Volume XX, No. 4 Monday, November 29, 2010 San Rafael, CA

PAGE 4Tips For Finals

PAGE 11Junior Olympians

DO YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE?

LOSE SOME WEIGHT!

Cover Design by Riley Champine

A Warped Perspective Pages 6-7

N e w s2 November 29, 2010

Olivia LloydCopy Editor

Students pile empty plates in the cafeteria bins, leaving pounds of excess food in the trash and compost as they hurry out to classes. A heap of dirt perpetu-ally steams in the garden. The “Composting Angels” team up to take between 40 and 70 pounds of food and yard waste to the garden each day and help maintain the compost.

“So much food gets wasted every day,” said sophomore Com-posting Angel Jessie Capper. “Instead of wasting it, putting it into the trash and filling up our landfills, we can actually use it as part of our community.”

All freshmen visit the garden and learn about composting in their biology classes, and most students and faculty walk by the green compost bins in the café each day. Many students who do not visit the garden regurlarly say they findit difficult to grasp the concept of composting.

“On a day-to-day basis, I think that it’s hard to see the big impact of [composting],” said sophomore Andrew Bourhis.

The Composting Angels rely on stu-dents and faculty to provide the compo-nents for the com-post; leftovers from meals and landscap-ing materials in the bins in the café are the necessities for creat-ing healthy soil in the garden.

“It’s great that peo-ple are composting, but sometimes they just don’t realize that our system can’t han-dle what they’re com-posting,” said Capper.

“I think the big-ger problem is that people don’t really know what to com-post,” said sophomore Bridget Went. “People compost meat some-times and it’s really gross for us to have to go and pick it out.”

There are extra bins in the garden in which the Composting Angels divide the surplus. However, if the compost gets meat in it or has the wrong

quantities of food scraps, manure, hay and green material, it begins to rot instead of turning into soil for the vegetable beds. To offset

the amount of food ending up in the compost, the café staff tries to utilize extra food.

“Our main goal is not to throw food away. It’s to reuse it to its maximum ability. Leftover chicken, we try to put it in the salad bar, or we try to make grab-and-goes out of it,” said Head Chef Seann Prid-more. “We prob-ably compost two to three bus tubs a day. Trash wise, we usually pull out three cans of gar-bage; one out of the kitchen and two out of here [the main eating area].

In the process of making the com-pos t i ng s y s t em more efficient, eco-

council members and administra-tors will collaborate to foster a more aware student body in terms of waste production and sustain-

ability. “I don’t think as a community,

we’re all 100 percent there yet,” said Chief Financial Officer Mike Joyce. “I don’t think we all under-stand the importance of dealing with what we produce and gener-ate in terms of waste and under-standing what we currently call waste has utility if it’s treated and managed in a way that produces a product that can help our garden.”

The school is in the preliminary stages of exploring some new op-tions that would make the system easier for students to manage and could also handle more materials that would include not only food and yard waste, but also paper extras.

“One of the things the eco coun-cil has been investigating, and it will take some more research if we decide to go in this direction, instead of trying to generate a hot compost system, we go more towards a verma culture system which is worm based,” said Joyce. “[A verma culture system] oper-ates at lower temperatures and can process more material faster.”

Community evaluates daily waste and compost success

Composting angels bring waste up to the garden every day.Olivia Lloyd

Additional reporting byAdam Perlstein

29 30 4Hanukkah

Chorus/Roots/WorldConcert 6:30pm

3Hanukkah

Chorus/Roots/WorldConcert 6:00pm

2Hanukkah

Chorus/Roots/WorldConcert 7:00pm

1Zappa Plays Zappa

@ The Warfield

6Hanukkah

7Hanukkah

Islamic New Year

5Hanukkah

International Ninja Day

11Bass Nectar

@ Fox Theater

10Ozomatli

@ The Fillmore

9Hanukkah

8Hanukkah

13End of Second

Quarter

14Science FinalEnglish Final

12 17Black Crowes@ The Fillmore

16History Final

Make-Up Final

15Language Final

Math Final

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

SUNDAY

dec.Mini Calendar

winter break!

News 3November 29, 2010

Ruby JamesNews Editor

“We have an announcement! The most exciting news! Marin Academy just won the---.”

Wondering what that announce-ment was for? Well, you’re going to have to look in the daily bul-letin. Since the start of this year, assembly has ended promptly at its set time, 11:35 a.m., even if it means cutting out student an-nouncements.

“The feedback I’ve heard from the faculty is that tutorial is ex-tremely important and I agree,” said Head of School Travis Brown-ley “I’ve had to cut off assembly announcements when they run too long in order to be respectful of tutorial.”

According to the planner, tu-torial starts at 11:40 am. When assembly runs past its designated time, students don’t get to tutorial until 11:45 a.m.

There is a lot of curiosity as to why the timing of assembly has become stricter this year.

“I think the intended message is ‘let’s be true to our schedule,’” said Outings Director and English

Assembly numbers come into question

teacher Peter Poutiatine. “We say that we are going to end at 11:35 a.m. and that promise means some-thing to us.”

Many students believe that cut-ting off announcements sends an unintended message to the com-munity.

“I think the intent of the admin-istration and of Travis is a good one,” said senior Academic Af-fairs Council member, Ben Bogin. “The effect is that students don’t feel like they are being heard.”

“None of the faculty wants to

cut off student voices,” said Jared Baird. “That is not our intention. It is more how to streamline stu-dent voices and communications effectively.”

Students, especially club lead-ers, believe that cutting off assem-bly announcements has a negative effect on the community.

“As a club leader, I think as-sembly announcements are a cru-cial part of the MA community and an effective way to draw people’s attentions to meetings and other events that are going to be held,”

said senior Chloe Ouyang. “It is frustrating when you are planning on making an announcement at assembly and you aren’t able to.”

Some faculty members agree with this viewpoint.

“I do think that it is unfortunate that in the service of a strict sched-ule, sometimes students don’t get to make their announcements,” said Poutiatine. “Even if the an-nouncements are not structurally perfect, there is still a lot of good practice for kids.”

Brownley does agree with both sides.

“Student announcements are good practice for public speaking and part of the spirit of MA,” said Brownley. “We have a conflict of several rights here.”

The other right Brownley re-fers to is tutorial, the commonly dubbed “sacred time” for students to make up quizzes, get extra help, or review for a test.

“When I first came to MA and saw [tutorial] on the schedule, I thought: what genius,” said Baird. “I have had some really positive, supportive sessions in tutorial.” As a result of the new timing issues, student announcements and tuto-

rial, two important aspects of MA are put into conflict.

“Overall, I am in favor of re-stricting announcements in favor of tutorial,” said Baird. “Tuto-rial allows for so many important communications to occur between faculty and students.”

All agree that the faculty and students alike must come to a solution.

“I feel torn every time I have to cut off assembly. I don’t like it,” said Brownley. “But I really don’t like having kids and teachers late for tutorial either.”

The tension between student announcements and tutorial has inspired Bogin to act.

“I have drafted a proposal to formally lengthen assembly,” said Bogin. “If this continues to be a prevalent issue then I will take it further.”

Both Brownley and Bogin wel-come outside opinion to help solve this problem for future years.

“I would love to hear any other solutions that people can come up with,” said Brownley. “I welcome all ideas.”

Sophomore girl talking about her boyfriend: “I wonder if his friends call me midget or dwarf...I feel like they would.”

Sophomore girl in the library reading homework: “Wait, what is this word... niggily-jibble?”Other sophomore girl: “That says negligible...”

Sophomore boy: “Do you by chance have any lettuce at your house... I need to feed my turtle.

Sophomore boy in history class: “It’s like watching a movie and stopping right before the climax. God, I really hate when people do that!”

Overheard: ridiculous things said around campus

Junior girl: “I bet I could win No-shave November!”

Freshman girl learning to SCUBA dive: “It’s so much easier without pants on!”

Sam Pritzker

Marshall LevensohnStudents try to deliver announcements in exciting ways to engage the audience.

Features4 November 29, 2010

www.PrintablePaper.net

How to survive finals#1: GET AN EARLY START“It’s important to start studying and getting

your materials together early. Start at least a week before you think you would.”-Senior Emily Lewis

After Thanksgiving Break, there are barely two weeks

before finals get going. By getting a head start and

studying little by little each day in advance, the week-

end before finals won’t be as hectic or stressful.

#2: TAKE BREAKS(But not too Many)

“Taking breaks would not involve going on the

computer or watching a movie, but something

active, such as going on a walk. ”

-Senior Carson Twiss

Studying 24/7 can get boring and tiresome. Get outside

and do something every hour or so to take a break. If

not, you run the risk of going crazy! An occaisional

break is beneficial to success while studying for finals,

but taking too many breaks may send you down the

slippery slope of procrastination.

#3: SLEEP

“Getting a good [night’s] sleep is more impor-

tant than getting an extra hour of studying.”

-Senior Sophia Dauria.

Marin Academy is not new to the idea that sleep is an

important factor in doing well on an exam. According

to a Harvard Health Publication, “Sleep helps the brain

commit new information to memory through a process

called memory consolidation. In studies, people who

had slept after learning a task did better on tests

later*.”

* http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/importance_of_sleep_and_health

#4: Shut Out AllDistractions“Give someone else your Facebook password

for the whole week [of finals], and don’t let

them give it back to you until you’re done.”-Senior Savannah Leaf

Procrastination is often the biggest challenge faced

when studying for finals. To prevent any procrastina-

tion, make sure to shut out all distractions and give

your full attention to the subject at hand. Facebook, for

example, is an addictive distraction to get rid of while

studying for final exams. #5: Reward Yourself

“A nutritious diet is essential

for finals week. Finals week can

be really stressful and having

the right things in your refrig-

erator is really helpful.”

-Senior Johnny Winston

Reward yourself! There is nothing

better than cookies to dull the pain of

studying for finals. Make a compro-

mise and give yourself a healthy treat

to quench your desire but also to fuel

your body.

#6: Meet With Your Teachers

“At tutorial, the big crowds before finals can actually be beneficial. Not

only do we have a chance to work with peers when waiting, regardless of if you

have a direct question or not, simply being in tutorial allows for information

to be absorbed before the tests.” -Senior Lauren Phipps

Talking with your teachers and advisor will be beneficial to your studying

process. Utilize the tutorial periods to get your questions answered and to make sure you’re headed in the right

direction.

#7: Stay Organnized“Make sure to keep all of your materials and organize them well so that when it comes time to review, all the materials you will need can be easily accessible.” -Junior Alex Moss-Bolanos Try to limit loose paper floating in your backpack and keep all of your study supplies in one space. Staying organized will help limit the stress of your finals week as well as help the studying process go more smoothly.

by Maddy Scheerand Tess Winston

Page Design by Riley Champine

Features 5November 29, 2010

Community shares holiday traditions

Ingredients:2 tablespoons of olive oil2 onions (chopped)1 green pepper (chunked)3 large clove of garlic (crushed)3 lbs of ground beef or turkey2 canned tomatoes (24 oz.)2 canned red kidney beans (24 oz.) drained2 tablespoons tomato paste

Pumpkin Pie Recipe from Charlotte Kamai ‘12Ingredients:

1 9-inch unbaked deep dish pie crust3/4 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon groud ginger1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 eggs1 can (15oz.) pumpkin purée

12 oz. evaporated milk

Directions:Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice

mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 15 min-utes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for about 45 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immedi-

ately or refrigerate.

Midnight Chocolate Cookies Recipe from Frances Swanson ‘13Ingredients:1 cup flour

½ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)½ teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon coarse salt

8 oz. milk chocolate (4 oz. coarsely chopped, 4 oz. cut into chunks)½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 ½ cups sugar2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:Preheat oven to 325 °F. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and

salt in medium bowl. Melt 4 ounces of chopped chocolate with butter in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water (let cool slightly). Put melted chocolate

mixture, sugar, eggs, vanilla in bowl and whisk. Gradually fold in flour mixture and chocolate chunks. Drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment pa-per. Bake until cookies are flat and the surfaces are cracked (about 15 minutes).

“With my daughter, I always listen to Dylan Thomas. He’s a Welsh poet, ‘A Child’s Christmas in Wales,’ that’s the name of the poem. Every year, even be-fore she was born.”

---David Lecount, math teacher

“We always get our tree the day after Thanksgiving, and decorate it to-gether. We put out cookies for Santa and carrots for his reindeer.”

---Kate Kingsley ‘12

“My family is Jewish, and we have a tradition of keeping a ‘tze-dakah’ box and putting charity into it all year, and then on the last night of Hanukkah, we talk about who/what cause needs it most and we donate it.”

---Ari Goldstein ‘14

“My family takes the ferry to the Em-barcadero, goes ice skating, and on the way back we sing Christmas carols on the top floor of the ferry. Everyone joins in!”

---Jeremy Berkov ‘13

“My mom has a massive Chinese New Years party every year. Thirty or forty of my mom’s Chinese friends and adoption families come over; ev-eryone brings a dish. Some years we have a big potsticker making table, we decorate with a lot of red lanterns, and all the kids get the little red envelopes (hongbao) with money.

---Anwen Baumeister ‘12

2 tablespoons parsley flakes2 teaspoons oregano2 teaspoons marjoram1 teaspoon cumin, crushed4 tablespoons chili powder½ teaspoon cayemme½ cup kahluaSalt to tasteShredded cheddar cheese

Directions:Heat oil, add onion and garlic, cook until tender, add meat and brown, stir to keep crumbly. Add green pepper, tomato paste, all sea-sonings, tomatoes, kidney beans and kahlua, mix well. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Serve with cheese and chopped onion.

Chili Kahlua Recipe from Marilou Graham

With your family...

In the kitchen...

Writing and Reporting by Alex Claman and Julia Irwin

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Features6 November 29, 2010

A WARPED PERSPECTIVE

Whether it is anorexia, bulimia, or binge eat-ing, eating disorders have plagued high school communities for years. Resisting pressures brought forth by the media, as well as one’s peers, is seen as one of the most challenging internal dilemmas that girls struggle with in their teen years.

At Marin Academy, individuality is encouraged. But what is a girl to do if all of her friends wear size 25 jeans and have perfectly toned stomachs?

“Literally, I don’t think there are any fat people at MA, but we sort of lose sight of that because we’re surrounded by so many thin people,” said senior Christie Capper. “I think it’s the girls misperception of what guys like [that causes eating disorders] and that’s based off of media and based off of what girls say about other girls.”

In an attempt to fit this image, it is easy to lose sight of what is attractive, not to mention, healthy.

“Weight is a very touchy subject,” said soph-omore Ella Cooke. “We find people that treat ‘skinny’ as slightly degrading; however, to be anything but that is to stray from a perceived definition of ‘hot’.”

Although many feel that the root cause of this issue is based on the need to impress guys, some male com-munity members find it has the opposite affect.

“I think that it’s extremely dis-gusting,” said junior Alex Moss-Bo-laños. “If [someone with an eating disorder] can look in the mirror and think that they look good then they obviously have a problem. It really just makes girls look a lot uglier.”

Depression, stress, and social problems are all factors that can play into this constantly growing issue. Although there are plenty of resources and people who are more than willing to talk with students about the pressures they are feeling or the eating dis-orders they are struggling with, the issues still

circulates throughout school as a subdued but major problem.

“[Eating disorders are] a big problem at MA,” said senior Savannah Leaf, “but it’s a quiet thing that no one wants to talk about.”

Others do not see it as a significant threat. “In my 14 years at MA I can’t say that

there has been an issue that I’ve known that was for sure an eating disorder,” said assistant athletic director and boys and girls soccer coach Josh Kalkstein. “At least not where it was diagnosed… nothing based on fact.”

But how can friends, teachers, and coaches act on pure specu-lation?

“If I think there’s an area of concern I share that with the school and the appropri-ate people in the school and move forward from there,” said Kalkstein.

Joani Lacey, the school counselor, has had years of experience dealing with eating disorders at MA, and for years has been the go-to person for support and assistance with this

particular issue.“It’s an issue of control,” said

Lacey. “What happens is your emo-tional life gets out of balance and often times a person with eating issues will pick food as a way to gain back control.”

Lacey, however, is not the only member of the com-munity willing to support students who struggle with an eating disorder, and al-though this issue may be

silenced at times, it still poses a major threat to high school students everywhere.

“I really wish girls could be comfortable being healthy,” said senior Eloise LaHorgue. “Just the way they are.”

GIRLS“The Voice” takes a closer look at self-perception and how it reflects not only on ourselves, but also on our community.

“To be anything but [skinny] is to stray from a perceived definition of hot.”

Features 7November 29, 2010

A WARPED PERSPECTIVE it is easier to recognize when a girl isn’t eat-ing meals,” said senior Kyle Newell, “but it isn’t seen as abnormal when a guy is a gym rat.”

Even so, most guys don’t seem to feel ashamed that they are pressured to fit a certain body stereotype.

“I definitely feel pressure to maintain my beau-tiful, perfect body,” said senior Alex Muresanu. “That’s why I take Muscle Milk in the morning, eat a lot of protein bars, take Creatine, and all of my other supplements.”

The introduction of “lax bro” culture also adds to the intricacy of the issue in the community.

“Guys at MA feel pressured to look like lax bros,” said senior Jacob Salant. “I think the biggest issue people have with the bros is that lax bros at MA get girls, so people get jealous… [The culture] spreads because other guys want to be the man, and that seems to be tied in with lax bro culture.”

When asked about male body image, however, many guys seemed hesitant to answer or didn’t believe that male eating

issues are neither real nor present.“Self image and eating disorders are thought

of as more ‘girl’ things,” said senior Eloise La-Horgue. “Guys don’t want to bring [these issues] up if they are feeling under pressure because that will seem feminine in and of itself. In or-der to stay masculine they will want to pretend that nothing’s happening.”

Not only do guys feel uncomfortable talking about these issues, but it can also be hard for people to identify male eating problems because, typically, they don’t take the same form as eat-ing problems do for females.

“A lot of male eating issues are centered around eating as much as you can, especially meat products,” said LaHorgue. “It is almost seen as more masculine if you can eat as much as possible.”

One place males can feel pressure to conform is in the content of their meals.

“I think men are expected to eat a lot,” said senior Hunter Swanson. “People make comments if you don’t have a big meal or if you have more vegetables than anything else.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: Male eating issues and pres-sures to be of a certain body type should not be swept under the rug. The first step in ad-dressing the problems is to talk about them.

How often do you hear girls talk or complain about their weight and point out their flaws? How often do you hear guys complain of their weight and point out their flaws?

“I think guys are self-conscious about their bodies and looks,” said sophomore Chase Por-ter, “but the people [body image] affects nega-tively don’t really express it to anyone, so no one knows.”

Male eating issues have, for the most part gone unaddressed at Marin Academy, but they affect many guys. The pressure to be fit and muscular can be detrimental to male self-es-teem, but no one seems to talk about these

problems as much as they do for females.

“I think in our culture, it’s so much harder

for boys to talk about it than it is for girls,” said school c oun s e l o r Joani Lacey. “Just over the last ten years there’s been a real surge of body image is-sues with guys.” When do the self-con-

scious body images begin to take their toll on males? The need to fit a specific body image can begin at an early age.“I was anorexic in middle

school,” said an anonymous senior boy. “In the fifth grade I thought I was a little overweight, so I would either have a small salad for lunch or go hungry. I didn’t make a big deal out of it.”The noticeable change that

many guys experience in high school can create pressures for some to lose weight and others to bulk up. Yet, this pressure is not al-ways seen as a negative experience for males because building muscle and conforming to the typical male body image doesn’t fall under the same unhealthy eating habits as it does for girls. It typically takes its form in exercise.

“I think [body issues] are seen as a bigger problem with girls because

BOYS

Writing and reporting by Everett Barger, Lena Felton, Avery Hale, Charlotte Lobdell, Maddy Scheer, Greig Stein, and Annie WarnerLayout and design by Katie Eiseman and Lauren Thomas

“The Voice” takes a closer look at self-perception and how it reflects not only on ourselves, but also on our community.

“ I definitely feel pressure to maintain my beautiful, perfect body.”

Opinion8 November 29, 2010

Rethinking our approach to body image

And on the eighth day, God created Carpool

If you have ever walked down the magazine aisle of a grocery store, you can understand why it is light-heartedly re-ferred to by some as “the aisle where kids learn to hate themselves.”

Photographs of half-dressed men and women are promoted with headlines such as “Get a Body You’ll Love!” or “Is that Cel-lulite?” But we do not even have to even step off campus to become overly self-aware of our bodies.

Our community lacks diversity in body type to the point that it has been humorously suggested that an individual’s appearance may be a consideration in his or her admission. And when the cafeteria starts to feel like the magazine aisle, it is hard for all of us not to wonder whether we should be trying to improve our own bodies.

Contrary to popular belief, this concern is not exclusive to females. In our com-munity, however, the stereotypical ways in which males and females want to transform are different.

As girls become women, their bodies ma-ture – hips widen, breasts develop, faces fill and so much more. Often, this can be chal-lenging to accept as girls fight to maintain their childhood weight.

The opposite is true for boys. Many sprout up, baby fat disappears, and young men are left looking somewhat scrawny and awkward. As a response, they struggle to once again bulk up, preferably with muscles.

Often behind the superficial layers of body image issues are greater problems that are unrelated to physical appearance. Our lives are full of stress in academics, among friends and peers, and in our families. When we start to feel a loss of control, we might grasp on to physical self-improvement as a way of staying in the driver’s seat.

There is a mentality that if we just

weighed five fewer pounds or could bench 10 pounds more, then we would finally

be happy. The problem is, more often than

not, five turns to 10, and 10 turns to 20.

These goals be-come addictive and all consum-

ing, causing us to lose sight of reality and spiral out of control.

Sometimes our com-munity notices the chang-es. We observe, and then usually comment on, grow-ing arm muscles or sunken-in eyes. Whether out of concern, envy, or more likely a combination of the two, it seems our communi-ty spends a disproportionate amount of time conversing about these changing bod-

ies. But how often do we examine our security around our own bodies? Because body image is based on self-perception, one does not have to be dangerously thin or outrageously ripped to be suffering from a poor self-image. It is our mindset, not our waist size, that indicates a problem.

More likely than not, we can all think back to a time when we suffered from some form of body image insecurities. And those times will probably come again, but know that next time you are faced with a choice. You can invent a supposed gluten intoler-ance and spend each waking hour at the gym, or you can open your eyes and try to gain some perspective. You can look to male and female role models, like sports coaches or a parents, who are comfortable in their bodies.

While constant, competitive compari-son plays a large role in body image, it is easy to lose sight of what you are sacri-ficing in your effort to look the part. And years from now, when reflecting on your high school experience, your memories of friendships and good times will most certainly outweigh others’ memories of your rocking body.

Isaac PollanGuest Writer

There are few bonds more primal than that of the carpooler and his carpoolies—and few less recognized. Many would say that the carpool driver holds all the power; his passengers are merely Remora… moochers.

Without the licensed individual, these bottom feeders would never make it to this glorious school. And besides enabling the driver to reap the benefit of the car-pool toll ($2.50 as opposed to $5.00) or making him feel like he is salvaging the crumbling environment, it is commonly thought that carpoolies have nothing to offer. But I strongly disagree with this stigma. This carpooling business is a two way street; without my teeny-tiny carpool buddies, I would be lost.

They give me the gift of purpose—a sense that I am a provider, which makes me ecstatic, and incourages confidence in my ability… or purpoprovido-extacoura-confibility for short.

There are so many wonderful things that members of my carpools, past and present, have brought to the table. Some-times, however, it is rather difficult to find, and appreciate, these little diamonds in the rough when it is 7 a.m. and you’d rather be wrapped in a blanket in some warm place. So, just for ya’ll, I have broken down some of the stereotypical carpool personalities so you can weigh their pluses and minuses and decide who you might want in your very own carpool.

The Music Jock: Brings some awesome music to the carpool and is sure to open your eyes to entirely new genres. This person is not afraid however, to patronize your clearly underdeveloped taste in music to the point where your soul starts to cry.

The Actual Jock: The jock will make sure you know the scores from last night and they are always up to date on league leaders. But if I hear someone say “Yo dude! Check out this crazy play on YouTube real quick, [add generic sports phrase like: you just can’t practice that s**t],” I think I might snap.

The Kid With The B.O. Problem: Someone to blame farts on. Just too smelly.

The Sleeper: This individual is often late to the carpool meeting-spot and can lead to a few tardy slips. But how could you go without the entertainment of drawing on this poor subject as he/she sleeps his/her way to school?

Daddy Long Legs: This person is hilari-ously tall and does not fit into cars built for humans. It can be kind of fun though, play-ing human Tetris in the back seat.

The Religious TV Series Follower: There is nothing good about these people. I don’t care about Rachel Berry, who Dr. Yang saved last night, or what kind of name Serena van der Woodsen is. I just don’t.

These are just a few of the many per-sonalities I’ve experienced in the time I’ve spent driving to Marin. Without them, I would be a much lesser version of myself. I take the good with the bad, and I have learned much.

Annie Warner

Opinion 9November 29, 2010

1600 Mission Ave., San Rafael, CA 94901

The Marin Academy Voice is a student-run newspaper published free from faculty or administrative censorship or prior review. Un-signed editorials represent the views of the entire staff. Columns represent the views of the writer, not necessarily those of this paper.

If you have any questions or would like to receive The Voice, please send a request to voice@ma.org.

m a r i n a c a d e m y v o i c e

Editors-in-ChiefKatie EisemanLauren ThomasNews EditorRuby James

Features EditorNeha BudhrajaOp-Ed Editor

Max WeissSports Editor

Marshall LevensohnA&E EditorSam Pritzker

Copy EditorsOlivia Lloyd

Andrew MillerManaging EditorRiley ChampineFaculty Advisor Mary Collie

StaffEverett BargerAlex ClamanLena FeltonAvery HaleJulia Irwin

Charlotte LobdellAdam Perlstein

Ilana SalantClaire SchurzMaddy ScheerEric Slamovich

Allie SmithLucy SogardGreig SteinElla Storey

Annie WarnerMatt WaxmanTess Winston

(Wild) cat fights: theater versus sportsWhy do you do theater and

why do you do sports?A.J. Roy: I do theater because

it’s a collaborative environment that inspires creativity and allows me to relax and have fun at the same time.

Eric Johanson: I prefer sports because it really gets you to work as a team and push yourself. It gets your heart rate going, it’s good ex-ercise, and a lot of fun [sic].

AR: There’s definitely team-work in theatre too, you have to work together to create a scene.

EJ: Yeah but in sports there’s no star or main part that gets all the attention; it’s a purely team effort.

Which do you think has bet-ter fans?

EJ: I personally think that sports definitely get more specta-tors than theater kids, but I also think that art and music festivals

Time to take advantage of armfuls of opportunitiesMax Weiss

Op-Ed Editor

There it was. Just sitting in front of me, looking extremely innocent and yet extremely menacing at the same time. A human arm.

The arm was sitting on my din-ing room table because my dad was supposed to demonstrate its inner workings to about 100 of my schoolmates the next day, and it needed, um...“preparation.”

I could feel the wrinkles, see the freckles from the arm that belonged, by the looks of it, to a middle-aged man whose name I did not know. I was nervous at the prospect of essentially dissecting this human limb, but maybe not for the reasons that one would think. I was, in fact, more anxious about what I was going to find out about myself.

My dad is an orthopedic sur-geon, which basically means a doctor of bones. Ever since I start-ed thinking about what I wanted to be when I grew up, the title of

M.D. has always been persistently at the peripherals of my specula-tions. Yet, I was never sure if I was cut out for the job—what if I just didn’t have the stomach, or the steady hands, or the demeanor that my father did? Well, looking down at that arm, I was about to find out in the most hands-on way possible.

My experience with the arm made me realize yet again how lucky I am in general—and espe-cially how lucky I am to go to a school like MA. The reason that I had that opportunity to find out if I had the—as my dad always puts it—“intestinal fortitude” to be a doctor was not only because my dad brought that arm home but also because MA promoted the lecture in the first place. The school has made it clear that its goal is to im-pact us beyond the normal realm of schoolwork.

By allowing us to take part in and lead activities that relate to the so-called “real world,” the school ignites in us passions that other-wise may have lain dormant. There

is a reason that former members of Eco-Council go on to pursue environmentally oriented careers, that my dad gets letters from stu-dents after the lecture telling him that they want to be doctors now, and that alumni routinely apply for jobs at Teach for America.

Maybe there’s a bigger reason that some students choose not to participate in clubs and other opportunities that we are lucky enough to be offered. Maybe they are—just like I was—scared of what they’d find out.

get the most stu-dent participa-tion. I actually feel like sports in the past couple of years have defi-nitely started to drop in fan sup-port but still get more than theater because people value sports more than theatre now-adays.

AR: I defi-nitely think that sports have more of a fan base than theater does but with movies and comedy and all those other things. I think theater is often forgotten for the gem that it is.

EJ: Yeah, but when you think about movies you’re only thinking about musicals and things like that.

AR. No, I don’t only watch musicals…

Which do you think MA values more?

AR: I think they’re both equally valued. MA places equal emphasis

on both of them. EJ: Oh defi-

n i te ly spor t s , definitely sports. Publically I think that MA’s more known for the music and arts and s tu ff bu t that’s definitely chang ing and there should be even more em-phasis placed on sports.

Which do you think gets you

more game?EJ. Oh definitely sports. I mean

I was just talking about this in HCI [History, Culture, and Identity]: girls like athletic guys. You know, the strength and muscle, it’s just the way people are programmed,

just the way it is, no debate.AR: I think that it’s debatable.

I think that the straight guy to gay guy ratio is a lot higher in theater than in sports. If you are a straight person in theater you have a lot of girls who are looking for people like them, fellow theater kids, so there is more of a selection. But I do think that in general an athletic background and physique might be a little bit more helpful.

EJ: Yeah dude it’s about the muscle.

AR: Oh but also girls like sen-sitivity and you get that [in] the-ater, which you don’t get in sports.

Any last thoughts?EJ: I can’t wait to go to the fall

play [laughs].AR: I can’t wait to go to a soc-

cer game [laughs].

As told to Ella Storey & Allie Smith

Ella StoreyNothing gets Eric Johanson (left) and A.J. Roy more passionate than sports and theater.

Noah Weiss

A&E10 November 29, 2010

“My Life is Ho” account states: “Most of the people that know me only do because I’ve hooked up with their friend … or friends.”

Conversely, one “My Life is Bro” account states: “Today, I realized if you watch Cinderella backwards, it’s about a woman who learns her place.” Such de-scriptions are frequently cited on Facebook updates and wall posts, and have become the topic of much discussion.

Fashion (MA)nia: winter styles to keep you cool Annie Warner & Claire Schurz

Staff Writers

The Marin Academy student body is reflecting new styles. Here are several of the most popular on campus:

“My life is” epidemic jeopardizes student livesSam PritzkerA&E Editor

Something has taken Marin Academy by storm – no, it is not the plates being left out in the caf-eteria – it is the aptly named “My Life is…” epidemic. The craze started with the now passé “F@*k my Life” website – a place where individuals describe their unlucky moments in a condensed, one sen-tence format.

Similar websites such as “My Life is Bro” and “My Life is Ho” soon followed.

At each site, individuals are given the opportunity to share their “bro” and “ho” stories in the aforementioned format.

“I believe that the ‘My Life is…’ craze is a manifestation de-riving from the internet being an outlet for personal propaganda,” said senior Desirée Wattis. “It is the ‘People Magazine’ for every-day people.”

Sexism and gender stereotyping are often at the root of each bro and ho narrative. For example, one

“Every single ‘My Life is Ho’ [and most] ‘My Life is Bro’ post operates on internalized sexism,” said senior Olivia Howard, leader of the Global Role of Women club. “They mask subordination by claiming that being a ho, and thus being overly sexual, is somehow female empowerment, granting guys the power to laugh about it on sites like ‘My Life is Bro.’ What is most disturbing to me is the idea that girls themselves, as well as guys could have written some of these posts, joking about sexual harassment. That is not something to joke about.”

‘My Life is…’ websites have also targeted races and religions, such as “My Life is Desi,” “My Life is Persian,” and “My Life is Jewish,” with posts like, “The other day, my friends were throw-ing quarters at me for fun, to tease my Jewieness, and to see if I actu-ally picked it all up. Guess who is 3.50 dollars [sic] richer?”

“I feel that although ‘My Life is Jewish’ perpetuates many negative stereotypes, I don’t really mind

it because I can relate to it,” said freshman Ari Goldstein. “It’s okay for people to post to these sites be-cause they’re Jewish. However, I would probably feel differently if non-Jewish people were posting the same things.”

Now, the epidemic has spread as far to attack individual stu-dents, such as “My Life is Slamo,”

named in honor of senior Eric Slamovich.

“I don’t know, I personally find it insulting [to him]. To jokingly imply something about another person’s life seems pretty mean,” said senior Zia Grossman-Ven-drillo. “It’s definitely funny at times, but it’s tinged with a bit of harshness.”

Those that aren’t published on Facebook have been shared dis-creetly among friend groups. And, in some students’ opinions, what may initially be intended to be a joke ends up going too far.

“I fear the ‘My Life is’ trend is getting a little out of control. The affects of such mockery can become negative if not carefully controlled,” said junior Sommer Stein. “I’m not saying that people have to regulate it … people just have to watch who the ‘My Life is...’ is about and whether or not they have the right to create one.”

TomsWhen you are walking around MA, look around at people’s shoes and you are bound to see at least one person wearing Toms. Whether paired with jeans, shorts, or leggings, this shoe style is everywhere. They add a fun and simple touch to any outfit. Red Toms add a certain flavor, while the olive ones keep it looking relaxed and casual. Available in a variety of materials and colors, these shoes are guaranteed to look good no matter how you choose to sport them.

Vintage BootsLaced vintage boots are the hottest trend in shoes. With an old-fashioned elegance and a modern styling, this footwear is both old and new. Suede or leather boots look sturdy and strong. White or canvas shoes are a bit softer, perfect for a vintage-inspired en-semble.

Stripes Stripes add contrast to any outfit. Navy and white stripes keep it classy and add a nautical flair. Col-ored stripes are a fresh fall fashion. Pair a slouchy striped shirt with leggings or light wash jeans. However, keep it under control; too many stripes and clashing patterns could have you looking more confused than confident.

The “boyfriend” styleTake a cue from the guys, and embrace the mens-wear-for-women style. Boys styling with feminine pizzazz is a new trend. Boyfriend jeans or trouser pants with a leather belt are a classic example. But-toning up in a collared shirt lends a formal touch, and oxfords complete the look.

Annie Warner

Annie WarnerAnnie Warner

Annie Warner Annie Warner

The “My Life is Bro” uniform

Annie Warner

The “My Life is Ho” uniform

Annie Warner

Sports11 November 29, 2010

The fantastic four, super powers included

Aislinn Martin

Ross Miller

Marshall Levensohn

Devron Martin Blaire Kingsley

Tom Newell

ML: What do you enjoy most about horseback riding?

BK: I really enjoy being able to train with wild animals in the sport. There’s something exhilarating about it.

ML: What is your practice and event schedule?

BK: I ride three or four times a week for around a total of six hours. For events, I show around once a month.

ML: How did you start riding com-petitively?

BK: It just comes with the sport. If you start practicing then you eventually start com-peting, so that all of your hard work in practice pays off.

ML: What are your personal aspirations as rider?BK: I want to go to the Nationals at the end of

next year.ML: What motivates you to keep progressing in

riding?BK: It’s always fun to do well and challenge your-

self. I always want to push myself to see if I can move to the next level of riding.

ML: What has been your biggest accomplishment?BK: I won the best child rider award at an end of

the year show and [achieved] my current ranking of the number three rider in California.

LF: What’s your favorite aspect of skiing? PW: In racing I love the feeling and adrenaline rush

I get – I’ve gone 82 mph. That was just an unexplain-able feeling. When I ski with my friends, I love the rush of skiing in fresh powder or jumping off cliffs.

LF: What’s your practice and event schedule like? PW: It’s really hectic but unlike most racers, I don’t get much time to train. I train

on the weekends I can and I go to places like Jackson Hole and Utah. I end up missing a lot of school.

LF: Can you explain a typical race day? PW: I wake up super early, get ready with the team, and eat breakfast. I always have

bacon. I do two race runs: Slalom and [Giant Slalom]. We inspect the first run of the day then race it. How well you do on the first race decides where you start for the second course. It’s a long day and sometimes the race might not end until four in the afternoon.

LF: What has been your biggest personal accomplishment in skiing? PW: I have gone to the Junior Olym-

pics three times. In New Zealand I went to an international race and got second place for a run with other hemispheres’ national teams, which was a huge ac-complishment.

LF: What has been your most embar-rassing moment in your skiing career?

PW: [Laughs] Just a slew of falls; I’ve broken helmets and broken many skis.

LF: What’s your practice and event schedule like?

DM: During the spring season, I practice two-to-three times a week. Last summer, when I was training for the Ju-nior Olympics, I practiced almost every morning for an hour or two hours.

LF: What has been your biggest per-sonal accomplishment in high jump?

DM: Well I jumped 5 feet 2 inches, which is my personal record. I went through a slump for a while and it was

discouraging because I wasn’t really doing my best, but after two months of hard training I ended up passing my goal of 5 feet 2 inches.

LF: What are your personal aspirations as a high jumper? DM: I really want to just continue to beat my best. I

haven’t had much training because I guess I have more just raw talent, so I want to work on getting better form. I definitely want to continue to do Junior Olympics.

LF: What or who is your motivation to keep pro-gressing?

DM: Definitely my parents and the idea of having something that I’m really good at. I [have participated] in a lot of sports but was never really focused or the best at any of them so I like having something I’m re-ally focused on.

Paige Whistler Kyle NewellML: How did you get interested in fencing?KN: My brother started fencing, and I had some

other friends that were in the sport. I thought [fenc-ing] was different from the typical soccer, baseball,

basketball, and football and I wanted to try something new.ML: What is your practice and event schedule?KN: I practice two or three times a week for an hour and a half for each lesson and

events usually take place about once every month.ML: How did you start fencing competitively?KN: Well, my coach really encouraged me to go to this one big competition in San

Jose and it was my first competition. I placed really high, in the top 20, and starting with a win like that really pushed me forward.

ML: What are your personal aspirations as a fencer?KN: I really want to fence in college and there are a lot of [fencing] programs at the

schools I’m looking at. So, I want to be able to compete at that level.ML: What has been your biggest ac-

complishment?KN: I have two. [The first was] making

it to summer nationals, and seeing the huge arena filled with fencers. The other was qualifying for team nationals as a 16-year old for the Under-19 team.

ML: Who would win a duel, you or King Arthur?

KN: I would win for sure. I could easily take him down.

Mimi Kingsley

By: Lena Felton and Marshall LevensohnStaff Writer and Sports Editor

Sports 12November 29, 2010

abled list for players with concussions, in addition to the present 15- and 60-day lists.

These and other changes have come in response to increased awareness of the mental and physical dam-age head injuries can cause. In addition to short-term discomfort and decreased brain function, studies have found that concussions can have lifelong effects. A 2009 Canadian study showed that adults who had suffered concussions 30 years prior exhibited infe-rior memory and attention spans than those who had never been concussed.

The Marin Academy athletic department has taken notice of this new information, and athletes are now offered the electronic im-PACT concussion test to gauge the effects of head and neck impacts during sports seasons.

“We’ve started offering [im-

MW: What first inspired you to play?MR: I used to watch the pros and thought that it

looked really fun and I often went to basketball games and would think to my self, I should try that out. Then I just started playing.

MW: During the offseason did you do anything specific to keep your game up to par?

MR Over the summer I participated in weekly basketball camps for girls at MA. We learned plays and the fundamentals of the game. I have been do-ing basketball work out sessions for the past month and a half.

MW: What about the upcoming season are you looking forward to?

MR: I am really happy that we have a lot new players coming out for the team. This year we will have enough players for the varsity and the junior varsity team. Hopefully more people will come out to the games which will then generate more excitement surrounding girls’ basketball here at MA.

MW: Do you have any lucky charms that help get you through games?MR: I always wear the same Nike socks and eat an orange an hour before a game.

When my dad played basketball his coach made him eat them because they are supposed to keep your energy up and not slow you down.

ES: What are your personal and team goals as you step on the court for the 2010-2011 basketball campaign?

BC: I definitely expect for our team to win league. I feel like we are by far the most talented team in [the] BCL. Looking ahead, I expect for us to do well in NCS, at least finishing in the top four spots because looking at all of the other division five teams in northern California we compare well against them.

ES: How do you plan on stepping up as a leader this year after some of the team’s pivotal seniors graduated?

BC: This year we have a lot of returning varsity play-ers; our team is really well rounded in terms of leader-ship and communication on and off of the court. As a leader I will be unselfish and trust everyone on the team.

ES: What basketball player is your role model that you look up to and take advice from and why?

BC: I have always been a big LeBron James fan. I like his game because he is one of the most well rounded players in the NBA. He doesn’t always look to score every time, but rather to put his team in the best position to win by driving to the hole or engaging two defenders and kicking to ball out to his fellow teammates.

ES: What would you like out of the MA community in regards to its support of the Men’s basketball teams?

BC: I would like to see a lot of our fans to come out to support us. Mainly school spirit

Wildcats pounce into the 2010-2011 basketball seasonMiranda RoehrickEric Slamovich and Matthew Waxman

Staff WritersBrett Cutler

Andrew MillerCopy Editor

Through the first nine weeks of the National Football League season, 74 players have been diag-nosed with concussion symptoms, according to a tally by The Con-cussion Blog. Professional football players are suffering significant head injuries at a rate of about eight per week.

To combat this trend, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell instituted a new rule this season that punishes players for blows to the head and neck or exceedingly rough hits. Much attention has been focused on helmet-to-helmet hits, which have caused numerous major injuries, most prominently concussions. The rule levies sus-pensions and fines of tens of thou-sands of dollars against offenders.

Major League Baseball is also reported to be considering changes to fight concussions, according to the Associated Press. The MLB may introduce a seven-day dis-

PACT testing] that assesses thought processing, memory, concentration, and those kinds of things,” said Athletic Trainer Aaron Gill. “Ideally we do a baseline before someone’s had a concussion…and then we can compare the baseline to the post-injury test.”

Gill also performs sideline tests for play-ers who sustain head injuries during games. Concussed players must be removed from prac-tice or a game for the day and evaluated by a concussion special-ist before returning to play per the rules of the California Interscholas-tic Federation. This rule was added this year in light of new concussion studies.

The new policies have drastically changed the concussion diagno-sis and treatment pro-

cess for athletes in recent years.“My coach made me go see

Aaron [Gill] and Aaron said he thought it was a concussion but I should go to the doctor,” said junior Emily Klein, who suf-fered a blow to the head during a basketball game last year. “[MA] didn’t have the concussion testing

then, but [Gill] had me sprint for a little bit and see if I was dizzy or anything.”

Junior Paige Whistler, who received a concussion from head-to-head contact in a soccer game this year, had a more scrutinized process.

“I went to Aaron and retook my baseline, which I had first taken in September,” said Whistler, “and then he was able to tell me how bad it would be. I learned which sections of my brain I injured and the school worked well with mak-ing sure I got my rest at home and was able to deal with my tests and quizzes. I missed more than eight games of soccer.”

Gill admits that despite con-cerns, unlike in professional sports, not much can be done to prevent head injuries at MA.

“Most of it has just been an unfortunate part of the game,” said Gill, but certainly being aware of what’s going on around you is an important part of it”

The concussion discussion is a real headache

because it does help the team.

Annie Warner

Olivia LloydOlivia Lloyd