School Snow Days Make WRA History

WESTERN RESERVE ACADEMY
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | VOL. C : NO. 4
GSA Cabaret Dazzles Green Key
WRA’s Most-Seen Films of 2013
WRA Hockey Dominates Season
G ay-S t rai g ht Al l i an c e eve n t
Simon Ong ’15 surveys the student body
Team finishes strong with recent
celeb ra t e s LGB TQ mu s i c i a n s
to relive movie magic of the past year.
Baron Cup Win
PAGE 6 | ARTS
PAGE 7 | ENT ER T A I N MEN T
P AGE 2 | O PI N I O N
by Jaret Skonieczny ’17
On Saturday, January 18th, six Western Reserve
Academy students traveled to Crestwood High
School in Mantua, Ohio to perform at the Ohio
Music Education Association Solo and Ensemble Event. The six were Helena Ahn ’15, Jimmy
Donaghy ’14, Maya Gallegos ’16, Joanna Malson ’15, Kat Schorling ’16, and Yuki Yamasaki
’16. The contest featured students from many
other high schools in the surrounding areas.
OMEA Solo and Ensemble is an event where
students have an opportunity to perform in
front of a judge and get valuable feedback on
their musical capabilities. Each student plays in
a small room with a judge and any spectators
who wish to watch. There are two parts to the
performance--playing scales and playing a prepared piece. After playing the requested scales,
the student plays a piece while the judge follows
along with the provided score. The judge writes
comments about the student’s playing during
the performance. The judge also assigns a numeric score to the performance on a scale of one
to four, one being the highest score; four, the
lowest. There are three classes that each student
can play in: Class A is for advanced students,
B for average players, and C for beginners.
Yamasaki performed “The Roadside Fire”
by Ralph Vaughn Williams. Yamasaki is an
avid singer in the Academy Choir. When
asked about his experience at the contest, Yuki
said, “It was great time! I really enjoyed seeing my peers perform in a classical setting in
contrast to the musical or open mic, which
are much more casual and require a different set of skills.” He also gave some advice to
those interested in participating in an OMEA
contest: “I really encourage anyone who is serious in pursuing music to give this a shot; it
gives you really good experience performing
in front of people and receiving criticism.”
Helena Ahn also competed in the OMEA
contest in class A. She played Arthur Honegger’s “Danse de la Chevre,” a flute solo. Helena
plays the flute in the WRA Symphonic Winds.
Humorously, Ahn said, “It is always nice to
perform in front of other people that do not
know how well you play.” She added that experience as a whole had motivated her to practice more and sharpen her skills as a musician.
School Snow Days Make WRA History
Snow settles on campus; not a student in sight.
by Mike Zeleznik ’16
Tuesday, January 7, 2014 marked a day to remember for the community of Western Reserve Academy, even though only a fraction of the student
body celebrated on campus throughout the day.
WRA cancelled classes on what was intended to be
the first day back from Winter Break. The temperatures dipped below zero degrees air temperature and
into double digits below with wind chill factored into
the equation. However, the reason for the cancellation was travel, as many boarding students had their
flights cancelled trying to return to campus. Jenny
Xu ’15 was one such person who had a hard time getting back into Hudson. “We just checked in at an airport hotel and stayed over for a night and caught the
flight the next day. I was lucky, some people stayed
over for 2 days.” Duncan Ostrom ’17 was one of
Photo by Andersson
Six Student Performers Put on a Show at
OMEA Competition
The longest-running
newspaper in historic
Hudson, Ohio
the lucky few who made it back to Hudson on Monday, though he says, “I was kind of sad that I was
one of the only kids in my dorm and there was no
one else here.” When asked what he did on his day
off, he replied, “I mostly slept and watched Netflix.”
The WRA community spent its snow day in many
ways. While Ostrom was cruising Netflix, Charles
Pendergast ’15 fixed his iPhone, and Rachel Morris ’16 was “really happy that [she] had one more day
to sleep.” One constant, though, was the shock and
awe of having an extra day off. Little did the community know that Mother Nature would strike again.
On January 28th, also a Tuesday, with temperatures
once again falling below zero and wind chills dipping
towards thirty below, WRA cancelled classes a second time, though all boarding students remained on
Continued on Page 2
Once Upon a Time at Sadies Changes Location
by Morissa Clayman ’16
The Sadie Hawkins Dance, which
was referred to as a “ball” to match
this year’s fairy tale theme, brought
with it the normal anticipation of
role reversal, where the girls are
responsible for asking their dates,
but this year it also raised many
questions. Many wondered why
the dance scheduled was on a
night that the whole boys basketball team was away at a game; the
Dean’s office provided the Pioneer
Woman’s Association with the
date containing the least amount
of conflicts, and it so happened
that the boys basketball team had
an away game. Others were curious why it was not held in the
Ong Library, as had been originally announced. Nishka Raheja ’14
speculated that “people would just
sit down and read books instead
of dancing.” As probable as that
sounds, the real reasons can be
attributed to a fire code concern
regarding the amount of people
attending and the fact that the
girls’ heels would scuff the hardwood floors in the library. Conse-
quently, the dance was transferred
to the Mac Lobby, where, among
the castles and fairy-tale dresses,
students attempted to dance all
night to remixes, including a remix of “Milkshake”. Additionally, some of the basketball players made it back in time for the
second half of the dance. Looking
forward, the Pioneer Women’s Association would like all of us to
get excited for their next event,
the annual Bicknell Bonanza!
Photos by Doe and Maseelal
Opinion
Reserve Record
Snow Days
(cont.)
Continued from Page 1
campus. Seeing as how snow days/
cold days are few and far between at this institution, it is well
worth looking back to the last time
classes were cancelled at WRA.
According to school archivist Thomas
Vince, WRA had not cancelled classes
due to weather prior to these two cases
since 1977, when the State of Ohio
cancelled all schools during a statewide
effort to conserve natural gas, forcing
the entire community to leave campus
for the rest of the week. There have, in
fact, been some close calls since then.
In 1992, record-low temperatures led
to a student protest to have classes cancelled. Then Co-Deans Brand Closen
and Tim Trautman had to go dormto-dorm to tell everyone to get to
class. One student in particular, who
Closen believes was named Garrett,
put up the biggest fight. “Mr. Trautman and I grabbed either end of his
[blanket] and we dragged him downstairs [and] took him out on the patio!”
At the end of the day, WRA honors its commitment to academic excellence, and a little winter weather will not change that. After all,
Closen remembers of that blizzard
of ’92, “even Garrett went to class.”
January/February 2014
Levin Disappointed in Local Coffee Establishment
Photo by Levin
2
by Trevor Levin ’15
At six o’clock on a rainy October morning, Peet’s Coffee
& Tea opened its doors to a throng of several dozen cold,
groggy customers, some of whom had been there for more
than two hours. Peet’s had promised a $75 gift card for the
first twenty-five customers. Victoria Hearin ‘15 and Mika
Takahashi ‘15 claim to be the establishment’s first customers (though I, seventeenth in line, made the first contribution to the tip jar). As the morning progressed, scores of
curious Reserve students dropped in to see how the coffee, food, and furnishings of Peet’s compared to those of
Caribou, which had inhabited the building previously.
The initial reception seemed positive, as locals welcomed the caffeine infusion after more than a month
without Caribou. But as the months have dragged on,
opinion--mine, at least--has gradually turned against
Peet’s. The coffee itself at Peet’s far surpasses Caribou’s
and Starbucks’s coffee. (I’m no coffee connoisseur, but
such authorities as Alex Wheaton ‘14 and Mr. Peter-
son have confirmed my belief.) Additionally, the shop
retained most of Caribou’s staff, who are friendly as
ever. So, why has Peet’s been such a disappointment?
For those of you who weren’t here or don’t remember,
Caribou’s interior was markedly different from the stark,
flat, utilitarian decor of Peet’s that reminds Dr. Borrmann
of a “train station.” In addition to boasting at least five
more seats than the current arrangement, Caribou gave a
greater sense of warmth--with its fireplace in the corner,
its local art hanging on the walls, its softer lighting, and its
daily trivia question, which offered ten-cent discounts for
those who guessed correctly. Importantly, too, Caribou had
tables of varying levels, which lent a bit of privacy. With
the arrival of Peet’s, all that has been replaced with a minimalist flatness, sporting no hominess within its flat walls.
On a more practical note, though, the food at Peet’s
is simply not up to snuff. Berate the corporate evils and
Orwellian sameness of Starbucks all you want, but its
lemon pound cake and donuts are exquisite, in a spectacularly caloric way. Peet’s offers a smattering of muffins,
croissants, and cookies, but, through several trials, I have
discovered that none are very good--especially for the
prices, which are significantly higher than Caribou’s were
(though they remain competitive with Starbucks’s). If I’m
going to shell out $1.95 for a chocolate chip cookie, I expect a hearty, satisfying, and hopefully large cookie, not
the meager, thin Peet’s variety. Also, while Caribou sold
sandwiches, Peet’s sells nothing substantive, only desserts.
At Reserve, we haven’t much to complain about: Hudson,
considering its size and safety, features a great deal of options
for students. But it used to provide a place where students
could hole up at a cozy table with a coffee and delicious food
and study, socialize, or relax for hours. I mourn that loss.
Basketball Player Speaks Out Drop The Act - Cartoons Are For Everyone
by Camry Harris ’14
About Sadie’s Scheduling
For a long time there were not many cartoons
byJoey Mylott ’15
Recently, a major conflict emerged within the
on-the-rise WRA basketball program. This dilemma left some members of the varsity team
with a very difficult decision: either put the team
on their back or place chivalry above all else. In
other words, either go to the basketball game or
go to the Sadie Hawkins Dance. As the number
of players who were asked to the dance climbed,
so did the nerves of our fine, young student-athletes. Recent injuries, which all coincidentally
pertain to the various ligaments of the ankle—the
deltoid ligament, anterior talofibular ligament,
posterior talofibular ligament, and the calcaneofibular ligament—also added to the tension and
stress of the team. With the team’s best start to the
season in years, 7-2, this decision is even harder.
As one of the regular starters on the varsity team,
when I was added to the list of those plagued
with an ankle injuries, I too had to make a choice
since I was not going to be able to play in that
game. Although I wished I could have gone to the
dance, I had an obligation to stay and support my
team on the night of Sadie’s. I do believe that the
scheduling of game, since it was an away game at
7:30 on a Saturday night, could have been better
planned. However, it appears that in this plight
between basketball and Sadies, I could not play
in game, but must attend; therefore, I fouled out.
Editors-in-Chief: Abby Hermosilla, Mitch Pollock
Associate Editor: Alex Wheaton
News: Rylee Nelsen, Kevin Yang
Opinion: Hannah McKenzie
Centerfold: Max Forsyth
Community: Nate Lund
Entertainment: Simon Ong
Arts: Trevor Levin
Sports: Charles Pearlman
Crossword: Alex Wheaton
Additional Formatting: Max Borrmann
Photographers: Lisie Andersson, Max Borrmann,
Joshua Estrada, Jenny Xu
marketed to a specific teenage crowd; we had tons
of shows for kids and a small amount of shows for
adults (Such as Family Guy and South Park) - and
we still do. This is what animation studios profit from! They found a specific demographic that
was easy to appeal to with this medium, and they
stuck to it, causing the meaning of “cartoon” to
mutate from “animated media” to “entertainment
for children.” This trend continued to perpetuate
the stereotype. Then came along Avatar: The Last
Airbender. This show developed a following way
beyond its intended age group and opened up the
pathway for studios to experiment with their ideas,
after finally realizing that this art form is not necessarily marketable towards just one age group!
I. Love. Cartoons. Cartoons are great. They are for
everyone, they make you happy, and they are stories worth your time. Cartoons can have beautiful
characters that are better written than some characters waltzing around in their tropes on CBS, NBC,
ABC, and Fox. You just have to find the right ones and it’s not hard! Cartoons feature everything, and
have much more potential than live action shows
due to the fact that they can be reality, create reality, or ignore reality all together. For the action
lovers, try Motorcity - a post-apocalyptic story of
motorhead rebels in underground Detroit. For the
fantasy “knights n’ dragons” lovers, try Jane and the
Dragon - a more tame, traditional cartoon with a
surprising focus on meaningful characters, instead of
corny gimmicks. For the superhero lovers, try Steven
Universe - a lighthearted and extremely stylish show
that doesn’t believe it has to be rude to be funny,
and is even funnier because of it. For mystery and
supernatural lovers, try Gravity Falls - a cartoon with
an almost creepy overarching plot that, paired with
the smooth, fun tone, makes an enjoyable watch.
What’s similar about these vastly different
shows, besides the fact that I would defend them
with my life? None of them pander to a younger audience. They are simply the show they
want to be. And with that, I leave this quote.
“Critics who treat “adult” as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term,
cannot be adults themselves. To be concerned
about being grown up, to admire the grown
up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks
of childhood and adolescence.” —C. S. Lewis
Writers: Harrison Ahn, Arthur Aubergine, Catherine
Berry, Max Borrmann, Morissa Clayman, Tricia Cunningham, Alex Fellows, Max Forsyth, Kelsey Gordon, Camry
Harris, Colin Horgan, Trevor Levin, Trevor Lin, Anna
McMurchy, Joey Mylott, Niraj Naik, Rylee Nelsen, Ketty
Nolan, Simon Ong, Charles Prendergast, Alec Rhodes,
Connor Semple, Jaret Skonieczny, Griffin Trau, Kevin
Yang, Mike Zeleznik
Faculty Advisor: Russell Morrison
the student body and providing its readership a forum
for community expression and discussion. The editors
and staff have worked on every facet of this publication.
The Reserve Record is the student-run, monthly newspaper of Western Reserve Academy and the voice of
and for the student body. It aims to educate its staff,
writers and photographers on journalistic style, format,
ethics and excellence, while entertaining and informing
The Reserve Record
Western Reserve Academy
115 College Street
Hudson, OH 44236
The opinions expressed in the Reserve Record do not
necessarily represent those of the administration, trustees or student body. The editors assume full responsibility for the contents of the publication and invite
community responses.
Please address any concerns, comments or requests to:
wrarecord@gmail.com
3
Reserve Record
Mammoth sighting on the front fields.
by Arthur Aubergine
BREAKING — After weeks of cold weather, it has finally
been confirmed that a new Ice Age is upon us. “It turns out
the climate is changing. Just not in the way we thought it
would,” says renowned Swedish climatologist Dr. Is Kallt.
“I hate to say it, but I think we’ve been looking at the charts
upside down this entire time. I ensure you that the intern
responsible for this will be spoken to immediately,” Dr. Kallt
continued. Although this information is shocking, it is safe
to say that the students of Western Reserve Academy were
already well aware that something was amiss. “The weather
really has been making it hard to get to school. I have to
leave at least 45 minutes earlier than usual because the dogs
that usually pull my sled aren’t accustomed to such cold
temperatures and deep snow,” replied one day student when
asked what he thought about the recent drop in temperature.
Not only is getting to school a problem for many, but
walking around campus has also proven difficult. Upon
inquiry, one sophomore explained, “The walk from classes to lunch is pretty rough. The majority of the time you
can’t see more than a few feet in front of you because of
the almost constant white-out. I’m pretty sure I saw a wooly mammoth on my walk to lunch yesterday.” A team of
Norwegian mammoth scientists led by Dr. Ullen Mammut
confirmed the sightings. The team has been hard at work
tracking the animals, although it has not proven too difficult to locate the furry behemoths that are currently making their home on campus. Students have been advised to
stay clear of the mammoths due to the possibility of sabre
tooth tigers which often trail close behind. It is still unclear
where exactly these primordial beasts came from, or how
long they will stay. At press time, reported Yeti sightings are
still unconfirmed. Regardless, students are encouraged to
travel in groups and not leave their dorms after nightfall.
Janurary/February 2014
WRA Kicks off the Year of the Horse in Style
by Trevor Lin ’15
Scores of WRA students gathered in Ellsworth Hall on the evening of February 2nd to
celebrate the Lunar New Year and the Year of
the Horse. WRA’s Chinese Club assembled a
lively program composed of performances that
reflected both past and present Chinese culture.
The WRA Choir kicked off the celebration with
a rendition of the traditional folk song, “Flower
Drum Song”. Trevor Levin ‘15 remarked of
this performance, “We struggled a bit with the
language, but I think a good time was had by
all.” The Choir’s singing set the tone for a night
of revelry as Mandarin students of all levels
continued to bravely take the stage and perform
songs in the difficult and often unfamiliar language. Students also played traditional Chinese
melodies on pianos, oboes, and violins, demonstrating not only the cultural involvement
of the WRA student body, but also the musical
diversity. Creative dances and traditional musical instrument demonstrations allowed many
students further insight into Chinese culture
and how the Lunar Festival came to be. Andy
Shu, WRA’s Mandarin teacher and organizer
of the event, was particularly impressed by the
demonstrators of Chinese Martial Arts, say-
Photo byAndersson
The Eggplant Reports:
Wooly Mammoth Makes
Reserve Campus Home
Community
ing “The martial arts was so great. I could feel
the ground shake when the master sprung up.”
These performances culminated in an authentic
Chinese meal that featured many of the quintessential Chinese New Year dishes includings
dumplings and noodles. Simon Ong ‘15 was
impressed by the meal, saying, “There was a large
variety of food that I had never tasted before. It
was really good.” The evening concluded with a
group of people giving students the opportunity
to play some traditional Chinese instruments,
including drums, cymbals, and gongs. The WRA
Mandarin club is already excited to build on this
year’s celebration with an even greater one next
year. (Happy New Year)!
Encore in Spring for Green Cup Challenge?
Photo by Andersson
by Max Borrmann ’16
The Green Cup Challenge recently came to
a close on the 12th of February. After four
weeks in our efforts to decrease Western Reserve Academy’s energy use, the results are in.
Although we had hoped to do better, there is
still a lot that can be learned. The competition on the outside is about the numbers, but
that is not the only goal. The hope is that we
as a community don’t only spend one month
thinking about our individual energy use,
but rather that we also use this month to
consciously form energy-saving habits. Our
energy usage did increase, but the extremely
cold weather over the last month certainly
of WRA will control a system that uses powplayed a large role. Many other schools across er: whether it be a business, a household, or a
the nation competing in the challenge had
school, we will have to make choices related
trouble as well, due to the large amount of
to the energy used by our system. We can
energy needed to heat the buildings during
build this system to be as efficient as possible,
the polar vortex. One of the biggest lessons
but at some stage, an act as small as turning
that can be learned is that we cannot control
off a light will make a noticeable difference.
all the factors in a system, no matter how
During the competition, there were other
hard we try. We can flip every switch, pull
factors that worked against us as well, such as
by Harrison Ahn ’17
every plug, and change every light bulb, but
the now permanent occupancy of Seymour
As the colorful ambience of fall slips away and the cold
at some point we don’t have control.
House, which obtained one of the largest
Ohio winter rolls in, a new superb selection of ECHO
Sustainability Co-Coordinator Mr. Peterpower increases. The leaders of Earth InitiaModules became available, ranging from Intuitive Calculus
son, organizer for the challenge, feels that one tive are meeting to discuss a second Green
to Story of Jazz to Architecture. These modules strove to
of the most important things that can be real- Cup Challenge for the Spring. Hopefully, the
help students find new passions and deepen their interized from the competition is the importance
weather will have less of an impact and every
ests. A few people share their thoughts on their modules.
of
students’
prospective
roles
in
systems.
At
member of our community will be as excited
Digital Video Editing was a thrilling experience for the
different
points
in
the
future,
each
graduate
to participate.
class. “It’s awesome!” says Harold Zhu ‘14. Students in
this module learn about editing videos and using special
effects. Mr. Gerber also filmed the Shakespeare Monologue Contest for students to practice editing. “Pretty
This year, instead of having
for a local hospital. Above all,
by Niraj Naik ’16
awesome stuff,” as Zhu added, indeed. Another sterling
many said that the day was
On January 17, the WRA
three service days, Neill demodule is France in World War II taught by Madame, in
tradition of Go Make a Difcided to create two service days a great success. Ajay Dakapwhich students watch videos and research assigned topics.
with many opportunities crepagari ‘16 remarked, “I’m glad
ference Day (Go MAD) took
They each make a PowerPoint reporting their findings and
place. In past years, Midge
ated by students. A new option I got to make a difference in
present it to the rest of their class. In addition, they read
other people’s lives. It made
Karam ‘74 was responsible for
that was added this year was
a book about a fictional French family who lived during
planning the Go MAD days
the option to work at Goodwill me acutely aware of the differWorld War II. Erik Gross ‘17 expounds: “I enjoy the class.
throughout the year. However, for a day. Students went to
ences I can make in the world.”
Madame makes the class interesting and enjoyable. It is
seeing as she is gone on sabeight different Goodwills across Dakapagari, like many others,
a great ECHO, in my opinion.” Introductory Robotics
batical this year, the task fell to Northeast, Ohio and helped
is very excited for the Spring
with Mr. Preston provides students a chance to build and
service day and Neill says she
newly appointed faculty mem- out by sorting and organizing
program robots by themselves to accomplish exciting tasks,
ber and Senior Class Dean An- incoming donations of clothes. is “working with a very special
such as maneuvering around poles and getting as close as
nie Neill. Neill was very excited Additionally, the Knitting Club department here on campus,
possible to an object without knocking it over from difabout the project explaining,
got together to start a yearso that the students can have
ferent distances. Ian Adams ‘17 agrees: “I think robotics is
“It is a large logistical puzzle
long project of making baby
a week of awareness, fun, and
fun.” The class looks forward to a project coming up called
hats for pre-mature newborns
great volunteer opportunities!”
that I love to put together!”
Sumo Robots.
Wrapping Up Winter Echos
Neill Takes On Community Service Days
Reserve Record
Centerfold
February 2014
MIKA TAKAHASHI dance
Reserve's Finest
by Ketty Nolan ’15
She is a bright student, an enthusiastic cross country runner and an involved business club member.
Consequently, Mika Takahashi’s ’15 natural talent
for dance only reveals itself in small glimpses to the
Western Reserve Academy community. As an incoming freshman, she thought she would have to sacrifice her love for dance to become a Pioneer, so she
traded hours of pliés and jetés for grueling runs with
the WRA cross country team. Though Takahashi
loved being a part of the team, she missed the studio
and the life she had lived since she was two. Sacrificing her time to study, she spent her evenings taking
ballet classes and attending rehearsals for her company, the Ballet Theatre of Ohio, where she holds
the title of a professional ballerina. She worked hard
to earn the role of Dew Drop in this past winter’s
in The Fine and Performing Arts
An Exclusive Look at the
worlds of seven student artists
KEVIN YANG oboe and piano
by Anna McMurchy ’15
It’s time to meet the mysterious man who delights us with his piano playing during
many a morning meeting as we mumble the alma mater. Kevin Yang ’15 has played the piano ever since he was nine years old when his mom dragged him to his first lesson. Due
to the kindness and expertise of his teacher, Yang soon grew to love making those ivory keys sing. In the fifth grade, he began playing the oboe. He could play the flute, but “a
kid said I was a girl if I played the flute,” remarks Yang. After performing a successful audition for the Akron Youth Orchestra in the eighth grade, he earned a coveted spot among
their ranks. “Freshman year, I was timid because there were all these really good musicians,”
mentions Yang. Through loads of practice and dedication, Yang has reached and perhaps
even surpassed their level, as the conductor now looks to him to lead the winds section.
On January 30, 2014, the Western Reserve Academy community received a real treat when
Yang played a piano piece that he had written himself. “Composing is a very complicated
process because there’s all this theory and creativity that goes into it,” Yang explains. With
encouragement from his piano teacher, he first began composing in the seventh grade. Yang
notes, “You have to start from your heart and then add details with your mind.” He feels
that his compositions really took off once he entered high school. WRA presented him with
many new situations that he could draw from. He adds, “Once you experience intense emotions, it shows in your work.” In the spring, he hopes to have the whole WRA orchestra play
one of his original pieces. This will be the first time a composition of his shall be played on
a grand scale, something the whole community will certainly look forward to experiencing.
Photo by Andersson
TIFFANY CHUNG cello
by Kelsey Gordon ’14
When Tiffany Chung ’14 came to Western Reserve Academy her junior year, she was
already an experienced cellist. Her passion for music began at a very young age after one
of her cousins started to play. Now in her tenth year of performing, Chung claims that
“the best thing about being in an orchestra is that you’re part of this big family.” During
her time as a cellist, Chung has played in five orchestras in four countries, allowing her to
work with people with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. Although she has moved
a lot, Chung has held onto her love for the cello and has embraced the opportunity to play
with many different people. When asked to describe her favorite music moment, Chung
responded, “[It’s] playing the last note of any concert. You get that overwhelming sense
of accomplishment, pride and relief, and you know you’re a part of something bigger.”
During her time with the WRA orchestra, Chung has played in the pit for both the Les
Miserables and Chess productions and is the proud leader of the cello section. Chung’s shining qualities include her ability to unite the section and uplift the spirits of those around her.
Fellow cellist Erik Gross remarks, “[Tiffany] is helpful to the whole cello section. She teaches
us new ways to go about a difficult section in a piece and is the backbone of the section. She
also always has a funny story to tell.” The WRA Orchestra members will definitely miss Chung
after she graduates this year, but they wish her the best in her future musical endeavors. Although Chung does not plan on majoring in music in college, she hopes to continue to participate in musical productions and believes that music will always have a presence in her life.
Centerfold
February 2014
Reserve Record
production of The Nutcracker, one of three
major roles in the show and her favorite so far.
To her surprise, upon arriving at WRA, Takahashi eagerly expanded her dance horizons.
“Mika came into the WRA Dance Program
with strong ballet technique. The training in
other dance styles at WRA has given Mika the
opportunity to expand her repertoire. Due to
her passion, hard work and determination,
Mika’s dancing and personal style has matured
and become more versatile,” proclaims Dance
Program Director Emily Barth. WRA’s production in the spring of 2013, Dancing Broadway,
featured a solo Takahashi choreographed, one
that challenged her and pushed her creative instincts
to new levels. She explained that creating the dance
was challenging at first because it was a genre she
was not accustomed to, but she found herself “connecting easily with the theme of changing, decisions
5
Photo by Andersson
4
and impulses and enjoyed the dance and the style.”
Through persistence and hard work, she learned that
compromise does not have to mean sacrifice. Takahashi has discovered a home here at WRA, but she
has also found a way to preserve her passion for dance.
CHLOE CUSIMANO 2D art
by Riley Nelsen ’14
MICHAEL NICHOLS theatre
Photo by Borrmann
by Evan Morgan ’15
Captivating audiences during his three years at Western Reserve Academy, Michael Nichols ’14 graces our lawn’s wide
sweep with breathtaking performances. Impressing in both
musicals and plays, Nichols’ theatrical endeavours range from
acting as a Russian chess-second to a Baptist Reverend during the 1930s, and he loves every second of it. “There’s nothing better than being on a stage with friends, making magic!” claims Nichols. His illustrious career stems from an
Arabian origin: at only 10 years-old, he starred as William
Shakespeare in a Saudi production of All the World’s a Stage.
Thankfully, Nichols has taken his talents to WRA, where his
love of acting continues to entertain faculty and students alike.
Among the multitude Nichols impacts with his performance is
Sam Ennis ‘15: “Nichols acts with a raw emotion unmatched at
WRA; it is truly moving.” This raw emotion allowed Nichols to
excel in a prominent role in WRA’s most recent musical, Chess,
in which he played Molokov, a KGB agent posing as an advisor
for a Russian chess player. Its a role Nichols deems his favorite
and he remarks, “I really enjoyed playing Molokov, because he
was such a complex character. He wasn’t good, he wasn’t evil,
he was just a man with motives and a drive to seize ambitions.”
Nichols was recently cast as the lead in the spring play, Noises Off.
Perhaps Nichols’ most impressive quality as an actor is the ability
to take criticism and advice, which he in turn uses to perfect his
role. Crediting Mrs. Ong, director of WRA’s drama performances, Nichols believes she has been instrumental in his development
and states, “Mrs. Ong has a knack for taking people’s talent and
then moving it in the right direction. She brings [the talent] out.”
Like Molokov, Nichols hopes to achieve his own goals, including a continued acting career. Wherever his collegiate studies
take him, Nichols is bound to thrive as a thespian — his drive
and devotion to the art makes that inevitable and irrefutable.
Photo by Andersson
DEMI QIAO 3D art
Photo by Xu
by Max Forsyth ’15
First introduced to 3D art her freshman year at
Western Reserve Academy, Demi Qiao ’15 has come
a long way in a short amount of time and has developed a mindset for 3D form and flow. Working
mainly with wood and clay, Qiao focuses on shape
in her art pieces. She explains, “When I decide
which shape I want it to be, it has to be meaningful
to me.” When asked about the difference between
2D and 3D art, Qiao noted that they provide different experiences: when drawing or painting, “you
have to pre-compose” and know ahead of time what
you want to create, but with 3D art, you start out
LAUREN KOLAR creative writing
by Kevin Yang ’15
“If writers stopped writing about what happened
to them,” claims writer and critic Elaine Liner, “then
there would be a lot of empty pages.” Luckily, creative writer Lauren Kolar ’14 has much to write
about herself. “I’m not nearly intelligent enough to
write about something not from my personal experience,” she humbly explains. Kolar debuted her writing career at a young age. In the beginning, her area
of focus was like that of other young writers, conjuring up “stories about animals.” As she matured
as a writer, she participated in Power of the Pen
competitions, and her focus shifted from animal stories to self-reflection. This transition was facilitated
by her enrollment in English teacher Mr. Gilbert’s
For those who have observed the artwork of
Chloe Cusimano ’14, one may notice something different about her pieces this year. This
difference can be attributed to new influences in Cusimano’s life, including some of her
classes at Western Reserve Academy. This year,
she took the Rap ECHO module with English
teacher Jill Evans, where she learned that “many
African American rappers have Muslim roots,
and their music is often accompanied by graffiti art.” Cusimano adds, “The synthesis between
my Arabic class and rap ECHO has inspired
me to explore the different styles of street art.”
For her work during art sport this year, Cusimano has labeled her pieces with the name
“Coyfish.” These pieces feature Arabic writing,
Muslim women and symbols of war and peace
such as guns shooting flowers. In the future,
Cusimano is interested in “working with wheat
paste, which is essentially the process of gluing designs to walls instead of spray painting
them. A popular artist who uses this method
is Banksy, who has been in the news recently
with a ball of clay or blocks of wood and it is easy
to change, improve, or destroy what you started.
Some of Qiao’s past completed art pieces include
a clay squirrel with a mug attached on top of the
tail and a “wooden human creature” with moving body parts and “a really weird shaped heart.”
Although she enjoys sculpting, Qiao mentions,
“Sometimes I struggle in the middle of the project
and my eyes get tired looking at the same piece.”
To “release and relax”, she moves to the potter’s
wheel, but afterwards, makes her piece unique by
pressing into the pot with her hands and fingers or
adding very ornate handles. One can easily identicreative writing class this year. “If I didn’t take it, I
wouldn’t be writing still,” says Kolar, “I needed that
push to keep writing.” It’s a good thing she’s taking this course, too, because Kolar’s best story was
an assignment for creative writing class: “It sort of
marked a turning point in my writing style. A much
needed turn. I finally learned to start paring down
and realized that ‘less is more’ really does work. In
terms of the story itself, a lot of it is pulled from
personal experience, the whole ‘write what you
know’ thing, except there’s a certain level of exaggeration. For the sake of space, two words to sum
it up: family drama.” Kolar hopes to continue writing in the future. She plans to pursue a career in
film, so writing a play, screenplay and musical are
all likely to be in her future. From animal stories to
full-fledged films, Kolar has the potential to show
how far a little creativity and writing skills can go.
Photo by Borrmann
for similar work.” Regardless of her major next
year, Cusimano plans on continuing working on her artwork during her college career.
fy Qiao’s pots just by the subtle details added. She
takes into account the texture of the piece, uses
geometric combinations and even creates imperfections in order to add to the personality of the artwork. Qiao commented once, “I do different experiments to find what works and what doesn’t.”
Looking ahead, Qiao would like to study fashion
design and she feels that her time spent with 3D art
will help her in her endeavours. In order to expand
upon her passion for visual art, this summer, Qiao
will attend a class at Central Saint Martins College
of Art and Design in London, England to focus
on transferring her ideas into form and structure.
Photo by Andersson
Arts
January/February 2014
Annual GSA Cabaret Entertains Community, Celebrates LGBTQ Musicians
Photo by Doe
by Connor Semple ’15
While the icy winter weather bites at anyone who hazards a journey down College Street, students and teachers
alike have braved the blizzards on a journey to the stage
of the Knight Fine Arts Center. For months, a talented
cast has worked painstakingly to polish Western Reserve
Academy’s highly anticipated winter play, To Kill a Mockingbird, and on January 31st and February 1st and 2nd,
the result of their hard work was finally unveiled on stage.
Based on Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel,
To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in the fictional smalltown setting of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s.
Focused on the life of a mild-mannered lawyer named
Atticus Finch, played by senior Alex Wheaton, the story
gives the audience a look at the status of race relations
and social inequalities of the time period. When a local
African American named Tom Robinson, played by Isaiah
Swoope ’16, is accused of rape, Finch is called upon to
represent him in court. Despite the dissent of the townspeople, Finch fights for justice against false testimony and
fabricated charges during the tense scenes that follow.
When asked about the racial themes of the play, Swoope
admitted that “the first time we went through the script…
I was shocked at what I saw. I couldn’t believe we were
really allowing students to get on stage and throw the ‘N
word’ around like that.” However, the sophomore later acknowledged that the difficult topics present in the
production do provide a valuable social commentary. “I
hope that seeing how blacks were treated in that time
period brings this community closer, in understanding
how lucky we are to be immersed in such a diverse situation every day. I hope that people also become aware,
and more understanding, of the cultural differences of
not just the black students on campus, but of everyone.”
Atticus Finch (Alex Wheaton '14) speaks
before the jury.
Photo by Doe
3
Photos by Andersson and Estrada
Cast Killed It in
Recent Production of
Mockingbird
Reserve Record
by Charles Prendergast ’15
Three days before the event, it looked like the
2014 WRA cabaret was on the road to disappointment. For the cabaret, students are asked to
choose a song by an LGBT artist and perform it
alone or with an accompaniment. This year, the
plain lack of content seemed to point towards
the GSA-sponsored show pulling off a “better
than expected” at best. However, a quick teaser
from Trevors Lin and Levin at the morning meeting the day before, followed by enthusiastic applause, turned these expectations on their head.
At around the same time, a flurry of new performers signed up, filling out the formerly sparse
set list. This breathed new life into the show. “I
think it was… the talent involved,” Simon Ong
‘15 mused when asked what inspired him to
sing. Of course, with so many performers signing up with little time to practice, the question of
quality arose. Here is where Trevor Levin ’15 and
Jimmy Donaghy, a post-grad, stepped in. They
were the backbone of the show, involved in seven
and five acts respectively, including all of the last-
minute acts. Trevor Levin described the acts with
less time to practice as “tremendously pleasant
surprises”, and indeed, the average spectator was
unlikely to pick out the acts chosen that day from
those chosen weeks before. The show started with
the full version of the song teased during Friday’s
morning meeting, “Good Riddance”, originally
sung by the bisexual Billy Joe Armstrong, the
frontman of Green Day. David Bowie and Elton
John, both bisexual as well, and the gay Freddie
Mercury were also represented that night. Other
artists represented included; Missy Higgins, bisexual; Adam Lambert, gay; and Mika, who has
said that he considers himself labelless. After Lou
Reed’s “Perfect Day”, the show closed with a
rousing sing of “Bohemian Rhapsody”, featuring
all those who sang or played in the show; any audience members who wanted to sing along; and
Simon Ong, who knocked it out of the park with
a blistering air guitar solo. Despite a lack of interest early on and a number of acts with little time
to practice, talented and hard-working musicians
made this year’s cabaret extremely successful.
Ong Continues to Next Round of Shakespeare Monologue Competition
by Catherine Berry ’15
Students and teachers alike
were removed from their
phones and flashcards to experience the talent and bravery
of ten students, from all grade
levels, in this year’s EnglishSpeaking Union National
Shakespeare Competition. Between sports announcements
and weekend activities, sonnets and shakespearean texts
were spoken and acted with
ease. The monologues ranged
from the emotionally driven
to the completely cynical, with
a promiscuous monologue
(from our youngest contestant) mixed in. Actors and
actresses steadied their shaky
hands and solidified their jittery
nerves long enough to perform
in front of the entire student
body during a morning meeting
in January. Starting with thirtyone adventurous souls, only ten
were chosen to continue to the
final round. A panel consisting
of Mr. Yankay, Mrs. McKenzie,
and Mrs. Rothman chose one
thespian to continue on to the
national competition in Cleveland on February 22nd, 2014.
Michael Nichols ’14 performed
a very menacing monologue
from King Richard III. With
his crooked back and eerie voice
it was hard not to find yourself
trembling, even from the ninth
row of the chapel. Nichols‘
frightening performance granted him runner up behind Simon
Ong ’15. Ong’s playful and heroic monologue from The Tempest, including the pantomiming of a giant fish, swam its way
into the hearts of the judges and
left the Chapel roaring. Ong
said, “It was really fun being able
to just get in front of everyone
and act ridiculous.” The ridiculousness paid off. One WRA
student stated, “It’s nice to have
a morning meeting that isn’t just
the same old thing. It’s very impressive to see your friends get up
and do that kind of stuff.” These
impressive performances have
the Reserve community waiting
anxiously for next years contest.
Comic by Timmy Lund ’16
Entertainment
January/February 2014
Music Review: Mac Demarco’s 2
by Alec Rhodes ’14
Unlike what the album title suggests,
2 by Mac Demarco should be number one on your to-listen-to playlist to
cure the winter blues. The refreshing
blend of traditional jam band guitarbass-drum concocts with original riffs
to create a fresh new sound. Despite
this new take on blue wave, Demarco’s
newest release offers relatable lyrical
references and quality music that music connoisseurs are sure to appreciate.
Hailing from Canada, Demarco first
appeared on the indie music scene as
a self producing artist under the alias
Makeout Videotape. After a move
Demarco's album cover art for 2.
to Montreal and a hiatus from the
music business to work on a road crew and participate in medical experiments for money while records weren’t selling, Demarco started releasing material under his own name,
the first being an EP called Rock and Roll Nightclub which featured a far more experimental
feel than his latest album. The happy medium of originality and familiarity in 2 has been
well received by listeners, even earning a “Best New Music” rating by Pitchfork Media.
The twenty three year old’s second release since 2012 contains conclusive tracks like “Freaking
Out the Neighborhood” and “Ode to Viceroy” that claim ownership to the groovy riffs present
throughout the album. With songs about the doldrums of teenage suburban life, narcotic references, and love songs alike, Mac Demarco surely puts his best musical foot forward yet with 2.
Coming up on March thirty-first, Demarco will be in Cleveland playing a show at the Beachland
Ballroom. If you’re looking for a good show over spring break, this concert is certainly a must-see!
Crossword Puzzle
Western Reserve Academy’s
Top Ten Most-Seen Movies
1. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (61.3%)
2. The Great Gatsby (47.2%)
3. Iron Man 3 (42.9%)
4. Despicable Me 2 (40.9%)
5. Monsters University (33.5%)
5. We’re the Millers (33.5%)
7. Now You See Me (33%)
8. Identity Thief (32.7%)
9. Man of Steel (32.1%)
10. World War Z (27.4%)
*Survey was conducted by Simon Ong ’15 and
results were based on 208 responses
61 Halloween mo.
62 Garlic section
63 Put on ice
64 Scriptural “your”
65 Inch forward
66 Emulates Pac-Man
by Alexander Wheaton ’14
ACROSS
1 First Family member
5 Necklace fastener
10 Wilbur’s wallow
13 Of the arctic or antarctic
15 Brand of tile game
16 Election day abbr.
17 Ghostbuster’s goo
18 Hammered block
19 Nightmarish street
20 Tolkein creature
21 Chill factor
23 Rental agreement
25 Weather vane topper
26 Olaf, for one
28 One way to be washed
31 Pizza portion
Reserve Record
32 Like a wasteland
33 Head support
34 Tail action
37 Gravy vessel
38 Battery terminal
40 00000100
41 Apropos
42 Needing hints
43 Monophobe’s fear
44 Like many a winter day
45 Like Seymour windows
46 Gut response
49 “Cheers” character
51 Blast of wind
52 High card
55 Possessive pronoun
56 “Dark Knight” director
59 This is the fourth
DOWN
1 Cathedral crook
2 Raggedy, for one
3 First letter of the Arabic alphabet
4 Language of the Maya
5 Model T starter
6 Crow’s nest cry
7 Hovercraft, for short
8 Olympic sport
9 Anne Frank’s Peter
10 Locomotive impetus
11 Oklahoma city
12 Republic on the Red Sea
14 Edit considerably
22 Winter driving hazard
24 Ram’s mate
25 Cold weather wear
26 Husky’s burden
27 Santa’s list header
28 “Dancing Queen” quartet
29 Pen provisions
30 Missile target
31 Wintery forecast
34 Canine comment
35 Polly, to Tom Sawyer
36 Like Gandalf
38 Heidi’s heights
39 Yup’s opposite
40 Bomber pilot’s woe
42 Sound of Simon and Garfunkel
43 Object of 13 across
44 Sister, of sorts
45 Windows architecture
46 Ignoramus
47 Frederick Fellowes portrayer
48 Pale and unhealthy looking
49 Sandboarding sites
51 Was philanthropic
52 Home of the Himalayas
53 Believer’s group
54 Snaky fish
57 Gathering Dust
58 Fire fuel
60 Miss identification?
7
8
Sports
Reserve Record
Athlete Spotlight: Lisie Andersson ’14
Team USA at the Sochi Games
by Colin Horgan ’15
With a record-setting 230 American athletes
travelling to the 2014 Winter Olympics, the
U.S. is looking to take Sochi by storm. But not
all of these athletes are foreign to us: three Ohioans, all of whom live within an hour of campus,
will be representing the United States. These
three incredible women are hockey players Kelli Stack and Brianne McLaughlin of Brooklyn
Heights and Sheffield Village, respectively, and
speedskater Kelly Gunther, from Lorain. In addition to these three local stars are 106 returning Olympians, including ten three-time Olympic medalists and twenty-three other two-time
champions. Among these stellar performers are
such legends as Shani Davis and Shaun White,
each of whom have won the gold medal in the
same event at two consecutive Games, the first
American men to do so. When asked about the
medal count expectations for the U.S. in the upcoming Olympics, the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) would not give a specific answer;
however, the chief of sports performance believes
that America could come out on top, declaring,
“Team USA is in a really good place and can
do well. The athletes have been successful in all
sorts of different environments, and I think that
bodes well in terms of the outcome.” All that
can be known for sure, though, is that these Sochi Olympics will be a close race to the finish.
Strong Team Effort Leads
Hockey Team to Victory
Photo by Doe
by Alex Fellows ’14
As this year’s only female swimming captain, Lisie Andersson ’14 is no stranger to the water. Learning to swim as she
learned to walk, Andersson began competitively swimming at
three years old on various club teams. For the past six years,
she has devoted all her attention to the sport, swimming yearround. Though many find swimming a daunting physical exercise, it is this reason Andersson loves it. Both the mental
and physical challenges swimming provides keeps her tethered to the sport, as well as not knowing what she would do
with herself if “[she] didn’t permanently smell like chlorine”.
Andersson has been a major asset to Western Reserve’s swim
team for the past four years. Swimming varsity since freshmen year, she has attended the Easterns Championships at La
Photo by Doe
Salle University every year, a highly competitive meet at the
end of the season. Throughout the years, Andersson’s favorite has been the 500
yard freestyle--the longest event in our high school meets--with a personal record of 5:21.
She has also grown to enjoy the 200 yard individual medley and the 100 yard breaststroke.
All this work culminated in Andersson becoming captain her senior year. As the season comes
to a close, she notes that being captain has “been challenging but fun”, and let her “grow much
closer to [her] teammates throughout the season”. Katie Weinzierl ‘18 praises Andersson for helping the team bond, making the “effort to make the team bonding part of swimming really come
through” and has been “so outgoing and supportive which helped the girls become even closer”.
With the season at an end, Andersson has made plans to swim at Akron University this summer to
prepare for her joining of New York University’s swim team, where she will be attending college.
January/February 2014
by Tricia Cunningham ’14
Western Reserve Academy’s varsity hockey team has ended
the season with an outstanding 16-6 record. Early in the
season, the team qualified for and won two league championship tournaments without suffering a single loss. After
an exciting series of wins, Coach Brand Closen said, “This
is one of the closest teams I have ever had the opportunity to work with at WRA. I believe the close relationships
between the players has been a major factor in our success
this season. If the boys stick together, I have no doubt we
will continue having a solid season.” Goalie Christian Ciraco ’15 said, “What makes this team so special is that we
are all out here because we love the game. Everyone is just
out here to have fun. I think our success has just been a
side effect of our attitude.” The team’s love for hockey is
what continued to push them towards their achievement
of winning the Baron Cup. Co-captains Robbie Markwell
’14 and Alec Rhodes ’14 agree that one of their favorite
parts of the season has been sharing their success with the
school during morning meeting: each trophy or individual
victory is something that they enjoy sharing with the entire student body, and everyone in the community enjoys
when one of WRA’s athletic teams has a successful season.
The team celebrated their senior night on January 25th at
home with a close 3-4 loss to Avon High School. Despite
the loss, the seniors are very happy with the progress the
team has made during their careers. The hockey program
has gone through a complete transformation over the past
4 years. During the 2010-2011 school year, the team played
the entire season without winning a single game. This year,
with a month left to play, WRA hockey has already had
the most wins in a season since 2007-2008. As the winter sports season comes to a close, the hockey team is full
of celebration over their hard work paying off by the second winning of the Baron Cup in the past twenty years.
Photos by Doe
Published images of the Sochi Olympics's Opening Ceremony.
Saftey at Sochi: Countries United By Athletics
by Griffin Trau ’14
The Olympic Games present the preeminent
stage for the planet’s finest athletes. The speed,
strength, and skills showcased by the Games’
participants inspire awe in billions around the
globe. Sadly, this spectacular series of competitive events, founded on the premise of fair and
peaceful amateur athletic competition, seems to
be mired in deceit, political strife, and threats
of violence. The venue introduced the world
to Abebe Bikila, who won gold in the marathon shoeless at Rome in 1960, and the spirited U.S. men’s hockey team, which overcame
immeasurable odds to win gold over a Soviet
squad that was arguably the world’s most talented. It has, however, also seen tragedy rooted
in political and ideological conflict: at Munich
in 1972, with the murders of eleven members
of Israel’s athletic delegation, and again in 1996
at Atlanta, with the Centennial Park bombing.
Another opportunity for the world’s nations
to unite in the spirit of competition lies around
the corner in Sochi, and the international community is more concerned than ever. Threatened
boycotts due to Russia’s controversial domestic
policy pale in comparison to the threat of terrorism from Chechen radicals and other jihadists. Sochi’s proximity to Chechnya has been a
source of concern for some time, and the bloody
conflict between Russia and Chechnya has the
deepest of roots. Despite Russia’s costly and drastic efforts to secure the Winter Games, many
remain concerned for the safety of athletes and
fans. In response to the heightened precautions,
Zak Burgan ‘15 believes, “The Games will be safe
enough.” Roommate Mat Haemer ‘15 adds, “It
is unfortunate that athletes will have to hide their
colors outside of the Olympic venue. What are the
Olympics without some nationalism?” While unfortunate realities have cast a shadow on the Sochi
Games, great hopes remain for a peaceful, memorable, and spectacular XXII Winter Olympiad.
looooooooooooooooooooong hockey caption about the players
in each photoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oo yay