OCTOBER 2009
THE PAGE
ST. PAUL’S SCHOOL
H1N1: Real Threat or Mass Scare?
St. Paul's and USA Brace for Potential H1N1 Outbreak
Andrew Brown‘10
concerns expressed by students seemed to stem less from fear
The subject responsible for absorbing student and faculty of the disease itself and more from the absence from school it
attention at the start of classes in September was not one led might necessitate. The hectic and demanding schedule of the
by any teacher or covered in any curriculum; it was, rather,
St. Paul’s student, whether it contains IB, honors, Girls’
an issue of great international saliency, and one whose effect School, or plain old SP courses leaves little room between
on our community cannot yet be fully gauged. What can be these responsibilities and extracurriculars for an extended
said relatively safely, however, is that this is not a replay of
hiatus due to the flu. Despite repeated pleas by the adminis1918’s Spanish Flu; protracted and intense media attention
tration and nurses Anita Stroud RN and Laura Wilson RN
and public worry do not equal high fatality rates and global
([email protected]; housed in the health office just
catastrophe.
inside the closest Lower School entrance), motivated students
The pandemic technically began last April, when the
have a tendency to tough out illnesses at school rather than
scientific community officially certified the virus as being
miss class recovering at home. The symptoms that disqualify
different from the seasonal flu
a student or faculty member
that recurs each year. The
from attendance include any
name settled on by the Centers
and all flu-like experiences, as
for Disease Control and
well as any body temperature
Prevention (CDC), which is
greater than 98.6°; furtherthe American federal agency
more, a person is only considresponsible for the manageered well when he or she is
ment of infectious diseases, for
fever-free for twenty-four
the illness is the “novel H1N1
hours without the use of
virus;” it had previously been
medication, and is actually
termed “H1N1 influenza,”
feeling well. The nurses suc“pandemic H1N1/09 virus,”
cinctly captured the school’s
and, of course, “swine flu.”
holistic approach to the issue:
Genetically, the virus is an
“If you feel sick, stay home.”
amalgam of that which causes
Principal McManus recogthe seasonal flu, as well as those
nized that some students
responsible for other avian and
would be reluctant to follow
swine varieties of the flu. This
this advice. Individuals need
accounts for the relatively wide
to “take responsibility for the
age range of swine flu patients,
health of the community,” he
and for the lack of an effective
said in response to a question
set of antibodies in most indiabout the difficulty students
viduals under age 60. The
face when they miss school.
greater degree of viral effiHe continued, saying “a week
ciency and scope enjoyed by H1N1 is the reason for its
of school is not the end of the world,” and that while the
“pandemic” status, but this is not meant to suggest that the
Moodle and other means of telecommunication are poor
illness is anything more than what it is: a new, sneakier version substitutes for actual attendance, absences much longer than
of the same flu each of us contracts year in and year out.
the ones faced by Swine flu victims have been successfully
The experiences of the average student at the beginning
managed in the past. Christian Louzan’s bout with pneumoof this year have been largely commonplace; when one
nia helped him to realize the wisdom of Mr. McManus’
might have expected to live through the Black Plague on a
feeling that communication with faculty members and the
daily basis, one got homework, teachers, classes, and fellow
administration is key to dealing with sickness; “The school,”
students. There was, perhaps, a certain amount of emotional he said, “is committed to keeping students on track.”
and physical distance maintained by students since things
The school has publicized a number of its anti-viral
were, in the words of Student Government President
strategies: students in grades Pre-K through twelve have been
Christian Louzan ’10, “not nearly as bad as they were made
lectured on hand washing (“hand washing, hand washing,
out to be.” The only pervasive reminders of the illness sup- hand washing,” according to the nurses), the proper techposedly ravaging the world were the clear Purell dispensers
nique for doing so (20 seconds, warm water, soap, friction),
placed liberally throughout the halls and equally liberal dol- the “virtual” high-fives used in the Lower School, and
lops of dark humor. Austin Cao ’10 was known for offering proper sneezing and coughing etiquette. All of these are
his spider-like hand in salutation, only to exclaim “Get
necessary, admirable, and visible steps, but it is the unobtrusive
Swine!” when that hand was accepted. The only significant measures, those formulated and acted upon by the administration
1
OCTOBER 2009
H1N1: Real Threat or Mass Scare? Cont.
and faculty internally, that are the most impressive. So much
so that it seems a shame for their value to the communal
piece-of-mind to go untapped. Unbeknownst to most, the
leadership of the three schools, the Ward Center, the maintenance department, and the decision-makers in Brooklandwood, met during the summer to formulate a response to the
looming H1N1 threat. This summit, including essentially
everyone who works in any kind of supervisory capacity,
generated a binder-cramming plan for dealing with the difficulties presented by the pandemic, and for the steps to be
taken to lessen its impact. The prognosis outlined in this
“master plan” seems to be based on a confidently optimistic
assessment of the threat posed and the school’s ability to deal
with it; Mr. McManus was “not highly concerned” about
any strongly adverse conditions imposed by the disease, given
the mechanisms already in place to deal with them. The administration did express its concern with losing teachers en
masse, despite the reassurance of Mr. McManus’s adage that
“teachers are tough.” The school extends protection to its
teaching staff each year by offering the seasonal flu vaccine,
and will do the same this year with the H1N1-targeted inoculation that is just being released; this service is available to
only faculty in part because of the increased susceptibility to
contagions that is a part of their interaction-heavy profession. Given the virulence of H1N1, recommendations for
sick leave have been made to the faculty more strongly than
in previous years; the “don’t be a hero” idiom applies now to
faculty as much as it does their students. Another more pre-
dominant worry maintained by the administration, however,
concerned the possibility of losing the nursing staff to the
ravages of the Swine. The role of most teachers or staff
members, while missed, is not particularly hard to cover for
a period of time, while finding health care workers on short
notice could pose significant problems, particularly if their
absence coincides with a major outbreak. Even if this dire
scenario were to come to fruition, Mr. McManus said that
the situation “would have to be pretty catastrophic” for there
to be any talk of a school closure. In the remote chance that
a closure would be necessary, it would probably by organized
by grade, with only the most massively affected classes being
dismissed.
St. Paul’s experience with Swine Flu has just begun, and
may be almost over. Excepting the time spent convalescing
by those relatively few students, faculty and staff who have
come down with the illness, or have had family members do
the same, there has been no major, large-scale disruption of
our collective life. Particularly given the fact that H1N1 is
simply more effective and efficient (at getting people sick)
than the regular strain, it is hard to see what all of the international fuss is about. The events of the past months, for all
bluster and hysteria they brought, do offer an important
lesson about the next contagion, whenever it comes. This
dry run gives our school and nation valuable practice in
preparedness. Our community and its leaders, it seems, rose
to the latest travail admirably.
The Page staff-member Ryan Pederson '10, recently
sat down with Mr. Tom McManus, the new Upper
School principal, for a short interview.
you know. Adjusting to the new demands of a job is always
stressful.
Tom McManus Interview
TP: What drew you to St. Paul’s in the first place?
The Page: So how have your first couple of weeks been?
Tom McManus: It’s been great. It’s been a whirlwind; busier
than I possibly could have dreamed. I feel like I have, among the
boys and the faculty, about 400 bosses, which I’m happy about,
along with another few in Brooklandwood. And then regular
conversations with the girls’ school, too. There’s a lot of people
to talk to and a lot of problems to solve.
TP: How’s your family doing? Are they settling in well?
TM:They’re great. They love it here. Jack’s doing the radio
station and he’s in fifth grade. And although he’s an engineer,
he gets to do a little segment at 2:45 to 3:00 with another kid
named Jack; it’s the “Jack and Jack Show”. Charlie’s loving the
Lower School. I think it was harder for him because he came in
second grade and it wasn’t really a transition for everybody, but
he’s made some friends and he’s doing well. My wife is over at
Baltimore Friends and my daughter Meg is at St. Pius, so we had
five Parents Nights to get through.
TP: How has the transition been for you?
TM: Easy from a personal aspect, you know, people have been
very welcoming and I have everything that I need and I have all
the support that I could possibly dream of. Mrs.Webster, as
everyone knows I think, is just a goddess. So that’s all been great,
2
TM:Well, St. Paul’s have an incredible reputation, and I’ve know
about it since I was back in admissions at Penn, sixteen years ago
when I started there. So I’ve known about it and when I was
kind of looking around for jobs and I heard from Mr. Reid that
there was a position open here, I started a conversation and
everything I learned along the way made me more excited. It’s a
great community and a good place to be.
TP: Is there anything that was very important to your
old school that you might want to continue at St. Paul’s?
TM: Well, selfishly, improv. There’s a piece of my life that’s
always improv and I think people think that it just means that
you make things up as you go along, but it’s really more about
listening, being in the moment, reacting to what people are
actually saying to you, not what you think they might be saying.
You know, you have to listen. So it’s a good life skill and I think
it’s good to have a group here doing it. But I actually was thinking this morning about announcements and I think we’re doing
a great job with Assembly, with students displaying their personality and also getting the information out and being leaders in
that way. That’s something I always wanted to see at my old
school and that they’re still really working on developing. The
Senior Speeches have a lot to do with that, and the leadership the
seniors bring, they know that Assembly is a place to practice their
public speaking and put themselves out there.
OCTOBER 2009
Tom McManus Interview Cont.
TP: Is there anything you are looking to get involved in
at St. Paul’s that you didn’t have at your old school?
TM: I think, by virtue of my job, but also just because I’m living
on campus, I’m looking forward to being at a lot more athletic
events than I was in the past. Cross-country, today. And I want
to try to see everyone at least once and be more of a part of that.
When you have a job as a college counselor or director of studies, as I was at my old school, that work was so specific, and my
work now is just to be involved in as much as I can, know as
much as I can about what everyone is doing. I went to one of
the opening rehearsals for “Seussical”, for example, and I like to
see what’s going on and what people are doing as they start out.
TP: And did your old school have a Disciplinary
Committee or an Honor Council?
TP: So what’s on your iPod now? Any top songs?
TM: I am, well... I’m a Ben Folds kind of addict, so I have all of
his albums, which I have be careful, there’s some certain language
in some of those songs, so I can’t play them in my office, but I’ve
been on a jag with some of those. The new U2 album, I’ve been
a U2 fan from way back. What else am I listening to... you know,
when you have little kids, you end up finding yourself listening
to things you didn’t really expect, like I’ve listened to Harry
Potter books on tape several times over and now that I’m living
on campus, it’s not like I have a long commute, so I don’t really
get the chance to tune into anything. WSPS, but other than that,
not too much.
TP: Are there any changes you want to bring about
this year or anything else you want to see happen at
the St. Paul’s Upper School?
TM:Yup, we had a Disciplinary Committee that was similar in
structure, although every member of the DC was elected, and
every class elected two people to it. There were faculty members
of the DC, also. So when things came up, it would be taken to
them, then the Dean would take their recommendation to the
head of the Upper School and then she would act on it.
TM: One of the great things about coming into this job and
coming into this program... you know, I came out of a grad
school program with a lot of people that wanted to do this kind
of job and many of us have been fortunate to get this kind of a
job, so, as I talk to them, one of the best things about being here
is that this school is really on a great path and so strong, already.
TP: What do you think of the whole Honor
I would say, if there’s anything that I want to see grow, it’s just the
Council idea? Do you like it?
students’ awareness of each other. When you talk about things
like announcements in Assembly or taking risks and trying new
TM: I do. I mean, something that really struck me, after having things, just recognizing the real diversity we have in this student
been here for a little while, is that we really do hold ourselves to body. The range of interests, the number of high-level things that
a higher standard than nearly everyone else in the world. There
guys are involved with that really makes a community special.
are, of course, other schools that have honor codes and Honor
A lot of places, kids don’t attend all their classes and invest, but
Councils, but something like that makes you a lot more responsi- here kids are here until the end of the evening with all these
ble to yourselves and to each other, whereas at my old school,
things that they’re passionate about. To bring that to people’s
something like plagiarism or cheating would go in front of the
attention, and if I find someone with a particular talent, I’m
Disciplinary Committee and there wasn’t a whole lot to catch
going to want that person to come to Assembly or figure out a
those community issues like lying. That stuff really erodes trust in way that they can be featured so we all can learn more. The Page
a community, so to have a body that thinks about that and hope- is a great way to do that, too.
fully we are going to see from the Honor Council, and I believe
we will, is a lot more education. So then, they’re not so much a TP: Last question, by popular request. Are you planning
punishment body, they’re here to kind of help us think about
on becoming a Ravens fan, or are you a one team man?
those issues.
TM: It would be very difficult for me, honestly, to be a dyed-inTP: On a much more general note, do you have any
purple Ravens fan considering that they’re in the same conferadvice to give to a St. Paul’s student?
ence with the Patriots. To me, there're two legitimate ways to be
a fan. One is that you live in an area for an amount of time, so I
TM: I like to think a lot about engagement. If I met a high
do have a fondness for the Ravens. The other is to have a family
school student for the first time, I’d want to know who they are legacy with a team, so you meet a lot of guys who are like, “Oh
and the way to get to who you are is often "what do you do."
yeah, I’m a Cowboys fan”, then you kind of give them the look
You know, Xbox is great, but if all you do is go home and play
that says “Did you jump on the bandwagon?”, and they’re like
Xbox, or maybe you have one thing you’re really into, but to
“Oh no, my dad grew up in Texas and he was a Cowboys fan”,
take a risk and to try new things, high school should be built for so it’s alright. For me, growing up in Boston, my step-father was
that. There should be a chance to try and write for the newspa- a total Boston guy, the whole thing, and I grew up forty-five
per, or to try your hand at singing or being on stage, or to try a
minutes from what was then Sullivan Stadium, so I used to see
sport that’s not in your main season, to have that experience and the Patriots when they were one and fifteen, or two and two
be around a different group of people. If you don’t develop that fourteen. You know, some really bad years. It will take a lot to
sense of “Huh, this might be a talent I could develop,” when you put anybody on their level, but I do like the Ravens. I like the
get to college, where things are even more specialized, you might Joe Flacco phenomenon. Truth be told, I probably wasn’t that
have missed an opportunity to grow something that could be a
big of a fan of the Ravens before that happened, because there’s
really big part of your life.
the Delaware connection there, too. So that’s exciting, and he’s
put them on the map for me. But not this weekend.
3
OCTOBER 2009
The Hunting Trip of a Lifetime
John Montgomery ‘10
This past July I was fortunate enough to be on an
of the estancia would collect the ducks that weren’t used in the
overnight plane bound for Buenos Aires, Argentina. I have trav-
kitchen and take them home to feed their families.
eled to several other countries in my time, but this was the first
After a few days we flew down to Patagonia for the second
in which Spanish was the official language. I was finally ready to
part of our hunting experience.We flew from the Buenos Aires
snap off the training wheels and test drive the monster that is
airport to a tiny one-runway airport amidst the Andes and in
my knowledge of the Spanish language. In the daily classes of a
the center of Patagonia.We drove to what appeared to be the
St. Paul’s foreign language student, it can sometimes be hard to
middle of nowhere and ended up at an estancia that held over
find the purpose behind memorizing all the conjugations and
60,000 acres of land.The landscape was expansive and variant.
the excessive amount of vocabulary words. However, as soon as
Mountains, and even a volcano, broke the skyline in all direc-
I set foot in Argentina I real-
tions. It was truly a breath-
ized how much fun the art of
taking sight as we walked
language can be. It was as if all
along the ledges of hills
the time I had put into learn-
staring down into the
ing the language was the prac-
brush-speckled ravines
tices that ultimately led to the
below. At the slightest
big Friday night game in the
movement, I would drop
form of Argentina. I remember
to the ground rest my
walking through the airport
elbow on my knee and
and trying to read every sign as
stare through the scope
fast as I could before passing by
trying to make out objects
and moving on to the next
200 or more yards away.
translation. I was overwhelmed
Wild boar are surprisingly
and amazed at the same time.
intelligent animals, and
We spent the night in
there is a definite art be-
Buenos Aires, where I devour-
hind tracking and hunting
ed the most tender T-bone cut
them. Constantly trying to
that I could have ever imag-
draw the dogs and people
ined eating.The next morning,
off their trail, boar are
we drove several hours north-
some of the most reward-
west to the lodge where we
ing animals to hunt. After
would be hunting ducks and
successful hunting in both
dove.The estancia where we
locations we returned to
stayed was built for warm,
Buenos Aires for the last
rustic comfort.The view from
week of our trip. I contin-
the back deck was equal to
ued to drain my knowl-
only the food made by the resident cook for every meal.The
edge of Spanish by taking every opportunity to try to keep up
wildlife in that region of the world is truly incredible. Every-
conversation with the native speakers. I was blown away several
thing from rabbits the size of dogs, to green and red parakeets, to times by fast speaking hotel receptionists and cab driver, but I
majestic pumas. Over the course of three days, we shot thirteen
always tried, for better or worse. If ever given the opportunity,
different species of beautiful ducks. Some of the most enjoyable
I highly recommend visiting a country with which you are
moments I had were spent conversing in Spanish with the
familiar with the language. I feel so fortunate to have been given
guides.These men had the incredible ability to mimic the differ- this tremendous opportunity last summer, and I will always
ent calls made by all the species of ducks and call them in from
cherish the memories. Argentina was a beautiful and fascinating
very far distances away.They also held a fascinating knowledge
country, and was both extraordinarily fun and overwhelmingly
of the region and its history. I soon learned that the employees
rewarding.
4
Fisher Hall
OCTOBER 2009
Growing Brick By Brick
mike anderson ‘11
If you’ve been wandering back and forth between the
Chapel and the Upper School, or have chanced a look outside
of either Mr. Baird’s or Mr. LoGalbo’s classroom windows, you
will have noticed that the foundations to the new Fisher Hall
Building have expanded each day.Then again, not noticing
would be difficult, what with cement trucks and cranes making
appearances every half hour as if this was another construction
site in downtown Baltimore. Although teachers and students,
upper classmen in particular, have been required to make sacrifices
for the creation of the new building (eg. parking!), the entire
community can agree that the well-worn confines of Ratcliffe
Hall have become too cramped to house the swelled number of
students and teachers now working and learning there.
The process and original planning for the Fisher Hall Building began five years ago, when the management of the school
determined that the available space and technological capacity
in Ratcliffe Hall wouldn’t cut it for future generations of students. “We felt that the needs of the Upper School were very
important and demanded attention,” said Mr.Tom Reid,
Headmaster. “So we devised
that this extensive change
would be broken up into two
phases. Phase one would include the addition of Fisher
Hall, plus a new driveway
leading to the Chapel and
faculty parking lot.
The second phase, we
hope, will involve the
rebuilding of the Upper
School and continuation of
the driveway, which will rap
around the school and reenter the main drive in front of
Brooklandwood; however, that phase is still not set in stone.”
This 21st century building will contain a generous complement
of cutting-edge technology, as well as additional features meant
to benefit the Upper School community. On the ground floor,
there will be a large area designated as a Student Commons,
where just about anyone can chill during free periods, recess, or
lunch.The bottom level will also house at least three classrooms,
one of which with a collapsible wall that will allow the use of a
more spacious area, where teachers can hold conferences. The
massive library will be housed in the second floor, and will be
complete with a Reading Café that allows food and drink access
to students in their spare time. “One of my favorite aspects of
the building,” commented Mrs. Cathy McAuliffe, administrative
assistant to Headmaster Reid, “is that now the library will have
official archives that protect all periodicals and documents dating
back to the creation of the school.” Through this, future high
school students will always have the opportunity to clearly view
the past. Mr. Reid added, “One of the buildings traits that I’m
particularly proud of is the incorporation of a mezzanine inside
the library that will mimic the architectural design already used
by the Chapel.” Also, the build- ing will possess individual and
5
group study areas, a research center, and a multimedia-capable
room that can be used for virtually any sort of meeting.
The most widely publicized characteristic of Fisher Hall’s
architecture is that it is entirely geared toward meshing with the
environment's needs. Glass windows will encompass much of
the building, passively basking classrooms and the library with
natural light and heat. Active heating and cooling systems inside
the building will be maintained year round by geothermal systems, reducing energy usage. The addition of solar panels on top
of the roof will also aid in the prevention of the “Heat island
effect.” “We hope that these various green aspects of Fisher Hall
will serve as a good model for other schools who are planning
to redesign in the future in an effort to assist the environment.”
said Mr. Reid. Much care and thought was dedicated to making
sure that the construction of the building would progress as
smoothly as possible. “We remain in constant contact with
Glenn Arm Construction, our main contractor, who have experience and in-depth knowledge in managing the construction
of schools.” said Mr.
Robert McArthur,
head of business management at St. Paul’s.
“Our job is to determine what materials
can or cannot be used,
such as mortar, shading,
etc., as well as alterations in payment.
Glenn Arm Construction has been very
efficient in applying a
tiered approach involving general contractors,
engineers, and architects, all of whom play
a key role in the construction.” Mr. McArthur also added that
although a few minor mistakes have been made, overall progress
on the building’s completion has not been hindered.
However, there is one major obstacle that business management is still concerned with overcoming: the price tag on this
new addition, which is in the vicinity of 8 million dollars.
“That's why we started the Legacy Campaign this year, headed
by some philanthropic groups who are looking for donations,”
said Mr. McArthur. “Already, there is a sum of $5 million
pledged towards the building’s cost.We believe that the remaining $3 million will be covered over the next three years. In the
meantime, we’ve taken out a small bridge loan from Bank of
America to cover the contractors.”
Overall, it seems that Fisher Hall will confer a tremendous
and much-needed benefit to the teachers and students of the
Upper School. Although there has been much grumbling over
being evicted from rightful parking spaces and having to trek all
they way up the hill in the morning (which has gotten easier for
some with practice), it seems clear that our small sacrifices will
have been well worth it in September of next year.
OCTOBER 2009
Time For Change: School President
Outlines Ohange in Cafeteria
Christian Louzan ‘10
In the past year since I was elected president, I’ve been
asked to serve on a variety of different committees, from
those dealing with the honor council to those deciding
where to hold our next prom. While I’ve tried to spend as
much time and energy as possible on each of these, there
were few things I was as interested in as the prospect of
choosing a new cafeteria provider. Don’t get me wrong: the
last cafeteria had a lot of great things about it, but I felt like
most people were unhappy with the prices, the quality of the
food, the general claustrophobic atmosphere of the whole
place, or all three. The staff certainly seemed nice enough, but
as anyone will tell you, nice rarely cuts it in the world of
high stakes cafeteria service.
As Mr. Marinacci, Mr. Schindler, David MitchellMcShane, and I all made our way down the hill on that hot
day at the end of May, we were not really sure what we were
going to see or hear once we were inside the room. Two
chefs clad in white uniforms carefully prepared steak fajitas as
we passed around pitchers of water with lemons and oranges
swimming in them. A sharply dressed man in a light grey suit
made the presentation, highlighting the variety and quality of
the food and hoping to win us over. To be honest; I wasn’t
that impressed. They really didn’t seem to be any different
from what we were used to, and seemed just as expensive.
Don’t get me wrong: the food was good, it just wasn’t really
what I was expecting.
In later days, we heard from a few other providers,
discussing many of the same things the previous people had,
with slight variations in specific content. While I was growing increasingly indifferent to the prospect of making a
decision, I knew that I would surely be forced to flee the
country if our choice didn’t satisfy the students, because, as
POINT
WALTER NOEL
president, I’ve discovered that my role is essentially to cater
to their collective whim. Walking around, I spoke to a couple
people on campus, Ian Pederson ‘11, who seemed apathetic
to the issue. "I'm suspending judgment until I see what the
food's like. Generally though, I think change is a good thing,
and the popular opinion seemed to be that we needed one,"
he mused.
As many people questioned the changes President Obama
wants to bring to our healthcare system, I really began to
wonder how people would react to the changes we were
trying to bring about in our cafeteria. While I think we
generally made the right decision going with Sage, there are
a lot of changes that will not take place. The food will still be
relatively expensive, and you’ll still have a lot of control over
what you’re eating. I still think that the biggest problem with
the cafeteria in general is how it’s a restaurant trapped in a
cafeteria’s body, with prices set accordingly. In 7th grade,
(now former) English teacher Mr. McCarthy spoke of a
school where he once taught; its cafeteria had a maître d’ and
fine table cloths. The school also cost 47,000 dollars a year.
I guess you get what you pay for.
If you’re still looking for a deal at this point, the cafeteria
has plenty of good options for the thrifty. Last year my, staple
lunch was a diet coke I brought from home, Lays potato
chips, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and the occasional
pack of Oreo cookies for dessert. The lunch never cost me
more than three or four dollars, and always got me through
the day. I hope you’ll consider all this the next time you head
down the hill, and by all means feel free to send any hate
mail to my secretary John Dame ‘10.You’ll probably find
him in the radio room next to Mr. Baird’s classroom.
COUNTER
POINT
RACE
AJ KOIKOI
The following exchange is based on a recent chapel discussion about race and the use of racial epithets.
“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will
never hurt me.” I used this phrase a lot at a young age. Now,
I don’t use those exact words, but I live by the same principal.
In the past few days, I’ve heard a lot of black students say they
have a real problem with people who aren’t black using the
N-word. Well, I feel the exact opposite, which is astonishing to
all the black students here. I have no real feelings or emotion
towards the N-word. I use the word and I look at it like:
“If I have no problem calling someone the N-word, then why
should they have a problem being called it?”
Earlier this year, I walked into my first party with St. Paul’s
people and a student came up to me and said “What’s up my
nigga.” He had only known me for the first week of school,
but I had no problem with it. I looked at it as a term of endearment, not like he was calling me a “slave.” I think if you
go around looking at things to upset you, then life is a lot harder.
Maybe my laid back attitude is what makes me feel
different on the subject? But, I don’t see why anyone my age
would have a problem with it. I don’t know of any cottonpicking Civil Rights activists going to St. Paul’s, so why others
feel different I don’t know. I also have had times when I’ve
been called “nigger” in a bad way. Instead of causing confrontation, I did nothing because I didn’t want to fall to that
level. I’m not saying there's a right or wrong way when it
comes to this, but I know there’s an easier way. So if the easier
way make things simple for me, meaning not getting in trouble
or not getting bent out of shape, then why not use it?
6
“Nobody cares what you think nigger,” he said, laughing,
thinking it was cool as I was speechless…
The dictionary definition of the word “nigger” a person of any
race or origin regarded as contemptible, inferior, ignorant.”
What does “nigger” mean to me? It means people attempting
to put down African-Americans, by tearing down all our achievements and everything we as a race have overcome in order for
young African-Americans such as myself to be at a school like
St. Paul’s. It means that you agree with everything done to AfricanAmericans over the years; that you don’t care about the lynching,
the burning of innocent black citizens of this country, the dogs
being used to attack African-Americans in the Deep South protests.
To me, it means that you discard every achievement that we’ve
made in recent and past history. It means that you agree with the
history of Brooklandville and that you wanted Martin Luther
King’s dream to fail. It means that you are scared of progress. This
word to me signifies a people trying to keep their boot on another
race, trying to keep them from improving and perhaps exceeding
all expectations and being greater than anyone could ever imagine.
My first and most memorable clash with this word was in 7th
grade Religion class, when a student called me that word just after
I made a comment regarding slaves. His words were, “Nobody
cares what you think nigger,” and then he laughed. In that moment,
I felt more than 300 years of anger and, unfortunately, I lashed out
with my words at this student and the teacher; that day,
I learned the power of words.
OCTOBER 2009
New Teacher Profiles
Mr. Matt Kasper ‘00
After finishing his time as a St. Paul’s student in 2000, Mr. Kasper attended Boston University. A Baltimore
native, he pursued two of his enduring interests while there by majoring in English and minoring in Journalism.
These interconnected passions were cultivated in high school by our own Mr. Brown, whom Mr. Kasper maintained
contact with in the years between his graduation from and return to St. Paul’s. Although he enjoyed his time spent
outside the bounds of a classroom, working as a news writer, Mr. Kasper’s urge to engage in good discussion and his
involvement with the Bread Loaf School of English led him to realize another of his life’s goals, returning him to
St. Paul’s as a teacher. In addition to teaching sophomore and junior English classes, Mr. Kasper coaches JV Football
and wrestling. When not engrossed in The Sun or his latest pick from the local bookstore, Mr. Kasper watches Mad
Men on AMC, “the best show on television;” His favorite book is Huckleberry Finn.
Ms. Jamie Segraves
Ms. Segraves teaches Spanish classes on the 2 honors, 3, and 5 levels; she taught similar courses during her time in
the modern language departments of George Washington University and Georgetown University. She was born in
Texas, and raised there and in California. Ms. Segraves is well prepared for a career as a Spanish-language educator:
she holds a BA is Spanish and Hispanic Studies from the University of Texas, an MA in Spanish Language (a Middlebury College degree that she completed in Spain), and an MS from Georgetown University in Spanish Linguistics.
Ms. Segraves chose St. Paul’s for its well-developed and hardy community, something, she says, not to be found at all
academic institutions. Had she not made her way to Brooklandville, she might have come to rest in a career as a
professional Spanish/English translator. While here, she plans to work with Ms. Kelsey Lisi and the yearbook staff to
produce the Crusader. Her favorite high school reads were Great Expectations, The Great Gatsby, and To Kill a
Mockingbird; currently, she enjoys reading the works of Malcolm Gladwell and watching FOX and USA.
Mr. Jason Stine
Physics teacher Jason Stine joins St. Paul’s fresh from five years of fulfilling the same role in a school near Austin,
Texas. St. Paul’s appeals to him because of its tight-knit community, it acknowledgment of the ‘whole student’ when
considering which educational styles to employ, and its single-sex setting. His interest in teaching stems from each
day in front of a class being different and new, as well as from the pleasure he takes in making his subject real to
students. He received a degree in physics from Franklin and Marshall College and a graduate degree in Geophysics
from the University of Texas; had he not chosen to become an educator, he would likely have gone to work as an oil
locator for a major petroleum concern. Mr. Stine coaches JV Baseball and heads the up the new Science Olympiad
club. He spends his TV hours tuned to ESPN and the Discovery Channel, and his favorite book is A Prayer for
Owen Meaney.
Ms. Maggie Woodland
Based in the Academic Resources Center on the third floor, Ms. Woodland is the Upper School’s new learning
specialist. Although available as a scholastic and personal resource for all students, she is most directly responsible for
the academic and social experiences of the freshman class. Ms. Woodland was born and raised in San Francisco,
California; she attended Brigham Young University as an undergraduate, and received a master’s degree in Human
Development from Virginia Tech University. Ms. Woodland has directed her education and career as such because to
follow her interest in the intricacies of the development of children as they go through their schooling; this period,
she says, is important because of its radiating effect on other aspects of life. Entering the academic sector after seven
years in various therapeutic settings, Ms. Woodland was drawn to St. Paul’s by its “community feel” as well as willingness shown by the faculty to embrace the varied learning styles of their pupils. She will coach JV Tennis in the
spring and runs the Baltimore Marathon; Ms. Woodland’s favorite book is Life of Pi, and she turns to the Internet
for her television needs.
7
OCTOBER 2009
Deshawn Delice ‘10
Urban Arts
When Jordan came to me with the idea of the Urban Arts
Club, I was ecstatic. We only had a vague idea of what it was we
were trying to create and the clubs presentations were the next
day. Without time on our side we knew we would have to
hustle to create a well thought-out plan. Firstly, we had to find
Dr. Coleman to clear up just what it was we should try to portray to the student body. This proved to be an adventure in itself.
We ran all over campus searching for him, and finally found him
in the gym where we had our questions answered. But one big
question still remained, how would we create a well thought out
and dynamic presentation that would help everyone in St. Paul’s
to understand what we had come to realize? Urban Arts is the
best thing to happen this school’s community since the new
lunch food!
I called my mother, got the okay, and before I knew it we
were heading out to Jordan’s house for a night of hard work to
create the presentation of a lifetime for the club of a lifetime. We
put in a couple of good hours to make sure that it was clear what
Urban Arts was all about. The idea is that we would keep the
student body in the loop on the happenings of the great city we
live just outside of, Baltimore. The arts scene of this city has been
taken over by some of the most interesting artists of our age. Mr.
Anderson, Dr. Coleman, Jordan and I agreed that it wasn’t getting nearly enough of the publicity that it should be getting and
Urban Arts is our way of changing that. We’re getting a bulletin
together to keep the students here informed on the things going
on such as plays, poetry readings, new and independent films, as
well as the obvious, music. Besides that, we will be organizing a
number of club field trips to events in the city.
The day of the presentation, we come shuffling into the back
of the chapel, ready to enlighten our friends and colleagues. Unfortunately we saw that problems were already arising. We saw
the technical difficulties going on for the film club and decided
that we were just going to scrap the whole thing on a whim and
just wing it. After much ado, we finally got called and before Jordan even had a chance to introduce us, I was ready to rock and I
was ready to roll, so I went ahead and took control.
BookReview: By
The Lost Symbol
Dan Brown
Alex Nickol ‘13
In case you were wondering whether this book is fiction or
not, consider that one of the events mentioned in The Lost Symbol is the participation of the Washington Redskins in the NFC
Championship Game. Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol is a
thriller set in Washington D.C. It follows Harvard symbologist
Robert Langdon as he attempts to save his friend, Peter Soloman, a Mason, from a lunatic by the name of Mal’akh, whose ultimate goal is to shed his human form and become a god by
uncovering Masonic secrets. Along the way, Langdon travels
through secret underground passages and ancient temples to find
his friend; he deciphers ancient codes and symbols, and even gets
involved with the CIA.
The Lost Symbol is truly a page-turner, and can be very
difficult to put down.The surprises and suspense always keep the
reader engaged. However, there were parts in the book where
too much information was being rattled off by the characters,
and things became boring.The book is not for the faint of heart,
as there are many explicit death and torture scenes.The antagonist, Mal’akh, is also a very frightening character who epitomizes
evil. I found that the book held my attention until the last couple
pages, which were mostly composed of information that had no
more relevance to the story and seemed anti-climatic and unnecessary. I would recommend this book for its adventure, and because it is set in a locale that is very familiar to most of us.
District 9: A Movie to See Twice
Tipher Fisher ‘12
If you have not already seen District 9 I highly suggest you see
it. District 9 will pull you in. mesmerize you for two hours, then
have you begging for more. The movie boasts such an array of
visually stunning action sequences it is a surprise that it had half
the budget of the summer blockbuster,The Hangover.
The writer/director of District 9, Niel Blomkamp, weaves
such an extraordinarily and conceptually original story that I, the
viewer, often found myself forgetting that the events depicted in
the movie were fictitious.
The film starts out in a documentary format explaining a
situation in the near future in Johannesburg, South Africa.
It is revealed through a set of interviews that about twenty years
earlier a colossal alien space ship flew over South Africa and has
been hovering over Johannesburg ever since. In the current time
the movie takes place the entire alien population is confined to a
slum like center by the “Multi-National Union” (MNU), a
company contracted to confine the alien race and separate them
from the human race.The aliens were confined to an area called
District 9, and it is apparent that the secluded ward is becoming
overcrowded. There are early signs of corruption in the MNU
when an awkward man named Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto
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Copley) is given the job of moving the 1.8 million aliens to a
new, more spacious location called District 10 simply because he
is the son-in-law of a high level employee at MNU. In the
process of evacuating the aliens from District 9 to District 10
Wikus is exposed to an alien fuel that causes his DNA to fuse
with alien (or prawn as there referred to in the movie) DNA and
his arm turns to a tentacle-like appendage. He is soon captured
by MNU because his hybrid DNA allows him access to various
alien weaponry, all of which is incorporated with a alien DNA
coding system. Wikus escapes MNU headquarters and due to an
interest in profiting off of alien weaponry, MNU unleashes a fully
fledged man hunt.
Although Sharlto Copley has no serious previous acting roles
he plays the character Wikus van der Merwr exceptionally. He
seamlessly transforms the character from a clumsy, awkward, pathetic man into a legionary heroic individual.
I am not exactly a fan of sci-fi movies, but I was enthralled
by the incredible cinematography and entertained by the riveting
plot. I was also impressed by dialog and story line rich in subtext
and symbolism. So even if your not a fan of science fiction
movies, I think you will love District 9.
OCTOBER 2009
Steppin to a Better Beat
SP Step Club Looks to Thrive under New Leadership
Robert Wilson '10
First off, let’s get things strait.We are (Chi Kappa Theta) in-
As you can see, we had people.They just all left because they
corporated. Not chi as in chi tea from Panera/ Starbucks, not K
graduated or moved to a different state. Step was slowly dying,
as in karate and not O as in “ownage.” We are step.We are a
and it was up to Jordan and me to resurrect it.We had our last
brotherhood, and a very unique one at that. Much like in life,
ditch effort at clubs presentation a couple Wednesdays ago, and
we don’t choose who we get the pleasure or displeasure of
lucky for us we have some very willing souls.
spending our time with. But we are bonded by that one deci-
The whole reason Step is here is to increase school spirit.
sion we did make: the decision to write down “Step Team” on
We want to be at the games cheering the team on. Leading in
our clubs sheet. Just knowing we all want to be there makes the
chants, and maybe even stepping at basketball games. We want
time spent even more enjoyable.
to get to that point where it is a known thing that SP has
Now that you know who we are, it’s time to let you know
talented young men that are willing to get up there and lead in
who we are. Step has allowed us to grow as a whole and as indi- musical support.This is just to say that we are out there and we
viduals.We have had students that were good, and some not so
are still alive. Expect more than just talk from us this year.
good. Regardless of skill, though, they would say that it was an
We are under new management.
enjoyable experience. has had somewhat of a lineage at SP:
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Group Creator and Inspiration: Father Jeff “Mufasa” Thomas
Former Group Leader: Brother Robert “Down Beat” Walker
Former Group Leader: Brother Zaccai “Rafiki” Williams
Former Group Participant: Brother Najeff “Dedikated” Waseem
Former Group Participant: Brother Jeff “Darkness” Brown
Former Group Participant: Brother Adrian “Thirst” Graham-Chesnavage
Former Group Leader: Brother James “Aguila” Saylor
Former Group Participant: Brother Yanni “Greek Mythology” Chralambopoulos
Former Group Participant: Brother ChiChi “Afrika” Udochi
Former Group Participant: Brother Anthony “Big Talk” Agnone
Current Group Leader: Brother Robby “Spearkerboxx” Wilson
Current Group Participant: Brother Jordan “Mighty Mouse” Thompson
Former Group Participant: Brother Connor “Cupcake” McCully
Former Group Participant: Brother Manny “El Tigre” Lamboy
Former Group Participant: Brother Ryan “Silent but Deadly” Ronnenburg
Former Group Participant: Brother Sean “Mighty Duck” Baker
Life on the Sidelines
Taylor Michel ‘11
Sitting on the sidelines is not easy for anyone; for someone
who has a passion for the game it is escpecially painful.
Every day I attend football practice. I am forced to sit on the
bench and watch my teammates as they run up and down the
field. A lot of them envy my position because they do not always
want to have to go out and practice after school.What they don’t
realize is that it actually is not a fun thing to do. It is the most
boring thing imaginable, and come game day my anxiousness is
overwhelming.
As we all know, we have not had a good season thus far, and I
have never been very good at handling my injuries. I watch as
we get run over by our opponents, and I cannot do anything
about it on the field. So I constantly find myself playing mind
games with my teammates, trying to give them all of the motivation I can offer to help them.
When I walk up and down the sidelines during games,
I pass a variety of different characters. There are the players who
9
are completely focused, and won’t say a word to anyone. There
are those who strategize on how to do better amongst each
other and with the coaches. Finally, there are the players who do
not pay attention to the game and for the most part spend their
time goofing off.
In our game against John Carroll, we were playing against a
lot of my friends and former teammates. The entire game I
thought about taking someone’s equipment and going in the
game myself to try and do something. It was the most painful
thing ever for me, and it killed me.
A lot of our teams here at St. Paul’s have lost this sense of
determination, a desire that has made us so successful in the past.
Until this injury I had lost a lot of my desire also. We all have to
realize what we are really capable of, and show that we really care
about what we are participating in. Then we will undoubtedly
turn things around.
OCTOBER 2009
Varsity Soccer
Season Off to Great Start
Nick Doeller ‘11
against “A” Conference
This year the Varsity Soccer
teams, but typical to past
team is off to an excellent start
years the team still couldn’t
under Head Coach Greg
pull out the win.
Schreiner and Assistants Sheldon
The team’s new found
Phillips and TJ Ciotti. They are
success is a big relief for the
leading their conference with an
soccer program. Coach
outstanding record. In recent
Schreiner describes the situayears the team has struggled to
tion, “We are happy with
find wins in the MIAA “A”
living in the “B” conference
Conference. This season the
and dabbling in the “A”
team has moved down to the
versus the past where we
“B” Conference. The team has
have lived in the “A” and
a 7-1 record, including a 5-0
dabbled in the “B”.” St.
victory over school rival, Boys
Paul’s has found itself in an
Latin. The “B” Conference
even playing field in the “B”
allows Varsity Soccer to demonConference. The change
strate their talent with success.
could be viewed as backing
The “A” Conference was a
away from competition, but
struggle for the Varsity Soccer
the “B” Conference mainteam. Head Coach Greg
tains a competitive atmosSchreiner said, “In order for us
phere with the main
to be successful we needed to
difference being that it
reach our peak, which still
rewards their talent and hard
didn’t equal a win.” In preseason scrimmages this year, varsity Jeff fountain ‘10 breaks away from his work. Like St. Paul’s, most
lost a physical 1-0 game against opponent for a clear shot on the net players in the “B” are multisport athletes with greater
the McDonogh team ranked at
number two in the country; a loss, but still a solid performance involvement in their schools. Most “A” Conference players
specialize in single sports, playing year round. “A” Conference
against such a talented team. Against Gilman, they held a 1-0
schools such as Calvert Hall, Curley, and Loyola are much biglead until halftime, but ended up in a 3-1 loss. St. Paul’s
showed determination in both games, but it wasn’t enough to ger and can fill their teams with these specialized players
making it difficult for small schools like St. Paul’s to get wins
pull out a victory. Their performances this year were good
against them. As Coach Schreiner puts it, “Right now it’s
apples and apples in the “B”, and we’re the best apple.” The
“B” Conference provides challenges, both mentally and physically, but allows varsity soccer to overcome these challenges.
Their only loss was a 3-1 game against Park. It was a humbling defeat which hopefully will translate into motivation,
especially when Park comes back to challenge St. Paul's at
home on October 23rd. However, St. Paul's has dominated the
rest of their games in the "B" Conference, coming fresh off a
4-0 win over Annapolis Area Christian School who had been
5-1 in the conference.
The St. Paul’s Varsity Soccer team has not made it to a conference championship in years, but with such a solid first half
of the season, it’s time to change that. Led by senior captains
Gordy Long, Jeff Fountain and Mike Faby Varsity Soccer is
looking good. The soccer program has begun a winning tradition, with Varsity and JV leading their conferences and FreshSoph having a winning record as well.
Senior Austin Brown prepares to clear
ball in recent game on Tullai Field
10
OCTOBER 2009
VARSITY FOOTBALL
Will Ensor ‘12
The 2008 St. Paul's Football team had a very successful
crusade, going 7-4 and finishing second in the MIAA.
The 2008 Crusaders had twelve seniors, including eleven
starters. This opened up holes in the depth chart to be filled in
the next year by talented underclassmen.
The 2009 Crusaders began their season with new coach,
Paul Bernsdorf, after Coach David Dolch's seven years of
service. Coach Bernsdorf recognizes this is a year of change.
"I think when there is change it is difficult because of new
systems and personalities.We are going through that and
getting better each week." The Crusaders return with three
offensive starters, all on the offensive line and on defense they
returning seven starters.They are led on offense by senior
dual-threat quarterback Zach Linkous and running back Jake
Shipley. Anchoring the offensive line are senior guards Gavin
Class, George Karabelas, and center Ian Mackubin, with
seniors David McShane and Christian Ley contributing at tight
end. An experienced receiving core is led by seniors T.J. Agnone,
Virgil Davis, Kyle Greaver, and Marcus Howard. On defense,
Gavin Glass, defensive end, John Montgomery, defensive end,
Jake Shipley, corner, Zack Linkous, safety, Christian Ley, linebacker, David McShane, linebacker/defensive end, play both on
offense and defense. Junior linebacker Gunnar Waldt joins freshman linebacker Travis Wood to form a strong inside linebacking
core. Coach Bernstorf says, “I think senior leadership is crucial
to every team because they are confident in what they are doing
and know the expectations... they are role models in terms of
effort and how to do things... practice is great due to the seniors.” There is no doubt that the 2009 St. Paul's Crusaders have
a strong senior class, with sixteen seniors.
The Crusaders started their season against McDonogh, a
tough “A” Conference team ranked 17th in Maryland.They
continued into conference play against Archbishop Spalding
who was coming fresh off a win over Calvert Hall. The Crusaders successfully executed a two minute drill before halftime
to score. Quarterback Zack Linkous threw to receiver Jay Carl-
Gunnar Waldt ‘11 collect his thoughts on
the sidelines of a recent football game
Quarterback zach linkous rolls out to his
right, looking for an open receiver down field
son in the end zone.
Week three the Crusaders traveled to Archbishop Curley and
came back from a fourteen point deficit to force overtime. Zack
Linkous accounted for both touchdowns, running in from sixteen and then two yards. On the first play of overtime quarterback Zack Linkous threw a pass that was tipped by a Curly
defender and caught by Jake Shipley in the end zone. Coach
Bernsdorf reacted to the play; “We scored and missed the extra
point but I still thought we would win. [This type of play] It's
what I expect.”
The Crusaders traveled to John Carroll in week four and lost
a twenty two to thirteen battle.The crusaders scored on a Linkous to Jay Carlson touchdown pass along with a short pass to
receiver Virgil Davis who then ran it past John Carroll
defenders into the end zone.
In week five the Crusaders came out ready to play, putting up
forty-nine points. All of the hard work finally came together as
they earned their first win.The Crusaders scored seven touchdowns, lead on offense by quarterback Zack Linkous, who
threw four touchdowns passes and ran for two more. Receiver
Virgil Davis caught two touchdown passes and Marcus Howard
and running back Wyatt Land each caught another touchdown
apiece. Adding the final touchdown was Wyatt Land on a touchdown run, finishing with a dive into the end zone.
The defense account ed for five interceptions, three by Virgil
Davis, one by Jake Shipley, and another by Gunner Waldt who
was taken down only by six Severn defenders.
The Crusaders will start their home stand against Gibbons,
and St. John’s. St. Paul's then travels to St. Francis and St Mary's
before finishing at home against the Boy’s Latin Lakers.The
2009 Crusaders hope to finish their season strong and reach the
championship for a second year in a row.
11
OCTOBER 2009
Varsity Volleyball
Looks to Serve its Way to the Championship
Justin Dodson ‘11
The 2009 Varsity Volleyball team is a very young one, led by
Coach Jung. The team is made up of almost all juniors, and has
no senior members. The lack of senior leadership does not
seem to make a difference for this team, considering they are off
to a 6-0 conference start has shocked the entire St. Paul’s community with such a successful beginning, coupled with a smashing victory over their rival, Boys Latin. Juniors Louis Foxwell
'11 and Miles Code 11, who had thirteen kills and nine kills respectively, led the win ("kills" is just volleyball slang for points).
Miles Code delivered the death-sentencing point that completely stunned both audience and teams. Louis Foxwell said,
“Overall, the team excelled working together as one and we
were able to pull out a last minute victory over BL." Brock
Reich seems to think that the group of young students is working in the team's favor because they are all gelling together
nicely. He said, “It’s a young team and we have a very bright
rest of the season and upcoming years." Certainly the team's
chemistry is playing a huge factor in their successful season.
Although it is to early to start making assumptions,
the volleyball team this year is looking promising. Under Coach
Junior Brett Parker prepares to spike
ball at recent game against BL
Jung’s teaching the young Varsity Volleyball team can expect to
be in contention for the MIAA championship.
Varsity Cross Country
Dan Ojard ‘10
St. Paul’s Varsity Cross Country is currently tied for first in
the "B" Conference with St. Mary’s and St. John’s; each school
has one loss. While ranking among the top teams of the conference has not been unusual for SP Cross Country, it is particularly significant this year, as our head coach is new to the
Upper School running program. Coach Keith Culbertson, the
former Middle School cross-country coach, became the head
cross-country coach following former head coach Dr. Houk’s
move to Pennsylvania. Along with Coach Meyer and Coach
Chalfoun, Coach Culbertson has coached the team through
nine wins and one loss in a very competitive conference.
Our first race was a great start to the season, with two solid
wins against Severn (21-34) and Palotti (24-31). St. Paul’s
freshman runner Timmy Peters '13 won the race with Colin
Secor '10 coming right behind in second. James Tautkus '12
and Daniel Ojard '10 finished in the top eight. Vincent
Carbone '11 finished 15th in front of other key runners Sam
Shellhoss '13, Jake Sobczak '11, Khafre Petiri '12, and Julian
Vesnovsky '11. The second race was held at the championship
course at Oregon Ridge; St. Paul’s had pretty solid victories
against Glenelg, Friends, and Beth T’Filoh. St. John’s Catholic
Prep gave us a closer race, and following Carbone’s 17th place
finish, St. Paul’s and St. John’s were tied. It was Julian Vesnovsky—the number 6 SP runner—whose finish made the
difference, giving St. Paul’s a narrow 28-29 victory over
St. John’s. Our third race against St. Mary’s and Baltimore
Lutheran brought us both a narrow win against Baltimore
Lutheran and a defeat against St. Mary’s. St. Mary’s strong top
4 runners proved a difficult pack to break—but not to Colin
Secor '10 and Tim Peters '13. The last race so far, held at St.
Paul’s hilly course on September 29th, brought three easy
victories to SP against Severn, Glenelg and Gibbons.
The Cross-Country team has done very well this year.
While SP graduated four seniors from the program last year,
three of whom were on varsity, we have really built a strong
team with addition of freshman Timmy Peters '13, Sam
Shelhoss '13, and sophomore James Tautkus '12.
Both Peters '13 and Tautkus '12 had never run competitively
prior to this year. We also see promise with the addition of
eight new freshman, two of whom are already in the top 10
for St. Paul’s. Our next meet, on 6 October, is against St.
John’s, who tie us for first in the league with St. Mary’s; this
will be very important for the success of the team, as it will
determine whether we can continue our rank of first in the
league and if we have a decent chance of winning the championships in November. Going in with two losses would make a
victory almost impossible. The last regular season meet, held at
home on 13 October, will also be crucial, as we face a small
threat from Gibbons. Other competitors will be BL and
St. Peter and Paul. The Greenspring Invitational, also at
St. Paul’s, will be held October 23, and the championship
meet will be November 5 at Oregon Ridge.
12
USRowing Jr. Development Camp
Morgan Gerlak ‘10
This past summer, I was fortunate enough to be selected
to row at the USRowing Junior Development Camp from
June 22nd to July 19th. The camp, which serves as a funnel
for the National Team system, was composed of thirty-two
oarsmen and five coxswains from across the country. Rowing out of the Millvale Boathouse in Pittsburgh, the team
and I endured two practice sessions of three to six hours each
every day; waking up at 5:55 AM, spending fifteen hours active, and consuming 6,000 calories each day was the norm.
Coming from a smaller rowing programs, I definitely experienced something of a culture shock during my time at
the Development Camp. I was thrown into a system that
had more water-time in one week than St. Paul’s fits into an
entire month. The coaches forced the team to perpetually
focus and to be as efficient as we possibly could, and getting
yelled at for dipping at the catch or pulling too high was
commonplace the first week. As the team’s technique and
fitness began to improve, the coaches steadily ramped up the
intensity, and by the end of the camp every boat was competitive with its peers. During the last four days of camp, the
team traveled to Oak Ridge, Tennessee for Club Nationals –
an event that saw our boats beat the Canadian Development
Team and several college crews.
The experience of rowing at the Development Camp this
summer was truly invaluable. I learned how to maximize my
power output, weight train effectively, and maintain a proper
diet. Now that I am back on the St. Paul’s campus, I hope to
motivate our rowers to the further improvement of our program. The St. Paul’s rowing team has a lot of depth this year,
and we hope to build on the success of last year’s boats.
PLAYER PROFILES
Player Profile – Louis Foxwell
Height: 6’0
Weight: 175
Sport: Volleyball
Class: Junior
Position: Outside Hitter
Foxwell has been part of the Varsity Volleyball team since he was a freshman back in 2007. Since then St. Paul's Volleyball has gone
to two championships, but come out empty handed. Foxwell is looking to lead this team of all juniors, and two sophomores, back to
the championship for the third time in a row. So far it seems that they are doing just that, starting the season 6-0 in conference.
Foxwell will be a big part in the key to success for the Volleyball team this year, as they will try to seek a championship this year.
Player Profile – Gavin Llewellyn
Height: 5’7
Weight: 120
Sport: Soccer
Class: Sophomore
Position: Defense
Gavin has been on the Varsity Soccer Team since last year when he was a freshman. This year should be a lot different because he
will not only be a sophomore, but will experience playing against a less challenging B conference this year. This will give the
Crusaders hope for a shot at the championship, who are 6-1 in the conference. Gavin believes that, “There are many good teams in
the B conference this year such as BL, Friends, and Park. We’ll find out who gives us the toughest match up." The soccer team is
moving quick through the B conference as they are off to a 6-0 start with key wins over BL and Friends already, all of them with
hope they will be able to bring home the title.
Player Profile – Colin Secor
Height: 5’8
Weight: 155 lbs.
Class: Senior
Sport: Cross-Country
Colin is one of two strong senior leaders on the cross-country team this year. With AACS in the A conference now, the
Crusaders are vigorously seeking to snatch the championship. Colin is the number one runner on the team and has been known for
his outsanding endurance in past years. Colin said that its not just him that makes the team great, but rather the effort contributed by
several participants in the team that are also doing very well. “We have two solid senior runners, Dan Ojard and myself. There has
been some freshman talent in the form of Tim Peters, who is new to St. Pauls. There are also some really strong Juniors such as Jake
Sobzack, Julian Vesnovski, and Vincent Carbone”, who Colin thinks is the most improved runner. Colin hopes to lead his team to a
championship this year. “I see no reason why we can't take it to St. Mary’s in the championship this year."
Travis Wood – Player Profile
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 170
Sport: Football
Class: Freshman
Position: Linebacker
Travis Wood started out this season as an inside linebacker for the JV Football team. What he did not know is that he would have
to play in his first varsity football game so soon. With a Crusader team that is not very deep in numbers, Wood was forced to step up
against the Archbishop Spalding Cavaliers, a team that’s always very physical. Wood played well, making multiple tackles, and has
continued playing well into the season. He and the rest of the Varsity Football team are hoping to take another trip back to Towson
University for the MIAA championship game again.
13
Colin secor ‘10 paces himself to
leave the competition in the dust
Junior Louis foxwell prepares to
spike the ball in a recent game
against BL
Staff Box
Luke Hrabal
Ryan Pederson
‘10
‘10
Layout
Editor
Editor in Chief
Michael Anderson
‘11
Morgan Gerlak
‘10
Production Editor
Tommy Cheek
‘11
Christian Louzan
‘10
Charlie Polovoy
‘11
Dan Ojard
‘10
Andrew Brown
‘10
Justin Dodson
‘11
Tj Root
‘11
photos
Nick Doeller
‘11
Connor Curo ‘11 pries the ball
away from a severn player
14
Will Ensor
‘12