STUDENT LIFE AT WOODBERRY FOREST SCHOOL • MARCH 2012
Mr. Jacobs (third from left) with his dog, Suki, and members of the debate team.
Gentlemen, Light Your Grills! BARBEQUE COMPETITION FUELS REGIONAL PRIDE
Debate Walks
DEBATERS WORK MINDS AND BODIES
For boys who like academic challenges, Woodberry’s debate team is a great winter-trimester activity. Debate is just as competitive as any sport, and our team participates in regular season tournaments as well as state and national competitions. But staying indoors on cold winter days can result in cabin fever. That’s when the team goes for a “debate walk.” Led by Greg Jacobs, one of our physics teachers and debate coaches, the boys head outdoors. They walk and talk for a mile or two, taking advantage of the school’s 1200-acre campus to practice arguments for upcoming competitions. Team members seem to accomplish more on a debate walk than they do indoors. For some reason, they’re more focused when they’re on the move than when they’re in a chair. They think faster, are more incisive, and are more invested in the discussion when they’re walking and talking rather than just talking. Besides, it’s more fun to be outdoors than inside on a nice — not freezing — winter’s day.
We help you get home faster!
Spring is right around the corner, and with warmer weather comes Woodberry’s annual barbeque competition. Boys get a chance to be on the other side of the serving spoon while expressing their regional and national pride. Last year several teams cooked a wide array of meats outdoors under the leadership of Jason Slade ’90, Woodberry’s associate director for enrollment and international admissions. Chinese students prepared squid and lamb. Louisianans and North Carolinians woke in the wee hours to stoke fires and grill whole hogs. Jamaicans prepared jerk chicken. The resulting delicacies were judged by an impartial third party. Top honors went to the Texas delegation’s offering of beef brisket and Rio Grande River Rats — bacon-wrapped jalapeños stuffed with cheese and shrimp. These delicious dishes were served up with a selection of sides on the lawn, where students and faculty enjoyed perfect weather and live entertainment courtesy of several student rock bands.
FAST FACT
Woodberry has at the ready seven buses to whisk students away from campus for all major breaks. Boys get home faster, and parents are relieved of long-distance driving. The buses go to major airports, train stations, and even popular cities! The transportation manual is posted on the Parents page at www.woodberry.org.
WOODBERRY FOREST SCHOOL
TIGER TALES • MARCH 2012 • 1