Cutthroat Underground

By India Emerick

All six filed out in front of the audience, aligned themselves, introduced themselves and then sung.For Brazilian foreign exchange students having never been here nor met us, they were incredibly brave, charismatic and inspiring.In late April, The Community School was blessed with a week of international exposure during the visit of students from our sister school in Brazil.Brunna Barros, Luiz Rates, Geraldo Pereira Neto, Natalie Gauer, Andrea Malcher, and Judas Tadeu Alves dos Santos came under the supervision of a few teachers. The six Brazilians lived with Cutthroat sophomores, amongst them Colin Waycott, Emily Gillespie and Morgan Atkinson, and came to classes for four days.Said Emily, “We had a lot of fun hosting.I think they enjoyed The Community School.”

The entire school, especially the 10th grade, was given a truly cultural experience, yet at the same time, we realized that despite the geographical distance, they were very much the same as us.When asked about living with a Brazilian, sophomore Tom Crosby replied, “It was like living with any other kids.I mean, obviously they were Brazilians, but…” he trailed off.Even for those who didn’t host, it was great.Said sophomore Gabi Perenchio, “Even though I didn’t host any, I still feel like I bonded with them and got to know a new culture.” According to another sophomore Tim Kanellitsas, “They’re constantly happy.They’re happy with everything.”He hosted Judas, “a cool bro,” and “it was dank.”

For some it was an opportunity to just make new friends, for others an inspiration.Sophomore Colin Waycott said, “It was cool to know that they were so fluent in a language and some of them hadn’t studied it for very long.It makes me motivated to learn many languages.”Their visit stimulated a huge interest in travel and language.Nearly everyone learned words in Portuguese (many being cuss words), and cultural and geographical comparisons were constantly being drawn. Colin Waycott noted, “It was very nice to see inter-cultural relationships and people from different countries connecting.”

The sophomore class benefited greatly from the exchange program, and will continue to do so.Directly after finals, Hannes and Pilar will be bringing six Cutthroat sophomores down to their school in Brazil for a week.Emily Gillespie, Morgan Atkinson, Reta Flynt, Colin Waycott, Tim Kanellitsas, and Tom Crosby will stay at Escola SESC de Ensino Médio for two nights in dorms with the Brazilian students who came here.Then they will go to an eco-resort with SESC and then back to the school for another two nights.Each Cutthroat has had to get immunizations in the past few days in preparation for the trip.And although the trip has been shrouded in mystery and, according to Hannes, some poor communication, they’re all thrilled!Said Emily Gillespie, “We have no idea what we’re doing on the trip,” but she’s “excited to go to Brazil!”Tim is equally enthusiastic to “kick some ass and get some rays.”In a slightly more sincere tone, he added, “I’m really looking forward to being around their enthusiasm and thankfulness for life again.”

All in all, The Community School’s connection with our sister school SESC in Brazil has, and will be, unbelievably beneficial to both American and Brazilian students.Morgan Atkinson has gained insight from her experience with the exchange students.“I was able to see a different culture through a new lens,” she said with a smile.

Its Friday afternoon, and there's anywhere I'd rather be than at school, picking up bins of paper, aluminum, glass, and plastic. I'm here because I'm required to be, but many students have other motives. Thanks to the help of the Community School Environmental Club, programs like recycling don't depend on petty miscreants like myself to stay afloat. Now, as a way to honor our school's most environmentally friendly, the Student Senate is creating a scholarship fund, going towards the next year's tuition, to the “student who exemplifies the tenets of green stewardship”. This scholarship, brainchild of former president Wyatt Bunce, is, according to headmaster Andy Jones Wilkins, to be “a Student Senate project”. He did, however remark that would “be happy to work through the logistics”.

So far, the Student Senate has outlined the criteria in four parts; the 'candidate' must: show initiative in the community (not necessarily just at school), go “beyond the basics of carpooling and recycling”, “have a significant influence on others' behavior”, and have made efforts to address ecologically negative behavior in themselves and others.

In order to qualify for the scholarship, you must be nominated by a fellow Cutthroat, then write an application essay detailing your past and present 'green' activities.

The scholarship, which will be entirely funded by the Student Senate, would be “offered on a need blind basis”, meaning a student from any income level can be awarded. The winner is decided by a majority vote among Student Senate officers. So far, the senate has agreed that the scholarship will be for students whose actions “go beyond just them, not necessarily the student who creates the least waste”, says Katie Dumke, 10th grade Class Representative.

The funds behind the scholarship come mainly from the weekly Student Senate barbeque, noted for its environmentally friendly policies, such its $1 discount for buyers using their own dishware.

As another valuable facet to the Community School experience, the Green Student Scholarship will provide green students a means to 'sustain' their continued place at Community School.

-Carson Caraluzzi

By India Emerick

“Llamame cuando llegues.Hasta la semana que viene!”Call me when you get there.See you next week!A smile budding on my face, I waved goodbye to my Spanish host mother and stepped up to the security line. I walked down to the platform, moving away from dependence on others for the first time.When the train rolled smoothly to a stop in front of me, I attempted to haul my actually very heavy baggage up the steps. Suitcase in arms, I oomph-ed my way up onto the train, despite concerned glances by passers by , and with one last look at the small, waving figure of my host mom, I entered.

I settled into my seat and looked around at my fellow passengers, hearing a voice come over the intercom: “Zaragoza.Zaragoza.Proxima parada: Madrid.”Zaragoza.Zaragoza.Next stop: Madrid.Suddenly it hit me that I was just another passenger boarding at just another stop.No one was interested in where I was going, how I was getting there or if I had enough assistance.A grin spread over my face.“This is how it’s done.This is what traveling alone means,” I realized, and with said realization I relaxed into my seat, took one last look around at my cabin of others doing it how it was done, and closed my eyes.I was on an overnight train and I was relying entirely on myself. Any problem – missing my stop, having my bag stolen – would be on me and I would be responsible for fixing it.

I awoke with a jolt at the call of “Jerez de la Frontera,” terrified that I’d missed my station and had ended up in another region of Spain.“One more stop to go,” I said to myself, fully awake.As the train rumbled slowly out of the Jerez station, I looked around at the palm trees and the ocean, a far cry from the cold, arid land surrounding Zaragoza.The train cruised into the Cádiz station, and on came the voice: “Cádiz.Cádiz.Última parada.”Last stop.I gathered my things, clunked off of the train with my heavy suitcase in hand.I wasn’t quite sure where my friend’s apartment was, nor whether he’d answer his phone, but confidence coursed through me, for I was doing this on my own.“Alright, let’s do this.”

The climate crisis is getting worse every day. Every year millions of tons of Carbon Dioxide are added into our atmosphere by humans, machines, and animals. This is not irreversible. To the contrary, by making a few simple changes, you could prevent thousands of pounds of carbon from being released into the atmosphere; here are three things you could do to cut carbon emissions.

1. Go Vegetarian

As a country, we have a problem with meat consumption. The meat consumption of America is roughly 200lbs of meat per person per year. All this meat takes a lot of grain to raise, “30 percent of the earth’s ice-free land is directly or indirectly involved in livestock production,”, says New York Times columnist Mark Bittman. That means a lot of animal: about 10 billion a year, to be exact. In a study conducted by the National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science in Japan, it was found that 2.2 pounds of beef is responsible for the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the average European car every 155 miles, and burns enough energy to light a 100-watt bulb for nearly 20 days. In addition, the U.S. could feed 800 million people with the grain that our livestock eats, acconting for more than half of the nation's supply. Climatecrisis.org says the following, “Skipping meat one day per week would help save over 35,000 gallons of water. Cutting meat out of your diet entirely would help save 5,000 lbs of carbon emissions per year.”

2. Unplug Things You are not Using

Just because an appliance is not in use does not mean it is not using power. Idling devices such as televisions, DVD players, microwaves, computers, or stereos can put your energy bills through the roof. Many appliances can draw power without putting it to use; this is called 'Phantom Load', or 'Standby Power', and can contribute thousands of pounds of carbon to the atmosphere. By simply unplugging appliances that are not in use, we can save hundreds on power bills.

3. Plant a Tree

Trees act as huge carbon syncs, pulling hundreds of pound of carbon from the atmosphere, and replacing it with oxygen which is not a greenhouse gas. Over its lifetime, “A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon”, says Climatecrisis. Your new tree will also provide a habitat for birds, animals, and bugs, while enriching the soil. Plus, who doesn't love having a green, healthy tree in your backyard?

http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/Aug97/livestock.hrs.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/weekinreview/27bittman.html pagewanted=2&_r=1&sq=Rethinking%20the%20Meat-Guzzler&st=nyt&scp=2

http://www.climatecrisis.net/

-Carson Caraluzzi

By India Emerick

Through input from students and teachers alike, I was able to compile a list of the most preferable traits for freshmen. Not all may be politically correct, but each recommendation should help up-and-comers start down the path to success during their 9th grade year.


7. Remember How Young You Are
Says Tony Martin, a junior, “Be yourself and have fun. Don’t do what I did and think you’re older than you are.” It’s important to enjoy your time as the little ones on the totem pole, for you’ll be the big man on campus soon. Rocket Stickney, a freshman, says, “Don’t be annoying; don’t act like you have seniority over anyone.” Try to live in the 'now' and enjoy being young; you have fewer expectations to fulfill, which is actually pretty freeing.

6. Be Clean
Many 9th graders, in the throes of puberty, have yet to discover the joys of personal hygiene. Complains teacher Ryan Waterfield, “I wish the boys would shower. Shower and deodorant.” Many recommend that you keep your area clean. Freshman Cameron Jenner knows what’s best: “Don’t leave your stuff around.” Staying tidy and smelling good will have amazing effects in terms of the respect and appreciation that you receive from teachers and fellow students.

5. Make Good Decisions
Part of being a freshman is discovering your boundaries, but make sure to think responsibly. Recommends Ryan Waterfield, "Don't put stupid stuff on Facebook." Another good idea: don't drink before prom. Although 9th graders are generally expected to stumble a little in their path to self-discovery, try to think before you act and keep out of trouble.

4. Be a Little Rebellious
Although no one likes a student with attitude, let alone a 14 year-old freshman with attitude, it’s important not to be entirely meek. Says Timo Gould, “You must not be too intimidated by upperclassmen.” Despite the mean juniors and seniors, try to keep your chin up. Freshman Mason Noyes, perhaps the best example of insubordination, suggests: “Leave your stuff around. Fight the man. Get detention.” Well, maybe scratch that last part, but the sentiment’s alright.

3. Make Upperclassmen Connections
One of the most widely acknowledged way to have a successful freshman year is to get close with some older students. Tony Martin was practically adopted as an honorary senior and therefore experienced none of the hazing or teasing. Rocket Stickney says, “Make friends with your juniors.” Calder Zarkos, another freshman, takes it to the next level, urging his classmates to “hook up with a senior and get some street cred.”

2. Be Academically Responsible
For many freshmen, the first year in high school can be detrimental academically. The transition from Middle School to the big, scary world of the Upper School is usually difficult, and many flounder for a while. Teacher Chris McAvoy recommends, “Come to Community Service Leadership Team.” He’s right. Joining clubs is an easy way to become involved with the school and stay motivated. Freshman Taylor Figge says, “Actually use your free period,” as many young ones spend each one playing computer games (coughcough Timo, Logan, Calder coughcough). Sophomore Katie Dumke imparts a truly genuine piece of knowledge to her younger peers, “Have a ready willingness to learn.”

1. Be Respectful
By far the most important interview answer, freshman respect is invaluable. It will make you friends, get you in teachers’ good books and make life easier. Comments Chris McAvoy, “Find out what the teachers want and give it to them. Bribe me. Buy me a new car.” Sophomore Tim Kanellitsas agrees: “You should all give Tim massages and tie his shoes. I like it when they ask how I am.” "Obey commands," instructs intimidating junior Dylan Prescott, "Just kidding."

By India Emerick

The Community Service Leadership Team, a veritably unknown entity in the school, will be reaching the end of an era come graduation.The team, originally a creation of Bob Doyle’s, grew immensely in organization and clarity during the reign of Chris McAvoy, and will now likely continue to change after his departure.

Unfortunately, there has always been a cloud of confusion shrouding the idea.Many students, and even teachers, had no idea when the group met, who was in it, or even what it did.The history is relatively unknown as well.When Bob Doyle was in charge, it wasn’t as much of a team as it was a series of sporadic announcements from Bob to the students about community service opportunities.Yet this was more or less the school’s first involvement in the world of volunteering.When Chris arrived, one of his first accomplishments was to coordinate volunteers into a group.His main goal was to instill leadership skills and a passion for volunteer work into students.Unfortunately, he feels as though the students haven’t reached the desired level of responsibility.In a recent community service meeting, he said with a mournful headshake, “I want to train you all to be leaders.I don’t know to what extent we’ve succeeded in that.”

Many students agree that the team hasn’t been as successful as possible, either in terms of organization or leadership.There have been quite a few shortcomings, the largest of which has been the lack of general knowledge.When asked for their opinions on the concept of the group, multiple freshmen wondered, “What is it?” and were surprised when informed of its existence.Paige’s opinion: “The meetings are super boring and super long.”The team has had a very sporadic and varied group of members, as dedicating every activity period is extremely difficult.

Changes have yet to be decided, such as who will take over Chris’s responsibilities.As of now, both Chris’s and the students’ choice is Hannes, but he is debating taking another position at the school.Chris’s dream will live on, though, and next year there will hopefully be a more structured group membership, recruiting and development.Says Chris, “I hope that in the coming years we can build on it and develop leadership skills.”

The Thawing spring snow crunched beneath my shoes, as I re-entered my former stomping grounds: The Community School Middle School. Having spent my 8th grade with Jason and Dana, I smiled as I walked up to the familiar red and yellow facacde. Looking into the double doors, I stopped. Yvonne's familiar cubicle was gone! The place I had ordered so many lunches, replaced with a couple couches; the room felt empty.

It was then I realized: Just like the High School, the middle school was undergoing crucial changes the likes of which I, and most of my High School students, had no understanding of.

The biggest change affecting the Middle School had nothing to do with Architecture. Similar to the Advisor Program in the Upper school, The Middle School had created its own Advisor Program.

Advisors help the students to form a more personal connection to a member of the faculty. According to Middle School Director Ben Pettit, “The Advisors are charged with monitoring social and academic concerns of students”. So far, the Advisor Program has been a success, al-ts to interact with a single member of the faculty over an extended period of time. According to one Middle School student who wished to remain anonymous, the Advisor Program has helped to improve academic skills, such as, “keeping on track with work and staying organized. After I go to Advisor, I feel more confident for the rest of the day”. 7th Grade Advisor, and Middle School art teacher, Zoey Pierce has pegged it as, “beneficial for the students as well as the Advisor”. According to her, it also provides a time to talk about such issues as, “family life, how to deal with the rising workload, anger, stress, and peer issues”. With the workload placed on Upper school students, it is hard to remember the stress that is placed on Middle Schoolers by school. “Its an interesting time in their life.. the students evolve”. According to many students, Advisor is a time for unwinding; where students can play games, and socialize with their friends. Out of the 10 Middle School students I interviewed, all of them supported the Advisor Program. Middle School can be a hard time on one's life, especially without outside help.

Another change in the Middle School centers around idea of an integrated curriculum. According to Middle School director, Ben Pettit, both grades feature units focused on "integrated themes". The 8th grade, for example, did an entire unit encompassing science, math, english, and history, based around the subject of food. The unit, best remembered for its memorable chicken Program, required students to raise, then process and eat 16 chickens. "I've hunted and killed birds and deer before, but this was different", says Reed. The Program came under flak from animal rights activists, but was supported by many members of the 8th grade class for its hands-on aspects, such as requiring students to design and build their own greenhouse and chicken coop, using skills they had learned in math and science.

According to Math and Science teacher, Scott Runkel, "food is a great issue because everybody can relate to it; we all eat. It connects to the environment because of food production; it connects to human health health care". this new integrated style of teaching is supported by many members of the faculty because of the quantity, quality, and diversity of connections students make to the curriculum. 8th grade humanities teacher, Naomi Goldberg, commented, "the more connections students can make with a topic the better the students remember it and the more they are able to use it".

By enhancing the student-school bonds, the middle school has increased its efficacy in helping the teenagers of today, 'evolve' into the adults of tomorrow. By enhancing the personal aspect that the community school excels at by means of the advisor program, and creating educated, self motivated, and enthusiastic students by way of integrated curriculums, the TCS middle school has taken bold steps into the future of education.

These days, in the Upper School, you might walk down the hall and see a new face looking back at you, wide-eyed and a little nervous. You can tell they’re a little out of their element. They’re always slightly over dressed for our jeans-and-sweatshirt uniform and they’re totally not used to kids lining the halls to eat lunch, making it impossible for an inexperienced pair of feet to navigate through.

There is no question that these candidates have big shoes to fill. One will be replacing Chris “Oh geez” McAvoy who is known for breathing life into potentially dreary battles, wars, and so-called important events with his sometimes not-so-funny wit, his notorious grey water bottle, and of course, John Stewart. The other will be walking into to a room that is covered with fly ties, tennis posters, and homages to Earnest Hemingway. Although Phil will only be down the hall, I doubt there is anyone who can tell you the life stories of Hemingway, Frost, all of the Romantics, and every Supreme Court Justice. Especially since they will become players in our school’s English and History departments. It is a big job and a long process to replace the majority of the teachers located in the downstairs of the Upper School, but few students know how the process works. I have been here since 6th grade and until I spoke with Brian Yager and sat down to write this article, I knew next to nothing about the hiring process.

The process begins the moment the administration knows there is an opening in the faculty. (They began looking to fill Phil’s classroom as soon as they appointed him as the new Upper School Head.) They start by advertising the opening on our school website and with the PNAIS. (The Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools) The job opening is also registered with national organization called Carney Sandoe Associates, (a teachers head hunting service) and depending on the initial response, the job is advertised in the local paper.

When I asked Brian about the response to the open teaching positions here at TCS, he didn’t really respond. He simply pulled a huge binder out of his desk and plopped it down in front of me. There were 50+ applicants for each job! (about 20 for each position from the head hunting service).

After all of the applications arrive at Brian’s desk the process truly begins. He reads through the application with a lot on his mind, but he really looks for fit. First off, he makes sure the candidates meet the desired criteria for each position. (This year more experience was wanted to for the History position while the English slot was left more wide open.) After narrowing down the massive pile of applicants, the selected applications go to a committee made up of interested faculty members. (This year’s committee consists of Phil, Ryan, Chauncy, Hannes, and Willy.) The committee ranks each applicant and then phone calls are made for preliminary interviews.

The next part of the process is the part that students see. Two to five candidates come and visit the school and meet with administration, students and faculty. When all is said and done the committee ranks each candidate and gives Andy a final recommendation. The decision is ultimately up to him, but it is unlikely that he would go completely against the committee’s recommendation.

This time around Brian and the committee had some pretty big holes to fill in the teaching staff. It really is, “hard to replace Chris and Phil,” said Brian. However, Brian also said, “it is (also) an exciting thing because you are deciding the next generation of teachers. It is also a little bit daunting.” When it came down to it, the economy was on the side of TCS this time. Because of the recession, many educators are out of work or looking for new, more stable jobs. This allowed for Brian and the committee to sift through a greater number of applicants and make the best possible choices to replace Phil and Chris.

In the end, finding a new teacher for the TCS community all comes down to fit. “We want to find the person who is going to be the best educator at TCS. (We ask,) will they fit in here and grow here? We want them to contribute to campus.” As students, we’ve had enough good teachers, to know a great one when we see it. Will the new recruits be able to stand out and create legacies of their own? Only time will tell.

The clock is ticking down.We’re in the lead, but the intensity is still palpable.“Let’s go Cutthroats, let’s go!” is pounding into our ears.We can feel the stomping of feet vibrating through the bleachers and up our legs.We feed off of the team and they feed off of us.Our throats are aching from screaming but we love it and we love having something to cheer for.

Most members of the TCS community don’t realize that our school has a history of sporadic yet intense fans.The ’98 and ’04 boys’ basketball teams, both of which went to state had full bleachers at every home game.No teachers got rowdy, but the students made up for it. “There were some parents, but I’m not going into details on them,” chuckles Rem.The ’90 girls volleyball team was excellent and was on their way to success at state, with rabid fans in the bleachers for every game.Unfortunately, right before the state qualification game, the entire team and the coaches came down with stomach flu and puked their way through, losing their chance to go.About twenty years ago, when our boys’ soccer team was competing at a high level against large, competitive schools, fights were known to break out.“Once, all the fans rushed the field and there was a brawl.” He laughs, “Even John Maksik ran out.That’s when we put in the extra line around the boys’ field.I call that the ‘Maksik line.’”

The Community School, usually a less-than-spirited group of fans, has just experienced one of the most exciting sports seasons anyone can remember.With the arrival of Daniel Gomis from Senegal, the boys’ basketball team experienced an actual winning season.And, according to Rem, wherever there have been winning teams in TCS history, every once in a while, there have been fans.For many of us, this has been the first chance to participate in serious fandom.The sad truth is that being a small, private school, we’ve never had the athletics of a larger, less academically focused institution, and therefore never the sports culture.“The biggest attendance of sports games in recent years has actually been to support Line Team,” says Rem, “Until now.”The excitement of this year has been attributed to Daniel; the 6’9” athletically gifted exchange student brought spectators from Carey and Wood River just to watch TCS play. Eli thought that having such an involved fan base made the games more exciting and fun.Rem emphatically agreed that players adore having such encouragement and that it amps up the level of play.“Girl athletes seem to appreciate it the most,” he said, “as they usually have less support to begin with.”Unfortunately, the attendance of the girl’s games was mostly due to the success of the boys’ team, as the girls didn’t have the one necessary qualification for fans: a winning season.Yet both teams were lucky enough to have had an increase in support this year.

The fans appreciated the thrill as well, says Dylan, one of the most involved spectators. “It was fun, just like going to a ‘real’ sporting event.Everyone was more fired up and everything was more exciting.” The intensity of the games was noticeably ratcheted up by the volume and dedication of the fans, although some faculty members felt that they were sometimes unsportsmanlike and too rowdy, shouting things like “In your face” and “How do you like that?” to opposing team members.Rem seems to think that’s bulls**t, as almost every high school, college or professional sporting event has shouting, team rivalry, fan rivalry and a high level of competition.He believes that most school administrators don’t know enough about sports to understand how involved fans really are.

No one is asking for brawls, nor for intense and angry rivalry, but a bit of competition is healthy and shows that the students and the fans are invested in the team’s success.When asked about fan competition, Dylan said that it usually just involved group cheers, a little bit of trash talk and said that “there were a couple schools with cheerleaders, but we would show ‘em up and get really loud.”Although there are differing opinions about the accepted levels of fan-ing, the fact that students show up to every game, yell their hearts out and stand up for their team is testament to the fan spirit of The Community School.The Super Fans turned the season into an exciting and competitive experience for all, made games more fun for the team and unified our community to rally behind Daniel and TCS.

With seniors winding their school year down and the rest of the school making the final push until spring trips, a lot is going on here at TCS. From unfocused seniors and panicky juniors to mildly stressed sophomores and non-chalant freshman, everybody seems to be in a different place both in and outside of school. Even the faculty members are in vastly different places.

To bridge the gap between the classes and close the already narrow divide between students and faculty, I took to the halls and asked members of each grade to answer a few basic questions that proved surprisingly difficult to answer.

THE QUESTIONS

We started out with lighter questions. (Surprisingly these took the most thought!)

1.) What is your favorite Cartoon?

2.) What was your most embarrassing moment?

3.) What is your vice or addiction?

4.) What is something no one knows about you?

Then I asked a few serious questions… or at least I tried!

1.) What is your biggest priority right now?

2.) What is at the top of today's to do list

3.) Any concerns for next year?

4.) What are you looking forward to about next year?

5.) What is your current stress level?

6.) What are you working on/ looking forward to out side of school? (Non-academic)

FRESHMEN

Asking Lolo, Timo, and Calder the above questions was like pulling teeth. Although it didn’t help that all of them were playing on their computers, it is clear that even with out the computers they would of had a hard time focusing during their designated free time.

Calder

Cartoon: Tom Jerry

Embarrassing moment: When I was younger, I was swimming at Zenergy and swam up behind a woman who I thought was my mom and gave her big hug... It wasn’t my mom.

Vice: I always eat a bowl of ice cream before bed.

Fun Fact: I have pigeons.

#1 Priority: Getting history homework done.

To-do list: Getting Phil's homework done.

Looking Forward: Ashland

Concerns: Is there anything to be concerned about next year?

Stress level: 4.5

Outside of school: I am working on getting my falconry license.

Logan Shipley (LoLo)

Cartoon: Ed, Ed, & Eddy

Embarrassing moment: Pass

Vice: I have to wear a hat, and I have to rub my feet together before bed.

Fun Fact: I have a cat that lives in my mom's closet.

#1 Priority: Getting good grades... what else am I'm going to do.

To-do list: Homework

Looking Forward: Coast Trip

Concerns: PSAT

Stress Level: 5

Outside of school: I am looking forward to being able to ski.

Timo Gould

Cartoon: Tom and Jerry

Embarrassing moment: Same situation as Calder.

Vice: Ice cream

Fun Fact: I stash money in a book in my house.... my money book

#1 Priority: Getting 3 As... I am so close!

To-do List:To get some sleep (I haven't slept in 3 days!)

Looking Forward: Not being a freshman

Concerns: Not really

Stress Level: 10.5 (English is tough!)

Outside of school: Summer!!!!

SOPHOMORES

The sophomores during H-block are mildly better that the freshmen. They all try to focus and get something done, but the number of them in that free can only add up to distraction. They get a B+ for effort but a C in actually getting things done.

Timmy K

Cartoon: South Park

Embarrassing moment: In 7th grade, Christopher Nalen pantsed me and I was “exposed” to both Rita and Teagan.

Vice: Birkenstocks

Fun Fact: I like doing yoga.

#1 Priority: School

To-do List: Exporting winter trip review to give to Rob Landis.

Looking Forward: Being able to leave campus for lunch.

Concerns: Thesis

Stress Level: 8 (English)

Outside of school: My abs.

Camille

Cartoon: Lion King

Embarrassing moment: When I fell into a cactus in Grand Gulch.

Vice: Youtube

Fun Fact: I like to knit.

#1 Priority: Getting into a good college.

To-do List: Honors History Essay (Due Monday)

Looking Forward: Being an Upper Classman

Concerns: Taking the right courses for college.

Stress Level: 3.5… not a lot to do right now

Outside of school: Saving money for a car… I work at the Chocolate Factory.

JUNIORS

It took a little effort to snag a few moments from the junior class, but that is understandable. If I remember correctly, second semester junior year makes you want to bang your head against the wall.

Colby Benz

Cartoon: Tom and Jerry

Embarrassing moment: Pass

Vice: Coke-a-Cola

Fun Fact: I am a complete pessimist.

#1 Priority: Being happy.

To-do List: Going to the gym.

Looking Forward: Tobeing a senior

Concerns: School

Stress Level: 5,000… I am one big ball of stress.

Outside of school: Working out

Bryce

Cartoon: Get Fuzzy

Embarrassing moment: Pass

Vice: Chewing gum

Fun Fact: My great-great grandfather was the chancellor of West Germany

#1 Priority: Preparing for SAT’s.

To-do List: Studying for a physics test.

Looking Forward: Senior Project.

Concerns: Potential Senior Electives.

Stress Level: 6

Outside of school: Working on my Congressional Award.

India

Cartoon: Pocahontas

Embarrassing moment: In 9th grade Mike decided that Dylan and I were the "A" team and would continually make references to our non-existent couple-dom everyday in geometry.

Vice: Boys.

Fun Fact: My life goal is to be financially independent.

#1 Priority: A combination of thesis and college exams (SAT/ ACT)

To-do List: Thesis

Looking Forward: Seniority

Concerns: Not getting into college

Stress Level: 9.5

Outside of school: Making summer plans. Hopefully I will attend a cool summer program.

SEN10RS!!!

The seniors were the toughest to wring answers out of. We’ve recently been occupied with a little thing called college. We’re either checking the mail four times a day or we are already into college and ridiculously unmotivated to do anything at all. To say we have senioritis is the understatement of the year!

Wyatt

Cartoon: Wiley Coyote

Embarrassing moment: I was in Canada with my sisters and mom, and I was reading an interesting article in a magazine while walking. I was completely immersed in my article and followed them into the girls’ bathroom. I sat down on a bench and started reading for like five minutes until I noticed where I was.

Vice: My moleskin… My life is in there.

Fun Fact: I like to play harmonica.

#1 Priority: Graduating high school.

To-do List: Have to check the moleskin… Senior Project details

Concerns: My roommate.

Looking forward: New school and new people

Stress Level: 6.5

Outside of school: Snowboarding (Currently at Nationals)

FACULTY

The faculty was the easiest to track down and get answers from. For the most part they seem to have their lives under control and it is clear that they are the only ones around with a definitive plan for the near future.

Veronique

Cartoon: Scooby Doo

Embarrassing moment: When I was an exchange student in the States I made tons of embarrassing language mistakes like: “I want to go to the bitch” (instead of beach).

Vice: Chocolate and horses

Fun Fact: I have a younger sister who's a professor in France

#1 Priority: To pass my Arabic oral, so I can go to Egypt on scholarship.

To-do list: Review for my Arabic interview

Looking forward: Teaching Arabic (one)

Stress Level: 7 (oral) final exams for seniors

Outside of school: Training my horse for events.

By: Audrey Kirk

In the fall and winter of the 2009-2010 school year, a vague, unknown concept lurked around the Upper School hallways.This concept: trimesters.What was this obscure idea of dividing the school year into three sections instead of two?Why was this idea even coming up?Who came up with it?How did the process to come to a decision work?Many students wanted, and still want to know the answers to these questions and more.My friends, I am here to tell you and expose the truth behind trimesters.

It all started last spring, when Brian Yager was sent on a quest to create a flexible program for those wishing to take summer school.He found that “it was logistically impossible” to offer a full semester course in the summer—there just wasn’t enough time!In this quest for a flexible program, the concept of trimesters was offered up as a solution to ways to “structure the year, lighten the workload, and create more opportunities for classes.”

In November Brian took the idea to the Upper School Faculty and in December, they decided to look into the “idea in more depth and take it to the students.”Now, this is where things become a little bit cloudy between the administration and the students.According to Brian, the idea was presented “to the Student Senate in January” and there were a couple class meetings where the Senators had the opportunity to bring the idea forward.Apparently, there was one class meeting where the subject of trimesters was on the list of topics to talk about, however, some classes only talked about the environmental mission statement with the students from Environmental Science.Because of this conflict, there has been much confusion amongst the students.

People didn’t really know what was going on and where we were in the process.Were we close to making a decision?Would the decision affect next year, or the year after that?I traveled around the halls of the Upper School to gather a general census on how people feel about the idea and they way the perceived how process worked.When I took my questions to primarily the underclassmen (as they will be the most affected by the switch), I received a wide range of opinions.When I interviewed Morgan Atkinson, an avid cross country skier who tends to miss a bit of school in the winter months, said, “I like having a longer semester to make up my grades (from missing school)” and her fear is that with trimesters she will not have enough time.Many of the sophomores also felt as if they were left in the dark.According to Eric Runkel, “we didn’t know anything that was going on,” and Isobel Pollock jumped in by saying that “besides the five minutes in class meetings, we never really heard about it.”At this point in the conversation, Morgan also said, “I feel like by the time they brought up trimesters, a decision was already made and our discussions weren’t going to do anything about it.”Many of the sophomores nodded their heads in agreement.

Next, I traveled down the hall to the freshman hang out area where I found Calder Zarkos, Timo Gould and Lolo Shipley.When I asked them what they thought about the switch, Timo said that he was “not feeling it” and Lolo added in by saying, “It’s okay, but if I have three sets of finals I will freak!”When I asked Calder what he thought of the process, he replied, “I feel that it was kind of kept private, even though they came to us at advisor, but they didn’t sit us down and explain the changes and how it was going to work—they just did it.”Although these boys weren’t sure that there even was a process and at were, at times, a little distracted, they still agreed that there wasn’t much of a process where student voices could be not only heard, but also considered in the decision-making process.

Through my interviews with students, there were mixed reviews about whether or not the switch was good or bad, but the reviews about the process were pretty clear across the board.Students have felt that there hasn’t been much discussion about the topic and when there was, there was always something else going on and the issue of trimesters wasn’t on the forefront of discussion.This change happened so fast—from the beginning of the school year, to mid-school year—that there almost wasn’t even much time to talk and really take it into consideration.There was a little sense that we should wait to get the ball rolling, but after Brian consulted with Andy, they “both decided to get it going and not over-plan.” Based on the student input, it is clear that we broke down when it was time to communicate.Regardless, the change is still happening.So, how can we improve?

Next time, lets involve the students more.This is the Community School and we stress the importance that students have a voice in this school. This was a good learning experience, and even if the decisions made in the future don’t agree with the students’ opinions, they will know that their voice was heard, and they had had a part in the process.

By: Audrey Kirk

After waking up at the unholy time of 5:00 in the morning and almost losing my wallet at the airport before being strip-searched by overzealous airport security agents, I probably would have lost it during the flight home when a smelly 30-something year old fell asleep dangerously close to my head in the seat next to me. Under normal circumstances, this would have provoked me to passive aggressively hum loudly to the Britney Spears playing on my iPod until he woke up and switched sides. But after being part of a crowd full of blacks and whites and adults and toddlers all celebrating a milestone in our nation’s history we had all worked hard to achieve, I couldn’t find it in my heart to torture my seat-mate. Instead I rolled up my Cosmo and gently poked his head with it until he grunted and shifted to the other side. Smiling, I closed my eyes and leaned back. I couldn’t stop thinking about what happened. Or about how I was right there when it happened.
On November 4th, 2008, Barack Hussein Obama made history when he was elected as America’s first black president. Across the country, his supporters celebrated in living rooms, community centers, and college campuses. But what if you were actually there in his hometown of Chicago on that fateful night? What if you couldn’t spy a crying Sarah Palin-ite sitting in the corner anywhere, and the sea of people surrounding you were elated Obama fans? This was my experience on election night. On a whim, Ryan and I flew to Chicago to go see Barack Obama speak on election night. We were practically jumping up and down in our seats when the plane took off for Chicago. After we landed, we hailed a taxi and drove to Ryan’s brother’s apartment and later I left for my sister Brooke’s apartment, which was coincidentally only a few blocks away. Seeing Brooke and her husband Blake was great (except for seeing their cat Ali, who has a strange and specific hatred of me), but I couldn’t wait for the next day when we would go down to Hyde Park to see Barack Obama.
The next day, because my sister was off taking classes at Northwestern (she attends Law school there), Blake decided to take me on a little tour of Chicago. As I had slept in until the late hour of 12:30, there weren’t many options left. Stores and attractions were closing early because of the election that night. We wandered over to the Shedd Aquarium, but even then the election was heavy on our minds. Signs of the impending event were everywhere: I even got interviewed on camera by a German television reporter asking me about my shirt (emblazoned with “I got a crush on Obama”). We finally got to the aquarium, but after walking around for five minutes a stern heavyset woman in her mid 50’s waddled over to inform us that the aquarium was closing due to the election. Blake and I exchanged looks and walked out of the aquarium to regroup.
That night, Blake and I took the metro to Northwestern where my sister was still in class. We loitered around the lobby of the law school building, where students were slowly filtering in wearing politically themed T-shirts and clutching mini American flags to wave around at the appropriate time. Finally, my sister finished her class and we all took the metro to the closest area possible to Hyde Park. Nothing could have prepared us for the scene outside the station. Millions of people were moving in a steady stream towards the Park. The streets were closed, and it seemed as if all of Chicago had come out for the event that night. Brooke, Blake and I were practically skipping there, and along the way we saw vendors selling shirts, small children getting piggy-back rides from their parents, and outrageously dressed men and women blowing whistles and wearing party hats.
We finally got to the Park, and because we didn’t have tickets we found ourselves outside the main venue along with millions of other people. Surprisingly, everyone was fairly calm (yet excited) and there were no fights or arguments even though we were in such a large group. Everyone seemed to be united for a common goal and shared ideal. There were several huge screens set up, tuned to CNN, which reported on the incoming results from the election. Every time Obama won a state, the crowd erupted in a collective cheer. When CNN made the announcement that they were predicting Obama as the winner of the 2008 election, the crowd went absolutely wild. I don’t know if I will ever experience such a feeling of collective joy as I did that night. Strangers embraced, people were crying out of sheer joy, and everyone came together in what felt like one big group hug. The speech Obama made after that was, of course, inspiring and exciting, but nothing will ever compare to that moment in the crowd when his election changed history.

Letter from the Editor:

As the leaves begin to shift colors and the days become cold and miserably short, it is easy to forget last spring. It seems like decades ago that it was warm and welcoming outside, with the promise of summer break just around the corner. But there is one thing that has come back to haunt students, faculty, and parents alike: the events that occurred during and after last year’s prom. We all remember what happened at the dance, and especially the events afterwards that catapulted our school into the local spotlight in a less than positive way. In recent weeks it has become apparent that this launched a movement within the administration, faculty, and parents to crack down on drug and alcohol abuse at The Community School.

I think most (if not all) of us can agree that drug and alcohol use has no place at The Community School. Drug and alcohol use on campus only detracts from the trusting, open environment we have at TCS. But what about when school is over and the weekend begins? Or a dance winds down and students leave to attend after-dance parties? Is this under the jurisdiction of our school? Concerns have also arisen from an email sent out by the administration to parents informing them of possible measures that would be taken to curb drug/alcohol usage. These include drug dogs, drug tests, breathalyzers, and a closed campus policy. No one is saying these will be implemented for sure, but they are out there as a possibility.

Open communication between the administration, faculty, parents, and students is essential in the success of ending drug and alcohol abuse at TCS. I appreciate Brian’s speech at assembly, but it came a week after an email was sent out that most of us saw whether we were supposed to or not. Why can’t communication between parents and students happen simultaneously? Of course, we won’t all receive the same information at times, but informing the students at the same time as their parents only makes us feel as if our opinion is valid and our voices important. We strive to be responsible, mature students at TCS, and if there is an issue as important as drug and alcohol abuse that comes up as a concern, we should surely be included in the process.

What does everyone think about the possible policy changes? Would you be fine with a few changes, or do you think it changes the spirit of the school? What should we do to make sure communication on this issue is smooth and effective? As always, feel free to comment and join the discussion.

- Sylvie Krekow

To those who are devout followers of the Republican Party, I wish to remind you of one thing: Sarah Palin. Where did this woman come from and what is she going to do if she goes to Washington? Let us explore this question.

Sarah Palin was born in Sandpoint, Idaho. She is from Idaho, and therefore deserves some credit. Shortly thereafter, Palin moved to Alaska to be one of 650,000 residents that she would later come to govern. Palin grew restless of Alaska and graduated high school like the rest of us. She then decided it might be a good idea to go to college, so she returned to her Idahoan roots to pursue a degree in Journalism. Ironically enough, Palin never participated in the University of Idaho’s publishing department and many of her peers had never even heard of her. Needless to say, she was poor at networking, leading, and being involved. No one knew her name and she rarely became active in various aspects of campus life. After graduating, Palin jumped into the news casting occupation where she learned how to read cue cards, teleprompters and how to recite what people told her.

The Republican campaign began with attacks on Barack Obama for his lack of foreign policy experience and his youth. Mere months later, McCain elected a young female to fill the second-highest ranking seat in the United States government with only 8 years of government experience…in ALASKA. She governed less people in an entire state than Obama represented in one city. Her foreign policy experience extends so far as being able to see “Russia from [her] back porch.” Sarah Palin is by far the least credible governor in the United States of America. At least no one can bash her voting record because…SHE DOESN’T HAVE ONE!

I can only hope for everyone’s sake that Sarah Palin is never a commanding force in the nation’s leadership. Women’s rights funding will be cut and liberties will be lost. This “team of mavericks” will destroy America and all that we stand for by eroding the civil liberties we all treasure and hold dearly. So back away, Sarah: you obviously don’t belong in Washington.

- Bronwen Raff

Editor's note: Normally, this would be a discussion from both sides of the issue (Republican v. Democrat), but unfortunately our Republican representative failed to get his act together and respond to this post. Maybe next time he'll have something to say in opposition!

I like living surrounded. I am in awe of a vast emptiness just 10 miles from my front door. I like seeing the snow covered mountains, existing as silent fortresses in the distance. I like the colors of life, the trees, the sagebrush covered hills, and the clear icy water. On my drives to school I feel as if I’m moving through a work of art. It doesn’t feel like that when I drive through a city. We live in a place surrounded by the unconstructed and the unassembled. We live surrounded by an unfeigned natural grandeur. We live surrounded by what feels like a vanishing phenomenon. It seems that in so many places unlike the Wood River Valley the natural is becoming surrounded by the fabricated. In Berkeley, California, I didn’t live surrounded. I lived in an urban sprawl, and if I felt inclined I could go find a caged wilderness. The natural was surrounded by, to use Bob Marley’s words, “a concrete jungle.” It was pathetic and depressing. Is there a point to this nostalgic ode to the wilderness of our valley, perhaps not? But it brings up many questions: should civilization be kept in check? At what point does that natural world have equal rights to those of human infrastructure? And, besides the obvious need for farmland, and trees for oxygen, does the human species even need the natural world? Is it just a luxury we can enjoy on an all expenses paid vacation, or is it perhaps a necessity of survival? I cannot help but marvel and what surrounds this place. I am humbled everyday. And maybe it is just that. Could it be that the mountains, the lakes, and the trees are there to humble us, to remind us that there will always be silent fortresses, just existing, looking down solemnly on the tribulations of man? Or maybe not. What do you think?

- Casper Brun

Dents and burn holes
On old rusted scraps
And moth-eaten seats
In the hot metal stacks
Mustangs piled a mile high
Scale to the top and sit in the sky
The sun rays are killer
We sit, and you sigh
We forgot your red shirt
And Jack...I can fly
With a stale wind whipping
'Cross our worn dusted faces
We swung down from the car doors
And removed all our traces

- Elizabeth Beesley

Put That Bottled Water Down Before Someone Gets Hurt!

Have you had a bottle of Fiji Water in the past week? If so, you are one of the millions of customers contributing to their multi-million-dollar corrupt company. Fiji claims to be eco-friendly and culturally helpful, but upon further investigation, I have discovered that their claims hold little value.

Fiji Water declares that they are eco-friendly, but the only conservation efforts that they are involved in are giving money to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). They give money away in return for a showy certificate of ‘eco credentials’. Does the company’s green claim actually hold any credibility? Is this all a huge PR scam that targets the (often) moldable minds of the average American? And even if Fiji appears green in America, the bottling process is destroying other valuable resources abroad. The deforestation of Fijian rainforests is actually partly caused by the Fiji Water Company. Fiji water is drained from a small artesian spring right on the edge of an already small and unprotected rainforest. Fiji’s website claims that the remote location of their water is what makes it superior. They claim that they take water from a ‘virgin aquifer’ that is ‘untouched by man’. So why are they ruining this pristine aquifer? Shouldn’t we be preserving this source of fresh water that can benefit the native people and not tap into it just to make a profit?

In addition to depleting Fiji’s clean water source, approximately 1.5 million pounds of plastic are used every year to make and provide bottled water for American consumers. About 80% of this plastic ends up directly in landfills. Transporting the expensive water from Fiji to America and into consumer’s hands is another problem in itself. So much carbon and fuel is used in order to transport this costly ‘artesian’ water directly to you…the consumer. Water from Fiji comes 6,000 plus miles in order to end up in your hands and eventually a landfill. Should we really be supporting the exploitation of Fijians and their precious water? On a more global scale, should we support a company that is significantly polluting our Earth with carbon-emitting transportation and plastics that won’t break down?

The drinking water in United States taps and wells is perfectly filtered, clean, and 100 percent safe. Nevertheless, Americans continue to buy water bottled directly from Fiji through a company that is superficial in its humanitarian and environmental concerns. Let’s not enter an age where we talk about human rights and global warming as we take sips from our Fiji water bottles. Become an educated, active, and intelligent consumer: don’t support the bottled water industry or Fiji Water.

- Bronwen Raff, Cutthroat Correspondent

Class Trips are HERE!!

Every spring, while most of the seniors are on senior projects, the 9th through 11th graders have trips. These trips include: birding in Harriman, the acting/theater experience in Ashland, and the solo trip down in the Canyon Lands. When the seniors return from various parts of the globe they will embark on senior quest.

Birding in Harriman: 9th Grade
Second semester biology is all about the birds (well, some genetics are involved as well). The students are required to pick a bird that they may encounter while frolicking about in West Yellowstone and create a comic depicting information about that bird in an informative - but humorous - way. Be careful to stick to the exact guidelines! If Harry suggests something, it’s in your best interest to comply. The worst phrase in the history of trips is “add five more birds to your list.” Upon arriving at the dorm in Harriman, the birding adventure begins. Students are forced to present information on their birds, share their comic, and do an embarrassingly public imitation of their bird’s call. Throughout the day the 9th graders explore the facilities and search for birds to write down on the notorious “bird lists”. The freshmen also have the opportunity to bird within Yellowstone National Park.

Theater in Ashland: 10th Grade
As second semester rolls around for the sophomores, Phil begins to teach romantic poetry and Fritz teaches the history of the Industrial Revolution, the Romantic Era, and the World Wars. The actual trip consists of driving to Ashland in a charter bus (don’t forget Fritz again at a gas station in Eastern Oregon!), staying in a quaint motel (try to avoid clogging the toilet), and attending various plays and acting activities (do NOT fall asleep during the Shakespeare play. I repeat: The wrath of Willie Felton will slay your soul if you doze off during “As You Like It”). While in Ashland, students have time to explore Lithia “Hippie” Park and the various shops as well as play tennis (mandatory) and soccer (not so much). The Ashland experience is an excellent one for the 10th grade: it provides freedom of exploration and a rewarding cultural experience.

Canyon Lands Solo: 11th Grade
Junior year is a strenuous time for many students because it involves college searches, junior thesis writing, and ridiculously taxing and difficult schoolwork. Before embarking on the backpacking and soloing adventure in the desert, Ryan requires her American Literature class to read Edward Abbey’s Desert Solitaire (hint: try to get an old copy from someone who actually read the book and took excellent notes in the margins. Like Sparknotes, but better!). Although the trip has remained fairly ambiguous so far, a few things are certain: juniors drive down to Moab in a big charter bus, camp by themselves for two nights with no human contact, backpack together for two nights in very small groups, eat dinner in Moab again, and finally drive home the following day. While on solo, students are required to keep a journal and are provided with nothing but a small packet of “food”, a tent, and the sweet, sweet comforting words of Mr. Abbey in Desert Solitaire. Teachers are keeping the trip a secret in order to preserve the mystery of the trip and provide a tantalizing yet slightly unnerving element of surprise.

Pwnd – elizabeth beesley

It's the smell
that strikes at once
the claws that curl
anticipation of flight
stealth amongst the under brush
sinking deep
after the fall
the stench of blood
lick your lips
the huntress
crimson drips to lap
teeth bared to rip
conquered.