Voice Magazine fall 2010

Voice Thayer Academy’s Student Magazine November, 2010 Vol. 14, No. 1

Just before Winter Wars, there is always a scrambleto come up with the best theme. In the process ofbrainstorming, far too many ridiculous ideas arethrown around. Here are some of the worst themeideas that the class deans have ever heard.

Stuff

Best of the Worst • McCauley Braun, Allie Morey & Greg Terrono

Stuff

page 2

Straight from the College Counseling Office, these college essay topics are definite no-no's. All of these are based on the infor-mation we received from the counselors; some of these were actuallywritten.

1) Bizarre

Multiple BirthsElves and FairiesSpandex

2) Impossible to Execute

AvatarSanta’s Workshop

3) Offensive

Cowboys and IndiansTerroristsCross DressersRappers

4) Just Plain Bad

Polka DotsJersey ShorePublic School StudentsMonkeys

1) Travel Essays

“I’m Super Diverse and Traveled to Botswana!” “One time, at Band Camp…”

2) Romance Essays

“My Boyfriend and Why I Love Him”“After Prom 2010”

3) Hate Essays

“I Hate Oprah!”“Why I Hate School”

4) Cliché Essays

“After the Rain Comes a Rainbow” “Live, Laugh, Love”

Witless Winter Wars Themes

Catastrophic College Essay TopicsBy the Numbers

Polka dots. The worst.

1# of lightning storm alarms pulled

30 # of dress code violations

15 # of ankles taped in the trainer’s room

5 # of campus tours per day

6 # of pep rally skits

60 drawings on desks and tables

4 British kids at Homecomingdance

6 pairs of flip-flops worn in November

3 kids in the library actuallydoing work

Bren

den Su

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Tiger One • Allie Morey

Nutrition Facts

Freshmen Winning Winter Wars.............................................. –50%

Being in Dress Code ......................................................................80%

Library Being the Loudest Place on Campus............................98%

Girls Using Showers in the Locker Room ..................................2%

Boys Using the Only Shower—All at Once ..........................100%

Chance the Football Team Wins ..................................................20%

Fitting 15 Girls at One Lunch Table ............................................90%

Attendance at Blackouts................................................................45%

Elevator Use by Healthy Students ..............................................58%

Having a Clean Lounge ..................................................................30%

Seniors Getting Their Senior Portraits In On Time ................70%

Underclassmen Walking Down Washington Street ................99%

Chance Sean Fernald is Being Rude ......................................–100%

Trainers Diagnose a Life Threatening Injury ............................80%

Ingredients

Murph, Mr. Clarke’s glasses, Sylvanus’s bust, tour guides, athletes,

BFL… artists, actors and actresses, new teachers, bagels on Mondays,

perky freshmen, lazy college-bound seniors, new library chairs, 50”Mac computers, pricy prom tickets, long lines at lunch, 16 peer advi-

sors, musicals, Monday Morning Meetings, 5-second breaks, mountains

of homework, class officers, community council, 1 tiger suit, iced cof-

fees, VOICE, bake sales, 1 million steps in Main, Facebook accounts,

college visits, Semi dresses, empty parking spaces, Frisbees, musicals,

cast parties, team dinners, pep rally, Varsity Girls… varsity boys??

Tweets, Hunter rain boots, collared shirts, 12 ergs, 5 Gmail accounts

that actually work, 3 sTAnd announcements, motorized golf carts,

teachers’ dogs, and the alma mater `

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STRANGEST COMBINATIONS IN THE DINING HALLSome people at ayer put the strangest foods together in the cafeteria. Here are some of those combinations.

1. Hot dog in an ice cream cone. Apparently there were no buns left?

2. Salt in chocolate milk. Some wouldsay strange, but one freshman thinks otherwise.

3. Hot sauce on pork chops. (We put that junk on everything.)

4. Macaroni and cheese covered in salt. Why not raise your cholesterol afew hundred points?

5. Meat ball subs with mustard. Confused for a hot dog?

Faceoff RCahall vs. Lounge • McCauley Braun, Allie Morey & Greg Terrono

Stuff

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TOPIC CAHALL LOUNGE

Proximity to Bathroom One step away Fifteen paces West

Proximity to Faculty Closest = Nurse’s Office In the fish bowls behind you (Heads up:not soundproof )

Proximity to Food Straight above your head Vending machines

Storage Space Large blue cubbies/ Lockers in the adjoining locker room Two times the wooden cubbies

Seating Infamous Nook, windowsills, andwooden benches Wooden benches and school chairs

Space to Do Homework If you like putting things on your lap… Multiple tables and close proximity toMs. Brown’s office

Noise Level Quiet… but ear-shattering at the end of the day Relatively quiet except for break time

Distance from Classrooms What a hike Closer to both Glover and Main

Maneuverability Good luck walking through there More than decent

Chances of

missing Cahall

after moving

to the lounge?

Highly Unlikely.

Chances ofmissing theLounge post-graduation?See you later.

Dave Skoler loves the hot stuff.AllieMoreyphoto

Rowdiness Level A circus Jersey Shore

Ability to Finish Work Too many people passing through Plausible

Fari KhaliliYou think the SATs are tiresome? Try taking the college entrance exam that Fari Khalili had

to take at her school, Mehr Iran, in Tehran. e test was all day, and was comparable to the SAT,the SAT II math, and SAT II chemistry, all in one. “People would pass out, it was horrible!” Bythe time the test day rolled around, she was prepared because of her “nightmare” of a schedule.She went to school six days a week from 8 AM–4 PM, and had a course load of nine classes. In ad-dition to all of her academics, she played volleyball at the national level her entire high schoolcareer and then in college with only one day off. Ever. She hasn’t played volleyball since college.Although this overachiever hated English, she was still able to get into a good state college, whichwas possible only for the top 40% of students in the country.

ere was only one instance when she got in trouble. During an experiment, she and herfriends burned a hole in the floor; and thus, she was banned from the laboratory. Aside from thisone circumstance, her parents had little reason to be strict; she didn’t really have time for a lifeoutside of her academics and athletics. When she sees her daughters hanging out with their friends,it makes her a little sad because she feels she missed out on a crucial part of her childhood—timeto have fun.

Your High School Teachers...

When They Were in High School • McCauley Braun

Brooks DonnellyCan you picture Brooks Donnelly in a prep-school of 78 people per grade, in the small, desolate town

of Groton, MA? It’s possible, but somehow this picture just isn’t quite right. e animated, hyperactiveteacher laughed and sarcastically remarked, “Do you know me at all, McCauley?” when asked if he en-joyed his high school years at Groton Academy. He described himself as a “skinny goofball” who justdidn’t fit in with the average “Groton personality.” (He says this, sitting up straight, nose in air, jok-ingly.) Claiming to have been “a member, but not the president, of the outcast club,” he was able tobe in any crowd, but unable to get close to anyone within any crowd.

Young Mr. Donnelly kept very busy. His crazy schedule is how he claims to have gotten any workdone. He testifies that stress was his catalyst. e well-rounded high school student floated from soccerpractice, to woodshop (shocker), to lacrosse practice, to photography, to choir, on top of editing hisyearbook year-round. en he would do homework if he hadn’t passed out yet.

So, why did he go to Groton? Well, everyone in his family was involved at his old school, includinghis dog. Just kidding, not his dog. His father was the headmaster, his mother was the math teacher, and hisbrother went there too. So, his parents encouraged him to break the trend and go to Groton. His high schoolexperience wasn’t entirely negative though; he stayed true to himself and figured out who he wanted to be.

Francisco Vega-TorresMr. Francisco Vega-Torres sits with his legs over the arm of the spinning office chair. He swings his

feet back and forth as he excitedly shares stories about his adolescence. “I was never fat!” he begins. “Iwas always skinny and tiny.” He was probably so skinny because he didn’t want to lose his money; hismom made him and his six siblings pay a fee if they didn’t do their chores. He rarely lost his moneyto his mother though, and normally he got $20 a week as an allowance… lucky man.

is A-student’s only B was received in PE. Why? Because although he got A’s on the writtentests in gym, he hid when he had to actually participate in volleyball. His school uniform was apink collared shirt and jeans (which he never got dirty in the annual mud fights that the juniorsand seniors induced).

“[e food in the cafeteria] was like the food in prison!” …not that he’s been to prison… wedon’t think. Do you have something to share, Sr. Vega? But in all honesty, he was a good boy, and herarely went out. He spent his time listening to music and reading. During the summer he was a missionary. He jammed to the music on MTV and when asked to elaborate on what artists he loved specifically, he openedYouTube and typed in “80s Music” to refresh his memory. When Blondie’s “e Tide Is High” began to play heshouted, “No, no, no, this is so embarrassing!” and clicked out immediately.

Voice page 5

In my eyes, Facebook is merely a center for young adults to “prove” to each other that they are the bestof the best. Honestly, I think more people get hurt by Facebook than derive actual enjoyment. It is hard to see the core meaning of this social network when it gets lost in its other purposes.

5 reasons why I dislike Facebook (Sorry, Mark Zuckerberg)

1 Photos Obviously, photos are a huge part of the reason why people join Facebook. First off, letme just mention the notorious practice of “creeping.” Ok, so maybe it entertains you forhours while procrastinating. But seriously, “creeping” is exactly what it sounds like. I knowyou aren’t admitting to it, but come on. Sooner or later you are looking at pictures ofpeople you don’t even know. Moving on, just thought I’d point this out; I don’t need tosee a whole album of every event you’ve ever attended, ever. I don’t really care that youwent to another party at the same household with the same people. I don’t need to knowthat you took a trip to McDonalds. I don’t need to see you hanging out the window ofyour car while driving. I don’t even want to know why that’s happening. We know you have a life. You don’t need to take 30 pictures at every event possible.

2 Status Updates Besides pictures, this one is way up there on my list. It may even be worse because thesethings are thrust upon me unwillingly when I sign on. “Party with my gurlz 2nite at 123Smith Road! Won’t be home from 9 to 12 and I’m leaving the house doors unlocked!” Wait a second, that’s not even safe. You probably shouldn’t be putting that in-formation in there…

3 Notifications Nothing is more disappointing than signing on after a week without Facebook and having (or lack there of) zero notifications. Oh wait, I have one! Donna Sullivan accepted your friend

request. Sweet, my aunt finally accepted.

4 Event invitations Just so you know, they aren’t private unless you specifically make them private! (Also goodto note for surprise parties…)

5 Inside jokes on Seriously, if you were that close with the person, you would just text them. people’s walls

Sure, Facebook allows people to “stay connected” with one another, but there are many other ways we could goabout this. There’s e-mail, phone, and even paper on which to write letters! Alright, that’s just crazy. But come on,we could live without it. And we would probably be better off. Well, after all this, you may wonder if I have a Face-book account. Why, yes I do. Would I ever consider deleting it? Not a chance.

The Book • Abby Sullivan

Luke Ferrari thinks Facebook is a modern fad that should go out of style...

cuz it’s a pain to check all the time.

Allie Morey hates girly, stupid, fake statuses... you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Julie King still needs to study for that huge AP US History test tomorrow, and she will. Just as soon as she fin-

ishes creeping through the pictures from last year's Homecoming Rave. Priorities!

Emma Taylor likes the group, "There Is No Need to 'Like' Every Group or Thing That has Some Small Rele-

vance to You."

Ms. King can’t comment on Facebook at this time... she’s busy tending to her farm.

Comment

page 6

Some other thoughts…

There they go again, 16 students strolling past the biologyrooms towards the Glover parking lot. Are they sneaking offcampus to go to Cumbie’s for a midmorning snack—or maybeeven to squeeze in a tennis match before lunch? Actually, theyare trekking across perilous Washington Street to get to our off-campus classroom. That’s right, our hidden classroom next doorto the bustling Red Line. Most of us know about the off-cam-pus turf fields, but how about the Environmental ScienceHouse? The Environmental Science House is the newly built greenhouse of Thayer Academy and the location of two AP Envi-ronmental Science (APES) classes. The previous house ofbeloved former teacher Fernand LaChance, it has been guttedand renovated into a state- of-the-art green building. Mr.LaChance worked at Thayer as a science teacher for over thirtyyears. After he passed away in 2008, his house, owned byThayer, became an available space for this opportunity. The project started construction over this past summerunder the direction of Skip Schneider and Don Donovan. Ul-timately, the goal is a net zero energy house with no emissions,which means it creates more energy than it uses. Mr. Schneiderplans on accomplishing this over the next few years with variousAPES classes. The house was built with many green materials.The floor alone is made out of strand woven bamboo, regularbamboo, and white oak from a sustainably harvested forest inVermont. The handicapped ramp is made from four differenttypes of recycled plastic and sustainably harvested wood. Thesink and its table were built from materials saved from the dem-olition. The house is meant to be a learning environment. Classeswill test the green materials to see which are most efficient anddurable. This will be accomplished with the help of CO2, CO,circuit (how much electricity is used), temperature, and humid-ity monitors. For example, students can track how much CO2they emit after a class or how long the different floors last.

So what does this say about Thayer Academy? Are we agreen school? Well, the recycling program started in earnestabout 4 years ago and has put us on the right track. In the lastyear, we recycled 14.73 tons of paper and plastic. That’s theequivalent of 236 adult trees not cut down or 68,740 gallonsof water not used. This astonishing amount shows how in-volved students have become in recycling. All of our mailingsare also on recycled paper. Now we have motion detector lightsin almost every room and our very own vegetable oil-poweredcar, Grease Lightning. We have made integral changes at Thayer, but there ismore to do. Everybody needs to start taking an active part inthese programs, such as recycling our morning iced coffee cupseveryday. But being green requires more than recycling; itmeans adjusting our everyday life. “We need to change ouroverconsumptive lifestyle,” said Mr. Schneider. He says that weneed to think to ourselves, “Do we really need that?” Material-ism is a main cause of many of this country’s environmentalproblems and simplifying our lives would make a major change. However, this project is not done yet. Future plans for theEnvironmental Science House include building an 8-inch shellaround the house to super-insulate the already heavily insulatedstructure, installing solar panels and a small wind turbine, and replacing the windows. But there are manychanges we can make to the operation of Thayer too. We stilluse too much paper and Styrofoam. We could switch to email-ing all of our letters or have heating and cooling systems thatturn on and off when actually appropriate. This house hasstarted us off on going beyond recycling. We can do so muchmore and this house will help us get there. Thayer Academy isahead of many other high schoolsin terms of being greenand we have somuch morepotential.

It’s Not Easy Being Green • Ava Moussavi

Ava

Mou

ssavi p

hoto

page 7

Carmelle Fedillaga in

front of the APES house

Physics teacher FernandLaC

hancein

action

When I look at a person, one of the first things I see is whathe or she is wearing. Have you read our mission statement? It specifically says that we, at ayer Academy, strive for,among other things, “aesthetic…excellence.” is means thatwe strive for excellence in the arts. But this could also be con-strued to mean we should strive to look good. In other words,it is safe to say that students at ayer Academy are requiredto be concerned about what they wear, whether they want tobe or not. Why is our dress code the way it is? Should wechange it?

I met with Dean of Students Kristan Gately. She is in-volved with all disciplinary actions, and dealing with dresscode infractions is one of the biggest nuisances of the job. Shesaid that a big part of the dress code situation isdealing with materials that students wear. For ex-ample, it is difficult to define denim from twill. Shealso admitted that the dress code has many grayareas. We both agreed that we could describeayer’s dress code as “awkwardly in-between.”

Ms. Gately has been at ayer for eleven yearsand considers the dress code to be relatively thesame as where it was when she started. In her timeshe has tried to relax the dress code. ere was atwo-year hiatus in which “nice” t-shirts were in-cluded in the dress code. Progress was made, butwe are now back to where we started. e t-shirtprivilege was abused; boys were wearing under-shirts that could have come from the clearance rackat Wal-Mart. She broached the possibility of jeansto our administration, but that proposal was shotdown.

Put yourself in the shoes of our administra-tors, or even the admissions staff. If you wereUpper School Director Michael Clarke, you wouldhave a lot of say about the dress code. At the sametime, it might be stressful to be in charge of the appearance of the entire Upper School. Being ahead tour guide, I, myself, find it harder to presentayer with its students wearing jeans, sweats, t-shirts and short shorts. However, there are privateschools of our caliber and price tag, that havebarely any dress code, and in the IndependentSchool League, there is a broad spectrum.

Our Dress Code • Aesthetic Excellence • Sean Barbary

Comment

page 8

Milton Academy’s handbook specifically states, “eschool has tried to avoid the complexities of a dress code, pre-ferring to stress simple standards of neatness and taste in theface of changing styles.” In other words, students at one of thepremier boarding schools in the country can wear jeans andt-shirts to class. On the other extreme, Belmont Hill Schoolhas a formal dress code, but there are certain democracieswithin it. Jackets, ties, and khaki pants are required. Everyoneis free to wear whatever style or color of these items, as longas they are wearing them. e Belmont Hill dress code hasfew gray areas, and it is easy to follow. Both ISL schools, bothwith dress codes that are easier to follow than ours.

Ms. Gately’s battle continues. She still has the job of running around the school chasing those who come to schoolin t-shirts, sweatpants and jeans. I think it is our duty to makean effort with this dress code, whether it is “awkwardly in-between” or not. Nothing against our friends at MiltonAcademy, but at ayer we should walk to class wearing pridein the form of clothing. at is why our dress code is the way it is.

Mariah Hor

an pho

to

A student (whose identity has been protected to avoid

prosecution for dress code violations) models Belmont Hill,

Milton Academy, and Thayer attire.

We both agreed that we coulddescribe ayer’s dress codeas “awkwardly in-between.”

e bell rings in Main building, and multitudes of studentsout of dress code hurry up and down the stairs, concernedmore about being late for class than about receiving a deten-tion for their pants. Black jeans, white jeans, and grey jeansflash up the stairs, a frighteningly short skirt hurries downstairs, and a collarless cashmere sweater on a male rushes to French class. Lucky for these students, Dress CodeEnforcer Extraordinaire Sue Clifford spends little time inMain Building.

On a typical school day, how many ayer students doyou see out of dress code? Probably a few at least, and likelymore girls than boys. You yourself have probably been out ofdress code at some point, or are at this moment. Each schoolyear, as new fashion trends emerge and clothes become skin-nier, the potential violations you and your clothing can com-mit increase as well. e dress code has evolved primarily tocombat these emerging trends, including the infamous Lul-uLemons and legging-pants (not to be confused with jeggings)for girls and collarless sweaters for guys.

ese newer restrictions on clothing items haven’t drasti-cally transformed the dress code during my time at ayer;the main change is how the dress code is enforced. Currently,enforcement has become more aggressive, and students are notreacting well to these changes.

Females in particular have felt the crack of the whip, beingconfronted by faculty who, in some cases, are taking a morehands-on approach, literallytouching a student’s clothesin order to determinewhether or not those suspi-cious pants are made fromforbidden material. Clearlythese students shouldn’t havebeen out of dress code in thefirst place, and the faculty ismerely doing the job passeddown to them from on high,but there must be a betterway to discreetly question astudent—no contactneeded—to get to the bot-tom of the situation.

Males have also felt thesting of dress code enforce-ment; they too have becomesubject to faculty scrutiny.More specifically, criticismfrom newly debuting DressCode Enforcer GarrettButkuss, an athletic trainerwhose daily attire consists ofgym clothes, granted he does

DRESS CODE • Fair Enforcement? • Mariah Horan

spend his entire day in the gym and fitness center. It is, how-ever, an interesting and ironic sight to see Mr. Butkuss appre-hending a male student in a sweater without a collar, while hehimself is dressed in sweats and a tee.

e main issue at hand is the scrutiny under which stu-dents have come because of their dress. Senior Emma Quigleysays, “e dress code’s restrictions have been bent by authorityin such a way that they pick at the most minute, insignificantdetails of a student’s attire.” English teacher Kate Hayman,while she appreciates Emma’s own costuming flair, respectfullydisagrees. “Teachers address the minute—as in “tiny”—notminutiae. I don’t think some girls realize how short their skirtsare. ere should be a difference between how you dress for anight out with friends and how you dress for school. If youhave to hold your skirt down with your hands while climbingthe stairs of Main, then it’s not appropriate for Main—or any-where else on campus.”

When someone’s undergarments are showing, there’s anissue. at actually is distracting, and not something I, norothers, wish to be visually assaulted by. But when the “minu-tiae” is in fact addressed, it appears a much more irrelevantand trivial issue—really, does it matter so much that a pair ofpants are made from one type of cotton textile as opposed toanother (i.e. denim and twill)?

Indeed, there is little visual difference between someonewearing denim and another wearing twill—a dress code-

approved pant material.But, little did you knowthat twill is in fact a formof denim. Additionally, asfashion trends evolve, soci-ety adopts new perceptionsof what is or is not proper attire. Once long skirtsand formal dresses wereappropriate for females,nowadays skinny pantsand a low cut top are thenorm. Once, collaredshirts on men were accept-able, nowadays v-necks,sleek sweaters, and waffleshirts are in.

As Ms. Gately puts it,“Society has gotten morecasual [over time]… thedress code takes longer toevolve than society in gen-eral.” Well, there’s no timelike the present to make achange.

Math teacher Sue Clifford apprehends

a dress code violator, Michael Vazza.

Mariah Horan photo

Other than to ask when the next Breakfast for Lunch will be, which he sayswill happen “never, ever again,” most of us rarely talk to “Chef Jack.” Why?Because he’s behind the scenes. Whether it’s slicing meat or whipping up hisfavorite school meal—Portobello Mushrooms (at home, Chef Jack loves tomake Shrimp Scampi)—it’s safe to say he’s working hard. And although hemay not be in his dream job (a fireman), he’s definitely a hero here at TA.When asked about working here, Chef Jack responded, “I love it. It’s a reallygreat place to be.” And based on the way students and faculty scarf down hismeals, the feeling is mutual.

Life

page 10

Break time. You’ve been waiting for this moment all morning. You shove through the cookie line, grab a cup of milk and finallytake a seat at the table by the window. After letting out a long sigh, you glance out the window and whom do you see? Steve, theTA security guard. He’s walking across the athletic fields in what can only be described as a monsoon, in a yellow, ankle-lengthtrench coat. Now that’s dedication, you think to yourself. And the more you think about it, the more you realize how little youknow about TA’s behind the scenes staff. In fact, despite knowing he can kill on the piano, you probably don’t even know Steve’slast name. What else don’t we know about the people who run TA?

He’s everywhere on campus: from the middle school crosswalk to the opera-tions headquarters in the blink of an eye. Ever wonder what he’s doing orwhat his metal pointer thingy does? He’s hitting deggys. What are deggys?They’re sort of like buttons that let us know Steve’s location. Steve does twotours around campus everyday, hitting 25-50 deggys per tour. During histours he checks all the rooms around campus, unlocks doors, and inspectsthe parking lot. (That’s right, he actually does check for your parking sticker.)Overtime? Aside from being TA’s resident pianist and undercover stand-upcomedian, Steve has chased the goose off the teardrop and caught squirrelsin the Hale Learning Center on Christmas Eve. With guards like Steve andthat kind of dedication to security, TA must be the safest place on earth.

You see them between your classes, riding around campus on golf carts orcutting through secret passages of Main building. Who are they, and whatare they doing? They are the maintenance workers and in reality they do justabout everything: from prepping for Homecoming to taking care of theCamp Thayer pool in the summer, and just about everything else. Fifteenyear-TA veteran Rich Uloth has seen it all. He’s taken care of live chickensrunning rampant on the third floor of Main, and dead fish hanging frompicture frames all around campus. Injuries? “Sprained ankles, thrown backs,those are just part of the territory,” he says. Where would we be without themaintenance workers? Probably dodging chickens on our way to class.

TA Behind the Scenes • Lily Bowen

Maintenance Rich Uloth

Lunch Staff Jack DeLisle

Security Steve Capachione

Bridge

t Darlin

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tos

Katie

MacVa

rish art

Have you been to the campus’s newly updated “learning commons”? You should try it. The new chairs are comfortable, the tablesare squeaky clean, and the whole area has a bright, cozy feel to it. Don’t know what a “learning commons” is? Well, you’d better getused to the phrase, because the library in which you formerly read books, studied, and did research by yourself is gone. Now the typeof studying done in libraries has shifted, focusing more on group studies with assistance from librarians, and employing all of thenew technology that is changing the way we receive information. In a world where you can find massive amounts of data, accurate and inaccurate alike, in seconds on the Internet, the Thayerlibrarians strive to help students become “information literate,” to know where they can find a good source and what it would looklike. They also work on keeping Southworth library “at the forefront of how technology is used in education,” enthuses Karen Starr,Director of Thayer Libraries. Over the past twelve years, the Thayer library has collected 19 state-of-the-art computers and 18 wirelesslaptops, in addition to the magazines and books you would expect . As the way to access information has evolved, the number ofbooks has dropped from 23,000 to about 18,000. But don’t expect them to disappear completely—there’s some information availableonly in printed books. Upper School librarian Janet Langer says, “The idea that everything is on the web is just not true.” Most webpages go back only 5 years, and databases, 20; books have been around for hundreds of years, containing unique information andeyewitness accounts, and they aren’t going anywhere. Digital books, such as the Kindle or Nook, are not designed for institutionaluse, and thus shifting the library to digital books would be more problematic than helpful, at least in the immediate future. Southworth Library is also adapting to assist students in the newer style of learning. Modern students get together to help eachother with homework problems, to study for tests, and to work on group research projects; and the library wants to assist them indoing so. The renovation plans for summer 2011 reflect this focus on collaboration: the wide-open space of the library is going tobe transformed and divided, resulting in three group study spaces and a separate writing room. Ms. Starr declares, “The current planis more suited to the ways in which students study and learn today, and how they receive information.” The new Southworth will bea place where students can collaborate or work independently, use both print and electronic resources to help them with research,and just take a break from school in comfortable new chairs.

Library of Tomorrow • Katie MacVarish

page 11

With the recent increase in enrollment here at good ole’Thayer Academy, you may find yourself staring at somenew faces. And when you take a closer look, those facesmay be looking back at you desperately. Whether it is thenew freshman who brings her backpack up to break orthe new teacher who doesn’t know exactly howmuch homework is too much home-

work, these new members of our com-munity could use a little inside information on

the inner workings of TA. In true Ned Bigby style, I gatheredsome tips from teachers, students, and even the headmaster—guaranteed to make the year a success.

AcademicsThe courses you choose to take are vital to your time here at school. If you’re a new student, you may come from a school that franklyjust isn’t as academically challenging as Thayer. Whether you chooseto put in the extra hours in the Hale Learning Center or on the lawnplaying Frisbee is based on how well you can follow these tips:

c Learn which teachers enforce the dress code and being on time toclass.

c Take the NEML.

c If you’re struggling in a course, use support from advisors and teachers.

c If you find a teacher you enjoy, don’t be afraid to request him or her.

c Make friends with Mrs. Neely—most juniors get her for Chem-istry.

c Don’t take Elder’s insults personally.

c Keep updated on the results of horse racesto impress Mr. Haney.

c Treat your junior year teachers wisely.You will be begging them to say goodthings for your college recommendationscome senior year.

page 12

Life

• Kedian Keohan

Mr. MacVarish

determines

the fate

of your sc

hedule.

Mrs. Neely

—Your new

best frie

nd

SocialThe social part of life at the Academy can often bethe most challenging to new students. Simple ques-

tions from what is Monday Morning Meeting to howcan I join the 345,678 clubs they just talked about? Often, even

just navigating the halls and classrooms or finding someone to sit withat break can be a test of true endurance...

c In Cahall, don’t sit near the trash can. It smells and is a constant traffic zone.

c Get on Murph’s good side: he can be your best source for inside information—whether it be your crush’s schedule or the revised class schedule, two days in advance.

c Don’t go home at 3:30; try a new sport, club, or art.

c Best dinner within walking distance? Loco’s.

c Don’t trip the headmaster: the lounge will be closed forthree weeks.

c When out of dress code, take the back way out of the cafeteria.

c Stop complaining about the walk to third floor Main, the lessyou think about it the easier it gets.

c Learn how to eat in five minutes flat.

c Don’t hook up in the CFA. You will be walked in on.

c Wear a collar in Glover.

c Try a new art elective; another great way to meet new people.

c Be nice to the lunch staff. Not only do they work very hard, they also help whenyou need that last PB&J or piece of flounder.

c Get the cell number for Security. It’s invaluable when you leave your backpack locked in the Lounge the night before a huge test.

c Don’t drop cups or plates in Cahall. (Always ends in a resounding “Ohhhhh!”)

c Hand out programs at the play so you can join in at the cast party.

c Use the bottom lock in the single Glover bathroom; the top lock doesn’t work and no one needs that humiliation.

Kedian Keohan photos

Mr. M

urph

y a.k

.a Murph

Vacant... o

r is it?

She didn’t go to Thayer,but the name probablyrings a bell. Phoebe wasa teenage girl who hademigrated from Irelandand attended SouthHadley High School inWestern Massachusetts.She was tormented andbullied for months byher classmates, and fi-nally was driven to sui-cide. It’s an awful story,but what does it have todo with Thayer? Plenty.Phoebe’s legacy raises agreater awareness of the

terrible power of bullying, and it encourages us to focus on pre-venting it, and on the new law.

In reaction to the death of Phoebe Prince and other teensuicides, Massachusetts legislators have greatly strengthenedanti-bullying laws. Any incident of bullying that causes physicalor emotional harm to someone, creates fear, violates rights, ordisrupts the educational environment must be reported byschool officials to the principal or headmaster, as well as to allparents of the children involved. If the case is severe enough, itmust then be reported to the police. There is also a new focuson the prevention of cyber-bullying through text, Facebook,and other technological means.

Thayer has taken the new laws to heart. Matthew Dunne,Chair of the Disciplinary Committee, says, “The new laws havemade us all more aware and attentive to the problem.” Insteadof just monitoring any suspected problems and waiting to seehow the child handles the situation, teachers are required to re-port bullying to Principal Michael Clarke or Headmaster TedKoskores, and they decide on the next steps. “It’s making thecommunity a better place, making people more comfortablehere,” said Mr. Dunne. Bullying is no longer seen as a naturalpart of growing up; it is recognized as the serious problem thatit truly is. For Phoebe, for 11 year old Carl Walker-Hoover, wecan only hope that their legacy will last and that this new aware-ness and focus on prevention is a permanent step toward endingbullying and teen suicide.

Legacies • Katie MacVarish and Lily Bowen

Life

page 14

Although his voice nolonger rings through-out the halls, thespirit of MatthewCallahan Healey stillremains an undeni-able presence here atTA. As we go forwardwith our lives and anew school year, theloss of Matt has in-spired each memberof the Thayer com-munity to be the kindof person that he was.

Matt was avital member of the Thayer community from sixth grade tohis graduation in 2009. He was involved in every aspect ofThayer life: from his key presence on the lacrosse field, to hisincredible lead performance as Beast in the fall 2008 musical,Beauty and the Beast. The Thayer community experienced anincredible loss when Matt fell sick with influenza, heightenedby a pre-existing lung condition, and passed away.

However, Matt’s legacy at TA did not end there. His fam-ily, still crucial members of the TA community, has establishedan award to be given in his honor at Last Chapel every year.The Matthew Callahan Healey ’09 Memorial Prize is “givenin memory of Matthew Callahan Healey ’09 to a student inthe senior class who has exhibited the qualities that made mattso special: an inclusive and unparalleled spirit, true exuberancefor life, the ability to find happiness and humor in the simplestof things, and great love for his family and the Thayer com-munity.” The very first recipient of the Matthew Healey Me-morial Prize was Paul Monahan ’10 at the 2010 Last Chapelceremony.

Although future classes at TA will not personally knowthe wonderful character of Matt as the years go by, his legacywill live on in our community forever. Those who are blessedwith a spirit similar to that of Matt’s will be honored annuallythrough his legacy.

Phoebe Prince Matthew Healey

College. To half of you, this word conjures images of American Pie, Animal House, Legally Blonde, raucous parties, and Frisbee on thegreen. As enchanting as these college fantasies may seem, the road to higher education (yes, college is a continuation of your studies)is not quite as simple as sending a video of yourself in a bikini to Admissions.

For juniors, this year is all about the exciting start of your college search. To the remaining quarter of you, the only things as-sociated with college at this point may be piles of paperwork, pressure, and big decisions. Almost all seniors would agree that thistime of year they are cramming, and wish they had started the process sooner.

Allie Bookstein thinks the college counselors should have provided, “checklists, really good checklists,” to us as freshmen. Shealso advises the current freshmen to “get their grades up!” Freshman year grades do matter. ey factor into your cumulative GPA—one of the first things that colleges look at. However, there are loopholes to the freshman slump. Mr. Haney suggests to freshmen,“Take easier courses like Algebra I so they can take Physical Science—an easy A. Or they could just study, but who wants to do that,right?” Hopefully, most go with the latter, or at least apply it to all of their classes whether easy or more challenging.

Many students feel that freshman year is too early to really dig into the college search, but maybe they should be given an ideaof what schools are out there. Betsy Lorenzo also agrees, saying, “It would have been nice to know earlier what we needed to aimfor to be accepted at certain schools in terms of GPA, test scores, and what classes to take.” To illustrate this, of the seven sophomoresI interviewed, four listed Quincy Community College as a safety school, while Harvard, MIT, BC, and BU appeared most frequentlyon their list of hopefuls. Not one student mentioned an out-of-state school as one they were considering. When interviewing agroup of sophomore boys, my college questions sparked a bet over which decision was “the one where you had to go there, nomatter what”—meaning the application with a binding contract—ED (Early Decision) or EA (Early Action). ey also estimatedtheir likelihood of acceptance at MIT and Harvard, guessing the average GPA accepted there to be a 3.3 and average SAT scores tobe in the 1400s. In reality, for Harvard, the GPA depicted on Naviance, ayer’s college counseling website, is a 4.16 and the SATscore is 2254. Lastly, I hate to break it to whoever put their money or silly bands on EA, but ED is the one you’re bound by.

CollegeQuest • Emma Quigley

Emma Quigley

art

What Are YourChances?

The prescient Naviance scatter plot illus-

trates a student’s likelihood of accept-

ance into various schools as compared to

previous Thayer applicants. It can invoke

feelings of stress, relief, insecurity, medi-

ocrity, or superiority, depending on where

you fall. Don’t worry. The one reproduced

below doesn’t involve a single thing

related to college. It’s only in jest. But

freshmen, get familiar with the format...

Lit

page 16

Irini Sotiri art

Click to

One click to connectIs all that it took,

Chatting and jokingCaught them both like a hook.

Fatigued by their lives,But they felt inside,Youthful and readyTo test the untried.

As time went Talk was not enough,

They planned to elope,Though it would be tough.

Trains and planes,Family got in the way,

But nothing would stop themOn the fateful day.

At last they met,Carnations in hand,

Two souls unitedIn escape of their land.

Starting a new life,Their spirits soared like doves,

Sailing into the sunset,With their one true love.

— Irini Sotiri

Final Leap • Mariah Horan

Jake

Ken

ny pho

to

Rufus awoke with a start. Panting, he jerked himself upward in a cold sweat. He had seen it again, played in his mind for theumpteenth time since she had left. Or rather, since she ran away. He was baffled by the nightmare, haunted by the horrific,undefined terror it caused to pulse through his veins. His heavy breathing subsided and he slowly removed the sheets from

his perspiring body. His bare feet padded along the cold oak floorboards of the creaky house. It was dark, but the moon illuminatedthe houses in an eerie, blue-tinged glow. A screeching gust of wind shook the house, sending a slight shiver through his body.

Sleepily, he half-walked, half-dragged himself to the kitchen. As his toes reached the frigid marble tiles of the floor, they guidedhim to the cherry cabinets where he blindly felt for the heavy glass, then to the fridge for the carton of chilled orange juice. Hepoured himself a glass, and took a slow sip. This had become a ritual for him, a distraction he developed once she had left, and thenightmares ensued.

The moonlight streaming from the window above the sink illuminated his favorite picture, displayed in an old frame and restingupon the counter top. Rufus walked over to the picture and stared at it. He and Penelope were sitting together, on the front steps ofthe house, as they traditionally had every night of the summer for the past eight years. His happiness was substantiated by his broad,joyous smile. It seemed as though Penelope was smiling too. He held her close, in an almost fatherly way, in an embrace Penelopewas accustomed to. A tear swelled behind his eyelid, and slid slowly from the inner corner of his eye towards the bridge of his nose,falling to the glass of the frame. He quickly cleaned the tear off with the sleeve of his waffle-textured thermal, and set the picturedown. He looked through the window, into the expanse of barren fields. He closed his eyes and visualized the nightmare he had seenso many times before. Penelope ran through the familiar golden fields in the soft light of a summer day and came to a cliff. AlthoughRufus was churning his legs as fast as they could take him, he could not reach her. With a backward glance at Rufus, she launchedherself from the cliff, and at that exact moment Rufus would awake, panic stricken every time. He and Penelope shared a bond; theyhad depended on each other’s affection. It puzzled him that anything would have caused her to leave so suddenly. His wife’s stridentvoice pierced the silence as she called to him from their bedroom. “Rufus, it is four in the morning. Stop worrying about that idioticdog, and come back to bed. I’m growing sick of this. She’s gone; Penelope is gone and not coming back.”

Teachers tell us what’s so special about their favorite books

Sue CliffordBook of Choice Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman

“It’s the first book that ever made me think about life.” Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman is a bookabout the improvement in technology and public media. It explains how every time there’s advancement in tech-nology something else falls. According to Ms. Clifford, the book made her consider reading social commentary asopposed to fiction. She would recommend it mainly to students interested in history, or “anyone who’s lookingfor a book that makes them think.”

Jamie FormatoBook of Choice Physics and Antiphysics by Adolph Baker

If you know Mr. Formato, you know he’s a pretty smart guy. So it’s no shocker that his favorite book is aboutsomething as profound as physics—oh, and antiphysics of course. Sounds pretty confusing, right? Mr. Formatoclaims that the book actually “presents complicated physics ideas in a simple fashion for the non-mathematicallyinclined.” He tells us that he has adopted ideas from it, including his ever-famous stick figures. He also enlightensus about his current copy, which was a gift from Mr. LaChance, a beloved physics teacher who taught at Thayerfor over 30 years. “He gave it to me when the binding of my old one broke [from constant reading].” So it comesas no surprise that this book holds a special place in his heart.

Books of Choice • Abby Sullivan and Irini Sotiri

Kate HaymanBook of Choice Anything by David Foster Wallace

Ms. Hayman’s favorite essay by David Foster Wallace is “Consider the Lobster,” a piece on the morality of boilinglobsters alive for supper. Each year, when she uses it in a unit on the persuasive essay, Ms. Hayman makes it obviouswhy she loves it: “He’s got this sort of acrobatic style of writing and thinking; he’s a verbal trapeze artist. And hedoes a good job of showing his audience that it’s okay, and often, in fact, really good and important to challengeauthority or the status quo – to think independently – but that we should do so from an informed position. Henever took on anything he hadn’t thoroughly researched and thought about. He was a wise- (um) aleck, who wasactually wise, and students always dig him.”

LitAbb

y Su

llivan

pho

tos

Mr. Formato reading his all-time fave before the Pumpkin Drop

The waves crashed against the shore with a fury thatonly Poseidon himself could create. The sea mistspewed into the air as each sequential wave hit the

jagged rocks that protected Quinton Owens from being con-sumed by the tumultuous and ever-growing dark abyss. Therock he was sitting on jabbed into his skin, drawing blood,but Quinton barely noticed. He had come to this spot, as hehad so many times before, to ponder his life and hopefullycome to some conclusion. Today he was left with very littlehope as the freezing December air swirled around him, numb-ing his already raw skin. He was at the end of his rope; he wasas relevant as a pebble and even a miniscule insect receivedmore attention than he did. Quinton Owens was a uselessthirty-year-old man, drained of all the self-esteem he once hadhad as a teenager. He had been the star quarterback as a seniorin high school, until that fateful day his car ran off the roadand into the very sea he now squinted at.

Freedom • Alex Huntington

The car accident had taken away everything he hadachieved in his seemingly short life. He had been left with awithered, lame leg people were horrified by or embarrassed tolook at. It was twisted at an angle, and though he had sufferedthrough countless surgeries, he would never walk on his lifelessleg again. That year had been the worst of his life. All aroundhim, his sense of normalcy had come crashing down in cas-cades of catastrophe.

Quinton gazed out into the blackness and felt a kind ofkinship with the sea. The waves churned and the foam bub-bled like his overwrought gut, unyielding to medication orremedy. The deep blackness only reminded him of how emptyhe felt inside. He doubted he even had a soul anymore. Hewasn’t a devil, but he certainly wasn’t worthy of the title ofangel. He was in a sort of limbo, forever wandering, driftingthrough life, without as much as a word to anyone. His lifewas on autopilot and he was the tin man: no heart and noth-ing inside.

Quinton glanced down and felt compelled to brush theswirling mirror beneath him. He dipped his fingers in the

water, feeling the cool rush against his bare skin andimagined what it would be like to swim again. Hecould almost feel the pressure of the water thrust-ing back against his body. Quinton held this

thought in his mind as he moved slowly over theslippery rocks and towards the unexpect-

edly inviting unknown. He plungedtowards the water, hitting the sur-

face with a tiny splash, and float-ing down into the darkness. The

rough waters tossed him backand forth, cut-

ting himevery sooften on aprotruding

rock, butthat didn’t

matter. Hewas a youngfootball player

again, heading tothe state champi-

onships. He was a manwith no limits and no braces to hold him back from the world.As he saw the last glimmer of light from the surface, Quintonknew he was a bird, and he had been set free.

page 19

Melody Attarha a

rt

Nowadays as I roll into the CFA parking lot just in the nick of time, I reminisce about my past struggles to attend first period… Tires would screech to a halt at the red light on Washington Street as cars and pedestrians rushed by, vying toreach their destination before I could reach mine. My eyes would stay focused on the burning failure of the red stoplight,

anxiously waiting for it to turn green. The light would turn, and I’d yell for my father to hit the gas. Dunkin Donuts coffee wouldspill from in between our seats as we cut the last corner into the Glover parking lot. The first sign that I was late was the absence ofcars in the always-crowded Standing and Passing Lanes, and the lack of people racing to morning advisee. I’d grab my bags, and witha flurry of sentences, mangle something out about picking me up after trackacapellarehearsalcrosscountrysportsclubperiodplaymeet-ingswithteachers.

I would jump out of the semi-moving vehicle and slam the door as Papa K yelled something like, “Make good choices!” I’d chuckle as I sprinted across campus, the taste of my French vanilla coffee still on my breath, providing the needed energy for thatmorning jaunt. The steps into Main building were extra slippery as I’d run smack into Headmaster Koskores, out for a morningperusal of the grounds. I’d mumble some form of greeting and then pause inside, debating whether to make the last minute rush toMurph’s for an 8:00 am sign-in or to attempt the three-floor mountain climb to advisee. I would picture another pink tardy slip, andfeel daring as I ran to the 3rd floor hoping to make it on time. I’d breeze by the language rooms on the 2nd floor as the steep climbbegan. With one last burst of energy I would reach the top and hear the bell ring; I always feared the worst. I’d speed-walk headdown into Mr. Donnelly’s room as a flow of announcements were being read about this sport, this club, this teacher, this ring lost inthe locker room, this dress down day. Mr. Donnelly would look up and my stomach would drop, and with a smile he’d say, “All here.” I’d let out a sigh of relief: I was safe another day.

• Kedian Keohan

page 20

Irini Sotiri pho

toLit

I t had been many years since she killed him, and he was not yet sure whether or not he wanted to return thefavor. A heart attack spares the victim that which a broken heart kills: one’s spirit. He wished he had hadthe heart attack.

It was one date; that was all. It lasted maybe an hour and a half, not even that long a movie. But the anxietybefore he asked her to go out must have lasted a lifetime of eternities. As each day passed further from their fresh-man year of high school, her image became sharper, yet more blurred in his mind. He began to pine over her, andit overcame him like a sickness. The mental fixation, the worry—it felt like metal hooks were pulling on his heart.When she said yes, he felt the corners of his mouth rise, pulling the hooks off with them. He thought his ordealwas over, and it was, if only for a minute. Once again, his mind became a camcorder, replaying scenario after sce-nario, trying to secure the perfect future. It seemed that everything hung on a ninety-one minute showing ofHarold and Maude. He envisioned perfection oozing out of her: from her hair, her eyes, her smooth, flawless skin.She was attractive, but he convinced himself that it was her personality that drew him in; that her looks were onlya bonus. Their one date passed like the inaudible fleeting whisper of a passerby, never to be heard from again.None of his fantastic scenarios of how the date would be came to fruition. And then she left, and didn’t tell himwhere she went or, more importantly, why. She built a torture chamber out of his mind, one that he could not es-cape, one that would follow him always.

By happenstance they met again on the street and decided they would catch up for old time’s sake. Emotionsurged through his veins like liquefied lightening. Was he hopeful or hateful? She had put a vice-grip on his soulthat never seemed to let go. He wanted to make her suffer. He wanted her to die, as he had. She rang the doorbell,and he answered it casually. They sat down at the table together and began to talk. But the tone of the conversationquickly changed. The floodgates opened—he told her how she had made him feel. He wanted to break her heartand wrack her with guilt. He took out his pistol and shot himself in the heart. One lone drop of blood landed onher quivering lip. His body was dead, but his spirit was free, for his heart had died along with it. She, on the otherhand, remained forever trapped in the prison of a tortured mind.

M i n d G a m e s • Greg Kraft

Ari Flem

ing art

Have you ever been curious about the secret lives of your teachers? Seeing an English teacher in Glover is weird enough, so it’s notsurprising that our teachers lives out of school are a complete mystery. We can’t really tell you exactly what goes on after school’s out,but we hope this eases some of your curiosity.

Arts

page 22

Kevin Cedrone

HIDDEN TALENT Drawing with charcoal (specifically still lifes) YEARS OF ExPERIENCE One semesterACCOMPLISHMENTS B+ in studio fundamentals at Holy CrossPERSONAL STATEMENT “It’s all in the light source.”

Susan Witt

HIDDEN TALENT Cake decoratingYEARS OF ExPERIENCE Since she was 11 years oldACCOMPLISHMENTS After years of working in her father’s Bakery, Mrs.Witt decorated her ownseven-tier wedding cake.PERSONAL STATEMENT “It’s in my bones.”

Faculty Hidden TAlents • Melody Attarha and Raisa Hoffman

Tom Chiari

HIDDEN TALENT Ballroom dancingYEARS OF ExPERIENCE 3-4 Years

ACCOMPLISHMENT Courting his wifePERSONAL STATEMENT “If you would like to woo a woman away from her boyfriend,

learn how to ballroom dance.”

Darah Harper

HIDDEN TALENT CookingYEARS OF ExPERIENCE Her whole lifeACCOMPLISHMENTS • Took cooking classes at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Paris. • And even took cooking classes while she was in Spain.PERSONAL STATEMENT “e time I took classesin Paris was one of the most memorabletimes of my life.”

Jim Pickel

HIDDEN TALENT Acting YEARS OF ExPERIENCE 30• Played the sheriff in

e Best Little Whorehouse in Texas • Played John Adams in e Duke

and Dutchess of Braintree (Written byour very own, Dan Levinson!)

• Has recorded advertisements on TV

PERSONAL STATEMENT “Well... I can’tdraw, so...”

Dan Forrest

HIDDEN TALENT Video gameYEARS OF ExPERIENCE Since the game’s been aroundACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Top scorer in Dungeons & Dragons• Top scorer in Geometry Wars on XboxPERSONAL STATEMENT “I can make a mean graph in Paint.”

Ever seen The Hangover? Remember the tiger? Did you know that the man whose job it is to take care of him gets his name in the credits?How about in Tropic Thunder when Les Grossman tells a “key grip” to punch Steve Coogan’s character? Undoubtedly a funny moment,but does anyone actually know what the“key grip” does? Most would say no. Most would say that as soon as the last frame of a film fades outand the credits reel fades in, they stand up and head out. It’s a tragedy. Without the 200 names that follow, the film simply wouldn’t exist.Each job listed in the credits contributes to a brilliantly flowing system known as the film crew.

DIRECTOR Conveys the story in the most effective and creative way possible Big films can have up to five assistant directors Chooses actors and directs their performances

PRODUCER In charge of the business aspect (i.e., scheduling, hiring people, budgeting etc.) Works for companies like Universal and Fox Searchlight One of the most important members of the crew

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Usually has very little responsibility Independent filmmakers try to find at least one Hollywood “Heavy Hitter” to attach to their film by making him or her an executive producer (raises awareness for the film)

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY (DP) Works on the “look” of the shot (i.e., the desired tone, mood, etc.) Deals mostly with the Key Grip and “Starbucks Run”

ARMOURER In charge of all things that go “boom”

GANG BOSS Head of the set building department

SWING GANG Team of set builders

KEY GRIP Head of the rigging and lighting departments

GAFFER Head of the electrical department

BEST BOY Usually two on a film crew One is the assistant to the Gaffer; the other is the assistant to the Key Grip

And the Credits Roll... • Ty Richardson

Arts

page 24

Ty Richa

rdso

n ph

oto

Fun

Fact Thefirst film to use ex-

tensive closing creditswas Around theWorld in Eighty

Days (1956).

CONTINUITY Makes certain that all elements of the film stay consistent through out (i.e., the color of the actor’s shirt, which hand a watch is on, etc.) Because this job is so detail- oriented, it is one of the hardest on the crew

WRANGLER Deals with anything on a film set that can’t be spoken with (i.e., animals)

In the words of Greg Kraft in his musical debut as Nicely Nicely Johnson, “I’lltell you what’s playing at the Roxy!” Only in this case, there is no actual “Roxy.”But, there is our CFA! Which is close enough.

Twelve months have flown by faster than any of us have realized, bringingthe musical month of November back to Thayer Academy. Crap games, engage-ments, Save-A-Soul Missions, show girls, and gamblers, all contribute to the wildand crazy plot of this year’s musical, Guys and Dolls. Students can’t help but humthe tune to classics such as “Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat” while passing fromclass to class.

McCauley Braun and Harry Bacon combine to make a comedic tag-team asMiss Adelaide and Nathan Detroit. They love each other a “bushel and a peck,”giving the show a healthy dose of romantic tension. In the same vein, the forbid-den romance between Miss Sarah and Sky Masterson (played by Julia Budde andDimitri Antoniou, respectively) who’ve “never been in love before” creates a similartension. In addition to these romantic twists and turns, there are performances at the Hot Box Club, and Nathan’spursuit of a place to run his secret crap games, which are only a few of the happenings in this intricate plot.

Among the enthusiastic and devoted cast, is someone from our community whom we all know very well.The man who greets you every morning when you come in late, the man whose well-known laugh resonates alongthe walls of the CFA, the man who stops by every morning during second period to see if we’re all present... whoelse but the one-and-only: MURPH! John Murphy will be making a cameo in this year’s musical as LieutenantBrannigan. Just as thoroughly as Murph checks attendance, Lieutenant Brannigan so sniffs out Nathan Detroit’ssecret crap games. This Irish brogue’d lieutenant makes the perfect Thayer theater debut for Murph. His committedand enthusiastic performance is a must-see and will leave you smiling.

The cast members have found this production to be fulfilling in a way that is different from past ones. The diversity in Guys and Dolls involving all aspects of theater is something new and exciting to many cast mem-bers. In the words of Hot Box Dancer Molly O’Brien, “Guys and Dolls has been one of the hardest shows I’vebeen in because it incorporates so many people in so many different ways. It can be a little crazy but at the sametime that’s what makes it so much fun! Seeing all the pieces come together is always really exciting!” One crucialaspect to this production, dancing, has been a new but rewarding challenge for Hot Box Singer, Sarah Reynolds.“This year I did a lot more dancing than usual. And it’s been pretty brutal because I am not a dancer, but it’s been

fun!” For both Dimiti An-toniou (Sky Masterson)and PJ Leddy (Harry theHorse), the best part ofGuys and Dolls has beenworking with this specificcast. In the words of Dim-itri, “It’s been really fun tobe one of the upper class-men and have a chance toget to know the new fresh-men. Going from theyoungest in the show toamong the oldest has beenreally odd, but also a lot offun.” And for PJ, “Thebest part is the people who

are in it. I know the friendships and bonds we establish working together will last long after we graduate.” Want to see this close-knit, well-rounded, and talented cast shine? Guys and Dolls is the show to see!

Grab your dice, fedoras, feather boas, and we’ll see you there!

What’s Playing at the Roxy? • Raisa HoffmanRa

isa H

offm

an pho

tos

Elisa Sipols (as Aunt Arvida) and

Julia Budde (as Sarah Brown)

rehearsing “More I Cannot Wish You”

The Girls, playing male gamblers, pose during “Crapshooter’s Ballet”

There’s evidence of doodling done by all kinds of people, whether you’re in the White House (yes, even our presidents have

been doodlers) or in history class. Whether you do it every once in a while, or you’ve set aside a part of your notebook for

it (… Andrew McManus?), we have all escaped boredom through doodling at one point or another. So what? Is there any

significance to these childish drawings crammed in corners of notebook pages? While hopefully, none of our doodles depict

Superbad obsessions, they do provide a window into our innermost thoughts.

TA Gallery Doodles • Melody Attarha

Arts

page 26

Franny Saunders • Junior Doodler

Now, we’ve seen intricate doodles everywhere, from note-

books to desks, but Franny Saunders has given us a new

place to create art. Well, I’m not sure it’s exactly good for

your skin, but it is portable.

Franny Saunders’ doodles can be found regularly on the

back of her hand and are usually completed by last period.

They depict abstract designs and shapes.

Andrew McManus • Senior Doodler

Doodles tend to be small and unplanned, but even art

teacher Karen Koskores would be proud of Andrew’s full-

page sketches. Although he has asked us to keep the spe-

cific location of his doodles private, we can tell you that

fully half of his notebook for this subject is dedicated to

art. This full page pencil drawing depicts a spacecraft going

into outer space. Andrew’s doodles include airplanes, and

bears in forests. He is in the process of completing a sketch

of an island.

Fran

ny Sau

nders art

And

rew M

cMan

us art

New Faces in the Crowd • Kevin Deng

Sports

Quentin Hall Emily Matthews Jordan Cavaco Julia Barron

Football Field Hockey Soccer x-Country

Former school & mascot

Plymouth SouthJaguars

Marshfield High SchoolRams

Brockton Boxers &MPS Crusaders U-17

Derby Academy

Favorite things about Thayer

The welcoming com-munity and being partof the team

The turf fields and beingable to go to the librarywithout a pass

The amount of differ-ent opportunities avail-able

e supportive team andthe coaches who knowwhat they are doing

StrengthsExperienced 7 yr PopWarner veteran, quickfeet for a lineman

Team player and strongdefense

Versatility and goodball distribution

Gives good effort, runsfast, and scores lots ofpoints

Hidden talentsCan cook and enjoyssinging

Has amazing waterskiingability

Excellent refereeingskills

Can figure skate and cando an axel

Team Prediction

At least .500 winningpercentage

Win New England’s or atleast be ISL champs

Make it to the Class Btournament and be ISLchamps

Definitely have morewins than losses

0 # of times boys XC Coach Pelletier gets angry at the team

2,738 # of times he gets angry at Cory Rayfield

19’ 5” Combined height of XC runners Clougher, Murray, and Pratt

22 Average miles run per week by cross-country

4 Average miles run per week for any other sport

7” Height of grass for girls soccer games

1 ½” Height of grass for boys soccer games

16 # of varsity boys soccer players

2 # of senior boys soccer players

8 # of touchdowns by Prendy this year so far

1 # of touchdowns his whole freshman year

235 Average weight of football’s starting offensive line

25 # of pounds gained per person due to indoor s’mores

49 # of times Melissa Piacentini has injured fellow teammates

861 # of times Emily Matthews says “Hey, Ladies!”

503 # of Congo Bars eaten by field hockey

35 $ per goal donated by girls soccer to the Long Island Homeless Shelter

1 # of boom boxes owned by girls soccerpage 27

TA Sports by the #s

Kevin Den

g ph

otos

Sports

page 28

Girls FH

Info provided by Allie Morey & Emma Quigley

Warm up Song?

• Be You by e Varsity GirlsTeam Lank

• “Probably me…” — Allie Intensity?

• Anna Kenyon gets really loud and in your face before every game.

Dress Code Violations?

• e majority of the team thinks it is ok to not wear pants. Edge?

• “Our intensity and Melissa Piacentini.” — Allie • “We beat Brooks!” — Emma

Girls Soccer

Info provided by Jessie Clinton & Bryn Boucher

Special Skillz

• Lindsey’s Stanky Leg• One of us dated Justin Bieber…Team Lank

• Ali DesmondDress Code Violations?

• eme Days• G’s Pink Jumpsuit• Caitlin’s neon blue socks (my bad)Edge?

“Cuz we got da best boom box and we supa good lookin’.” — Jessie

Round 1 Girls

Soccer vs. X-CountryGirls Field Hockey gets a bye because they made it to the NewEngland Finals last year.

Winner: Girls soccer. Although XC is quite stylish, soccerhas the supreme lankiness of Ali Desmond and her legendary“lanky run.” Plus, as assistant coach Ryan Leonard (AKA Bro)points out, “ey’re really strange.”

Round 2 Girls

Soccer vs. Field HockeyA longstanding rivalry between two of TA’s most successfulgirls’ athletic teams makes this matchup a ferocious one.

Winner: While both have a lank named Allie, ques-tionable warm-up songs, and various dress code violations,and although FH has an impressive record, soccer takesthe cake, because well… come on… Justin Bieber.

Which fall sport has what it takes to win? • Caitlin Chase

Girls X-Country

Info provided by Raisa Hoffman, Melody Attarha

& Maeve Sussek

Special Skillz

• Raisa can talk backwards.• Has covered every inch of campusMost Intense

• “Evelina gets in the zone before every race” – Maeve• “Monet ties her hood really tight around her head and doesn’t talk to anyone...” – Raisa Dress Code Violations?

• Short Shorts• “Kori Mullen wears outfits at practice that I would wear out to dinner.” – RaisaEdge?

“If you ain’t runnin’ with it, run from it.” — Raisa

Ari Fleming art

Final Round

Football vs. Girls Socceris is not just a question of football versus soccer, it

is a question of boys in tight pants or girls in crazy

colors. Sweaty and hairy, or strange and celebrity

crazed? Tous or Schneids?

Winner: Football. ey need as many victories

as they can get.

Round 2 Boys

Boys Soccer vs. Footballis was close. Al’s various grandma sweaters are a little biteasier on the eyes than football’s tight pants. Seriously, nobodywants to see that, no matter how much “the ladies love them,”Shane. But as far as special skills go, I have witnessed sopho-more Harrison’s supposed “mackin” skills, and have yet to beimpressed. TJ’s beard, however, is a thing of beauty. Whenasked how he keeps that thing under control, teammate LukeFerrari responded, “He trims.”

Winner: Football

Round 1 Boys

Football vs. Boys XCe pure youth of Boys Soccer gets them a bye.“We’re all like, 15.” – Colm

Winner: Football. is was close, for the sole reason thatthe legendary Michael Clougher is a member of XC, but foot-ball’s fierce combination of hairiness, sweatiness, and straight-up caveman-ness helped them pull away the W.

Boys Soccer(Info provided by Al Issa, T White, Colm Desmond, Tommy Logue)

Special Skillz

• Harrison mackin’ biddies• “We are the ugliest team in the school.” — Tommy Warm Up Songs?

• Harrison singing Battlefield by Jordin Sparks• I’m On a BoatDress Code Violations?

• Al’s SweatersEdge?

• “Harrison’s teeth.” — Al

Boys X-Country

Info provided by Chippy Kennedy & Brennan Murray

Special Skillz

• “Sweet abs and Clougher” — ChippyTeam Lank

• Clougher… But pretty much the whole team.Intensity?

• “Clougher foams from the mouth with intensity… it looks like rabies.” — Brennan Dress Code Violations?

• Ridiculously small uniforms• “Sometimes my nipples show and I don’t like it.” — Brennan Edge?

• “We get more cat calls from the girls teams than any other team…and Clougher.” — Chippy

Boys FootballInfo provided by Luke Ferrari, Ify Chukwujama,

Mike Vassolotti, Charlie Finnegan, Shane Donovan, Jamie Becker, Ryan Vayo

Special Skillz

• Luke and Jamie can outsweat anybody.• TJ Flatley’s beard Warm Up Songs?

• Zombie by e Cranberries• Good Vibrations by e Beach BoysIntensity?

• e overwhelming consensus is Coach Toussaint “Pretty sure he stiff-armed some Milton kid celebrating.” — Vayo• “After the RL game he jumped into Brendan Lawler’s arms.” — Luke Dress Code Violations?

• e tight, neon orange pants— “e tight pants make my butt look good.” – Shane Edge?

• “We like to Party.” – Ify• “We have a caveman (TJ).” – Mike

Ari Fleming art

“Tony’s playing career speaks for itself and I am excited to see what he brings to the program both this season

and in the future.” — Chris Tasiopolous

“I feel like the program will definitely be heading in a new direction, but it’s the players themselves that ultimately

determine how the season is going to end up, not the coach.” — Cam Butler

“It’s going to be a tough season, but everybody here is willing to work hard.” — Sam Valentine

“We’re going to be danglin’ benders and snippin’ tenders. And we’re really excited.” — Tyler Blaisdell and

John Barry

“We have nothing to lose this season.”

— Pat Gill (Pat would also like to add that the team will be looking for fans this year, especially some ladies.)

Quotes from TA Hockey • 2010-2011

For the last half century, Thayer Academy has prided itself onhaving an excellent hockey program. A program that sendsplayers to D-1 universities, a program that has even turnedout a few Olympic athletes. However, a com-bined record of 9-52-1 in regular seasongames over the last three years has led toa noticeable loss of pride. But there ishope. Olympian and world-class pro-fessional athlete Tony Amonte, whoboosted Thayer to a New EnglandChampionship victory in his freshmanyear against an undefeated team, is back asTA’s varsity coach. Although the oldest team he has evercoached was a U-13 team, Mr. Amonte isnot concerned, but rather, extremely opti-mistic about switching gears to coaching ahigh school team. “It’s going to be a bit of ajump for me, but these kids are older. Com-munication will be easier with these guys.I’m going to be on a more even ground.” Mr. Amonte says his ultimate goal forthis year is to achieve a .500 season. Somemight feel as if this goal is less than ambi-tious, but considering that our hockey teamhas averaged only a mere 3 wins per seasonover the last 3 years, breaking even would be amajor accomplishment. Looking at the scores of games in re-cent years, he noticed that Thayer was on the losing end of alot of close, one-goal matches. To him, being on the winningside of games like those is crucial to the team’s success thisyear. “At Thayer we pride ourselves on being a working people,a working team.

A Return to Glory? • Brennan Murray

Sports

“We need to be a team with hard hats; get out on the ice andgrind out some tough wins.” As he continued to express thecrucial factors in turning TA hockey into a winning team once

again, Mr. Amonte also madeclear that having a homehockey rink is somethingthat would significantlycontribute to the hockeyprogram’s success, not thiscoming year of course, butdown the road. “Having arink would be the lastpiece of the puzzle.”

For now though, con-sidering that he will bepretty much starting fromscratch as far as getting toknow the players and howthey function as a unit, hereally just wants to famil-iarize himself with theplayers. “We gotta get inthere and get down to thenuts and bolts, see whattype of character our teamhas...things are going to

take some time. It’s goingto be an adjustment period for sure.” Coach Amonte’s experience speaks for itself: 16 years inthe NHL, 2 Olympic appearances, a gold medal in the WorldCup of Hockey, and numerous other feats. To say he has beenin extreme pressure situations is an understatement. He hasseen it all. And now we hope to witness him handle the hotseat once again, with the same success he always has.

Portrait of Tony Amonte by Bill Searle

Tony Amonte scoresat

the

Oly

mp

icG

ames

page 30

Strong SideFreshest Air Jordan cleats in the league

Can hold his ground against 300-lb linemen

Strong enough to block opposing de-fensive tackles with one arm and

play Xbox with the other

100% chance of getting into hisfirst and only college choice

Quick feet for a big guy

Tears cure cancer. Too bad hedoesn’t cry… ever

Tackles opponents so hard that they end up in the next week

Is the size of 5 people combined (Hailee Miller + Mark Doyle +

Robin Spofford + Hannah Cooper+ Ms. Lee = Paul Nwokeji)

Has perfect combination of size, speed, and immunity from snitches to be

the perfect peer advisor

page 31

Paul Nwokeji • Kevin Deng

Weak SideSo big he has trouble fitting inside normalsized cars

Drives a Hummer

Ankles don’t work

Limited to being only the second tallest person in school

Can’t prevent sickness or disease

Brain is constantly filled with uselessschool material instead of football plays

Would rather be at Rosie’s than in the game

Won’t get playing time in the next three years

Gets more hugs at school than tackles on the field

Such a nice guy that after crushing opposing players, he apologizes

Asks Coach Tous to take him out so hecan grab a mid-game snack

Snitch

I’ve been wanting to ask you something...

Semi ’10?

I don’t know wheremy head is at...

#notagoodlook.

Dude, I n

eed a

haircu

t.

My flow

is w

orse

than

Lank’s.

I just tie back my flow

wih a Burgess Ultimate

Frisbee bandana.

It works out real nice.

After-Hours Gossip with the Statues in Main Building

Voice Magazine fall 2010

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Transcript of Voice Magazine fall 2010