The Vigornia December 14, 2012

7/30/2019 The Vigornia December 14, 2012

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THE VIGORNIAVolume 134 Issue 5 Student NewspaperDecember 14, 2012 Since 1878

By Maya Franson 14

Mrs. Fenner helping Ebimene Duobeni 13 with her applications

Photo Courtesy of Kara Banson 13

Having recently attended an informational meeting, the Class of 2014has taken a rst step in the college application process. This junior class

will experience a new approach to assigning college counselors to students.

Students should not worry; the new system is meant to improve communica-

tions between students, their advisors, and their college counselor, reducing

stress for everyone involved, and will hopefully create an easier and more

efcient process for students, advisors, and college counselors.

The new system will assign advisory groups to one college counselor.

This will allow for better communication between advisors and college coun-

selors, helping counselors get to know students better and enabling them

to better represent students when writing recommendations to colleges, an

important aspect of the application process. Advisors will only need to go to

one counselor to inquire on the progress of their advisees and weekly advi-

sory meetings can be used for announcements. Most importantly, students

will benet from the close relationship established between their advisor andcollege counselor, with less time put into keeping track of communicating

with various advisors, and more time and energy focused on their journey.

Essentially, the new method is better for students, families, counselors, and

advisors. It will bring all those folks together for the student process, afrms

Mr. Baker. However, despite the high hopes of the new counselor system,

there are misconceptions about how counselors were assigned to students

in previous years, making students hesitant to embrace the new structure.

Referred to fondly as the dreaded questionnaire, a lengthy survey

designed to help counselors get to know their students, was thought to (at

least supposedly) play a part in the assignment process. The assumption

was that, based on the input of the survey, students would be matched with

counselors best suited for their personality or interests. However, this was

never the case. Counselors would go through the current junior class and,if they had familiarity with a student, such as having taught the student or

having counseled an older sibling, they would request to be assigned to that

student. The remaining student body would be distributed among the coun-

selors randomly.

And Thats The Tea:Grammy

Nominations

New College Counseling

Process for Class of 2014

Turn to College Process on Page 6

By Andrew Reiter 13

Columnist

Tere is almost nothing in this world that gets

me excited as Award Season does. I love all the majoraward shows, Te onys, Emmys, Grammys, Oscars, andeven the VMAs and the Golden Globes. But when youcram as many eccentrics and attention seekers in thesame theater where all these wacky birds and randomlatin singers compete or the same prizes, theres a thrilllike no other. Te stars o stage and screen may be divasand all, but theyre nothing compared to the personali-ties and egos o the music industry, which is heatin upthe exciting stewpot that is the Grammys.

Tis coming years Grammys might be an excep-tion though, with the nominations having come out lastweek there are some surprises, some that were expected,and some that were just odd. For example, aylor Swishit We Are Never Ever Getting Back ogether

was nominated or record o the year! Beore you trysaying that fve times ast, think to yoursel, well itmight be catchy, but why the heck is it nominated or

such a big award!!? And i you did fnd yoursel thinkingthat, you wouldnt be alone. Such a track is un or thesummer and all, but its not exactly a masterpiece. Swiis always comically surprised when she wins awards, butthis time we will be too i she snags this one.

Aside rom this eighth wonder o the world, itwas Fun., Frank Ocean, Mumord and Sons, and Gotye,take charge this year and land in all sorts o categoriesacross the board! With nominations in Song o the Year,Record o the Year, Album o the Year, and more, thesealternative ellas really take charge, giving teen pop thecold shoulder. In act, Pop as we knew it sits on the backburner this year, with amiliar pop stars like Carly Rae

Jepsen, Rihanna, Katy Perry, and P!nk, getting all rela-tively ew nominations.

Turn to Grammy Nominations on Page 6

...its anybodys game,

but for once these

anybodies might

become somebodies...


2/8

Sports2Here Comes Hockey

By Kasey MacDowell 15 and Shannon Martin 15

The Worcester Academys Girls Varsity

hockey program is the new kid on the block. They

ended their season with a 6-11-1 record last year,

which they are hoping to improve this season. As

their captain Lan Crofton 13 puts it, I hope we

do a lot better than last year and I think we can

denitely put a better record. We have a lot more

talented kids. Crofton also gave insight into their

plans for this season saying, We are putting down

new systems, allowing players to get more rest in

between shifts because of our larger team, and

we are putting in hard work. The team has three

freshmen this year and one eighth grader making

them a larger, youthful team. They can be happy

their captain has faith in them, The freshmen

are doing pretty well, I mean, there are denitely

changes between youth and high school levelhockey. Theyll be ne. For Crofton, this season

is a special one because of her title as captain.

Crofton says, Its denitely great, its something

Ive always wanted. She will be able to continue

using her hockey skills at Bowdoin, where she has

verbally committed to play. She is also proud that

Bowdoin is a wicked good school for academics,

where she will be able to happily pursue her edu-

cation, which she feels is superior.

The Boys Varsity Hockey Team is also looking

to improve upon last years record of 11-15-1 and ac-

cording to co-captain Connor Carew 13, they are off

to a good start. He says, We had a stronger pre-sea-

son in the fall than we did last year. We play differently

together, and we have a lot of young guys that give

our team a strong sense of yearning to get better.

With six freshmen out of twenty-three players, they

make up over a fourth of the team, and bring a fresh

enthusiasm. Theyre doing really well. The majority of

them came out for pre-season workouts and theyre

working hard at practice. Every game theyre getting

better, says Carew with optimism regarding the future

of the Worcester Academy Boys Hockey Program.

This is a source of pride to Carew, Its a blessing

to work and lead the team. Being captain with Matt

[Zornik 13] is a really great experience. We have thesame mind-set of how we look at [hockey] in our lives.

I just want to be able to leave the program in a better

state with the work we put into it. He plans to continue

working hard, as he wants to take a year off to play

juniors. He has trips planned to Montreal, British Co-

lumbia, Chicago, and Minnesota with other locations

pending and hopes to eventually sign with a team and

play a full schedule.

Q: What is your pre-game ritual?

Q: What is your pre-game meal?

Q: Cats or Dogs?

Q: Bauer or Warrior?

Lan: We get to the rink an hour before, and stretch as a team. Ido juggling warm ups and then get dressed.Connor: Play music, little talking, be alone. We stretch. I put mygear on the same way every time and I pray.

Lan: Bauer.Connor: Warrior.

Lan: Both, they are pretty awesome.Connor: Dogs. Total dog.

Lan: Definitely chicken caesar salad but with balsamic dressing. I do not likecaesar dressing, and water.Connor: I eat five to six hours before. Always a peanut butter sandwich withhoney on it and saltines.

Chatting With the Captains:The Vig managed to ask the Hilltopper goalkeepers somequestions about their game preparation, preferred gear, andthe age old question of cats vs. dogs:

Crofton (top right)and Carew (bot-tom right) tendtheir goals.Photos Courtesyof Lan Crof-ton and Connor

Carew


3/8

3SportsStudent Athletes Sign to Play Collegiate Basketball

By Matthew Lavelle 13

On Wednesday, November 14th, student athletes across

the United States signed their National Letters of Intent to play

basketball at the collegiate level. Here on the hilltop, 4 students

participated on the national date of November 14th, and one

signed on November 20th. When being interviewed, all of those

who signed expressed one goal heading into the recruitment

process: to receive offers by a Division 1 basketball Program.Senior Rene

Castro, who

hopes to start

at Butler Uni-

versity next

year, knew

during his

freshman year

at Beaver

Country Day

School that

he wanted to

play Division

1 basketball.

Rene and

many student

athletes com-

ing to Worces-

ter Academy

presented an

opportunity to

do that.

For

those who

committed to

play at the col-

legiate levelfrom Worces-

ter Academy,

choosing to

come to the hilltop was pivotal to get in to a Division 1 program,

as well as succeeding athletically and academically. According

to postgraduates Matt Panaggio and Matt Mobley, coming to

Worcester Academy meant there would be a lot of exposure to

Division 1 schools that their former high schools did not have.

In addition, for a strong student athlete like Tom Rivard, who

signed late to James Madison University and will be part of their

high honors academic program next year, Worcester Academy

was a great school to prepare him for the educational and ath-

letic rigors in college. Candace Andrews 13 felt the same way,saying that Worcester Academy presented a great balance of

both academic and athletic challenge that will help her succeed

as a student-athlete at Saint Anselm University, where she will

be playing next year.

Despite their great amount of preparation, the students

felt the recruitment process was a difcult and nerve-wracking

process. For some like Matt Mobley, who will play at Central

Connecticut University, and Matt Panaggio, who will play at

Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, the decisionprocess was

relatively easy as

they were able

to narrow down

the list of the

schools they had

received offers

from early on. On

the other hand,

Rene Castros

biggest challenge

was making the

right decision

on the school he

wanted to attend.

Like Rene, Tom

Rivard felt that

playing athletics

at a collegiate

level was a tough

process, as no

one in his fam-

ily had done so

before. But for

most all of the play-

ers, they found help

by consulting withtheir family mem-

bers and coaches

to make their deci-

sion. Candace Andrews, who consulted with her parents, felt

stressed, but stayed focused and knew that the skills she had

developed since 7th grade would lead her to success. Overall,

all of the students are enthusiastic about their decisions and are

anticipating great seasons at each of their schools next year.

The players would like to give a special thanks to their families

and coaches, Mr. Jamie Sullivan, Mr. Wayne Bolden, and Ms.

Molly Dullea.

The Worcester Academy community wishes Matt Mo-

bley, Matt Panaggio, Tom Rivard, Rene Castro, and CandaceAndrews good luck in their seasons next year.

Members of the WA basketball teams:

From left sitting: Matt Mobley, Candace Andrews, Matt Panaggio, Rene Castro

From left standing: Tom Rivard, Darryl Reynolds, Devon Williams, Matt Cimino,

Ben MesudaPhoto Courtesy of Neil Isakson

Editors-in-Chief

Shona Allen 13

Kara Banson 13

Alexandra DelloStritto 14Writers

Gianna Anderson 14

Christina Belforti 13

Maya Franson 14

Andrew Reiter 13

Matthew Lavelle 13

Meghan Li 15

Jason Lu 14

Kasey MacDowell 15

Shannon Martin 15

Abrielle Peltier 14

Photographer

Julia Washabaugh 15

AdvisorChristina Webb

Vigornia StafDecember 14, 2012


4/8

Features

Pillar Talk: Top TenTips For Suriving

Trimester 2By The Pillars

The long winter months between Novem-ber and Febuary seem to go on forever. The

workload gets harder and there seems to be

no end in sight. Here are ten tips to survive the

terrible time known as trimester 2...and what-

ever else the year may throw at you:

1. Stay organized2. Do not be afraid to ask foran extension3. Take a break and read abook (or a Vigornia!)4. Check your email regularly5. Eat healthy

6. Drink lots of water7. Go to extra help8. Use your free periods wisely9. Do not procrastinate10. Take some time to relax at

the hypnotist show!

Are you getting

sleepy?Very sleepy?

Hypnotist SteveMarino

Friday, January 4,

2013Warner7:30 p.m.

Co-sponsored by the

Pil lars and theOpen-Mic Club

Also, come see a concertby the Open Mic Club afterthe show at 9 p.m.! Pizza and

drinks will be served in theStudent Center.


5/8

Arts 5

Amidst the winter weather and long school days,

something to look forward to this season is Worcester

Academys winter play. Unique, funny, and controver-sial, playwrights Josh Levine and Mr. Addis are craft-

ing a play that is sure to leave audiences laughing and

inspired. The plotline is relatable. Mr. Addis said, Audi-

ences can expect a story about

three high school friends [who

are] trying to work out who they

are and what they want.

Mr. Addis reveals some

of the key conicts in the play.

Corey (played by Andrew Re-

iter 13) recently came out

of the closet. He used to befriends with Rob (Adam Echel-

man 13), but they no longer

speak. Tina (Anita Alur 13) is

using Corey to get information

about Rob, because he is the

last straight guy at school that

she has yet to date. Rumors

y that Corey is in love with

Rob, and that they may have

kissed. To push the action forward Mr. Addis conrms

that there will be a chorus of students [who] text theirway through the play, commenting on what they see

and spreading gossip.

Although this is not the rst time Mr. Addis and

Josh Levine have collaborated on a production, it is

the rst play they have written for high school studentsto perform. Mr. Addis remarks that the experience is

exciting and unusual, which mirrors the content of the

play. Josh Levine was one of the rst gay people to get

married in New York, and

it was important to Josh to

write about a gay central

character, Mr. Addis ex-

plains. The main character

Corey is gay, but he is not

depicted as weak, sad, or

a tragic gure. There is a

wide variety of outside inu-ences on the play, ranging

from French play Cyrano

De Bergerac to Mean Girls

and Pretty in Pink. The play

is a work in progress, and

there will be collaboration

between the actors and

the chorus as rehearsals

continue. More information

about Josh Levine can be found outside of Mr. Addis

ofce in the Pit, and for more details about the play,WA will have to wait for opening night.

.

By Christina Belforti 13

It is that time of year again. As the holidays

are approaching, so is the anticipated Upper School

Holiday Concert. For several weeks, performers of

Worcester Academys music program have been re-hearsing for this holiday tradition happening in Warner

Theater. In the past years, it has featured the Chorus,

Advanced Chorus, Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Jazz

Group, Academy Singers, and the Hillpoppas. This

year is no exception, for each group brings talent and

artistry to the concert. Director Donald Irving com-

mented, Im excited because this concert is not the

only concert we are doing. It begins the performance

season. There have been and will be many more off

campus events. The Academy Singers and the Jazz

Combo will perform at the Tower Hill Botanical Gar-

dens on December 9th. The Academy Singers, Ad-vanced Chorus and the Hillpoppas will also perform at

the Notre Dame Long Term Care Center on December

11th. Not only can Worcester Academy enjoy the mu-

sical entertainment, but so can people outside of the

WA community. While Director Irving describes the

concert as, a chance to develop technical skills, forstudents, it also entertains the audience.

Out of all the concerts of the year, this one

seems to be the most anticipated performance.

Meaghan Barry 15 of the Wind Ensemble says, I

love being able to perform my favorite holiday songs!

Some songs that will be performed are the What

Cheer carol and Sleigh Ride by the Orchestra. A

Hanukkah song, Nerli, arranged by alum Rebecca

Cypess 96, will also be performed. The musicians of

WA have devoted a lot of time into this event and with

Director Irvings twenty-seven years of conducting the

music program, this concert is sure to be a success.It is scheduled to be on Friday the 14th at 7 p.m. in

Warner Theater. The snow date is Monday the 17th.

The Winter Play: A Preview

By Meghan Li 15

Ending the Year with the Annual Holiday Concert

Members of the cast are all smiles as they prepare for

rehearsal

Photo Courtesy of Kara Banson 13


6/8

Features

ThE NoRTh PoLL*By Kara Banson 13 and Alexandra DelloStritto 14

Editors-in-Chief

Do you think the world will

end on December 21st?

88% believe thats ridiculous

12% believe we are all going to die

According to the

poll, 72% of people

prefer gloves over

mittens.

What do you want for the Holiday Season?

College accceptance letters-A hopeful Hilltopper

a watch.... so I can count theseconds of being with you.

-A Vig secret admirer

A resolution to the cliff-hanging fiscalcrisis in the USA and the

European Common Market.-A concerned citizen

The ideal situation would be if I woke up early onDecember 25th (and by early, I mean probably like11:30 AM or something) surrounded by cats. Then,upon walking down the stairs into the festive livingroom where my Christmas tree stands, I would findstockings, boxes, and baskets full of furry little felinefriends meowing in unison to the tune ofO Come,All Ye Faithful.That is my one, true Christmaswish. I would also be happy to receive Crocs.

-Michael Schermerhorn

Nothing, really. I have everything I want!-A thankful reader

Less surveys-A sassy reader

*Results are out of 100 responses

Clearly, this was not the most

efcient way to match students to a

counselor and occupied otherwise

better-spent time. Although the new

system will alleviate some stress

caused by the application process,

there are simple things all juniors

and underclassmen can start doingnow to make their experience easier.

Firstly, take the time to become fa-

miliar with goals and priorities; these

will inuence the type of school that

will be of interest. Secondly, research

schools, learn the admission process

and requirements, and enter the

process with an idea of what range

of colleges to consider. Lastly, and

primarily directed at juniors, check

Zimbra, schedule meetings, be punc-

tual, and listen to the encouraging

words of Mrs. Fenner on behalf of thecollege counseling department, We

welcome you to the process. Please

come in often and introduce yourself

to [me]; I do a lot of work for you and

would like to put a name to the face.

College Counseling Continued

Tis practically confrms my hunchthat alternative and indie music will slowlybecome the norm. I you listen to the radiothese days, were moving away rom the

electronic-dance club hits that have beenplaying since Lady Gagas Just Dance hitthe scene in 2008. With the mainstreamspotlight shiing rom traditional pop tonew alternative/indie its no wonder thatall o these artists, who may not be newper say, but are new to the average per-son, are hitting it big this year. o urtherconfrm my suspicion, we have Florence+ Te Machines Ceremonials and Fun.sSome Nights landing in the Best Pop VocalAlbum, bringing the term Pop back to itsroots o Popular.

Tis years Grammy are expectedto simply fll a void. Were missing thecultural signifcance that last years Gram-mys brought with Adele and Gaga leadingin the nominations, and Adele leadingin wins (though shes nominated or oneaward this year [Seriously shes like theplague! You cant get rid o her!!]), per-haps the absence o such stars is allowingthe limelight to shine on less well-knownsingers. Although, Bruce Springsteens stillboppin around and with some nomina-tions in the rock categories, this yearsGrammys is flled with hoops that anyone

could jump through. Especially with theseindie bands all competing, its anybodysgame, but or once these anybodies mightbecome somebodies come round February.

Grammy Nominations Continued


7/8

7News

Ready, Set, DODGEBy Shona Allen 13

Editor-In-Chief

On Friday November 30th, eleven teams, ranging from

freshmen to postgraduates, participated in WAs bi-annual dodge

ball tournament. The atmosphere in the New Gym was competi-tive and enthusiastic, as members of each team, all sporting

vibrant athletic wear, warmed up for the games. The tournament

was based on double elimination, meaning that a team would

have to lose two games in order to be eliminated from the tourna-

ment. The dodge ball tournaments are sponsored by the Class

of 2013, and class president Becca Levin commented on the

tournaments great attendance this year: The dodge ball tourna-

ment had a great turn out. Everyone seemed very excited to play

and you could feel the intensity as it got closer and closer to the

nals.

In the end, Team Polo, a group of senior boys, and

Clouses Crew, a group of sophomore boys, made it to the nals.

After countless hits and misses, Clouses Crew won the game.

Each player received golden goblet trophies, gift cards to Dunkin

Donuts, and bragging rights of course. After this rst dodge ball

tournaments success, teams are looking forward to the next

tournament in the spring.

Young Meets Old: G Period Senior Center Jubilee

Worcester Academy contributes to the community in a

variety of ways, including expanding the schools relationship to

the Senior Center in Worcester. Mr. Irving, music faculty director,

directed the G Period Advanced Chorus into a stellar, silver and

gold worthy performance that cumulated into joy and wonder by

days end. Overall it was a beautiful experience, and classmates

were spellbound by the incredible

candor of the Senior Center resi-

dents and the experience they pos-

sessed on the musical stage.

The chorus warmed up with

a joyous version of Hanukah and

Mendelssohns impeccable Joy

to the World. It was a thrill to hear

such strong vocals from the alto,

tenor, soprano and bass sections,

who worked day and night to perfect

the tough cadences of Hanukah.

Sophomore and Academy Singer

Susan Shepardson 15 said: It was

a joy to work with the elderly men and women and better un-

derstand the musical world in Worcester. Sam Lan 15, another

Academy Singer, added: It was a fun and good learning experi-

ence for all. Mr. Irving believed that the choral ensemble was

better prepared in terms of intonation (the tone) and timbre (the

pitch). In his own words, he praised the amount of emotion and

enthusiasm in terms of color and tone within the song selection.It enabled the Academy to present a lot more than just musical

singing; it was a sample out of many that emulated WAs leader-

ship and interpersonal skills that has made the Academy a hub

for success throughout the past 150 years.

Afterwards, the residents further developed their leader-

ship role by actually correcting Mr. Irving and expanding musical

knowledge through emotion and color as well. A resident, who

was very impressed with Mr. Irvings

masterful organization of voluminous

compositions, wrapped up her reac-

tion with one statement: Wonder-

ful. This class simply knows how to

do things right, a wonderful group

to work with. Thank you, Worcester

Academy.

The holidays are near, and the

Worcester Academy Choral Depart-

ment already feels the joy of this time

of year. The musical performance

itself was a delight, as it was execut-

ed with great preparation and nesse

(along with an addition of a coda, composed by the Senior

Center). The Senior Center also introduced the two-part recital

of Let It Snow, Silver and Gold, Im Coming Home For Christ-

mas, Silver Bells, Happy Holidays, and the nale: an impro-

vised version of Silver and Gold. Thank you Senior Center for

a wonderful visit, and WA Advanced Chorus will reciprocate the

awesome experience when Worcester Academy visits the SeniorCenter on Wednesday, December 12th.

By Jason Lu 14

Sophomores Clare Stevens, Gianna Polito, Natalie Bath,

Caroline Knowles, Connor McCarthy, Bradley Waddell,

Charles Chiang, and Cam Heiser pose for picture before

game time

Photo Courtesy of Julia Washabaugh 15

...classmates were

spellbound by the

incredible candor ofthe Senior

Center residents...


8/8

On Campus

By Gianna Anderson 14 and Abrielle Peltier 14

Word on the Street:What came firstthe chicken or the egg?

It doesntreally

matter to me.Ive never

really thoughtabout it.-Maddy

Ojerholm 13

I believe the egg came firstbecause without the egg therewould be no chicken. Let me

ask you what came first the cellor the human, the cell.

Exactamente.- Melissa Loudior 13

Chicken because

the chicken madethe egg.-Vy Nguyen 14

I havent reallytaken that much timeto think about it, but

Id have to say the

chicken.-Miriam Tanenbaum15

The egg came firstbecause I eat eggs and

if the chicken came first

then thats just sad. Idont eat babychickens.

-Mr. O Donnell

The egg came first because the

chicken is just a mutation.-Varun Nair 16

Photos Courtesy of Gianna Anderson 14 andAbrielle Peltier 14

The Vigornia December 14, 2012

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