Informer May 2009 - Woodlynde School

The Informer ...‘Nuff Said!Woodlynde School’s Award-Winning Student NewspaperEverybody, Pull!Seniors Hit N.Y., Pull PrankBy Allison BoleStaff Writer>The seniors had the great opportunity tospend the day in the one and only New YorkCity for their class trip. Their day consisted ofshopping, touring a museum and seeing a musical,followed by a sleepover at school and pullingoff the yearly senior prank.See SENIORS on Page 4Fight to the Finish:Giving their allduring the FieldDay tug of war are(from left) juniorsJohn DelOrefice,Jake Zucker, SamSullivan and JuliaAvart.The Blue Teamwon a tie-breaker inthe final event togive them braggingrights until nextyear. Additionalphotos on page 2.Photo by Jonte’ McLeanGoodbye, Mr. MurrayAfter 18 years, Woodlynde‟sHeadmastersoon will walk away forthe final time.By Jerome Baileyand Ben GrantCo-Editors-In-Chief at LargeWhen it was your birthday,you knew that Headmaster Mr.Hench Murray would announceit to the entire school inmorning assembly. To start yourWoodlynde day off right, hewould always tell you to “Do theright thing.”Those are only a few of thereasons why Mr. Murray will beremembered after he completesThey began their trip at 5th Avenue. Thestudents went to thrift shops and the NationalBroadcast Museum. At the museum, they couldwatch a variety of episodes from any televisionshow they wanted.They then saw Shrek the musical. The showhis 18th year as Head of Schooland leaves Woodlynde in July.During his two separatetenures as Headmaster, Mr.Murray changed Woodlyndecompletely.“I credit Mr. Murray withbuilding Woodlynde. Before hecame, there was a chance theschool might have been closed.We would not be here if it weren‟tfor him,” said Dean of StudentsMr. Dave Shank, whostarted working at Woodlyndein 1980, and not only considersMr. Murray his boss, but also afriend and golfing partner.* * *When Mr. Murray startedas Head of School 28 years ago,Woodlynde was located in amansion in Gulph Mills, PA.The entire school populationwas only 65 studentsand the graduating classonly had six students. Theonly sport was soccer, andthere was only one hoop onthe basketball court.There were no learningspecialists, and no technologydepartment. Studentswere just starting to learnhow to operate a computer.“It was a lot easier in thebeginning because we onlyhad 65 students, 10 teachers,two maintenance people,and me. In a sense, we allgrew up together," Mr.Murray said.See HEADMASTER on Page 3May 28, 2009Issue 9Teacher andLearningSpecialistsAre LeavingMs. McAndrews, Ms.Zielinski, Ms.Johnson and Mrs.Fetzner are moving on,though Ms. Z. will remainat Woodlynde.By Eli FisherStaff WriterThe Upper School is losingtwo learning specialists, as Ms.Caitlin McAndrews and Ms.Jessica Zielinski will not bereturning. Both have decidedto try new career paths.In addition, Ms. KathyJohnson, a middle schoolSee LEAVING on Page 4Photo by Matt AllenMr. Murray is retiring in July afterspending 18 years as Headmaster,over two separate stints.

Page 2Field Day!Holding the Blue Team flag is junior ColinWaving the White Team flag is KateWalsh (left photo), supported by JeremyRosenthal.Conor Pierson (above) hops his wayto the finish line.Field DayPhotos byJonte’McLeanClowning around while taking a break are: (from left) Seth Acquarolo, WesMadocks, Trey Dixon, Matt Allen, Sebastian Pashak and Michaela Anderson.Students Were True Winners at AuctionBy Katie JenningsEditor in ChiefIt was another successful night for theannual PRIDE -- or auction -- as it wasonce referred to.It was unbelievable how many amazingitems were up for bid, all of which werecontributed by parents, faculty and theschool.Some of those included the opportunityfor students to fill the shoes of each of theschool's administrators for a day. Also putup for sale was a one-month lease on aJaguar convertible, a dogsled ride for two,a Cole Hamels Autographed 2008 WorldSeries ball, a Joe Paterno Signed Football,and custom-made Reebok Sneakers autographedby Allen Iverson.The auction, now called PRIDE(Parents Reuniting to Invest in the Developmentof Education), was held on April25."The event was a lot of fun," said Mrs.Maura Lee, Director of the Annual Fund.It seemed the most sought after prizeswere the administrators for a day.Recently, Lower Schooler MaggieManousos, was Queen of Lower Schoolfor a day.There are a few things to look forwardto next year, with Will Brayton substitutingfor Dr. Kevin Miller (Director ofthe Upper School) for a day, Nick Johnstonrepresenting Mr. Dave Shank (Deanof Students) for a day, and Eli Fisher asHead of School for a day.Eli hopes that the three of them will beable to combine their jobs and have themHe’s Rolling: Trey Dixon sprints during the tireroll.all on the same day. When asked aboutwhy they would want to do this, Eli said,"to cause havoc on the school."Will mentioned that he was going totake his job seriously and travel fromclassroom to classroom, making sureeverything is running smoothly. But healso said that he wouldn't be giving outany study halls or detentions.Another lucky student was juniorTed Dorsz, winner of the student parkingspot.All in all, many items were sold andparents and faculty had a blast. It seems,however, that the people who got themost out of the event were, in fact, thestudents. It will be interesting to see howthese students put their winnings towork next year.

Woodlynde Prepared for Swine FluPage 3By Devon HamwrightStaff WriterDean of Students Mr. Dave Shanksaid Woodlynde is taking the necessaryprecautions to keep students safe fromthe H1N1 virus (Swine Flu).For example, the cleaning staff willcontinue their normal cleaning routine.Additionally, an outside company comesin for regular sanitizing, and the wholeschool periodically wipes down surfaceareas in classrooms. Teachers also areworking in conjunction with school nurseMrs. Peggy Burger.Mr. Shank explained that Woodlyndeis following guidelines of health organizationslike the Center for Disease Control(CDC). He said students shouldn't beoverly alarmed about the virus, and theWoodlynde administration is keeping thestudents safe.There have been no confirmed cases ofSwine Flu at Woodlynde. However, therehas been one suspected case, and Woodlyndeofficials carefully carried out theemergency plan that is in effect in case of avirus outbreak.A few weeks ago, there was a Woodlyndestudent, whose name school officialsdeclined to identify, who showed symptomssimilar to that of Swine Flu. However, thetest results came back negative.Many students have already heardabout the outbreak of Swine Flu on theneighboring campus of Valley Forge MilitaryAcademy.Mr. Shank explained that students canprotect themselves from the virus by beingvigilant about hand washing. Also, studentsshould sneeze or cough into the insideof their elbow.The Swine Flu virus was discovered inApril 2009. The virus can spread throughperson-to-person contact.Swine Flu symptoms are wide ranging,including sore throat, coughing, fever,body aches and headaches, according tothe CDC website.The CDC says 45 out of 50 states includingPennsylvania have known cases ofSwine Flu. They have also reported 3,352laboratory cases of swine flu.The risk of dying from Swine Flu islow — there have only have been threereported deaths in the U.S. For more detailedinformation, go on the CDC websiteat: http://www.cdc.gov/Farewell, Mr. MurrayHEADMASTER from Page 1Now, as Mr. Murray's timeis coming to an end, Woodlyndehas taken huge strides in allareas.The school has roughly 300students now. In addition, numeroussports are available tostudents. There is a full-timelearning specialist for eachgrade, and an extremely reliabletechnology department.Although the changes madeMr. Murray's job harder, hehas enjoyed them.“We have made bigchanges. For example, todaywe have over 300 students andwe have 100 employees fillingdifferent roles. We have computersand email and all kindsof assistive technology, and ourbudget is approximately $8million," Mr. Murray said.Alumnus Genevieve Brusilow,who now attends PrattInstitute, said, "Mr. Murraybrought the school together,whether through morning assemblyor walking the hallsand always wearing a smile.He made the school a greatplace to be and will be greatlymissed."* * *Mr. Murray joined theWoodlynde community asHeadmaster in 1981, and decidedto leave in 1995.Mr. Murray feels extremelyproud of the accomplishmentsthe school made during thattime.“In my first tour, my proudestachievement was having thedetermination to see that theschool succeeded, because therewere times in the early yearswhen that was in doubt," Mr.Murray said.Little did he know that hewould be talked into returningfor a second stint at Woodlynde.Mr. Murray doesn't regretthe unexpected stay; instead, hefeels the school has accomplishedmany things."In my second go round, myproudest attainment is helpingto restore a sense of order andpurpose, and pride in our workand our accomplishments," Mr.Murray said.* * *Now, Mr. Murray again haschosen to leave, and this time heis positive he will not return asHead of School.Mr. Murray is retiring tospend time with his family. Hehas plans on coming back to visitWoodlynde next year. He alsomight work as an academic consultant.Even if he chooses not to returnto the Woodlynde community,Mr. Murray has definitelychanged Woodlynde for the better."Mr. Murray has done manygreat things for this school andwill be sorely missed," saidStudent Council PresidentDimming Jones.Despite only knowingMr. Murray for two years,Head of Upper School Dr.Kevin Miller also feels thatMr. Murray has impactedthe school.“I feel that Mr. Murraybrought a large measure ofstability back to the school.He helped reconnect alumni,and the school‟s mission.”Fun Facts: Mr. Murraywas the radio broadcaster forUniversity of Pennsylvaniafootball games. Though commonlycalled Hench, Mr.Murray‟s given first name isJohn.Puppy Love: Mr. Murray with his dog, Reilly.Mr.Murray,back in thegood olddays, withMr. Shank— when hestill hadhair.

Page 4Seniors enjoy N.Y. Trip and SleepoverSENIORS from Page 1was amazing, according to most seniors."The performers were spectacular," saidChris Hatton.The only thing that Chris reallywanted to see, but couldn't because oflack of time, wasground zero of the September11 attack onthe World Trade Center.Every year the seniorsget to sleep over atthe school. The seniorsthis year spent most ofthe night playing basketball,hockey, dodgeball and Lincoln Logs.They then pulled offtheir senior prank bytaking the bleachersfrom the upper fieldand moving them infront of the Englishand History rooms.The seniors also toiletLearning Specialists and Teacher Are LeavingLEAVING from Page 1learning specialist, will alsobe leaving the Woodlyndecommunity.Ms. Zielinski, learningspecialist for the class of2010, will be moving to themiddle school to teach sixthgrade.“The administrationwould like to bring teachersfrom inside the school toteach, instead of hiringsomeone new,” said Ms.Zielinski.She was asked if shewould like to replace Mrs.Paige Fetzner -- who isleaving Woodlynde to earnher doctorate in education --and work as a classroomteacher.“I worked in a classroombefore I came to Woodlyndeand I enjoyed it,” she said.“We're going to miss hervery much,” said juniorJohn DelOreficeMs. Zielinski said shewill miss the daily interactionswith the current juniorpapered the office of Dr. KevinMiller, head of the upper school.Many students were amused andsurprised to see the bleachers in themiddle of the hallway, while otherstudents thought the prank could havebeen better. "Our senior prank will beStudents were amused and surprised to find Dr. Miller’s office toilet papered and bleachers in the upper school hallway.class. “I will miss the spontaneousand usually inappropriatecomments from all ofthe juniors, in particular onewho has the same initials asI do [J.Z.].”I will miss thespontaneous andusually inappropriatecomments fromall of the juniors,in particular onewho has the sameinitials as I do[J.Z.].”~ Ms. ZielinskiMs. McAndrews will alsobe leaving.However, unlike Ms.Zielinski, she will not bestaying in the Woodlyndecommunity. Ms. McAndrewswill be moving to WashingtonD.C. to attend law school.She wants to try somethingnew while she is stillyoung and has more freedom.It is this point in her lifewhere she can go try newthings, an opportunity thatmight not be available lateron.Ms. McAndrews is nervousabout the move, but happy forthe new opportunity.“I enjoyed coming intowork everyday. I always hadfun with the students andworking with such great facultymembers,” she said.better next year," promised junior KatieJennings, who is Editor in Chief of the Informer.For the most part, the seniors made themost of their last day and night together, beforethey depart for the next chapter in theirlives.Photos by Jonte’ McLean and Ms. BrowderSophomore Tereza Olsonsaid: “I don‟t want her toleave because she has helpedmany students through highschool."She is a very kindheartedperson. Whateverher decision is, she will bevery happy. And she will alwayshave a place at Woodlynde,”Tereza added.Regardless of where theyend up, all of these facultymembers will always have aplace to come back and visit.Ms. Zielinksi (left) and Ms. McAndrews are among the school‟s facultywho are either leaving or taking a new position at the school.

By David ButtMovie CriticI have tried to see previousentries of the Star Trek series,and I could not make itthrough five minutes of any ofthem: they were too boring.I wasn't too thrilled by theprospect of another one, butthis latest version blew mymind. It was filled with actionand comedy.One surprise is that LeonardNimoy reprises his roleas an old Spock in a way younever see coming.Featuring a new cast, StarTrek is the restart of the seriesthat trekkies have been waitingfor.MAGAZINEHoroscopesBy Allison BoleStaff WriterARIES - You seem to be worrying about little things, but you should really focus on the bigpicture.TAURUS - You do not know how powerful your words are, so be careful what you say andwho you are saying it to.GEMINI - You will start building great friendships with people who are very different fromyou. This will make you a more open person.CANCER - You have a lot of energy. You should put it into something you love to do or else itwill be wasted.LEO - You might find yourself disagreeing with the people around you. However, it is importantto have an understanding of another person's perspective.VIRGO - People are going to surprise you today with knowledge; you will learn a lot fromthem.LIBRA - Things might not be going your way right now, but that doesn't mean you shouldjust give up; sometimes it means you just need to work harder.SCORPIO - You might feel bored with your life right now, so try something new and exciting.SAGITTARIUS - If you are having a hard time accomplishing something, take a break andcome back to it.CAPRICORN - You might be facing some hard changes in your life, so it is important thatyou ask your friends and family for help if you need it.AQUARIUS - Something great will happen to you when you least expect it, so make the mostof it.PISCES - Making decisions might stress you out; remember to think about all the consequencesbefore you decide.Star Trek Boldly Goes WhereNo Prequel Has Gone BeforeThis movie tells the neverbefore seen story of how thecrew members of the U.S.S.Enterprise got there. It starsChris Pine as James T. Kirk,Zachary Quinto as Spock, KarlUrban as Dr. McCoy, SimonPegg as Montgomery Scott, ZoeSaldana as Uhura, and JohnCho as Sulu.It starts out with a Romulanship attacking the U.S.S.Kelvin after coming through ablack hole from the future.During the attack, the Captaingoes aboard the enemyship and is killed, leavingKirk's father as the captain.George Kirk's heroics alloweveryone to escape the ship,saving his wife and newbornson at the price of his life.Then the movie delvesinto the origins of Spockand Kirk up to the pointwhen they arrive on theEnterprise.After a fake distresssignal, the Start Fleet isalmost completely destroyedby the Romulans, but theEnterprise survives.The Romulans destroySpock's home planet andthe crew of the Enterprisehas to stop them from destroyingall of the Federation'sPlanets.Overall, this was a greatmovie, which I rate 4 out of5 stars.Page 5Horrible-ScopesBy Katie SchmitzStaff WriterARIES - Your love of microwavepopcorn will go too far,and you will die of radiationpoisoning.TAURUS - You will lose bothyour thumbs in a freak wiffleballaccident.GEMINI - H1N1 will kill everyonein the world besides youand Britney Spears.CANCER - Crazy Oompa-Loompas will hold you hostagein an igloo. In Canada.LEO - You will slam right intoan unusually flat wall. Yourface will look like a pancakefrom that point forth.VIRGO - Someone will put aroofie into your drink. You willwake up the opposite gender ofwhat you were before.LIBRA - You will get Leprosyand be exiled to a strange island.The other Leprous will notaccept you, though, because younever learned to ride a bike.SCORPIO - Instead of fulfillingyour life dream to become anaccountant, you will become anorgan pipe cleaner.SAGITTARIUS - You will dropout of college so that you canhelp a homeless women collectcans in New York.CAPRICORN - All the foodyou eat from now on will haveto be blended into sauce formand drenched in ketchup. Nobodyknows why this is.AQUARIUS - Instead of goingto college, you are forced tomove to Laos and teach littlechildren how to knit.PISCES - Your body will startto look like that octopus lady'son The Little Mermaid. Thatincludes the tentacles. Andhair.

Page 6Dancing the Night Away at PromProm Ready: Back row, from left: Jake Zucker, Ted Dorsz, Cameron Michell, JeremyRosenthal, Carl Kruse, Colin Reilly and Sam Sullivan. Front row, from left:Kate Lagos, Emily Williams, Alli Francis, Olivia Elberfeld, Katie Jennings, DominiqueMortelliti and Allison Bole.Monica Budzilowicz (left) andAvery Clark.Lucas Wagner,JustinCiccone,DillonRogers andMack Hamilton.Kate Walsh, Dominique Mortelliti andMariama Kamara.HOTSummer vacationsField dayFlip flopsHigh school promSummer jobsMargate, N.J.End of the school year partiesCalling freshmen "freshmen"Senior ProjectsEnd of the yearHot or NotBy Molly LevinthalNOTWinter ski tripsHomecomingUgg bootsProm Night the movieSummer day campsAvalon, N.J.End of summer partiesCalling freshmen "fresh-meat"Philabundance tripsExamsPaul’s Sudoku ChallengePuzzle by Paul WoodwardAnswers on Page 10

Retro Games Make Surprising ReturnBy Paul WoodwardStaff WriterRecently there has been aresurgence of older games andfads becoming popular all overagain. Even here at Woodlyndethis phenomenon is happening.Pokemon is returning, andMario is making a comeback,as well.It's almost as if we've goneback in time to the early daysof the NES (Nintendo EntertainmentSystem) when SuperMario Bros 3 was released andbecame one of the best sellinggames of all time. Here aresome games that, if you wishto take part in this return ofretro-gaming, I would recommend.The Gameboy Advance andthe Nintendo DS are idealplaces to look for re-releases ofold games. Several years ago,Nintendo released a series ofgames for the Gameboy Advancethat were ports (a gamethat has been reprogrammedto run on a different consolethan it originally was designedfor) of various NESgames (like Legend of Zelda,Mario Bros, etc).Nintendo has also releasedports of Super MarioWorld and Super Mario Bros3 on the Gameboy Advance.Unfortunately, they decidedto add things to the originalgames (or in the case of SuperMario World, cut things out),which takes the classic feelaway for people who playedPage 7the original versions of thosegames and have very fondmemories of them.There is also a new SuperMario Bros for the NintendoDS, and I recommendgiving that game a try.Recently, it was confirmedthat Nintendo is remakingPokemon Gold andPokemon Silver. It is likelythat the remakes will bereleased at the end of thisyear or sometime early nextyear.Conor Oberst and Crew Create Catchy CD.By Allison DionMusic CriticConor Oberst and The MysticValley Band is a group ofguys whom I only recently discovered.I came across themwhile searching iTunes, andthe name Conor Oberstsounded very familiar to me.The name might sound familiarto you, as well.Prior to creating the MysticValley Band, Oberst was amember of the popular indierockband, Bright Eyes. I was afan of Bright Eyes, so I figuredI might like his new band, aswell.At first, I was slightlyshocked, because this style isvery different from his BrightEyes days, but it soon began togrow on me.Bright Eyes is a slow, indie/altrock album. OuterSouth, Oberst‟s album with hisnew band, consists of fasterbeats. His voice has changed,as well. In Bright Eyes,Oberst‟s voice had a quiet, falteringwaver, and now it ismuch louder and more confident.Outer South is the thirdalbum by CO&TMVB. It wasreleased earlier this month,and is probably one of my favoritealbums right now.Outer South is a rock albumthat tends to lean moretowards classic rock, but alsohas a little country feel in it."Slowly (Oh So Slowly)" ismy personal favorite. Others Ilike are "Air Mattress" and"Nickorette." I like these songs,and the others on the album,because they are catchy andeasy to sing along to. Also, ifyou listen to the lyrics in eachsong, you will find that thewords are very interesting.With lyrics like, “Don’t gottime for this cuckoo clock”, and“There’s nothing more sadthan a lynching mob” , you canreally enjoy listening to thestrange words throughout themusic.Overall, I think this albumis outstanding and would giveit an eight out of 10. So, allyou rock fans out there, this isone album you can‟t pass up.Fashion Show Filled with Style(From left) Morgan Watson. Caroline Mosher, Katie Schmitz and Molly Hicks modeltheir student-designed clothing.Photos by Jonte’ McLean

Page 8Informer StaffEditors in Chiefat LargeJerome BaileyBen GrantEditor in ChiefKatie JenningsNews Editor at LargeRadha RajaSports Editor at LargeMatthew BorrelliLayout Editor at LargeSammy ApfelbaumPhotography Editorat LargeEmma LipschutzWriters/ArtistsAllison BoleEli FisherJake ZuckerSam SullivanPaul WoodwardMack HamiltonCharlie BrombergSam SeidmanRachael GrallnickJesse StergeMark MullanyNicky SaltzmanAllison DionMolly LevinthalDevon HamwrightDavid ButtConor PiersonKatie SchmitzPhotographersJonte‟ McLeanJulia McMahonDominique MortellitiMatt AllenLayout StaffDavid AlonsoFaculty AdvisorMr. GelmanAdvisor-At-LargeMrs. ByrnePhotography AdvisorMs. SchroederLayout/ Design AdvisorMrs. RottingerAdditional Faculty AdvisorsMrs. Riehl — PhotographyMs. DeLiberty — DistributionNutritional SupportMrs. FisherWord on The StreetSmilies :(, Bathroom Cowards andOther Hated ThingsBy Sam SullivanColumnistSmilies :(There's nothing I hate morethan someone texting a series ofletter, colons and parenthesesthat I have to jerk my head tothe left for to figure out they'reupset. If you're really that sad,then send me a picture of yourface with a big fat frown on it,ya wuss.Smart CarsIt bewilders me how peopledrive around all happy anddon't seem to realize they'resitting in a toy from SharperImage grinning like an idiot. Ican't imagine what motivatessomeone to buy such an obnoxiouslysad automobile. Sometimes,I really consider just runninginto the street and knockingit over, just to watch it tumbleonto the sidewalk.NickelsThe 5 cent coin -- oh, how Idespise it. I want to meet thefool who decided that a nickelshould be larger than a dime,just so I can let him know howmuch sheer frustration hecauses the United States'change system.It's sort of like a mean joke,especially when nickels are confusedas quarters. Every so often,I find myself shedding aThe InformerWoodlynde School445 Upper Gulph RoadStrafford, PA 19087tear because I'm 20 cents shortat that gum ball machine. All Ican say is if Thomas Jeffersonsaw the disrespect the U.S.Treasury gave him, he'd besome kinda pissed.Bathroom CowardsYou know how sometimeswhen you're using a singlepersonbathroom, someonepolitely knocks in case yourbrilliant mind forgot to lock thedoor?Except you're speechless.Then the locked door rattles --only for this person to figureout you're too scared to sayanything.God forbid you have to admitthat you're a human beingand have this thing called astomach that needs to becleared out from time to time.I hate you wimps. SeriouslyI pity you. If you're too afraidto openly claim the lavatories,I can only imagine what elseyou're self-conscious about.Out of the kindness of myheart I'm going to do you peoplea service; the next time wefind ourselves in this situation,I'm going to bash down thedoor, grab your hand and tellyou, "It's ok," „cause I'm herefor you.Pickle HatersPickles are quite a controversialsnack. There's no suchthing as mixed feelings aboutThe Informer welcomes all input, including letters tothe editor. Please send e-mails to the faculty advisor,Mr. Gelman, at Gelman@woodlynde.orgThe Informer reserves the right to edit letters forsize and content.pickles; they're a hate or lovefood.Now it's fine with me if youdislike these treats -- I personallyadore the little guys. Butif you're in front of me atMcDonald‟s and you exclaimthat if there's a pickle on yourburger you're going to sue, I'llimmediately shove the biggest,juiciest, most vinegary greenthing I can find straight downyour throat.Day 6Seven periods, but only sixdays; that's a tease. Plus, welose 15 minutes of X-Block. Iguess whoever designed theschedule thought they coulddemonstrate their power bycutting Day 7; sounds to melike someone's compensatingfor something...The Lunch LineSystemLast, but most certainlynot least, the Woodlynde lunchline. It causes so much hate inmy life.I bet the freshman class isa stand-up group of kids, butwhen I see them enjoyingtheir lunch while I've got nothingin front of me, I kind oflose it.It also messes up myfriendships with the teacherswho call advisories, and that'snot cool. Nothing ruins a daylike getting your lunch last.Corrections~ A photograph of JeremyWilson playing piano duringthe Talent Show thatwas displayed in the Informer’sApril editionshould have been creditedto Photographer Matt Allen.The Informer regretsthe error.

OPINIONPage 9End of Year Brings Many ChangesBy Mariama KamaraColumnistIt's time again, Woodlynde students,for the year to come to an end. Examswill crowd your brains; teachers willhand out final assessments; and face it,your mind will start to drift off.Freshmen are thankful for gettingthrough their first grueling year of highschool, and losing their low-status title.Sophomores will think about earningthe precious title of becoming upperclassmen, and getting closer to college.Juniors' egos will start to increase, asthey enter the Golden Year known assenior year. Although this is all valuableand exciting news, it seems that the mostimportant class this year has been leftout.How soon do we forget about our presentday seniors? Students get so wound up intheir own personal tasks that they forget thatthis is the time to cherish the class of 2009.Soon the hallways will not have that sameenthusiasm that the class of 2009 broughteach and every day. Their presence in ourmorning assemblies, lunch periods and afternoonsporting events will be lost. Soon theinside jokes and popular songs of their yearwill be replaced by a new class.Although we do not realize the impactthey have on all of our lives while they arewith us, we will miss them. Whether theywere teaching us how to make a half courtshot, or make a dress out of something otherthan fabric, or giving advice on the SAT, theirvoices and actions have impacted each of ourlives.As said before, time is running out.Do not hold back; who knows the nexttime you all will see each other? Thankour seniors for the great years or yearsof excitement they have brought intoyour life.I know, personally, some of the seniorshelped give me the confidence torun for Student Council. They encouragedme to continue basketball, eventhough I am not that great.No matter what the advice, the seniorshave always strived to encouragetheir fellow classmates to go beyondyour own personal expectations. This isthe time to appreciate our seniors, andalso never let them forget the truefriends they have made with us here atWoodlynde School.What’s The WordWhat are your plans for the summer?Photos and Interviews by Conor Kennedy"Right now I plan to work at agolf course."~ Mack Hamilton, 11th grade"I go to the shore alot."~ Kevin Kelly, 9thgrade"I have a job and I am going toplay soccer."~ Ben Ludwick, 10th grade"I have a job, I'm going birdwatching,I'm going to the shore, and I'mgoing to Maine."~ Tereza Olson, 10th grade"I am going to asleepaway camp."~ John Chagares,9th grade

Page 10Girls‟ Softball Suffers Difficult SeasonBy David AlonsoStaff WriterThe Girls' Varsity Softball team was falling apart this season.With a final record of 1-8, the players grew frustrated as the seasonprogressed."Our only win was because Mercy forfeited," said junior MonikaBudzilowicz, who rolled her eyes when asked if the team had wonany games."Thank God for the mercy rule!" interrupted junior SarahCrawford, who is friends with most of the team.Instead of focusing on the betterment of the team, some playerswere more interested in things that did not even relate to softball."The Radnor team just bought bright pink bras with 'GoingDown' [written] on them and they're wearing white shirts today,"one of the players said, when asked how the team couldimprove next year.For this season, the Varsity Softball team did not haveenough players to fill all of the positions in the field, unlessthey "stole" players from the middle school team.When asked how she felt about the team‟s only win, juniorKate Lagos said, "It's kind of pathetic, but okay.""We've had a rough couple of games, but it can only makeus stronger and work much harder next year," said CoachHeather Mager.Junior Captain Emily Williams said, “We got off to arough start, but the last game was good.”Boys’ Varsity LacrosseHuddle up! The lacrosse team gets together for a final cheer beforegame action.Sudoku AnswerPuzzle on Page 4Photos byDominique MortellitiSeth Acquarolo, under pressure, races with theball upfield.Sandwiched: Woodlynde lacrosse players (from left) John DelOrefice, TerrenceIves and Ted Dorsz are on the attack.

Tennis Swings into ActionPage 11Athletic BanquetAward WinnersGirls' Varsity SoccerMVP - Kate LagosMIP - Amanda SnyterSophomore Jonnie Singleton playednumber one singles for the tennis teamand was the team‟s MVP.Freshman Fritz Gustafsson digs out aball during a recent practice. Fritz, who isleaving Woodlynde to move to Russia, willbe missed for his friendly demeanor.Photos byJonte’ McLeanGirls' Varsity LacrosseMVP- Dominique MortellitiCross CountryMVP - Conor PiersonMIP - Steven EarhartGirls' Varsity VolleyballMVP - Kate WalshMIP - Stephanie RothAbove the Net Award - Dominique MortellitiVarsity SoccerMVP - Colin ReillyMIP - Eli FisherHeart of the Lion Award - Ben GrantGirls' Varsity BasketballMVP- Sarah EngmanMIP- Kate WalshHigh Blue Chuck Award - Kate LagosBoys' Varsity BasketballCo-MVPs - Ben Grant and DimmingJonesMIP - Carl KruseHigh Black Chuck Award - Ron BurrellGirls' Varsity SoftballMVP - Emily WilliamsMIP - Katie GallagherBring It Award - Julia AvartTennisMVP - Jonnie SingletonMIP - Austin FairNewcomer Austin Fair was theteam‟s Most Improved Player.Junior Mack Hamilton stretches for a return.Boys' Varsity LacrosseMVP - Colin ReillyMIP - Ryan LishonYoung Gunner Award - Barrett Francis~ Compiled by Ben GrantGirls’ Lacrosse: Struggling for SurvivalJunior Allison Bole, a newcomer to the team, duringwarm-ups.Catch: (From left): Lauren Fabiano, Hailey Van Schaick and LaurenSitarchuk practice before a recent game. Photos by Dominique Mortelliti

Sports MonthlyBoys‟ Lacrosse Falls Just Short in PlayoffsBy Ben GrantCo-Editor-in-Chief at LargeThe Boys' Varsity Lacrosse team suffereda crushing, 4-3 defeat to Valley Forge MilitaryAcademy in the first round of the Tri-County League playoffs on May 18.The teams had met just two days before,in the last game of the regular season. It wasnot surprising Woodlynde lost that game, 7-Is Girls‟ Lacrosse History?By Jake ZuckerStaff WriterThe 2009 Girls‟ Varsity Lacrosseteam, without a doubt, had a rebuildingyear. With zero wins and six losses,some of the girls will say that this yearwas anything but fun.But not junior Kate Walsh.“This season we had many new playerson the team,” Kate said. “But thebest part about it was we played welltogether, and stayed as a team, eventhough we weren‟t winning any games.We will come back next year strongerand better.”But will they come back next year?There has been some talk that Woodlyndewill not have a Girls‟ Lacrosse2, because they never played with intensity:they were just out hustled and outworked.This time around, the team came outfocused; when the score was 2-0, ValleyForge -- and the game appeared to begoing south -- the Warriors respondedwith renewed effort.The Warriors scored three goals overthe second and third quarters. The firstPhoto by Dominique MortellitiFull Steam Ahead: Jake Zucker fights through pressure from a Valley Forge defender.team next year. Athletic Director JohnWhite gave great insights for the future ofgirl‟s lacrosse at Woodlynde.“I want to keep it going. If it means Ineed to make a skills building team, thenthat‟s fine …“The problem is having enough playersfor a team next year. We need to identifythe girls that are interested, and get them[started practicing lacrosse] in the winter,”White said.It looks like it comes down to havingenough players to make a team.It seems that if Woodlynde can pick upmore committed girls, then a team nextyear should happen. And after watching acouple close games in which the teamnearly won, it appears that if there is aPage 12came from a quick pass from JakeZucker to Langston Smart, whoscored the team‟s first goal of thegame. This seemed to get Woodlynderolling, as Jake then scored a goal himself.Then freshman Barrett Francisgot his foot on a ball in front of ValleyForge‟s goal, and pushed Woodlyndeup, 3-2, with a quarter and a half to go.Woodlynde played solid defense inthe fourth quarter, but to no avail;they conceded two goals and lost, 4-3.Their offensive intensity seemed tohave fizzled out.“It‟s a tough way to end,” said seniorcaptain Terrence Ives. Terrencehad let it all hang out in the game,playing intense defense and puttingplenty of Valley Forge players on theground. He even took the ball down theentire field in the last few minutes andset up a good opportunity for Jake, butJake missed wide.“We fought hard; I wish I couldhave two more chances at those goals.If my shoulder had been 100 percent, Ithink could have stopped a few of thegoals,” said a rather dejected ColinReilly, Woodlynde's goalie.Colin finished with 11 saves.“I think this was a good steppingstone for next year," the junior added."Losing Terrence is not good, but therest of the team returns intact, so Ithink this should help us for nextyear.”next season, their record will be a differentstory.SeventhgraderHaileyVan Schaickbefore one ofthe team‟sfinal games.Photo byDominiqueMortelliti.More photos onpage 11.