UltraVioletMarlborough School 250 S. Rossmore Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90004

The

Friday, March 27, 2009 Volume 39, Issue 5

INDEX

N ew s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2C o m m u n i t y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5E&A.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Feature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Spor t s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14O p i n i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7B a c k p a g e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0

Recent UV poll shows distrust of Honor Code

Schuur ’03 forced to flee Madagascar INSIDE THE UV

By Sophie ’10 and Sally ’09

The UltraViolet

By Colleen ’10

The UltraViolet

By Ileana ’11

The UltraVioletThe softball team is off to its best start in decades and heads into the Sunshine League schedule with a 6-0 record, led by new head coach Kenneth Gal. Gal is optimistic about the future. SEE PAGE 16

SEE “SCHUUR” PAGE 4

SEE “HONOR CODE” PAGE 12

Frontrunner member Sam Doniger performs at AMP, the arts event hosted by all-school council. SEE PAGE 11

Six seniors ended their basketball careers on the floor of Pauley Pavilion with a 74-57 loss to the high energy Inglewood Sentinels in the Southern California Division III final of the CIF state tournament on Saturday, March 14.

The loss followed the team’s first CIF Southern Section defeat in seven years, which came 62-57 to the Woodbridge Warriors in the sectional final on March 6. The rebuilding now begins for a program that has won six CIF-SS titles and a state title in the last seven years. Only four players, all sophomores, will return next year. (See separate stories, page 14.)

At the SoCal title game at Pauley, one win from the state championship in Sacramento, the Mustangs stayed close to the Sentinels in the first half and were only

down 28-21 at half time. But the Sentinels dominated the third quarter to lead by as many as 19 points, and the Mustangs fought hard but never got closer than 10 points the rest of the way.

“We can and should have beat the team, but they showed up to play and we stayed in the locker room,” said head coach Trenton Jackson.

Inglewood dominated the offensive glass, grabbing 24 offensive rebounds, compared to five for Marlborough. The Sentinels also played aggressive defense, causing 22 turnovers by the Mustangs.

Talia ’09 led the team with 24 points, but was the only Mustang to score in double figures.

“They started with more intensity and their press was hard to break,” Talia said. “We could’ve done more. I wish we could play the game over again.”

Inglewood was led by guard Makeda

Beadle, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds. The Sentinels lost the state title game 71-62 to St. Mary’s of Stockton on March 21.

Marlborough dominated the first two games of the state tournament, beating Roosevelt in the SoCal quarterfinal 60-42 and Foothill 63-49 in the semifinal. In both games, Coach Jackson frequently rotated fresh players, wearing down opponents by the fourth quarter. Against Inglewood, the rotation wasn’t as deep because sophomore Miwa ’11 was ill and couldn’t play.

Sentinels Coach Anthony Scott also used players from his bench frequently.

“We knew they weren’t as deep as us, so we just pressed the whole first half,” Scott said.

Scott said he knew he was going up against a tough opponent in Marlborough.

“I have mad respect for the coach,” he said. “I’ve seen them play over the years, and they’re a great team,” he added.

HOT PURSUIT: Tyler’11 heads up court with players from Inglewood High close behind during the team’s last game, the CIF state regional final on March 14. The Mustangs lost 74-57, despite 24 points from senior forward Talia’09. The loss ended the Mustangs’ season one game short of the state title game. Photo by Colleen ’10

Varsity basketball ends season at Pauley Pavilion Senior-led team loses to Inglewood High in state’s southern regional final

After a military coup de-stabilized the African country of Madagascar, alumna Kelly Schuur ’03, who has been working in the country’s Peace Corps, evacuated her station and is now one of the three selected from a group of 48 reassigned to continue her service in the city of Mali, West Africa.

Schuur, daughter of history instructor Martha Schuur and dean of faculty, has worked in the small village of Betroka for the past six months, living in a hut and dealing with HIV awareness and female malnutrition. But once the evacuation order was given on Jan. 30, all Peace Corps Madagascar workers had to immediately prepare to leave.

“She had no idea what was going on since she was in a rural village, but that she had to pack her belongings and be ready to

leave within the hour,” said Martha Schuur.Kelly and the other workers transferred

to a Peace Corps Center adjacent to the capital, and waited there for a month eating burgers and simply hanging out talking about what was going on.

“They basically were treated to the American lifestyle which was hard since they had already converted to a life of rice,” Schuur said.

As the days dragged on, the central Peace Corps office in Washington began to get restless with the amount of money they were spending, and ordered the workers back to their villages on March 4.

Just a week later, however, Kelly and her co-workers received the news that until the turmoil ceased, Peace Corps Madagascar would be shut down. The group was then taken through the city of Finiar to an airfield adjacent to a lake near the capital of Antananarivo where

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ROCK ON:

SOFTBALL TEAM NO SOFTIES:

A substantial number of students say they do not fully trust the effectiveness of the Honor Code, according to a poll con-ducted by the UltraViolet and follow-up interviews with students, faculty, and ad-ministration, though most call the school’s emphasis on honor fundamental value.

Responding to the poll and her own recent discussions with students, Head of School Barbara Wagner said that further education about the policy is crucial.

“I think if we can improve the educa-tion and the communication about the way the Honor Code works, then we need to do that,” Wagner said.

The poll was given to ninth through twelfth graders in advisory, and 237 stu-dents responded. Students ranked both their own adherence to the Honor Code and their trust in it on a 1-5 scale. They also chose from four possible reasons for not fully trusting the Honor Code and said whether they had ever reported a violation. (For further poll results, see page 12.)

TRUST/EFFECTIVENESS

Overall, the most popular trust rating was a 4, though a significant number of students in all grades answered 2 or 3 (see graph page 12). In terms of personal adher-ence, 49% of all students rated themselves a 4 and 44% a 5.

Some interviewed students said results probably reflected instances where students let little things slide, such as talking about a test afterwards or sharing homework answers, rather than cheating on a test or paper.

This fit with poll results. Of students who rated their trust less than 5, 73% said a reason for that lack of trust was that students didn’t take the code seriously enough.

Emily ’10 said she wouldn’t rank her trust a 5.

“For the most part, I think the Honor Code works really well. However, on a day to day basis, violations are much more common than we’d like to think. Giving friends an answer to a homework question

2 Friday, March 27, 2009News

Volume 39, Issue 5 www.theultraviolet.com

Long estate donates $2M to endowment

Students now get to choosewhich scores colleges will seeBy Julie ’10

The UltraViolet

By Cassidy ’10

The UltraViolet

VIOLET: Nancy Omohundro Long ’54 contributed $2 million to the school. Photo courtesy of Alumnae Relations

Photojournalism Contest Winner

Nancy Long, the former assistant to Head of School Barbara Wagner, recently donated two million dollars to the school in her will.

The money will go to the endowment portion of the Leadership in Learning Campaign, where it will be used to support the teaching fund and financial aid.

Many teachers agree that Marlborough was a very important part of Long’s life.

“I think we were like a family to her. We were definitely a lot more to her than just a place she came to work,” said Martha Schuur, history instructor and dean of faculty. “When you work here a long time, you see what a community Marlborough is. We are always here for each other during hard times.”

English instructor Les Klein agrees.“I really believe that Marlborough was

a mooring for her. It was a place where she was anchored. People knew who she was, and she was loved and well-respected.”

Long’s impact on the school went beyond the financial, Klein said.

“She was, to anyone who called, the voice of Marlborough. She was so incredibly warm and gracious and stylish,” Klein said, adding, “Her sense of humor was really fun and gaudy – it was a lot of who she was.”

Katie ’09 presented the results of her Honors Research project at the International Conference on Comparative Cognition on March 21.

Along with her research mentor and the graduate students she works with, she traveled to Melbourne, Florida for the conference.

Katie’s research looks at the hidden event cognition and object permanence in rats.

Though she is only a high school senior, Katie has the status of a graduate student, with undergraduates working under her.

She said she was nervous to present her results in such a prestigious environment.

“It’s intimidating going to the conference, but I’ve put a lot of time researching so I have that confidence,” Katie said.

At some point, Katie will be publishing a paper in conjunction with her mentor, Dr. Aaron Blaisdell.

“I’ve been lucky to have the opportunity to run my own study,” Katie said. “I hoped for this, but I never expected to do it.”

Katie’s work is part of the Leonetti/O’Connell Family Honors Research in Science Program.

By Amanda ’09

The UltraViolet

McNutt shares honorsresearch on cognitionat Florida conference

Gina Woodruff, visual arts department head, agreed that Long was a center of the Marlborough community.

“Because she was Ms. Wagner’s assistant, she interfaced with a lot of the community. She knew a lot of people and she helped everyone – she was at the center of what was going on,” Woodruff said.

Klein and Schuur both said that Long’s death has been hard on many in the community.

“I think it was so terribly difficult for people at Marlborough when she disappeared after Thanksgiving Break [last year], because that was so unlike her. But I think she needed to do her death in her own way,” Klein said.

To Klein, Long’s friendliness and willingness to go out of her way to help others were two things that set her apart.

“To me, her smile was kind of like Gatsby’s smile. When you were in her light you were the center of attention, and she really made you feel like you were important to her. I think that is a gift,” Klein said.

CLIMBING FOR THE USA: Charlie A., the youngest climber on the US team and brother of Emily’10, climbs the semifinals route at the Junior World Championships for Sport Climbing in Sydney, Australia, August 2008. Photo by Emily ’10

HEATED DEBATE: Hilary ’09 and Evan ’09 talk about neuro-science during the Student Science Exchange. Photo by Colleen ’10

Students host 2nd science exchange

Starting with the class of 2010, students will be able to choose which SAT scores to send to college admission officers using the College Board’s free and optional “Score Choice” SAT Score-Reporting Policy.

Up to now, students had to send all their test scores. However, under the new policy, students will be allowed to send only their highest scores. However, students cannot choose their best scores from individual sections of Critical Reading, Writing, and Math taken on different days, and not all colleges will accept the new policy.

College Board decided to implement Score Choice mainly to relieve stress, spokespeople said. However, Director of College Counseling Monica DePriest said that the College Board may also have initiated the policy to better compete with the SAT’s rival test, the ACT.

“The ACT is becoming popular on the coasts, and it offers the same type of control, like Score Choice,” DePriest said.

The policy has caused some controversy among many college counselors and college admission officers, who are upset about the sudden change and lack of consultation, DePriest said.

In response to the change, colleges such as Columbia, Cornell, Georgetown, Yale, the University of Southern California, Pomona, the University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford have said that they will still require students to send in all their test scores.

Harvard, MIT, and the University of Chicago have announced that they will accept Score Choice.

At most private and Ivy League schools, Score Choice is essentially unnecessary because the schools already

create a “superscore” of the student’s best performance in each subject on different test days, DePriest said.

The UCs have not come up with a policy on Score Choice yet. As of now, if a student sends all her scores in, UC’s only look at the best score on a single test date.

Despite the controversy, some students think colleges have a right to disregard Score Choice.

“For such good schools, they have the right (to reject Score Choice) because their applicants are so qualified. When you’re up in that level, it’s understandable,” Devin ’10 said.

However, Katia’10 said that she is frustrated with colleges deciding whether or not they want to use Score Choice.

“The students are being manipulated in this game. It’s not fair that all schools don’t use Score Choice. The College Board is manipulating us for more money because people will pay more to take a test again,” Katia said.

Despite some of the colleges’ policies of asking students to show all scores, students can theoretically still continue to send their scores through Score Choice. The College Board has announced that they will not release SAT test scores without the student’s consent. Therefore, colleges will not be able to determine whether scores have been withheld or not.

The only enforcement policy that will apply is the student’s honor pledge not to hide scores, DePriest said. Since Score Choice has no visible record of whether students have taken advantage of it, students could possibly take the test many times and turn in only their best score.

“It all comes down to ethics and morals, and the colleges are ‘testing’ students on how well they are following the rules,” DePriest said.

After attending the second Student Science Exchange on March 13, Arielle Tongue ’09, who said she usually doesn’t like science, now thinks a science major may be a possibility.

Tongue was one of about forty students who participated in the day-long event.

The purpose of the event was to expose students to a wide variety of topics they don’t learn about in class, said science instructor Arleen Forsheit.

Subjects included neuro-imaging, marine biology, electrical engineering, the physiology of diabetes, plasma physics, and the Mars Rover.

Sophia Sallas-Brookwell ’09, Hilary Ash ’09 and Janelle Liu ’09 planned the event.

- Julia ’09, UV Staff

News 3Friday, March 27, 2009

Marlborough Schoolwww.theultraviolet.com

NEWS IN BRIEF

Seniors Olivia, Maya, and Miranda enter race for student body prez

Sophomores trek across East Coast to visit college campuses, bond

School provides free water and Nalgenes in green effort

By Tahira ’12 and Brianne ’10

The UltraViolet

By Brooke ’10

The UltraVioletThis year’s three candidates for

student body president, Olivia C. ’10, Maya ’10, and Miranda ’10, said they plan to focus on tradition, unity, and community involvement if elected.

Many moons ago, a rowdy high school senior named Robert C. streaked the hallways of Marlborough as a prank. That was the first time Elizabeth T. C. ’78 set eyes on her future husband.

“If it wasn’t for this school, I never would have been born,” jokes Olivia.

She said she feels a strong connection to Marlborough.

“I grew up at this school, and generations of women in my family have attended,” Olivia said. “As student body president, I will be committed to our old traditions, but I will be sure to implement new, fun activities as well.”

If elected, Maya said she would focus on unity.

“I would love to bring our entire community together by coming up with more activities that the entire student body can participate in,” Maya said. “For

example, I would like to implement a formal dance earlier on in the year for all grades.”

Miranda said she would like to get more people involved in the different aspects of the Marlborough community: the arts, athletics, and community spirit.

“What makes Marlborough a great

CLIFFORD: Olivia ’10 said she would mix fresh ideas with old traditions, as violet blood runs in her veins. Photo by Brooke ’10

HUMES: Maya ’10 said she hopes to implement an all-school formal dance if elected as all school president. Photo by Brooke ’10

WILLIAMSBURGCollege of William and Mary

BALTIMOREJohn Hopkins

PHILADELPHIAU. of Pennsylvania

PRINCETONPrinceton U.

NEW HAVENYale U.

BOSTON AREAWellesley or Babson CollegeHarvard or Boston U.Tufts U.Boston College

WASHINGTON D.C.George Washington U. or American U. Georgetown or Howard U.

NEW YORK AREAColumbiaNYUSarah Lawrence College

VA

PA

NY

NJMD

CT

MA

place, beyond the academics, is the variety of subjects and activities that are available to students,” Miranda said. “I plan to encourage more fun interaction between all different grades and seek out ways in which we can come together.”

All three candidates have been on council before. Olivia was the middle

school president in 2006-07 and is the junior class vice president. Maya was community service rep. in eighth grade and president of her freshman class. Miranda has been on athletic council for the past two years.

The student body elections will be on April 15 and April 17.

POUR ON, WATER: A nalgene water bottle is filled with water from the filtered machine, which is now free. Photo by Colleen ’10

LANDFIELD: Miranda ’10 said she wants to bring students together with arts, athletic events to spark spirit. Photo by Brooke ’10

There will not be an outside speaker for the graduation ceremony for the class of 2009.

Barbara Wagner, head of school, said this is not unusual, nor is it in any way due to the construction.

“It’s really been what we’ve done almost always at Marlborough. We’ve had, I think, in the time I’ve been head of school, maybe four outside graduation speakers in the last twenty years,” Wagner said.

Wagner said the reason for not having a speaker is to keep the focus on the girls.

“Most of the time, people have felt that it somehow detracted from the focus on the graduation class, and we wanted to keep it on the graduating class,” she said.

Some students said they feel upset about the lack of a speaker.

Aucher ’09 said she is angry “because they keep telling us how great graduation is and make us put up with the construction.”

There will not be any other additions or changes to the ceremony, Wagner said.

Wagner is not yet sure if there will be a speaker for the class of 2010, but if there is support for a particular speaker among the students, it is a possibility, she said.

This year’s college tour will start with William and Mary in Virginia, replacing last year’s initial stop at Chicago, and then continue up the coast from Washington D.C. to Boston.

Monica DePriest, co-director of college counseling, said the college counseling office remains committed to adding new cities and colleges into the mix from year to year. North Carolina was considered as a possibility for this year, but it was taken off because of high gas prices and airfares at the time the trip was being planned.

DePriest said both North Carolina and the Pacific North West will be considered in future years, and there has also been discussion about Northern California universities.

This year, 79 sophomores will attend the trip. Though the trip has been open to sophomores and juniors over the last ten years, the trip is primarily becoming a sophomore class activity.

“Because the tenth graders do not have a designated trip, they began going to

the college tour, and this trip has become theirs,” said Tom Millar, history and social sciences instructor and sophomore grade level leader.

DePriest said the trip was initially created as a way of exposing girls to different colleges, but that it has also become about “making Marlborough memories.”

Many sophomores going on the trip said they are looking forward both to learning about colleges and to having fun with classmates.

“I’ve never been to New York, so I’m excited,” said Kyle ’11.

While many juniors have already done some college visits with family, most sophomores haven’t yet.

“I really don’t know anything about any of the colleges, so it’s nice to get a feel for it all,” said Emily ’11.

This year’s chaperones are DePriest, mathematics instructor Alison Moser, history and social sciences instructors Michael Gwaltney and Millar, associate director of admissions Miranda Payne, and drama ensemble instructor Anne Scarbrough.

Students can now fill up school-issued, BPA-free Nalgene bottles with free water from the filtered machine.

The Leadership in Learning Campaign paid for the bottles with the intention of reducing the amount of waste produced by the school, said Robert Bryan, head of the middle school.

The Environmental Committee originally proposed the idea.

The water from the filtered machine has not been made free permanently, Bryan said.

While he hopes the policy will remain in place, factors such as the number of people taking advantage of the machine and the cost will be considered, he added.

Bryan said they will also consider the location of the machine and whether it is in an accessible enough area.

Although he is not sure, it seems that the policy has reduced the number of plastic bottles being used, Bryan said.

“I think so far, so good,” he said. Students confirm that impression. Zoe

’09 said she uses her water bottle every day. Harriet ’09 said, “I love the free water.”

- Brianne ’10, UV Staff

- Julia ’09, UV Staff

- Sally ’09, UV Staff

No speaker for graduation

After staying at school until 12:00 AM on a Saturday for the debate state qualifications, Amanda ’09 and Rebecca ’11 were two of five students to qualify for the state tournament in the Congress division. Chan also won third place in the Western Bay Forensics League for Congress.

Julie ’10 also qualified for state in the expository speaking division with her speech on fecal indicator bacteria, her honors research topic. In addition, Huh placed second in the league for expository speaking.

Rebecca said she is excited to challenge herself at the state competition.

“It’s going to be better to go to the big tournament,” she said. “You get to practice with people who are better than you.”

Mollie Weiss ’11 is an alternate for Congress, and Taylor Harvey ’10 is an alternate for original prose and poetry.

3 debators move on to state

Graphic by Julie Huh

4 Friday, March 27, 2009News

Volume 39, Issue 5 www.theultraviolet.com

Schuur now headed for West Africa

By Brianne ’10

Continued from cover

By Amanda ’09

The UltraViolet

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Need help with Physics or Calculus?Science and math tutoring services available now.

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Crime on campus: leaf-print tarp stolen

The UltraViolet

Munger Hall, which will house the new Academic Resource Center (ARC) and visual arts classrooms, is projected to open in the fall. The progress was evident during my March 9 tour with Head of School Barbara Wagner and Dean Whaley, the project superintendent.

The roof is coated in white to deflect heat and minimize energy costs. The building’s outer walls have many windows, giving the building a contemporary edge and allowing more natural light. The ARC’s most prominent feature is the new skylight.

“We wanted the new building to look contemporary, but be respectful of the classical lines in the current building,”

Wagner said. “We planned it so it wouldn’t clash and so that it would have a consistent look that was just more contemporary.”

Construction began last summer with the two-story underground parking structure, which will accommodate approximately 100 cars.

“We were able to work all summer without rain, so we timed that right,” Wagner said.

The construction team has also taken action to save the two trees near the corner of Rossmore and Third.

“It was important to save the two trees because they have been part of our campus for many, many years,” Wagner said.

“We built a special mine shaft to the main storm drain to the street under the trees,” Whaley said.

The new building will include a new cargo elevator, designed for maintenance, deliveries, and even for transporting a piano up to the new ARC. There is also a new multimedia and graphic design room and a room for a kiln.

All these details have taken a dedicated team. According to Whaley, there were 111 construction workers during the project’s highest point. At the time of our tour, there were about 80 workers on site.

New college counselor Michael Heeter visits school, meets juniors

Munger Hall hits home stretch for fall

LET THERE BE LIGHT: The skylight in Munger Hall, which will house the new academic resource center and art gallery, is now in place. Photo by Colleen ’10

Students got a closer look at construction than usual in February, when someone cut away a nine foot section of the leaf-print tarp covering the chain link fence around the construction site near the Rossmore Avenue entrance of school.

It was the second case of someone stealing sections of the tarp. The first time, about three months ago, a 60 foot piece was taken, but construction workers had extra tarp available to quickly replace it before most people noticed, said Nick Hernandez, Director of Finance and Operations.

Hernandez said he does not know the reason for or who committed the vandalization, but suspects the purpose

was landscape-related.“Given that the tarp is an ivy façade,

I imagine whoever took it is using it in an outdoor area as a backdrop or as a way to shield an area that is aesthetically unappealing,” he said.

The construction site, Hernandez said, is monitored by Bel-Air patrol systems.

Initially, the ivy façade tarp was chosen because it fit in well with the neighborhood. In addition, the ivy façade would discourage graffiti, since the graffiti would be harder to read, Hernandez said. Last January, graffiti appeared on the initial plain, green tarp, provoking the change to the new tarp.

But now, it appears that the tarp is being stolen for its aesthetic value, Hernandez said.

By Brianne ’10

The UltraViolet

Michael Heeter, the new co-director of college counseling who will begin his employment on July 1, visited campus from March 16 to 26 to meet with his students.

Co-director of college counseling Monica DePriest said she has known Heeter for approximately 15 years. They worked together at Vanderbilt University.

“The breadth of his experiences was very attractive,” DePriest said. “He’s someone who can hit the ground running. He has to learn his individual students and the culture of Marlborough, but he understands the admission process inside and out, which is invaluable.”

Yasmin ’10, who was on the student search committee and has Heeter as her college counselor, said she was equally impressed.

“He seemed knowledgeable about a variety of colleges and their locations and did not dismiss the idea of a gap year, giving me the impression that he’s open-minded in his views concerning the array of options one may pursue after high school,” Yasmin said.

Heeter, who is in charge of half of the junior class, met with his students during the days he visited, because his current school is on spring break.

Heeter said he “jumped at” the opportunity to visit because he wanted to start getting to know his students and their families, since the meetings provide him the information for his recommendations.

Heeter is very pleased with Marlborough, he said.

“I love the openness of the parents and students and the high academic, behavioral and communal standards,” Heeter said.

Heeter currently works at Hawken School in Ohio as their Director of College Counseling, a position he has held for six years. Before that, he worked in the admission offices of DePauw University, New York University and Vanderbilt University.

EARLY ARRIVAL: Michael Heeter, just hired as the new co-director of college counseling for 2009-10, met with members of the junior class during an extended visit this month. Photo by Brooke ’10

aerial evacuation was detained after the airfield had been set on fire.

After one final attempt to evacuate, Kelly and the others traveled through South Africa, and on Mar. 24, the group safely made it to the city of Pretoria. There, they were given the options to compete for 3 openings to work in the Mali Peace Corps, return home and wait for re-assignment until July, or “opt out” of Peace Corps without any negative effects on their service records.

Kelly is now assigned to her new station, where she will stay for one year and a half and will work on HIV/AIDS awareness and maternal health.

Throughout this ordeal, Schuur has remained calm over the well-being of her daughter, she said. She feels confident that in any situation, Kelly can make the right decision for her safety.

“Since my kids have been traveling in the developing world since they were fifteen, through that they have been made world-wise,” Schuur said.

When asked how Kelly has been handling all this, Schuur said, “She does

not seem to be the least bit fearful for herself, but she does acknowledge that it has been hard to have been brought out of Madagascar after working so hard for so short of a time.”

The political problems in the country started during the last two weeks of Jan., when Mayor Andry Rajoelina used his broadcasting company to publicize a corrupt deal that President Marc Ravalomanana had made with South Korea.

The deal involved the sale of about 80% of Madagascar’s arable land. The president then took most of the money for himself. This led to a public uproar, and Mayor Rajoelina started a campaign to overthrow the current president, leading to a month-long shut-down of all infrastructures in Antananarivo and instability in other major cities.

Once Mayor Rajoelina acquired military support, Peace Corps Madagascar and the offices in Washington became concerned for the safety of all workers. The entire Madagascar staff is now officially evacuated while the Mayor is under UN protection and the President is under the

Deconstructing construction

Community 5Friday, March 27, 2009

Marlborough Schoolwww.theultraviolet.com

explorer

FINE TUNING: Seventh graders Isabel Bleimeister and Shalena Garbutt, at top, build a mechanical arm during a meeting of the Robotics Club. At the bottom right, more students examine the work. The club, in its second year, is advised by science instructor Sean Fitts, at bottom right, who spent time at Carnegie Mellon University this summer educating himself about the field. This year he is also teaching Caswell Scholars classes in the subject. Photos by Colleen Loynachan and Julie Huh

Robotics club moves forward with $20,000 grant, new equipment, and Caswell classesBy Madeline ’12

Middle School Contributor

By Sofi ’10

UltraViolet Contributor

Echo Park Time Travel Mart displays wacky decor, sells futuristic ‘Chubbles’

TIME TRAVEL: Items available at the Echo Park Time Travel Mart range from live leeches to togas in a jar. The store is part of a non-profit organization that provides tutoring for kids after school. Photo by Colleen ’10

Lorraine ’08 will have two papers that she wrote as part of her Senior Honors Project published in a journalism book titled New Age Journalism. The book is to be published by Icfai University Press in India and will come out in September of 2009. It will be translated into many different languages and distributed around the world. Lorraine’s project last year focused on the decline of print media and the rise in online use. She was originally able to publish the four papers from her project on SensibleTalk.com.

Student Accomplishments

Ali ’09

Sally ’09

Ali ’09 co-authored four papers with her Honors Research mentor on drug use within the population of homeless youth. Slagle also “first-authored” a paper about the lifestyle of homeless youth in general. Her papers are currently under review for publication.

Ali and her mentor, Dr. Adeline Nyamathi, have been looking into creating art-based intervention programs for teenage drug users. “I never expected to get so much exposure during this experience,” Ali said. “I really got to see the whole process, from research to publishing.”

Sally ’09 was chosen by the Morehead-Cain Foundation to receive a Morehead-Cain Scholarship. She was one of the seventy picked from 1700 applicants. The scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a full scholarship for the four years along with four summer programs. The programs include Outdoor Leadership, Public Service, International Research, and Private Enterprise. Sally visited the college during their February final selection weekend. “It was really invigorating just to be around so many people who were passionate about so many different things,” Sally said.

Yael ’11Yael ’11 has earned the

Silver Medal of the Congressional Award. The requirements for this award include volunteering within the community, for which Freiberg has volunteered 400 hours so far at Cedars Sinai and Glendale Memorial Hospitals, and working on personal development, for which she took flute classes.

The other two parts, personal fitness (Yael is a member of the swim team), and Exploration/Expedition, such as the trip she planned to Palm Desert. The awards are cumulative, and Freiberg hopes to complete the Gold level requirements over the summer.

Walking through the doorway, I pass a display showing a caveman interacting with a robot.

Once inside, I see that the small shop is made up of rows filled with items ranging from fake mustaches, to donuts, to togas in a jar, to live leeches, to swords - and the list goes on.

Intrigued by some mysterious boxes on the counter, I ask the sales attendant, “What are Chubbles?”

She replies, “Well, I’m not really sure, but I know they are really big in the future…”

Okay, so this place is just an oasis for people who are out of their minds.

Ready to write off the Echo Park Time Travel Mart as the weirdest place I have ever been, a pamphlet on the side of the desk catches my eye.

After a discussion with the apparently not-so-crazy sales attendant, I learned that the Echo Park Time Travel Mart was part of the non-profit organization 826, which provides tutoring for kids and students after school.

To help support these endeavors, and just to have cool shops around the country, 826 LA

has created stores such as a pirate store in San Francisco, a space travel store in Seattle, a superhero store in Brooklyn, “The Boring Store” (code for “Spy Store”) in Chicago, and a robot store in Michigan.

Aside from being associated with a great non-profit, the Echo Park Time Travel Mart represents something else: the face of Echo Park changing at the speed of light.

There is now an influx of delicious, more upscale restaurants (two of my favorites being Allston Yacht Club and Two Boots). In addition, I’ve seen trendy new boutiques (so that it

may be known for more than the home of American Apparel) and interesting little shops, whether they be a neat new-and-used book store (incidentally, one is found right next to the Time Travel Mart), or a store that tries to sell you “Chubbles.”

Either way, Echo Park has new businesses and stores to check out every day, and the Echo Park Time Travel Mart is definitely one to visit. www.826la.com1714 W. Sunset Blvd. Echo Park, CA 90026 (213) 413-3388

In just its second year, the robotics club has graduated from building simple robots that students direct with radio controls to designing robots that can go underwater, follow lights, and react to sound.

Several factors have contributed to the club’s success, said science instructor and club advisor Sean Fitts. Those include a $20,000 grant that has allowed them to buy new state of the art Lego design kits, two trimesters of Caswell Scholar classes being offered in robotics, and Fitts attending a specialized seminar on robotics at Carnegie Mellon University this past summer.

Fitts is still pushing to generate enough students to fill an elective and to get more students actively participating in the club. What he hopes students will understand is that when they learn robotics they get to learn highly technical science but do it in a hands-on and creative way.

“Robotics is like reading. You don’t even know that you are learning, but you are,” said Fitts.

If you go by Fitts’ room Wednesdays and Fridays at lunch,

you will see it bustling with seventh graders working on a robotic arm. Seventh grader Allie said she enjoys working with the brand new equipment and that she is planning to take the Caswell robotics class when she can.

Ninth grader Lucinda has taken the Caswell class and participates in the club, though

she said she was not able to attend as many club meetings as she would have like to.

She likes both the robots and “working in a stress free environment,” she said. “You learn how to cooperate with your teammates,” she added.

Collaborative project work is a key element of the class, because every step is a problem-solving opportunity, said Robert Bryan, director of the middle school.

“It’s a valuable collaborative experience because it’s a group of people working together solving practical problems at every step,” Bryan said.

Bryan said in previous discussions with UCLA faculty, it became clear that a background in programming was important for students with an interest in engineering.

“Robotics is an engaging introduction to programming,” Bryan said.

Now tinkering at B206

Lorraine ’08

“You don’t even know that you are learning, but you are.”

-Sean FittsSCIENCE

INSTRUCTOR

- By Cami ’10, UV Staff

6 Friday, March 27, 2009Community

Volume 39, Issue 5 www.theultraviolet.com

Club hosts Quidditch match

COMMUNITY IN BRIEF

Heather ’11, the Chudley Cannon’s Seeker and team captain, was just about to give up her search upstairs when she caught a glimpse of the Golden Snitch. She stalked the Snitch – Jewels ’11 clad in golden leggings – down the stairs and into the modular village, where she finally cornered her in front of math instructor John Frank’s classroom. Victorious, Renetzky walked onto the field clutching her golden captive like a trophy. She had just won the game for her team.

On Feb. 10, the Harry Potter club held its second annual Quidditch match. The 13 members of the club were divided into two teams, the Chudley Cannons and the Hollyhead Harpies. The Chudley Cannons won 170-40, Heather said.

“We were scrambling to get players last minute because some people were sick, but overall it turned out very well. Everybody remembered their brooms,” she said.

Harpies chaser Ysa ’12, a new member to the club, thought that the sight of girls playing Quidditch was unique to Marlborough.

“At my old school, I never would’ve imagined students to have the courage to run around with broomsticks between their legs. It was a lot of fun!” Ysa said.

The club is hoping to hold another Quidditch match later in the year, Heather added.

“I’m hoping that we might even be able to have a full tournament,” she said.

Haven’t You Wondered...

Class of 2011 trip to the Pier

Pennies for Peace a successThe Pennies for Peace Club hosted

“Pennies for Peace Week” in March to raise awareness and funds to build schools for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The club held an information session on Tuesday, March 17, and sold ice cream and tea during the week, raising $779.51, said president Ariana ’09.

Ariana said that she wanted to focus on spreading the issue to the younger generation to inspire them to raise funds. She added that Pennies for Peace, a program of the nonprofit Central Asia Institute, believes that education is the way to stop terrorism.

Sweet sugary goodness of old-style crisps

Huh researches the mystery behind the changing data on billboardsBy Julie ’10

The UltraViolet

By Ali ’09

UltraViolet Contributor

FACT OR FICTION: UV reporter Julie Huh ’10 investigated the legitimacy of the billboards referencing the smoking death rates that change with time, specifically looking at the billboard located on Santa Monica Blvd. and Veteran Ave. Huh timed the rate of change and, within one minute she observed the counter increase by two people, which is shown by the difference in numbers between the top and bottom photographs. This pattern repeated for ten minutes. Photos by Julie Huh

- Celine ’11, UV Staff

- Jenny ’10, UV Staff

How counters on smoking billboards are updated?

The bummer about winter is that most fruits are not in season - except, that is, for apples. Crisps can be made with most stone fruits, but the smell that permeates through the house when baking an apple crisp is unlike anything you’ve ever smelled before.

A crisp is different from a cobbler in that cobblers have plopped biscuits as opposed to crisps’ streusel or crumb topping. Regardless of the kind of topping, though, the combination of sugary streusel and apples have that unrelenting feeling of “homeyness.”

SPLATTER PAINT: Chessy Reinich ’09 and Emily Waxman ’13 make art by popping paint filled balloons. Photo by Colleen Loynachan

By Cassidy ’10

The UltraViolet

The class of 2011 presented its Tetris-themed banner through a series of SNL-inspired skits, which showcased both dancing math teachers and Harry Potter music, on March 20.

After their presentation, the girls spent a day at the Santa Monica pier and helped with a beach clean-up for “Save the Bay.”

Sophomores said the banner reflected their class well.

“We thought that it was a good representation of our unity as a class, because we all fit together--like the puzzle pieces of Tetris,” said Bo ’11.

In general, the student body enjoyed the presentation.

“I thought it was pretty funny and entertaining, especially Dr. Talone and his dance,” said Sara ’12, who added that the banner was “pretty interesting. It probably wouldn’t be something I would think about myself.”

However, others were confused with the approximately 15-minute skit. Sydney ’10 said, “It was funny if you watched Saturday Night Live. If not, it didn’t make any sense.”

- Cassidy ’10 and Brianne ’10, UV Staff

Ingredients:

5 pounds McIntosh or Macoun apples •Grated zest of 1 orange •Grated zest of 1 lemon •2 tablespoons freshly squeezed •orange juice 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon •juice 1/2 cup granulated sugar •2 teaspoons ground cinnamon •1 teaspoon ground nutmeg •

Old-Fashioned Apple Crisps

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 14 by 2-inch oval baking dish.

Peel, core, and cut the apples into large wedges. Combine the apples with the zests, juices, sugar, and spices. Pour into the dish.

To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Scatter evenly over the apples.

Place the crisp on a sheet pan and bake for 1 hour until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm.

Serves: 10 people

Copyright 2002, Barefoot Contessa Parties

After visiting the Painted Turtle, a camp for kids with long-term illnesses, Carter ’10 decided to organize an arts-inspired fundraiser for the camp on March 3.

“I thought that the camp was so incredible, and the kids were so happy – I loved that it was giving the kids a chance to go to a normal summer camp. I loved how much art they were doing, and I thought it was a perfect cause for Marlborough,” Carter said.

For an A Period and lunch, students paid admission to partake in six different art activities on the field. Some crocheted with physics instructor Judy Storm, while others finger painted, made necklaces out of candy, pasta, and cereal, popped balloons filled with paint with darts, drew their favorite teachers, and decorated a quilt for kids with cancer.

“I think it was really fantastic – people seemed to be having a really good time,” Carter said. The event raised about $500, which will go towards buying art supplies for the camp.

When I was little, I was always amazed at billboards that constantly changed numbers. I believed that little minions, like oompa loompas, were behind the billboard working diligently to change numbers.

Well the other day, as I was driving by Santa Monica Blvd. right off of the 405 freeway, I noticed a billboard that screamed, “Smoking Deaths This Year and Counting.” Obviously having discredited my childhood assumptions, I wanted to figure out who was controlling the changing numbers. More importantly, I wondered how this person knew if someone died. When a person dies, does the EKG monitor wirelessly transfer information about a dead smoker? Does every hospital in the nation report every single smoking death? Is someone really dying when I see the numbers on the billboard change?

To start, I timed the rate of the changing numbers. The rate was variable, but one death occurred approximately every sixty seconds. A death a minute? That means by the end of this year, 525,600 people will die?! But in California or the whole United States?

Startled by this exorbitant amount, I started my “research” by emailing the American Cancer Society, and Mary, an online cancer information specialist, referred me to the Office on Smoking and Health (in the Center for Disease Control).

But the CDC only gave me esoteric

information about the rates of smoking mortality, and I was only able to extrapolate one useful statistic. In 2000-2004, the “state-specific median estimate of the average annual number of smoking-attributable deaths among adults aged 35 and up was 36,687 for California.” This number was significantly lower than my estimate, so I was really confused as to how the smoking deaths were calculated, and my questions were still left unanswered.

The CDC referred me to the LA Department of Public Health, but the local health department had no affiliations with the billboard.

Finally, I was able to talk to Andy from the American Lung Association, but he could only speculate that the numbers were based on a national average death rate of smokers.

All this ambiguity made me realize

that the transparency of numbers isn’t clear after all. Why do the billboards make you think that someone is dying every time the number changes, when in fact the numbers may be based on a statistical average? Why give citizens the wrong impression that people are dying every time the number changes? Even though smoking is bad, the anti-smoking companies shouldn’t scare people like that.

I don’t know who actually controls the numbers. I wanted to talk to a person, but no one responded to my calls or emails. Also, my deadline was impending. I’m sorry to let my readers down about finding the truth, but as of now, it’s still a mystery.

Now that I think about it, oompa loompas are a much better answer than statistics.

Painted Turtle Art Fundraiser

For the topping:1 1/2 cups flour •3/4 cup granulated sugar •3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed •1/2 teaspoon kosher salt •1 cup oatmeal •1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, diced •

Community 7Friday, March 27, 2009

Marlborough Schoolwww.theultraviolet.com

Seniors and seventh graders join in new buddy program

A first-person perspective on community service

Sophie ’09 and Ashna ’14 connect over cookies, three-legged races, and “Mulan” at lunchtime eventBy Celine ’10

The UltraViolet

By Ileana ’11

The UltraViolet

Teaching finance with play money

PLAY STORE: Dollars and Sense girls Mil-licent ’12 and Elyse ’12 manage the play store. Photo by Ileana ’11

BUDDIES: Seniors and seventh graders bonded during advisory period. Above, Cathleen ’09 and Catherine ’ 14 play wheelbarrow. Bottom left, Blair ’09 and Emma ’14 run a three-legged race. Bottom right, Talia ’09 bends over to be closer in height to seventh graders McKenna ’14 and Jodi ’14. Photos by Celine ’11

BBC Radio interviews Sacha ’10By Colleen ’10

The UltraViolet

ON THE AIR: BBC reporter Kati Whitaker (above) records an interview with Guerin winner Sacha Finn ’10 in Nederland, Colorado on March 14. Photo by Rachel Finkelstein

Sacha ’10 met with her heroes Wendy and Ryan Kramer and joined a group of donor-conceived kids and their mothers in an interview with BBC Radio 4 for a program to be aired in April titled, “Who is my half brother?”

Sacha ’10 won the Guerin Prize with an essay about Wendy and Ryan Kramer, the creators of the Donor Sibling Registry (DSR). She traveled to Nederland, Colorado to meet with the Kramers on March 14. On this trip, Sacha was also interviewed by Kati Whitaker, a BBC reporter who is working on a documentary about donor-conceived children in the UK and USA who are looking for their half siblings. Sacha was asked to elaborate on points made in her Guerin Prize winning

essay on the air.Wendy Kramer said Sacha’s

essay dealt well with a difficult topic. “It gives great insight into the complex feelings and emotions, sometimes very contradictory, that being a donor-conceived can bring about,” she said.

Sacha was inspired by the stories from some of the other donor-conceived children she met in Colorado.

“We were all sharing experiences of being donor conceived children. I found that we shared similar challenges in growing up without a father figure, and similar encounters with people’s misconceptions about artificial insemination,” Sacha said. Deborah Kidd, a TV producer, is in the process of raising money for a documentary on the DSR and interviewed Sacha for the pilot.

While Sophie ’09 and Ashna ’14 are six years apart, this unlikely duo has grown closer through the senior/seventh grade buddy program instituted this year by the senior class council.

Before second semester, the senior council matched up students from each grade to help the seventh graders with their transition to Marlborough, Sophie said.

Sophie was paired up with Ashna and was so excited about the program that she searched the entire school to meet her buddy ahead of time, she said.

“I had a picture of her, so I just ran around and asked a bunch of seventh graders if they knew where she hung out. I kind of tracked her down,” Sophie joked.

The pairs later participated in activities such as wheelbarrow and 3-legged races, held on the field during an advisory period.

The “buddy day” was a chance for all the seventh grade/senior pairs to bond over field games, Diddy-Riese cookies, and milk.

Sophie and Ashna also came up with the idea one lunch to find seventh graders and put them in

the senior living room, where they all watched Mulan together.

“With the type of personality she has, we can just be sitting down and still have so much fun. It doesn’t really matter what we are doing,” Sophie said.

While the senior class typically has limited interaction with the seventh graders, this program was started to bridge that gap. Sophie believes that it has been successful in this goal.

“It’s not that I lacked respect for them initially, but now I just have more respect for the class because they’re willing to hold their own in front of seniors, which I never could have done when I was in seventh grade,” she said.

Ashna agreed with Sophie that the buddy program has given her a chance to get to know the “intimidating” seniors.

“I thought that all the seniors were scary at first, especially on the first day of school. Now they seem

more approachable,” she said.Ashna also thinks that the

seniors provide an experienced perspective, which helped her in her first year at Marlborough.

“I like it because I get to see what it’s going to be like as a senior. They can give advice on homework or tests because they’ve been through it themselves. It’s made the transition a lot easier,” she said.

As for why they get along so well together, both Sophie and Ashna agreed that it was because of their similar personalities.

“We just have that connection that I don’t think many other seniors have with their buddies. I got lucky,” Sophie said.

“I think Wamu was taken over by Chase.”

Fourth grader Klaudia from Third Street School said the above to answer a question asked by a ninth grade member of the Dollars and Sense class regarding the current situation of the nation’s major bank branches. From new questions on the country’s current economic state, to a new activity where fourth graders drew their own dollar bills, the second annual Dollars and Sense class trip to Third Street School was a success as far as I could tell.

Dollars and Sense is a six-week, two-part financial literacy class taken first in the ninth grade and then in the tenth grade to help girls be financially responsible, teaching them the basics of banking, budgets, and more from instructors Nadia Hopper and Laurie Brown and from guests including sophomores in a financial literacy class at Manual Arts High School.

For their final project, ninth grade members of Dollars and Sense spent three days after-school from 3-4 with fourth graders at Third Street School passing on what they learned to the elementary kids at a simpler level. With a play store and bank, play-money, and jobs including jumping rope and doing math problems, the Dollars and Sense girls created a simulation of adult life to help the fourth graders better understand the importance of spending and saving money.

After having completed both parts of Dollars and Sense and having gone on my own class trip to Third Street School, it was

great to see how the new members applied similar tactics my fellow classmates and I used for our trip (including the use of trinkets as some store merchandise). It was even better to see the new class do its own thing like decorate a poster board with magazine cut-outs depicting different career tracks and a slogan all their own: The Harder You Work The More $ You Will Make.

What truly impressed me was the interest of the fourth graders when it came to the current economic crisis. Even Brown agrees with that.

“They were mature in how they handled the projects we gave them and knew a great deal about the world’s economic crisis,” Brown said.

In past years students could only join Dollars and Sense by invitation. Now, ninth graders can apply to join. Space is limited but the chance to become financially conscious and teach sharp-witted fourth graders is worth the application.

“I thought that all the se-niors were scary at first, especially on the first day of school. Now they seem more approachable,”

- Ashna ’14

8 Friday, March 27, 2009Community

Volume 39, Issue 5 www.theultraviolet.com

Poetry at senior center

Early life of Mary Caswell revealedArchivist Chinnici travels to East Coast to research school founder Mary Caswell and uncovers secrets of her life By Cassidy ’10

The UltraViolet

By Cami ’10

The UltraViolet

SENIOR SONGS: Taylor ’10 and Faith ’10 read poems and sing to seniors at St. John of God. Photo by Justine ’10

Three girls from the poetry club joined with four members of Edu~tainment for Seniors (EFS) to visit the residents at St. John of God retirement home.

EFS, started by Lorraine ’08, writes a quarterly newsletter for the senior citizens and visits them every few months for art and craft activities.

Taylor ’10 and Faith ’10 read poems that they had written themselves, and Taylor and Faith, both members of Chamber Choir, sang with Ernie Scarbrough. Corinne ’10, another member of the poetry club, visited too.

The girls also spent time talking to the residents and making Valentine’s Day cards with them. In a touching gesture, many of the residents dedicated their cards to the poetry club and EFS girls: Amanda ’09, Nicole ’11, Justine

’10, Brianne ’10, and Laurie Brown, director of community service and internships.

“All the seniors found something they were interested in, which was great since usually some residents are reluctant or uninterested in the art project we teach,” Justine said.

“The most memorable part of the visit was when one of the residents read a poem she had written, and after said that we were the most exciting thing that’s happened there in a long time. When she said this, I realized that the two hours we spent really made a difference.”

Faith was positive about the students’ visit as well.

“It was nice being there because you could tell they were so happy to have us and talk to us,” Faith said.

The founder of Marlborough School, Mary Caswell, was born into a family of seven children, but by the time she was thirteen years old, both of her parents and five of her siblings had died. Her husband then died three years after the couple had met.

Caswell struggled for years afterwards to promote girls’ education in a male-dominated world and finally founded Marlborough in 1889.

But beyond this, relatively little is known about Caswell’s life. Because of this, Marlborough’s archivist, Peter Chinnici, is researching and recording Caswell’s early life in order to better educate the Marlborough community about their founder.

Chinnici has been working for about two years on the research as a side-project to his everyday archive work and has traveled to Maine, where Caswell grew up, to learn more about her childhood, education, and early teaching career.

He hopes to visit Washington D.C., where Caswell met and lived with her husband, in the near future.

“I am a historian at heart, and so because of that I want to know more about the past, but writing about her life is more than just that. I think ever since I’ve been at Marlborough everyone talks about her philosophies and her inspiration and how much they

affect the present-day school, but none of us are exactly sure how,” Chinnici said.

Although the research has been funded and encouraged by the school, Chinnici said that part of the project was self-initiated.

“Even as the school’s historian and archivist, I knew little about Mary Caswell,” Chinnici said. “I felt like it was important to learn more about her.”

Chinnici hopes the manuscript, which will be around 75 pages when he is finished, will help Marlborough girls feel a real connection to the school and past Marlborough generations.

“I hope Marlborough students learn from the research; it’s important to know the history of your school,” Chinnici said. “It’s another way of establishing a bond between current Marlborough generations and older generations over common heritage.”

Through his research, Chinnici has found that Mary Caswell influenced Marlborough greatly even to the present day. Chinnici especially sees that her confidence, commitment, and spirit in Marlborough girls. When Chinnici visited the town where Caswell was raised, he noticed how close and family-centered the community was, much like how Marlborough is today.

“She was a very committed educator, and I see the same commitment at Marlborough today,” said Chinnici.

The school’s archivist was surprised at how much information

from Caswell’s early education and jobs was still available 150 years later.

“Her life was really centered around her school and circled around providing for her students, who she thought of as kind of her children,” Chinnici said.

Through his research, Caswell has also become a personal inspiration.

“She never let things stop her – she never let anything get in the way of creating her school. If there was any doubt in her mind that she couldn’t do it, she never showed it. She certainly didn’t let her womanhood, her femininity, get in the way of succeeding in a man-driven world,” Chinnici said.

Chinnici hopes that Marlborough girls can also find inspiration beyond just her position on promoting women’s education.

“Her experience informed her to be self-sufficient: she had to make her own way on her own terms in the world. What impresses me the most is that she didn’t let any of her family tragedies get in the way of working towards her goal and eventually achieving it,” said Chinnici.

Chinnici has found that his research has turned into somewhat of a personal journey as well.

“It’s been very satisfying – I enjoy history,” Chinnici said. “I’ve been at Marlborough for twenty years, and I find it satisfying to add to the knowledge we know of our founder.”

Entertainment and Arts 9Friday, March 27, 2009

Marlborough Schoolwww.theultraviolet.com

Poetry Jam features new artists

Drama ensemble to put on first 24-hour play festival in April

Best-selling author tells story behind novel about anorexia

The English-Speaking Union’s National Shakespeare Competition saw a bevy of monologues from Marlborough’s upper and middle school thespians alike: for the first time in the competition’s recent history, ninth graders were allowed to participate.

The English Speaking Union’s new policy prompted Schuyler Girion ’12 to compete with a monologue as Phoebe from As You Like It, for which she won second place. The young prizewinner was shocked to rank among seasoned actors, she said.

“It feels crazy to be put next to all of the older girls, because they are who I look up to and aspire to be like,” Girion said. “I think I may have gone into shock when they first called my name.”

On the other hand, drama instructor Gleason Bauer, who helped competitors practice their Shakespearean monologues, said she isn’t at all surprised that Girion scored so well.

“She has serious dedication to the art form,” Bauer said.

Senior and Drama Ensemble member Eliza Helm ’09 came in first place in the preliminary round with her portrayal of Helena from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. After competing in the regional semifinals, Helm did not qualify for the regional finals, but said she isn’t letting her loss get to her.

“I’m a second semester senior! I’m not going to let this get me down,” Helm said. “My specialty isn’t diction; I’m more of an actress. The Shakespeare competition isn’t about acting, but it was a good experience nonetheless.”

Regardless of wins or losses, Bauer said she was impressed with the ability of the students to perform and be vulnerable in front of an audience.

“It’s pretty impressive what those girls do. To get up in front of all of your peers with nothing but you and some text… It’s a tough thing. It takes a lot of courage, and is an accomplishment in and of itself,” Bauer said.

By Taylor Thompson

The UltraViolet

By Ileana ’11

Three weeks’ worth of casting, writing, rehearsing and more will be condensed into 24 hours for Drama Ensemble’s first ever 24 hour play festival.

From 1:15pm on April 17 to 1:15 pm on April 18, nine teams formed of Drama Ensemble members, students from any grade, and students invited from other schools will have to use their time wisely to write a piece, cast actors, set up lights and stage designs, gather costume and props, and rehearse, all to be set to perform their 10 minute

long piece in Intimate Theater at 2 pm on April 18.

After some scheduling trouble with Coachella, Anne “Coach” Scarbrough, Drama Ensemble instructor and head of the performing arts department, said that she’s excited to finally have her students participate in a 24 hour play festival.

“Everything came together this year to say ‘we can do that this year’,” Scarbrough said.

Students from any grade are able to sign-up, not only as actresses, but as writers, set designers, and more. They will then be placed into one of the nine

“The diversity of this year’s performance was a major highlight... ”

- Taylor ’10 POETRY CLUB AND

POETRY JAM CREATOR

teams. The teams, each led by a senior in Drama Ensemble, will draw a general theme /genre for their piece from a hat, as well as a specific prop that needs to be used and/or a specific line that needs to be said. The participants will then have a choice of many rooms on campus including the art rooms, and C220 that will be the teams’ headquarters.

As it will be an overnight stay on campus, faculty members will be helping out as chaperons for the festival. Scarbrough said that there is no curfew for the teams and that there are surprises planned for the night such as last-

By Cami ’10

The UltraViolet

POETS: Clockwise from top left are performers InQ, Derrick Brown, Taylor ’10, Simply Kat, Joshua Silverstein, and Daniel Price. Photos by Colleen ’10

Beatboxers and spoken word artists took the stage for the third annual Beat Box assembly on March 2nd amongst the cheers and laughs of seventh through twelfth graers.

Initiated by Taylor ’10 when she was a freshman, the beat box assembly was a way to bring a different type of performance art into the spotlight, Harvey said.

Over the years, the number of performers has grown, along with the types of pieces they present.

The performers included repeat performers such as spoken word artist Simply Kat, beat boxer Joshua Silverstein, and the assembly organizer herself, Harvey.

Still, most of the performers were new faces, like comedian/poet Derrick Brown, poet InQ, young up-in-coming artists Daniel Price and Cece Howard,

and an original poem presented by Julie ’10, a member of the Poetry Club.

“ T h e diversity of this year’s p e r f o r m a n c e was a major highlight, with the younger performers next to the more experienced and the

equal balance of women and

men,” Taylor said.

The artists p e r f o r m e d samples of their work, giving a taste of their styles with one or two poems each.

Afterward, students were able to meet with the artists as they sold

their merchandise and answered any questions.

Many of the performers came to Harvey’s attention at poetry clubs and jams around the LA area. Derrick Brown will be coming back to school to work with poetry club on their pieces.

Harvey said that she is pleased with the way the event has evolved.

“Every year gets better and better,” Taylor said.

By Ileana ’11

The UltraVioletFor someone who hated “The

Scarlet Letter” in both high school and college and has an issue with creative writing professors, Julie Halse Anderson, best-selling author of “Speak” and her newly released book “Wintergirls,” continues her writing career with another fiction masterpiece.

On Saturday, March 20, at the Santa Monica Public Library’s Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium, Anderson spoke to fans, friends, and even an English class from a near-by Santa Monica school. She addressed her personal journey from “Speak” to “Wintergirls” and gave background behind the recent novel.

“This was emotionally the hardest book that I’ve written,” Anderson said.

“Wintergirls” follows the life of 18-year-old Lia who faces the

WINTER GIRLS: Laurie Halse Anderson signs copies of her book, shown at the right, at the Santa Monica Public Library. Photo by Ileana ’11

recent death of her best friend Cassie and her own on-going struggle against the dangers of both anorexia and cutting.

Growing up self-conscious of her body image, Anderson said she felt very connected to her new character. During the writing process she went so far as to lose weight and count her calories as Lia does.

Anderson completed her three-year project with the support from her husband and the information on anorexia gathered from physicians and nutritionists.

Asked about the motivation behind “Wintergirls,” Anderson said it was to tell a great story.

“I’m not preaching. I’m not trying to convert anybody. I know that if I tell a good story about something that is common, readers are going to identify with it. And so the reader brings his or herself into the page and if I tell a good

story, my story is going to serve as a mirror into their own hearts or as a window into the hearts and conditions of others,” she said.

Fans of Anderson’s novel “Speak” will recognize Anderson’s unique prose and use of varying fonts in “Wintergirls,” but in a darker setting where the ultimate challenge is fighting death.

Ninth grader takes secondin Shakespeare

The UltraViolet

minute rules.The festival will replace the

traditional Senior Shorts this year as the final Drama Ensemble senior-directed project due to past conflicts, including seniors being busy this time of year and not having many students willing to dedicate 3 weeks to rehearsal, Scarbrough said.

Also, having participated in a 24 hour play festival herself, Scarbrough said she wants her students to learn the same lesson she learned.

“Rather than waiting around for the perfect choice, I learned to take a good choice and bring it to fruition -- make it the best it could

be,” Scarbrough said.Scarbrough also hopes that

with only 24 hours and no chance to plan ahead, the stress load will go down.

Drama Ensemble member Karen ’09, is looking forward to “going into it blind” as well as the casting process.

“It’ll be really fun to be on the opposite end of the casting,” Karen said.

Depending on student and faculty feedback as well as student participation, the festival might become an annual event, but for now, it is a new performance that will put the senior directors to the test.

10 Friday, March 27, 2009Entertainment and Arts

Volume 39, Issue 5 www.theultraviolet.com

Photographer Colleen ’10 was named a finalist in the Music Center Spotlight awards for her photo titled “Caged” on March 21.

Colleen is the first Marlborough student to be a finalist for this award. Her photo was chosen out of 457 entries and is on display at the Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena. From the award, Colleen won $500 to attend an art camp, which all semi-finalists earned, and an additional $4,000 or $5,000, depending on if she’s runner-up or the winner.

“It’s such an honor to be recognized for something I love to do and to be among such talented photographers from other

Owers returns for master classes

Loynachan ’10 named finalist for Music Center Spotlight award

By Colleen ’10

The UltraVioletKevin Owers, a renowned

singer and actor originally from Essex, England, will teach master classes to four students from varying grades as a part of the Vocalist in Residence program.

Owers is not new to Marlborough - he was the guest vocalist three years ago and was brought back because students requested to have a male teacher this year, said music instructor Ernie Scarbrough.

Open auditions were held, and four students pursuing pieces of different musical styles were chosen.

The students are taking master classes with Owers. Each student is working to perfect a specific piece to perform at the spring choral concert on April 24.

Elana ’09 is preparing a musical theater piece, Taylor ’10 a jazz song, and April ’13 an operatic piece. Amanda ’11 will perform a piece in the Americana genre by American composer Gladys Rich.

Taylor said the classes give her the opportunity to learn from everybody by hearing Owers’s feedback on each of their pieces.

“I’m fortunate to participate in the program, because I’ve never really had a professional vocal class,” Taylorsaid.

This is Elana’s third year in the Vocalist in Residence program, and she said that she has been able to connect well with Owers.

“He works with us on intonation and the feeling behind the music,” Elana said.

Other student artists honored in Scholastic Art Awardsschools,” LColleen said. “I like to create personal photographs that allow people to see through my eyes,” she added.

After being named a semi-finalist, Colleen was interviewed by the judges, where she showed a portfolio of five photos.

The winner will be announced on May 2 at the Spotlight Awards Gala Performance, which will be held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Downtown and includes videos of the finalists from each category.

Judith Tanzman, visual arts instructor, said, “It reflects her investigation of photography and range of work and ability to articulate and present herself in front of a group of judges.”

The twelve Marlborough Gold Key winners of the Los Angeles

WINNERS: At left is “Caged” by Colleen ’10, a finalist in the Music Center Spotlight Awards. “Curved Sky” by Emily ’ 09 (middle) and “Heartbeat” by Kat ’09 (right) both were recognized in the Scholastic Art Awards.

Carroll excelsat RymanBy Alyssa ’13

Middle School Contributor

As numerous student artists win recognition in the prestigious Spotlight and Art Center awards, sophomore Julia continues to benefit from the honor she won a year ago: a fully paid admission to the highly competitive Ryman Arts Program at the USC Roski School of Fine Arts.

Art instructor Kathy Rea said that when Ryman contacted her last year looking for applicants, she was excited to announce it in her classes and see who would step forward. Rea said she was pleased but not surprised that Julia, who was then in her freshman class, wanted to apply.

“She likes to take things to the next level of involvement,” Rea said.

Ryman is a free two-year program that selects students solely based on their portfolios. Students receive teaching from college level instructors and are supplied with high quality art supplies at no cost.

“It’s very intense.” Julia said of the 3 hour classes. “I don’t go out on Fridays.”

Instead Julia stays home and works on her assignments to

prepare for her Saturday class. Although it’s a long time

commitment, much more than a Marlborough period “you get an intense art experience you couldn’t get in 45 minutes,” Rea said.

Julia is in her final year at Ryman, which focuses on painting. What Julia learns is “based on the teacher,” she said.

“I am currently working with acrylics and portrait models,” Julia said.

But while at the program, she has discovered a real love for figure drawing.

SKI LIFT OVER THE SEA: This untitled work by Julia ’11 was in-spired by a dream about a carnival ride over the sea. Julia, also a skier, used greens and whites to give the impression of both a foaming ocean and tree-filled, snow-capped mountains.

“It really pushes you,” she said.

The effectiveness of the program can be seen in the improvement of Julia’s work.

“I have always been doing art my whole life,” said Julia, whose grandfather is an artist and helped her initial love for art grow. But through her work at Ryman, Julia has learned new and innovative techniques and media from a wide variety of professional artists and teachers.

“She likes to take things to the next level of involvement,” Rea said.

By Brianne ’10

The UltraViolet

Scholastic Art Awards also have their work on display at the Armory Center.

Eleven other students were honored with Silver Keys and Honorable Mentions.

The many awards that Marlborough won this year reflects the “strong art program here,” said Gina Woodruff, visual arts department head, and Kathleen Rea, visual arts instructor.

Woodruff said the art teachers know about these programs and can help students choose pieces that are

what the programs are looking for. Woodruff also said that more girls are planning ahead for portfolios.

“It’s very interesting how Marlborough sees itself as an academic school, which is very true; in the art department, we see it as a fabulous art program,” Rea said. “The girls are amazingly talented and hard-working, and it’s wonderful when it’s reflected in the awards they win and the recognition by the people outside the Marlborough community.”

SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDSGold Key - Portfolio:

Emily ’09, Lizzy ’09, Julie ’09, and Kat ’09

Gold Key - Single Entry:Jackie ’09, Kat ’09, Emily ’09, Natalie ’09, Colleen ’09, Danielle ’10, Giula Tuttle ’10, Francesca ’09, Lizzy ’09,

and Kelly ’09

Entertainment and Arts 11Friday, March 27, 2009

Marlborough Schoolwww.theultraviolet.com

LA schools get amped together

By Amanda ’09

The UltraViolet

More than 400 people attended the Arts and Music Production event on March 7, hosted in Caswell Hall by all-school council. Entertainment included six bands, several spoken word artists, and the art work of local high school students.

Attendance was high from other local private schools, including Milken and Oakwood, said student body president Maddie ’09.

“We wanted to find a way to bring the school together and integrate with other schools,” she said. “We realized that during our past six years at Marlborough, the few events we’ve hosted were just dances.”

Council also acquired the services of vendors selling tacos, Ben & Jerry’s and kettle corn.

“It was nice because it was low-key and not that crowded. A few of the bands were good, I especially liked Slinky’s guitarist,” said Julia ’11. “It would have been better if more people had come, because it would be more energetic.”

Mindy ’11 thought more activies would have helped.

“The music wasn’t something people could dance to, and many people just stood there until DJ Swine Forkbeard began,” she said.

Council planned AMP for months and worked hard to organize an event that would appeal to students, Maddie said.

“Council stuck with it, and when I was skeptical, they convinced me that we could do it,” said Laura Hotchkiss, upper school director.

Proceeds went to the Leadership in Learning Campaign and Art Share LA.

GET AMPED!: Clockwise: Guitarist Sam Doniger from the band, Front-runner, shreds during a solo in one of their songs. One of the spoken word acts, Joshua Silverstein, performs. Kush from Whittier College plays the djembe with his band, Aural Fixation. Jewels Haskell ’11 views the artwork, which were showcased in the lower dance studio. John Rockwell of the band Frontrunner plays the drums. Hana Hawker of Shark! Shark! as a singer and guitarist. Photos by Mark Krewatch and Colleen ’10

The show features six bands, spoken word artists, and visual artists from high schools and colleges around Los Angeles

“Uncommon Women” play wins applause

Collen ’14 wins competition, plays with Bellflower Dance Ensemble to host Black Box show

E+A IN BRIEF

Friends at Mount Holyoke College discuss the importance of women’s role during the 1970s in Drama Ensemble’s performance of “Uncommon Women and Others.”

Drama Ensemble performed on March 12-21 in the Intimate Theater.

“It’s always exciting to see your classmates do what they love, and it’s just amazing. The costumes and the set was really cool,” Evan ’09 said.

Drama Ensemble instructor and Head of Performing Arts Department Anne Scarbrough said that she was very happy that the performance went well, but also very sad that this performance was the seniors’ last.

“I’ve been with these girls for six years, and they have grown so much. They did right by themselves and to each other. I am proud of their work,” Scarbrough said.

This year’s “Black Box” performance with Dance Dimensions will be on April 28 in the dance studio.

The show is a smaller performance of student choreography and works that are in the progress.

To create the black box image, black fabric will be hung on the walls on the studio.

Kelsey ’11 is choreographing for the first time and is the artistic director for a reprise of a piece that was performed at the Evening of Dance in February.

Henry found the choreography to be fairly easy, and she thought the opportunity to work with students was helpful.

Kelsey said, “Getting movements out of my body wasn’t difficult, but teaching a class was a whole new experience for me. The collaboration with the other students helped me learn a lot.”

- Brianne ’10, UV Staff- Julie ’10, UV Staff

By Brooke ’10

The UltraViolet

At 4’ 10”, seventh grader Colleen might have appeared to be the underdog as she competed against high school seniors in the Concerto Competition for Young Artists on November 21. Colleen, however, won the competition, and will be performing with the Bellflower Symphony orchestra on April 25th in the William Bristol Civic Auditorium.

The other winner in Colleen’s 13-17 year old category was a senior violinist who has studied with a professor at USC.

Nervous right before she began to play, Colleen glanced out into the audience and a panel of judges stared back at her, she said. Colleen said she looked to her left and saw the talented violinists the judges would be comparing her to.

“I felt a little intimidated in that moment, because they were all so much bigger than me,” Colleen said.

Yet by ultimately tieing for first place, Colleen proved

that good things come in small packages.

The seventh grader is also a member of Marlborough’s music ensemble, which will have its annual spring concert the same weekend of Colleen’s performance, on Sunday, April 26.

Music Ensemble instructor Deborah Sealove said that Colleen is a valuable member of the group.

“It is easy working with Colleen, because it is similar to working with a professional musician. She comes to rehearsal prepared and we can accomplish a great deal because she is so advanced,” Sealove said.

The annual concert will take place in Caswell Hall at 2:00 pm on the 26th, and will showcase over fifty musicians in grades seven through twelve. Instruments include cello, clarinet, flute, piano, and violin. Admission is free.

7th grader also is one of 57 student musicians who will perform at Ensemble’s April 26 concert

AMP included both visual (photography and painting) and performing arts (live bands). But, the bands seemed to take over the event with the variety of styles present.

The show• Time: 2:00 p.m.

• Location: Caswell Hall• Free admission• Featured instruments: cello, clarinet, flute, piano, and violin

• 57 student performers

On Stage

Name: FrontrunnerPlays: rock n’ rollFor more info: www.myspace.com/frontrunnerrocks Name: DJ Swine Forkbeard (the name of a Viking he learned about in ninth grade)Plays: anything that will make anyone danceFor more info: www.thetapeisnotsticky.com/swineforkbeard Name: Aural FixationPlays: funky jazz rockFor more info: will.dickerson@yahoo.com

Name: Shark! Shark! Plays: surf pop rockFor more info: www.myspace.com/sharksharkmusik Name: Beirut CoversPlays: indie, folk, pop, world musicFor more info: www.myspace.com/beirutcovertroupe Name: SlinkyPlays: funk rockFor more info: www.myspace.com/slinkytheband

BOW IN HAND: Colleen ’14 makes up for height with musical tal-ent. Kang recently won the Concerto Competition for Young Artists. Photo by Colleen ’10

12 Friday, March 27, 2009Feature

Volume 39, Issue 5 www.theultraviolet.com

On my honor,

and talking about tests occurs often,” Emily said.

Ashley ’09 said that while she hardly ever sees cheating on in-class tests, on take-home assignments, she does see it.

“Copying homework I see a lot. I’ve seen people do take-home tests together. I just feel like people don’t actually think about it when it comes time to, I guess, advance themselves,” Ashley said.

Other students said that they rarely see Honor Code violations, even small ones.

“I don’t really think about it very often because I don’t see any violations,” said Ryanne ’11.

Julianne ’09, on the other hand, said that she often sees students not taking the Honor Code seriously.

“I feel like in some circles it’s almost treated as a joke - in many, actually,” Julianne said.

One student “Holly,” who asked to remain anonymous, said that she has cheated on a test.

“Sometimes you’re in a hard test and you lift your head for one second and you happen to see an answer on someone else’s paper, or sometimes you look purposefully…I’ve done it in the past,” Holly said.

Wagner said that while she has no magic solutions for hasty choices that violate the Honor Code, she feels that open discussion could encourage girls to make the right choices. Her own sense is that students do take the code seriously, she said.

Upper School Director Laura Hotchkiss acknowledged that some dissatisfaction with the Honor Code is difficult to avoid.

“The reality is it’s hard to uphold a standard of perfection. There is a level of cynicism and skepticism,” Hotchkiss said.

History instructor Catherine Atwell said that gossip can negatively impact the perceived effectiveness of the Honor Code.

“When examples of dishonorable behavior occur, discussion underground undermines students’ respect for the Honor Code,” Atwell said.

49% of all students ranked themselves a 4 on how well they follow the Honor Code. 44% gave themselves a 5, and 7% a 3, 2, or 1.

Ryanne said 3’s and 4’s might reflect violations like talking about how hard or easy a test was in front of someone who hasn’t taken it. Students worried that they may have violated the Honor Code unintentionally could also report a 3 or 4, she said.

Almost all students interviewed said that the reason violations occur is because of a pressure to achieve perfection.

Still, “stress,” said history instructor Martha Schuur, is not necessarily the reason.

“I think at this school, it’s all about ill-preparedness and panic…Unfortunately, there’s an assumption you can’t come to a teacher and say, ‘I totally forgot,’” Schuur said.

Atwell agreed, but said that perception is false.

“Teachers would feel better about students who own up to their limitations,” Atwell said. “It shows a high degree of integrity.”

ENFORCEMENT

Julianne said the Honor Code would be more effective if violators were caught more regularly or punished more stringently.

“We’ve never really seen a harsh punishment for breaking it, or people have cheated in the past and they haven’t gotten caught,” Julianne said.

Still, Julianne and others also said that having teachers breathing down students’ necks during tests might not help.

Schuur said she sees this issue.

“It’s a tough thing for a teacher. Unless you see a student pulling out their notes during a test, you can’t jump to accusing without evidence, because that’s saying ‘I don’t trust you’ – and we’re a community built on trust,” she said.

Spanish instructor Eric Reinholtz said that harsher punishments for violators might

also undermine the intentions of the Honor Code, as it is meant to teach students how to live honorable lives but also give them room to learn from mistakes.

“In the best possible world, people would be punished. But

the idea is to make them honorable. The

institution doesn’t want to abandon a violator… but they’ll watch her more closely,” Reinholtz said. Wagner said the school has, to the best of its ability, followed up every Honor Code case that has ever been reported. If there are cases out there not being reported,

Wagner said, that presents an issue in terms of enforcement. “It’s really hard to act on something if you don’t know about it,” Wagner said. Hotchkiss agreed. “There is definitely criticism of the administration for not monitoring Honor Code violations, but students don’t report [either]. If

The UltraViolet polls students about trust in the honor code

HOW MANY STUDENTS REPORT HONOR CODE OFFENSES?: 14% of polled students said they have reported honor code violations. The number was highest for seniors and lowest for sopho-mores. Of students who rated their trust in the Honor Code at less than 5, over 50% said one reason for that lack of full trust is that students feel uncomfortable reporting violations.

they want the adults to report, we all have to engage,” she said.

“TATTLING”

14% of students in grades 9-12 said that they have reported Honor Code violations. Also, 50% of students chose student discomfort in reporting violations as a reason for their less than absolute trust in the Honor Code.

Ari ’11 said that this is a result of loyalty.

“Nobody wants to see her friend get in trouble, even if she did something that’s obviously wrong,” Ari said.

One anonymous student, “Rita,” said she once made the difficult choice to report a close friend for violating the Honor Code. The first teacher that Rita talked to told her to inform Hotchkiss because some harsh punishment, even expulsion, might be necessary.

“I was really scared, because I felt like I didn’t think she should have gotten expelled for it,” Rita said. In the end, the violator was not expelled, and Rita is not sure what the punishment was.

Wagner said that Rita’s fears are exactly the reason why the policy is left vague regarding whether or not a student reported violation will lead to expulsion (see “Clarifying the code,” page 13).

The students who created the Honor Code “wanted the flexibility so students could report things and not worry about ‘if I report this I’m going to be the person who has this student expelled,’” Wagner said.

EDUCATION

Emily said that if students

“The institution doesn’t want to abandon a violator...but they’ll watch her more closely.”

-Eric ReinholtzSPANISH

INSTRUCTOR

knew more about the Honor Code, it might be more effective.

“I think people are misinformed of what defines a violation,” she said.

Talia ’09 said that the policy should be more clearly defined for the student body.

“I honestly do not know what it is. Make it simple, an easy understanding where everyone can see it,” she said.

Wagner agreed that, for many reasons, education is critical.

“I suspect some of the concerns about transparency for individual cases would be less dramatic, or there would be less of a need, if everybody understood the process better,” Wagner said.

Still, full disclosure isn’t likely.“There are situations that

come up where I suspect students would like greater transparency,” Wagner said. “I think we don’t feel we can provide it in terms of protecting an individual student and her rights.”

Hotchkiss said it may be time to review the code itself. “It’s probably time to look at it again, maybe next year. We will re-commit to those values,” she said.

Emily said that upholding the Honor Code boils down to personal responsibility.

“Ultimately it rests with the individual - if they’re willing to change their habits or report violations,” Emily said.

Reinholtz and others said that though students aren’t perfect, the Honor Code is a valuable ideal.

“The students here have more integrity than any place I’ve ever worked,” Reinholtz said. “The Honor Code actually means something.”

QUESTION: DO YOU TRUST THE HONOR CODE? DO YOU FIND IT EFFECTIVE?: The most popular response was a four for all grades except the junior class, though a significant number in all grades also answered in the 2-3 range. In the junior class, three was the most common answer. In rating their own following of the Honor Code, the majority of students in all grades gave themselves either a four or five.

this is my own work?

13.4% 12.0% 15.7% 16.4%

Continued from cover

Graphics by Julie ’10Ratings

Num

ber o

f stu

dent

s

Feature 13Friday, March 27, 2009

Marlborough Schoolwww.theultraviolet.com

I promise to take full responsibility for my

actions in all my academic and non-

academic endeavors. I hereby accept this pledge

as a guide to assist me in living honorably.

Comparing the codesAnonymity of Honor Forum

members is what separates Marlborough from three other local private schools where the UltraViolet interviewed officials.

At Harvard-Westlake and Marymount, honor board members are elected by their classes, while at Loyola, a single non-anonymous administrator makes most punishment decisions related to the Honor Code.

ANONYMITY

The members of Marlborough’s honor board (officially called the Honor Forum) are anonymous.

Head of School Barbara Wagner said that the girls on the honor board have consistently felt that their anonymity is necessary, though the topic is discussed almost every year.

“I think everybody sees what the pros and cons [of anonymity] might be. On balance, I think they feel that it really helps them overall in being more objective,” Wagner said. “It kind of helps you divorce yourself from personalities, from people.”

Reid Cottingham, advisor to the honor board, said that anonymity is preserved not just for board members, but also for violators and students who report them.

“Students being reviewed have the right to come speak with the Forum if they wish, but it is not required,” Cottingham said.

At Harvard-Westlake,

fourteen representatives from grades 10-12 are elected each year as members of their honor board, called the prefect council. Eight rotating prefects and adult advisors hear every major honor board case.

Father J. Young, the Harvard-Westlake chaplain and adult advisor to the honor board, said that the prefect council was originally created by students who wanted input honor decisions, and student elections for prefects seemed the best way to accomplish that.

Young said that the proceedings of the case are completely anonymous, but the honor board does post a record of the events to the whole student body without giving names.

As at Harvard-Westlake, the Marymount Honor Council has members from grades 10-12 elected by their classmates.

Dean of Students Cynthia Hoepner says that in the past two years that honor board has been in place, she feels that the student body has strived to elect students whom they trust rather than those who might give the most lenient punishments.

“When I work with the girls who have been elected to Honor Council, I can tell that the student body has taken the job of electing them very seriously. It’s much different from [Associated Student Body] where the voting is about the most popular students or who had the funniest speech,” she said.

Marlborough honor board members, who submitted anonymous response to the

A hallmark of Jesuit education is excellence

in academics. However, excellence in

academics that comes at the expense of academic

integrity is of no value.

UltraViolet, almost uniformly upheld the importance of their anonymity. Two said that it ensures that the forum is not seen as an elite or exclusive group.

“If the members of the Honor Forum were revealed, it would seem as though those selectedstudents were the most ‘honorable students,’ when really almost all Marlborough students are honorable,” said a junior member.

One senior member said that there might be some value in revealing the identity of members of the Honor Forum upon their departure from the school.

“It may make the Honor Forum seem less like a secret society,” she said.

PUNISHMENT

The four schools had similar punishment policies, although they varied to some extent in their definitions of what constitutes an offense and in how much detail

the consequences were laid out.At Harvard-Westlake,

definitions of minor versus major incidents are outlined for every department, Young said. Aside from the main honor board, there is an honor board “light” which convenes to hear minor first-offense cases, although it is uncommonly used. As at Marlborough, a proven second offense goes to the honor board.

Consequences at Harvard-Westlake could include letters of apology, face-to-face meetings, community service hours, and more punitive actions such as suspension or expulsion, Young said. The severity of the punishment corresponds to the severity of the offense, allowing for some discretion.

Loyola’s assistant principal for curriculum and scheduling Frank Kozakowski, who is in charge of honor violations, said that the first offense punishment

By Celine ’11 and Julie ’10

The UltraViolet

Clarify ing the Code

is to make a student write out Loyola High School’s two-page Policy on Academic Integrity. Parents are notified and a zero is given. On a second offense, a zero is given, and the student is suspended for two days and placed on Disciplinary Probation. On a third offense, a zero is given and the case goes to the Discipline Board, made up of faculty and administrators, for possible expulsion.

Cottingham said that Marlborough’s punishment policy allows for some grey area, which she finds beneficial.

“The rules in the Handbook work well. They allow for the grey areas that each individual case inevitably has,” Cottingham said.

At all the schools, including Marlborough, the ultimate decision to expel a student is up to the administration, not to the Honor Forum, prefect council, or Kozakowski.

I will neither give nor receive unauthorized aid, as defined by my teacher

both explicitly and implicitly, from any source on

exams, homework, quizzes, papers, or any other academic endeavor.

Up close with honor at Loyola, Harvard-Westlake, and Marymount

PLEDGING HONOR: Three honor policies from three local private schools. Marlborough’s honor pledge, written on all work, is “On my Honor, this is my own work.”

The handwritten comments within the poll results and subsequent student interviews reflected significant misconceptions regarding what the honor forum does, what the punishments are for Honor Code violations, what the difference is between The Understanding and the Honor Code,

and how the school distinguishes between student and teacher reported violations. After extensive interviews and analysis of the handbook, we at the UV have tried to clarify those points below.

What does the Honor Forum do? When does it meet? Who gets chosen?UV says: The Honor Forum is made up of three seniors, two juniors, two sophomores, and two faculty members (one from the middle and one from the upper school). They are self nominated and chosen by a faculty vote. There is also one non-voting advisor, Reid Cottingham. The forum meets to discuss a second Honor Code violation or any time the head of school chooses to seek its advice. Cottingham said that the “Honor Forum Procedures” mentioned below usually happen as follows: the head of school gets in contact with members, often via letter at school. Members meet, usually at the head of school’s house, as soon as possible. They seriously discuss the incident, then make recommendations for Head of School

Barbara Wagner to consider in her decision.

Handbook says: “The following are the types of in-fractions that will, in all likelihood, lead to dismissal

from the School:...A single act of stealing.”

What is the difference between The Understanding and the Honor Code?UV says: A number of students in their poll responses mentioned stealing a reason they don’t find the Honor Code effective. In fact, stealing is not covered by the Honor Code. The Understanding is the basic behavioral guideline for students. The Honor Code specifically deals with academic integrity: mostly cheating and plagiarism. Stealing falls into The Understanding. Punishments laid down for Honor Code violations may not be the same as punishments for violations of The Understanding. The following is from The Understanding - not the Honor Code.

What is the difference between a student reported and a teacher reported violation?

UV says: Wagner emphasized the same thing that Upper School Director Laura Hotchkiss has said in meetings with students: student observed violations and teacher observed violations,

when reported to the division director, are handled differently. Two official Honor Code violations are grounds for expulsion. If on two separate occasions a teacher reports seeing an Honor Code violation, those will be a first official violation and a second official violation, and the case will go to the head of school and the honor forum. If a student reports observing a violation, however, it does not necessarily constitute a first official violation. Rather, a pattern of student reports, taken together, can equal an official first violation. Therefore, unlike with teachers, two separate student reports is not necessarily grounds for expulsion. Wagner said that, in her experience, a student reported violation has

never been proved beyond the shadow of a doubt.

What is the punishment for an Honor Code violation?

UV says: A first instance of cheating is not an expellable offense. A second instance of cheating is, but it is not automatic. The Honor Forum does not have the final say. Though the head of school consults the Honor Forum for advice, she makes the final decision any time a student

is dismissed from the school.

Handbook says: If an occurrence of cheating, including plagiarism is observed or confirmed by the instruc-tor… This constitutes a violation of the Honor Code…

Handbook says: “If two Honor Code violations are confirmed as outlined above, in all likelihood,

expulsion will result.”

Handbook says: The Honor Forum...make[s] a recom-mendation to the Head of School regarding possible disciplinary action, following the ‘Honor Forum

Procedures.’”

Wagner says: “To me, The Understanding defines, if you will, the code of behavior for the School. The Honor Code is a specific part of that…I love the first sentence of The Understanding: ‘Marlborough School is a community built on honor, trust, individual responsibility, and mutual respect.’ If you live by that, you’re going to be upholding the Honor Code.”

Cottingham says: “An important factor to realize is that the Honor Board does not decide who is expelled. Ms. Wagner loves student input, and respects what they have to say, but it is not their decision.”

14 Friday, March 27, 2009Sports

Volume 39, Issue 5 www.theultraviolet.com

REMEMBERING THE CIF RUNCIF-SS title streak ends at 6By Casey ’10

The UltraViolet

Young players will take lead in ’09-10By Casey ’10The UltraViolet

On March 6, the varsity basketball team played in what could have been the seventh straight CIF Southern Section championship at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana.

The team ended up losing to Woodbridge HS (Irvine, CA) marking the end of Marlborough’s CIF streak. The final score was 62-57.

The Mustangs started out strong, leading 13-11 at the end of the first quarter.

It was a close game throughout, generally differing in points by only two points. In the second quarter both teams scored fifteen points, making the score at half time 28 (Mustangs) and 26 (Woodbridge).

Ashley ’09 and Miwa ’11 were both big contributors in keeping Marlborough in the

game, scoring two-three pointers each during the game at crucial moments to get the Mustangs in the lead.

Ashley and Miwa’s three pointers didn’t prove to be enough against Woodbridge’s guard Ashley ’10, who scored the majority of the team’s points, ending the game with a total of 31 points. Only three other people on the Woodbridge team scored points during the game.

Ward was the main reason for Woodbridge pushing through to have a five point lead on the Mustangs by the end of the game. This was the largest lead either of the teams had during the whole game.

Although the Mustangs ended their CIF run, their season was not over. They went on to beat number one seeded-team Foothill High School in the state tournament and lose to Inglewood High School.

Trenton Jackson, head coach of the varsity basketball team, is looking at the formidable challenge of losing sixty percent of his current players next year. This year’s team included ten players: six seniors and four sophomores.

With only four students returning next season, rebuilding a team that has been so successful for the past seven years will be a big challenge for Jackson and the four returning sophomores, Annie, Abigail, Tyler, and Miwa.

“This will be yet my toughest rebuilding year so far,” Jackson said. “To lose so many upper class men and not be able to replace any of them hurts the program,” he added.

David Collicutt, athletic director, agreed.

“Every time you lose this many players, it’s going to make a big impact,” Collicutt said.

The six graduating seniors were a huge part of the team, something the four sophomores, Collicutt, and Jackson all agree on. All five starters were seniors, and most had been on varsity

since their freshman year. Still, the four returning sophomores have experience too, as three of them have been on the team since freshman year as well.

Jackson said that the sophomores will need to step up.

“A lot rests on shoulders that haven’t yet been tested on their own, they have all had success, but with the help of key upper class men,” said Jackson.

Miwa is well aware of the responsibility the four of them will carry for next season.

“We don’t have anyone to fall back on anymore. We need to be more independent,” said Miwa.

“We have to lead,” Tyler said. “Be a leader, step up and carry on the legacy.”

Over the summer, the “fab four” will be working and honing in on their leadership and basketball skills.

“Well, all four sophomores are doing club. In fact, we are doing the same club,” Annie said, discussing how the four sophomores will play club basketball over the summer to prepare for next season.

“I think that the most important thing for all of us is to get as much playing time and

practice in before the next season starts,” she added.

6’ 3” Abigail is feeling the pressure of stepping up.

“Playing against Talia, who’s one of the top post players in the country, has helped me to understand my responsibility as the tallest person on the court,” she said.

Although the success of the team for next year depends heavily on the four returning sophomores, JV players and students moving up from eighth grade will help with the rebuilding process. “There are some strong players in seventh and eighth,” Collicutt said about future team prospects.

Jackson said he is already working out with JV and incoming ninth grade players to get them up to varsity level for next year.

Players moving up from middle school and JV will help ease the transition, but next year’s team will inevitably be fairly young, with no seniors. Since ’04, there has not been anyone from the class of 2010 playing basketball for the school.

Collicut has faith that next year, varsity basketball will be a “good and challenging team, like this season.”

’03-04 ’06-07’05-06

END OF THE ROAD: Jade ’09, Sabaah ’09, Tyler ’11, and Taylor ’09 look on to what became the team’s last game against Inglewood HS at UCLA’s Pauley Pavillion. Jade, Sabaah, and Taylor are just three of six seniors who will graduate. Photo by Colleen ’10

Class of 2011 will lead next year’s varsity team

FAB FOUR

Emily Tay ’05 dribbles to the basket in the ’04 CIF-SS championship game against Valley Christian HS. The Mus-tangs went on to win this game 39-35, making it the second straight CIF title

Abi Olajuwon ’06 goes up for a shot in the ’05 CIF-SS cham-pionship game against Oaks Christian HS. That year the Mustangs went on to win one more game before losing to La Jolla Country Day School.

During the ’07 CIF-SS cham-pionship game against Pacific Hills HS, Brittany Teleng ’07 fights for a jump ball. The Mus-tangs won this game making it their fifth straight CIF title.

“We don’t have people to fall back on anymore. We need to be more independent.”

-Miwa

“I am really looking forward to having a larger role on the team, and being able to play more often.”-Annie

“It’s very daunting be-cause I know that our style of play is going to need changing, but at the same time it’s exciting.”

-Abigail

“We have to lead. It’s exciting. We are the older ones now. The other players will look up to us.”

- Tyler

Photos collected by UV staff

Sports 15Friday, March 27, 2009

Marlborough Schoolwww.theultraviolet.com

Jessica ’12 takes on rare sport: pole vaulting

Ashytnn ’09 sets school long jump record

Varsity swimmer profile: Erica ’11By Jenny ’10The UltraViolet

By Cassidy ’10 andBrianne ’10The UltraViolet

Ninth grader has already broken the school record with a ten foot jump

Jessica ’12 plants her 1.5 pound pole into the turf, launching herself into the air before landing on the mat. After her hour-long pole vaulting practice, Jessica, a multi-sport athlete, will head to Marymount High School for club volleyball.

Jessica spends two days per week practicing pole-vaulting at the UCLA track with coach Anthony Curran. She is also pole vaulting for the Mustang track.

Although this is her first year at Marlborough and she has only been training

Ashtynn ’09 jumped a personal and school record of 19 feet 6 inches in long jump at the Culver City invitational on March 21, breaking her previous record of 19 feet.The track team so far has been to four invitationals and competed in its first league meet on March 19, where it beat Notre Dame Academy 78-48.

At the March 21 invitational, the team didn’t do as well as it had hoped because many girls

did not attend. However, the team managed to win the distance medley relay.

David Collicutt, athletic director, is optimistic about the team this season due to its many and varied members.

“There are more people on the track team than has been in a long time, which is an advantage,” Collicutt said.

“There’s a nice mix of senior level talent athletes, freshmen novice athletes, and everyone in between. Many girls see it as a primary sport, but there are also many people who see it as a

secondary sport.”Miranda ’10 also thinks the

team will do well because of its “team” aspect.

“The team did really well, and I was impressed by the runners - especially the new freshmen, because it was their first meet. In track, the runners can get pretty nervous and because of that, the team plays a big role in the experience,” Miranda said.

The team’s meet yesterday at Occidental College against Marymount ended after press time.

Carlyle ’09 runs at Simplot

for a couple of months, she has already broken the seven foot school record by jumping ten feet.

A track and field and volleyball

By Julia ’09

The UltraViolet

athlete and a former gymnast, Jessica first considered pole vaulting when her mother suggested it might be a fun sport for her, she said.

“You have to be the right kind of person. You have to be fast and you have to be able to jump. You have to be gymnastics-y,” Jessica said.

The ninth grader describes pole vaulting as “kind of like high jump, in a way, because you know you have to turn and twist the body,” she said.

She begins practice by walking with the pole and sticking it into the ground to warm up. Once athletes are warmed up, they practice jumping with a bungy cord as opposed to a bar. Jessica warms up with a pole that is meant for a 90 pound person, then jumps with a pole for a 100 pound person, and then jumps with a pole for 110 pound person. She hopes to be able to jump with a pole meant for a 130 pound person.

Curran said that beginners are able to work slowly into the sport at the start, although they do need enough strength to lift their body up into the air and to get into the right position. He also said that every part of pole vaulting is difficult, and that strength and a lack of fear are what make a good pole vaulter.

“You have to be fast, you have to be aggressive, you have to be fearless. You have to be extremely multi-talented,” he

Varsity track runner Carlyle ’09 competed in the Simplot Games, a national indoor track event in Idaho, in February. Going against the top track athletes from across the coun-try, Carlyle placed fourth in the preliminaries of the 800 meters and 13th in the finals. Carlyle also competed in the 4x200 meter relay, in which her team placed seventh.

-Casey ’10, UV Staff

DEDICATED SWIMMER: Two-year varsity swimmer, Erica ’11 swims the backstroke at one of the first meets of the season. “I chose swimming because I love it. It is probably the favorite of all the sports I’ve done,” said Erica. Photo by Ileana ’11

Erica ’11 has tried her hand at almost half a dozen sports. She was a gymnast for seven years, a soccer player for five, and a runner for the track and cross country teams in eighth and ninth grades. Now, though, Ericahas finally chosen: the small, wiry sophomore is a full-time swimmer.

Erica joined the varsity swim team as a ninth grader, currently captains a club team, and has been swimming for her entire career at Marlborough.

After participating as a serious athlete in a wide range of sports, Erica decided to focus on swimming with the Marlborough team and the Hancock Park Swim Club. She had practiced gymnastics at the Santa Monica

Gymnastics Center for two years, then gone to the Los Angeles School of Gymnastics for five years, and finally gone to the All Olympians Gymnastics Center for a year before quitting gymnastics.

“I only swim now because I knew I was doing a lot of sports, but I had to choose one,” Erica said. “I chose swimming because I love it. It is probably the favorite of all the sports I’ve done.”

According to Georgia ’10, a team captain, Erica is a great leader who truly cares about the group.

“She is such a dedicated swimmer, and she’s just really cheerful all the time,” Georgia said. “She’s always at practice and has amazing times.”

Erica normally swims six days a week with the team, in addition

to a few club practices after as well. She has already broken a couple of relay records and hopes to break some individual records as well.

Erica said that she decided to participate in both club and school sports because she “can never get enough swimming, and the only way to get better is to keep practicing.”

Erica said that she knows her team very well and talks to them outside of practice all the time. Instead of being intimidated by the majority of upperclassmen, Erica said she thinks they make the practices much more interesting and fun.

“I’m going to be so upset when they leave; so upset,” Erica said. “We are so bonded, and everyone is always there for each other.”

said. Curran describes pole

vaulting as “a simple movement” in which the athlete must run,

jump onto the pole, swing his or her feet vertically, and turn. Still,

it is challenging when you’re high on a pole that doesn’t bend a lot and

running fast, he said. Despite its difficulty, Jessica isn’t

intimidated by the sport.“Some people think it’s scary. It’s

actually really fun,” she said. Jessica trains with other athletes from

different schools, ranging from eighth grade to college.

“My favorite part is when the pole bends and you’re kind of flying over it. It’s like a rush,” Jessica said. POLE VAULTER: Jessica ’12 stands with her 1.5 pound pole while preparing to jump

at practice. Photo by Julia ’09

“You have to be fast, you have to be aggressive, and you have to fearless. You have to be extremely multitalented.”

-Anthony CurranPOLE VAULT COACH

RARE AIR: Jessica Jes-sica’12 takes flight. Photo by Julia ’09

Photo by Colleen ’10

16 Friday, March 27, 2009Sports

Volume 39, Issue 5 www.theultraviolet.com

Softball Swimming

March 16 - Mustangs 8, Harvard-Westlake 3

7/8 Grade

7/8 Grade (2-1)

Scores and Highlights

Mar. 24 - Mustangs 97, Immaculate Heart HS 56

Varsity (6-0)

March 24 - Mustangs 144, Immaculate Heart HS 56

March 19 at Oaks Christian: Mustangs place sixth out of eight teams at the meet.

Mustangs placed first in the 4x100m Relay

March 17 - Mustangs 115, Norte Dame 56

March 19 at Notre Dame:Mustangs 78, Notre Dame Academy 57, Marymount HS 70.

Ashtynn ’09 got first place in the 100m hurdles with a time of 14.42 sec.

Caryle ’09 got first place in the 1600m with a time of 5:14.80.

Danielle ’10 got first place in the 3200m with a time of 12:15.60

Varsity (4-0)

March 12- Mustangs 118, Archer 33

March 24 - Mustangs 15, Windward HS 3

March 24 - Mustangs lost to St. Paul’s MS in their fourth match of the season

March 17 - Mustangs 21, Montclair Prep 1

Varsity softball starts season 6-02009 has the look of a breakout season for the MustangsBy Cassidy ’10The Ultra Violet

Gymnast Emily ’09 commits to Brown Emily ’09 has committed to attend Brown University for gymnastics, where she will join the team in the fall.

Emily was contacted by recruiters from UC Berkeley, William and Mary, Cornell, and Brown after attending a college meet in Florida where coaches from schools observed gymnasts perform.

Emily made official visits to schools, but ultimately decided to attend Brown University because she loved the campus and because she wanted to go to school on the east coast, among other reasons. “I really like the coach, Sarah. The girls were really great,” Emily said.

- Julia ’09, UV Staff

Grace ’07 earns All-American honors Alum Kate Grace ’07, who won the Division IV state

championships in cross country during her senior year at Marlborough, is now All-American in Indoor Track and Field at Yale University.

Grace, a sophomore at Yale, attended the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships at Texas A&M University earlier this month.

Grace placed third in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:07.77. Although this isn’t Grace’s fastest time, her record is faster than any other Yale athlete’s.

Her third place position was enough to earn her an All-American honor, which is only awarded to the top eight athletes in each event at the championships.

“I was too elated after setting a personal record and making finals. I knew that I had already earned All-American honors, so on Saturday I was able to just live the experience of competing at Nationals and getting on the awards stand,” Grace said to the Yale Sports Publicity. “I was running next to some of the great runners in the nation.”

- Casey ’10, UV Staff

SPORTS IN BRIEF

Track

Junior Varsity (4-0)

Junior varsity swim team co-captain, Geor-gia ’10, placed fifth in the 50 yd breast stroke with a 49.19 second time.

Nailah ’10 won first place in the 200m race with a time of 26.68 seconds. She also won second in the 400m race.

Alix ’11 is leading Var-sity Softball in batting averages (.727) and on base precentages (0.850).

Varsity/ Junior Varsity (1-0) March 12 - Mustangs 123, Archer 42

Golf 7/8 Grade

BATTER UP: Zoe ’11 prepares to hit the ball in the March 19 game against Montclair Prep, which the team won 21-1. Photo by Colleen ’10

The varsity softball team is off to its best season in years, having already gone undefeated in six non-league games. The players account their success to their new head coach Kenneth Gal and a fresh mentality about the game.

The Mustangs continued their streak by beating Windward 15-3 on Tuesday March 24 in a game which they had expected to be their most difficult so far.

The team will begin its Sunshine League schedule, which will include games against ranked teams Marymount and Notre Dame, after Spring Break.

“We have won all of our games because of a mindset fueled by the coaches and our new drive to win – it’s 100% intensity all the time,” said co-captain Hayley ’09. “Softball before was more about goofing around and having fun, but now we’re much more driven to do well. We’re much more intense and productive, and the coaches are teaching us so much.”

Many credit the improvement to the new head coach, Kenneth Gal.

“Coaches are so important because they can inspire you to do so much better, and our coach has really inspired us while at the same time really improving our skill set,” Hayley said.

Gal was hired as the seventh and eighth grade softball coach last year and moved to head varsity coach at the beginning of this year’s season. Collicutt said they decided to hire the new coach based on team performance and student feedback.

“We wanted to step up the program because we felt like softball was getting left behind,” Collicutt said.

Although the team has been doing much better this year, Collicutt said their improvement cannot be fully assessed until their harder games. The team is most nervous and excited about their game against Marymount High School, whose team won league last year, on April 16.

“Our coaches feel that we’re better, our players feel that we’re

better, we’re slaughtering the other teams, but we can’t assess how far we’ve come until we play more difficult teams,” said Collicutt.

Although the softball team has really stepped up this season,

the team members say they are still having a fun season.

“I have to say I love how everyone on our team is friends and enjoys one another’s company,” said Lauren ’11. “There is a lot of laughter as well as serious care for the game going on.”

Team batting average

.414Runs Scored

90

1

March 19 - Mustangs 117, Norte Dame 53

March 17 - Mustangs 97, Norte Dame 57

March 19 - Mustangs 116, Norte Dame 38

March 11 - Mustangs lost to Harvard Westlake in their sec-ond match of the season

March 18 - Mustangs 0, Oaks Christian 8

Grand Slam Home Runs

CURRENT STATS

AFTER BREAKApril 14

April 16Home against Wester Christian, 3:30 p.m.

Home against Marymount, 3:30 p.m.

Gal is optimistic about the season.

“I’m delighted by the girls’ enthusiasm, passion, and commitment,” Gal said. “I think that the team can really go far – I’m excited about their potential.”

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Opinion 17Friday, March 27, 2009

Marlborough Schoolwww.theultraviolet.com

VIEW FROM THE TOP

By Taylor ’10

The UltraViolet

Moans of agony echo throughout the living room. Bodies cower on the gargantuan beanbag and cushioned chairs, and as the door swings open, seniors grimace and wince like they’re vampires seeing daylight. “Seven-twelve buddy activities! Come onto the field!” We succumb. Have we any other choice?

I reluctantly trudge toward the grass, my steps so heavy, as if I’m dragging my shadow. Ultimately futile was the email I sent last night: “Ms. Moser, please let me be exempt. I have so much work to do and I think that my buddy, along with the entire seventh grade, hates me anyway. Sincerely, Taylor Thompson.” To no avail. I’m about to face the girl to whom I had recently waved and received no response (I can presently infer that that was a misunderstanding).

Seniors and seventh graders gravitate toward their peers, because let’s face it: No one enjoys inter-grade activities, especially not me. Faculty members overlook the scene, their mouths curling into pleased, toothy crescents. I’m thinking they must get some sadistic pleasure from watching two alternate herds (seniors and seventh graders) hesitantly transform into an unhappy smorgasbord of awkward pairs.

My buddy and I introduce ourselves. She’s bubbly, forward, and athletic, which are qualities I often lack. Just as I’m ready to hide under the post-three-legged-race table of Diddy Riese cookies, a sweet song permeated my eardrums: “I don’t want to do this” escapes my buddy’s lips. Let us sing this song in tandem, I declare. The last thing we want to do is participate, and ironically, this fact bonds us.

We tie our legs together. Mine is considerably thicker. Despite our differences in size and disposition, we are both determined: determined to get this over with. Our arms link, and we waddle across the field like idiots. As we finish, a tsunami of team spirit crashes over me, and we exchange victorious grins and an epic high five. We did it! A-period is over! We’re now permitted to resume our lives, Diddy Riese in tow.

Everlasting friendships are sparse and age boundaries remain unscathed, but it was a pleasant change to converse with seventh graders as opposed to treating them as personal bowling pins. Inter-grade common interests are nearly nonexistent, but inter-grade courtesy can be cultivated. I can honestly say that my hallway glares became less menacing, and occasionally, my buddy and I exchange a previously unheard-of acknowledgment: a smile.

Senior-seventh grade bonding is not too bad

EDITORIALS

Where’s the spirit?To us, school spirit means the crowd at a Friday night football game. The game is tied at 14 all. Five seconds left on

the clock. One chance to score a touch down determines whether we make it to state. The crowd heckles a pre-pubescent freshman on the other team, “Hey you! Yeah you! Does your Mommy know you’re out this late?” At the final buzzer, the baby faced assassin scores the winning touchdown. State is lost. There isn’t a dry eye in the house.

But at Marlborough, we lack spirit beyond working hours.We’ve heard of friends at Harvard Westlake waking up at 6:30 on a Saturday morning to drive to Anaheim and

cheer on the boys basketball team. Why don’t we all wake up at 6:30 am to go support our bomb basketball team?Here, pajama day and banner day, both mandatory events, make up the bulk of our school spirit. We’re required

to be at school between 7:30 AM and 3:00 PM, but when the bell rings, we don’t stick around to paint our faces purple and white.

We at the UV would really like some more spirit. Maybe it’s not so easy to create at an all-girls school. For sports, for instance, we lack the football players that look oh-so-good in their uniforms - and just as important, boys in the stands. Therefore, our games lack the typical co-ed draw, and maybe there isn’t as much social incentive for girls to attend. It goes beyond sports. Drama Ensemble’s great play “Uncommon Women” didn’t sell out. How many guys will you find in the seats at a play about feminism, some might say?

However, lack of guys is not at all a valid excuse for never showing up to a school sponsored event. Guys are great, but we can have spirit without them, and at an all-girls school, we just need to. We need to stop thinking enthusiasm is uncool and make a real effort to support our friends and classmates.

Clearly, school spirit goes beyond the guy issue. If history repeats itself, almost every single speech we’ll hear during elections next month will involve a promise to provide more fun activities with boys and food. This year, all-school council finally fulfilled that promise and put on the Arts and Music Production (AMP). Artists and musicians from schools around LA came (including boys) and a delicious taco truck was present (food).

So, why weren’t we there? We’ve heard distance as an excuse - nice try, but kids from other schools showed up, and drove, too. We’ve heard that juniors and seniors have better things to do on the weekends than go back to school. No doubt. But, the one time this year council actually puts something together, we decide we have something better to do? Coming to support, regardless of other time commitments, is the definition of school spirit. Heard it was lame? Heard it was just a bunch of ninth and tenth graders? Heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy, anyone?

We understand you can’t make it to every sporting event or arts performance, but we can try harder to attend more of them. When the school’s leaders respond to the changes we asked for - no, begged for - then we should make the effort to show up.

“When the school’s leaders respond to the changes we asked for, we should make the effort to show up.”

Cartoon by Kat’09

“We are like a Jenga tower: if one piece falls out, we all fall down with it.”

Taking responsibility for honorAdministration: It isn’t right that so many upper school students said in our recent interviews that they don’t

know what the Honor Code policy is. Purple yarn bracelets, mute signs in classrooms, and even bold print in the student handbook won’t do the job. We need better, clearer education about the Honor Code policy. As far as we’re concerned, it should start tomorrow.

Fellow students: Yes, the administration should do a better job educating all of us about the Honor Code. But do you need a law to tell you that killing is wrong? Do you need your mom to tell you to not hit your siblings?

No. Of course we don’t need someone to tell us that these actions are morally intolerable - we know that on our own. Laws are created in our society prohibiting these actions only to reinforce a general acceptance by society that they are wrong.

In the same way, Marlborough’s Honor Code basically articulates what we all already know. Don’t cheat. Do your own work. So why do we find that so many students are beginning to doubt the code, and that some even admit to breaking it? A recent poll by the UV showed that the majority of upper-school students, when asked to rate their trust in the Honor Code on a five point scale, gave twos, threes, and fours. For a school that is supposedly held together by honor, we would hope that most students would have absolute faith in this fundamental principle. So why have so many lost faith?

Perhaps it is the immense academic pressure that causes students to occasionally choose what is easy over what is honorable. After all, we are just kids and we do make mistakes, which is why we rely on the rules to keep us on-track. The pressure is real, and we’re all only human. But that can become a lazy excuse. Really, we should know that begging for an extension or even getting a C is better than cheating.

In the same way that we need to take responsibility for handling the pressure with honor, we should also be mature enough to rise above the rumor-mongering. We’ve all heard the infamous rumor that stealing a pencil results in expulsion, but if the code is explicitly read, that statement is obviously false.

It is these rumors about frivolous crimes with capital punishment that result in students disregarding the code. When we spread rumors, the bonds of trust within our community begin to disintegrate.

As a strong, honorable student body, we need to take personal responsibility to know and uphold the Honor Code in order to create trust and respect amongst each other. We are like a Jenga tower: if one piece falls out, we all fall down with it.

18 Friday, March 27, 2009Opinion

Volume 39, Issue 5 www.theultraviolet.com

Editor-in-Chief Sally ’10

Managing Editor Amanda ’09

Design Editor Julia ’09

Online Editors Cassidy ’10, Julie ’10

Copy Editor Brianne ’10

Photo Editor Colleen ’10

Cover Editor Julia ’09

News Editor Jenny ’10

Community Editor Ileana ’11

Feature Editors Cassidy ’10, Julie ’10

The UlTraVioleT

The UlTraVioleT staff pledges to produce a quality publication which addresses issues of importance in the Marlborough community, sparks interest among its readers, demonstrates ethical and objective news

reporting, and represents a range of opinions.

Questions, Comments, Concerns?Call us at (323) 935-1147 ex. 635, drop off a letter to 250 South Rossmore

Avenue at The UV office, or send us an email at uvarticles@gmail.com

E & A Editor Brianne ’10

Opinion Editor Sophie ’10

Sports Editor Casey ’10

Backpage Editor Justine’10

Business Manager Ali Slagle

Reporters Brooke ’10, Cami ’10, Rosie ’10, Celine ’10, Taylor ’09, Erica ’10

Cartoonist: Kat ’09

Adviser: Mark KrewatchContributorsTaylor ’09, Sofi ’10,

Hannah ’10

By Taylor ’10

Guest Contributor

Letter to the Editor

To The UV:

As someone who has come to school looking like a hot mess more than a few times, I appreciate the practical “substance over style” attitude expressed within the Marlborough community.

However, it has become too casual. We don’t look unified - we just resemble a bunch of tired girls with a mutual fetish for pleated polyester.

Honestly, when the administration announced the changes made to the uniform, I was rather disappointed. I had been expecting a more ‘together’ Marlborough girl, but the revisions didn’t really do anything.

They just made it easier to walk around a certain department in the modular village without having to look over your shoulder every five minutes.

How a student presents herself reflects how she would like people to perceive her, and I feel that our apathetic identity is far more oppressive than any magazine could be.

If we had a more professional look to our uniforms, it would reinforce our identities as strong and savvy intellectuals. Here, it is considered a miracle to get more than eighteen hours of sleep in a week. The rest of the world has never dealt with the trials and tribulations of the Marlborough lifestyle.

So, when they see our greasy tangled hair and ripped sweatpants underneath a pleated skirt (resembles more of a belt than an actual skirt), they aren’t going to think “wow, I bet that girl works really hard and gets good grades!”

Instead it will probably be more along the lines of “ew, you need a shower.” It is kind of hard for someone to appreciate your values and integrity, especially if they’re too busy trying to determine whether or not you’re a hobo.

Sincerely,Kait ’12

To me, the test calendar seems like a myth. I am always told, look at the test calendar to find conflicts during crunch week or given the famous phrase from various teachers “you should be prepared; I put it on the test calendar.” But actually finding it and effectively using it is the real challenge.

However teachers have tried to promote it, do students even know where the test calendar is? I sure didn’t. Then, can it magically move all my tests around and produce the most perfect arrangement of test quizzes and essays for me? My understanding was always the test calendar is a way for teachers to help me. Make my life easier. Force them to pick certain days where they can put assessments that don’t conflict with many other classes. However if that’s true, how come so many girls find themselves so overloaded? To make the calendar actually work, is there a magic word I’m supposed to be saying that I’m not?

To try to figure this out I consulted of course, my peers, but also all three upper school grade level leaders. All three agreed that the test calendar is a joint teacher student effort.

Eleventh grade level leader Reid Cottingham said, “The test calendar is so girls can find stressful days and fix them.” Alison Moser, senior grade level leader agrees. “It is the best way we can catch errors early on…it is up to the student to pick conflict days and talk to teachers before then.”

The big misconception students have about the test calendar is that teachers do the work for us. Marlborough girls feel it should be this perfect organizing system, but essentially it’s a tool to create that perfect system, not an automatic answer.

Sophomore grade level leader Tom

The economy has deeply affected the daily lives of Americans, and citizens from businessman to firemen are altering their lifestyles for a new job, a new bike, or a new homemade dinner recipe to cook in the household. Small businesses and big corporations are both overwrought with debt and struggling to create new gimmicks to increase the flow of money.

But how is the mainstream music industry faring in this economy? The question popped in my mind while listen-ing to 102.7 KIIS FM radio on the way home from school. I enjoyed listening to the upbeat, Friday night party mix for a few songs, but after a while I tired of the same types of songs.

I realized that One More Drink by Ludacris, Whatever You Like by T.I, and Get Money by Lil Wayne, all share one unmistakable trend: materialism. Certainly the fact has always been evident, but it seems even more outright, and more ironic, to me in the midst of our economic crisis.

It is interesting that despite the down-ward spiraling climate of the fiscal mar-ket, the wider public still enjoys to dance and purchase music dealing with frivolous issues. Instead of tuning in to the news channels about the economic stimulus plan, more listeners are interested in the cars, chains, and clubs they can’t afford.

The reason why? This is the culture that the American people have sculpted. The technological, political, and enter-tainment successes have sculpted the American culture into one of gluttonous overspending and indulgence, and it is undoubtedly represented in mainstream music. Or maybe it’s the fact that these luxurious songs provide an escape, and allow their listeners to forget their worries and “Just Dance” like Lady GaGa.

But regardless of the reasons, I be-lieve that the music industry should focus on more unifying themes of music. The historical inauguration of Barack Obama has brought so many diverse groups together, and I believe the music should evolve and progress like the American population has. It’s time to raise our expectations and hold the music industry accountable for being more forward think-ing and sending more messages of hope to their listeners.

Fortunately, some musicians have released new positive, upbeat songs that uplift spirits and reflect on the current times. For instance, Will.i.am just released the optimistic, “It’s A New Day” after Obama’s election into office. The cheery song got many of my classmates pumped for the day, and it kept us listening to it re-peatedly. Also Jason Mraz’s light-hearted, romantic single, “I’m Yours,” skyrocketed in the music pop charts, and even got him nominated for a Grammy.

With the help of these artists, light-hearted, positive songs with messages can prevail and be popular like the powerful peace anthems of the ’60s and ’70s made by groups like Earth, Wind and Fire and the Beatles.

Although our past has been riddled with negative and meaningless messages of current mainstream music, I believe the downfall of the economy has given the music industry the necessary impetus it needs to change.

Test calendars - do students actually use them?By Rosie ’10

The UltraViolet

TEST CALENDAR: Grade level leaders post test calendars on classroom windows, but they aren’t always updated, and students don’t always look. Photo by Colleen LoynachanMillar said, “Most of the time the only people who come talk to me are my own students. It’s pretty rare a student will ever come and talk to me.”

But what about the teachers who don’t put their assessments on the calendar, perhaps not to be sneaky, but simply because they were trying to be flexible. I know many times my class has voted on changing a test date only to find that the new date is just as problematic, especially if the teacher didn’t then immediately notify the test calendar so that other teachers are aware of the change.

“I think teachers use it well at the beginning of the semester,” Millar said, “when they don’t, they are not trying to slip around things but sometimes teachers forget.”

The new portal allows teachers to keep an updated version of the test calendar online for teachers and parents and to see, however, Cottingham noted such a calendar is impossible to keep up to date. If most students don’t think to look, and most teachers dwindle with their diligence as the semester progresses, why do we even have a test calendar anyways?

The grade level leaders however, said whatever the problems with the system, its better than no system.

“It is what it is, it’s not great but it’s what we have,” Moser said.

Millar agreed. “It’s still pretty hard here at Marlborough, but it’s better than no rules,” he said.

I understand that this is an attempt to make our lives easier. But ease is nothing without accessibility, action and certainty. Although it is pretty accessible, most girls rather use their planners. While it is intended as advice for students to take action, all grade level leaders agree it’s rare that someone asks them to switch dates. And though, yes, most teachers do send in their dates, there will always be a bulk that don’t, posing it ultimately ineffective.

It’s a lot of work for level leaders to constantly try and keep it up to date, for what seems like very little results. We are still stressed, and they’re still giving tests. Maybe we should cut them a break.

Moser, who would like that, said “If we didn’t have a test calendar not much would change; I might have more free time.”

Does mainstream music feign reality in midst of economic crisis?

Opinion 19Friday, March 27, 2009

Marlborough Schoolwww.theultraviolet.com

Wondering what to do this summer, I shuffled through brochure after brochure of programs. I skipped over the first couple, which boasted glossy pictures of abnormally happy teens riding camels and hiking up mountains. The next few sported headlines such as “Generation Leadership” and “Push your Boundaries.”

The overly-posed photographs did not impress me, and I quickly moved on. The Oxbridge brochure, however, caught my eye with a simple picture of England and the headline “The World’s Best Classrooms.” I opened it, and began reading about its classes and community service opportunities.

While this sounded like a great way to spend my vacation doing something both academic and fun, I couldn’t help but think about how it would look on my college application.

Like most students my age, choosing school activities that look impressive to an admissions officer is a constantly looming pressure. An academic, structured program at Oxford, complete with community service, sounded more impressive to me than a summer spent saving marine wildlife while conveniently having time to surf and tan in Hawaii.

The shock came when I delivered the brochure to a college counselor. I dropped it on her coffee table, expecting excitement. How could anyone dislike a summer at one of the world’s most prestigious universities? I was surprised and

By Sophie ’10The UltraViolet

somewhat disappointed when her facial expression did not suddenly brighten with interest.

She began to explain why what I thought would be “good for college” might backfire and make my application look less interesting. She said that in terms of impressing colleges, I’d be better off doing community service in my hometown than taking an expensive trip to Oxford. She explained that unless a student has done consistent service throughout high school, a sudden overseas trip would imply that the student had picked up “The Road Less Traveled” brochure in summer planning desperation to impress the college of their choice.

I was also surprised to hear her mention President Obama as part of the reason why Oxbridge would not be the best option. Obama has made public service a popular new movement. As a result, grassroots community service projects for youth are replacing fancy international excursions to pad college applications. In this new era of Obama-encouraged service work, simplicity and genuine care for your community is the new trend.

After further contemplation, I’ve come to agree with my counselor. I chose not to attend Oxbridge and am looking for other ways to be productive this summer. More kids are applying to college than ever before. It is imperative that I show the admissions office who I really am by doing activities that demonstrate that I actually care about making a difference, not

Summer programs do not help students get into college

SUMMER DILEMMA: Do summer programs help or hinder a student in the college application process? Sophie ’10 questions whether this should been a deciding factor when planning yoursummer vacation. Sophie learns that one should, instead, do something that reflects one’s personal interests. Photos by Colleen ’10

about traveling five thousand miles to sit in a classroom with other private school kids.

I now understand what my counselor wanted me to see. Those who actually want to save sea turtles through Rustic Pathways or go to Oxbridge’s program in Paris to become fluent in French deserve recognition from colleges because they are passionate about the experience. Genuine interest deserves praise. However, if you’re looking for a new summer experience, think about how it could be perceived on a college application. In the spirit of the Obama era, do things for the right reasons.

Students will always talk about colleges and the “supposed” ways of how to get into them. They never stop.

NEWSPAPER PRODUCTION

• course length: full year

• open to grades 10-12

• practice journalistic skills: reporting, editing, photography, publication design, team-leading, and ethical judgment

• produce 6-8 issues per school year

• assess a variety of articles from professional newspapers

INTRO TO NEWSPAPER

• course length: one semester (fall)

• open to grades 9-10

• in-depth introduction to journalistic skills: inter-viewing, news writing, photography, ethics, and production design

• serve as a staff member for The UV

• schedule: you can extend the course to a full year or switch to Newspaper Production

INTRO TO JOURNALISM AND CREATIVE WRITING

• course length: students may take either component individually or both for a full semester credit

• open to grades 7-8

• introduction to journalistic skills: reporting, photography, and publication design

• develop your creative voice

• each component will meet approximately three times each rotation

Get on track with the UltraVioletDo you read The UV? Do you like asking questions? Do you like to write? Consider taking these electives in journalism.

• www.theultraviolet.com to view our past issues and see the types of articles covered• www1.marlboroughschool.org/UV/ to view the main websites for both newspapers

If you’re interested in joining either newspaper, visit these websites to learn more:

• email uvarticles@gmail.com or talk to a staff memberTo learn more specifically about either newspapers:

To learn more about any of these courses:• email instructor Mark Krewatch at mark.krewatch@marlboroughschool.orgG

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The Back Page Friday, March 27, 2009Volume 39, Issue 5

BEFORE AND AFTER: Above, Candice ’10 poses in the

“Green” category-winning dress with designer Grace ’10. Above

right, Lizzy ’09 models one of her designs on the front steps of the Ebell, with students wearing her other three designs. Right,

Mikaela ’14 gets her makeup done by a professional make-up artist. Below right, Justine ’10

and Brianne ’10 sell headbands at the Eco-Design for Community Enrichment (EDCE) stand to raise

money for MSCF.

By Brooke ’09

The UltraViolet

Charitable fund puts on event to prove that “Green is the new black”

MSCFECOuture

ON THE CATWALK: Student models strike poses on the runway for the judges. From left, Jade ’09, Genevieve ’14, Tracy ’10, Gwen ’12, and Julianne ’09 model for designers Sabaah ’09, Remy ’14

and Rachel ’14, Margaret ’14 and Alex ’14, Libby ’12, and Lizzy ’09.

fashion show

Students collaborate on MSCF ECOuture show

Derek Zoolander: Well I guess it all started the first time I went through the second grade. I caught my reflection in a spoon while I was eating my cereal, and I remember thinking “Wow, you’re ridiculously good looking,

maybe you could do that for a career.” Matilda: Do what for a career? Derek Zoolander: Be professionally good looking. (Excerpted from the movie “Zoolander”)

Designer EM & Co asked Lizzy ’09 to model in their show after they saw her walk the catwalk at MSCF’s ECOuture on March 15.

A photo of Genevieve ’14 could be featured in “Teen Vogue.” After the success of the fashion show, both girls might be professionally good looking.

MSCF Chair Michelle ’09 said she was very pleased with the outcome of the event.

“All the models and designers looked beautiful and had fun,” Michelle said.

Design team Dina and Audrey competed in the revamp category. Despite being treated like a pin cushion during fittings, Alger loved being a part of the design process, she said.

“I was totally calm until 3 minutes before I walked out. The bright lights almost caused me to pee my pants,” Audrey said.

Judge and history department chair Catherine Atwell judged the designers on the overall visual appeal of the dress, creativity, wear-ability, and workmanship.

“The fantasy designs seemed young at heart and age appropriate for the designers,” Atwell said.

Atwell was joined by judges Jane Ross, Sweet Pea Vaughn, and Gregory Parkinson.

MSCF vice-chair Amy ’09 said

that the celebrity involvement, particularly the presence of celebrity guest Camilla Belle ’05 and host Jacob Zachar, was a highlight.

“It was interesting to have [Camilla] back as a person who went to Marlborough and then went off and made a name for herself in Hollywood,” Amy said.

MSCF board member Anna ’09 said that the event went well, despite some challenges.

“The only snag was the negative effect the failing economy had on us. It was harder to get corporate sponsors this year,” Anna said. “Even though we still had a sell out crowd, more girls complained about ticket prices than ever before.”

As for next year’s show, Anna said she isn’t sure what to expect.

“Who knows what idea the new board members will come up with? Whatever it is, it’ll be fab,” Anna said.

ALL DOLLED UP: Hairdressers from “Hair by William” at the Belli Belli salon in San Diego prepare Jade ’09 (left) and Candice ’10 (below) for the show. Designers and models were called four hours in advance to prepare for the runway show.

All photos by Colleen ’10