Student Life at Woodberry Forest School • October 2014
Senior's Choice sixth formers delve into language and literature
Getting Fired up for The Game Woodberry-Episcopal Game caps the Fall Season
When a Woodberry boy mentions The Game, everyone knows that he’s talking about the annual match-up between Woodberry Forest and Episcopal High School, the oldest high school rivalry in the South. This year’s game will be played on Saturday, November 8th, on Woodberry’s home turf in front of thousands of fans decked out in orange and black. The fans include students, families, and alumni — even bus loads of girls from nearby schools! The Tigers are always more than ready for the Maroon. “Our boys are excited about the opportunity to be a part of the 114th game of this rivalry,” said Clinton Alexander, head football coach. “It is a special event between two great schools.” And the boys come to the field fired up from the most amazing pep rally ever — the bonfire! The night before The Game, the boys gather, costumed and bearing unlit torches. They stand in two lines as a flame is passed from torch to torch. With sixth formers (seniors) leading the way, each boy tosses his torch into a massive bonfire that lights up the night. The cheerleaders then lead the crowd in loud cheers. Speeches from Headmaster Byron Hulsey and Coach Alexander do their part to pump up the Tigers for victory — and prep everyone for one of the biggest days of the year.
By the time a Woodberry boy is ready to make his senior year schedule, he has lots of options. Since a student is usually only required to take three years of courses in a subject area, the sixth-form year means specializing in one area or branching out. And even though everyone needs four years of English, boys still get to choose from an array of interesting offerings to fulfill their requirement. This year, four English teachers designed courses to share their special expertise; a quick visit to those classes turns up some great discussions and insights. In one class, Uprising: Subversion and Survival in World Literature and Film, two of Dr. Karen Broaddus’s students prepared questions and led a discussion of the Indian novel The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga. In Fact and Fiction, department chair Ted Blain, a published novelist and short-story writer, had students not only read and analyze the tone of a passage from Frank McCourt’s memoir Angela’s Ashes but also imitate the author’s style in their own writing. Other teachers have designed courses on Shakespeare and mythology. When teachers share the literature and styles they love, students can’t help but catch their enthusiasm. The real challenge for most seniors is picking from the menu of enticing choices.
From the Headmaster “Assembled here this afternoon are boys who will become your friends for life, boys who are likely to attend your son’s wedding and be there through the best and most challenging times that we’ll share together here at Woodberry and beyond.” Byron Hulsey ’86 in his welcome address to new boys and their families Read more: www.woodberry.org/headmastersblog
Ben Hale, WFS English teacher since 1992
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