TheWolverineTh e Walker School

Faculty Students Drama Editorial

— October 2012 —Volume XIV Issue 1

WALKER WALKERS: FACULTY POWERWALKING TEAM

ON PAGE 2

JIMMY BUSCH:AN UNSUNG HERO

ON PAGE 6

BACKSTAGE WITH

LITTLE WOMEN

ON PAGE 11

SEC STILL THE BEST?ON PAGE 8

Cover Photo: Sophmores Shannon Keegan, Haley Timbrook, Glenn Strother, Collier Middleton, and James Pittinger celebrate Spirit Week!

Courtesy of Nicolette Paglioni

2

The Wolverine, founded in 1999, is the newspaper of The Walker School, 700 Cobb Parkway North, Marietta, Georgia 30062. Tele-phone: (770) 427 - 2689. E-mail: wolverine@thewalkerschool.org The Wolverine is published sev-en times during the school year by the members of the student body. Guest articles and letters to the editor may be submitted. Submis-sions must include the writer’s name and be hand-delivered or emailed. The meaning of any submission will not be altered, but The Wolverine reserves the right to edit for coherence. Rights are also reserved to postpone or with-old publication any letter, article, or advertisement submitted. Fi-nal decision on publication rests with the Editor-In-Chief in con-sultation with the entire Editorial Board and the Journalism Adviser. Guest articles and letters to the editor do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Walker School, its administration, or employees. Copyright authority to the material (articles, graphics, etc.) contained in this publication is strictly held under reserve by the Editorial Board. Any reproduc-tion or alteration without writ-ten consent is strictly prohibited. The staff of The Wolverine is comprised of members of the Upper School Journalism Class. The Wolverine serves as a voice for the Walker Community.

(wolverine@thewalkerschool.org)

The Wolverine

Journalism Adviser:Kaitlyn Ranney

2012-2013 Staff

Editor-In-Chief: Coleman Hedden. ‘14

Managing Editor:Travis King, ‘14

Assistant Editors:Victoria Hudson, ‘14Mary Grace Walsh, ‘14

Photographer:Molly West, ‘13

Reporters:Alex Brack, ‘15Courtney Cox, ‘14Nicolette Paglioni, ‘15Meredith Wright, ‘13

TheWolverine

Meet the Faculty Powerwalking Team

BY Travis King

As you depart Walker in the afternoon, you may see a group of faculty members, led by Director of Safety and Security Lynn Benfi eld, walking through the parking lots or around the athletic fi elds. The powerwalking group is not widely known throughout campus, but they are out hitting the pavement almost every day after school. Benfi eld originally began walking around campus to lose weight after a shoulder surgery and also to patrol the campus in the afternoon. A few faculty members became interested in tagging along, and at the beginning of last school year, School Nurse Dana Ferguson decided to start accompanying Benfi eld on his walks around campus. The duo soon became a trio when Lower School Teacher Charlene Papadopoulos also joined in. The group walks four days per week, only resting on Fridays. They have several courses across Walker’s 34-acre property to choose from. The main course starts at Robertson Field, goes up Damar Road, passes by the new Upper Parking Lot and tennis courts, comes down through the student lot, goes all the way around the carpool circle, passing the Middle and Lower schools, and then fi nally loops back around to Robertson Field. Additionally, instead of going up Damar Road, the group will often head through the Preschool parking lot and around the back of the baseball practice fi eld, adding in another half mile to their course. While powerwalking every day after school

for an hour does not sound like a fun activity to many, Benfi eld and his team really enjoy their sessions. Ferguson said, “You really get a good overview of the school. You see teams practicing; students talking and having fun; parents watching games – it’s really enjoyable.” Benfi eld, a self-described outdoorsman, said, “You can see when the hawks are migrating and what’s going on with the birds when they come in and leave. We have all sorts of different types of vegetation. By walking, we really get to see more details you wouldn’t normally see.” The powerwalking team isn’t just open to faculty – students of

all ages are invited to walk as well.Benfi eld said, “We’d welcomestudents to come out and walk with us!” During Upper School Healthand Wellness Day, Benfi eld hostedseveral powerwalking sessions throughout the morning. Junior Nissa Johnson, who participated in one of the sessions, said, “It wasreally good exercise! I didn’t think it would be that cool but it was alot of fun!” Though powerwalkingdoesn’t immediately come to mind when considering after-schoolactivities, it’s a great way to get some fresh air while getting a goodworkout, too.

The orange path indicates the traditional route for the powerwalkers, while the red path indicates their more rigorous powerwalking route.

Photo Courtesy of thewalkerschool.orgDiagram Courtesy of Travis King

October 2012 3

Dear Daisy... Each issue of The Wolverine will now contain an advice column. “Daisy” will choose a couple questions to answer each issue. Those who ask these questions will remain anonymous as will the identity of “Daisy”. You can submit your question at dear.daisy@thewalkerschool.org. The only people who can see the questions will be our Advisor Kaitlyn Ranney and of course, “Daisy”. We hope you enjoy this new addition!

-- The Wolverine Staff

Dear Daisy, What is the best way to balance between schoolwork and after school activities? (Sports, clubs, etc.)Sincerely, -- Overwhelmed

It seems like we all run into the problem every year; we start out feeling like this will be the year. This year we’ll be successful, organized, and have straight A’s. Unfortunately, you can’t be everywhere at once. We’d all like to be the president of every club, be on homecoming court, and play every sport known to man, but that’s not realistic. First, re-evaluate your schedule. Have you committed to too many things? If so, mark a few that you’re not as passionate about off your list. Find the few things you love and stick to them, whether it’s certain academic classes or extracurricular activities. The next step is to start using your time wisely. Take advantage of study hall, because a lot of students don’t. Make reasonable goals for yourself and work to meet them. It’s easy to get lost with so much going

on around you, but the best way to stay focused is to take everything one step at a time. Set aside time for certain things, and put yourself on the road for success. It can be hard to stay focused in high school, but buckling down and being productive is the key to getting school work done, so you can enjoy having a social life and taking part in after school activities.

Dear Daisy, How can I ask that special someone to homecoming?Sincerely, -- Not Creative

Not wanting to do the typical ‘show up with fl owers’ routine? Hoping that she’ll be too fl attered to say no to your unique show of affection? I’ve got you covered.

Here are two ways to ask your girl.Beware: they’re super corny.

1. Puppy Love: If you have a well-behaved dog, bring him/her over to your girl’s house. Attach a note to their collar saying “homecomingwith ____?” Leave the dog on herfront porch and ring the doorbell.Hide in a bush or off to the side until she opens the door, then watch herreaction and pop out with fl owers.Priceless.

2. Gorilla suit: Rent a gorilla suitfrom a costume store and wear it toschool. Approach her with a notesaying, “I’ll go bananas if you go to homecoming with me!” Of courseshe’ll have to know who’s asking her, so reveal yourself and insteadof giving her a dozen roses, give her a dozen bananas. Too good.

Fall Forum Comes to WalkerBY Coleman Hedden

On September 29, roughly 900 Latin scholars visited the Walker School for a day fi lled with scaven-ger hunts, tests, races, and delicious food. This event was none other than the annual Fall Forum. The Georgia Junior Classical League is the legion of Latin lovers that spans the entire state and is just a portion of the National Junior Classical League (whose convention is held every summer). This past April at the state conven-tion at Rock Eagle, Senior Decker Onken was elected President of the GJCL, and thus it became his duty to host the annual Fall Forum. After the day, Onken said, “It was a labor of love. But I couldn’t have done it without the help of so many dedi-cated people.” Onken built a legion of dedicated Sodalitas members who led a group of nearly 70 vol-unteers. These volunteers worked hours into the night the Friday be-fore Fall Forum, but their hard work and dedication paid off. State Chair

Natalie Faulkner said, “It was one of the most well-run Fall Forums I’ve been to in a while. Decker and Randy [Fields] did an amazing job.” Latin students from across the state took part in workshops that spanned from a scavenger hunt, learning Latin insults, and play-ing Animal Bingo in Latin. These workshops were led by Latin teach-er Amy Leonard and Sophomore Parker Smith. Leonard and Smith spent hours building a vicious scav-enger hunt with tasks ranging from writing a one-page essay, counting the number of “gladiators” on our football team, and writing a love letter to Walker Latin teacher Ran-dy Fields. The scavenger hunt was so diffi cult that only two pairs of students out of the 900 who attend-ed entirely completed it. Regard-less, all who took part thoroughly enjoyed the event. Senior McClain McKinney led a group of students in organizing the Olympika events. These events

Senior Decker Onken addressing the GJCL at the Fall Forum

General Assembly as President.

Photo Courtesy of Ansleigh Fantaski

are the athletic competi-tions offered at Fall Forum. While those at the national and state conventions are far more rigorous, these events were nonetheless competi-tive. In the early morning, students competed in the Softball and Frisbee Throws, in the afternoon, they played a basketball tournament in Coles Athletic Center, and fi nally they sprinted their hearts out in the 50 and 100-Yard Dashes. Senior Paige Warner had the daunting task of organiz-ing the competitive tests of-fered at Fall Forum. In the morning, students took the Pentathlon, a rigorous hour-long test requiring a knowl-edge of Latin Literature, history, geography, grammar, culture, my-thology, and more.

Continued on Page 12

4 TheWolverine

Neil Clark the Economic ExpertBY Alex Brack

Despite your family’s fi nancial status, getting into college has always been a diffi cult task. However, with the current economic situation, the threat of not going to your desired college has grown widespread. Nearly all students have to make compromises in order to simply attend college. These compromises are frightening, because they are not due to a student’s grades. Rather, it is the fact that colleges are in need of money. The economic situation has left an abundant amount of businesses with extreme fi nancial diffi culties. Consequently, they are looking to great heights in order to still maintain a positive income. As you read this, you may believe that because you go to Walker this is irrelevant. It is an unfortunate reality as the Walker community begins to feel the pressure brought on by colleges’ fi nancial issues. Many students of the class of 2011 to 2012 saw fi rsthand how the economy has affected their choice in college. In fact, last year marked Walker’s lowest private college enrolment in six years. Additionally, a vast majority of 2011 to 2012 seniors attended an out of state college. “These statistics are unusual,” said Dean of College Counseling and Guidance Neil Clark. “College related fi nancial issues are a problem that is growing as the economy remains stagnant,” Clark said. So what does this mean for our students? Are families going to have to fork over more money? “Out-of-state students bring in out-of-state tuitions fees…which are 50 percent to 80 percent higher,” Clark said. This statistic contributes to the fact that most of our seniors attend out of state colleges. They are not being accepted, because they are not going to bring in the revenue that a student from another state would.Evidently, it is clear that the economy’s status is greatly impacting the Walker community. Not only are graduates and their families having to face

huge tuition expenses, they are alsohaving to venture out-of-state andtherefore away from their family. While these consequences are off-putting, there are ways one can fi nd a more appropriate college choice. Clark describes the process offi nding a college as a very selectiveprocess. Because of the economicsituation, families and students must invest a lot of time into fi nding a college that is best suited for theirneeds, fi nancially and physically. The best way to go forth doing this is through college visits as well as

Dean of College Counseling and Guidance Neil Clark prides himself on helping students fi nd their “Best Fit”

for college.

Photo Courtesy of Alex Brack

planning with the Walker CollegeCounseling Offi ce. Although our seniors may haveto make compromises in orderto get into college, the hardshipsthey encounter can be overcome. By following the direction of thecollege offi ce, the best college option can be determined, therebyrelieving most of the stress broughton by the diffi culty of fi nding acollege in today’s world.

Lower and Middle Schools Welcome

New PrincipalsBY Coleman Hedden

Over the summer, the Lower and Middle Schools welcomed two new faces into their administration with as Megan Howard and Will Forteith were hired as their respective prin-cipals. Howard comes to Walker from the Trinity School and Forte-ith comes to us after nine years at the St. Mark’s School in Texas. Howard w e l c o m e s the new c h a l l e n g e of leading the Low-er School. Howard said, “My fi rst pri-ority is building relationships.” Both Howard and Forteith hope to bridge the gaps between the divisions of the school and build a more unifi ed Walker School. Lower School Ad-ministrative Assistant Luanne Bent-ley said, “She’s a great communica-tor. I just love working with her. She brings a smile to my face!” When Howard met some Lower School students when she visited this past Spring, she immediately knew this was the place for her. Howard said, “This place is clearly a chi ld-cen-tered place. When I fi rst stepped foot on cam-pus, I saw that they put the stu-dents fi rst always. And that is just an amaz-ing thing.” On a lighter note, Howard

thought it would be interesting to note that there was one basketball game she played as a senior where she shot 10-11 on three pointers. A feat she has yet to duplicate. Over in the Middle School, Forte-ith follows in the footsteps of Blair

Fisher, who led the Mid-dle School since 2007. F o r t e i t h will lead a faculty of. Middle School Ad-ministrative A s s i s t a n t

Terri Woods said, “He’s a lovely man and I am very

excited to be working with him.” Forteith already has experienced the unique environment at Walker as he has partaken in a dodgeball match with some students and watched Dean of Students Kevin Tilley or-chestrate a rugby match during an assembly. While Forteith said, “I don’t know if I’m ‘buff’ enough to be considered a ‘true’ fan,” most in the Middle School know Forteith for his love for Star Wars. He even has a cutout of a Storm Trooper and

a lightsaber in his offi ce. As for his goals, For-teith said, “I am hop-ing to bring enthusiasm, fresh per-spect ives , and a col-laborat ive approach to the Middle School.”Head of School Jack Hall with newly hired

Middle School Principal Will Forteith.

Photo Courtesy of thewalkerschool.org

Head of School Jack Hall with newly hired Lower School Principal Megan Howard.

Photo Courtesy of thewalkerschool.org

October 2012 5

Athlete of the Month: Chris GrahamBY Victoria Hudson

Homecoming is hands down one of the most anticipated and most exciting events during the year. All week students dress up to show their spirit, participate in small competitions to earn points for their class, and of course present the famous class entrances Friday at the pep rally. This year, the Homecoming game is on October 5 with the dance following Saturday October 6. As the school fi lls with spirit, mostly in the form of high school students wearing ridiculous costumes, the football program prepares to maintain its undefeated record in the 2012 season. Senior safety and receiver Christopher Graham has been a member of the Varsity Football team since his freshman year. Graham has been an invaluable asset to the team all four of his high school years, playing a signifi cant number of minutes his freshman,

sophomore, and junior years as well as contributing on both sides of the ball. He continues to assert his dominance his senior year, helping to lead the Wolverines to their fi rst 4-0 start in school history. In order to be prepared and feel mentally and physically ready for a game, Graham said, “I watch fi lm to see what I’m doing right and what I’m doing wrong, but I like to spend time alone to get focused and amped up on my own.” Any regular season game is stressful enough, but everyone knows Homecoming is its own beast. It comes with a whole host expectations, distractions, and pressures. Graham added, “Homecoming

is different because the whole school is way more into it, but that means it can be harder to focus.” Despite the possible distractions, Graham cited the increased spirit level during Homecoming week his favorite thing about the experience. To ensure he stays on point, Graham

Senior Christopher Graham after a Varsity football game.

Photo Courtesy of thewalkerschool.smugmug.com

BY Mary Grace Walsh

If you take a trip to the AP art room this year, you’re likely to fi nd Senior Izzy Haslam working intently on her art. Haslam’s outstanding creations have caught the eye of students and faculty alike since she started taking art her Freshman year. Haslam’s love of art was sparked by her art classes through school. “I started making art before I came to high school,” Haslam said. “I’ve been to Walker all my life so we

Artist of the Month: Izzy Haslam

said, “I don’t change my routine or do anything different or special forHomecoming. I just keep doing what I’ve been doing.” Outside of football, Grahamhas been involved in basketball,lacrosse, track and fi eld and was recently inducted into the National

Honor Society. He alsoloves classical music aswell as Aly Raisman,and says he can do agreat South African accent – which makessense since he livedthere until he was fi ve! Graham’s dedicationto his sports and his academics has madehim a leader on the fi eld and in the Walker community.

always had art classes, and I enjoy art outside of school.” Haslam remembers doodling through her younger years. “I started out through my childhood drawing whatever came to me with markers and pencils.” But when she came to high school, painting became a passion for her. She works mostly with oil paint, but also uses acrylic and pastels. You would be surprised to learn that Haslam has never taken an

art class outside of school. Needless to say, she is focused on her work and development as an artist, whether she’s in or out of school. She and Han Song, a fellow senior in AP art, are a part of the Emerging Teen Artist Program. This program includes having the opportunity to visit galleries all over Atlanta and see other’s work. “We get to see the art as well as the professional side of being an artist, and the different

jobs you can have related to art,” Haslam said. Song and Haslam are also involved in We Care Academy, where they donate money they make from art auctions. Haslam works on her art outside of school, and tends to fi nd her inspiration from outside sources too. Haslam said, “I take all my source material for paintings, so I usually have to carry a camera around and get my source material.” If you’ve seen some of her art, you may have noticed Haslam’s talent for painting horses. “I have been riding horses since I was three, and I’m really passionate about horses, so I’ve come to have a passion for painting and drawing them.” Haslam wants people to know that painting horses is not the only kind of art she can do. “People have been asking me, ‘Oh what are you doing for AP art concentration, is it just horses?’ but I do everything else as well,” Haslam said. She plans to work on her art through college too. “I want to go to art school and continue making

art. I’m looking at a lot of colleges. Rhode Island School of Design is up there, as well as colleges that have really strong art programs, because I would like to double major. So Boston University and NYU are other places I’m interested in.” But without art teacher Laura Stewart, Haslam may have never found her passion for art. Haslam said, “Before coming to high school and having Mrs. Stewart as a teacher, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do in college, but art helped me discovery who I was.” Stewart said, “She didn’t start off with the same level of confi dence that she has now, but it was clear to me that if she stuck with it, she would grow tremendously, and she has.” Haslam said, “Having Mrs. Stewart there helped so much, because she’s very supportive. She helped me develop my art and realize that I do want to pursue it in college. She helped me fi nd all the schools I should apply to and go visit.”

One of Senior Izzy Haslam’s pieces of artwork.

Picture Courtesy of Izzy Haslam

6 TheWolverine

Jimmy Busch: An Unsung HeroBY Courtney Cox

We often see the quarterback as the hero of the game, but to the players, the real heroes are the trainers. Every day after school, the trainers, as well as the student trainers, work on their skills as a sports player might if they were getting ready for a big game. Junior Jimmy Busch has been an Athletic Trainer for three years now. Becoming an excellent student trainer was not his fi rst choice of what he wanted to do in high school. Busch explained that one day in eighth grade he took a blow to the head and he was taken to see Salina Diop, the Head Trainer at Walker. Although he had yet to learn a trainer’s role in the Walker community, Diop showed him the ropes. Diop recalls her fi rst impression of Jimmy. Diop said, “He was just a kid who seemed really intrigued when he walked into the trainer’s offi ce. He

was always enthusiastic about the medical fi eld.” His interest in sports medicine became prominent when he was told that he could no longer play contact sports because of a serious medical condition. Although he could no longer do what he loved to do, he still found a way to still be involved. When asked about his favorite part of being a trainer, he said, “I get to be around the football team, even though I can’t play.” Few people actually know what a trainer is or whether that opportunity exists for Walker students to gain experience in the medical fi eld. Busch explains, “We are sports medicine. We handle sports injuries, so we rehabilitate, treat and prevent sports injuries in addition to all other basic fi rst aid such as CPR.” A Varsity Letter can be earned if the requirements of attending all of the practices, all of the games, and learning how to

do two different tape jobs are met. The Student Trainer Program is slowly but surely expanding. This year, two newcomers, Junior Bren Bowerman and Freshman Jake DePeiro accompany Jimmy in the program. Busch adds that he helps the newer trainers by showing them different ways to do tape an injury. When asked about Jimmy’s personality, Diop said, “He is inquisitive, talkative, and smart.” Because Jimmy believes that the pro gram is important, he “hopes to see the program expand in size and in terms of what students can do.” Jimmy hopes to ultimately continue his studies in the medical fi eld at Auburn University. Although he says that he does not necessarily want to become a certifi ed trainer, he does want to get Emergency Medical Technician-Base (EMT-B) training, as well as Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediate

Getting to Know Marvin Prather

(EMT-I) training. He explains that if he has enough time, he would like to get a degree to be a certifi ed trainer in his free time.

BY Molly West

How much do you really know about the people that work on Walker’s campus? We get so caught up in our busy days that it is hard to take the time to get to know the people around us. We know the majority of the faculty and the

gist of what they do, but we rarely know anything beyond that. Marvin James Prather is the maintenance technician at our school. As most of you could guess, his duties include repairing just about anything that needs to be fi xed.

Prather began working at Walker after he worked as an electrician. His manager liked his work so much that he had him send in an application to Walker. From then on he has worked at Walker for a total of four years. He grew up in Atlanta but not many people are aware that he has two kids. Both of his children are grown and have graduated from college. Prather said, “The best thing that has ever happened to me is the birth of my son.” When Prather has free time he enjoys horseback riding, traveling, and hunting. While discovering more about him, he mentioned that he is an honorably discharged veteran of the United States. Prather has so many stories, hobbies, and advice to offer that not many students have been aware of until now. The advice that he would like to pass on to all the Walker students is to fulfi ll all of the dreams

you have and go on to do all the big things you planned like becoming doctors and lawyers, but make sure you also enjoy the fi ner things life has to offer. Prather’s biggest life lesson has been learning that one second can become a tragedy, so always be perceptive. As you go through the day, take time to thank him when you pass him on campus for all the things he does for us, and for fi ghting for our lives while he was in the army. He is the one that drives around the Walker School campus with two American fl ags on both sides of his golf cart to express the dedication he has for the United States. All it takes is ten minutes to truly fi nd out things you would have never known about someone. It is easy to overlook some of the jobs that certain faculty members perform when there is always so much going on as a Walker student. Maintenance Technician Marvin James Prather hard at work.

Photo Courtesy of Molly West

Junior Jimmy Busch wraps the foot of an injured athlete.

Photo Courtesy of Courtney Cox

October 2012 7

Man on the StreetMan on the StreetWho is your dream Homecoming date?Who is your dream Homecoming date?

“Vincent Gregoire.”- Holly Harkins, ‘14

“Susan Boyle.”- Kyle Rehl, ‘13

“Scarlett Johansson.”- Zach Hamilton, ‘16

“My wife.”- David Yarborough, Faculty

“M if ”

Student Jobs on the RiseBY Meredith Wright

Everyone gets hungry after school sometimes, so we often decide to feed that hunger and make a stop at our favorite fast food restaurant. As we pull up to the window, the boy who sits next to us in math class hands you your food. It is often not a typical characteristic for a high school student to have a job, and at Walker many students do, with their workplaces varying all over. Having a job can teach students many different qualities that they won’t learn in a school setting. Jobs can teach new responsibilities and how to deal with other people, but also how to after school activities. When balancing school and an after school job, students must learn how to plan accordingly and prioritize. Senior Jordan Schoettler, an employee at Chick-fi l-A, has seemed to adjust in learning to balance his job. “It was diffi cult at fi rst, but it got easier,” Schoettler said. The adaption to a new schedule can affect anyone for a while, but

“you now know limits with working and getting the homework done,” said Schoettler. Junior Caroline Kunetz, an employee at Zaxby’s and a helper at

the Lower School’s EDP, has learned the art of time management with balancing two jobs. Working at Zaxby’s on the weekend, and EDP during the week, “I have to plan ahead and get my work done in school or early, because I might have to work the next day,” said Kunetz. Typical high schoolers get home in the early

afternoon and have time throughout the day to work on their homework. Kunetz typically gets “home at 11:30, allowing no homework time,” she said. Senior William Wynn works at Chipotle and generally doesn’t fi nd it hard to balance the schoolwork with his job. “During school I just work one day a week, so it isn’t hard at all,” Wynn said. Not only is having a job in high school a balancing act, but it is a very grown up process. The application for a job can be long and tedious. Sophomore Abigail Boyd, who is also an employee at Chick-Fil-A, experienced a long four interviews to fi nally get her job. Once a 15 year-old goes through a rigorous process like this, the real reward comes when you fi nally get the job.

Senior Britt McCurdy, who recentlyworked at Menchie’s, also had alonger process for getting the job.“It was a written application then agroup interview and then callbacksfor an individual interview,”McCurdy said. There are other people in the highschool that are employed, and thisis just a sample of the schedule andprocess that some of the studentshave gone through. So the next timeyou swing into Smoothie King, sayhi to McClain McKinney! Or if youdecide to drop by Yogli Mogli forsome yummy yogurt, give a smileto Cole Warner! Even the next timeyou go and order at your favoriterestaurant, be kind to the voicebehind the microphone as you maybe sitting behind them tomorrow inEnglish class.

Junior Carpoline Kunetz working at the cashier at a local Zaxby’s.

Photo Courtesy of Meredith Wright

8 TheWolverine

Stranger DangerBY Alex Brack

The safety of all students at Walker is always regarded with utmost importance. Whether it is something as simple as a fi re drill or as serious as a concern about a trespasser, the staff make it their personal duty to ensure our safety. However, the staff have busy schedules. Therefore, it is not possible for faculty to constantly monitor all

of the activity that occurs through the day. It is important we educate ourselves so the campus remains as safe as possible. We live in a very unpredictable world, meaning theoretically anything could happen on campus. Consequently, it is impossible to cover all potential situations. So where would we begin? The most

prominent way one can stay safe is by traveling the campus with a friend. By staying with someone, strangers will be less inclined to approach you thereby eliminating that threat. There are instances where a friend may be unavailable to walk with you. Such instances include after school activities where less people are around. If you are ever caught in this instance it is best to abide by the advice given by the Walker Security Department. Lynn Benfi eld, a retired fi refi ghter and police offi cer, is currently the Head of S ecurity at

Walker. Benfi eld said, “In the surrounding area there are a few homeless camps that folks will try to cut through.” Many of these people that are cutting through would likely be tempted to approach you for money, especially if there are few people on campus. In this event, Benfi eld said, “Keep your head up and look like you are in charge of your environment…Your phone can wait for a couple of minutes.” Quite simply, do not acknowledge the stranger. Find the nearest staff member so that they may report the situation to security. In the event of a true emergency, Benfi eld says to dial 911 and inform them of the situation. In the end, the Walker campus is an incredibly safe place. However, there are rare instances where someone trespasses onto the property. In this event, it is best to take into consideration the advice given by the Walker security. Walk in pairs, stay alert, and contact a staff member if a suspicion person is seen. By doing this, you will remain safe from any strangers that may come onto the property.

Middle Schoolers Anna Watkins, Veda Balaji, and Cameryn Cowan demonstrate stranger safety.

Photo Courtesy of Alex Brack

Upcoming Events

Football Academic Team

- 10/5 vs. Mt. Pisgah - 11/18: Will be

- 10/26 vs. Whitefield Competing on

- 11/2 @ Mt. Paran “High Q” (wsbtv)

Little Women To Write Love on Her Arms

- 11/1 @ 7:00 pm - 10/18: “Open Mic” night at

- 11/2 @ 5:00 pm Mellow Mushroom on

- 11/7 @ 7:00 pm Chastain Road

- 11/8 @ 7:00 pm

- 11/9 @ 5:00 pm

- 11/10 TBD

SEC Still the Best?

EditorialBY Coleman Hedden

It’s only been fi ve weeks, but with the season nearly halfway over, I think it’s time we discuss who really has the best chance of hoisting that crystal football in Jan-uary. I will warn you, as a diehard Dawg fan, there will be some bias in my view of the almighty Geor-gia Bulldogs (see what I mean?). Now I’m not totally crazy, because I do recognize that Alabama is far and above the most talented and well-oiled machine I’ve seen on the football fi eld in a long time. But Georgia is pretty close. Geor-gia’s offense scores at will (they have scored 40+ points in each of their games this season), and 75% of their defense will be starting in the NFL in fi ve years. Aside from Georgia and Alabama, though, who I think are both on a collision course for Atlanta, the SEC is no-where near as dominant as it used to be. LSU, while wildly talented, is vastly overrated. They struggled against a pretty average Auburn team and even trailed against FCS foe Towson midway through the second quarter. While they are 5-0, these “feats” do not exactly group you into college football’s elite, much less garner you a top fi ve ranking. Florida always scares me. Thankfully, Urban Meyer has run off to the Big Ten and we won’t have to worry about him anymore. South Carolina is unbelievably tal-ented on defense and their offense is coached by ne of the greatest in history, the dastardly (but nonethe-less talented) Steve Spurrier. I don’t think anyone would be surprised if South Carolina wins double digit games once again and challenges Georgia for the SEC East title. Ten-nessee has one of the most talented offensive lines in the country, but their defense is subpar and their coaching is pretty sucky, to be frank. And let’s face it, Missouri, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Auburn, Arkansas, and Vandy have zero chance of challenging for the SEC Championship. The way I see it, Alabama will probably win the BCS Championship once again, but this time, they’ll also win the SEC.

October 2012 9

Which Book Series is Best?BY Nicolette Paglioni

The Harry Potter series is the third most read book in the world, according to Bookstove. Bookstove is an online publishing site for eBooks, as well as a discussion site and book-related blog. According to the site, J.K. Rowling has sold over 400 million copies of her brain child worldwide. Lord of the Rings comes in fourth behind it, followed by Twilight. But we all (unless you have been living under a large rock) know of the three most famous “fandoms” in our generation: the Potterheads, the TwiHards and The Hunger Games fans. There is, of course, a never-ending debate over which of the three the best is, and whether the books are better than the movies. From each “fandom,” we have one representative to help get a perspective. Alyssa Iachino,

a senior and proud Huffl epuff, is a hardcore Potterhead. “I like Harry Potter because I grew up with the characters,” said Iachino. “You just

fall in love with the characters. It’s impossible to not fall in love with them.” On the opposite end of the spectrum, THG fan and junior

Kayla Hall said, “I like the action; it’s not too gros s. And I like the dynamic between the characters. There’s not too much or too little romance,” when asked why she prefers The Hunger Games to Harry Potter and Twilight. TwiHards were harder to fi nd on campus, but Catherine Stebbins, sophomore and semi-loyal fan of Twilight said, “I like The Hunger Games, but I don’t like Harry Potter. And Kirsten Stewart can act!” And the results of the school poll are in! And ladies and gentlemen, we do indeed have a tie. Seventy-one students said they preferred Harry Potter and 71 students said they liked The Hunger Games. In the

online survey, 24 people votedfor Harry Potter, 12 voted for The Hunger Games and two voted for Twilight. In the regular survey, 15 students said they liked Twilightbetter, and 43 students claimedthey did not like any of the belovedbooks. Two Twilight fans said theypreferred the books over the moviesin the series, and one fan liked both. Twenty-nine Potterheads said theypreferred the books. Twenty-seven THG fans said they liked the books as well. Forty-two Potterheads and44 THG fans preferred the movies,and three from each fandom likedboth. Two THG fans, a Potterhead and a Twihard did not care for the books nor the movies. For thosewho don’t know, Harry Potter is about how love can defeat evil no matter what. The Hunger Games is about a courageous revolutionagainst the controlling Capitol.Twilight is about one girl’s decision between her soul and her true love.So now that you know, it is time to choose.

Sophomore Tiffany Davis reads her favorite Harry Potter novel decked out in her traditional wizard gear.

Photo Courtesy of Nicolette Paglioni

Walker’s Going GreenBY Courtney Cox

You many have heard about Walker’s ongoing effort to reduce its carbon footprint, thanks to seniors Mohini Chakravorty, Izzy Haslam, Samah Hisamuddin, and Han Song. Chakravorty, along with the help of these other girls, established the Walker Composting Group here on campus. Their impact on Walker is slowly transforming the school into a green community. “Going green is raising awareness on environmental issues that affect all of our lives, and then taking action to combat them--no matter how big or small,” says Chakravorty, the Executive Director of WCG. Composting is the process where organic material, such as vegetables, are taken and turned into useable soil that is ideal for re-growing. Samah Hisamuddin, the Operations Director, helps to ensure that the whole group meets the daily requirements. At Walker, the WCG takes all of the left-over vegetables from lunch periods and puts them

into the composting bins that were recently built in the student parking lot. Song, Public Relations Director for the WCG, says, “When we fi rst started composting, we were all shocked by how much food was thrown away every day.” The group benefi ts Walker and the community at the same time. On a smaller scale, “The fertilizers will be used in middle school garden to grow food for our own lunch,” said Song. WCG is one of the only school groups in Cobb County that composts. They are setting an example that other schools can see. The main goals of WCG are to reduce waste, reuse resources, and raise awareness of “green thinking” throughout the community. “The WCG is here to stay,” says Chakravorty. Student participation is key in that. The group hopes to see Lower School science classes taking visits to the bins with the help of Junior Yanik Desai, who has committed to refurbishing the bins

for an Eagle Scout Project. When asked about student participation, Song replied in saying, “We want to make WCG more accessible to the entire school, not just Upper School because the younger ones are going to be the ones who continue what we do.” Izzy Haslam, the Creative Director of the WCG, ensures that students and faculty have a way of communicating and being involved. Haslam runs the group’s blog that can be found on the school website. She posts frequent updates so the community can be more involved in what the group is doing. “Spreading

word about the program is the fi rst step for awareness, in my opinion. Moreover, we are trying to recruitfuture directors of this program,” said Song, when explaining howthe group wants to gain studentconsciousness.

Seniors (left to right) Izzy Haslam, Han Song, Samah Hisamuddin, and Mohini Chakravorty make up the

Walker Composting Group.

Photo Courtesy of thewalkerschool.org

10 TheWolverine

BY Molly West

According to Federal Court rulings, cheerleading is not a sport. Senior Jenny Ingram thinks otherwise. As a cheerleader, Ingram said, “We put forth as much work as any other athlete when it comes to dedication, participation, and the hard work that we do.” Ingram believes that the reason people do not consider cheerleading a sport is because people onlysee what they do on the sidelines and do not attend their practices and competitions. People fail to see what these cheerleaders are capable of. A group of anonymous girls said, “Sideline cheerleading is stupid and it isn’t a sport but competitive cheerleading is.” They felt as if the cheerleaders bring a social impact into it and it ruins how people portray the activity. When it comes to the players, the athletes could not imagine what it would be like without cheerleaders. Senior Evan Kasian likes the cheerleaders because he said, “They bring us food and support us throughout the season.” There has always been confl ict onwhether or not cheerleading should be classifi ed as a sport. The U.S Circuit Court of Appeals got involved after Quinnipiac University took away the volleyball team to support cheerleading as their varsity team sport. The U.S Circuit Court of Appeals said this decision was not valid because cheerleading did not meet the criteria for a varsity sport,

Is Cheerleading a Sport?

which forced Quinnipiac University to bring back the volleyball program. Is cheer a sport? That is a question that does not yet have a defi nitive answer. Although the Federal Court believes it is not, many Americans feel otherwise. There are many rumors fl oating around that cheerleading is going to be in the 2016 Olympics, but there is no evidence that these rumors are true. There are many defi nitions of a sport but Webster’s Dictionary defi nes “sport” as “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature.” Ingram said, “A sport is any activity that requires competition and athletic involvement.” At any cheerleading competition, the team’s routine must include a prolonged cheering section performed to music along with technical elements consisting of stunts, jumps, tumbling and motions. This means that the team must get a trained professional to help them learn these elements and teach them how to put it all together in a safe yet entertaining way. The stunts that are done are very dangerous so the team must have complete focus. The two bases are on either side of the fl y, the person who is being lifted in the air, while the backspot is supporting the fl y and helping the bases lift her. Although cheerleading is not declared a sport, the answer to

if it is or not, is based on opinion. Maybe we will see competitive cheerleading in the Olympics one day but for now, there are no plans of it being included. Cheerleaders are a big part of the Walker School as they host the pep rallies, support our athletes, and encourage the students to attend the athletic events. Regardless of whether or not it is a sport, Walker cheerleaders contribute to Walker’s community greatly.

New Changes for SAGE

BY Nicolette Paglioni and Alex Brack

The Walker community awakened to a new lunch regime this year. The new SAGE committee has offi cially taken charge of the Walker lunch program. Christopher Lee, the new head chef, is the brain behind it all. Lee had no comment. Throughout the Walker community,

many students have noticed the changes brought on by SAGE’s new management. One of most prominent and appreciated changes is the addition of the food baskets. Sophomore, Catherine Stebbins said, “I like the baskets; this gives some people another choice of food.” However, Stebbins adds that “SAGE should do a survey of the school to see what the students want.” Senior (and sweet-tooth) Karli Melder agrees, at least where desserts are concerned. “I’d prefer if we went back to the way it was dessert-wise,” Melder said. “But the food has improved.” Kyle Kimrey, also a senior, agrees. He said he

enjoys the baskets and the food hasimproved, but that he wants “morechocolate chip cookies. Always.”The general consensus seems to bethat the changes with the basketsare positive, but the desserts andthe long lines could use someimproving. According to Freshman

Kenneth Laster, “ e v e r y t h i n gmakes moresense.” Like most students, Kennethlikes the baskets,but the dessertsneed somei m p r o v e m e n t . Also, theplacement offruit is confusing.“It’s impossible to fi nd the fruitnow,” said Laster. A source whoasked to remaina n o n y m o u s disagreed with them. “We need things we canactually eat thatwill give us asmile and get us through the restof the day,” saidthe anonymoussource. “The

lunch people are very nice, though.” There are several Walker studentswho feel the same way. As for theteachers, the feedback was a littlemore positive. “I like the water,”said new Chemistry teacher Joshay Lang. New Math teacher MalandaMurchison said, “Try the publicschool food. Trust me, this is a big step up.” At the end of the day, teachers and students agree. There are several aspects that appeal to the faculty and student body, but there is always room for moreimprovement. Be sure to give a big thank you to the staff and chefs of the cafeteria.

Christopher Lee begins his inaugural year as head of the Walker lunch program.

Photo Courtesy of Nicolette Paglioni

Cheerleaders Jenny and Anna Ingram, Lucy Mitchell, Jamie Green, and Erin Green.

Photo Courtesy of Molly West

October 2012 11

Life in the PreschoolBY Meredith Wright

You go to open your iPad, pressing the home button to advance to the next level of your alphabet app. Your little fi ngers move quickly, matching the sounds to the letter and increasingly getting faster as you learn. To you it seems like play to be on this kind of fancy equipment, but for a Walker Preschoolers, it is just a part of their daily reading lesson plan. Walking into the Preschool, the bright colors and fun artwork enhance the exciting environment for the 4 and 5 year olds to come and learn every day. As the preschoolers come in from 8 a.m. until noon, their days are fi lled with classes built to enhance their motor skills but also make the experience

fun and enjoyable to keep focus. The main goal here is “what’s best for little kids,” said Dr. Gail Doss, Preschool Principal. A typical day starts with basic warm ups, reviewing things like the calendar and identifying common patterns. They move on to PE or music for a break or exercise Back to the classroom, they enjoy a snack and move into their academic rotations. Covering things like math, science, social studies, and reading, there doesn’t seem to be much a preschooler can’t do. Outside of the preschool, they take their free time outside, swinging on the swing set or going down the slides on the playground. To replenish their hunger, they move

back inside for lunchtime and then go back to their rooms for rest time. Finishing up the day with another academic rotation, the preschoolers go home ready to prepare for another exciting day. The building was built in early 2001, adding many qualities to make sure it was the ideal preschool. Things like smaller bathrooms, computers built for

smaller hands, and a playground outside of the school have made the preschool a special place. More recently, there have been other changes to the curriculum. Some academic changes include adding Spanish three times a week and “individualizing the math for kids with differentiated learning,” said Doss. A newer upgrade, that many high schoolers envy, is the iPads now used for the curriculum in the classrooms. The newer form of technology adds a different element to the preschoolers’ routine. “It’s an appropriate tool for the preschoolers,” said Doss, “And quite frankly, they are pretty good at it!” The iPads are used to help with reading skills and keep the preschoolers focused and engaged while having fun. Although many high schoolers don’t spend much time over in the preschool, they always love seeing one of the “older and big kids,” as they call them. When the senior football players come over on Friday game days to get the kids pumped, they

Backstage withLittle Women

By Nicolette Paglioni

This year’s musical, Little Women, will open at 7 pm on November 1st in the auditorium. Little Women is about four girls who travel through four different lives full of blessings and curses, and one young boy. Throughout the musical, each girl undergoes various trials as well as blessings. Senior McClain McKinney, who will play Laurie in the musical, said, “Theatre is a different world.” McKinney plays football, and the transition is different in a good way. McKinney will play Theodore Lawrence III, or “Laurie,” the March girls’ neighbor..

Senior Alex Catlin will be playing Jo March. Catlin said she read the book years ago, but that the musical and the book both really follow Jo’s life. Catlin said, “the drama program is a great way to make new friends, and to become another person for a day. I tell myself…I’m out there to have fun,” said Catlin when asked what she does to prepare to take the stage. Director Katie Arjona said, “By the time the musical is completely over, the kids will have put about 312 hours into the entire production.” Arjona directs every

drama production except for the 10-Minute Play Festival. She is excited about the musical this year because it is the fi rst musical in a couple of years that is very family-friendly. “I think this musical is about family and about love and about following your passion, no matter what other people tell you,” said Arjona. Bill Schreiner, the mastermind behind every stage design, said jokingly, “I don’t have time to sleep.” On weekends, Schreiner works on the stage 12-15 hours a day, with help from his students. On weekdays, Schreiner averages about 3-4 hours per day. Schreiner is in charge of building each stage with the help of students in his stagecraft classes. Head of Light Crew Matt Eisenman also works long and hard on the light design. “When I think about light design, I think about lighting as another character in the play,” said

Eisenman. “That character has to play its role, too.” His job consists of planning, hanging, focusing andprogramming the lights to affect the mood of each scene. With thededication of so many students andfaculty members, Walker should fi nd itself nominated for numerousShuler Awards in the coming spring. McKinney said, “The Shulers arewaiting for us. All we have to do is reach out and take them.”

Stage Technician Bill Schreiner and his Stagecraft classes spend hundreds of hours building the set for the show.

Photo Courtesy of Nicolette Paglioni

Preschooler Austin Smith uses his iPad to learn the alphabet using educational apps.

Photo Courtesy of Meredith Wright

get way too excited to know theseare the same players on the fi eld!Doss specifi cally referred to theUpper School art classes who givethe preschoolers lessons on Andy Warhol and Vincent van Gogh,as something the kids love andremember. With all the changesthat the new preschool has broughtto Walker, the curriculum and thepreschool students, we know it was all for the better and that thesefuture Walker lifers are getting their learning careers off to a great start.

Preschool Teacher Kim Nasca guides her students through a matching exercise.

Photo Courtesy of Meredith Wright

October 2012 12

Admissions Sees New FacesBY Travis King

The new school year has begun: classrooms are fi lled with eager students; the Dining Hall is abuzz with the latest gossip; and Director of Admissions Brad Brown and his colleagues in the Admissions Offi ce are hard at work preparing Walker for admissions season. This is Brown’s fi rst year as Director of Admissions (after long-time director Patty Mozley retired at the end of last year), and he described the offi ce’s number one goal this year: to provide “red carpet customer service.” In order to carry out this goal, Brown assembled a crack team of admissions professionals, including Assistant Director of Admission Katherine Harrison, Director of Diversity Ira Dawson, and Administration Assistant Patti Logan. Even though they’ve only been together a few short weeks, they have formed a tight bond and are ready to take on any challenge thrown at them. Katherine Harrison comes to

Walker from Faith Lutheran, where she taught Spanish for fi ve years. A Walker parent, Harrison has always been a huge fan of the

school and is excited to join the Admissions Offi ce. Her children attended Walker for preschool, moving to a public school for the past several years and returning back to Walker this year. Harrison brings a unique viewpoint to the Admissions Offi ce, saying, “I’m able to show parents what I saw in Walker, the differences between public and private, and why I chose to come back.” As the Assistant Director of Admission, Harrison will lead tours of campus, host and assist with functions for prospective parents (like open houses), read applications, support the Director of Admission, and much more. When she’s not working in the Admissions Offi ce, Harrison teaches Lower School students in grades 3-5 and coaches the Upper School Junior Varsity volleyball team. Many students already know Director of Diversity Ira Dawson. Before leaving last year, he taught math in the Upper School and

coached both the Varsity and JV football teams. After a year at theAtlanta Sports Academy, Dawsonhas returned to Walker in his newrole of Director of Diversity in theoffi ce of Multicultural Affairs, adivision of the Admissions Offi ce.As Director of Diversity, he is responsible for promoting diversityamong both prospective and current Walker students. In addition to his role in the Admissions Offi ce,Dawson also teaches Upper School math and coaches Varsity and JV football. Brown has big plans for theoffi ce. After moving much of theadmissions process online andcollaborating with several otherarea private schools to offer oneadmissions test, he is building offof Mozley’s success and attemptingto bring as many students to Walker as possible. Working together, thenew Admissions Offi ce team willbring that dream to reality.

Alumnus Brad Brown begins his fi rst year as Director of Admissions.

Photo Courtesy of thewalkerschool.org

BY Coleman HeddenContinued from Page 3

Then, in the afternoon, students took the Reading Comprehension test offered in both Latin and Greek (for the roughly 10 students brave enough to attempt it). Yet, with the hardwork of her assistants, Warner was able to scan hundreds of Scan-Trons in a matter of minutes so the winners could be announced at the fi nal General Assembly. Those who scored in the top three percent re-ceived Summa Cum Laude honors, those who scored in the top fi ve per-cent received Magna Cum Laude honors, and those in the top seven percent received Cum Laude hon-ors. Junior Erin Leagan successfully led the Creative and Graphic Art competitions offered at Fall Forum. Middle School Literature teacher Kitty Drew judged the Impromptu Art competition, as well as the Ban-

Fall Forum Comes to Walkerner contest where schools displayed their pride with a banner hung high in Coles for all of the GJCL to see. Students also took part in the Sight Latin contests where they compet-ed to see who was the most skilled speaker of Latin (MUCH harder than it appears). Finally, Junior Travis King un-dertook the huge task of organizing Competitive Certament. Competi-tive Certamen is the most intense and fi erce contest offered at any Latin convention. Schools study for weeks in preparation for the compe-tition and King did not let the school down. Working with Fields, the two pulled off the amazing task of help-ing hundreds of students play Cer-tament in nearly an hour. The day, no doubt, was a rousing success. Friends were made, and even some friendships were broken

The Georgia Junior Classical League gathers in Coles Athletic Center for the fi rst General Assembly of Fall Forum 2012.

Photo Courtesy of Ansleigh Fatnaski

due to the fi erce competition pres-ent at Fall Forum. The most impres-sive feat, however, was the number of non-Latin students who volun-

teered their Saturday to help out. To everyone who assisted in pulling this off, President Onken, Randy Fields, and the GJCL applaud you.