Photo By Noah Sprock - Shady Side Academy

Volume 104, No. 2
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Pittsburgh, PA
Run run reindeer. The boys of Concert Choir channel their inner Beach Boys.
S HADY SID E
Winter concert offers variety
By Tara Lee
SSA’s music ensembles performed a
one hour concert during assembly
Wednesday, December 7 for the entire
Senior School student body. This was
a fantastic opportunity for those students
not involved in Shady Side’s music
programs to listen to their fellow
classmates perform.
Dr. Dan Brill said, “I think it went
really well. It was a lot of fun for
everyone: the audience, the performers,
and everyone. I think we should do
this concert because it is a great opportunity
to do lighter, more fun pieces,
and showcase everyone’s talent. We
should keep doing this concert; it’s a lot
of fun.”
Dr. Brill directed the string orchestra,
chamber choir, and concert choir.
The string orchestra played a special
arrangement of “Greensleeves” that
brought in some melodic aspects from
“Carol of the Bells.”
Ready, Set, Go! Would be winners the Camo
Crew get ready for their third place run.
Physics phun: Go, cart, go!
By Jenna Hebert
While most students had candy and
costumes on the brain this past frigid
Halloween morning, Shady Side’s Physics
II students were showcasing the
products of their annual cart project that
they had been working hard on for over
a month.
The students had to build a cart by
hand with working steering, brakes, and
odometer. They were faced with a series
of challenges including steering around
orange traffic cones, driving their cars a
specified distance using a homemade
odometer, and racing from Rowe to the
campus entrance.
Students had to harness their creativity
as well. Themes for the cars ranged
from Batmobile to Breast Cancer Awareness,
from the “Camo Crew” to a fire
truck with a working siren and hose.
While most of the teams were very
successful in the obstacle course (nine
out of ten teams completed the course
The orchestra presented three movements
from a difficult Bartok Romanian
Dance. “The chords are bizarre,” exclaims
Kelsey Broker, “But it’s a really
fun piece of music.”
The chamber choir sang “Have Yourself
a Merry Little Christmas,” arranged
by Dr. Brill, and “Deck the Halls” arranged
by James McKelvy in 7/8 meter,
instead of the traditional 4/4 meter.
Chamber choir member Paul
Steenkiste exclaimed, “I channeled my
inner gospel singer, and rocked that
thang.”
The concert choir also sang “O Come
Emmanuel” and the Lennon and
McCartney song “From Me to You.”
Stan Nevola directed the Concert,
Symphonic, and Jazz bands. The Concert
Band performed a James Bond tune
and a Christmas Eve selection.
The Symphonic band played a West
Side Story medley and an English Christmas
medley which may not have been as
without touching a single cone), the
odometer reading proved to be much
more challenging.
In order to get full credit for this
event, teams were given a distance and
had to drive that distance using their
odometers. Only three out of ten teams
drove within five percent of the given
distance, and five teams managed to go
distances that were within ten percent.
As for the race down the front hill,
the Camo Crew of Rachel Diehl, Katie
Natoli, and Conor Hannon emerged the
victors, but with a ten-second penalty
they were pushed to third place, with
the Yellow Submarine team of Alexis
Allen, Elisa Ogot, and Gregg Hardie
taking home the first place title and the
Red Bull team in second place.
Mark Skinner, the teacher of both
Physics II sections, was happy with the
cart project this year. “The cart project
is a nice way to tie together the units on
kinematics (the study of objects in mo-
NEWS
Photo by Noah Sprock
familiar as traditional Christmas music.
The Jazz Ensemble performed
“Spain” by Chick Corea, one of the most
difficult selections in the group’s repertoire
because of a highly rhythmic section,
and “Embraceable You” by the
Gershwin Brothers.
Senior Max Kaplan said, “I was impressed
at Tory’s solo, despite the
poorly timed broken guitar string. I also
LOVED the robes.”
Featuring vocalist Ginger White, the
jazz combo finished with “Armando’s
Rumba,” also a Chick Corea piece.
Spectator Maggie Leech said, “I liked
Brian Hannon and Morgan Dively
rockin’ the Beach Boys’ ‘Little Saint
Nick.’ I also thought that Ginger’s
original lyrics were awesome.”
Tom Colt said, “I’m so glad everyone
got to see all the groups. Ideally,
more people would come to the evening
concerts, but at least now they know
what they’re missing!”
To the Batmobile! Senior Ben Hartz’s cart gains
momentum as it coasts downhill.
tion) and forces (the pushes and pulls
that cause those motions). There were
some quite creatively designed and extremely
well built carts this year - a
couple trikes, a recumbent style racer,
several wood based traditional soap box
style cars and a few vehicles built off of
welded steel frames.”
He noted that building a car wasn’t
the only element of the project. Students
had to do write-ups that “emphasized
the concepts behind the theoretical
performance of their vehicles.”
Physics II student Lia Farrell noted
about the project, “While it was frustrating
to design and build the cart (four
teenage girls with power tools doesn’t
always work out), witnessing our cart’s
success was extremely gratifying.”
It was a successful morning, especially
because, as Mr. Skinner remarked,
there was “only one crash this year, so
it was a good day of racing, and I think
most students enjoyed the project.”
Photos by Lindsay Kovach
Think Think Think Think Think
snow! snow! snow! snow! snow!
ASB set for New Orleans
By Tess Rosenbloom
Last March, a group of seven SSA
students traveled to Camden, New Jersey
to participate in a community service
oriented trip. Plans are being finalized
for another trip during spring break,
this time to New Orleans, Louisiana.
“This year, I hope that the cultural
aspect will come into play more, as New
Orleans is a very exciting city, and this
will be a great opportunity to explore it,”
says Alex Levy, who co-organized and
led the trip last year.
Alex explained that “the idea of ASB
(alternative spring break) is to provide
service opportunities within the US and
outside of Pittsburgh, as that seems to be
something that has been overlooked. By
doing this, we hope to give students an
opportunity to learn more about how
people are living within our country, and
also form close relationships with other
participants.”
Camara Copeland, a senior who participated
in last year’s trip, says, “It was
nice to hang out and get to know others
without the rush of school. Everyone
was working for a greater purpose, and
everyone was there for the right reasons.
It was a lot of fun.”
The upcoming trip is set to take place
March 18-24, and will cost approximately
$850. One of the chaperones will
be Aaron Ashworth, and a second is still
being searched for. Senior school students
from all forms are welcome to
apply.
So as you start to form plans for over
spring break, think about doing something
out of the box. “Students should
consider ASB because it is a unique
opportunity, and will be both a fun and
rewarding way to spend time off of
school!” says Alex.
Poet POWER! Matt Hacke and Sam Goodman pose with Naomi Nye.
Interview with Naomi Nye
By Samantha Goodman
Shady Side Academy is very excited
about the recent visit of internationally
recognized poet, anthologist and educator
Naomi Shihab Nye.
Nye was born to an American mother
and a Palestinian father, and grew up in
St. Louis, Palestine, Jerusalem, and San
Antonio. She has spent the past 37
years travelling the world to teach writing
workshops and promote global benevolence.
Nye worked with students and teachers
in workshops, presentations, and
readings on all three SSA campuses
December 7-9. The Senior School wel-
comed Nye, the author of the all-school
summer reading book I’ll Ask You Three
Times, Are You Ok? on December 9 for
a day including an assembly,and writing
workshops for underform, as well as
advanced students.
I had the opportunity to sit down
with Ms. Nye to learn more about her.
SG: Why did you start to write and
when did you know this is what you
wanted to do?
NN: I was lucky enough to be read to
by my mother and father long before I
even went to school.
(See Interview, Page Four)
Photo by Noah Sprock
Snowball Attendees Ski the Swiss Alps
Senior School students attended the Academy’s annual
Snowball on December 3. Along with the theme “Ski the Swiss
Alps,” the fun festivities of the night included a chocolate
fountain, fire pit, stuffed animals, a Wii competition, and of
course,dancing. Music was provided by Shady Side alumni
Asher Saperstein, Nick Rossi, and Nick Ciesielski.

2
Opinions
Shady Side News
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
CUP runneth over: a failing tradition
By Christopher Miller
When we all look back on our
time here at Shady Side Academy,
I am sure there will be things that
we will always remember, things
that we just don’t remember, and
things that we only wish we could
forget. One aspect of Shady Side
that I am sure many of us will remember,
myself included, is the
idea of tradition here at SSA.
Shady Side has been in existence
for 128 years, and within those
128 years we have established a lot
of traditions. Our homecoming lasts
an entire weekend, not just one
night like many other schools
around. We have community assemblies
every Monday and Friday.
Every SSA student is involved
in some type of athletics
while here, and at the end of each
year the seniors are allowed to sleep
on the quad with their fellow classmates
to wind down their time at
the Academy. Lastly, we wear formal
dress to graduation instead of
the traditional cap and gown.
These are just some of the many
traditions that we have here at
Shady Side that many other schools
don’t have. Simply put, it is traditions
like these that help make us
different from everyone else.
With that said, there is one tradition
that I would like to take some
time to talk about. The tradition
that I am referring to is CUP.
As everyone knows, CUP has
been a polarizing issue, generating
mixed feelings among the student
body over the past few years. Some
people absolutely love participat-
ing in CUP activities, while others
don’t.
I decided that I would use my first
term Stats project to evaluate the
true attitudes of the student body
towards CUP, as a way to gauge the
success of this tradition, by asking
two simple questions: How do you
rate Cup, Very Good, Good, Ok, Bad,
or Very Bad? I then asked how many
hours students wished to spend on
CUP-related activities per year, given
the choice between 0 hours and 30
hours.
Going into this experiment, I hypothesized
that the sophomores
would rate CUP the best, followed
by juniors and then seniors who I
thought would have mostly negative
comments towards CUP. The
freshmen were unable to participate
in my study because at the time, we
had not had our first CUP event of
the year.
By the end of this project, I had
realized two things, the first being
2012 Presidential
Election Preview
By Anthony Costa
The 2012 Presidential election is
considered by political pundits to be one
of the most important in 50 years. And
although under our first African American
president’s leadership there have
been landmark achievements including
healthcare legislation and the deaths of
Bin Laden and Gaddhafi, the high unemployment
rate and federal debt have
many Americans worried about their
futures, as well as questioning what
America will look like for their children
if good decisions are not made within the
next four years.
Rasmussen and other polls from
November 14-20 show President Obama
with a 40-43% approval rating, up from
his lowest level (38%) on November 13.
It would seem that this would be a time
ripe for a Republican victory, but one
thing is clear: nothing at this time is
predictable or easily won by a consensus.
The failure of the supercommittee to
agree on deficit cutting measures offers
the latest reminder that the country’s
politicians seem unable to address national
problems even when faced with an
immediate crisis.
Congress seems unable to compromise,
even after they have seen the
downgrading of our top-tier AAA credit
rating due to the political battle of the
debt ceiling that took the country to the
brink of default and created the great
hope vested in the supercommittee.
The Republican Party, which should
have an advantage based on President
Obama’s approval ratings, is experiencing
a rollercoaster of ups and downs in
approval ratings of their own candidates.
Ever since Donald Trump fired
everyone on his political staff and discontinued
his election pursuits, a clear
front runner has yet to emerge for the
GOP.
Although Mitt Romney should
have a sustaining lead based on the
fact that he has been campaigning for
five years and has the funds to continue,
he has been upstaged first by
Michelle Bachman then by Rick Perry
and recently by Herman Cain and
now, based on his ability to perform
in the debates, Newt Gingrich.
Amidst the sexual harassment allegations
against Cain, it seems that the most
likely candidate of the party will eventually
be either Romney or Gingrich.
Considering Gingrich’s long history of
lobbying and personal issues involving
his many marriages, there seems to be a
bumpy road ahead for him, especially
since he carries a high negative rating
among general voters.
But with all the attention on the
Republican Primary, Obama’s campaign
has really started to gear up for the 2012
election. It has been busy reconnecting
and galvanizing old supporters while
simultaneously targeting new ones.
In a recent speech in San Francisco,
Obama admitted he was well aware of
the fact that all of his young supporters
might not show this time around; “It’s
not as trendy to be an Obama supporter
as it was back in 2008.” Furthermore,
Jim Messina, a key executive on his
campaign, concedes, “This election is
going to be a lot closer this time.”
One does question the timing of President
Obama’s new executive order to
make it easier for students to repay their
federal student loans. Is he trying to
shore up his youth vote? Regardless of
Obama’s motivation, without a clear
GOP candidate and 150 million to work
with, there is still a profound sense of
optimism in the Obama campaign.
Obama professes, “We made a lot of
change, but we’ve got a lot more work to
do.” And he plans to be around for four
more years to implement that change,
exemplified by his opening of a campaign
office in all 50 states.
Nothing is yet clear about the 2012
Presidential Election other than that the
next President will need to try and solve
issues of private and public sector jobs
while developing a strategy to decrease
the federal deficit.
There is also the recognition that we
are now in a global economy. Whoever
is elected, his or her performance and the
U.S. economy will be influenced by the
economies in Europe and around the
globe. Everyone—Republicans, Democrats,
as well as nations—must seek to
compromise in a way that is mutually
beneficial, realizing that the road to success
starts with compromise.
that my partner and I had put together
a great Stats project that did
indeed accomplish our original goal
of determining the true attitudes of
Shady Side sophomores, juniors,
and seniors towards CUP. The
second thing I realized was that I
am not very good at drawing inferences.
I say this because the data
indicated the exact opposite of
what I had expected it to prove.
As it turned out, the seniors I
surveyed gave the highest ratings,
and falling closely behind them
were the juniors, and lastly, the
sophomores. The sophomores
were the least supporting of CUP,
giving very low ratings.
Now, I know what you’re thinking:
so what’s my point? Well, to
answer your question, my point is,
based on this data, CUP seems to
be slowly declining year after year
if those with the earliest memories
of their experience rate it higher
than those whose experience is
more recent. As for why the opinions
of CUP are becoming lower as
the years progress, that is something
that I cannot answer. However,
I can tell you that CUP was
once a fun tradition that was enjoyed
by all the students at the
Academy, which leads me to believe
that there is a definite possibility
that CUP can be restored to
the incredibly fun Shady Side Academy
activity that it once was.
Change, although it is something
that many people despise, is something
that must happen in order to
make CUP the best that it can be for
both present and future students.
By Yuval Ben-David
Jeffrey Eugenides’ The Marriage Plot
is a book straining so much toward realism
that it takes you with it to the bathroom—
and to the library, too. What’s interesting,
then, is that in many ways The Marriage
Plot is a book about the chutzpa it takes
to flush Jane Austen down the toilet.
The titular “marriage plot” is the subject
of the senior thesis written by
Madeleine, the novel’s sprightly, preppy
heroine who majors in English at Brown
and whose theme song could be that
Avenue Q number my own parents lullaby
me with: “What Do You Do With a B.A.
in English?”
Indirectly, Madeleine’s exploration
of the “marriage plot”— the novelistic
device made of the mating dance in nineteenth-century
novels, and, according to
Madeleine’s thesis advisor, the mandatory
device for the novel form— asks a
similarly soul-searching question: has the
sexual revolution killed the novel?
The Marriage Plot brashly offers itself
as proof that the novel is alive and
well. But with an ending as tin-eared and
indecisive as postmodern heartthrobs,
it’s hard to see why. Entire chapters are
neutered of the lyricism that marked
Eugenides’ debut, The Virgin Suicides, a
short, standoffish chronicle of suburban
obsession (think American Beauty), as
well as his epically proportioned, Pultizer
Prize-winning Middlesex, adventurously
narrated in the voice of a Greek-American
hermaphrodite.
Having tackled voyeurism and hermaphroditism
in those books, Eugenides’
career has no doubt capitalized on sexual
frankness. But his double-take on the
sexual revolution with The Marriage Plot
shouldn’t surprise. You see, in the
1980s—Madeleine graduates in 1982, a
year before Eugenides did, also from
Brown—the sexual revolution took on
strange forms with nerds:
“Almost overnight,” writes Eugenides,
“it became laughable to read writers like
Cheever or Updike, who wrote about the
suburbia Madeleine and most of her friends
had grown up in, in favor of reading the
Marquis de Sade.e. The reason de Sade
was preferable was that his shocking sex
scenes weren’t about sex but politics.
They were therefore anti-imperialist, antibourgeois,
anti-patriarchal, and anti-everything
a smart young feminist should be
against.”
Literary theory, then a recent import
CUP Day Hoopla
Senior School students participated in the first CUP Day of the
year October 26. Activities included quiz games, dance-offs
and capture the flag. Current standings are tight: Elsworth has
280, Morewood 310, Aiken 320, and Bayard leads with 330.
from Europe, was sexy, its grammatically
obscene contents— replete with neologisms,
gaudily abstruse—garbled in the
transatlantic French kiss. Something between
nonsense and genius was being
dabbled in by hordes of leather jacketed
PhDs. Call it a studied swagger.
“Madeleine’s love troubles had begun
at a time when the French theory she was
reading deconstructed the very notion of
love.” The deconstruction Eugenides
alludes to is the methodical unraveling of
texts (or, more precisely, the exposition
of their own self-subversion) as innovated
by Jacques Derrida; interestingly,
his ideas rest on the notion that it takes at
least three to tango—that binaries never
hold up.
And at its most basic level, this is also
the gist of Eugenides’ own “marriage
plot,” which charts the love triangle of
which Madeleine is the hypotenuse.
Vying for her love are brilliant, manicdepressive
Leonard Bankhead, and
Mitchell Grammaticus, Eugenides’
doppelganger (and, eerily, David
Jimenez’s ’11, whom I miss dearly).
After a stint in the mental hospital—
here Eugenides’ description is uncommonly
desiccated— Leonard heads to
Cape Cod for a research fellowship.
Mitchell, meanwhile, scours Europe for
girls, and India for God. Mother Teresa
makes a guest appearance; her skin, at
least, is more wizened than the paragraph
that sketches it.
The Marriage Plot recounts a love
story, but isn’t a book about love. It’s
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SHADY SIDE All
NEWS
Photos courtesy of the Academian
Book review: The Marriage Plot
about growing up, or failing to, and doing
so with books on hand. It’s telling that the
novel opens on the heroes’ college graduation,
and that the opening paragraph is an
inventory of Madeleine’s library.
But while that inventory is conservative
at best—”a lot of Dickens, a smidgen
of Trollope, along with good helpings of
Austen, George Eliot, and the redoubtable
Brontë sisters”—The Marriage Plot
is anything but. It’s a self-reflexive book,
a book about other books and the book
that it itself should be (ironically, Derrida’s
premise was that all books are about other
books). This is a book subtly, hypocritically
reveling in all the postmodern gymnastics
whose theoretical sidekicks, in the
form of Derrida & co., it flattens as satire.
Yes, postmodern gymnastics—and this
book has overstretched.
the news
that fits,
we print
Published by Shady Side Academy
423 Fox Chapel Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15238 TEL: 412-968-3000
The Shady Side News welcomes responses and opinions from students, faculty,
and readers. All letters must be signed. News reserves the right to edit for content
if libelous statements are involved. If necessary, letters will be edited for length.
Editors-in-Chief...Yuval Ben-David, Matthew Hacke, Christopher Miller, David Steiner
News Editors...............................................................Anita Jain, Adi Krupski
Asst. News Editors.........................................................................Alec Brown
Features Editor ......... Shamika Dighe, Samantha Goodman, Tess Rosenbloom
Sports Editors..........................................................................Samantha Green
Opinions Editors................................................Anthony Costa, Ayesha Shah
Photo Editor................................................................................. Noah Sprock
Layout Editors.......................................................................Caitlin O’Connell
Faculty Advisors.................................................Suzanne Belles, Angela Irvine

Taste testers. Kate Van Horn, Nural Abd Salim Nast, and Sylvie
Lee concoct icy confections in the science lab on November 30.
By Paul Steenkiste
Although you would never know it
just by looking at me, I am an exceptionally
effeminate man. Beneath the layers
of rippling muscle and manly chest hair,
my heart is actually quite tender: I secretly
love Glee, Gossip Girl, Sisterhood
of the Traveling Pants (the book AND the
movie), and pictures of Justin Bieber
holding small puppies.
Therefore, when I heard that the newest
installment of the Twilight Saga was
coming out, it was not a stretch for me to
think that I might enjoy it, even though I
only had a vague idea of what the series
was about. I resolved to find an excuse,
any excuse, to see it while retaining the
dignity of the Y-chromosome.
At the SSA News meeting, God blessed
me with a gift: Matt Hacke’s sweet, singsong
voice suggesting someone review a
movie. Ravenously seizing the opportunity,
I signed up, my heart light at the
thought of 300 square feet of tweenage
drama.
After what seemed years of waiting,
the day finally came. I had convinced my
sister Liesje and Noah Harchelroad to
come with me, saying, “Well shucky
darns, I have to review this terrible movie.
But it might be fun to go as a joke; wanna
join?”
We got to the theater, hid behind my
sister as she got the tickets (Noah and I
didn’t want the attractive female behind
the counter to laugh at us), and went in,
dodging the throngs of giddy girls and
reluctant boyfriends. After multiple commercials
for Bod Men’s Body Spray and
a few thuds of fainting girls, the lights
dimmed and the movie began.
What followed then I will remember
forever as the greatest hour and fortyeight
minutes of my life.
It was all that I had expected, all that I had
hoped, all that I had dreamed, and much,
much more. Words escape me as I try to
explain the catharsis I experienced, the sheer
joy that permeated every pore of my being,
filling my heart with the sweet, golden
ambrosia of the Hollywood Gods.
It had everything that I, a closet Taylor
Swift fan, could ever want: the sweet
embrace of star-crossed lovers, the enthralling
tension of two competing suitors,
the fiery passion and broken banisters
of a gloriously breathtaking honeymoon
were all present.
My only regret, about which I assure
you I will be writing to Bill Condon, the
genius director of this masterpiece, is that
Taylor Lautner only took off his shirt
once, for about five seconds in the opening
scene of the movie.
The greatest thing about this movie is
how incredibly relatable it is. While I was
there, I was Edward, watching Bella walk
towards me down the aisle. I was Jacob,
feeling the pain and anguish of seeing my
beloved in the warmth of another’s embrace.
I was Renesmeé, viciously sucking
my mother’s blood as I killed her from the
inside out.
Unfortunately, I got a call with about
ten minutes left, so I don’t really know
how it ended. But I am sure it was as
transcendently miraculous as the rest of
it was.
Walking out of the theater in a daze, I
became outraged at the conversations I
overheard. “That was the worst movie
I’ve ever seen!” and “Biggest waste of
$6.00 ever,” plagued me as I walked to the
car. As we drove home, I was even more
Man on the street:
Shady Side News
Wednesday, December 14 , 2011
Sudoku
Twilight: One hour and fortyeight
minutes of heaven
By Joe McMahon
Audrey Koi and Samantha Goodman - To
have a voice like Adele’s and World Peace
David Lembersky - A custom Harry
Potter wand, broom, and Snitch, a College
Acceptance letter and World Peace
Photo by Stephanie Montemurro
Vinay Umapathy- A Dinosaur and
World Peace.
Alex Young - The Resurrection of
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and
World Peace
By Cody Han
Please see solution on page 7
devastated and hurt when Noah and Liesje
joined in on the disparagement of this
unsung magnum opus.
However, just like Judas and Benedict
Arnold before me, I crumbled under peer
pressure and insisted that I thought it to
be the worst movie ever made, that I was
insulted that the moviemakers would think
me dumb enough to enjoy it, and that the
tears in my eyes were not those of joy but
rather those of mourning over the hour
and forty-eight minutes of my life that I
would never see again.
That night I couldn’t get any sleep. I
had betrayed my fellow Twilight-lovers,
I had betrayed Bella and Edward, and,
worst of all, I had betrayed myself. Lying
in bed, cuddled in my Hello Kitty blankets,
I realized that I have been covering
up who I am my entire life. Out of pride
and fear of the opinions of others, I have
always hid my true self: a man who loves
Desperate Housewives and the Clique
book series.
I had been allowing others to dictate
what I say and how I act, and I decided that
enough was enough. I was not going to
hide in the shadows anymore!
So here I am, America! I love jamming
to “Man, I Feel Like a Woman” in the
shower! I cried in My Dog Skip, Up, and
Finding Nemo! I use Pantene’s Volumizing
Shampoo and Conditioner for Women!
And you know what? I’m not ashamed
to admit it!
So yeah, I do recommend The Twilight
Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 for any man
who loves his mother. I rank it up there
with War and Peace, the Bible, and Napoleon
Dynamite in terms of its influence
on humanity. This movie changed my
life, and it could change yours too.
If you could have anything at all
for the holidays, what would it be?
Robert Reiland - A functioning Government
and World Peace
Maggie Leech - Chocolate Lava Cake.
Stephanie Betts - Justin Bieber Quiz
book, a Southern Accent, and World Peace
Odds and Ends
Grandparents know best. Sophomore Theresa Diffendal
with grandparents Tom Diffendal and Mary-Lou Diffendal.
By Anthony Costa and Sam Goodman
Don’t know what to do during vacation (besides sleep)?
Here are our editors’ top picks:
Ice Skate at Penguins Pond or PPG Rink
Go Sledding at Highland Park Reservoir
Roast Chestnuts by the Fireplace
Drink tons of Hot Chocolate and Eggnog
Light the Menorah
Build a Snowman or Make a Snow Angel
Hit your Favorite People with Snowballs
Kiss that Special Someone under the Mistletoe
Win a Game of Dreidel
Decorate the Christmas Tree and Sing Carols
3
Grandparents’ Day
Sophomore Maddie Taylor with grandmother Molly Sauereisen.
Your holiday checklist
Requiescat in pace
Shaun “Tiberius” Gohel and Alex “Terentius” Gottlieb make personal
lararia as part of the Latin classes’ Halloween celebrations.
Photos by Lindsay Kovach

4News 4
By Tara Lee
The Hillman Center for the Performing
Arts series consists of six professional
productions each season, ranging
from modern dance groups to electrifying
magic shows.
Usher Joe McMahon says one of his
favorite shows was last season: “Second
City was hilarious, fantastic, talented
improv. Ushering was fun, free
and friendly.”
Four shows remain for this 2011-
2012 season: The Platters and The
Marvelettes (singing groups), the
Carnegie Mellon Chamber Orchestra,
the Elements of Humor Comedy Tour,
and the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre.
For each show, several students vol-
Shady Side News
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
It’s Snakin’ Me Crazy! Usher Will Vincett (third from right) helps hold the snake.
Students usher in Hillman series
unteer their Saturday nights to usher. As
an usher myself, I must say that the
benefits of being an usher are phenomenal.
Not only are we supplied with
volunteer hours, but we are fed generously
by the Hillman Center executive
director, Sarah Rubin, and are allowed to
sit and watch the entire performance.
Alex Smith said, “It’s a really unique
experience because you get to see the
show for free and it’s a backstage experience.”
For the latest show, Jarod’s Animal
Exploration, dozens of animals from
alligators to baby zebras were brought
on stage.
Prior to the show, we helped transform
the Hillman lobby into an animal
safari, complete with giant monkeys and
mini killer whale swimming pools. During
the show, we were given the option to
wear animal hats which made us easy to
identify as we guided lost spectators to
their seats.
Anyone even slightly interested in
ushering should give it a try. As long as
you can answer the question that ticketholders
always seem to ask—”Why is
Shady Side Academy located in Fox
Chapel and not Shady Side?”—I am
absolutely positive that you will be able
to usher.
Otherwise, at least grab a ticket to
one of the four remaining shows; it’s
never a bad thing to reconnect with the
arts once in a while.
R&J, a student-driven production
By Troy Berglund and
Anthony Costa
Shady Side Academy’s fall production
of Romeo and Juliet made history
this year. With the great work of Director
Dana Hardy-Bingham, Assistant
Director Danielle Plung, and Stage Manager
Peter Kann, this well-known tale of
star-crossed lovers was a huge success.
The production sold out all three
days, requiring an extra performance in
the intimate Kountz Theater.
The popularity of the play was attributed
to the unique aspects of the
production as well as the talented actors
consisting of Julian Schwartz (Romeo),
Shea Minter (Juliet), Eric
Grubbs(Captain Laux), Gabe Rubio
(Benvolio), Matt Ferree (Mercutio),
Jennifer Schwartz (Natalie), Kate Van
Horn (Lucina), andTroy Berglund
(Paris).
When asked about the large audience,
Julian said, “The excitement level was
just great. The audience was very courteous
and was silent when they were
supposed to be, but also laughed when
I wanted them to.”
The production’s success can be attributed
to its originality. The first unique
aspect of the play was that it made use
of the original Shakespearean language
while also having students update and
create new text that was less esoteric to
a modern audience and kept them more
involved. Troy Berglund commented on
the dialogue, “It was essential in making
our play such a success because the
updated text really captured moments
of sarcastic humor and simultaneously
added to the dramatic effect.”
Certain actors improvised to suit
their modern audience, going on reactions
from the crowd. This ensured that
each performance was slightly different
from the next because of the extemporaneous
acting tailored to a particular
audience. Dani Plung, Assistant Director
and Dramaturge, said, “We were
shocked to have oversold all but the extra
production (and even that was 75% of
seats). I really think we showed people
who think Shakespeare is stuffy that it
can be exciting and relevant and rejuve-
Photo courtesy of Bayard
Star crossed lovers. Juliet (Shea Minter) and Romeo (Julian Schwartz).
nated – if we did that, it was a success.”
The revamping of the death scene
was very daring; since many view that as
a perfect ending to this tragedy. The way
they altered the scene by making Romeo
and Juliet alive at the same time, for a
split second, evoked even more sympathy
from the crowd.
The “Incredibly Suave” also played
a tremendous part in the play’s success
by providing musical interludes throughout
the play. The group started composing
months before the play and wrote
over 20 original pieces, 36 cues, and a
few other covers.
Tory Santucci explained his experience
, “As a group we were thrilled when
asked to write the music for the play as
this was both a challenge and a new
musical scenario for us. We began attending
rehearsals in their earlier stages
to match our given moods in the script
with the director’s interpretation. We
then collaboratively wrote music matching
the different moods with multiple
genres ranging from folk to hip hop, all
while having to consider how we would
eventually perform the pieces live.”
Photos by Austin Davidheiser
Montemurro’s new role
By Jack Bagamery
Stephanie Montemurro has not been
guiding her usual class of brave souls
through organic chemistry or introducing
younger students to the concepts of
chemistry . This year, Ms. Montemurro
has taken on the positions of Director of
Student Science Research and Lab Technician.
I sat down with her to get the
details on her new duties.
What are your goals as Lab Technician?
To make the lab and storage
areas safer and more effective work
spaces for students and faculty, and to
assist faculty in the set up and cleanup
of experiments and demonstrations.
What do you do as Director of
Student Science Research? I get students involved in doing research in science,
and one of the ways I’d like to do that is by setting up internships for students during
the school year and over the summer. I’m also getting students involved in Saturday
science programs that aren’t such a large time commitment. And, I’m getting more
involved in PJAS and helping people with their science projects that will hopefully
lead into internships. My goal is to have students involved in meaningful science
and engineering activities outside of the classroom by providing opportunities,
guidance, and support. In Pittsburgh we have a lot of areas that are involved in
putting in cutting edge technology in science and engineering and the medical fields.
What sort of activities are students getting involved with thus far and how
have you worked with them? Students are participating in several Saturday
lecture/lab activities, including Westinghouse Honors Program, PJAS Saturday
lectures, and the ACS Organic Chemistry workshops. Other students have met with
me to discuss internship opportunities. Several students are doing internship-like
activities at facilities that their parents or family friends have made available.
With these students I try to discuss the possibility of doing an experiment while
they are working in a lab, one which could be used in a science fair. Currently one
student is planning to do a senior project involving engineering with a scientist at
CMU. Students have also met with me to discuss summer internships or classes.
What have you done to reach out to the science community to provide
research opportunities for students? Through the Pittsburgh Regional Compact
membership, I have been in touch with representatives from about 20 different
companies or institutions within an hour’s drive from Pittsburgh. I have gathered
information about the projects taking place at these companies and what they are
willing to provide for our students. As an example, some members are willing to
visit schools for a classroom visit. I have been in contact with parents and alumni
who would like to encourage students to learn more about science and engineering
professions. I’m trying to have scientists come into a class to talk about the work
that they do.
What can current students expect from this program? Well, I usually like to
ask the students what they would like to do. I’m hoping to get more students involved
in multi-year internships and if they want to, to compete in some of the big science
fairs . I’d like more students to see me about doing this! It’s an incredible opportunity.
MLK day of service
By Katie Mihm
Shady Side Academy’s MLK Day
of Service will take place Monday, January
16, 2012. Registration is now open
to all current SSA students, parents,
faculty and staff.
For this “day on, not a day off,” SSA
volunteers can sign up for one of nine
different service projects around Pittsburgh.
Students in grades PK-6 will be
at the Junior School, serving the East
End Cooperative Ministry.
Activities will include making bags
for food pantry distribution, collecting
winter outerwear, and making decorative
items. Older students may join their
younger siblings for this project. Students
in grades 5-6 will be preparing a
meal for women at the Bethlehem Haven
homeless shelter.
Middle and Senior school students
can choose from a variety of on-site
projects at community organizations,
including Bethlehem Haven women’s
NN: I have always been fascinated by
language and the power it has to carry
imagination away. I started writing poems
in first grade, and I find it satisfying.
SG: How have your travels influenced
your writing?
NN: Anything that opens up our world
in a positive way is good. To know that
we could go anywhere and find friends is
amazing. There are good people everywhere.
There are wonderful things to
learn everywhere. Unfortunately, violence
is a tragic aspect of the contemporary
world. I encourage everyone to be
creative as can be in expressing themselves
rather than resorting to violence.
Not everyone matches, but we can get
along. Reading helps us know one another.
Do your homework to be reminded
that humanity and creativity are everywhere.
Do not be afraid about anyone or
any place. Use art to balance all of the
news of the world. Art helps us care about
shared values and visions.
SG: How do you support this effort?
shelter, Boys’ and Girls’
Club of Western PA,
Health South Rehabilitation,
The
Kingsley Center
of East Liberty,
the Woodland
Foundation, Braddock
Carnegie Library, and the
Pittsburgh Project.
Adult volunteers are welcome at all
locations. Students in grades PK-5 must
be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The day will run from 8:30 a.m. to
3:30 p.m., and all participants will begin
and end their day at the Junior School,
except for the Pittsburgh Project.
A shuttle will be provided from the
Senior School campus in the morning
and afternoon.
Please see details and register online
by Monday, December 19, at
MLK Day of Service Project Descriptions
and Registration Form
Naomi Nye interview
(Continued from Page One) NN: I really love projects that connect
people, such as Seeds of Peace and Hand
in Hand: Center for Jewish Arab Education
in Israel.
SG: William Stafford is referenced in
your work. How has he influenced you?
NN: I was lucky to call William Stafford
my friend. I urge all students to read his
poems. Stafford was a practitioner of
nonviolence. He encouraged more imaginative
ways for people to connect. William
Stafford’s poems make you feel good
about life.
SG: What is your favorite type of piece
to write (novel, poem, song)?
NN: I like to write free verse poems.
SG: What do you like about Pittsburgh?
NN: I love Pittsburgh. The architecture,
the old neighborhoods, the sense of art,
and the International Poetry Forum all
make this city great. The people here are
authentic and genuine. And Shady Side is
honestly one of the most incredible schools
I have seen in all my years of travelling.
Read as much as you can and make good
use of the libraries.

Library Corner
By Ayesha Shah
The library has been very busy this
year! In keeping with the tradition, we
hold book discussions, make Read posters,
and host holiday parties, but the
library is now in the hands of an all new
team of Library Associates led by Reed
Williams, Senior School head librarian.
This year’s Library Associates are
Dani Plung, Rebecca Roman, Ayesha
Shah, Shivang Chordia, Alex Gottlieb,
Robert Davies, Sylvie Lee, Aine Marie
Policastro, Ben Skinner and Chloe Zack.
Remarking on what it means to be a
Library Associate, Dani Plung says,
“As a library associate, I like being
involved in the library and being able to
give back to the place that has become
my home over the past few years, but
objectively I think it’s great that students
are involved in what has not only
become an important academic resource
but also an important community and
social hub.”
To give you a glimpse into the profiles
of this year’s library associates,
we’ll share a few fast facts about them
in this and upcoming issues.
Ayesha Shah
Favorite Book: Ruta Sepetys’ Between
Shades of Gray
Book I Can’t Wait to Read: Kristin
Cashore’s Bitterblue
Favorite Book turned Movie: Jane
Austen’s Pride and Prejudice starring
Jennifer Ehle
Least Favorite Book turned Movie:
Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises
starring Tyrone Power
What I’m Reading Now: Erin
Morgenstern’s The Night Circus
Dani Plung
Favorite Book(s): Phillip Pullman’s
His Dark Materials Trilogy;
Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Twelfth Night,
The Tempest and The Merchant of
Venice, and John Irving’s A Prayer for
Owen Meany. Sorry, couldn’t just pick
one!
Book I Can’t Wait to Read: James
Joyce’s Ulysses
Favorite Book Turned Movie: The
2009 RSC Hamlet
Least Favorite Book Turned Movie:
Simon Birch- Based on A Prayer for
Owen Meany
Book I’m Reading Now: John
Irving’s The World According to Garp
Rebecca Roman
Favorite Book: Suzanne Collins’
The Hunger Games trilogy
Book I Can’t Wait to Read: Stieg
Larsson’s Girl with a Dragon Tattoo
Favorite Book Turned Movie: Not
sure, but I can’t wait for the Hunger
Games movie!
Book I’m Reading Now: Kathryn
Stockett’s The Help
The library has already held two
book discussions: Suzanne Collins’
Hunger Games and Elie Wiesel’s Night.
Books tend to be short and easy, usually
popular reads. December’s book
discussion is Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan,
while January’s is Khaled
Hosseini’s Kite Runner.
Leviathan takes place on the brink
of World War I. Austro-Hungarians
and Germans use Clankers, steamdriven
iron machines loaded with guns
and ammunition, while the British Darwinists
use an army of genetically fabricated
animals.
Leviathan is a whale airship, the
most skillful of the British fleet.
Aleksandar Ferdinand is a Clanker, and
Deryn Sharp is a Darwinist, but their
lives intersect in the most surprising
way, taking them both aboard the Leviathan
on a fantastical, worldwide,
life changing adventure.
Dates for upcoming book discussions
will be decided. Come join in the
library’s activites after winter break!
Hockey Helps with Steel City Icebergs. Photo courtesy of Bayard
Hit me with a club
By Kate Van Horn
Every day between 3:05 and 3:45 is
our designated club period.
The French Club visited Crêpes
Parisiennes in Shadyside for breakfast
on Sunday, November 6. The students
and teacher Scott McClure spoke French
and made new friends outside of class.
Chiapas Connection, a club that
raises money for Mayan children in
Chiapas, Mexico to stay in school, has
raised enough money ($400) so far for
the boy they are currently sponsoring to
stay in school from January to the end
of his school year in mid-July. They
hope to raise enough money so that he
can go to school next year until December,
which would be another $400.
Model UN attended a conference at
the University of Pittsburgh, preparing
the team for more rigorous national conferences
at Yale and New York later this
year.
Two students, Alex Rodosky and
Tony Satryan, represented Sudan in the
Women’s Rights council, in which
Tony—adopting the viewpoint of
Sudan—explained that it is “scientifically
proven that women have smaller
brains than men.” Model UN will also
be holding a mock session in Memorial
Hall at the beginning of January for
anyone who is interested in watching or
learning about Model UN.
Hockey Helps brought the Steel City
Icebergs, a Penguins’ supported hockey
team for children with special needs, to
Shady Side to practice. One visiting
coach of the Icebergs said that the SSA
students were some of the best volunteers
he has worked with and he can’t
wait to get the team back out on the ice
with the Hockey Helps club.
Meals on Wheels raises money for
the Bloomfield branch of this national
organization which delivers meals to the
elderly and housebound. President
Ayesha Shah says the club sells lollipops
made by Ozark Delight which
specializes in exotic flavors such as cheese
cake and mango smoothie.
Shady Side News
Wednesday, December 14, 2011 School
By Matthew Hacke
With winter break quickly upon us,
it is hard to fathom the fact that December
is here and we are almost halfway
through the school year. It seems like
just yesterday that we were all wearing
our blazers, dressed up for Convocation.
Now, we are preparing to dress up
for our annual Fides Assembly.
These past few months have been
filled with many exciting activities in
Residential Life that have proved to be
bonding experiences for new and returning
boarders. Not only have these bonds
strengthened the relationships between
Croft and Morewood residents, but they
have also created an ultra-inclusive and
fun environment to live in.
Junior Shannon Gramley and senior
Cody Han verified this claim by their
thoughtful words. “I have enjoyed getting
a chance to really connect with oncampus
faculty and live with my friends.
In a sense, it feels as if I have gained a
second home,” said Shannon.
Cody added, “I have enjoyed the
general mood in the dorms much more
this year than previous years. There is
definitely a strong sense of community
News
Dormitory life never sleepy
Across
1. “Entourage” network
4. “Nova” network
7. WWE alternative
10. “Yours, Mine, and ____”
12. main character on 1-across show
13. “__ __ Legend,” 2007 movie
14. device for remembering
16. That’s what ___ said
17. surpass
18. look over
19. relaxes
20. ____ Romney, 2012 candidate
21. employ
24. New York based tech company
25. “Rugrats” father
28. longer than a short story, shorter
than a novel
30. bear, in ancient Rome
32. conical tent
33. shy
34. head (slang)
35. “___, ___, and dangerous to
know,” phrase used to describe Lord
Byron
38. 2011 World Series champs
42. assault
43. formic acid chemical formula
44. times past
45. just a little bit
Down
1. “Odyssey” poet
2. sudden good fortune
3. Hershiser and Moral
4. Peter and frying
5. soft white cheese
6. yes, in ancient Rome
in both dorms.”
Freshman Kate Van Horn also offered
a fresh perspective on what she
likes most about dorm life, saying gleefully,
“I really value and appreciate how
welcoming everyone has been.”
The events of the past few months
have included a Halloween party,
Thanksgiving and Holiday dinners, a
Secret Santa Ross Park Mall trip, and
endless birthday celebrations. A few
members of the boarding community
took the time to share their favorite parts
of these events.
Looking back on the Halloween
party, junior Dom Oliver commented on
how superb his dance moves were, exclaiming,
“I really enjoyed getting out on
the dance floor. The scariest part of the
night was how crazy good my moves
were.”
Transitioning from October to November,
junior Anisa Khalouf expressed
her appreciation for her fellow dormers
and the wonderful meal that was served
by Metz for the annual Thanksgiving
dinner.
“The food was delicious and the
company was great. I truly felt thankful
Crossword Puzzle Corner
7. able to be mixed
8. _____ Ghandi
9. Service Learning head
11. 13-across actor
15. vision protein
18. return a friendly look
22. decay
23. not odd
25. ___ cum laude
26. T in NATO
5
Photo by byWendy Skinner
Cupcake cuties. Dima Kharma,Sabina Rizzo, and Summerlee Allen frost for the Feed.
to be a part of it all,” Anisa said.
Besides the annual events, the dorms
also host weekly gatherings that provide
for more fun and interaction. Feeds and
football games have been the weekly
norm this year and many have taken a
liking to them for one reason or another.
Sophomore Lillian Klein reflected
kindly on boarding feeds and said what
truly special happenings they are for
her. “The feeds in the dorm have really
stuck out to me, not only because of the
yummy snacks, but how they bring
everyone together, which is really fun,”
she exclaimed.
History teacher and Croft dorm parent
Kegan Borland, who is an integral
part of football on the turf Tuesdays and
Thursdays after study hours, commented
on what these games have meant
for him. “It’s good to see how excited the
guys get to play football. It’s a nice mix
of camaraderie and competition,” he said.
From all the exciting things that have
occurred thus far, along with the positive
attitudes and personalities of everyone
in the dorms, the coming months
look to be even more promising in the
Residential Life community.
by Alex Gottlieb
27. accustomed
29. eras
31. ____ the Great, Mughal Emperor
36. hole-in-one
37. Dick’s Sporting Goods on the
NYSE
39. marsupial down under, for short
40. ___ and don’ts
41. Quiet!
(See solution Page 6)

6
Sports
By Danielle Perelman
All of SSA’s fall sport teams finished
their seasons with great games and wins.
Here is a wrap-up of their successes.
The Girls’ Golf Team had an incredible
season under the leadership of
captains Kendall Allen and Michelle
Bucklew and coach Helene Gosse. After
an undefeated regular season, they won
both WPIALs and the state championship.
In the championship match, they
crushed their opponent, Radnor, by
almost 45 strokes. Senior Kendall Allen
and Freshman Lauren Waller also went
very far in the individual state tournament.
The Girls’ Field Hockey team this
fall was led by captains Alexis Concordia
and Audrey Buckman and coach Erin
McConnell. Through this leadership
and their motto of “down to eat,” they
were able to pull out a season of 18-1-1,
winning their eleventh WPIAL title in
the process. They won their first round
of states against the Belleville Mennonites
but lost to Palmyra in the second
round. This was as far as any SSA field
hockey team has ever gotten.
The Boys’ Soccer Team had an
awesome end to their season. Led by
captains Dan Mathieson, Mike
Holzinger, Sasha Demetris, and Jacob
Demand and coach James Meara, they
made it to the quarterfinals of WPIAL
playoffs. Unfortunately, they lost to
Belle Vernon, but they still ended the
season with an impressive record of 11-
3. The top three scorers on the team
were Tyler Edwards, Dan Mathieson,
and Mike Holzinger. The highlight of
their season was beating Quaker Valley
in an overtime shootout the first round
of playoffs.
The Girls’ Cross Country Team
had a really great season this year under
the leadership of captains Sara Policastro
and Shamika Dighe and coach Sue
Whitney. As a team, they made it to
WPIALs, suffering through many cold
and rainy meets to get there. Emily
Lamm made it to states for individuals
after an impressive season of contributing
to the team.
The Boys’ Golf Team had another
great year led by co-captains Troy
Berglund and Brendan Gramley and
coach Brett Bergman. They finished
their season 12-1 and took home the
Shady Side News
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Fall Sports Wrap-Up: SSA Athletes go the extra mile
Puzzle solutions
Girls’ Golf gets a hole in one!
section title. Also contributing to the
victories were seniors Ryan Mengel,
Chad Trice, and Pat Kane. Unfortunately,
they fell short of making it to
team championships, but nonetheless
had an accomplished season.
The Boys’ Cross Country Team
had another great year, led by captains
Jack Bagamery and David Lembersky
and Head Coach Paul Ejzak . They were
undefeated in their section but unfortunately
did not make it to states as a team.
Junior Max Young and senior Jack
Bagamery made it to states as individuals,
finishing off an incredible season.
The Girls’ Soccer Team was led
Photo courtesy of Bayard
Champions of the Field (Hockey)! Born to Run!
by two amazing captains this year,
Molly Magovern and Annie Pooley,
and an even more amazing coach,
Caswell Nilsen. The team came in
second in their section behind
Greensburg Central Catholic. During
their WPIAL run they faced Freedom,
Vincentian, and GCC. They lost to
Greensburg Central Catholic in the
WPIAL Semifinals, but still qualified
for states. They won their first round
of states against Wilmington, but lost
in the second round against Springdale.
The team faced a hard challenge this
year when three or four of their starters
were injured and could not play,
By Christopher Miller
Since the last edition of this series, the Steelers have played six more
games and improved upon their 3-2 record that started the 2011-2012
season. Now, heading into week 13, the Steelers have an 8-3 record,
which has earned them second place in the AFC North behind their
biggest rival, the Baltimore Ravens.
In their most recent game, the Steelers came off their bye week
feeling rejuvenated and ready to play a very marginal Kansas City
Chiefs team led by an inexperienced quarterback in Tyler Palko.
While the Steelers were able to pull out a close 13 to 9 victory, the
team did not play as well as many had expected. Although Roethlisberger
passed the mark of 3,000 passing yards in a single season for the sixth
time in his career during the game, the Steeler offense was stagnant only
accounting for one touchdown and two field goals.
However, the Steelers’ struggles for offensive production were
more than compensated for by the play of the Steeler defense, which
recovered a Palko fumble early in the game, and intercepted Palko three
times during the course of the game, none of which was more important
than the KeenanLewis interception late in the fourth quarter halting
the Chiefs’ most impressive drive of the night ultimately sealing the
deal for the Steelers giving them their eighth victory of the season. It
wasn’t the Steelers’ best game by any means, but in the end, they got
a win, and that’s all that really matters in the NFL.
In week 10, the Steelers were able to squeak by a surprisingly tough
Cincinnati Bengals team led by rookie QB Andy Dalton. While
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger played well, he was unable
to increase his streak of consecutive 300-yard passing games to four
straight games. Despite the fine performance of Roethlisberger, it was
the Steelers’ ground attack, as well as their defense, that enabled the
team to get a big win when they needed it.
Running back Rashard Mendenhall only accounted for 44 yards
on 16 carries, but found the end zone twice. Alongside Mendenhall’s
efforts, the Steeler defense was able to create two turnovers off of two
interceptions of Dalton in the fourth quarter. With only minutes left,
William Gay sealed the deal for the Steelers with an interception,
earning them their first victory in conference play and seventh win of
the season.
In week nine, the Steelers met up with the Ravens for their second
and final matchup of the regular season still angry from the 35 to 7 loss
they suffered in week one. While the Steelers did not play their best
football, they still had an opportunity to win the game despite the
absence of linebackers LaMarr Woodley and James Farrior. The team
started the third quarter down 16 to 6, but within the first ten minutes
of the quarter, they rallied to take a 20 to 16 lead with just minutes
Girls’ Tennis: Come one, love all!
McConnell
Tron by Photo
Photo by Noah Sprock Photo by Tron McConnell
but they had an amazing season and
are proud of all their accomplishments.
The Boys’ Football Team this year
refused to believe that anyone worked
harder than they, and that contributed
immensely to their success. After starting
the season with a 1-2 record, they
bonded together as a unit and got themselves
rolling on a seven game win streak
into the playoffs, led by captains Jake
Ellis, Reggie Mitchell, Andrew Geisler
and coach Dave Havern. Seniors accomplished
something special, winning three
out of four Allegheny Conference Championships.
Although many of them are
Photo by Noah Sprock
Emily Lamm races to the finish.
still upset about the quarterfinal loss to
Jeannette, there were no regrets about
how they handled their business during
the season.
The Girls’ Tennis Team had a
fantastic season, led by captains Alexa
Miller, Lindsay Cozen, Kelly
Marous, and Rachel Diehl and coaches
Jeff Miller and Tom Mercer. They
finished first in the section, and placed
second in both WPIALs and the state
championship in Hershey. The team
had to work hard this year after losing
three the seven starters from last year,
but they fought hard and had an amazing
season to show for it.
Black and Yellow: Steelers come back
to play with a touchdown pass from Roethlisberger to Mike Wallace.
The Ravens, however, were not fazed by Pittsburgh’s recent scoring
surge; they drove 92 yards to an eventual touchdown on a 26-yard pass
from Joe Flacco to Torrey Smith, giving the Ravens a 23 to 20 lead with
only seconds to play. As a result, the Steelers were not able to overcome
the three- point deficit, and lost their third game of the season, losing for
the second time to the Baltimore Ravens.
In weeks five through eight, the team put together their biggest winning
streak, winning four straight games. In week eight, they played what may
have been their best game of the season against the always challenging New
England Patriots. Although the Steelers only won by a score of 25 to 17,
the score is not indicative of how well the team performed.
Roethlisberger dominated the Patriots defense through the air, completing
72% of his passes and throwing for 365 yards and two touchdowns,
while the Steeler defense held quarterback Tom Brady to just 198
passing yards.
In the run game, the Steelers had an advantage as well, accounting for
98 total rushing yards, which more than doubled the Patriots’ combined
total of 43 rushing yards. The Steelers outplayed the Patriots, and thus
they were rewarded with a victory over a strong Patriots team.
Similar to their performance in week eight, the Steelers put together
another strong showing against the Arizona Cardinals winning by a score
of 32 to 20, giving the Cardinals their fifth consecutive loss. Again
Roethlisberger had a great game, passing for more than 360 yards with
three touchdowns, and a completion percentage above 65%. Ben also set
a franchise record for longest TD pass with a 95-yard touchdown pass
to Steelers receiver Mike Wallace in the second quarter.
In addition to offensive success, the Steelers’ defense did not disappoint,
holding the Cardinals’ rushing attack to just under 75 yards rushing,
sacking quarterback Kevin Kolb twice, and intercepting him once.
Against the Jaguars in week six, the Steelers achieved great success on
the ground, rushing for a combined total of 185 yards, and accounting for
one of the teams’ two touchdowns.
In addition to the rushing attack, the Steeler defense played extremely
well, sacking Jaguars quarterback Blane Gabbert five times, and limiting
him to just 109 passing yards and a touchdown. Although it wasn’t
pretty, the Steelers were able to get the win with a score of 17 to 14, which
improved their record to 4-2, and handed the Jaguars their fifth loss.
With five weeks remaining in the regular season, the Steelers have what
most would see as a “pretty favorable schedule,” with Cincinnati,
Cleveland, and St. Louis as their opponents during weeks 13-17. That
being said, if the Steelers can use this to their advantage, they will have
a legitimate shot at the post-season.

Return of the king
By Samantha Green
The afternoon of Sunday, November
20 th , the Pittsburgh Penguins organization
released a statement that Penguins
fans all over the city and all over the
country had been waiting to hear since
January 5: “The Pittsburgh Penguins
captain Sidney Crosby will return to the
team’s lineup on Monday night when the
Penguins host the New York Islanders at
7 p.m. at CONSOL Energy Center.”
(penguins.nhl.com)
And with that one sentence, all the
suspense was over. There would be no
more wondering whether it would be the
next game, the next week, or the next
month that Crosby would take the ice
again for NHL action.
There was a time, a date, and a game
and Crosby would be on the team’s
starting roster.
Crosby had his 2010-2011 season cut
short after two hard hits to the head by the
Washington Capitals’ David Steckel on
January 1 and the Tampa Bay Lightning’s
Victor Hedman on January 5. Due to the
hits, Crosby was sidelined with a concussion,
the first of his career.
Initial expectations as to the timetable
for his return were short, a week at the
least to a month and a half at the most. It
quickly became apparent, however, that
Crosby’s injury was much more severe
than it was first assumed to be.
Crosby returned to practice in late
March but concussion symptoms, including
headaches and trouble balancing,
returned in mid-April and set back his
recovery. His recurring symptoms forced
him to sit out the remainder of the season
and the first quarter of the 2011-2012
season.
Many were hopeful that after a long
summer of rest Crosby would be symptom-free
and ready to start the season
with the team. These hopes were encouraged
when Crosby showed speed, quick
hands, and fast reaction time in training
camp.
Crosby still had yet to be cleared for
full contact. That changed on October 13
when Crosby was finally allowed to
replace the signature white, no-contact
helmet with an ordinary black practice
one, illustrating that he was finally cleared
for full contact in practice.
Following that, it was just a waiting
game to see when Crosby would finally be
ready to play in an NHL game again. The
Penguins organization reiterated time and
time again that there was no deadline or
timetable for Crosby’s return, and that
when he was ready he would play.
Without Crosby, the Penguins have
done more than an admirable job of maintaining
a winning record, going 34-19-8 in
his absence between this season and last.
“Our team has learned to be a good
team. Our team believed we could be a
good team. Our team really focused on
how we need to play, and that has been a
strength of the guys in that room,” said
Penguins head coach, Dan Bylsma
(nhl.com).
Bylsma also touched on another
strength the Penguins have regained this
season, center Evgeni Malkin. Malkin
also sat out a good portion of last season
due to a torn ACL and MCL in his right
knee which required him to undergo reparative
surgery.
Malkin started this season but sat out
a few games early on, citing soreness at the
operation site as the cause. But once
Malkin was able to participate in game
play on a consistent basis again, his point
production began to hint at the skill and
scoring prowess of a Malkin that won the
Art Ross trophy for top NHL scorer in
2009.
“This year, with the anticipation of
getting Evgeni Malkin back and getting
Sidney Crosby back, there’s a feeling that
we could be a real good team,” said Bylsma
(nhl.com).
But the team cannot simply jump
back in and pick up where they left off.
Sidney Crosby will need time and patience
to readjust to real NHL action, the
kind of play that cannot be simulated in
practice. And so begins yet another
waiting game. Will the return of its star
power spell victory for the Penguins, and
bring with it a long run into the playoffs?
Only time will tell, but one thing is for
sure: Sidney Crosby will be quick to
remind us why many call him the best
player in the game of hockey.
Speech and Debate
By Ayesha Shah
Speech and Debate has gotten off to
an excellent start this year! Although
the team is comprised of many newcomers,
everyone is showing a lot of
potential.
One of the tools the team uses to
foster debate skills is in-school Public
Forum debate tournaments. The first
Shady Side Academy debate was held
in October as practice for November’s
topic, as a way to prepare in a comparatively
stress-free, fun environment.
Public Forum has been called an
“audience-friendly debate” by the National
Forensics League. Controversial
newspaper headline topics are debated
by two pairs, with a new topic every
month. December’s topic is In the
United States, current income disparities
threaten democratic ideals.
As Vice President of Debate, Tony
Satryan says, “The in-school debate
was very successful. We had a lot of
teams participate. Our experienced debaters
polished their skills and firsttime
debaters got a good idea of what it
will be like in the future. We definitely
want to do it again for resolutions in the
next few months.
“Complex topics can be intimidating,
so it’s great to be able to practice
and fix any holes in your argument
before it really counts. The in-school
debates also helped us identify the
talent that we have in the new debaters
this year. It’s encouraging that most of
them will be with us for another three
or four years.”
Commenting on the potential of a
relatively new team, Coach Mary
Krauland states, “I think that having
new students join our Forensics team
adds energy and new insights into both
speech events and debate.”
Both debaters and speech students
have achieved impressive success at the
beginning of the season. At our Erie
tournament November 5, often considered
the start of the season, Anthony
Costa and Tony Satryan placed first in
Public Forum debate, while Cameron
Dively and Brad Steiner placed sixth.
Ayesha Shah placed first in Original
Oratory.
At the Central Catholic tournament
October 29, the debate team won third
place overall, and at the November 12
Quigley High School tournament Anthony
Costa and Summerlee Allen went
undefeated.
Even school head Kate Vavpetic
joined one of our Tuesday meetings to
teach our debaters the technique of
“flowing” a debate. Experienced debaters
use this to go over all their opponents’
contentions.
Ms. Vavpetic commented, “Debating
is ultimately about listening, even
though that seems counterintuitive.
The best debaters are the most critical
and most attentive listeners. By listening
well, they can discover the key
issues in a debate, remember the critical
details, and make the most compelling
arguments for their side because they
are addressing the essential questions
and central details in the debate...Taking
good notes in a debate, “flowing” the
round, is crucial to honing and perfecting
listening skills. Flowing a debate
requires listening, processing, sifting,
writing, reacting, and planning all at
once. It’s a fundamental skill for any
debater; a winning skill for the expert
debater.”
President Anthony Costa also
wanted to extend a message to any
student interested in speech and debate:
“I encourage people to attend at
least one of our meetings because they
will soon discover that it is not only an
edifying experience that benefits you
intellectually, but also everyone here
has great experiences. It is never too late
to try to debate or do a speech event.”
Shady Side News
Wednesday, December 14
Sports, etc.
7
Hats off to you! Wear a Hat for Cancer raised over $1300 dollars for cancer research. Photo courtesy of Bayard
Service Learning’s Season of Giving
Service Learning, directed by
Michelle Ament, has had a busy fall and
run-up to the holiday season.
Seventeen volunteers went to the
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food
Bank on November 5 to repack food for
distribution. Thirteen Shady Side students
were accompanied by two faculty
members, Buddy Hendershot and Christine
Czapleski, as well as Linda Diffendal
and Thomas Hohler.
TheJohn Baglier Blood Drive on November
1 drew 80 members of the community,
62 of whom were able to donate
(a new record!).
Christiana Jueng led a project ben-
By Samantha Green
Girls’ Basketball
“Last season was very special,” said
girls’ basketball coach Audrey Scott. In
her first season coaching the team, Scott
had “a group of players, especially seniors,
which made our season very successful.”
The team finished third in their
section and had the potential to have
finished even higher, said Scott. “We
would like to have won a couple of
playoff games, but we had a good season
nevertheless.”
This season will begin as a bit of a
guessing game. “We have the potential
to be a very good team,” said Scott, “but
we also have some very young talent
that could cause us to struggle at times.”
However, Scott hopes that this challenge
might create an opportunity for
growth rather than a deterrence. “I am
looking forward to seeing which young
players are going to step up and meet the
challenge of competing at the varsity
level. We will need to rely on our large
group of underclassmen to pick up the
slack of the graduating seniors. They
will need to grow up very quickly.”
As for leadership Scott looks to
seniors Kelcei Edmonds and Katie Natoli,
who “provided a heavy workload for us
last year and I expect nothing less from
them this season.”
Scott is also pleased to be working
with Mary Bushnell, her returning assistant
coach, and Sarah McDonald, her
JV/Varsity coach. “Both of them bring
a wealth of knowledge with them,” said
Scott of her colleagues.
As for the season, “Our goal is and
always will be to win the WPIAL and
State championships,” said Scott. “But
obviously that starts with getting
through a very difficult section as well as
non-section schedule. We certainly
would like for the students and community
to come out and support our team.
We are going to work very hard to put
together a great season and a team that
everyone can be proud of.”
Boys’ Basketball
“Resilience” is the word boys’ bas-
efiting children in the Allegheny County
Department of Human Services’ Children,
Youth and Family Services. During
the last week of November, SSA
students and teachers donated gifts for
70 children in need.
During the months of November and
December, the SSA Senior School has
been collecting gently used cell phones
to benefit the Women’s Center and Shelter
of Greater Pittsburgh in their ongoing
work of helping victims of abuse.
In addition, pink Yoplait yogurt lids
will be collected until the end of the year
to benefit breast cancer research. Collection
containers are on the Service Learn-
ing bulletin board and in the Dining Hall.
For each lid collected, 10 cents will be
donated to cancer research.
A bake sale was held Tuesday, December
6, to raise funds for Heifer International,
an organization that provides
livestock (from goats to geese to bees)
and training to impoverished communities
so they can become self-reliant.
Says Latin teacher Suzanne Belles,
“All my mom ever wants for Christmas
is a flock of chicks or a hive of honeybees
for the Heifer project.”
Thank you to everyone in the community
who has participated in making
this a season of giving.
Looking ahead to Winter Season
ketball coach Terrence Parham used to
describe last season. “The team had lost
a lot of experienced players from the
previous season and dealt with numerous
injuries during the season but came
together to win the section championship
for the second year in a row,” said
Parham.
Boys’ basketball is coached by
Parham alongside colleagues Kyle Smith
and Darwin Lane. Coaches look to their
senior players to lead the team. “This
season’s success will depend on our
senior leadership.”
“Our expectations never change; we
want to win the section championship
and then the WPIAL championship, and
of course top it off with a state title,” said
Parham. “Our goals are to stay healthy,
play hard, and play together. If we can
do that, I think we have a chance of
meeting those expectations of victory.”
Wrestling
Last year’s wrestling season was “a
great success academically and athletically,”
according to Coach Joe Eisel.
Eisel and his colleagues Nic Sandoval
and Brial Pogel will return for the second
year of their tenure at SSA, “committed
to restoring the wrestling program back
to a high level or competitiveness.”
This season Eisel expects his athletes
to “work extremely hard, and to be committed
and loyal to one another.” Using
this commitment and loyalty, Eisel hopes
to build a strong and united team, producing
“student athletes that are dedicated to
making themselves and those around them
better.” With this strength and commitment,
the wrestling team is sure to have
another successful season filled with hard
work and victory.
Squash
The SSA Boys’ Squash team just
keeps on winning. Last season the boys’
team won the Pittsburgh Squash Championship
for the fifth consecutive year,
no small feat. This year, captains Tyler
Edwards and Jimmy Grote hope to
achieve yet another win. Edwards and
Grote along with teammates Adi Krupski
and Ryan Mengel will be the players to
look out for this season according to
Coach Michael Smith.
The girls’ program continues to grow
in its third year of development. “We
look forward to the students playing top
squash in their senior year,” said Smith.
Unfortunately the girls’ team will be
without the services of two key players.
“Michelle Bucklew and Hollis Stewart
suffered injuries last year and unfortunately
will not be with us this year.
Hopefully younger players can step in
and perform admirably in the absence of
those two impact players.”
Smith believes that the team can
achieve a positive record in dual matches,
but to do so, “We need every player to
improve.” Smith’s players to watch on
the girls’ team include Lindsay Cozen,
Anita Jain, and Betsy Vuchinich.
Goals for this season remain the
same for both the boys’ and girls’ squads.
Coaches Smith and Darrell Schmitt hope
to “watch the players improve so they
can feel good about their performance in
the squash world.” Both coaches expect
their players to commit to their team and
the game of squash and look forward to
another great season.
Boys’ Ice Hockey
“Last season was good for us, being
so young,” said boys’ ice hockey coach
Jonathan Johnson, “but we need to take
the next step this year as we have a big
group of returning players.” Johnson’s
players to watch for the season are: Ty
Gradwell, Rick Villani, Dominic Oliver,
Chad Trice, Ian Lodin, Ethan Misour,
and Josh Pettengill, as well as both
goaltenders Will King and Alec Hardman.
This season the hockey team seems
determined to play hard and give an allout
effort on the ice. “So far this season
the guys are committed to being a really
hardworking team that won’t be easy to
play against,” said Johnson. The team
is looking strong and ready for another
great year.
“Our strength lies in our depth and
everyone’s contribution to what we
expect to be an exciting team and an
exciting year,” says Johnson.

8
End Notes
By Anita Jain
This past summer, seven SSA juniors
and seniors embarked on life-changing
journeys by participating in Parkin
Fellowships. These students traveled
to all areas of the world, from Nunavut
to Indonesia, and participated in various
community service efforts.
Non Profit Org.
Pittsburgh, PA
US Postage
PAID
Permit No. 609
Shady Side News
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Parkin Fellows travel globe to do service projects
Senior Alex Levy spent three weeks
in Kishorit, a kibbutz in northern Israel
for adults with special needs. In Kishorit,
she worked with other volunteers to
serve meals and perform other daily
tasks. Alex said, “Living with 17 Israeli
volunteers was an awesome experience.”
Upon arriving in Israel, she was pleasantly
surprised. “I was expecting to be
volunteering on my own, but I ended up
living with a group of 18-20 year olds
who were taking a gap year between high
school and the army. I think that having
them there made me feel much more
comfortable, as living with adults with
special needs can be intimidating, and it
was exciting to have a cultural immersion
aspect of my trip,” she said.
Another current senior who participated
in a Parkin this past summer is
Athif Wulandana. He volunteered with
a temporary shelter in Jogjakarta, Indonesia.
For three weeks Athif, along with
other volunteers, learned about disaster
management and helped run daily activities
at the shelter, such as tutoring children.
Athif noted that he “had a great
experience networking with organiza-
New year, new format for Form Deans’ daily duties
By Ayesha Shah
This year, with the induction of a new
form dean system, many have questions
as to specifics. To find out more about
form deans, I interviewed each of them.
Michele Greene, Form III Dean
What exactly is a form dean?
A form dean is a person who takes care
of several things. It’s a two sided job with
one being concrete work: small disciplinary
issues such as attendance and behavior
to a small degree. The other side is
helping students make good decisions,
getting to know students more closely.
Essentially, a go-to person.
What are your form dean’s responsibilities?
In addition to what’s mentioned before,
I take on head form advisor duties,
so that means working with class officers,
advisors and the advisory program, particularly
working with the class officers,
talking to them and having an influence.
What do you like about being a form
dean? Why?
I enjoy working with freshmen, who
are new to the school—help them get used
to high school.
What do you dislike about being a form
dean? Why?
Nothing, really; one of the challenges
is finding time [with three history classes]
but I’m a busy type of person.
What goals do you see yourself achieving
as form dean?
tion leaders, teaching kids and having
them make fun of me, and learning how
to live on my own. In fact, because of the
Parkin Fellowship, I really want to go
abroad during college to do service or
study.”
Tess Rosenbloom also worked with
impoverished people. Tess, a senior,
traveled to Puerto Plata in the Dominican
Republic, where she spent her time
working in an impoverished Haitian refugee
camp. The Dominican government
does not provide any education for the
children living there, which creates a
vicious cycle of illiteracy and poverty.
During her stay, Tess taught English and
basic mathematics to the children. She
also organized and led activities, including
trips within the local area. Tess says
she chose this Parkin because “I love
working with children and my trip allowed
me to do just that.”
Other Parkin fellows chose to work
with community service based organizations.
For example, junior Joe
McMahon traveled to Ecuador as part
of a Global Works program. In Ecuador,
Joe helped start construction of a playground
for a children’s rehab center.
Since his trip lasted three weeks, Joe had
time to explore the rainforest and Andes
Mountains, while also learning about
the indigenous culture.
Looking back at his Parkin Fellowship,
Joe says, “Since I had never been
to Latin America before, it was very
interesting seeing all my years of Spanish
knowledge go to use. Although it was
sometimes difficult to work with the
people to build things and partake in
Although I [will be on] sabbatical for
the [last half of this] year, I want to get to
know every freshman. I continue to build
the freshman program, make it more clear
cut and up to steam, to help freshmen get
assimilated to high school.
How do you plan on achieving those
goals?
The freshman program is a work in
progress, a slow, good progress. I work
with the community builders who are
paired with various advisor groups to
discuss issues going on at school. There
is also a guidebook for freshmen to make
them more confident.
Paul Ejzak, Form IV Dean
What are your form dean’s responsibilities?
I take care of the daily attendance and
get a copy of every interim. A form dean
assumes all previous functions of the
head form and head form assistant advisors.
The form deans also meet as a group
with Ms. Skinner, Dean of Student Life.
What do you like about being a form
dean? Why?
It’s a new experience for me, working
in a student life office.
What do you dislike about being a form
dean? Why?
I don’t like chasing people down when
they miss class.
What goals do you see yourself achieving
as form dean?
projects because of the language barriers,
all was figured out and we were able
to work quite well with the people
there.” On his outside explorations, he
comments that his “favorite part was
the scenery. It was absolutely spectacular
to see all of the nature while hiking in
the high Andes Mountains and through
the rainforest. Ecuador is a very biodiverse
place!”
Jack King, a senior, also incorporated
a program from an outside organization
into his Parkin. Through a Projects
Abroad program, Jack spent four weeks
in Costa Rica in the national park Barra
Honda. In this park, he did nature
observations to record ecological data
trends, as well as maintained the park.
Jack says of his favorite part of the
trip, “One morning, my friends and I
rose at around 3:30 in the morning to
make the one and a half hour hike to the
mountain viewpoint to see the sunrise a
little after five. By the end of the hike,
we were exhausted and lay on the floor
of the viewpoint to look for the sunrise,
except what we saw instead was just
lightning and occasional illuminations of
clouds. Even though we missed the
sunrise, we still got to hear the forest
wake up, such as the incessant chirp of
insects and then later the howler monkeys.
A close second, however, is unknowingly
swimming across a river with
an alligator at night.”
The last two Parkin fellows did work
unlike the others, but nonetheless remarkable.
SSA junior Shivum Bharill
worked in India for three weeks. He
created his Parkin program himself, with
a local medical college in northern India.
My mantra for the sophomores is
“See sophomore year as a great time to
take ownership of yourself and part of
your school.” For instance, a way to take
ownership is by recognizing an area for
improvement and then initiating the improvement.
In terms of taking ownership
of the school, it’s basically about leaving
a mark, a part of yourself, with the school.
How do you plan on achieving those
goals?
We have talked about this at class
meetings, and I work with the class officers.
For example, Term I grades just came
out, and I encourage students to read those
comments. If one has a lower history
grade, then one must be willing to go to the
teacher about that, rather than having the
teacher come to them. That would mean
going in to talk to teachers with rough
drafts and ideas.
Bonnie McCarthy, Form V Dean
What are your form dean’s responsibilities?
[We] maintain attendance for the form,
deal with minor discipline issues such as
dress code and driving/parking issues and
run class meetings. As a Form V Dean, I
raise money for prom.
What do you like about being a form
dean? Why?
I like getting to know all the juniors. I
also enjoy working with Ms. Zentgraf
and Ms. Skinner, two people I really
admire, and sharing an office with Mr.
Fularz—Form VI Dean. Because we are
both in our first year of this position, we
often help each other learn how to manage
the details of the job.
What do you dislike about being a form
dean? Why?
So far there is little to nothing I dislike.
The juniors have been cooperative with
the Dean’s office and have been responsible
regarding absences and tardies from
class. As long as students are being
accountable and responding to my emails,
then all is well.
What goals do you see yourself achieving
as form dean?
I have two main goals. The first is to
make sure that students know the Deans’
In India, Shivum tested water samples to
make sure that they were safe to drink,
and also taught villagers how to preserve
their water supply. “It was a difficult
task,” says Shivum, “because there was
no consistency with authorities within
the villages.”
Last but not least, Senior Campbell
Nilsen journeyed to Cambridge Bay,
Nunavut (which is in the Canadian Arctic).
In Nunavut, Campbell spent twenty
days working with the Nunavut Lit-
office is here to support them. We want
to be sure they are safe and a citizen in
great standing with the Academy.
The second is to get students to
understand the importance of signing in
and out of the Deans’ office when they
arrive late or leave early. Also, they need
to be sure they provide us with proper
documentation—note from a parent or
guardian or a physician—when they are
absent or tardy.
How do you plan on achieving those
goals?
Round up students in class meetings
and in one-on-one meetings. Generally, I
try to be outward about talking with
students either individually or in groups.
Chad Fularz, Form VI Dean
What are your form dean’s responsibilities?
A form dean is a point person for the
class. We review grades, interims, deal
with absences and tardies, and work with
the senior class. I listen to their suggestions
on picking a graduation speaker, for
instance.
What do you like about being a form
dean? Why?
I like that I have more interactions
with students. Previously I would only
have interactions with students in my
classes or those whom I’d often see in
hallways.
What do you dislike about being a form
dean? Why?
Paul Ejzak
eracy Council Works, trying to sustain
the usage of the four official languages of
the country. While there, he also worked
with children at a cultural center and
preserved artifacts.
To sum everything up, Tess
Rosenbloom says that “Parkin Fellowships
are an aspect that makes Shady
Side unique. The independence that
students are given to design their own
trips is pretty rare. I am really happy
that I got to spend my summer doing
something meaningful, and know that I
will look back on my Parkin, years from
now, with fond memories.”
Every student left his or her travels
and experiences with nothing but positive
things to say to encourage all students
to apply for a Parkin Fellowship.
As Athif puts it, “My Parkin was a
fantastic experience, and I would not
hesitate to do it again.”
Fred Parkin with fellows Athif Wulandana, Joe McMahon, Jack KIng
Doing a lot of attendance issues. Sometimes
work gets pushed to the evenings.
There are days when I can’t remember a
moment when I just sat and thought.
What goals do you see yourself achieving
as form dean?
I would like to foster leadership by
increasing the amount of community service,
for instance. Seniors are the leaders
of the student body.
How do you plan on achieving those
goals?
I believe in starting with the leaders
you already have. That includes encouraging
seniors to speak up more at assembly.
Bonnie McCarthy and
Michele Greene
Chad Fularz