent blows to the head. I will be especially interested to see what Roger Goodell has to say about Plaxico when he is released.

Lastly, how about Kansas City’s own Larry Johnson? I can understand that both he and his team have fallen upon the hardest of times, and that he is frustrated by this lack of success, but an NFL player needs to have more class than to verbally attack his fans, and he especially needs to have more class than to make grotesque homophobic comments over the internet, even though you have to be awfully misguided to consult twitter for life advice. Johnson is no stranger to the law, he’s been arrested several times for different domestic crimes, and yet, he continues to be an NFL favorite despite his clear moral wanting. Somebody like that needs to be shunned by society, not given a contract extension.

These are just a few examples of criminal activity in the NFL, the professional sports league which far outweighs all others in its members’ broad interpretation of the law. I didn’t even touch on the penitentiary that is the Cincinnati Bengals, nor upon the sleazy behavior coming from New England’s Bill Belichick and his former protégé Eric Mangini to name a couple more examples— regardless, why can’t the NFL conduct itself better? People look up to those men as heroes, and the example set is that its ok to break the law cause the signing bonus will still be there: you probably won’t get caught anyway. That mindset bothers me, as does the general behavior of many of its members despite the ball-and-chain commissioner Roger Goodell. But I guess the NFL wins anyway—I still make sure I can watch from my soap box.

November 2009

An Epic Season Brian Stan Sports Writer

NFL’s Larry Johnson playing the game.

NFL Preview

This was an epic season for boys’ varsity soccer. Led by captains Kofi Agyapong, Kevin Mahoney, and Andrew Boniche, the guys came into this season hoping to grow as individuals on the soccer field, but even more so as a team. Throughout the season, the team continued to show teamwork as well as good chemistry. They changed up their formation a bit and definitely came into their own as the season progressed. Under the great coaching of Richard Williams, the team has gone: 11 – 2 – 1 thus far for an impressive season. By

Kevin Mahoney Sports Writer

As this year’s NFL season has just passed the halfway mark we can now look back on the headline stories. Favre, of course being the center of attention, is back in first place in the NFC North, except this time, with the Vikings. He has led his team, along with superstar running back Adrian Peterson, to a 7-1 record, beating his former Packers twice with a total of seven touchdowns. However, even with the 7-1 record the Vikings are second in line in the NFC to the undefeated New Orleans Saints. We all know of the guns on offense: midway NFC MVP Drew Brees, Pierre Thomas, Marquis Colston, Reggie Bush and on and on, but much of their success has come on the other side of the ball.

The Saints rather unrated defense has stepped up behind the veteran leadership of Darren Sharper and has decisively won games for them this year, unlike previous years. The beats in the NFC East are back, the Giants, the Cowboys, and the Eagles, in what is going to be a fight to the finish for first.

The Giants, after a hot, but untested 5-0 start have stumbled their last three games. Their hyped up defense has let up a total of 112 points. Their last three games, filled with uncharacteristic turnovers, have hurt the G-Men. The NFC is going see a competitive and exciting battle for the Wild Card with more than usual mid-season contenders. On the flip side, in the AFC, Peyton Manning is back doing his thing. He is the runaway mid-season MVP and has his Colts back up top the AFC with an undefeated record. They were tested on Sunday by the 49ers but Manning and co. prevailed. The Broncos have been another good story in the AFC. Even though their undefeated record was snapped

by Falco’s Ravens, Kyle Orton, actually rather the Broncos D have them at 6-1 and in first, an unfamiliar seeding since the Elway days. The Bengals are back, tied with the reigning champs Steelers, both with a 5-2 record. Carson Palmer, Cedric Benson and Ochocinco (still shocked he changed his name) have the Bengals back to their run and gun style. The Pats are in first -- what a surprise. Besides the Colts, the AFC is still a bit shady half way through the season, being wide open for numerous of teams to step up (possibly even the Texans?) That’s all. Got to love the NFL.

Brett Favre, “the center of attention.”

Courtesy of Caroline Chadwick Kofi Agyapong ‘10 exhibits his stellar skills. this record, it is evident that the guys put forth a considerable amount of effort without ever losing faith in the game or each other.

The team’s valuable player and captain, Wake Forest-bound Kofi Agyapong states, “We took every game as though we were fighting for our lives and it paid off. Everyone has at least a goal or an assist, which shows the teamwork and support.

Courtesy of Caroline Chadwick The team jogging out onto the field, ready for a win.

We’re looking forward to continuing the hard work on and off the field during the playoffs.”

One particular match that proved to be significant towards the boy’s season was that against Rye; without a doubt, this was a difficult game.

This game was played at an intense speed from start to finish; despite the fact that SLS briefly struggled near the beginning, the guys held it together. As the game continued they started an attacking force in which Kofi Agyapong scored a big goal that managed to give the Crusaders a half – time lead. However, the end result (a tie) managed to secure SLS the FAA Regular Season Championship for the first time in our school’s history. This proved to be a huge feat for the team as a whole.

As a result of their positive attitude and hard work, the team managed to qualify for the New England tournament. The team recently had a shutout win against Christian Heritage which certainly has added to their confidence going into the playoffs. The entire season built up to the championship game against Rye Country Day School. The win (4-2) was just the cherry on top of a really fantastic season.