The BEACON
October Issue
Volume 4, Issue 2
Breaking WA News
Four Houses, One Competition
The Marinos are expecting a wonderful new addition to their family! After
briefly interviewing Dr. Marino, I have the
inside scoop on all WA needs to know and
more about these exciting times.
The first question every parent is
asked when expecting is undoubtedly; “Is it
a boy or girl?” In most cases, the parents offer a simple one word answer. Though, in
this case, the situation is a bit different. The
family has decided to keep the gender of the
child a surprise until the day of arrival!
When asked for the reasoning behind this
unusual decision, Dr. Marino responded
that, because they already have two girls
and two boys, they want the tie breaker to
be a surprise for themselves as a family. All
of the children anxiously await the day
when the will meet their new brother or sister. What gender does WA think the baby
will be? Will the new Marino be a giggling
gregarious girl or a bubbly baby boy? Here’s
how the school responded:
My first field day as a seventh-grader was very
exciting! The day began with festivities, as we
got ready with costumes, house t-shirts, and
face paint. As the day continued, I especially
loved the competition among the houses and
each team's determination to win. One of my
favorite parts of the morning occurred when
we played dodgeball at the beginning. When I
got out of the game, I ran to the track and continued to cheer for the students in my
house. I also enjoyed getting to know some of
the older students better and participating in
different activities with them. Field day was
an absolute blast, and I cannot wait for the
next one, hopefully with warmer temperatures!
Jessa McElroy
Hoop-There It Is
“It was the best of times, it worst of times.”
Yes, a cliché I know, but it is true. This famous
quote by Dickens exemplifies my time on the volleyball team. As a senior, I was excited to be honored
for my grade’s contribution to volleyball as we together represented Westminster Academy. Along
with the excitement, a sense of sadness filled each of
us. Senior night sobered the seniors because it was
the last time we were playing with our teammates. It
was the last time to meet with the team on the sidelines, discussing game strategy. It was last time to
put up volleyball nets (hallelujah). It was, most imWA will just have to wait until February to portantly, the last time to yell “HOOP-THERE IT
IS!” when getting an ace. While being a night of
know for sure!
Emily Carney lasts, senior night was a time of joy and excitement.
On entering the gym lobby, to the right, the
seniors’ names, Allison, Sarah, Biz, Georgianna, and
Jessica, were displayed on (Continued on page 2)
The BEACON
(Continued from page 1) paper volleyballs. As students entered the actual gym, they saw banners for the
seniors displaying a quote that they
are known for saying. Balloons,
signs, and enlarged photos of the
seniors decorated the gym. Each of
the seniors received a team picture,
flowers, and her initials with volleyballs painted on them. After the
seniors’ festivities ended, the game
started. We played Macon Road and
fought hard, although we lost in
three games. While we lost, we ultimately dominated as a team. Senior
Night was definitely a night none of
the seniors will forget.
Jessica Poovey
P.S. Shout out to the
Renshaws for making Senior Night
awesome and to our fans who came
to cheer us on!
Page 2
Training to Become a Champion
Every fall, third graders and upper schoolers team up
to participate in one of the most fun events of the year, the
Greek Olympics. The day of the Olympics is an exciting day
filled with speedy races, intense games, white togas, and delicious food, but the preparations are almost as fun and exciting as the day itself. Third graders have the opportunity to
design a chariot with whatever decorations they wish. When
interviewed about his thoughts on the Olympics and his
chariot, John Gregory said, “My chariot is based on Ares because he is awesome and because he has spears and because
he kills a lot of people. Our chariot is painted red to represent Ares' fire and the blood of our enemies. We are going to
win the races because we are awesome and we have spears!”
Natalie Smith told me, “I’m excited to push around the juniors. Our chariot is based on Artemis, and it is made to look
like the night sky with blue tulle and silver stars with glitter.
We are definitely going to win the Olympics!” Each third
grader could barely contain his/her excitement as the day
comes. Anticipation, excitement, and hard work all pour into
the Olympics, and the third graders loved participating in
this thrilling annual event.
Catherine Vickery
Volume 4, Issue 2
Page 3
ENTERTAINMENT AND ART
The Ever-Changing World of Disney
Walt Disney World is one
of the most popular vacation destinations in the world. Boasting more
than twenty-million guests per
year, Disney World has become a
household name due to its everevolving parks and attractions that
helped propel the Disney brand
from a handful of movies and short
films into one of the most broad
and diverse companies in the
world. The evolution of Disney
World has never been more apparent than within the last five years.
Its expansion of Magic Kingdom
Park, entitled “New Fantasyland,”
includes two new castles as well as
five new attractions, bringing a
breath of fresh air into the popular
park. Besides the Magic Kingdom
expansion, Disney World has more
projects in the works, most notably
“Frozen Ever After,” Avatar Land,
and Star Wars Land.
themed ride, as the space for
“Frozen Ever After,” and the entire
Norway Pavilion will be expanded
to fit its new Frozen theme. This
highly anticipated ride will debut
sometime in 2016.
Disney history. Displaying familiar
characters and places along with
new people and areas, the new
park, set in a remote frontier, will
give even more depth to the Star
Wars franchise. There will also be
two new rides. One will focus on
riding and controlling the Millenium
The second expansion Dis- Falcon, while the other will put ridney plans to make in its parks is
ers in the middle of a climactic batAvatar Land. Inspired by James
tle between the First Order and the
Cameron’s epic Avatar franchise,
Resistance. Lastly, Disney anAvatar Land will bring the beauti- nounced that Star Wars Land will
ful scenery and captivating storybe in both Walt Disney World in
telling of Avatar to life. The premise Florida and Disneyland Park in
for this new land is that guests are California, though they have not
travelling to Pandora, where they
projected release dates for either
will encounter the floating moun- area. No matter if one is a Frozen
tains, unique plant life, and imagi- fanatic or a Star Wars aficionado,
native creatures featured in the
Disney continues to satisfy the
movie. There will also be two new wants of its guests while maintainattractions: a scenic boat ride as
ing the magic that brings guests
well as a more intense ride that
back again and again.
simulates the flight of Banshees, the
flying creatures in Pandora. The
latter of the two will serve as the
Cy Leist
The first of Disney’s upcom- center of Avatar Land and will be
ing additions is “Frozen Ever Afentitled “Flight of Passage.” Anter,” inspired by Disney’s blocknounced in 2013, Avatar Land has
buster Frozen. Located in Epcot’s
generated a high amount of buzz
Norway Pavilion, guests will board and is expected to open in 2017 ina boat and ride through a winter-in side of Disney’s Animal Kingdom
-summer celebration, in which
Park.
Queen Elsa utilizes her powers to
make a winter wonderland for her
people in the middle of a hot sumThe newly-announced Star
mer’s day. Throughout the ride,
Wars Land is the final known addiguests can also visit Elsa’s Ice Pal- tion to Disney World. Publicized in
ace and see their favorite characters August of this year, Disney released
from the movie. To minimize con- the theme and planned attractions
struction time, Disney is utilizing of Star Wars Land but kept the dethe building which contained
tails limited. Guests will visit the
“Maelstrom,” a previous Norway- biggest single-themed expansion in
The BEACON
The Boy Who Never
Grew Up
This past week I saw
the movie Pan and expected to
see a live action version of the
older animated Peter Pan.
However, I actually saw the story
of what happened before
Wendy, John, and Michael went
to Neverland. Beginning during
World War II, the story starts
with a baby boy left on the steps
of a London orphanage. The
baby's name is, as expected,
Peter. The movie continues to
the point when Peter is twelve
years old. A flying ship, sent by
Blackbeard, kidnaps Peter and
transports him to a magical
world where he must acquire
pixie dust for the selfish and
malicious antagonist, Blackbeard,
played phenomenally by Hugh
Jackman. Surprisingly, Peter and
the infamously-known Captain
Hook become allies against
Blackbeard and even agree to be
friends, thus sparking the
question: What happened to
make them bitter enemies?
Together, Hook and Peter go on
various adventures,
meeting Tiger Lily, who is
interestingly played by a
Caucasian actress, running into a
mermaid played by Cara
Delevingne, and rescuing various
characters. Action, adventure,
and tears, meet every viewer in
the theater. The movie ended
with my very favorite scene that
showed Peter’s loyalty to his
friends even after his incredible
journey.
Abbay Kellum
Page 4
Gerhard Richter: The Magellan of Photo Painting
Gerhard Richter is the creator of
many marvelous works of art spanning
from the late 1940s to today. Richter was
born in Germany in 1932 to an average,
middle-class family. When Richter was
but seven years old, World War II began,
and his father was conscripted to fight. In
1942, Richter joined the Pimpfen, an organization that prepared children for the
Hitler Youth, and escaped conscription due
to being slightly too young. Following the
war, Richter began to read a multitude of
books that had been banned by Hitler.
Many of said books were illustrated, and
those illustrations led him to begin drawing. At the young age of sixteen, Richter
developed a great passion for art, and his
first works were often done in watercolor.
Richter applied to study painting at the
Dresden Art Academy, but the school initially rejected him. However, he did not
become dismayed but persevered until the
Academy accepted him. During his time at
the Academy, Richter joined the new mural painting department, leading to his first
major commission, which he also used as
his thesis. The German Hygiene Museum
commissioned Richter to paint a mural,
and it was this commission that first earned
him praise.
Creating murals, however, was not
Richter’s fate. Richter grew increasingly
annoyed with the restrictions that imposed
upon his work in East Germany and determined to escape to West Germany, which
occurred mere months before the construction of the Berlin Wall. Richter started
studying at the Düsseldorf Academy in
order to be informed with artistic trends in
the western world. At this academy, Richter first became interested and immersed in
the art of photo painting and the blur.
Richter creates his photo paintings by first
taking a photograph and projecting that
photo onto a canvas, which he then copied
exactly. Then, the painting aspect begins.
Richter paints his works to replicate the
original photograph, but he then adds a
twist at the end in the form of a blur. The
blur refers to the hazy effect on Richter’s
paintings that is created by smearing the
paint, whether that be with a light touch of
a soft brush or a hard pull from a squeegee.
Richter uses this new technique in many
portraits, and he came to be recognized by
the blur. Regarding his use of the blur,
Richter said, “I blur things to make everything equally important and equally unimportant. I blur things so that they do not
look artistic or craftsman-like but technological, smooth, and perfect. I blur things
to make all the parts a closer fit. Perhaps I
also blur out the excess of unimportant information.” Richter uses photo painting to
depict many things, from his daughter to
curtains to things he remembered from his
youth in Hitler Germany. Gerhard Richter
sees beauty in photography and uses it to
create paintings. Even at eighty-three
years old, Richter is still an active artist to
this day.
Elizabeth Renshaw
Many of Gerhard
Richter’s works are
part of different
traveling exhibits,
and if you truly
wish to see his art
in person, you can
look on his website, www.gerhardrichter.com, for the
locations. It is
from the aforementioned website that
the information for
this article came.
Volume 4, Issue 2
Page 5
MEMPHIS MOMENTS
Midtown’s Best
Ballet Memphis’ Romeo and Juliet
The best restaurant in Midtown, possibly in
all of Memphis, is Babalu Tacos and Tapas in Overton Square. One of my favorite things to do on a free
day is run with my dog, Bess, around the back trails
at Overton Park and then head over to Babalu for a
snack on the only dog-friendly patio on Madison
Avenue. My personal favorite on the menu is the
guacamole, made table-side. Right in front of you,
they cut the avocados, mash them, and add in lime
juice, salt, onions, cilantro, and sun dried tomatoes,
potentially adding requested bacon or jalapeño peppers. This set-up easily allows customers to enjoy
food specifically as they prefer.
Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love with girl. Plot twist, the boy and
girl commit suicide due to extreme complications and rash decisions.
For the entrée, Babalu’s enchilada of the day
is always something interesting, from Philly
cheesesteak to lamb, always topped with a scrumptious sauce, and it goes perfectly with the vegetable
of the day. The black bean burger is also delicious
and unique. All the tacos are unlike any others in
Memphis and are always absolutely delicious.They
are small, so I usually order three different types. My
favorites are the pollo, carne la vaca, and the carne
de cerdo, which translates to chicken, cow meat,
and pork meat, respectively. They are served on
house-made blue corn tortillas, all topped with tasty
and sometimes unusual accompaniments like peanut slaw. All the food comes out as it is made, so you
are constantly getting new dishes. The location cannot be beat. The food is incredible. The company is
great, whether you are with your dog or humans. I
strongly recommend you go check it out and try
something new!
That rough outline illustrates the storyline of Shakespeare’s
iconic and arguably most famous tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. Since its
initial release in the late 16th century, Romeo and Juliet has been performed all over the world and has even been transformed into film and
dance. The ballet world has cultivated many of Shakespeare’s works,
including Romeo and Juliet, into full-length ballets with orchestrations
specifically composed for the story.
Recently, Memphis’s very own professional ballet company,
Ballet Memphis staged Shakespeare’s well known story with Prokofiev’s
magnificent score for Romeo and Juliet. Now, some might be thinking
that without Shakespeare’s words the true beauty and tragedy of the
story cannot be displayed. However, without the words and through the
fluid, classically-inspired movement by Steven McMahon, a new layer of
beauty is added to the already rich storyline. This ballet is a work of art
that I believe Shakespeare himself would applaud. I urge all to go see
this beautiful adaptation of Shakespeare’s work the next time it is performed.
Julianne Jorgensen
Kate Johnston
Called to Serve
“This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!” Do you remember singing
this song as a child? I certainly do. This classic children’s worship song not only has a catchy tune but
also contains an important message that is often overlooked because of its use by children. Describing
God’s call to His people to let the light of His Son shine before men, this song conveys truth that children need to comprehend early on in order to continue understanding into adulthood.
To cultivate this service mentality at Westminster, the school has developed periodic service projects.
This September, our 9th-12th graders took the morning off from their books to serve the people of
Memphis. Surrendering time from their day, the students ventured to (Continued on page 6 )
The BEACON
Page 6
MEMPHIS MOMENTS
(Continued from page 5) the Mid-South Food
Bank, where they were briefed on the hunger
of those within Memphis and given the opportunity to make an impact on those lives.
Sorting, packing, organizing, and stacking,
this group of students accomplished a great
deal for the city. In fewer than three hours,
these students sorted and packed 14,344 lbs
of goods that will be distributed to those in
need. As a result, 21,516 meals could be
served to hungry men, women, and children.
“There Goes My Hero” - The Foo Fighters
Most artists disappoint when performing live. This can be for two reasons;
Either they do not deliver vocals as impressive as their records, or they lack the energy to involve their fans in the performance. Neither of these problems was an issue
during the Foo Fighters’ concert in the FedEx Forum on October 7, 2015. The lead
singer, Dave Grohl, maintained a high energy throughout the performance despite
singing and playing the guitar with a broken leg. Taylor Hawkins, the Foo Fighters’
percussionist since 1997, also had a remarkable performance including several
physically tasking drum solos and a few vocals. I attended the concert along with
three other peers. We all had different levels of exposure to the Foo Fighters. Two had
Mid-South Food Bank was grateful to our
students for the work they did. This organiza- listened to several Foo Fighters songs and enjoyed them. I personally began listening
to them last year, and since then, they have become one of my favorite bands. Howtion relies on its volunteers to accomplish
tasks. In fact, many organizations rely on
ever, my appreciation does not come close to my third friend, who is the most involved
their volunteers. Mid-South Food Bank is
with the Foo Fighters. All this to say, we all greatly enjoyed the concert which speaks
one of many opportunities to get involved in to the band’s ability to entertain different levels of fans. Overall, it was a great perMemphis.
formance, full of entertainment and superb talent.
Hope Fellowship Baptist Church in Memphis
Charles Reneau
has opportunity for service and hosts a time
for children to receive help with their homework. On Mondays and Tuesdays from 4:156:00, student volunteers are needed to tutor
these children. If you are interested in participating, simply contact Pastor James Williams Grizz fans, on your feet! The season is about to start, and I hope that Memphis is
ready for an awesome year. For those who do not know, here is what happened in the
at [email protected].
offseason and preseason:
Running is also a great way to get involved
In June, the Grizzlies traded Luke Ridnour to Charlotte for Matt Barns. Jeff Green
as well. On Saturday, November 7, at 8:00
also exercised his option for next season, meaning he has decided to use the option
am, Faith Baptist in Bartlett is hosting the
One Less Orphan 5K to benefit their orphan stated in his contract that he will play another season with the Grizzlies. In July,
ministry outreach. Taking place on a certified Marc Gasol signed a five year contract with the Memphis Grizzlies, including
course with chip timing, you have the oppor- $113,211,750 guaranteed and an annual average salary of $22,642,350. Gasol is an extremely valuable player, averaging 18.8 points 11.6 rebounds in the six-game series
tunity to run for children around the globe.
against the Warriors at the end of last season.
To register, go to myfaithbaptist.org.
The new players of the Memphis Grizzlies are forward, Jarell Martin, the No. 25
Endless opportunities await. Get involved
overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, and guard, Andrew Harrison, the No. 44 overall
and make a difference in the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Also do not forget to turn pick. Stokes is a Tennessee graduate who only played 30 games last year but should
bring excitement this year with his talent.
in your service hours by the end of the se-
Make Some NOISE
mester! Students who turn in a minimum of
ten service hours per semester will become a
member of His Hands and Feet Society!
Abby White
The Grizz finished 6-1 in the pre-season and and had their opening night on Wednesday, October 28, against the Cleveland Cavaliers!
Gil Brandon
Volume 4, Issue 2
Page 7
HAPPY HALLOWEEN
What You Never Knew about
Halloween
With the hint of chill in the air, October
arrives, beginning the season for candy, costumes,
and tricks of all kinds through the holiday, Halloween. As retailers and businesses across the
U.S. are inundated with jumbo bags of sweets,
ostentatious cobwebbed decorations, and various
and sundry costumes from ghouls to pop culture
luminaries, one may pause to wonder what the
origins of this hair-raising holiday are. It is believed to have sprung from the Ancient Celtic festival Samhain (pronounced SOW-in), wherein
costumes would be donned and bonfires lit in order to discourage the presence of any malicious
spirits. However, these traditions were ushered
into modernity by none other than Pope Gregory
III, who designated the first of November as a hallowed day to celebrate the lives of the saints and
martyrs of the church. The name of this holiday,
though making its debut as “All Saints Day,” later
morphed into “All Hallows Day,” and finally,
“Halloween.” As history took its course, the traditions of this day later disseminated throughout all
the countries of the world, with each celebration
taking on the respective flavors of the culture
which adopted it. In Spain, Mexico, and Latin
America, Dia de los Muertos celebrates the souls
of the dead with candy, flowers, and candles. The
Chinese festival of Teng Chieh includes the lighting of lanterns and bonfires to guide the spirits of
deceased loved ones as they traverse the earth for
a night, and even Cambodian Buddhists observe a
similar festival for their ancestors, the P’chum
Ben, for which they prepare sweet treats and scatter enormous batches of rice and sesame seeds
upon the ground for visiting ghosts to munch on.
Afterwards, the celebrants often watch festive
buffalo races and wrestling matches. Though the
specific traditions of the holiday vary widely, the
spirit of spine-chilling fun remains consistent no
matter the location. Happy Halloween!
(For more information on Halloween in other
cultures, see History.com)
Lucy Jones
Doctor, Doctor Tell Me
the News
Dear Doctor,
I have never considered myself excessively superstitious, however there is something that has been plaguing me. I
have always considered myself a man of science, and yet…This
creeping suspicion has gnawed at my heart for too long; I must
ask. Is Mr. Woods a vampire??
Apprehensively,
All Hallow’s Steve
Dear Steve,
I must be honest with you, this is a question with which we
have all grappled at some time or another. As much as I wish I could
give you a definitive answer, I am bound to a standard of confidentiality which forbids me from releasing any formal diagnosis. I can,
however, give you the facts, as they have revealed themselves.
First of all, let’s consider Mr. Woods’ area of expertise: history. Anyone who has been enrolled in his class would undoubtedly
testify to the familiarity with which he addresses long-dead historical
figures. Could it be that perhaps he was far more familiar with these
people than we imagined? Sure, he is 31, but how long has he been
31…
Secondly, let’s consider his complexion. He exhibits snowwhite skin and jet-black hair, both classic symptoms. And let me ask
you, have you ever seen the man holding a pencil, what some might
call a wooden stake, close to his heart? Much less a clove of garlic!
Finally, we must take into account his fear of the sunlight.
My sources report him as stating, verbatim, “My mailbox is right
outside my door; I don’t even have to step outside in the sun.” Not to
mention the fact that he even refers to himself as “The Great Indoorsman.” You cannot make these facts up, Steve.
Although I do not have license to state my medical opinion,
it is my belief that the facts speak for themselves. You stay safe out
there, and always remember to eat lots of garlic. Doctor’s orders.
The BEACON
Page 8
Halloween How-tos
1. Sleeping Beauty,
emphasis on sleeping
To create this fairytale favorite wear the best pair of
your own pajamas and try
to stay awake.
2. “Men in
Black” (mainly for guys)
Don a black suit and find
some cool shades.
fort and creativity. Simply
write, “This is my costume:
It’s scary how broke I am.”
Because of its subtle simplicity and its technical
Halloween theme, this costume will warn people not
to bug you about your outfit.
9. Static Cling
In order to portray this
force of nature, pin a few
6. The Before and Af- random pieces of clothes
ter
to yourself and add some
After finding someone who dryer sheets to make your
vaguely resembles you, this costume more clear.
costume is especially easy
and flexible. You can be
before and after a tan or
bad sunburn, before and
3. Tacky Tourist
In order to be the stereo- after sleeping or even betypical tourist, the essential fore you have had your
component is a fanny pack. morning coffee and after
you have had your coffee.
However, to step it up,
The possibilities are endsocks with sandals, a sun
less.
visor, and taking pictures
obnoxiously are great addi- 7. ERROR 404: Costume not found
tions.
If you feel especially not in
4. American Idol
the mood to dress up, this 10. 50 Shades of Gray
Contestant
costume is right for you!
For this literary play on
Wear any clothes your
Just write “ERROR 404:
words, pin paint chip samheart desires and pin a
Costume
not
found”
on
a
t
ples of varying shades of
number to your shirt, and
-shirt,
and,
BOOM,
you
are
gray to any shirt, preferably
you are ready to audition.
still
technically
participata gray one.
You could also carry a miing,
just
with
the
least
crophone to look more like
amount of effort possible.
the part.
(ERROR 404 is what
5. Brawny Paper
comes up if you search for
Towel Man (for guys) something and it cannot be
Gentlemen, for this easy
found.)
costume, find a plaid shirt
8. “This is my cosand jeans. If you are able,
tume…”
grow your stubble for a
few days prior to wearing This is another example of
a costume that requires just
the costume. Either way,
a miniscule amount of efyou will look great!
11. Mary Poppins
This classic costume is
really very simple! Your
outfit would consist of a
black umbrella, a long
black skirt, a white collared
button-down shirt, red bow
tie, white gloves, black
tights, and a black hat. Because some minor shopping could be involved if
you did not already have
some of these items, it can
be more time-consuming.
However, these items
should not be difficult to
find. Then, you will be
practically perfect in every
way.
12. Jelly Fish
This costume appears fantastically unique while requiring little creative skill.
Find a clear umbrella and
attach jellyfish’s stingers,
made of either thin strips
of bubble wrap, string, ribbons, or really any type of
fabric. (Pictured on page 9)
Volume 4, Issue 2
Page 9
15. Starbucks drink
13. Bunch of Grapes
Pin either purple, red, or green balloons to your shirt to become a
bunch of grapes!
Who doesn’t love Starbucks? With
this DIY costume, you can honor
your favorite Starbucks drink by
dressing up as it for Halloween. You
can use laundry bags for the cup of
the drink and then bunch white cloth
for the foam or whipped cream on
top. Then, you can add rolled-up
green paper for the signature green
straw. Also, you can either print off,
or if you really want to get fancy, you
can draw the Starbucks logo and attach it to the front. For a finishing
touch, write your name on the back
and even misspell it in an interesting
way.
The first five students to solve
this riddle, by telling
Julianne Jorgensen the correct answer, will receive a
special surprise!
14. Bag of Jelly Beans
For this adorable costume, get a clear
trash bag and cut neat holes for arms
and legs. Then, fill the bag with different colored balloons for the jellybeans, and tie a ribbon around your
neck for the bag to close. You could
also write the nutritional facts on the
back of the bag. Some difficulties
with this costume would include difficulty walking and probable inability
to sit down.
Halloween Riddle
I have a name that’s not mine,
Natalie McCommon
and no one cares about me in
his prime.
People cry at my sight,
and lie by me all day and
night.
What am I?
Contributed by Houston
Newsome