The Circle Voice

Volume 43, No. 2 Groton School, Box 991, Groton, MA 01450

BY KATIE SLAVIK 15

Parents Weekend, October 20, 2012

ENVISIONING THE FUTURE: STEM COMES TO LIFE

One of the preliminary sketches for the Forum. (Shepley-Bulfinch) The conference bell rings throughout the equipment should we buy? The planning that students dont have to study in the often halls of our school, and students hurriedly will most likely end this January. noisy hallways. The Forum will also better If the designs stay the same, the STEM incorporate the science, math, and STEM rush out of classrooms. Teachers with raised voices persistently try to inform the eager addition and the other renovations to the classrooms into the Schoolhouse. Right students of their homework assignments. Schoolhouse will certainly be impressive. now, the Math and Science Wing is busting Some students head to the Schoolroom, Were trying to look at everything fifty at the seams, comments Mr. Hall. The math which looks almost the same as it did a hun- years ahead, the dining hall, the library, the and science classrooms will be on the same dred years ago. At the same time, some head roads, Mr. Hall says. Were trying to better floor as the humanities classrooms which in the direction of Gammons but turn right the entire campus. Groton not only plans to will more fluidly integrate the two. towards a new, gleaming staircase. These build an addition to the Schoolhouse but to While the plans are exciting to say the stairs lead up to a large, modern space with also change some of the current buildings. least, one worries if the modern Forum a high glass ceiling. Students gather at a caf The library will be moved into the Hall, and STEM classrooms will take away the to grab some snacks, and laughter fills the which will become the new version of the traditional feeling one has when walking spacious room. Meanwhile, other students Reading Room, and a large, multipurpose through our time-honored hallways. In spite have retreated to the library, formerly called lecture hall will be located somewhere in the of the fact that the school plans to change the Hall, to hastily finish some Latin home- new building. This move will allow students the Hall, the Schoolroom, a 19th century work. If the blueprints for the new addition to use the librarys resources during the aca- relic, will remain the same, and much of to the Schoolhouse dont change until they demic day. The side of the library that faces the Schoolhouse will keep its old-fashioned are approved by the Board of Trustees, this the Circle, as well as the Reading Room, look. Were trying to balance between the will remain available to students to study. could be the future of Groton School. tradition of the school and the demands of In addition, the new STEM classrooms a 21st century education, Mr. Commons The planning for the additions to the Schoolhouse began two years ago and have will be positioned by a large room in the says. So while the additions will bring a been changing. Moving from their prelimi- center of the Schoolhouse called The much more contemporary feel to the School, nary stage to their final stage, the changes Forum. The Forum will serve as the heart the traditional feel of the School that Groton are becoming more and more minor. Mr. of social life during school hours. It will values so much will remain. Hall says that the questions about the plans include a caf for students to grab a snack Though these plans are not yet final, the have progressed from Where should we and outdoor patios that will be added to the construction will hopefully begin this sumput the physics classroom? to What kind entrances of the additional building. Small mer. The School hopes that the project can of doorknobs should we use?, and What study rooms may be scattered around so be completed by the Fall of 2015.

BY ELIZABETH SALISBURY 14 G3, also known as the Groton Gardening Club, is a group founded three years ago by a group of Groton parents who were concerned about food production in the Groton area. Ms. Palomo said, Lexi Ladd, mother of Fourth Former Olivia LaddLuthringshauser, along with other Groton parents and alumni, attended an event about local agriculture held at Groton School a few years back. They were so inspired by what they heard that they began to reach out to people in the Groton community to figure out how the school could begin the work of growing its own food and creating a garden of its own. This initial idea of Groton producing its own food took shape in the form of a garden next to the B&G building where students and faculty members have helped plant and grow food for the past three years. This year, Beth Suedmeyer and Takashi Tada, a couple living in Ayer who were both involved in the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project at Tufts, are leasing school-owned farmland, and according to Ms. Palomo, they will be selling food to Mr. Coughlin for use in our dining hall since the school is not actually paying them. Students will have an opportunity to join the members of GCS and the Enviro Board and help Beth Sudemeyer and Takashi Tada plant seeds, weed, and harvest crops at their farm behind Mr. Fry, Ms. Humphrey, and Mr. Lyons houses. Sixth Former Gideon Lovell-Smith encourages the Groton community to get their hands dirty by stopping by to help, even if it is just for 10 minutes. Students in the past have gotten involved through an FSA in the garden, and they have helped plant and harvest numerous vegetables from the B&G garden. Access to a larger farm will not only increase the amount of food produced, it will also increase the number of workers needed! Helping out in the garden is an easy

The Groton Gardeners

Groton Football Crushes Brooks 27-6

I! Cam yelled into the crowd. I! we yelled back, some more enthusiastically than others. Down below the Zebras were beating the Bishops of Brooks School and on the side Alaric Krapf 15 was dueling a Brookss kid. It really didnt matter that the Brooks football team hadnt won in two years. What mattered was that three Bucky buses full of Groton students were screaming and cheering on the Groton team. For a Groton student this was about as close as it came to the stereotypical Opinions: 2, 3,4 International Day of Girl 2 Overstressed about college? Column by Cynthia Fang 2 Brown vs. Warren 3 ELECTION SPECIAL Romney vs. Obama 4 BY SCHUYLER COLLOREDO-MANSFELD 14 high school experience, something that Groton students often miss out on. While it all had the potential to feel quite forced--a bunch of prep school kids bussed over to a college field and told to wear all white--it somehow wasnt. The atmosphere created was greatly appreciated by the team according to the fullbacks Will MacEachern and Joe Gentile. It was a great opportunity for the school to come together. The zebras came out strong in the first half, and were able to light Continued on Page 10 Arts: 11

Grotons offense lines up against the Brooks team. News & Features: 5,6,8,9 Kara Miller Speaks at Groton 5 Groton Conservation Corps 5 New Creative Writing Column 6 SERVICE SPECIAL Groton Students Travel to Peru, Tanzania, Uganda, China 8,9

(A. Stern 14)

OPINION BY JJ KIM 14 Recently, several speakers have come from outside the Circle to speak about their stories and ideas. In chapel, writer Andre Dubus talked about the story of his troubled childhood, his passion for writing and finding happiness, and recent graduate Augusta Thomson described her anthropological research on the pilgrimage around Mount Kailash in Tibet, one of the most sacred pilgrimages for Tibetan Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, and Bon faith traditions. In the Campbell Performing Arts Center, political commentator Kara Miller 96 talked about the path to her career in media as well as her passion for politics. How are these speakers brought in? For chapel talks, the arrangement is rather informal. Often, individual teachers recommend and contact speakers. Sometimes, alumni request to talk in chapel. For all school lectures, the Speakers Committee invites and contacts speakers with specific guidelines in mind. The all school read generally sets the theme of the year for lectures, and the Continued on Page 3 Humor: 12 Look Alikes: Can you tell them apart? 12 No Mullets!
A variation on No Capes! (from the Incredibles) 12

Beyond the Circle: Outside Speakers

Continued on Page 6

Whats Inside
Sports: 10 Athlete of the Issue: Adam Hardej 10 New Archery FSA 10 Groton Girls and Boys Row at Henley again 10

Artist of the Issue: Danny Castellanos 11 Larry Unger: Banjo Teacher, also teaches in Afghanistan 11 Update on Choir 11

Last on the Circle

12

The Circle Voice

CUI SERVIRE EST REGNARE: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL

OPINION BY AJ JEON 14

OPINIONS

Witty Words

KEEPING CALM ABOUT COLLEGE

Parents Weekend

A Column By Cynthia Fang 14

(www.care.org) A couple of girls on the Groton Com- rates and child mortality rates. The Council munity Service (GCS) Board and I got on Foreign Relations, stated that educated together after the second sit-down to dis- mothers are 50% more likely to immunize cuss how Groton School could celebrate their children and when more girls are eduthe very first International Day of the Girl. cated, a countrys malnutrition and HIV rates Ms. Hughes, our faculty advisor introduced decline. Educating girls reduces corruption. us to the 10x10 Act and the International According to the Center for Global DevelopDay of the Girl. The International Day of ment, when women take leadership roles the Girl (October 11th) is a United Nations in their community, corruption diminishes, sponsored event that focuses on advertising and also academic journal World Politics said the importance of girls education. 10x10 that when women are educated and empowAct is a follow-up movement and a film ered, democracy is more likely to flourish that has signed up more than 280 campuses and the conditions that promote extremism that will host various events to celebrate the are reduced.Moreover, educating girls Day of the Girl. 10x10 is a groundbreaking reduces population growth more effectively film, directed by Academy Award nominee than the governments vague promotion of Richard Robbins, which tells the stories of contraception. As the United Nations Popu10 extraordinary girls from 10 countries, lation Fund suggests when girls receive 7 written by 10 celebrated writers and nar- years of schooling, they marry 4 years later rated by 10 renowned actresses, and a and have 2.2 fewer children. campaign to reach global audiences and Last Wednesday, October 10th, many inspire individuals to take action for girls, students and faculty members attended the says the website. International Day of the Girl meeting and Unfortunately, while many around us proved the warm heart our community has. get in line to get an iPhone 5, people in the The guest speaker of the night, Burch Ford, Third World get in line for food. They still former head of Miss Porters School and the struggle against treatable diseases, and fight President of the National Coalition of Girls everyday against starvation. Many world Schools, and our own Ade Osinubi(14) and organizations and individuals are putting KT Choi(14) gave presentations on backeffort into improving the conditions in such ground information about the importance of countries. Instead of being an observer, this event and education for girls. The meetpeople should start tackling fundamental ing turned out very successfully: it grabbed problems and witness long-term changes. a lot of non-GCS-members attention and Educating girls in those countries is a very many people participated in the Q&A seseffective and crucial way of supporting sion and asked many helpful questions that because [educated] girls dramatically made the discussion richer. Hopefully, we improve the well-being of their families, can continue our interest in this topic and their communities, and their countries, support many girls out there. according to 10x10. Groton is a wonderfully well rounded Educating girls reduces poverty. The educational institution, and it would most Council on Foreign Relations reported, certainly best represent us if we could return when 10% more of [a countrys] girls go the privileges we have received so far by to school, [its] GDP increases an average of supporting the girls in need of education. 3%. Also, according to the journal Food For more information, check out the official Policy, when female farmers are educated, website (10x10act.org). crop yields rise. Educating girls reduces HIV infection It seems that at Groton, the students are constantly told that college is not that important, especially not the name. Especially after the student body questioned why Kara Miller did not enjoy Yale, Groton seems to have exploded with controversy towards this matter. Faculty, older students, even peers at Groton, students are always being told to calm down and not to worry about college. The students get it we really do. Dont worry about college. It doesnt matter as much as we think it does. Going to a good college doesnt guarantee you success or happiness. Its all true and makes perfect sense why is it that no one seems to accept it, let alone live by it? Most of us are overstressed about college. With the exception of the few who are already exactly sure of the major choices they would like to make in life, most of us are still bumbling about, trying to figure out what it is that will bring us the best future. The Groton environment contributes a great deal to the way we tend to think. What exactly is that environment? Groton is a preparatory boarding school, top ranked and selective, that undoubtedly gets quite a few of its students into top colleges. However, all students can agree that Groton is much, much more than just a stepping stone. There are countless experiences and friendships built, destroyed and rebuilt. On the other hand, we all know that there is a solid end result (not the only result, but nevertheless still a very important one) that is printed and mailed (or even emailed in recent times) college acceptance. No one can deny that Groton greatly prides itself on its college matriculation and happily displays the statistics. Sending 30 students to Harvard in six years? Who wouldnt be impressed? Before even sending those primary applications to Groton, a potential student will see the numbers. In lower school, were told to not worry about college, that its far away, and to just do what we can and what we want. Then, in fourth form, they continue saying those things, although GPA does start counting.

Fifth Form hits faster than anyone expects, even though we all see it coming the college buzz fills the air, and people start loading up on APs that they dont want to take, in subjects they dont actually like, all for the sake of college. I think the school sends mixed messages, says a Fifth Former. They tell us not to worry about it, but then they throw SAT diagnostics and AP preparation on us while they all keep telling us not to care. In a way, it makes it even worse because we have to hide our preoccupations with college and pretend that we arent in a neck to neck competition with every single student in our form. We are told over and over that in applying to colleges, we must choose the right place, not just strive for a good name. However, on the other hand, the school doesnt try to hide its pride in the high amount of Groton students who go on to Ivy League schools. The best of the best at Groton are the ones who get into the big names, and Groton pushes them the whole way through. The culture of Groton the things that arent necessarily reminisced in chapel talks or taught in lectures tells us that going to an Ivy is, in fact, something that we should strive for. Its not just Groton either. Its the whole United States, the way everyone would look at you differently if you said you attend a prestigious university. The Ivies are hyped up, not without cause, but the idea is trapped in our minds, and simply telling us otherwise will not convince us otherwise. The issue is extremely tricky, and perhaps making a change would require upturning society. Groton students are not going to stop worrying about college they may conceal it, but with the ambition and expectations that exist on this campus, the preoccupation will not cease. Maybe we shouldnt be told to stop being concerned with college clearly, it has not and will not work. If anything, it makes us feel like it is wrong to be working hard and striving towards our goals for college. The relationship between the Groton administration and students concerning college is and probably always will be a tricky one. Students will care, maybe for the wrong reasons, about the wrong things, but they will care. It simply would be nicer if we werent constantly told that we shouldnt.

SHOULD GROTON KEEP ITS LATIN REQUIREMENT?

OPINION BY ELLA ANDERSON 17 Latin surrounds all of us, whether we realize it or not. In Lower School, we are required to take two years of Latin. It is a controversial topic among students whether it should be a requirement or just an optional class. Latin is a school tradition. Over the years, hundreds of Groton students have studied Latin. Some have found their passion in this classical language, whereas others cant wait to finish Latin 2. Trevor Fry, a current Fourth Former, studied Latin in Second and Third Form, but dropped it this year. The class helped him learn French and he admits he would have tried it anyway had it not been mandatory. But he says I was tired of itA basic understanding of the language is helpful and important, but to me delving any deeper is close to pointless. Learn a language you can actually use to communicate with people! This is the argument with many students Latin is a dead language, so why bother learning? Ms. Martin-Nelson, one of the Latin teachers, is a strong supporter of the requirement. [Latin] is like medicine or super foods it is good for everyone. Ms. Martin-Nelson makes a strong point. Latin is the root of multiple modern languages, and knowing a bit cant do us any harm. Some say that Latin is the worst part of their day, but when students are asked if they supported the requirement, almost all replied yes.

Classics Club heads

(A. Kopp 13)

The Circle Voice

Editor-in-Chief Anita Xu Pranay Sharma Copy Editors Staff Writers Emma Paine, Olivia Thompson, Johnny Lamont, Kriska Desir, Alaric Krapf Alexis Ciambotti, Loulie Bunzel, Nimesha Gerlus Managing Editor for Online Affairs Hugh McGlade Danielle Kimball Stephanie Kim Ellee Watson and Will Groves Carter Cockrell and Henry Bator Analia Del Bosque Loulie Bunzel, AJ Jeon, JJ Kim, Ryan Voon Carolyn Grenier, Lucy McNamara, Elizabeth Salisbury, Shangyan Li, Gates McGavick Naomi Primero, David Howe Sky Colloredo-Mansfeld, Derek Xiao Liam Cashel and Willy Anderson Hayward Berkowitz Contributors: Katie Slavik, Ella Anderson, Michael Gates, Evan Haas, Peter Nam, Brittany Zhang, Evan Long, Ethan Woo, Philippe Heitzmann, Michael Ma, Nancy Xue, Elizabeth Dickson, Annie McCreery, Malik Jabati, Louisa Johnston, Varsha Harish, Jae-Hee Lee Photographers: Candace Tong-Li Columnists: Cynthia Fang, David Howe, Ryan Voon

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SCOTT BROWN VS. ELIZABETH WARREN: WILL DEMOCRATS LOSE SENATE SEAT IN MASSACHUSETTS AGAIN?
OPINION BY MICHAEL GATES 15 There is no reason that a Democrat should ever lose an election in Massachusetts. For years, the odds have been, and continue to be, stacked in their favor. Since 1991, Democrats have served 107 terms in the House of Representatives, compared to Republicans serving only four terms. And, in the Senate, besides Scott Brown, the incumbent, there has not been a Republican senator from Massachusetts since Edward Brooke in 1978. The victory of Scott Brown for Ted Kennedys Senate seat put a dent in the deepblue political spectrum of Massachusetts, and also changed American politics as a whole. This seat would decide key votes among the Senate, such as health care and the stimulus. Massachusetts has been a Democratic stronghold for years, so why the recent change in heart? Its hard to tell, but it may be the competition and the recent growth in independents. In 2010, Brown won in a fairy-tale story type manner over Martha Coakley for the very influential Ted Kennedy Senate seat. Brown at the time was a state senator, not considered a rising politician, as only one of five conservative state senators in Massachusetts. He annihilated the little competition that was presented for the nomination, and moved on to the election. Martha Coakley, on the other hand, was the Mass. Attorney General, well-trained and bred for this liberal style of politics. The Obama administration and the Boston Globe both supported her in the election, yet still Scott Brown arose on top. It was a lengthy campaign, and Coakley made a few mistakes. She ran on Obamas ideals; after a year in office, he had yet isnt as deep to show much blue as we improvement thought, but in the economy more a purple or the housing color, in bemarket. She tween red and tried to relate blue. And the herself to the independents Yes We Can mascot? Scott type principle, Brown. He while many advertises Americans and himself shakmany Massaing hands chusetts resiwith Presidents were disdent Obama, satisfied with who his party Brown and Warren battle for the Senate. (PolicyMic) the first year is currently of Obamas term. Independents, at the time, trying to tear down. The new image of were becoming a more and more valuable Brown has become a man in a red and blue commodity. And Browns bipartisan attitude shirt, riding around in a pickup truck. In the brought him a huge surge from the indepen- recent debate at UMASS Lowell, he claimed dents fed up with the gridlock in Washing- himself the second most bipartisan senator. ton. He aired the famous campaign ad, now Its become clear that he is pushing toward known as the JFK ad, where Brown turned a more moderate stance for the upcoming the beginning of a televised Kennedy public election. service announcement into an ad. Airing a Many hope that Brown truly wants to liberal president in a conservative campaign reach across the aisle and encourage modad? It does not get more bipartisan than that. erate politics and the end of the gridlock in And in this very intense 2012 race be- Washington, but does he really? It seems tween Elizabeth Warren and Brown, the race more like he is conforming to the Massachulooks very similar; Coakley and Warren are setts parameters that he has been given in similar candidates, both attorneys and high order to gain reelection. On the other hand, standard intellectuals, versus Brown, a more Elizabeth Warren is not exactly willing to roughian Im one of you type politician. reach across party lines either. She gave a Except the key difference in 2012: indepen- rousing speech at the Democratic National dents. Registered Democrats far outnumber Convention, not so much in support of Republicans in Mass., but a whopping Obama, but a criticism of Mitt Romney. 52.2% of the population is unregistered, She especially attacked his tax policy, saymeaning that independents rule. So, Mass. ing that Romney wants to give tax cuts to

Parents Weekend

OPINIONS

The Circle Voice

millionaires and billionaires. But for middle class families who are hanging by their fingernails? His plans will hammer them with a new tax hike of up to $2,000 dollars. Political fact checkers and critics have been all over the speech, accusing it of being not only factually questionable, but also being a far leftist point of view. Yet recently Warren has pulled ahead in the polls by a small three point lead, but whatever the reason is, her Native American heritage is not getting her votes. If you saw the first debate at UMASS, you would have seen Elizabeth Warren again explaining that she is Cherokee, but did not and does use it to benefit herself in any manner. As ridiculous as it is that Elizabeth Warren could possibly be considered a minority, it is just petty politics not worth the time of Senator Brown, nor the media. The press has shaped politics into lost birth certificates and heritage, when the focus should be on health, jobs, taxes, the economy, the military, and MONEY. Elizabeth Warren can be whatever heritage she wants as long as I have money in the bank and low taxes, so if the race could stop dwelling upon the minutiae and become a race centered on which candidate is going to help my small business succeed, then we might be getting somewhere. Honestly, neither of the candidates is very impressive, but the best bet is Scott Brown. He may seem like a falsified independent, just hoping his bipartisanship will get him votes, but no matter what his motives are, he it is still a step to a more moderate Washington D.C. and a more moderate Massachusetts.

Reflections on the South Africa Chamber Orchestra Trip

OPINION BY EVAN HAAS 15 AND PETER NAM 15

Outside Speakers: Worth it or Not?

Groton Orchestra and Waterkloof High School At the start of Summer Break, the Groton School Chamber Orchestra embarked on a two week long trip to South Africa. Although we had racked up a great collection of pieces over the school year, we were both very nervous as co-principal cellists about the upcoming concerts. Our first destination was one of the three capitals of South Africa, Cape Town, where we were greeted by our hosts - members of Durbanville High School Orchestra. Staying at host families residences was a great way to form closer relationships with not only the students but also their families. We were forced to interact with those whose culture is unlike ours, and to share our experiences with them. This, for us, made the trip unlike any other. It allowed us to develop close relationships that could not have been achieved through sharing meals, conversations, and a house for a week. We watched movies, chatted, and laughed about the odd cultural differencesfor example we were offered red paste on my hot dog, which they call ketchup. This was a great bonding experience, and we are both still in contact with our host family. This was true both in Pretoria as well, but not as much so. There the people were certainly much wealthier, and while this might seem nice, it had a negative effect on us. For example, instead of staying in the room right next to our host or even in the same room, for the first night we both stayed together with Jonathan Terry `13, Alaric Krapf `15, and Taich Kobayashi `15 in a separate guest house down the street, which distanced us from our hosts. Although we moved into their residence the night after, it was short and we were left feeling separated.

(D. Smith) Andre Dubus talks about writing. Continued from Front Page committee seeks to find speakers in interdisciplinary fields and varies the fields for each lecture. For example, an artist may be the first speaker. Then, the next speaker may be an economist and so forth. While the student feedback on these speakers has been generally positive, bringing in outside speakers can be somewhat of an uncertain bet. Groton generally hears its own students speak in Chapel Talks and speeches of conviction, while writers and alumni speak in chapel and all school lectures. Over the years, some speakers have been lauded for their profound insights, interesting experiences and public speaking. Sometimes, others have spoken on topics too specialized for students to fully appreciate without sufficient background knowledge and interest. The outcomes are divided. If the lecture or chapel talk is captivating, it is wreathed with laurels. If not, students fall asleep in chapel chairs or complain about losing their valuable work time after sit down. So here is the question: Should we invite outside speakers for talks and lectures? The answer, I believe, is a firm yes. Why do we have outside speakers? Sure, it is interesting to hear them speak about their experiences and ideas. But, the more important reason is to make sure we do not lose perspective on the real world. Far too often, Groton students become stuck in tunnel vision, what is often referred as the Groton Bubble or, in one Sixth Form Chapel Talk, the Fishbowl. The Circle microcosm may seem a world by itself in isolation as students become all too preoccupied in what happens inside the Circle, losing perspective. Rumors and gossip flies around rather than breaking news and issues of the world. This bubble must be broken every now and then to make sure Groton keeps in touch with the world outside. Outside speakers bring in news from outside the Circle, as well as their experiences and ideas. Andre Dubus reminded Groton students to find their own formula for happiness. Kara Miller urged students to venture into the unknown for hidden opportunities. Augusta Thomson told students about the sacred experience of a pilgrimage. True, some of these ideas and themes appear in Chapel Talks. But, outside speakers phrase them in non-Groton terms, using their experiences in the world. In a more recent chapel talk given by Mr. Raphael Robert from Tanzania, Groton students were reminded of the opportunities given to them and the potential to help the world with such opportunities. Such powerful chapel talks break the Groton bubble. Yes, not-so-interesting talks and lectures test our ability to stay awake. But, it is worth trying to listen them to listen beyond the Circle. (A. Del Bosque)

Dania Josua du Preez, our South African tour guide, contributed much to the success of our trip. Not only did he speak well over a dozen languages, but he also was very knowledgeable in the native culture and South African history; furthermore, he coordinated our concerts and tours without any conflicts. During the day, the orchestra spent most of its time touring the cities and visiting other schools, where we performed for the students and the local residents. Although the tours were quite enjoyable, the trip would have been more meaningful had there been a bigger focus on community service and performance. A tour in South Africa, though an expensive and unique experience, can be done on our own, but a performance by the orchestra, needless to say, can only be done when the entire orchestra is present. Also, the Groton School Chamber Orchestra barely ever played with the orchestras of the high schools we visited. We performed once with an orchestra in Pretoria, and frankly, the performance was poorly put together. We could have allocated more time to practicing with the South African orchestras instead of visiting another landmark. Had we performed more with other orchestras, we could have bonded much deeper with our South African peers. We learned and experienced much on this trip. The beautiful landscape, exotic culture and animals, and rich musical history were very much worth the cost of the trip. However, to make the trip more rewarding, there should have been more time assigned to musical service and performance rather than visiting one more tourist attraction.

The Circle Voice

OPINION BY DEREK XIAO 15, BRITTANY ZHANG 15, KATIE SLAVIK 15 On August 23, 2008, when a young, healthcare reform since Medicare and promising man who spoke of change accept- Medicaid. American families can now gain ed the nomination for President of America access to quality, affordable health care. It for the Democratic Party, the US was abuzz. prevents companies from denying prevenTired from eight years of a Bush administra- tive services for women and sick children, tion that started two wars, drove the federal and helps seniors afford their prescriptions. deficit to unprecedented highs, and created Not only do ordinary Americans benefit, the largest economic recession since the but Obamacare is predicted to reduce the Great Depression, Americans dared to hope deficit by $127 billion. Despite the benefits, for a president who could turn the country Romney will repeal Obamacare, a health around. Four years later, the same man is care plan based on Romneys health care sporting a head of gray hair reflective of plan for Massachusetts. Repealing the act the trials of his presidency. Despite dealing would mean reversing back to the healthwith a Republican Congress that insists that care system we used in the Bush era, and their main goal is to make sure President Romneys plan is to let the states choose Obama is a one-term President, Obama has their healthcare systems, which is severely managed to move America forward. While flawed as states that have tried to require inPresident Obama says that the job is clearly surance companies to cover everyone cant not finished, he is confident the country is enforce the rule in a way only possible by headed in the right direction, a direction Mitt Romney wants to change. What we see isnt the face of a man who has lost the hope he created, but rather the face of an experienced leader determined to make sure America feels the change he promised in 2008. F i r s t a n d f o r emost, the issue that rests heavily on most Americans minds is the economy. With the economy still on the rebound, the easy thing to do would be to blame the President. The truth is that Obama and Romney battle for the Presidency. most Americans are better off today. Four years ago, Bear Stea- the federal government. Romney is running rns failed, Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac were a candidacy against a plan modeled after bailed out, Lehman Brothers was bankrupt, the original healthcare plan he pioneered as and the entire financial system was in dan- governor that will provide insurance to an ger of collapse; America was a mess due to estimated 30 million people, a sure sign that the Republicans. However, within a couple he is not running for the American people, weeks of being sworn in, Obama enacted but instead against the Democrats and what a $787 billion stimulus and bailouts which they support. helped save Detroit, one of the engines of Furthermore, Obama has worked hard our economy. Today, the economy is recov- to create better education for the less priviering, and unemployment is decreasing, a leged. For example, Obama has signed the sure sign that the plan worked. However, Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, during the financial crisis, Romney said, which expands Pell Grants, money given Let Detroit go bankrupt. While most by the government to pay for responsible Americans were shocked by this statement, students college tuitions. Obama does not putting it into perspective gives it more want to increase class size, which would sense. Romney was a businessman. His further drag America behind rising nations success is undeniable, but because of his as the intellectual powerhouse of the world. experience as a leader and millionaire, he Obama has lowered interest rates on student doesnt understand what it would be like to loans so that more students can achieve be laid off. Romney doesnt care about who their goals, while Romney would repeal the he lays off, but thats how businesspeople reform and claims poorer students can borsucceed. But is this the man that should be row money from [their] parents. Romney is our president, one who cares more about out of touch with Americans, and as he does dollars than the people? repeatedly, he shows how he has no idea Not only does Romney want to make a what it is like for the middle-class. Because U-turn with the economic progress, he he doesnt know the hardships of the middlealso has no foreign policy experience. When class, even if he desired so, Romney could asked about his policies, he said, You could not stand up for the middle class. just look at the things the president has When then Senator Barack Obama done and do the opposite. This response stepped onto that stage in Denver, Colois fitting, because Romney has just opposed rado in 2008, the nation had a reason to be whatever the President did, while not of- excited. This was a man who first and forefering any better alternative. Obama has most, firmly believed in hope for change, four years of experience with dealing with but also had the determination and strength international leaders and has pursued secu- to fight for what he believed in. He fought rity policies to keep the American people for everyday Americans, for their parents, safe, while closing a chapter in history by and for their children. He believes in LGBT devastating al Qaeda leadership, including rights, and repealed the Dont Ask, Dont the death of Osama bin Ladin, and ending Tell policy. He supports pro-choice and two wars in the Middle East. While Obama signed the Fair Pay Act. He supports energy has shown courage in foreign policy in his independence and opposes the Keystone XL time in office, Mitt Romney only stood on Pipeline. Although Republicans have made the sidelines, criticizing Obama. He did it tough to get America back on the right indeed strongly support U.S. military action tracks the last four years, Obama has fought against Libya, but once Obama initiated through the challenges and turned in a very action, Romney then strongly opposed it. productive first term that includes saving the Once Obama decided to take out Moammar economy from potential disaster, turning alGaddafi, Romney once again resolutely op- Qaeda into a loose, unorganized mess, helpposed it. But once Gadhafi had been killed, ing all Americans gain access to reasonable Romney decided to approve it. With no health care, and supporting higher education definable foreign policy on his own part, for all Americans. While the country is on it is laughable to hear him criticize Obama the right track, however, the job is not done. for a lack of clarity as to a foreign policy. Luckily for Americans, neither is the man. Obama has also passed, through a tough With another four years of President Barack Republican congress, the Patient Protec- Obama, America will once again prosper tion and Affordable Care Act, informally from sea to shining sea. known as Obamacare, the most significant

THE CASE FOR OBAMA

OBAMA VS. ROMNEY: WHO WILL WIN?

ELECTION SPECIAL

Parents Weekend

OPINION BY GATES MCGAVICK 15 AND EVAN LONG 14 In this presidential race, one of the few ises but has also made next to no progress. things that both Gov. Mitt Romney and This President has had four years in the President Obama have agreed upon is highest office in the world (two of those that this election represents a fundamental years with a supportive, Democratic conchoice between policy, experience, views, gress) to fix these problems, and he hasnt but above all, two men. We truly believe that fixed them. America is not helpless. Our a vote for Mitt Romney is the right choice, President is helpless, and it is time for a and that another four years of Barack Obama change. would be a disaster. Typically an incumbent president can run Well start with the President, but first on his record, but the fact that his campaign we must make an important point: Barack has so far only attacked Romney is perhaps Obama is not a bad person. He has the same the most damning evidence against Obama. goals as Gov. Romney does -- prosperity, Obama has carefully built a small lead equality, and so on. However, under his through vicious personal attacks designed leadership, the past four years have starkly to make the average voter turn away from illustrated that President Obama is in over Gov. Romney. Most of the attacks focus on his head. The big government that he cham- Romneys history at Bain Capital, a large pions is inefficient, overreaching, and full of private equity firm that the governor started loopholes for every regulation. in the 80s. Obamas ads show us that he The Presidents has nothing to say in support of himself or p o l i c i e s h a v e his own policies. Obama ran on hope and failed to stimulate change. Now hes hoping to change the the economic re- subject. covery he promAfter four years of an approximately 48ised. Its unrea- 50% approval rating, its easy to forget that sonable to expect President Obama was elected in a landslide. the crisis of 08 The governor himself said it best at the to be fixed in four RNC- You know theres something wrong years, but it is rea- with the kind of job hes done as president sonable to expect when the best feeling you had was the day clear progress. you voted for him. Instead, we find The main reason we believe that the ourselves only re- governor is uniquely well suited to be cently dropping President at this time is his sterling business to 7.8% unem- background. Although Obama would hate to ployment with a admit it, Bain has not only become a huge dismal housing economic success, but also has invested in market. Further- many large start-up companies, and cremore, Obama has ated thousands of jobs while saving many verbally and leg- more from bankruptcy. Staples and Sports islatively attacked Authority, both household names, started (CBS Evening News) success and slan- with money from Bain. Its true that as Bain dered Corporate succeeded, so did Romney, and he is now America instead of incorporating it as an worth $230 million dollars money earned important part of the free market system. In from his own efforts and risks. Whether you Romneys words, Is it really any surprise think thats wrong or not is your decision, that a president who attacks success has but I think its an impressive testament to led the worst economic recovery in recent the payoffs of hard work in the free market history? system. Apart from the economic woes of his It is true that when Bain took over comterm, Obamas foreign policy has been lack- panies, there were some layoffs. But that ing. Its true that it was on his orders that is a common occurrence in any sphere of Osama bin Laden and Qaddafi were killed. the business world, and success cannot be However, he has failed in many other areas made without tough decisions. Painting Mitt in foreign policy. When Russia rattled its Romney as evil for ordering layoffs to save sabers in 2009, he promptly cancelled plans companies is not only wrong; its ridiculous. to install missile defense systems in the Obama is pointing at Mitt Romneys busiCzech Republic and Poland because Russia ness history as the debt passes 16 trillion objected that the missile defense system was dollars and more Americans are in poverty a threat to her [Russias] security. than ever before. Romney has found tremenThe allies agreed to build the defense dous success in business, and has a brilliant system and convinced the public that the economic mind. You would be hard pressed defense system was a good idea. President to find a more qualified man to lead us out Obama betrayed Eastern Europe in a shame- of economic despair. ful and cowardly move. Theres a difference Romney does have a tendency to change between respecting other countries and act- positions, especially his views on the health ing as a doormat. The President has failed to care system. Colloquially referred to as distinguish this difference. You may say Mitt Romneycare, his health care system was Romney has no foreign policy experience. similar to Obamacare. Since the Obama Neither did Obama when he was elected. label made the system seem liberal, Romney The national debt has increased by almost has distanced himself from it. Some look to $5 trillion during Obamas term. While its this as flip-flopping, and as evidence that true that much of our total debt was accrued Romney doesnt have clear, strong political by President George W. Bush, this president beliefs. I disagree. Romneycare was passed has incurred more debt in 4 years than Bush in the Mass. State Legislature by a vote of did in 8. A significant part of that debt has 154-2. It was clearly what the state wanted. resulted from sugar-high economics, or, Obamacare has an approval rating of 49%, putting quick money in Americans pockets and 26 out of 50 states sued the governto encourage spending. Its clear that while ment about it. The majority does not want unions and especially government jobs were Obamacare. protected, the private sectorthe heart of Romneys belief in Romneycare stemmed our economytook a hit. Either way, the from knowing what was best for his state at debt is on the books, something that Obama the time. His current stance against Obampromised wouldnt happen. acare stems from statistics: universal health Its true that all presidents make promises care across the country is not popular. Some they cant really keep. If Gov. Romney is would call it flip- flopping. We would call elected, he probably wont come through it having your constituents best interests on every promise. However, we believe he at heart. will do a better job than Obama. Barack Mitt Romneys record is good overall, but Obama promised to decrease the deficit by not perfect. Hes made mistakes along the 50%. Result: he increased it by more than way, and things at Bain didnt always work. 33%. Obama promised that the stimulus Sometimes the plants closed and workers would keep unemployment far below 8%. were laid off. But he took risks. He created Result: after 4 years and a massive stimulus a business, and yes, Mr. President, he built it. package, the unemployment rate has stayed The Governors policy shows that he around 8%. Obama promised to close is committed to protecting our allies and Guantanamo Bay. Result: he didnt. Obama fostering a strong image of America. Mitt promised to reform immigration. Result: he Romneys mastery of economics, strong spent the money and time needed to do so leadership as evidenced by his career in the championing an unpopular health care law. public and private sector, and commitment Obama has not only failed to keep prom- to his voters make him a fine candidate.

THE CASE FOR ROMNEY

Parents Weekend

ALUMNA OF THE ISSUE: AUGUSTA THOMSON 06

BY PHILIPPE HEITZMANN 15

NEWS AND FEATURES

Augusta Thomson 06 returned to the Circle last Friday for a chapel talk that focused on her trek this summer from Nepal to Tibet. Using a digital board conveniently placed in the aisle of the Sixth Form section (a significant technological advance in the history of St Johns Chapel), she described the sacred pilgrimage of the Buddhist and Hindu traditions with images and video clips. The trip consisted of circling Mount Kailash, the most sacred place for Buddhist and Hindus, three times. Along the way, she met hundreds of pilgrims also circumambulating the mountain in order to cleanse their sins. Ms Thomson now attends Oxford University where she is completing her third-year of Sacred Studies. The footage and information she compiled during her trip will serve her to write her undergraduate dissertation when she gets back to Oxford. After she graduated from Groton in 2006, Ms Thomson took a gap year to organize herself for college. She spent six months working at the Tibetan Nyingma Meditation Center (TNMC), in California, where she essentially classified and helped preserve the institutions collection of ancient Tibetan texts. She was allowed to study the different texts at the center, which fueled her interest in the study of religious Tibetan traditions. After this period, she attended St Hughs College in Oxford, where she is now completing her fourth year as an undergraduate at the Oxford Center for Buddhist Studies (OCBS).

Towards the end of her chapel talk, Ms Thomson played a video of some of the footage she collected with the team she led around the mountain. We were transported for an instant from our dull Friday morning to witness pilgrims kneeling to Mountain Kailash in an attempt to be forgiven their sins, or colorfully clothed travelers playing a typical Tibetan flute. The purpose of her expedition was to document the relationship between the spiritual devotion of the pilgrims and the material culture of their different traditions and how common religious experiences can connect so many people and communities together. Although many of the people at Mt. Kailash affiliated themselves with different faiths and came from remote regions of India and Nepal to take part in the ritual cleansing of sins, the fact they came from different backrounds both geographically and religiously did not stop them from bonding. Ms Thomson told us during her chapel talk that she had men approach her to offer to carry her equipment. She saw Buddhist monks help Chinese tourists who were unprepared for the high altitude of the mountain cope with the fatigue by offering to carry their loads. Pilgrims who were strangers to each other congregated around bonfires at campsites during evenings to relate stories of the day. Ms Thomson concluded that Mount Kailash knit connections between people because all shared and strived for a common goal.

This is a new column that will give students an opportunity to display their short stories, creative writing, or other essays. If you are interested in submitting your work, please email the Editor. Thanks!
BY ANITA XU 13

THE CREATIVE WRITING COLUMN

The Circle Voice

A descriptive place essay from Laurie Sales Exposition class

305. This is it. I trace my fingers through the numbers, now coarse and dull, carved on a tarnished iron plate. A thick layer of dust clings to my finger, leaving a clean imprint. I cant help smiling as I remember the chant that I used to sing, Three-oh-five. Three-ooh-five! My home is three-o-five! This has always ensured that I would never get lost. Ringing the rusty, faded doorbell, I hear footsteps rushing towards the door. My grandma appears between the metal bars of the new protection screen. With a click, it snaps open. Ten years ago, returning from daycare, I always shouted IM HOME!! and lunged at my grandmas legs. Now, I still rush into my grandmas open arms. I dont know what to expect. My old memories of the place hang in limbohalf reality, half a dream. Did grandma refurbish my room? Did grandpa toss out the chess board? How much has changed? I hold my breath as I tread into the sticky humid air of the apartment. The familiar sweet aroma of my grandmas homemade soup dumplings awakens the taste buds in every part of my mouth. The scent of juicy pork buns steaming on the stove instinctively remind me of the dishes my grandma cooked for me when I was youngerthe sizzling chicken soup with just the right amount of salt, and the ma-po tofu, a red hot sauce spread lazily over the limp tofu. It looks like shes prepared her favorite dishes for my homecoming. My grandpa stands to greet me. Oh how he has aged! There are wrinkles around his eyes as he looks me over, many white hairs sprinkled on his head. Afflicted with knee problems, he walks slower and less steadily as he takes my hand and leads me to my room. The same pink, flowery curtains welcome me. The small roses, deep crimson, have countless layers all beautifully wrapped together in the shape of the golden spiral. Light, airy curtains billow with the breeze from the window, coming alive with a flirty mystery about them. Though my feet feel a chill from the cool, bumpy wooden floor, I feel warmth inside as I notice my bureau, in the corner near the window, completely decorated with stickers. Smiling lady bugs dominate the bureau, but much of it consists of a blend of Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, and Barbie characters of different sizes. A large rectangular image of a stoic white horse jumping from bright raging flames around it sticks out. Oh how I loved stickers! I spot my white, elegant nightstand, a pile of magazines on top that display headlines in Chinese. Do they think I could still read these? The characters seem so foreign, as if the pieces of a puzzle have all been jumbled and distorted. On the edge of the table is a ripped copy of The Monkey King, a famous Chinese story. Turning the crumbly, well-worn pages, I see some scattered words, written in my stretched and untidy scribbles. The illustrations suddenly bring me back to my four-year-old self, bouncing up and down on my large queen sized bed and laughing with pure, carefree joy as my grandma sat on the edge of the bed, reading to me excerpts about the monkey king conquering another evil spirit by using his large all powerful stick to vanquish his enemies. I always placed my stuffed animals, Jiajia the duck, Piglet, and doggie, towering above the others, in rows on my pillows so they can also listen to the story. Engrossed in the world of supernatural powers and triumphant conquests, I felt safe and protected within my soft pink sheets as I snuggled against my fluffy friends. What could possibly go wrong in a world guarded by the Monkey King and grandma? The dusty, unfamiliar book lies where it always rested, yet the gateway to my childhood innocence and story time is latched shut. Under the window, a small grey structure sits undisrupted, out of place. Metal legs hide a broad foot pedal underneath. It once had a wheel spinning on top. Compared to the new electronic sewing machines, this one is bulky and clumsy. The mechanical, dadada sound used to spew from the ancient machine whenever grandma pedaled. The familiar monotonous sound signaled that grandma was making another flowery dress for me. My grandma no longer sews; its too difficult for her to see the little pieces of string. The machine now rusts beneath a purple velvet cloth which covers the ancient relic. A wobbly, wooden table is propped against the wall containing the window. Two stiff chairs, on opposite sides of the table, are cushioned with pink pillows. A chess board stands upright against the table, quietly resting amidst the piling dust, mostly forgotten. The pieces themselves have lost their shine, they are dull and chipped. When I was younger, I would stand on my chair atop the pink cushions as I proudly knocked my grandpas pieces. But he was always prepared, easily overwhelming my pieces. As I look over at him now, his hand trembles as he eyes the pieces through his new glasses, and deliberates for a long time. My grandma appears, smiling, surrounded by a cloud of steam. Carrying a plate of juicy buns towards us, she momentarily disrupts our concentration. As I savor the delicious pork bun, I knock out my grandpas pieces one by one. I slide my black knight towards victory, completely surrounding his king. Checkmate. Framed pictures are placed all around the roomhanging on the walls, leaning against the window, sitting on my tables all displaying images of a little girl sporting short black hair, showing off her dimples. She recites a poem, standing on a stool and acting it out for her grandpa. She frolics in the living room, skipping and holding her cousins hand. She, missing a tooth, blows out candles on a birthday cake... This is 305my link to the past, a rusty treasure chest of memories. I can never forget it.

BY ETHAN WOO 16 Textbooks are expensive. This is beyond works in the business office. Then later, obvious. Class textbooks cost a small for- we find out we only need forty and we have tune, the average price being somewhere them shipped back but theres shipping costs between $500 and $800. Groton underwent so we dont get the full value in refunds. some drastic changes over the summer but But with ClassBook, its their responsibility. one of the most controversial adjustments They order the books so theres less risk and is ClassBook, a website that allows you to we dont lose money. order school books online rather than purIn the event that students lose their chasing them in the bookstore. The idea of textbook, they would have originally been digitally ordering textbooks is far more ap- able to walk into the bookstore and buy a pealing than replacement in waiting in less than ten long lines, minutes. When but its exaddressed with ecution was this problem, not ideal. Mr. Raney comAlthough mented, I get it, one of the its far more conmain convenient. But its cepts of too expensive to ClassBook run a bookstore is that stuthis way. Classdents would Book is centered be able in New York so to pick up students can get their books, replacements in ready to go, a maximum time as soon as frame of two t h e s t u - Lots and lots of books to read. (thesparkreport.com) days. Theoretid e n t s a rcally. rived on campus, a lot of textbooks had not As for backorder, students must order arrived. And, despite the passing days, the their books by September 3rd in order to class materials still did not come, providing have them sent on the first bulk shipment a major inconvenience for both the students and be waiting for them on the first day. and teachers. Some students, during confer- Any time after that, books will be delivence or lunch period, paid a daily visit to the ered on the next bulk shipment to reduce bookstore, where they hoped Peggy Duffy shipping costs on their part, Mr. Raney would be waiting with a key to unlock the says. To improve the punctuality of class room in the back and hand them a heavy materials, Groton has made an agreement cardboard box containing their books. But with ClassBook regarding next year: If a for most students, when they found the time student misses the initial bulk shipment to try and pick up their textbooks, found deadline, ClassBook will deliver the textboth the bookstore and the back room, books ordered after that every single day empty. Students had no way of knowing if despite the raised shipping costs. This their books were hours away from Groton will greatly reduce the amount of books on School or right behind a nearby locked door. backorder and it will make ClassBook much If ClassBook is the cause of such blatant more convenient for everyone. irritation for students, why bother sticking Kathy Leggat addressed the inconvewith the program next year? The reason is niences many students experienced and a financial one. Originally, Groton had to invites direct criticism. I hope theyll tell order books by a certain date, and by that me what went right or wrong, not just, it time, there was no way of telling how many was awful, she says. ClassBook may not students would be in each class. This means have run as smoothly as desired but it is that even though a class will probably need clear that next year it will be better. This forty textbooks, Groton has to order fifty for is a new program for us too, Mr. Raney precautionary measures. And these books concluded. Were still trying to figure out are pretty expensive, says Jim Raney who how to make it work for us.

Classbook: The New Online Bookstore for Students

Revisiting memories in a childhood home.

(www.jimwegryn.com)

The Circle Voice

GROTONS GARDENERS HARVEST FRESH VEGETABLES

Continued from Front Page

NEWS AND FEATURES

Kara Miller Talks About Success

BY ALEXIS CIAMBOTTI 14

Parents Weekend

Olivia Ladd 15 and Layla Varkey 15 work in the garden. (O. Ladd 15) way to get involved in service because it is close by and does not require a large amount of time. Ms. Palomo comments that [G3 hopes] that more people in our community will be aware of the incredible, sustainable agriculture going on in our backyard, and that they will get involved! Olivia Ladd-Luthringshauser 15 hopes that G3 will not only teach the Groton community about gardening and local food, but also bring the community together to workin the field and make the community stronger.

GROTON CONSERVATION CORPS: THE FIGHT AGAINST INVASIVES

BY MICHAEL MA 15 intricate root systems, often more than one person is needed to pull the plant out. Its definitely hard work to remove it all, but its really rewarding seeing the huge pile of pulled buckthorn weve accumulated over the past few weeks, said Maddy Bossi 13. The team was able to transform the peninsula to a beautiful scenic area. Currently the Conservation Corps is clearing an old sledding hill next to Lake Romey. They hope that in the winter if the snow is sufficient and the lake freezes completely, people will be able to come and use the area, which has not been used extensively, especially by students, for decades. It was once a very popular place. The Corps have also gone on numerous excursions to explore important habitats. During the second week, the group went to the Rocky Hill wildlife sanctuary, which had just opened to public next to Shaws in Groton. The group saw ponds and lakes formed by beavers, including an important nesting habitat to herons. A week after, the team went for a canoe trip up the Nashua River to explore a tributary called the Dead River, which has an unique slow-moving river habitat. They also went to Garden in the Woods, which is a 45-acre property of New England Wild Flower Society showing many native plants and different habitats. Future plans include further maintenance of the trail system of Lake Romeyn woodlands. Mr. Black hopes that the team will be able to clear the entrance to make it more welcoming and get rid of more invasive species further away from the wetlands. It is hard and dirty work, but everyone in the Corps enjoys working with nature.

For the first time ever in Groton history, a full afternoon commitment for environmental service was created as the Groton Conservation Corps. The team, led by Mr. Black, currently consists of seven students. Its main objective is to provide stewardship for the woodlands and wetlands owned by the school. Groton School owns about 400 acres of land, but the areas that students use only occupy about half of the land. The rest of the area is fields, woodlands, and wetlands that surround the Circle. Im concerned that the schools open space is degraded and ignored, said Mr. Black. Its the schools responsibility to be stewards for its land. The group is primarily working around the Lake Romeyn woodland, which is a critical wildlife habitat surrounding the lake. Some students dont even know where Lake Romeyn is, said Peter Nam 15. The teams goals include the protection of state listed species, the restoration of wildlife habitats, and the maintenance of trails. The main project that the team has already completed is the restoration of a crucial turtle nesting site on a peninsula adjacent to Lake Romeyn. Before the project started, the peninsula was heavily infested with buckthorns, an invasive species that thrives in this predator-free environment. Not only do they outcompete and outnumber many of the native species, but they also mar the beautiful view of the lake. The team uses tools such as weed wrenches, pulaskis, and axes to eliminate the buckthorns manually. Because buckthorns have unbelievably strong and

On September 24, 2012, Kara Miller, a could have had a more positive experience graduate of the class of 1996, gave a lecture at another college (like Wellesley). When at Groton primarily about the All School asked if Yale had heavily affected her present life, Miller said that Read, Outliers, by Malcolm the colleague working in the Gladwell. As a panelist for the cubicle next to her went to program Beat the Press and Wellesley, so she was unsure the host of Innovation Hub, as to whether or not her deciMiller has had a great deal sion had had a profound imof experience as a political pact. She did, however, take analyst. During her lecture, she risks that have affected her not only spoke about many of current life. the points from Outliers but After Yale, Miller dealso provided insight into the cided to pursue a PhD in college process, the effects medieval literature at Tufts of choosing a school, and her University. As a student, she work in the media. Many felt was fascinated by Chaucers that her lecture was refreshing. works but was not as passionAs a younger graduate, it seemed that Miller would Kara Miller relates her ate about the subject as some connect well with students. life experiences to Groton of her professors and did not Mr. Lamont commented on community. (umassd.edu) want to pursue teaching the subject as a vocation. Instead, Millers invitation and lecture Miller was much more enticed saying that the school wanted to try to open up kids minds not only in the classroom by political speeches. All of the spare time but in life outside of school and to consider that she had spent watching C-SPAN had the many, many options out there. Having a served a larger purpose. When it was time career in radio and television broadcasting, to write her doctoral thesis, Miller decided to research presidential speeches on the eve Miller could work on her feet, he says. During her presentation, Miller spoke of war. But she encountered a roadblock. about her time at Groton and her college Her advisor explained to her that she would application process. As a day student, Miller probably not be employed if she were to wrote for the Circle Voice and loved watch- make this her thesis. Though it was a serious ing C-SPAN political events. Still, Miller risk to take, Miller pursued her passion. Upon graduating from Tufts, Miller wrote never thought her interest would materialize into a career. While a Sixth Former at for many newspapers including the Boston Groton, Miller applied to several schools, Globe and the National Journal. She later though Yale and Wellesley were her favor- appeared as a political analyst on television. ites. After receiving her acceptance letter to Though this had been an exciting adventure, Yale, Miller explained that she was ecstatic Miller realized that people had more of an and decided to attend the school. But after attention capacity for radio broadcasts than visiting Yale the summer after Prize Day, television news. She realized that people Miller realized that she may have made a would listen to a ten or twenty-minute radio broadcast on their way to work, driving their mistake. She didnt know whether it was the size children to and from school, or simply doof the school or simply the fact that it was ing chores around the house. Since joining not the right fit for her, but she regretted not Beat the Press, Miller has interviewed having attended Wellesley. She expressed many accomplished people including Proher gratitude for the opportunity to go to fessor Howard Gardner, Deepak Chopra, Yale but also articulated that it had not been and E. J. Dionne. the right school for her. Miller felt that she

New Debit Card System for Students

BY SHANGYAN LI 14 This fall, Groton School introduced a pre-funded debit card system for student purchases at school stores as well as cash withdrawals at the mailroom window. Groton has partnered with MyKidsSpending.com, part of Odin, Inc., to implement the debit card system. The cards double as School IDs and will be required to make any purchase at school stores. Instead of mailing checks or paying through wire after receiving monthly statements, parents are now expected to fund the cards either through MyKidsSpending.com or by mailing checks to school. A 4% charge is placed on credit card transactions, and 1% plus a 75-cent per transaction fee on electronic checks. The charges go to MyKidsSpending.com, and there is no fee for checks mailed directly to the school. Parents may also request an online copy of statements as well as set up automatic transfers when the balance drops to a certain point. Groton students will soon be required to show their student IDs/debit cards with any purchase or cash withdrawal. According to Ms. Peggy Duffy, who oversees the running of both the bookstore and the athletic store, this would reduce issues of accidental billing, which happens mostly when a student charges an item on anothers account. Since students would have to carry the debit cards with them during athletic practice, in order to buy anything at the athletic store, Peggy explained that lanyards would soon be available to make things easier. Another possible inconvenience with the debit cards is that the students remaining balances limit student purchases. Whats more, cash advances made at the business office, which are essentially loans from the school, are no longer available. This means that, in order to make future purchases or to withdraw cash, the students only option is to call or email parents to fund their accounts. While the new system does reduce the time for the school to receive bills, the schools main initiative of introducing the debit cards, according the Mr. James Raney in the Business office, is to provide parents with greater access through the website. For instance, parents may view a detailed list of each item purchased, through MyKidsSpending.com, instead of the categorized sums on previous monthly statements. Another upside is the immediacy of account funding. With the online system refreshing every fifteen minutes, students would barely have to wait once their cards are funded. Groton is, in fact, one of the later schools to use student debit cards, Mr. Raney explained. So far, slight issues such as wrong readings of the cards on computers have prevented the system from being enforced, but, according to Mr. Raney, the cards will be required when the system is smoothly running, possibly shortly after long weekend. He also hopes that by this time next year, everything students buy on campus will be paid by the debit card, including snacks at Health Center, and food and drink at Scudders and Dorys. Charge sheets, by that time, would become obsolete. Before the complete implementation of the system, not much feedback has been received from either parents or students. Mr. Raney did explain that beforehand communication could have been more efficient, since the finalized email explaining the student debit cards was not sent until late August. We would love to hear more feedbacks from the students, said Mr. Raney.

Students toil to remove buckthorns on the Lake Romeyn woodland. (C. Ma 15)

Parents Weekend

SNAPSHOTS FROM THE CIRCLE

The Circle Voice

Girls Cross Country dashes to get ahead.

(A. Xu 13)

Cheering on Boys Varsity Football

(S. Kim 13)

Surprise Holiday! Remembering 9.11 (A. Kopp 13)

(File Photo)

Seniors are ecstatic for their last year on the Circle (D. Kimball 13)

Jared Belsky takes control of the ball for Boys Varsity Soccer

(J. Belsky 15)

The Sixth Form gathers to remember a lost friend.

(File

Lyons Dorm Dresses Up As Awkward Cacti

(D. Kimball 13) Analia 13 gets serenaded by Colgate 13.

(M. Bossi13)

BY PHILIPPE HEITZMANN 15 AND SHANGYAN LI 14 Last spring, several students won Groton summer grants with innovative proposals focusing on global service. Chris Higginson 14, Ade Osinubi 14, and KT Choi 14 received grants from the John Endicott Lawrence 1927 Global Scholars Fund, and Manjari Ganti 14, Cayley Geffen 14, and Amy Zhang 14 received grants from the Groton Opportunity for Leadership Development (G.O.L.D.) Fund. During the past summer, they each brought their respective proposals into realization, working in different parts of Africa, India and China. KT Choi 14 and Ade Osinubi 14 used their grant to make a documentary while staying in the city of Mekelle, Ethiopia, for three weeks. Their goal was to help women with obstetric fistula (a medical condition in which the patient leaks urine or waste because of the sequels of a difficult childbirth) and reacclimate them to society. These women are like modern-day lepers, says Ade. Although the surgery puts an end to their problem, the women are still emotionally separated from their family and community who have secluded them because of their uncleanliness. Ade and KT financed their trip using the G.O.L.D. grant, Lawrence fund, and money from a fundraiser. The duo made a presentation at the fashion show of a prominent designer named Cabi in New York, and received 15% of the profit generated from the event. KT also convinced the head of a Korean hospital to donate one thousand dollars. The schools money paid for most of the students expenses in Ethiopia and afforded material support in the form of books for the women there. KT and Ade visited Healing Hands of Joy in Mekelle, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing help for women with obstetric fistula. With the money, they were able to pay for the enrollment of nine former fistula patients in a rehabilitation and educational program in rural areas. In their documentary, KT and Ade interview one of these surgical patients about the effect obstetric fistula had on her life. When they graduate from the program, all these women become Safe Motherhood Ambassadors; their role is to promote Healing Hands of Joy to other women they know. KT and Ade interviewed a Safe Motherhood Ambassador who helped bring seventy women to the health center, where they received prenatal care and were taught ways to safely deliver a child. One of the messages the Groton students tried to pass on to the women was that getting professional help from a medical institution was a better idea than simply delivering at home. However, Ade says that these women dont have phones and many of them have to walk 20 miles to get to a hospital,- a hard feat to accomplish during labor. In the future, Ade and KT wish to fund ambulances for the women in Ethiopia and expand their program to other regions of Africa and possibly Asia. When KT turns 18 [next May] we will be able to apply for different funds, says Ade. With this extra money, they hope to extend their initiative. On the other side of the Equator in Zimbabwe, Chris Higginson 14 used his Lawrence grant to work with Grassroot Soccer (GRS) in promoting efforts to stop the spread of HIV through soccer. Chris spent the first half of his three week project in Bulawayo, Zimbabwes second largest city, where he worked with GRS on HIV education and trained with a local professional soccer team, the Bantu Rovers. Chris started by learning about the organizations mission and soccer-based approach. In an activity called Risk Field, for example, participants would dribble a soccer ball between cones representing HIV-related risks. One persons hitting a cone would mean 3 pushups for everyone on the team, demonstrating the consequences on the entire community of ones action. According to Chris, he had a powerful ex perience in Bulawayo when he met a group of around 150 children, all HIV-positive, at a local clinic. There were kids who were born with HIV and only three, four years old. Continued on Page 9

Follow-ups on Innovative Student Projects

The Circle Voice

TRAVELS IN TANZANIA: STUDENTS PUT ON PRODUCTION OF ROMEO AND JULIET BY ELIZABETH DICKSON 15

SERVICE SPECIAL

Parents Weekend

Students play with children from the Orkeeswa School in Tanzania. One dark night in July of this past summer, sixteen Groton students, four Groton faculty members, and one Robert Beams, nephew of Fred Beams, all stepped off an airplane into the unknown of Monduli, Tanzania for our three week service trip. We arrived at our hotel, the Emanyatta, and met the security guard (an armed Massai warrior) before quickly settling down to sleep despite the seven hour time difference. On our first day, we started the process of journaling, which quickly became a common pasttime. This period of time was designated to writing down our thoughts and feelings about each days events. We met up with some local Tanzanians who attended Grotons partner school, The Orkeeswa School. We also reunited with Flora and Anna, who had spent spring term studying at Groton. We each were given 2000 shillings (equivalent to $1.35) and set out with a new friend into an African market. Our Tanzanian companions made us feel safe and at ease, and we completely forgot that we had been dropped into the center of a foreign culture. The close relationship we developed with the children of The Orkeeswa School flourished in a matter of seconds. We fell into a daily routine of driving to the school in the morning, having a quick one-on-one Swahili lesson from a student, working until lunchtime, playing sports games with the children, and then going back to the Emanyatta. Our work consisted of digging irrigation ditches, clearing fields for soccer, digging out a volleyball court, and plastering, sanding, drilling, and painting the schools classrooms. The Orkeeswa Secondary School was founded by an American, Peter Lewis, and completely runs on donations and sponsors; therefore, the supplies and labor that we were providing to fix up the school was much needed and appreciated. As we worked, we laughed and shared stories with our Tanzanian friends. At the end of each day, the Groton students would come together and play card games, walk to the local shop to buy snacks, journal, do leadership exercises, or just discuss our day. At the end of the first week the Groton and Orkeeswa students joined a drama club run by Laurie Sales, where we worked on a production of Romeo and Juliet. At the end of the second week, small groups of Groton students went on two-night homestays to the boma of an Orkeeswa student. We accomplished Tanzanian daily tasks, such as fetching water, chopping firewood, making meals of rice and beans, milking cows and herding animals. We exchanged gifts with

(Cindy Beams)

our host families such as Uno cards or BopIts, while they gave us beaded jewelry and warm hospitality. Although the students families did not speak a word of English, the Groton kids came to find that the language barrier made the laughs more genuine and their stories more interesting. After we returned from our homestays, we got back into the swing of working on our building projects and drama production. One afternoon, the Orkeeswa basketball team played the surprisingly functional and talented Groton School makeshift basketball team. Another day we traveled to a different Tanzanian school to cheer on our Orkeeswa friends in netball and soccer. We also went on a safari with the students, where we saw a multitude of African animals in their natural habitat. Our entire trip had been sprinkled with leadership activities, plenty of photographs by Cindy Beams, and ideas for the future relationship with the Orkeeswa School. The goodbye celebration with the children was filled with letter exchanges, traditional Massai dancing, our production of Romeo and Juliet, and teary hugs with those friends who, although they live across the world, have touched our hearts forever.

BY NANCY XUE 16 This past summer, I joined the group was move the stones. Filling the road with they were about everything. Its hard for us of five from Groton and went on the first big stones and the gaps with gravels looked to imagine the lives of kids in remote vilservice trip of my life. It was an unforget- easy, but it was actually a big project. After lages as their lives differ so much compared table journey for me and I gained so much bending down a couple times and picking to kids in the big cities. throughout the experience. up the heavy stones, I started to feel sore in Its sad that we didnt get a chance to Chengde, a small city in China right next my arms and legs. But thinking about how see the new road before we left since the to Beijing, where I was born and raised, is cool it would be to walk on the road which school needed to finish covering it with cecompletely different now. Although it is I actually helped build cheered me up and ment, but its still a pleasure to imagine how located right outside of Beijing, the develhappy the kids opment of the city will be when is way slower than they walk on the it is in the capital. new, safer road. I met with the trip It took us two group in the airport weeks of hard and headed over to work, but the Chengde as soon as happiness of the they got here. Thus, students is defithe journey started. nitely worth it. Working at the Our biggest imprimary school in pact in Chengde Chengde left the was not the new deepest impression road, but the on me. The school conversations is located in a pretwe had about the ty remote part of outside world Chengde, and its a that helped the really small school students dream for kids from local bigger. villages. Standing at As a Groton the school gate, you student with can see the whole Chinese eduplayground. Its Students paint murals in Chengde. (V. Zhang 13) cation experisimply an open space ences, this trip filled with some bricks where kids have P.E kept me working. Because of the fact that made a big impression on me. By seeing .classes and spend their free time every day. we only had five people on the team, the and helping the kids in remote areas, I now The whole campus was really small and the school sent four kids to help us with the value what I have even more. The first year worst part was definitely the road that leads work every day. Most of them were third or exploratory trip to Chengde was a great to the school gate. Its covered with layers fourth graders who were not strong enough success and we built a strong connection of dirt, which become very slippery on rainy to hold up the huge stones, but every single with both schools we worked at. We hope days, and its really dangerous for the kids one of them worked very hard to help us. to have more people, especially kids who to walk on. One of our jobs was to help the Every morning when we came to the are currently taking Chinese, come with us school rebuild the road. school, the kids would give us the warm- next year. We will have a presentation about Growing up in a big city, I did not even est greetings and ask us a lot of interesting more details of the trip at the end of the term know how the big roads were built. The ex- questions about America and, often times, and we hope more people will join us for cavator finished digging mud pretty quickly, questions about life at Groton. Their words the summer of 2013! and what we had to do for a couple days and their expressions told us how curious

CHOPSTICKS IN CHENGDE, CHINA

EXPLORING THE SACRED VALLEY: PERU

BY ANNIE MCCREERY15

Parents Weekend

SERVICE SPECIAL

Innovative Service Projects

Continued from Page 8 He played soccer with them and even taught them American games. It was amazing to see how soccer united people even from across the world who dont really know each other, Chris said. It also made me feel how privileged we are, he commented, Their fields were always bumpy, and here at Groton we have a better soccer field than the one in their city stadium. Chris completed his project in the nations capital, Harare, in collaboration with his friend Dr. Peter Kilmarx, an AIDS researcher at the Centers for Disease Control. Cayley Geffen 14 and Manjari Ganti 14 went on a service trip to India with three other American students to help orphans with physical and mental disabilities. Their destination was the center of the Ashajyothi India Handicapped Welfare Society where they taught math and letters to the children. They also donated books and other supplies to the center. Their trip was funded by their extensive fundraising for the non-profit organization Ashajyothi USA, also a G.O.L.D. grant, whose money Cayley and Manjari directly donated to the center in India. Their civic service abroad highlights the message of our schools motto --Cui Servire est Regnare-- the most fundamental value this institution was built on. The center that Manjari and Cayley visited currently supports seventy orphaned children with a range of different disabilities, from autism to blindness and Down syndrome. They are the most adorable, sweetest, innocent children I have ever met writes Manjari on her blog. Every morning, the kids woke up at 4:30 and ate in a communal dining hall where there was hardly enough space to accommodate all of them. Manjari and Cayley witnessed the physically able children feeding the less able ones at meals; although they are orphans with disabilities who have never been part of a real family, they have the sense of responsibility of adults. I am continually amazed at the unselfishness of these children said Manjari. During the day, the students taught the children the English alphabet, arts and crafts and other games. Regardless of the language barrier that separated them, everybody danced to the rhythm of Hindi music and other songs during the evenings. The students plan to return to the center in the summer of 2013 to see the children once more and support the center with donations. Meanwhile, Amy Zhang 14 used her grants to continue a long-term project at Sunshine Playhouse Childcare Center, a nonprofit playhouse located in Childrens Hospital of Fudan University in her hometown Shanghai, China. The past summer marked her fifth year helping out with young leukemia patients at the center, as well as the start of an English-learning program for those children: for a period of ten weeks from June to August, Amy taught them basic English every weekend. She started with the alphabet and encouraged the kids to learn through drawings and building blocks. Most of the patients were children of rural migrants, who could barely afford the treatment. The hospital was in poor conditions and overcrowded, according to Amy. The children were also isolated, out of fear of the leukemia patients vulnerability even to regular illnesses. She recalled that they looked for people to play with, since most of the nurses were adults. Her greatest challenge was taking care of a group of children whose ages varied greatly from 4 to 12 years old. There was a big difference in the kids English levels and their willingness to participate, said Amy, In the end I was glad to see that some kids could sit still for more than 40 minutes. The primary purpose of the program, according to her, was to restore a learning environment for those forced out of school for yearlong treatments and whose personalities changed for the worse. There are problems right around where you live, Amy believed, Starting small is always a smart option.

The Circle Voice

Students celebrate atop Machu Picchu. This summer, I along with students from the Second through Fifth Forms traveled to Peru for a Groton service trip, accompanied by Mr. Das, Mr. Gemmell, Mrs. Hughes, Jobi Gemmell-Hughes, and Ms. Palomo. We took off from JFK Airport on June 17 and landed in Lima, Peru. We then flew to the city of Cusco, where we visited a ruin site called Sacsyhuamain, ate lunch, and went to an Incan temple. We then drove to Ollantaytambo where we remained for the rest of our trip. The first night in Ollantaytambo, we stayed in a hotel as we arrived very late. We then got debriefed by our leader Jason about our trip and the precautions we should take, then continued on to meet our host families. During our trip we worked in Anco Pacha, a very poor town whose inhabitants were relocated by the government because their villages had been destroyed by landslides. In Anco Pacha, we fixed a run down building and turned it in to a library and community center. The process of transforming this building included clearing out the rocks and debris in the building, plastering the outside, painting the inside and outside of the building, painting murals, and bringing in furniture. One week into our trip we went on a halfday trek to the quarries in preparation for our overnight hike at the end of the trip. On our overnight hike, we walked up the mountain to an open grass area where we were to set up camp. Before we were able to do so, we had to get rid of the many bulls roaming around the site. After we had cleared out the site, we set up our tents with our roommates, ate dinner in one large tent prepared by the Peruvians who accompanied us on the hike, and then sat around a campfire watching the stars. We were fortunate enough to be in Peru during the winter solstice festival; we got to

(C. Mellgard 15)

go the Sun Temple and watch a performance about a love story between Ollanta and an Incan princes in Quechua, the Incan language. One of our last days in Peru, we woke up at 5:30 to take a train to the famous site of Machu Picchu. There we toured around and those who were not feeling ill walked up to the sun gate to get a better view of the ruins. Finally, on the last day we woke up very early, said goodbye to our host familes, took a bus to Cusco, flew to Lima, and arrived at JFK on July 3. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed traveling to Peru as I not only got to see a new part of the world and a new culture, but also discovered many things about the community I live in here at Groton. I became close to many students and teachers I may not have met had I not gone on the service trip. I also learned how fulfilling it is to help those outside of our community and to experience the daily lives of people outside of Groton.

BY MALIK JABATI 15 This summer, Groton School hosted a rived at the Entebbe International Airport trip to Uganda for the first time since the in Entebbe, Uganda at around ten oclock inception of the Groton Global Education at night Ugandan time. After exiting the program. Seven students and three chap- Entebbe airport, we met our hosting service erones made the trip. For Peter Laboy and Venture Uganda. We took a bus to Kampala, Christina Strater, who graduated last year, the capital city of Uganda, and arrived there this was their last experience with Groton. sometime after midnight. The journey to Eddie Lee and Jacob Berman, two Viacavas Kampala from Entebbe took about one hour, prefects, joined the trip after going to Kenya in 2011 with Groton. Eddie Lee said I decided to go because I went to Kenya previously. I found that the way of life was something I missed and wanted to go back to. Atiba McReynolds, Ycar Devis and I made our first service trip as representatives of the school. The group preparation for the trip started in January 2012. Because this was the inaugural trip to Uganda, the itinerary was still changing, even while we were in Energy-efficient rocket stoves made by students. Uganda. After getting our vaccinations in early June, we started to and, like much of Uganda, it consisted of discuss how we would build rocket stoves, both dirt and paved roads. one of the primary focuses of our trip. These We stayed in a Kampala hotel for a couple rocket stoves are characterized by a vertical of days and then moved into a village locatchimney that causes the air to rapidly rise ed in the Rukungiri district of Uganda. The --or rocket-- hence the name. These types of village was medium sized with one main stoves are useful for limiting deforestation, street and is where we spent most of our time which is a major problem in many develop- in Uganda. We lived for five days and nights ing countries, and for lowering the health with a local family, and the rest of the nights risks associated with wood-burning cooking were spent in a local governors house. Our indoors. Because they use less firewood for main affiliate in Uganda was Bishops High the same amount of cooking, the burden of School Kyabugashe (pronounced shahharvesting firewood is also lessened. boo-GAH-shee). We worked with them for We all met again at the John F. Ken- two weeks, painting classrooms, reading to nedy Airport on June 20th, 2012 in New students, playing soccer with the students York City to prepare for our departure to and locals, and participating in their daily Uganda. Including layovers, the flight was routines. around twenty hours long. We stopped in While at the school, we demonstrated our Brussels, Belgium along the way, and ar- rocket stoves to the community multiple

UGANDA: BUILDING ROCKET STOVES FROM CLAY BRICKS

times. Teachers, students, and parents were all part of our demonstrations. We built one of our rocket stoves from clay bricks and river silt and bought the other from Makerere University in Kampala to use in our demonstrations. Makerere is one of many universities in Uganda that has a program increasing the sustainability of Ugandas resources. Our demonstrations were mostly successful, and we expect some families to begin using a rocket stove soon. After our stay in the village, we went to Queen Elizabeths National Park and saw animals indigenous to the East African savannahs. We witnessed elephants, water buffalos, Ugandan cranes, antelopes, and the very rare sight of lions mating. Before we left, we returned back to Kampala and (Malik Jabati 15) then flew back to the United States. We spent three weeks in total in Uganda. Everyone on the trip found it extremely satisfying, and everyone said they would do it again. Eddie Lee said, The thing I enjoyed the most about Uganda was the newness of everything. Although having an established plan is nice, it is very exciting to witness the birth of a new service program. Jacob Berman said, My favorite part of Uganda was hanging out with my homestay buddy and everyone in town. The Ugandans really understood how to treat us as part of their community and this was apparent in how they treated all of us. Groton plans to continue the program next year, and a presentation will be given soon on the experiences of all the participants.

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The Circle Voice

Athlete of the Issue: Adam Hardej

BY LOUISA JOHNSTON 13

SPORTS

Adam Hardej is a stellar athlete. He has at myself. I yell at myself, but I dont yell at and basketball, football is an organized been tri-varsity in football, basketball, and teammates. After I didnt get voted captain, game where the uniform, pads, and field lacrosse since Third Form. Although all I realized I affected people in a negative are necessary for a real contest. Its possible three sports are very different, something way by how I act towards myself. I never to play pick-up lacrosse or basketball any universal in all of them that he likes is really realized eyes were watching me all time; Adam says, Ill play pickup for the when a team comes together and is com- the time, but now, I understand that kids rest of my life. But his football days are fortable playing with one another. look up to me. dwindling, and hes going to miss it. Hes In basketball he is a forward going to miss the physicality, I get and in lacrosse he is a midfielder. really fired up during sports, and in He gets in the zone no matter football, its encouraged. Ill miss what sport hes playing by orthat aspect. dering a Bread Bowl of Soup In the winter, Adam will comfrom Panera bread, the meal of mence his last season as a Groton champions. basketball player. Though he trumHe recently came into pubpets the physicality of football, he lic attention for his incredible enjoys the aspect of power and performance during the Brooks finesse in basketball. I like the football game under the lights combination of having to be strong this year, but that was not his and having to be soft, he explains, favorite game, although he quickening his voice and adding knows it was his most impreshand gestures, Like in a layup, sive stat-wise. His favorite was you have to be gentle to make the beating BB&N last year not shot, but at the same time, you have only because of how much they to power through people to get to performed and achieved as a the basket. team but also because of the inGary Lorden 13, a teammate credible level of crowd support since Second Form, praises Adams at the game. abilities, Hes a great basketball He has such prowess in the player. He gets up and down the sport both due to his massive floor well and takes off for a dunk size but also because of his with ease. Whenever he gets the notable technical abilities, as ball he makes something exciting he clearly demonstrated in his Adam blows past a defender. (A. Hardej 13) happen. recent game under the lights at After a goodbye to basketball, Brooks. Adam has modeled his role as a senior Adam will transition to his final season There is nothing more inspiring to him based on the football players from the Form of high school lacrosse. He made Varsity than the moving speeches of Coach John of 2012. Last year, we had ten seniors who lacrosse as a Second Former and is proud to Lyons before every game. Adam feels that were dedicated to football. They loved the say he has seen Groton lacrosse change from Groton football took a definitive turn for sport. They didnt have to be out there, but a joke to a competitive team. He believes the better after team leadership came under they wanted to be. Ive never really seen Groton has been incredibly lucky to have Coach Lyons. He felt that Coach Lyons that at Groton. Im really grateful for that the team it has. The team has become a unit ability to inspire the players was best ex- experience. Thats what you hope for. St. because of the time spent playing together: emplified in his speech before the St. Marks Marks Day last year was especially power- Theres a lot of us who have been on the game last year. ful for Adam because it was the last game team since freshman year. Peter and I have Coach Lyons said, Adam has really he played with the Form of 2012. I played been playing since Second Form. come into his own this year. He has always thirds with those guys. I played every year Adam will continue to play lacrosse in had great physical skills, but not only is he of football possible with those guys. See- college. He committed verbally in Fourth paying more attention to getting more out ing all the seniors so emotional hit home Form spring to Princeton. Mr. Low believes of those skills,but hes also emerged as a the impact those seniors had not only on Adam will make an outstanding college athleader. Adam but on the Groton Football program lete: Adam is a difference-maker everytime Adam is taking this year to step into a as a whole. he sets foot on the field. His physical gifts, leadership role. He is attempting to make a But now another year has passed, and skills, and love for the game will all bring better impression on those who look up to Adam is one of the seniors approaching the much to Princeton Universitys lacrosse him. I am someone who gets really angry end of his football career. Unlike lacrosse program.

BY DEREK XIAO 15 Almost every weekday afternoon, while most Groton students are busy donning shin guards, shoulder pads, or sneakers for the various team sports that Groton offers, a group of four students instead head off campus. They go to a little field just outside of the Groton gates, in front of the Lamonts house with bows and arrows in hand. There, they practice archery for about an hour and thirty minutes 4 times a week, playing games and having fun while improving their skills in archery. This year, the archery group consists of head Sam Gosden 13, Byanka Lugo 13, Louisa Johnston 13, Taehoon Lee 13 and Anthony Chu 15, as well as Mr. Lamont and Mr. Levin, the

ARCHERY: A FUN FSA

Parents Weekend

Sam Gosden 13 lines up a shot with 2 arrows. (A. Del Bosque 13) faculty advisors. It is not an exclusive group, however, because according to Sam Gosden, There will be an extra archery practice on most Saturdays for all of those who want to come join us for a day when they dont have a game of their own. On Saturdays, little archery tournaments are held among themselves. A normal practice begins with arduous task of setting up the equipment upon arrival. As Sam Gosden says, It probably takes more practice to learn how to string a bow effectively than it does to learn how to shoot it. After they set up the equipment, the real fun begins. During a typical archery practice, the students play several games. One such game is called storm the castle, in which a target is placed on the ground about 100 yards away. Then, the archers shoot the arrows in the air, over imaginary walls and hopefully onto the target. There is also save the princess, where archers have to shoot all the different rings on the target in order to reach the center of the castle and save the princess. Finally, theres the classic game of tic tac toe, only with a twist that one has to shoot the desired square instead of marking it with a pen. With all this practice, the four beginner archers are starting to show progress in their development as archers. Their goal is to have fun while learning to shoot a bow so that they can keep archery alive at Groton for future students to enjoy.

Groton Crew Hops Across the Pond

BY MICHAEL MA 15 Over the first month of the summer, a team of 21 rowers, 4 coxswains and 4 coaches took off to England to participate in the Henley Royal Regatta (HRR), undoubtedly the best known regatta in the world. Well, I went last year, so I knew what to expect, but this year we are staying for twice as long, said Maeve Hoffstot, one of the captains of girls crew. This year, their second at Henley, the girls sent a four and a cox-less quad (quadruple scull). The difference, as director of rowing Mr. Anderson puts it, is that in sculling boats, each person has two oars instead of one which normal sweep boats such as the four have. We had no coxswain, said Maeve, the bow seat on the quad. Olivia Bono13 had to manage the stroke rate, Allie Banwell12 had to call out instructions, and I had to steer. The boys sent an eight and a four after showing great potential both on the ergs and on the boats over the season. Mr. Madden, the boys head coach, said that it was the fastest crew that he had seen in recent years as this was their first trip to Henley since 2002. Just a day after the team arrived, both the girls and the boys raced in the Reading Amateur Regatta. Despite everyone being jetlagged, all the boats did very well. The girls quad had Grotons first success as they won their event. The girls then raced in the Henley Womens Regatta. The rain and the winds were the worst they had ever seen. Despite the terrible conditions, both the four and the quad still managed to win the first round of races. On the second day, the weather turned from terrible to atrocious, with the Thames in extremely dangerous conditions. Both boats lost because of such unbelievable weather. Unfortunately, for the rowers in the four, this marked the end of their trip since there is no womens junior fours event at HRR. Mr. Anderson said that the results could have been much better if the weather had been better. Meanwhile, the boys raced at Dorney Lake, Eton, on the course for the London Olympics games. With relatively better conditions, the boys four had a really close race on Saturday, falling second to Reading Rowing Club by only 1.3 seconds. On Sunday the boys eight won two events, winning their first medals. The four later had a race with Belmont Hill, but unfortunatly lost by only 1.2 seconds. The losses were disappointing as each race was determined by one solid stroke, but we also greatly improved, and being able to beat crews with British college kids definitely felt rewarding, said Johnny Bianco, the three-seat in the four. The girls quad and the boys four then had to race in qualifying races for the HRR as the events had been overbooked. Unfortunately, both crews did not make it, but the boys four defeated many colleges as the event they competed for had no age restriction. Therefore, they had much more competition. Just a day later, at another regatta, the boys eight beat Belmont Hill for the first time. This was a gigantic success because I think that race proved to us that we were the best American crew there says Captain Johann Colloredo Mansfeld 13.Belmont was the steepest competition as it had swept New Englands in May and placed second in the U.S. Nationals. The four also had one last fight against Belmont; however, Groton came just short again, as during the race, Brunswick School clashed oars with the Groton boat. The boys eight, having pre-qualified for the HRR, raced against Reading Blue Coat School, the school that they had lost to two weeks ago at Reading. The eight beat them in the first round, showing great improvement. On the second day they faced Hampton School, one of the strongest crews in the event. After a close start, Hampton gradually pulled away. The eight rowed hard, trying to catch up. Ultimately, Hampton crossed the line first. I think we were all pleased with our results in England. Its tough to lose, but we definitely had a number of victories in England, said Johann as Hampton defeated Belmont Hill on the next day. As for the girls, The results were slightly disappointing, but overall the experience was amazing, said Maeve. Mr. Anderson said that because Henley is in a single elimination format, sometimes luck is required, and he thinks the team had bad luck on the whole. Overall, the trip was a success. It had planted an idea in the rowers minds that if we are fast enough, well go.

Groton Football Crushes Brooks 27-6

Tex going hard at Henley. (T. Cecil 13)

Continued from front page up the scoreboard after Fourth Former Will Richardson jumped on a fumbled snap in the endzone. Grotons defense remained strong throughout the rest of the first half shutting down the Bishops offensive bids and making it hard for Brooks to move the ball on the ground or in the air. Fifth Formers Jack Tyler, Matt Borghi and Ausin Stern all came up big defensively. The first half ended with a spectacular 40-yard touchdown by Adam Hardej 13. The Bishops came out hard in the third quarter, scoring a touchdown after recovering their own kickoff. Brooks momentum however was quelled in the fourth quarter as Groton put two more touchdowns on the board. The first was an impressive 43 yard run by Francisco Fernandez 13 followed by another rushing touchdown by Adam Hardej for his second of the game. 27-6 was the final score, a decisive victory for Groton. Since the Brooks game, Groton suffered a disappointing loss to Rivers; however the team remains optimistic. Rivers was a tough game, Henry Bator 14 said but there is no point on dwelling in the past. We are all just focused on bouncing back with intensity in the coming games.

Parents Weekend

Artist of the Issue: Danny Castellanos

BY ALARIC KRAPF 15

ARTS

The Circle Voice

11

As you sit in Sunday chapel, you will probably hear a powerful voice singing: O lord, open thou our lips. That voice is Danny Castellanos, singer, pianist, actor, and composer extraordinaire, a true gift to Grotons arts community as well as a very gifted individual. Danny is a music prefect, a choir prefect, a Grotones head, and the cantor for all of the responses in Sunday chapel, due to his exceptional voice and perfect pitch. A senior this year, he is now becoming more involved than ever in musical and performing arts at Groton. Danny says he has always had his perfect pitch; when he started playing guitar at a young age, he had a CD which he would tune his guitar to. A regular beginning guitar player would turn on the CD and tune the guitar to it every time before playing. However, Danny only had to listen to the CD once; and he could tune it perfectly every time. He had been blessed with perfect pitch, or the ability to always know what frequency a note is played at without being given a reference note. In other words, if Danny stood with his back to a piano and you played a note, he would be able to tell you the note that you played. Not only that, but if the note is a little sharp or flat, hell be able to tell by how much most of the time; hed be able to tell you if the note was 5 hertz below what it should be. Though he didnt know that it wasnt something everyone had, after joining a church choir at 7, he quickly learned that his talent was far from

Danny as Major General Stanley in Pirates of Penzance commonplace. After that, his music career took off; he started taking voice lessons and playing piano. When Danny came to Groton, his musical career hardly stopped; he has become a huge player in the music scene at Groton. Making a splash in Choir, Grotones, and Madrigals from his very first year at Groton in 3rd form, he clearly has shown that he has incredible singing ability and talent for music. However, thats only to be expected; in the past, he has performed in such exclusive venues as Carnegie Hall and with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Its no surprise that he was a valuable addition to Grotons singing groups.

(File Photo)

Danny has not merely been a performing talent, though; he has been creating his own music as well, composing and dreaming up melodies of his own. In the past, he has composed music for choir. If you ever see Arr. Castellanos in a program for Sunday chapel, thats something Danny has put together. Also, he has provided most of the arrangements for Grotones, taking songs which the group has decided to sing and creating voice-only music for the group. This year, he is taking composition even further, composing music for Grotons fall production of The Crucible. As he explained it, the script calls for music during the intermission from off-stage, and he is working

on composing his own vocal scores. He said that he is trying to make it match the theme of the Salem witch trials by making it weird and creepy, attempting to make it as unsettling as the subject of the play. Composing is his favorite part of music. As if that werent enough involvement in drama, hes also a talented actor; this fall, Danny is going to be playing Reverend Parris, a main role in the play, whom he describes as vain and money-loving. Other roles hes played include his unforgettable performance as the Modern Major General Stanley in last years musical, The Pirates of Penzance; the year before that, he played Agwe, God of Water in Once on This Island; and he has performed in multiple one-acts, including such colorful and varied roles as a suicidal mailman, a homicidal Mexican gardener, and as an actor in a play about playwriting. His contributions to Grotons artistic scene extend far beyond just singing and piano; Danny has been valuable to Grotons arts community in more ways than any other. Danny is most likely Grotons most talented and gifted musician, as well as a brilliant thespian and one of the schools few composers. His personal achievements as a musician and his contributions to Groton as leader of multiple music groups, composer and arranger of music, and a dramatist make him an incredibly valued member of the community and someone we are honored to have as part of our community.

LARRY THE BANJO GUY BY JAE HEE LEE 16 AND VARSHA HARIS 16
A new faculty member, Lawrence (Larry) Unger, has been officially added to the Groton circle as a banjo teacher. He briefly visited the Circle last year, and this year, he will be joining us every Wednesday. Mr. Unger has never taken banjo lessons in his life; instead, he learned by listening to records and reading books. His friends helped him as well. He commented, I would visit old people old like 80 years, and I would listen to them. I learned by ear. He is a true self-taught musician. He has been a musician for approximately 30 years. Being a banjo player, he does not play classical music but mostly traditional folk. He spends part of his time as a teacher, but he performs quite often as well. Before he came to Groton, he had visited Afghanistan between December and January. His friend, who is in the New England Conservatory, gave him information about the Afghanistan National Institute of Music. Due to their program, Winter Music Mr. Unger squirms in fear of bear attack (larryunger.net) Academy, the music school was initiating recruitment for outside faculty Teacher! Teacher! Can you help me with to come. This is an intensive program that this? all the time, he says. He plans to go has a duration of eight weeks and it was de- back to the elite music school in Afghanistan signed to offer Afghanistan youth from age for the same program. 10 to age 30 a musical experience. When Mr. Pomeroy is the main reason why LarMr. Unger heard about this, he accepted the ry Unger has joined the music department at offer because he knew that this would be a Groton. He had wanted to take banjo lessons wonderful opportunity and travelled across and he contacted nearby music facilities. the world to Afghanistan. A while ago, the Therefore, Larry was informed about Groton Taliban had forbidden the kids from getting School and he seized a chance to come teach involved with music or musical activities. here. Mr. Pomeroy is one of his students According to Mr. Unger, a very coura- now. His other students include sixth formgeous man, Dr. Ahmed Naser Sarmast, had ers Sinclaire Brooks and Mike Somerby. decided that this was not justified or fair and They both said that they had started taking built this school in Kabul. While Mr. Unger the banjo lessons last Thursday. They had was there, he taught banjo, mandolin, guitar, never taken any other musical instruments and blues guitar. He also helped out with the before and they both think that banjo is a music theory classes that were going on. He very difficult instrument to learn to play. mentioned that the school was reforming They chose to play the banjo because [they] some of the things that were once practiced enjoy bluegrass music, and they plan to in Afghanistan. This reformation allowed play after Groton. They agreed that Larry the school to make a significant change in Unger was a nice, patient teacher. They both the country and left a positive impact on look forward to taking lessons from him and the students. The boys and girls werent added that the lessons are very fun. So far, even allowed to be in the same classroom. Larry Unger has enjoyed his time at Groton. The students are so excited about learning He said that he does not know the students music because they werent allowed to have or the faculty members well yet, but he is it in the past. I feel like this mattered more excited that his students were interested in to them than the kids who are here because doing well and looks forward to a having a they couldnt have it. You can hear the kids great experience at Groton. running up and down the halls, yelling

BY NAOMI PRIMERO 13 Time flies quickly, as everyone knows, singing the tenor and bass parts. and it wont be long before the Christmas And, yes, the choir is going to Great spirit hits the Circle with snow, Secret Santa Britain this spring break. This trip will gifts, and one of Grotons most beloved tra- take the choir to Edinburgh and Glasgow ditions, Lessons and Carols. For the three in Scotland and Oxford and Cambridge in Lessons and Carols services this year, Mr. England, where it will rehearse, perform Hampson is planning a good mix of reflec- church services, take master classes with tive verses and lively carols, songs that famous British choir directors, and, of touch upon different aspects of the Christ- course, go sightseeing. These significant mas story. As tradition holds, a soloist choir directors include Stephen Cleobury, among the female singers of the choir must Frikki Walker, Duncan Ferguson, and Anbe picked for Once in Royal Davids City. drew Gant (the same composer of the spring (Word is flying about that Mr. Hampson is concert repertoire). When not singing, considering pointing to a singer randomly the choir will visit Churchills birthplace, right before the solo in the service.) Along sample some of the finest British cuisine, with the traditions, a few new treats are in and inevitably experience the various prestore for Lessons and Carols, during and cipitation of the British Isles. after the services. In addition to old favorAll of these exciting events could not ites such as be possible Personent without Hodie, the talent spectators of each should look member of forward to the choir. new renWithin this ditions of group, the the carols II formers Holly in are a spethe Ivy cial part. and Away Although in the ManII formers ger. Alare usuthough the ally not (File photo) allowed to s e r v i c e s Choir members sing out their souls will be globparticipate ally available through live streaming, Mr. in choir, last year five II formers coordinated Hampson hopes to professionally record with Mr. Hampson to provide them an opthe choral music for iTunes, where people portunity to sing with the choir. Following can purchase the album, with cover artwork the pattern from last year, the II formers created by Analia Del Bosque. The choir meet once a week with Mr. Hampson to will not only be making music for others; learn all of the service music and join the full music will be made for them. For Lessons choir for the Sunday service. The special II and Carols 2013, Mr. Hampson has commis- Form choir program reaches its second year sioned a new carol by a prominent British under the direction of Mr. Hampson with a composer for Grotons choir. few new II formers joining. The graduLong after the Christmas season, when ates of last years II form groupEmma the snow melts and the birds come back, Rimmer, Jae-Hee Lee, Sarah Adeola, Laura the choir will be preparing for the Spring Sodano, and Alex Taberare still singing Concert in May. Although it is subject to in the choir today. Aside from the fabulous change, the repertoire currently is to include II formers, the choir also has two members Psalm World by Andrew Gant, who is who were accepted into one of the prestinot only the high composer to the Queen gious Eton Choral Courses. Both Emma of England but was also Mr. Hampsons Izard and Austin Stern experienced a week professor in Oxford. This piece, which in- full of intense choral singing this past sumcludes parts for a soprano soloist, chamber mer. To add to this enormous talent, Mr. orchestra, and full choir, is an amazing op- Hampson, master fortune-teller, predicts portunity for the Groton choir; the choirs that the choir will hit 60 members in winter performance will be the U.S. premiere of terma great number for the upcoming the piece. Additionally on the tentative pro- events. So if you like to make friends with gram, the sopranos and altos of the Chamber interesting people, even vaguely like to Choir will sing a reconstruction of Vivaldis sing, like British choir directors, or just like famous Gloria, which is conjectured to be authentic fish and chips, come join choir. originally scored for sopranos and altos also Its always a party.

CAROLS AND CRUMPETS