The Bridge

THEbridge

at 40

Winter 2010

10 The Art of Hannah Escobar

141720

College 101

Windward at 40

Are We Cheating?

Hunter Owens Editor-in-ChiefKatie Donahoe Managing EditorRobbie Brussell Online EditorChloe Azria Deputy Online EditorJack Taylor Art DirectorClaire Benarroch Art DirectorSkyler Johnson Visual Arts EditorGina Segall Features EditorEmma Rust Buzz EditorYoungsang Ryu Copy ChiefStacie Muñoz Digital Media GuruLaura Clark Adviser

The Bridge Also In This IssueJazzed for ChicagoMusic Reviews

Tron Rebooted

Secret Lives of Seniors

Where Windward Sleeps

Life of Katie

4

5

6

8

9

23

This magazine is an attempt to capture a fleeting moment in time. When I was first informed of our pending transition to a long-form publication, I was dismayed. But what quickly dawned on me were the possibilities. We’ve profiled some of the unique members of the Windward community. We’ve also documented in depth some of the issues that are troubling that community. I’m incredibly proud of the work this staff has put into the magazine, the website and the soon-to-come online broadcast videos. But, this is my soapbox, and I’m going to write a message to all of you, especially those of you who are just beginning this winding Windward journey. Much like a parent, my first hope is that you do not make the same mistakes as I did. But let me urge you to take charge. Stand up and take charge of your community, Windward. Do not stand idly by while there is a chance to shape the people and places around you. The aspect I am most proud of from my time here at Wind-ward is that I believe that I’ve left this community a better place, much as the community has made me a better person. My singular piece of advice is: Don’t let anybody ever tell you no. Don’t listen when people tell you “It is what it is.” When the status quo is wrong, change it. This magazine is the outsider written by insiders. We must attempt to question the status quo while giving a fair and just portrait of Windward. There is a need for the voice of the students to be heard every day. I challenge all of you to voice your opinion not only to your friends, but also to your teachers, your administrators, and turn that voice into action. Remember, just because something has always been done one way doesn’t mean it’s the best way. Until a year ago, you would have been reading this in a newspaper, not a magazine. Constant self-evaluation is required to create the community we wish to see. But you’re not here to listen to me editorialize. You’re here to watch some of the best people I know document your lives.

Hunter Owens Editor-in-Chief

Hunter OwensSoapboxgets a

Photo by Chloe Azria

Editor’s

Letter

3The Bridge | Winter 2010

Buzz

By Emma Rust’13Buzz Editor

Following old fads of trading cards and little elec-tronic pets are Silly Bandz, those shape-shifting rub-ber bracelets you see people wearing on their wrists. Anyone walking on campus can see how popular

Jazzed for 'Chicago'?

Silly Bandz hit Windward!

By Emma Rust ‘13 Buzz Editor

Windward performing arts students aren’t the only ones buzzing with excitement about the school’s upcoming production of Kander & Ebb’s musical Chicago. Tons of students from outside the performing arts department are jazzed as well. Of course, if you are a Chicago fanatic, you can’t help but feel excite-ment about the musical, whose storyline reflects the corruption of the criminal justice system through the trials of celebrities. “It’s more of a modern-day phenomenon as compared to let’s say Bye Bye Birdie,” said choral singer Samantha Nagler ‘13. Unlike Chicago, other past plays performed at Windward did not possess the modern element that often attracts students. In ad-dition to being performed several times on Broadway, Chicago has been remade recently into a film, which can draw a more mainstream audience. According to Performing Arts teacher Jordan Fox, it’s because the production is “bold and funny,

Photo by Victoria Haglund

filled with wonderful characters, songs, and dancing.” There are also many characters with “big person-alities.” Students are jumping at the chance to be these characters. Dance Teacher Lyn Hoge thinks, “It may be because all of (the teachers) are really excit-ed.” The school has been wanting to perform Chicago for a while, according to Hoge, but since it’s rarely done by high schools due to its burlesque content, it was hard to get rights to the musical. In addition the music, dances, and plot is incredibly amusing. Music Teacher John Higgins said, “The music is catchy, there’s iconic dance choreography, and the story is unique in musical theater.”

these Silly Bandz are among the student body. But what is the secret behind their popularity? Is it just that these colorful bands of rubber magic can morph into shapes? “There is such a large variety of Silly Bandz that you’re bound to find one that’s appealing.” These bands range from basic geometric shapes to Harry Potter figures. “They’re probably popular because there are just so many shapes to collect,” echoes Danielle Joy ‘13. Despite their popularity, there are many students that dislike Silly Bandz, or at least do not find them appealing. “I really don’t see what the big deal is,” says Sa-mantha Nagler ‘13. “They’re just rubber bands.”

4 The Bridge | Winter 2010

Kanye WestMy Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is everything for which a Kanye West fan could hope, especially after the mixed reception of his previous release, 808s

& Heartbreak. West’s lyrics are as bold as his beats, and he does not hold back.

There is no way a Justin Bieber album was, is, or will ever be good. The same rule applies to his new album, My Worlds Acoustic. Bieber still uses cliche lyrics that are basically about the same thing:

love. Biebs’ album is all acoustic, with some new songs and some old hits, all unplugged.

Justin Bieber

GirlsIn their compact six-track EP Broken Dreams Club, Girls band members Christopher Owens and Chet “JR” White once again prove their abilities to pull the heartstrings of any listener and

resonate with their emotional and flighty, young and mostly female audience.

Daft PunkDaft Punk’s new album and the soundtrack to Tron: Legacy, Derezzed, is an exciting departure from their typical musical style. Normally creating house music that is centered on dance, Daft

Punk developed Derezzed to be a theatrical collection of tracks that chronicle the movie. It’s an incredible album that combines standard film scores with powerful electronica.

Deadmau5Deadmau5 has become a phenomenon in recent years, and there is no reason why his new album, 4x4=12, will disappoint. The songs feature

gigantic beats, distorted sounds, and some random piano to mix things up. It’s nice to hear an electronic artist who doesn’t just rely on some thick bass and a drop. The mau5’s songs are complex, and although I am not a huge electronic fan, it’s satisfying.

By Robbie Brussell ‘12Skyler Johnson ‘12

Jack Taylor ‘12

MUSI

CREVIEW

S

Photo Courtesy Walt Disney Studios

By Robbie Brussell ‘12Online Editor Most anyone familiar with film knows about the upcom-ing sequel of Tron, Tron: Legacy which will be released in theaters Dec. 17. On July 9, 1982, the sci-fi film was released starring Jeff Bridges as hacker Kevin Flynn. Ever since then, the movie has developed a cult following. Although Tron did not get glowing reviews, the Steven Lisberger-directed film was technologically revolutionary, as it was one of the first films to use extensive CGI. On Jan. 12, 2005, Disney hired screen-writers Brian Klugman and Lee Sterthal to write the sequel. At the 2009 Comic-Con, Disney made a series of an-nouncements about the upcoming Tron sequel. Disney an-nounced that Daft Punk was composing the score for Tron, that the footage would take place in the computer world, that the plot was a son’s search for his father, and, finally, that there would be an updated lightcycle. The plot starts 20 years after the original ended, with Flynn trapped in a com-puter world. Bridges will return as Flynn, and his son will be played by Garrett Hedlund. One might ask, why all the hype? Well, the cult fol-lowers of the original film have been yearning for a sequel for almost 30 years. Also, the visuals of Tron look amazing, at least according to the audience that went to IMAX Tron Night, which hosted a screening of a 23-minute segment from the movie. The visuals depict a world audiences have never seen on film before. “I left the Tron: Legacy Event Night thoroughly blown

away by the visual effects and fantastic IMAX sound sys-tem,” said Paul Young of screenrant.com. “Nothing about the film is organic, it’s the real world translated into a digital universe of high contrast, very slick blacks, and bright colors … it’s very futuristic and very beautiful,” said Olivia Wilde on one of Tron’s websites, who plays Quorra in the film. Visually-intense films usually rely using every inch of the screen to depict elaborate and grandiose visuals. Tron does the opposite, using minimalistic visuals to create a modern feel, while still keeping the sense of an epic big-budget mov-ie. Michael Bay, Stephen Soderbergh and James Cameron all utilize grand special effects in order to put the audience in awe, whereas Tron goes in the opposite direction, using its sleek visuals to draw audiences with its modern appeal. Disney has gone all out with the marketing for Tron, way beyond just billboard ads. It has created an extensive viral marketing campaign for the Tron sequel, including scavenger hunts through Flynn’s arcade to find a Lightcycle. Disney has integrated Tron into its theme parks -- from the TRONRAIL at Disney Florida, to the dance party at Califor-nia Adventure, ElecTRONica, all the way to the nighttime show, World of Color also at California Adventure, which features Daft Punk’s film score. Disney also plans to release a Tron video game entitled “Tron: Evolution.” Disney also launched a Tron: Legacy pop-up store on Nov. 19, which will be open at Royal/T in Culver City through Dec. 23. Visitors can buy Tron inspired items ranging from Tron jumpsuits to Monster headphones inspired by the movie.

Photo Courtesy Walt Disney Studios

PreviewsSwan Lake

Black SwanThe Wrestler

Black Swan

Blue Valentine

filmʼs controversy comes not

Somewhere

motherʼs stead. Heʼs

In the newest Coen Brothersʼ True Grit

take revenge on her fatherʼs of Mattieʼs dad.

Courtesy of Fox Searchlight

Courtesy of Weinstein Company

By Skyler Johnson

Courtesy of Focus Features

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Brice is a passionate debater and a fair-trade advocate.His secret life?Beat-boxer inspired by a Hasidic rapper artist.

Amanda volunteers

at a Children’s

Hospital and baby

sits. Her secret life?

She is martial artist

of Tae Kwon Do and

Karate.

Quentin is a talented artist

and a part of W

indward’s

Technical Theatre Crew.

His secret life? He spends

his Saturdays as a chef at

Toscana: an Italian

r

estaurant in

Brentwood.

Youngsang is a prefect and goalkeeper of the Windward soccer team. His secret life? He spends his free time break-dancing.

We all go to the same school and

attend the same classes and sporting

events, but what really happens

outside of Windward? Many of us have

unknown talents that we pursue on

our own time. Take a look at these

selected seniors and the unique

activities they do.

Olivia is a multimedia artist who

loves techno music. Her secret

life? She is an apprentice boxer

who teaches kids how to box at

her gym.

Olivia FazeYoungsang Ryu

Quentin Ransohoff

Brice Green

Amanda McCann

SECRET LIVES OF SENIORS

Want to see acollaboration of Brice and Youngsang? Go to www.windwardbridge.com.

By Chloe Azria


Amanda McCann

Where Windward Sleeps

The Los Angeles Basin/Westside

Number of Students per Neighborhood

By Hunter Owens ‘11Editor-in-chief

From North Hills to South Gate, Windward students are spread out over the Los Angeles area. Students are mostly congregated, how-ever, on the Westside of L.A., with the largest two communities being the Pa-cific Palisades and Brent-wood. The median home price in those two neighborhoods is $1,976,421, according to the Los Angeles Times. For comparison, the average Los Angeles home price is $360,000. Information from Wind-ward’s Registrar’s Office points to more students living in the Pacific Pali-sades (90272) than any-

where else, with a whop-ping 83 students. Second is Brentwood (90049) with 70 students. This visualization is an attempt to determine the roots of Windward’s com-

munity and spark a conver-sation about our neighbor-hoods. Roughly 90 students live within a five-minute drive of the school. The longest commute is 27.7 miles to

Malibu, but the “worst” commute is an estimated one hour and 50 minute drive in traffic to West Hills, deep in the San Fernando Valley.

Sources: Los Angeles Times, Google Maps, City-Data.com, Mapalist.com, Windward Registrar’s Office 9The Bridge | Winter 2010

Hannah Escobar ‘11 is one of windward’s premier art students.Her unique outlook on art and its purpose differentiates her from other artists.

Escobar puts it best, saying, “It’s art. Look at it.”


By Jack Taylor ‘12Art Director

Many students at Windward do not get a chance to see all of the amazing art that is produced by students. Senior Hannah Escobar, the president of the Arts Honors Society, is a devoted student who has been a studio artist for the past several years. Escobar is known by most of her peers as one of the most talented artists Windward has to offer. Her art does not conform to a certain genre or style but rather is created out of passion. Whatever creative urge affects Esco-bar, the strongest transforms the result of her art. Escobar makes art that is, as she says, “pretty to look at.” She says that most of her art has little symbolism and rather draws from visual aesthetics. Some of her art represents a mixture of various designs that are simply intriguing to ob-serve. Art for Escobar is more of an expression of feelings than a vehicle for adages and advice. This artistic philosophy distinguishes Escobar from other artists. Her art breaks tra-

dition by having little latent meaning and focuses on visual aesthetics of creation. She draws inspiration from the artists Alex Pardee, Yoshitaka Amano, Jo Chen and Mark Ryden who are famous for their alternative style, bold color, and comic book style art. Photography teacher Hannah Freed, who has taught Es-cobar, wrote in an email that the senior contains a “fierce electric current of artistic genius, extreme intellect, and in-nate benevolence.” In addition to doing projects with paint and pastel, Esco-bar likes to “draw on my own outside of school.” She loves her art and will continue to work on it, but she does not plan on going to art school because she wants to have as many opportunities later in life as she can. Freed is confident that “Hannah will be very successful in any subject matter or passion she pursues in life.” The art included in these following pages is entirely made up of works Escobar has done over the past few years. And, as Escobar herself says,“It’s art. Look at it.”

time to CELEBRATE. YOUNGSANG RYU ‘11 takes aWINDWARD SCHOOL enters middle age, and it’s

LOOK BACK at the last 40 years...14 The Bridge | Winter 2010

Windward’s mission statement reads: “Windward teachers, parents, and

administrators work together to inspire our students to be responsible, caring, well-in-formed, ethical, prepared, and well-balanced young adults.”

This statement has been Windward school’s philoso-

phy since its founding. While the school’s belief has stayed the same, its

community has grown larger and larger. Today, with more than 500 students, Windward school has come a long way. The year 2011 marks Windward’s 40th anniversary. Founded in 1971 by former Paul Revere Middle School teachers Shirley Windward and Carl Parsons, it started as a few converted motel rooms on Wilshire Boulevard. Shir-ley likes to joke that Windward was the only school with bathrooms in every classroom. “The students helped run the school,” says Shirley. Whatever the students wanted, rang-ing from a Russian class to physics, determined the courses offered. “It was really a lot of fun,” she adds. As the school grew to 300 students, a new location became inevitable. So, in 1974, the school moved to the corner of 21st Street and Santa Monica Boulevard, across from St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica. In fact, an old medical building was converted to serve as Windward’s new campus. Finally, in 1982, Windward School reached its third and final location. Much smaller than the school we know today, the new cam-pus consisted of only the 100 build-ing. It was small, but Windward soon grew. New buildings, like Gym, the Pavilion, and the 200 building, were added to both sides of the campus. Just last year, the Center for Teaching & Learning and the Science, Dance, and Music Center buildings were completed.

January 28, 1971: Windward is founded by Shirley Windward and Carl Parsons, former Paul Revere Middle School teachers..

In

1974, the school moved to the

corner of 21st Street and Santa Monica Boulevard, across from St. John’s Hospital.

In

1974, the Windward Girl’s Volleyball team

becomes the first sports champions at

the school.

“(Windward School’s culture) hasn’t changed over the years,” adds Ray Friend, a veteran math teacher. “The school only gets better over time.” Shirley is a very special part of the school. Alumna and photography teacher Hannah Freed ‘99 says that she’s “so happy Shirley Windward is still around ... she’s the heart-beat of the school.” Tom Haglund, Science Department chair, adds, “What makes Windward special today is Shir-ley Windward’s continued involvement at the school.” Other than the physical growth of the school, changes to Windward have revolved around bringing Shir-ley’s dream to life. “I wanted to create a small school for tu-toring,” she says, “and every year we got more students, and I had to get more teach-ers and so then [the school] got bigger and bigger and big-ger.” When Shirley started the school, she wanted an environment “that would be a place where people were happy to come … a friendly, open place … where you were sure to have all the things you wanted.” Throughout the years, Windward School’s philosophy, according to Windward math teacher Ken Asher, has stayed the same. “Philosophically, I don’t know that we have changed much, except that we have a lot more students so it feels a little less family-like” says Asher. “Windward has always had a special feel on campus, a friendly, relaxed atmosphere where students and teachers interact both pro-fessionally and socially.” Student-faculty relationships are the foundation of Wind-ward. According to Victoria Lippmann ‘11, the “teachers

In

1982, Windward reached its

final location. Much smaller than the school we know

today, the campus consisted of only the 100

building.

Rolfe Windward, Shirley’s son, taught chemistry.


easy to talk to and meet with.” Lauren Plant ‘97, an alumna and English teacher, says she “still (loves) Windward and the process of learning that both Windward faculty and stu-dents predominantly embrace.” Head of School Tom Gilder, who has been at Windward for 28 years, says that when the alumni were asked what they valued most when they attend-ed Windward, “Each person talked about the strong sense of community and the close relationship between the students and their teachers.” “I think the people at Windward make it really special. Also, just the sense of community and … closeness,” says

Alix Masters ‘11. Founder’s Day, a day celebrating Shirley’s 92nd birth-day, will take place on January 28, 2011. That day will also mark the start of the celebration for Windward’s 40th an-niversary. Starting out as a small school on Wilshire, it has grown to become the great school it is today. Valuing the student-faculty relationships and the responsibility of the students, Windward will continue to grow. “It’s just an exciting time at Windward School” says Gilder.

2001, Athletic Field completed

2002, Pavilion, Board Rooms, and Art

Room are completed

2000, 200 Building

and Leichtman-Levine Bridge are

completed

In

1989 the Gym is

built.

Shirley Windward

Ray Friend

Lauren Katz ‘11, Shea Clark-Tieche ‘11 Morgan Shapiro ‘11

Windward students pose for a photo.

All photos courtesy of Windward School

College

How are Windward students guided through the college application process? What should they be thinking about in 10th grade? When do they decide if they take the SAT or the ACT? Molly Branch sits down with The Bridge to clear up any confusion.

By Gina Segall ‘12Features Editor

Windward college counselor Molly Branch once received a call from a parent with questions about college. The father was extremely concerned about his son’s chances of acceptance into Harvard University, and pontifi-cated to Branch about his son’s extracurriculars, such as Chinese. He wanted to discuss the best techniques for raising his son to become an Ivy League student. The father was not a Windward parent but a complete stranger, and his son was a 5-year-old, just entering kindergarten. Such a call should not be surprising to those who have met college-obsessed parents. Although the father to whom Branch spoke might be an extreme case, parents and students alike seem to see applying to colleges as a panic-inducing process. When a student finds out that a friend is taking SAT prep classes early or a parent hears about another child’s family legacy at an Ivy League school, the panic is quite understandable. However, at Windward, there is a distinct college process through which every student goes that tries to ensure that everyone will end up at a place where he or she fits best. A few new programs at Windward this year have been added to the college counseling curriculum, as well as two new college counselors, Kevin Newman and Jill Gully. While Branch acknowledges that 7th and 8th grades -- much less kindergarten -- are too early to start thinking about the process, 9th grade is a good year to begin. Students start to find their various extracurricular interests in 9th grade, she said. Some discussions about interests come up in advisory freshman year, and students are encouraged to find interesting and challenging elective 8th period classes. However, 10th grade is the true “find your passions”-themed year. Students begin to think about resumes and co-curricular activities that interest them. Many students begin volunteer work, new sports, or out-of-school classes. The college counselors also review each sophomore’s class schedule to ensure that he or she is on the right track. The 10th graders also take the PSAT (Preliminary SAT). The PSAT is a short, practice version of the SAT, which gives students an idea of where they stand in the standardized testing scoring range. This school year, the college counseling program organized a brand-new trip for the 10th graders. On Nov. 16, they

WHY STAUDE? Ask any senior on campus who they think is the most popular teacher to be asked for college recom-mendation letters; the answer will undoubtedly be History Department Chair and teacher Ryan Staude.

The Bridge: How many letters have you actually written?Ryan Staude: Here’s the breakdown of the letters I’ve written: Class of 2008- 60 letters, Class of 2009- 43 letters, Class of 2010- 46 letters, Class of 2011- 52 letters.

TB: Any ideas about why you’re so popular?RS: I wish I could write something clever or pithy about why so many students ask me to write them letters, alas I have a very mal-developed sense of humor because most of my intellectual energy is spent writing recommendations. If I were to hazard a guess, I would say that I have a good rapport with a lot of students, and I feel comfortable writing a letter for anyone who asks me.

TB: Do you find writing the letters difficult?RS: I enjoy talking about Windward students and extolling their virtues. It would be much easier if I could Skype with the various college admissions officers and give them my feedback instead of writing a letter, because writing 52 letters takes A LOT of time. I start writing inlate August and I won't be finished until late December - that's four solid months of writing about 2-3 per week. It's a test of endurance.

TB: Anything else?RS: Rec. letters are a necessary part of the college application process, and an important one. My only desire is for students to get into a good school with which they are happy. I'll do whatever I can to help them achieve this goal.

visited a few of the Claremont Colleges, such as Scripps, Claremont McKenna and Harvey Mudd. Branch said she feels that the 10th graders should be exposed to a few college campus tours to get a feel for what it is like to learn about various schools. The 10th graders are also included with the 11th graders in various seminars, featuring topics such as how to interpret PSAT scores or how to research colleges. In 11th grade, students are introduced to Naviance, a college research website that interprets students’ specific information and college criteria and generates lists of colleges based upon it. Eleventh graders are also introduced to more seminars, such as an SAT and ACT essay-writing workshop and an SAT test prep. They are also offered a “case study” seminar, in which they examine the specific cases of three real college appli-cants and discuss acceptance criteria with admissions officers. The 11th graders then have the chance to speak to a panel of Windward alumni about their college transitional experiences. The juniors also embark on a trip to visit colleges on the East Coast, where they visit the Boston area, the New York area, and, beginning this year, the Washing-ton D.C. area. Each student is able to see between 10

The breakdown:9th grade • Make appropriate class placement choices • Find co-curricular activities that inspire10th grade • Finalize co-curricular activities and volunteer work • Take PSAT • Visit Claremont Colleges • Participate in available optional seminars11th grade • Sign on to Naviance and research colleges • Take PSAT • Attend college information sessions on Windward campus • Participate in available optional seminars • Visit East Coast schools on the junior college trip • Begin to meet with college counselors • Take SAT/ ACT/ SAT II subject exams12th grade • Attend final workshops and seminars • Attend college information sessions on Windward campus • Finalize applications and essays

CRAZINESS

All photos courtesy of Windward School


College

How are Windward students guided through the college application process? What should they be thinking about in 10th grade? When do they decide if they take the SAT or the ACT? Molly Branch sits down with The Bridge to clear up any confusion.

By Gina Segall ‘12Features Editor

Windward college counselor Molly Branch once received a call from a parent with questions about college. The father was extremely concerned about his son’s chances of acceptance into Harvard University, and pontifi-cated to Branch about his son’s extracurriculars, such as Chinese. He wanted to discuss the best techniques for raising his son to become an Ivy League student. The father was not a Windward parent but a complete stranger, and his son was a 5-year-old, just entering kindergarten. Such a call should not be surprising to those who have met college-obsessed parents. Although the father to whom Branch spoke might be an extreme case, parents and students alike seem to see applying to colleges as a panic-inducing process. When a student finds out that a friend is taking SAT prep classes early or a parent hears about another child’s family legacy at an Ivy League school, the panic is quite understandable. However, at Windward, there is a distinct college process through which every student goes that tries to ensure that everyone will end up at a place where he or she fits best. A few new programs at Windward this year have been added to the college counseling curriculum, as well as two new college counselors, Kevin Newman and Jill Gully. While Branch acknowledges that 7th and 8th grades -- much less kindergarten -- are too early to start thinking about the process, 9th grade is a good year to begin. Students start to find their various extracurricular interests in 9th grade, she said. Some discussions about interests come up in advisory freshman year, and students are encouraged to find interesting and challenging elective 8th period classes. However, 10th grade is the true “find your passions”-themed year. Students begin to think about resumes and co-curricular activities that interest them. Many students begin volunteer work, new sports, or out-of-school classes. The college counselors also review each sophomore’s class schedule to ensure that he or she is on the right track. The 10th graders also take the PSAT (Preliminary SAT). The PSAT is a short, practice version of the SAT, which gives students an idea of where they stand in the standardized testing scoring range. This school year, the college counseling program organized a brand-new trip for the 10th graders. On Nov. 16, they

WHY STAUDE? Ask any senior on campus who they think is the most popular teacher to be asked for college recom-mendation letters; the answer will undoubtedly be History Department Chair and teacher Ryan Staude.

The Bridge: How many letters have you actually written?Ryan Staude: Here’s the breakdown of the letters I’ve written: Class of 2008- 60 letters, Class of 2009- 43 letters, Class of 2010- 46 letters, Class of 2011- 52 letters.

TB: Any ideas about why you’re so popular?RS: I wish I could write something clever or pithy about why so many students ask me to write them letters, alas I have a very mal-developed sense of humor because most of my intellectual energy is spent writing recommendations. If I were to hazard a guess, I would say that I have a good rapport with a lot of students, and I feel comfortable writing a letter for anyone who asks me.

TB: Do you find writing the letters difficult?RS: I enjoy talking about Windward students and extolling their virtues. It would be much easier if I could Skype with the various college admissions officers and give them my feedback instead of writing a letter, because writing 52 letters takes A LOT of time. I start writing inlate August and I won't be finished until late December - that's four solid months of writing about 2-3 per week. It's a test of endurance.

TB: Anything else?RS: Rec. letters are a necessary part of the college application process, and an important one. My only desire is for students to get into a good school with which they are happy. I'll do whatever I can to help them achieve this goal.

visited a few of the Claremont Colleges, such as Scripps, Claremont McKenna and Harvey Mudd. Branch said she feels that the 10th graders should be exposed to a few college campus tours to get a feel for what it is like to learn about various schools. The 10th graders are also included with the 11th graders in various seminars, featuring topics such as how to interpret PSAT scores or how to research colleges. In 11th grade, students are introduced to Naviance, a college research website that interprets students’ specific information and college criteria and generates lists of colleges based upon it. Eleventh graders are also introduced to more seminars, such as an SAT and ACT essay-writing workshop and an SAT test prep. They are also offered a “case study” seminar, in which they examine the specific cases of three real college appli-cants and discuss acceptance criteria with admissions officers. The 11th graders then have the chance to speak to a panel of Windward alumni about their college transitional experiences. The juniors also embark on a trip to visit colleges on the East Coast, where they visit the Boston area, the New York area, and, beginning this year, the Washing-ton D.C. area. Each student is able to see between 10

The breakdown:9th grade • Make appropriate class placement choices • Find co-curricular activities that inspire10th grade • Finalize co-curricular activities and volunteer work • Take PSAT • Visit Claremont Colleges • Participate in available optional seminars11th grade • Sign on to Naviance and research colleges • Take PSAT • Attend college information sessions on Windward campus • Participate in available optional seminars • Visit East Coast schools on the junior college trip • Begin to meet with college counselors • Take SAT/ ACT/ SAT II subject exams12th grade • Attend final workshops and seminars • Attend college information sessions on Windward campus • Finalize applications and essays

CRAZINESS


Luke Goldstein ‘16: “I don’t really think about college right now, I think I will later, but not now.”

Youngjae Ryu ‘16: “My brother’s applying, so I have a chance to think about some college stuff (now).”

Lizzie Herzog ‘15: “I don’t really think about it that much. To (my parents) it just feels like a long time away until I (apply to college).”

Mia Katz ‘15: “My sister just went to college, so she’s kind of the focus, and my parents want me to stay close to them.”

Tyler Inn ‘15: “You kind of talk about it (in middle school) but you don’t really know where you’re going.”

Jessie Bruce ‘15: “It’s just at the back of your mind, basically, but you sometimes think about it, ‘cause it’s fun!”

Tristan DeVito ‘14: “There’s a lot more pressure than in middle school to get good grades even as a freshman so that you look good all the way through (high school), which is an added layer of pressure.”

Liz Isgar ‘14: “Well, I want to play college tennis, so that limits what schools I choose... but also, I’m a USC trojan all the way!”

Stephan Gargour ‘12: “I think about college sometimes, but most of it’s pressure forced upon (me) by my mom. She talks about it more than I do.”

Tyler Inn, Mia Katz, Lizzie Herzog Photo by Gina Segall

and 15 colleges on the trip that they otherwise might not have had the chance to see. In 12th grade, students are walked step-by-step through the application procedures and meet with college counselors regularly. They participate in many sessions to complete applications and perfect essays. Branch said she has worked with many students over the years who have completed their college processes and said “I didn’t know it would be so easy.” She said that there is “a misconception that there are only a few schools” out there for each student, when in reality, there are hundreds of schools. “It’s not a contest!” said Branch. “Students will be happy in lots of places.” She also emphasized that big names are not necessar-ily important in the choosing process. “It’s about how you apply yourself,” she commented. She insisted that while famous schools might earn more recognition than others, it is most important that students find the place that fits them best.


Academic Integrity has become a four- letter word on campus. Students

are tuning out when administrators want us tuning in.

By Gina Segall '12 and Hunter Owens '11


This fact has made cheating a four-letter word on Wind-ward’s campus. The new Council on Academic Integrity is addressing the issue, and, at the same time, trying to do so in a way that is accessible to students and does not lead to eye-rolling or exasperated sighs. “I think the people in our grade who do cheat know that it’s wrong, and no matter how many times people are going to tell them it’s wrong, it’s not going to change them... and I feel like the people who don’t cheat understand the prob-lem,” said Madison Peach ‘14. One way the Council attempts to reach students is by being very careful with language; “academic integrity” can mean something very different to students than “cheating” does. Head of Upper School Peggy Procter and Center for Teaching & Learning Co-Director David Boxer, who serve as co-chairs of the Council, have similar views on the sub-ject. Procter says the choice to address the cheating issue as “academic integrity” was based on an idea that the use of the word “cheating” causes students to immediately tune out of the conversation. Another factor in the choice is that the Council on Academic Integrity not only wants to prevent cheating, but also wants to focus on Windward’s community values. Boxer added that what the council is striving for in terms of the academic integrity initiative is “gearing up our community, our culture - both for faculty and students - so that the academic culture of the school is really designed to prepare students for the expectations that they’ll face in college.” In short, Windward wants its academic integrity

guidelines to be similar to what students will face in college. In a recent survey on the subject, which was taken by all students in grades 8-12, 36.1% of students said that they see or hear about cheating once or twice per term, and 22.6% said they hear about it once or twice per month. Students are faced with the opportunity to cheat every day, and some-times it happens in very subtle ways. Students voted in the survey that the largest amount of cheating at Windward takes place between classes, and the most common way of cheat-ing is through conversation or correspondence.

Both Boxer and Procter agree that the added stress of a more competitive Windward is driving cheating and an increase in academically dishonest work. As Windward’s popularity grows and the school’s prestige and expectations intensify, students feel pressure ratcheting up. Procter spoke of how pressure on students to get good grades originates from parents, peers, or the students themselves. Both Procter and Boxer express concern over this fact, and want to con-

vey that the Windward culture is one of learning and not one of competition and grade-obsession. Windward has partnered with Northwestern University scholar Dr. Bradley Zakarin, who spoke at Windward to students about academic integrity last year. Zakarin empha-sized learning the correct academic integrity boundaries and standards in high school to prepare for the pressure that stu-dents face in college. The Academic Integrity Council might be one of the most important, yet unknown, organizations on campus. The group leads all current discussions about cheating. The Council, made up of faculty, administration and stu-

dent prefects, works on improving the academic integrity at Windward. It is responsible for the academic integrity survey and for bringing speakers on the subject (such as Zakarin) to the Windward campus. They also help develop the school’s policy on cheating. Prefects Michelle Nagler ‘11 and Youngsang Ryu ‘11 also made a report on academic integrity in front of a panel at an education conference in October. Another problem with the topic is that students feel at-tacked or blamed when it is discussed; the approach of the

26.2%of students never hear about cheating

On Friday, nearly every Windward student will take a vocab quiz. And some of the

students will cheat.

Students are faced with the opportunity to cheat every day, and sometimes it

happens in very subtle ways.


Council to address-ing the cheating issue seems to have alienated some students. “We hear about (cheating) all the time and the majority of students don’t cheat, and just hearing about it over and over again isn’t going to change anything. It’s such a difficult issue to ap-proach with students, just because most don’t do it so they feel like they’re being targeted,” said Brittany Butler ‘12. The prefects have organized a series of skits to perform in front of each grade’s weekly advisory that each depict a student and a teacher dealing with a violation of academic integrity. (The prefects held a simple discussion with the senior class instead of performing a skit.) Chase Pion ‘12, a prefect, said the purpose of the skits is to “open up dialogue about the academic integrity culture at Wind-

ward” and “to get kids aware of what (the prefects are) trying to do: make people more academically honest at Windward this year and for the years to come.” Emma Laurent ‘13, another prefect, added that the skits are meant to “show, especially (to) the younger kids, in a way, what the causes and effects are of cheating and how worth it it is or is not.”

57.8% of students disagreed or strongly

disagreed with the statement, "If I knew

I would never be caught cheating, I

would do it."

By the

14.6% of students hear about cheating from faculty.

50.7% of students hear about cheating from students who are cheating.

67.7% of students think teachers discuss academic integrity often.

30% of students think teachers are rarely helpful with ideas about how to avoid plagiarism.

26.2% of students never see or hear about students cheat-ing.

25.2% of students strongly disagree with the statement, “People make too big a deal about cheating. Everyone cheats.”

Source: Academic Integrity Survey

Numbers

Dr. Bradley Zakarin, far left, and the Council at the Center for Academic Integrity’s 2010 annual conference in October.


By Katie Donahoe ‘12Managing Editor

Do you know how hard it is to acquire an English accent, similar to Julie Andrews’, on sheer will power? Very. I should know.

While all of you fine men and women are pon-dering your winter breaks, allow me to tell you of my trip to Cambridge, England, and days spent go-ing from teashop to teashop desperately trying to rid myself of this American drawl in order to fully expel any British tourist radar. I refuse to be a tourist when away from home. I shun your fanny packs and opened-toed sandals with socks. No maps. And if that means getting horribly lost the first couple of days, testing out different English regional dialects or refusing a tacky picture with a stoic English guard, then so be it. But as I was saying, I filled my summer days and nights enjoying all of what Cambridge has to offer. And dare I say, it was fantastic. Soon after our arrival, my friend Erica Canup ‘12, who accompanied me across the Pond for a month-long high school program, and I decided to wander around town before our classes started the next day.

~English Summer Afternoons~ Our magical girl instincts led us straight to a Topshop, the fabulous British clothing store, just a few blocks from our dorm. We quickly realized our shopping visits would need to be limited, as within three days, we had done considerable damage to our bank accounts. So, once every two days we would run like Seabiscuit down the street and spend hours going from rack to rack, just examin-ing all the merchandise we had previously been forced to admire only online. It was pure happi-ness. And, by the end of the month, we were on a first name basis with several Topshop employees. That same day, we managed to get so terribly lost that when we asked a native for directions back to campus, the man simply laughed at us as he walked away. I learned quite a few things that day, including that, when in a new environment, all old buildings begin to look like the same old building, leading to confusion and mass hysteria. When I wasn’t drooling over new knit sweat-

ers or desperately trying to find my way home, I spent my days roaming parks, enjoying the rivers, trees, laughter and all other wonderful gifts parks have to offer. I napped under old oak trees and worked my way through the mountain of books that had accompanied me across the Atlantic. I promise you, Lolita is never a more beautiful story than when read in an English field surrounded on a lazy afternoon. I shopped at farmer’s markets for souvenirs and fresh fruit, meandered through bookstores and enjoyed lunches in outdoor cafes with wait-ers named Charles and Harry (as in ‘arry Potter). I attended my creative writing and photography classes, numerious lectures and met Andrew Mo-tion. It was the perfect English summer, complete with crumpets and tea.

~Scottish Style~ When joined by my family for a trip to Scotland, things got really exciting. You know us Donahoes: We know how to party. After a five-hour ride in a full train, forcing us to set up camp in the departure cabin and become very friendly with the snack cart man, we arrived in Edinburgh, the most beautiful city I’ve encoun-tered thus far. We enjoyed full English breakfasts, the fun and excitement of the Fringe Festival, and yet an-other Topshop. I’d add sampling haggis to the list of things I enjoyed, but that would be a lie. And I never lie to my readers. We took a two-day trip to St. Andrew’s and watched my dad become far too emotional over golf. My brother and I explored both cities togeth-er every afternoon, discovering street fairs and drinking the best hot chocolate you’re ever going to find. Once again, I learned valuable lessons dur-ing my time in Scotland: Katy Perry’s “California Gurls” is incredibly popular in small Scottish cir-cles and never mock a man in a kilt. Although I still haven’t perfected my English accent, my mediocre attempt at it was enough to blend in, at least as far as I was concerned. So, if you’re looking for a good time, don’t call Jenny, just hop on over to England and pay the Queen a visit. But don’t bring your “I Heart NY” T-shirt. That would be a shame.

Life of KatieOn Location Across the Pond

Photo by Katie Donahoe


Chloe Azria, Claire Benarroch, Robbie Brussell, Katie Donahoe, Skyler Johnson, Hunter Owens,Emma Rust, Youngsang Ryu, Gina Segall, Jack Taylor©

The Windward Bridge MagazineVolume 1Issue 1

The Bridge

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