the echo: 2013-2014, volume 4
DESCRIPTION
The Echo has been Battle Ground Academy's student newspaper for many years, evolving from print to an online format in 2008. It is currently staffed by six student editors and 19 writers and photographers who cover a wide range of topics, including BGA sports, arts, faculty/staff spotlights and current events.TRANSCRIPT
1
The Echo 2013-‐‑14 Issue 4
THE ECHO Elective Classes: A Look Into a Few Optional Classes at BGA
1
Editor-‐‑In-‐‑Chief: Erinie Yousief
BGA Happenings Editor: Jonathan Reiss
Special Interests Editor: Annie Kennedy
Sports Editor: Nora Scott
2
Associate Sports Editor: Ivy Shelton
Photography Editor: Jacklyn Abernathy
Writers & Photographers: Hersheyth Aggarwal, Laura Anglin, Chad Bramlett, Sarah Butler, Danielle Caron, Audrey Collins, Stokes Dunavan, Miller Fahey, Andrew Graveno, Emily Hopkins, Bethany Kirkpatrick, Brenna Kirkpatrick, Neel Kurupassery, Madeline
MacArthur, Chloe Masten, Michaela Murphy, Grace Whitten, Steve Xu and Reagan Yancey
The Echo Staff
BGA News
Sports
Page 2: Elective Classes: Ethics & Morality; Drum Line Page 3: Elective Classes: Honors Art Page 5: Meet Mrs. Anderson
Page 7: Swim Team
Page 8: Why We Need Black History Month Page 11: Editor’s Thoughts
Special Interests
As we near the start of course registration time, the Newspaper Staff that it would be helpful to interview teachers/talk about some of the elective courses available.
Annie Kennedy reviewed Ethics and Morality taught by Mr. Shairs
Nora Scott spoke with Mr. Propper about the Drum Line class that will perform at the football games (and some basketball games).
Chad Bramlett discussed the Honors Art program.
(Continued on page 2)
Page 13: Photos from the Chili Cook-‐‑Off
Photos
2
The Echo 2013-‐‑14 Issue 4
1
A Review of Ethics and Morality
By: Annie Kennedy
Ethics and Morality, taught by Junior and Senior English instructor Mr. Shairs, is a semester long course that focuses on the effects of Eastern culture and philosophy on Western society and the teachings of China-‐‑ Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism.
The class contains a small number of students—ideal for in-‐‑depth and constructive discussions. The small size also allows time for every question to be answered, giving each student a more clarified understanding of the material being studied. Moreover, the class uses a variety of material—from documentaries studying Buddhism’s effect on Western culture to books discussing the basics of Taoism—in order to spark discussion. So far, books such as The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff, which relates the story of Winnie-‐‑the-‐‑Pooh to the teachings of Taoism, and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig, which focuses on the social and intellectual aspects of society, have been covered in the class.
Ethics and Morality brings the cultures and philosophies of Eastern society to life and gives new ways to question the values of Western culture. Ethics and Morality is a welcomed and much needed addition to the academic course list at BGA and will
2
hopefully continue to be taught for students interested in cultures outside Western society. Interview with Mr. Propper on the Drum
Line By: Nora Scott
BGA will have a drum line for football (and some basketball) games next year. It will be headed by Mr. Propper and will be a great opportunity for anyone who has an interest in drumming. In an interview with Mr. Propper himself, some more information has been revealed: What made you decide to start a drum
line? We decided to start a drum line after
we decided to move to a more collegiate model for the football games. A drum line would be a great start to a program that could reflect some of the great football band programs we have in the southeast. We want to make sure that the music at the football game reflects the fierce Wildcat school spirit.
Is experience required? There is no experience required to
play in the drum line at this time, we are just looking for people who are interested in showing their school spirit and have a willingness to learn. We would like to see
Elective Classes
3
The Echo 2013-‐‑14 Issue 4
Elective Classes continued
3
people who are already big wildcat fans to come out. What kind of percussion instruments
will students be playing? The drum line will have students
playing snare drums, bass drums, tenor drums (called quints which have five different small drums all grouped together for one person to play), and cymbals.
When will practices start and how
often will they be? Practices will be three times a
week outside of regular class time. We don'ʹt know exactly when that will fall within the changing schedule, but it will not be a regular graded class. We want students to have fun while learning some great music to show school spirit. There will also be a week of band camp training during the summer before school starts in August. What will be expected of members in terms of performances and how will it
be different from the jazz/rock ensemble at football games? Students who are a part of the
drum line will perform at every football game—both at home and away. They will also play a few home basketball games as well. It will be different from
4
the jazz/rock ensemble because the drum line will be focused on percussion music and the group’s main purpose will be to play at athletic events and pep rallies.
If you have any further questions about the drum line, please email Mr. Propper.
Encouraging Character, Scholarship, and Excellence Through Art
By Chad Bramlett
In recent years, the visual art program at Battle Ground Academy has soared to new heights. With the recent completion of the Mary Campbell Visual Arts Center, artists at BGA have been able to develop their skills in a state-‐‑of-‐‑the-‐‑art facility. The increased funding has also inspired students to create new works, many of which have been showcased in BGA’s annual art show—some have even won awards at local competitions, such as the Middle Tennessee Regional Art Exhibition.
With this art program, students are able to expand their breadth of artistic knowledge. But what if a student wants to learn even more about art, beyond the limits of a forty-‐‑five minute class period? What if a student has a major interest in visual art and wants to pursue an art-‐‑related career? Well, BGA has the answer:
4
The Echo 2013-‐‑14 Issue 4
Elective Classes continued
Pellentesque:
Consectetuer:
5
the Honors and Advanced Placement Visual Arts Program. The Honors and AP Visual Arts Program comprises four different classes: Honors Art I, II, and III and AP Art IV. All of these classes require much work and commitment, but the benefits are great. In Honors Art I, students gain basic knowledge of the elements of design, learn how to critique works of art, and begin to explore the fascinating world of art history. In Honors Art II, they continue these practices and finish the elements of design text (a requirement for Honors Art III).
Throughout the course of Honors Art I and II, students do complete the same coursework as the Regular classes—but additional materials and commitment are required. As Ms. Lea-‐‑Mord, the inspirational and fun honors and regulars Art I and Art II teacher, states: “There is a weekly homework assignment from the design text for the honors students that the regular classes don'ʹt have.” Ms. Lea-‐‑Mord further explains that, in order to complete good pieces, “honors students spend more time in the studio outside of class working on their projects,” as there is more to be expected of finished work for honors students. Once students complete the Honors Art I and Honors Art II class, they are prepared to move on to Honors
6
Art III. Honors Art III, taught by Mrs. Logan,
is where students apply the vital knowledge they gained in previous classes. As Mrs. Logan, the friendly and intelligent Honors Art III and AP Art IV teacher, notes: “The course work is similar up until Honors III. Then a student begins working on their AP portfolio, starting with the Breadth portfolio, where they have to create 12 pieces of quality work to include by the end of their junior year.” Mrs. Logan clarifies that by the end of AP Art, “a portfolio of almost 30 pieces…is sent to the AP board in lieu of an AP exam.” Along with completing these pieces, students are required to attend a college level art course during the summer in order to increase their understanding of design and to add to the portfolio they have been working on throughout junior year.
Of course, the pressure of the Honors Art III and AP classes may not be for everybody. Mrs. Logan affirms that “you have to maintain a certain grade to stay in” and that “you need drive, ability and time management” to complete the 2 portfolios needed for the AP board by the spring of your senior year. But the hard work is well worth it. In Honors III (and later in AP), students have control over the projects they are assigned and get to see the results of their hard work immediately. They also get college credit if they earn a 3 or above on
5
The Echo 2013-‐‑14 Issue 4
Elective Classes continued
1
Interview with Mrs. Anderson By Nora Scott Recently, I got the chance to ask Mrs. Anderson (the new part-‐‑time counselor) a few questions, so that, while she is busy learning hundreds of new names and faces, we can learn a little about her too. Where did you grow up/go to college?
I grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and attended high school at an independent school similar to BGA. I went to college at Yale University in New Haven, CT, where I majored in Psychology. After college, I lived in Munich, Germany and then New York City for a couple years to explore some different career options. I moved to Nashville in 2003 to attend the Human Development Counseling program at Vanderbilt for my master'ʹs degree. What made you want to be a school
counselor? I think I always knew I wanted a
job where I would be working directly with people and helping people. I really enjoyed being a Peer Leader in high school, and then I was a Freshman Counselor my senior year of college. I decided that school counseling would be a way I could help people learn positive
7
their portfolios. The Honors and AP Art Program at
BGA is great. It offers students the opportunity to enhance their artistic skills and learn the essential knowledge of design and art history that is vital to anybody wanting to choose an art major in college or even pursue a career with art. With this program, one can attract the attention of great colleges as well as find new ways to express themselves and their ideas. Battle Ground Academy has built its ideals on character, scholarship, and excellence and, through art, anybody can learn and develop these qualities.
Meet Mrs. Anderson
The Echo 2013-‐‑2014 Issue 4
Meet Mrs. Anderson (cont.)
2
ways to handle difficult situations and emotions, coping skills they can use for the rest of their lives. Often times simply talking to another person about what you are feeling or going through is so helpful, and a school counselor can be that person when you don'ʹt feel like talking to your friends or family about what'ʹs happening in your life. I also like helping students figure out who they really are inside, and encouraging them to become confident and accepting of themselves.
What has been your favorite part of
being at BGA so far? I have been doing individual
meetings with the freshmen to introduce myself and talk about the transition to high school. It has been fun talking with all of these different students—hearing about their interests, talents, and ideas about what they want to do after BGA! I am really impressed with how polite, focused, and hard-‐‑working BGA students are. What are some of your hobbies or interests outside of your job?
I have a three-‐‑year-‐‑old son, Charlie, who keeps me busy. We are both pretty social and are happy doing almost anything with friends. I love taking him to the park or woods to
3
explore. When I get time to myself, I listen to music, do yoga, read, and think about all the things I will learn, places I will travel, and activities I will do when I have more time!
Mrs. Anderson is splitting her time with Mrs. Corrigan this year but will become a full-‐‑time counselor next year. Don’t hesitate to introduce
7
The Echo 2013-‐‑14 Issue 4
BGA SPORTS
1
Success for BGA’s Swim Team By Brenna Kirkpatrick
As the winter sports season comes to
a close and spring sport begin, the swim
team is wrapping up one of its most
successful seasons to date.
Coach Carol Carr, a member of the
1984 Canadian Olympic Team, has worked
diligently along with Coach Ben Slater since
November to train swimmers through starts,
turns, technique, and speed work. Though
this year’s swim team is the largest BGA
upper school team that Coach Carr has
coached, every swimmer was able to qualify
to compete in the Middle Tennessee High
School Region Championships on January
31.
There were many outstanding swims
at the Region Championships, such as junior
Bailey Reese’s, which qualified her for a
second individual event, the 50 freestyle, at
the Tennessee State Championship Meet.
Senior Leigh Mattson also qualified for the
100 backstroke for the third time.
2
After the Region Championships,
Bailey, Leigh, senior Sarah Butler, and
junior Brenna Kirkpatrick continued to
train until the State meet on February 14
and 15. Bailey will compete in the 50
freestyle and the 100 backstroke, Leigh
will compete in the 100 backstroke, and
the four girls will compete together in
two relays. Reflecting back on the
season, Coach Carr said, ¨I am extremely
proud and impressed by everyone’s
training efforts and competition races
this year. Each swimmer brought unique
skills that contributed to the overall
success of the 2013-‐‑2014 team!¨.
The team greatly appreciates the
time given and leadership provided by
seniors Leigh, Sarah, and Adam Steed,
Coach Slater, and Coach Carr. Go
Wildcats!
8
The Echo 2013-‐‑14 Issue 4
SPECIAL INTERESTS
121
Why We Need Black History Month
By Bethany Kirkpatrick
So there’s this game once played at
BYU where students were stopped and
asked to name five historical black figures—
no, Oprah didn’t count. It seems like a
simple game until you find that, like
scholars and writers had long pointed out, it
wasn’t always achievable. In fact, many
couldn’t correctly identify some of the
leaders of the Civil Rights Movement in
America, including Rosa Parks.
This is why we need Black History
Month.
Black History Month takes place over
the month of February. Dr. Carter Woodson
dreamed up the idea in 1926 after earning
his Ph.D. from Harvard, where he realized
that history books either ignored or
underplayed the role of African-‐‑Americans
in US history. The original “Negro History
Week” was the second month of February,
chosen because it included the birthdays of
Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln,
2
but this recognition was expanded to the entire
month in 1976, which also included events such
as the birth of W.E.B. DuBois, the founding of
the NAACP, the ratification of the 15th
Amendment, and the death of Malcolm X.
Negro History Week received enthusiastic
feedback and positive support and, that first
year, all but two states endorsed the holiday.
Popular support has fizzled over time,
however, as people have begun to argue that
the Civil Rights era has passed and that, if we
have a Black History Month, we should have a
White History Month too. What has been
forgotten over time, paraphrasing comedian
Tim Wise, is that these months do exist; they
just have confusing names like March, April,
and May.
Marginalized groups are defined as
groups that are treated as insignificant or kept
in powerless positions. These groups have their
existence tragically forgotten or ignored. This is
obvious in something as simple as our holidays,
when we celebrate Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s
Day, Columbus Day, etc. while oblivious to the
fact that these holidays all find their history in
9
The Echo 2013-‐‑14 Issue 4
3
white men. The one national recognized
holiday celebrating an African-‐‑American—
MLK Day—exists to celebrate civil rights,
which makes sense because that’s the field
where he led. But we still have yet to come up
with a day where an African-‐‑American is
celebrated not for being black and achieving,
but just for achieving. Though this trend may
have some historical context, we cannot ignore
that, according to the Census Bureau in 2012,
37% of people are at least half-‐‑minority in
America. NBC even reported in 2013 that
“white” was no longer going to be a majority in
America as soon as 2043. The proportion of
minorities in America to holidays celebrating
those minorities is highly skewed, to say the
least.
But our calendar isn’t the only problem.
Journalist Nico Lang points out, “When we
think of our sports heroes, we go to Joe
Namath, Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio, just as
our history books are dominated by our
Lincolns, Jeffersons and Washingtons, rather
than Crispus Attacks and Frederick Douglass,
who are honored as footnotes.” Basically, we
4
are taught that our nation is a melting pot
and we do have teachers at BGA who use
their history classes to prove the influence of
other cultures on American history, but this
blessing is a unique one.
And, like always, the history affects
the present; privileged position in history
means privilege today. Whites in America
unarguably have privileges that they take for
granted, like being able to turn on the TV,
read books, open the newspaper, and see
their race represented widely. White
Americans can dress or act however they
wish without it being attributed to their race,
but they can achieve without being labeled a
credit to said race. Hey, even when white
people get pulled over by the police, they
know for certain that they were speeding
and not profiled. White culture doesn’t teach
fear of the power of other races. These rights
are good and we shouldn’t feel guilty for
having them. But it’s necessary to realize that
this gift a) should be universal and b) is not.
It is sometimes argued that white
people experience racism and yes, this can be
10
The Echo 2013-‐‑14 Issue 4
5
entirely true. Individuals of every race have
been unjustifiably hurt by individuals of every
other race. What makes the difference is the
form. Never has the white race experienced
systematic and institutionalized racism on a
scale designed to subjugate an entire culture.
And while we may not have legal racism in our
country today, its existence is a part of our
history and its effects are part of today.
The history of America is often, sadly, a
history of erasing, ignoring, and
“whitewashing” the achievements of other
races. The good news is, instead of growing so
uncomfortable with these achievements finally
coming to the light that we demand a White
History Month to celebrate the already-‐‑
celebrated, we have better ways to bring this so-‐‑
called equality. It would be easy to laugh at the
students from BYU, but sometimes we have to
think instead. In a culture where this ignorance
is a reality, all of us need to go out of our way
to make sure we don’t do the same thing.
And we can do this, in two very
manageable ways. The first is being aware—not
taking for granted whatever privileges we live
with on a daily basis. The second way means
6
taking a stand, whether it be researching
more about heroes of color from our past or
fighting for those people’s representation in
the future. I know I am America because I
see people like me every day representing
my country. But everyone around me is part
of America too.
It’s not expected that white
Americans feel guilty because of the past.
It’s necessary, however, that they remain
both aware and active. If we forget how far
we’ve progressed, we forget why we need
to keep progressing. When Dr. Carter
Woodson created Negro History Week, he
created it dreaming of the day when we
wouldn’t need it.
Like Woodson, we can dream and act
too.
11
The Echo 2013-‐‑14 Issue 4
EDITOR’S THOUGHTS
1
The Importance of Challenging Religion
By Erinie Yousief
While discussing “The Love Song of J.
Alfred Prufrock,” Dr. Harper asked if anyone
knew the story of Lazarus (in order to clarify
the line “I am Lazarus reborn”). About four
students started to explain the story of the dead
man whom Jesus brought back to life, but were
cut off—the line actually alluded to a second
Lazarus. When Dr. Harper rephrased her
question, to ask if anyone knew about the
second Lazarus, no one responded. Though the
class held a Christian majority, no one had an
answer.
This inability to fully address biblical
allusions is not uncommon. Almost every day
last semester, in discussion of The Canterbury
Tales, for example, questions about biblical
stories appeared with only one or two students
able to answer. In Mr. Medlin’s class, very few
knew of the two accounts relating to the death
of Judas and, in Mrs. Handelsman’s freshman
class, no one knew the meaning behind
“Beelzebub” or the significance of “Cavalry.”
2
Though all of these classes held a number of
Christians, almost no one had knowledge of
Christian teachings.
Of course, not all students at BGA
identify as Christians. Some are Hindu, some
are Jewish, some are Muslim, some are
atheists—but the overwhelming majority have
attended Christian services for nearly two
decades; they (along with myself) should have
been able to answer.
Many conservatives of the Bible Belt
have noticed the decline in biblical literacy
among Christians and have condemned
secularism as the main cause. Billy Graham, a
Southern Baptist minister who has worked as a
spiritual advisor for several U.S. presidents,
even went as far as to say that secularism was
an attempt “to avoid any possibility of
offending anyone—except God,” implying that
the removal of Christian influence in schools is
an act against Heaven itself.
However, as explained through an
article released last March by The Huffington
Post, secularism does not undermine biblical
literacy; in fact, it strengthens it. By questioning
12
The Echo 2013-‐‑14 Issue 4
3
one’s own upbringing and by receiving
challenges from others about the authenticity of
one’s faith, one gains a wider understanding of
one’s religious texts and their implications.
What actually stunts familiarity with the
Bible is religious privilege—a state in which
Christians hold the overwhelming majority in
the media and politics while simultaneously
suppressing an accurate representation of
religious minorities. As a result, Christians,
even today, receive only a handful of social and
political challenges and thus hardly ever go
under the same scrutiny that their counterparts
face; without being questioned about the
validity of their faith, few Christians are
compelled to truly analyze their beliefs.
In order to reverse some of the effects
caused by this privilege, a more serious
discussion of religion must take place.
Fortunately, teachers like Mr. Medlin and Mr.
Shairs have already made moves to bring such
a discussion to the table; in his English classes,
Mr. Medlin spends a great deal of time
emphasizing that the Founding Fathers were
Deists (not Christians) and, in recent months,
Mr. Shairs has set up a course that focuses on
Eastern religions and culture. As a result, not
4
only do students who identify as Christian
gain a deeper understanding of their faith’s
teachings, but students of religious
minorities have their views acknowledged
and discussed as well.
Students who identify with a certain
religion must understand the pillars of that
faith; each religion must therefore be
challenged and not thought as “the default.”
13
The Echo 2013-‐‑14 Issue 4
Pictures and Captions by: Stokes Dunavan
Martin Anderson, Annie Kennedy, Austin Stanley, Andrew Graveno, and Katie Gracey. It’s what bad-‐‑to-‐‑the-‐‑bone tastes like and it’s pretty good.
Annie Redovian, Ella Jewell, Lathram Berry, Ensley McFarland, and Maddie Cosby. These cowgirls can throw down a mean bowl of chili at any line dance or hoedown.
The cheerleaders do a fantastic job to cheer on both the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams.
PHOTOS
14
The Echo 2013-‐‑14 Issue 4
Jack Blackstone, Bo Kennedy, Vignesh Balasundarum, Will Lamb, McAlister Alday, and Colin Stuart. One bowl of their chili, and you might think you’ve died and ridden off into the sunset sporting a gloriously flowing mustache.
Grayson Guthrie, Matt Cogen, Grant Drury, and Coleman Kruse. These boys ‘round here have some cooking skills that prove country boys can survive.
Brady Lawrence, Rae Scott, Hannah Lawrence, Mark Puryear, Matt McKeand, and Matt Reed. Good lord Voldemort, there’s something magical about their chili.
15
The Echo 2013-‐‑14 Issue 4
Sara Zumbach, Jake Murray, and Alex Geraughty. They win platinum for taste and style.
Reid Higgins, Joel Parker, Tucker Beathard, Hunter Tate, and Cannon McCullough. Sit back under a palm tree and relax—you’re on island time.