Volume 21, No. 3 Friday, November 4, 2011 San Rafael, CA 94901

The SATEdition

®

INSIDE: • Copy Paper Crisis 2011 pg. 4

• Student Skirt Length pg. 9

• Missing Coaches pg. 11

2011

-12

MarinAcademyVoiceSATCover Design Annie Warner

N e w s2 November 4, 2011

After 18 years of silence, LGBTQ people now serve openly

Morgan BuckleyStaff Writer

With the repeal of the U.S. military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell [DADT] policy on September 20, members of the LGBTQ commu-nity are now able to serve in the armed forces openly. The U.S. government spent months getting ready for the revocation, from up-dating policy to accepting military applications from openly gay men and women.

DADT, a bill that prevented commanders from asking about an army member’s sexual orientation and prohibited military members from disclosing their sexual iden-tities, was passed by Bill Clinton in 1993. The bill to repeal the act was signed by President Obama in late 2010.

When the bill was first passed in 1993, it was praised as a form of protection for LGBTQ people. However, as gays and lesbians began to fight for civil rights in other areas of society, the law be-came a reminder that members of the military still had to keep their sexual orientation under wraps for fear of federal punishment.

“It shows how much the world has changed,” librarian and teach-er Derek Anderson said of the repeal. “When Clinton sponsored the bill in 1993 it was seen as pro-gressive. The nation was trying to not discriminate against gays and lesbians, and now, twenty years later, [a bill] that was seen as help-ful is actually hurtful.”

Many LGBTQ service mem-bers are celebrating the annulment of the policy by getting married, or coming out to their friends and family. On the YouTube chan-nel “AreYouSuprised,” an armed service member came out to his dad over the phone. Also, Navy Lieutenant Gary Ross married his partner at the exact moment of the repeal.

Ross told the Associated Press that he doesn’t plan to make a big deal out of his marriage when he returns to work in Arizona, but he is excited about not having to keep

it a secret.“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell requires

you to lie several times a day,” Ross said to the Associated Press.

Although there is now freedom for soldiers to talk about their love lives, general procedure concern-ing personal conduct still applies to everyone in the military. The regulation of public displays of affection, for example, is still enforced, regardless of sexual orientation.

The MA community has gener-ally been relieved at the news of the repeal. A few students updated their Facebook statuses the day of the official revocation.

“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is finally over! bye!” sophomore Sofie Wer-than wrote on Facebook.

“The repeal is another step towards equality,” Werthan said to The Voice. “The more that the world advances, the more MA will advance.”

Although the repeal may not affect many people directly in the community, most agree that it represents a form of hope and assurance for students.

“I hope it gives all students a sense that there is one less piece

of legislated bias in the world,” Head of School Travis Brown-ley said, “and I hope that makes students feel that our country is a more respectful and more inclu-sive place.”

The repeal may seem like only a small step in the right direction. Yet, a few members of the com-munity are optimistic about the revocation and its implications on the the rest of the country’s outlook on the LGBTQ commu-nity’s rights, including same-sex marriage.

“The issue [of same-sex mar-riage] is different, however, the army is an equalizer,” Anderson said. “When the army goes, the nation goes. When the army was de-segregated, the success of the civil rights movement for African Americans followed quickly.”

Brownley agreed. “From a historical and statisti-

cal point of view, changes that are made in the military end up having effects on the greater culture of this country.”

News BriefsMA CommunityOctober - November: Academic Dean Scott Young shadowed senior Kamille Johnson, junior Stephen Hannan, sophomore Kate Lehmann and freshman Albert Yamamoto in an effort to get to know students.

October 31: Winter sports commenced.

October 25: Girls’ volleyball team trumped rival University High School in five-game thriller.

October 20-21: Conference on Democracy keynote speakers Jennifer Newsom and Caroline Heldman stirred controversy surrounding feminism. D block alumnus speaker was forced off stage.

October: Backpack burglaries plagued community; personal technology devices and bags stolen

Beyond the MA BubbleAccording to President Barack Obama, all U.S. troops will be out of Iraq by January 1, 2012.

October 26: Participants in Oakland’s faction of the “Occupy Wall Street” protest were subjected to tear gas.

October 23: Magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck eastern Turkey. Casualties are estimated at nearly 2000.

October 20: Libyan dictator Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi was killed by rebel forces.

Annie WarnerFill text is U.S. Armed Forces Oath of Enlistment

Features3 November 4, 2011

Students come from near and far, and do everything from dance to cross country. Here’s a look at some of the busiest schedules on campus.

5:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. BRYCE GRUBBS, FRESHMAN

While most students in Marin are tucked away in their warm beds at 5:30 in the morning, Grubbs is waking up to get to school on time. He starts off by getting on Bart and then waits about a half hour for the Richmond train that takes him to 19th street. He goes from

Students report surprisingly packed schedulesCami CarreraStaff Writer

Pittsburgh Bay Point to Rockridge. There he waits for the bus that will take him to school. By then it is 7: 10 a.m. and he has been awake for an hour and a half. It usually takes him 30 minutes more to get to school. Finally at about 7:45 a.m. he enters the MA doors ready for class.

Grubbs has to sacrifice free time in order to get all his work done on time.

“Homework piles up which is why I take a lot of my lunch time finishing it and leave the rest for the bus rides home,” Grubbs said.

Every Friday morning Grubbs has to wake up even earlier in order to make it to cross country morning practice at 6:30 a.m. Ev-ery night he gets home around 7:30 pm after cross country practice.

8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.JESSIE COLIN, SOPHOMORE

Colin has a very busy life with cross country, soccer, eco-council, and homework.

“I have chemistry, spanish, art,

and a free block one day, and the other day I have English, math, and history,” Colin said. “It’s hard to balance these uneven schedules because the workload is complete-ly different each night.”

Colin has to organize her day and gets ahead on homework so she can have enough time to sleep after all of her activities.

“I have to prioritize and some-times I have to cut one thing to achieve the other,” Colin said, “but I try to get all my work done and still have time to have the occasional dance party with my brother.”

3:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.YASMINE EICHBAUM, JUNIOR

Eichbaum also has a busy schedule during the day, includ-ing advanced calculus honors and dance. Her schedule is most hectic after school.

Eichbaum is an active member of WISE (Women In Support of Empowerment), a group for junior and senior girls, that meets twice a month after school. She also does dance during school, but some-times meets for extra rehearsals thoughout the week. Additionally, Eichbaum practices ballet and studies for her SATs every week-end. This leaves very little time to do homework.

“It takes lots of planning to get my life organized, which is why I like to think ahead and get my homework done two days ahead of the due date,” Eichbaum said, “I do have a free block and I have the car rides to my house in Santa Rosa to do it too, but its still hard because it eats up a lot of time.”

The load of school work and the

number of activities is at times too much to handle.

“When the load of homework is overwhelming, I sometimes think that teachers should take into con-sideration that kids have so many activities afterschool and that it is hard to complete everything they ask for,” Eichbaum said.

After a rigorous day of meet-ings, activities, sports, and school Eichbaum finally gets home around 7: 30 p.m., depending on the day. Then she has to get started on her homework.

Textbooks, electronics in; backs, necks outOlivia LloydNews Editor

Jansports, Patagonias, and Timbuk2 bags are slung over burdened shoulders. On any given day, the BBLC hallway is lit-tered with students’ and teachers’ backpacks.

Though the American Chiro-practic Association recommends that a person should carry no more than 10 percent of his or her body weight, students often schlep around textbooks, binders, sports gear, and computers, which can add up fast.

After weighing 106 random backpacks found in the café, the BBLC, the courtyard and the li-brary, statistical analysis was done with the help of senior Evy Roy. The data shows that the commu-nity’s average backpack weight is nearly 16 pounds. Backpacks were weighed over the course of two days, during which time more than a few 24 and 25 pound packs were

discovered. While some teach-ers allow students to leave their heavy textbooks at home, many classes require textbooks daily.

“I look like a sherpa when I walk into school in the morning. I dump my bags in the BBLC if I

have time b e f o r e my f i r s t c l a s s , ” s o p h o -m o r e swimmer and cross-c o u n t r y r u n n e r E m m a S k l a -rin said. “Usually I have too much stuff to put i t all in one bag.”

R e -c e n t l y , m a n y

backpack companies have made their products more ergonomic by adding gel or foam in shoul-der pads or waist straps. Though most students opt for form over function, a few have lessened the

tension on their backs and necks by resorting to backpacks on wheels.

“The true story is that my mom is a chiropractor, and so she cares a lot about you know, the back, the neck,” junior Dezi Gallegos said. “In middle school, she [proposed] the idea of me getting a rolly backpack.”

Gallegos swapped his rolly backpack for a conventional one partway through his freshman year, but it didn’t seem right. He switched back after a week. He says that his signature rolly backpack has become part of his identity and is better for his spine.

“No matter how dorky or awk-ward or any of those things it was, it just sort of became me in a way,” Gallegos said. “But each time I still get a little embarrassed as the new freshman class comes in and I meet them in the hall with my rolly backpack.”

Freshman aren’t as concerned with heavy backpacks, though. No one in the class of 2015 has

emerged with a rolling backpack thus far. Freshman Bevin Mc-Cullough says that her backpack has actually been lighter than it was in middle school.

“With the lockers, my backpack is pretty light because I have time in between classes to get my stuff. It’s only heavy at the beginning and end of the day,” McCullough said. “I don’t think it’s a problem yet. Maybe it will become one lat-er, but I think it helps [strengthen] the back muscles.”

Though some students don’t yet feel the negative effects of carry-ing heavy backpacks, healthcare professionals fear that students’ still growing spines are being compressed by the heavy loads they drag around on a daily basis. Though considered a social faux-paus, many know that rolly back-packs would be a good solution.

Gallegos Gallegos said, “If I had my way, the entire school would be walkin’ around rolling their backpacks.”

Cami Carrera

Cami Carrera

Cami Carrera

Olivia LloydStudents are frequently weighed down by sports and music bags

Features 4November 4, 2011

Eco-Council, Greenfest, corn-starch utensils: all stand as proof of Marin Academy’s pride in being an environmentally conscious school. But as a certain beloved green frog once said, it’s not easy being green. Indeed, a closer evaluation of the school’s paper consumption reveals unexpected information.

A recent email sent from Chief Financial Officer Mike Joyce to the faculty and staff showed that the six copiers on campus - in Foster, Founders, the BBLC up-stairs and downstairs, Thacher, and the library - have produced an average of 950, 265 copies (2,376 copies per student) per year over the past 57 months. Even adjusted to account for our use of 30% post consumer waste (PCW) paper, that’s a paper consumption rate of 80 trees, every year.

“I would love to see us use less paper,” Joyce said, “for the simple reason that is helps us walk our talk. It’s one of the five lenses of sustainability in the Strategic Plan, and when we’re chopping down 80 trees a year for our copies, it doesn’t sound very sustainable to me.”

Part of the reason there is a particular focus on the copiers is because the five-year lease on them recently ended, forcing the school to obtain new ones.

Joyce had experimented with the old machines and post con-sumer waste paper, finding that the higher percentage of post con-sumer waste used, the more likely the paper would jam. He attributed this to the machines’ tendency to generate heat. Heat causes the pa-per, especially paper made with high amounts of PCW materal, to wrap and curl. The paper curling was causing jams during the copy-ing process. “In recent years, the copier industry has entered a new frontier. Our new copiers don’t run as hot,” Joyce said. “That means we’ll save some money on our electrical bills and maybe there’s

an opporunity to move to a higher post consumer waste pecentagem with fewer jams. That’s an area we want to test with these new units.

So far, however, it seems that the new copiers are only contribut-ing to increased paper usage.

“I was surprised to learn that the copier in the BBLC upstairs [pro-duced] about 10,000 copies in the first 10 days,” Joyce said. “That’s pretty serious. There is either a re-ally big copying project that went through there, or folks are seeing a new tool and just want to use it.”

Brad Lakritz, manager of edu-cational technology resources, emphasized a need for greater personal responsibility and greater awareness of personal consump-tion. Lakritz cited student use of printers as an area in need of im-provement.

“Many times when students print data, they’ll print and there will be an unnecessary page at the end,” Lakritz said. “If you look at the print job, you’ll see that there’s

going to be an unnecessary page at the end. But students don’t think about that. I think more students need to be aware of the ecological footprint that they have. Do they really need to print that web page? I think we do default to, ‘I’m going to just print that out and stick it in my backpack.’”

The printers are a signifi-cant source of paper waste: “3,000 sheets of paper have gone through [the Founders col-or printer] in the first few weeks of school,” Lakritz said. “And that’s typically not a busy time for printing and research. So to me, 3,000 sheets seems like a lot. But that pales in comparison the amount we print on copiers.”

An apparent resolution to printing and copying is transfer-ring information online. More teachers are using sites, usually in the form of blogs, to post syl-labuses and notes. Some have even implemented websites like turnitin.com, allowing students to submit essays virtually and receive comments back online as well.

“I think we’re getting more teachers using electronic servic-es,” Lakritz said. “Another thing that’s being done is students are being asked to do things elec-tronically, like assignments are

electronic. You might be asked to do a blog, instead of a paper.”

Junior August Larmer appreciates this increas-ingly technology-heavy approach.

“Jon Bretan’s really good. He does everything online,” Larmer said. “But in history, Bill [Meyer] gives us huge packets of entire PowerPoint presen-tations.”

Perhaps this discrepancy between paper use is what is preventing improvement: according to continued printing levels new tech-nological implementations haven’t impacted paper

use as much as might have been projected.

“As a school, [our printing] is not dropping drastically,” said Joyce. “It either means that despite

conservation efforts, there are off-setting increases in other program areas, or that our conservation ef-forts aren’t being applied in a way that’s making a big dent on paper consumption.”

Other teachers aren’t convinced that technology is the be all and end all of the school’s paper situ-ation.

School makes nearly one million copies per yearInside the e-mail that reveals community’s struggle with appropriate paper usage

WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT

“We’ve found out, at least for languages, it’s better if [students] have something con-crete,” spanish teacher Anayansi Aranda-Yee said. “I try to avoid just electronic version and no paperwork, be-cause yes, we’re saving trees at the cost of our eyesight. It’s hard on the eyes.”

Science teacher Mark Stefanski, Tho-reau Chair of Eco-Council, relays that either way, necessary resources will have an impact on the environ-ment.

“Trees and paper are one resource, but the use of electronic media also consumes a lot of resources: energy for one, that has to be factored into it,” Stefanski said. “And then, the material components. What are some rare minerals that need to be mined for the raw materials? And what are we doing about waste disposal?”

His proposed solution?“I think it’s best that we take a

systemic approach, and we try to look at all aspect of the resources that we use in communicating,” Stefanski said.

One unifying remedy to the overarching issue of resources that Stefanski, Lakritz, and Joyce stressed was simply being con-scious and paying attention – “thinking before you print.”

Perhaps all of this new infor-mation, however, will bring upon a sense of awareness and reform.After all, Joyce sent his e-mail to help school employees under-stand the big picture: “These are important metrics for everyone in our community to know and ap-preciate, but the real challenge is creating a sense of urgency about our paper consumption, because without a sense of urgency, change is unlikely to happen,” he said.

Lena Felton

Julia Irwin

Julia Irwin and Lena FeltonCopy Editors

I was surprised to learn that the

copier in the BBLC upstairs workroom [pro-

duced] about 10,000 copies in the first 10

days.

Opinion 5November 4, 2011

1600 Mission Ave., San Rafael, CA 94901website: http://mavoice.org

pdf edition: http://issuu.com/mavoice

The Marin Academy Voice is a student-run newspaper published free from faculty or administrative censorship or prior review. Unsigned edi-torials represent the views of the entire staff. Columns represent the views of the writer, not necessarily those of this paper. Letters to the editor and guest columns/articles are welcomed and encouraged. Editors reserve the right to edit for space and appropriateness. Please submit to voice@ma.org.

The Voice is distributed to the entire school community (400 students and 93 staff members).

m a r i n a c a d e m y v o i c e

Editors-in-ChiefNeha Budhraja

Max WeissManaging Editor

Annie WarnerNews EditorOlivia Lloyd

Features EditorSam Pritzker

Op-Ed EditorMarshall Levensohn

A&E EditorAvery Hale

Copy EditorsLena FeltonJulia Irwin

Faculty AdvisorMary Collie

StaffMorgan Buckley

Cami CarreraTiffany Chang

Tia FungSamantha Jolson

Greig SteinDavid Sutter

Scholastic Press AssociationsNSPA

First Class 2008-currentCSPA

Gold Medalist 2008-current

Josh FrechetteGuest Writer

I’ve always thought of myself as a student/teacher first and an athlete/coach second. This was the image I had of myself all the way through high school, through college and graduate school, and each high school where I worked before coming to MA; however, this image changed when I came to Marin Academy in 2007.

MA was the first school, after 10 years, where I would no longer identify myself as a classroom teacher. Instead, I became that big, hairy dude, who lived in the glass office jutting off the New Gym, who was in charge of the Athletic Department. It took some time to get used to this new persona, and it still is a hurdle to overcome at times; it’s not always easy when your internal vision of yourself doesn’t match up with your public persona.

I miss my time with students in the classroom tremendously. Although— I have to be honest here—I don’t miss grading end-less amounts of essays, especially as I watch Trixie sit down each night to grade her students’ work, I do miss discussing literature and seeing students grapple with dif-ficult texts. More than anything, I miss seeing my students learn to enjoy literature and become adept at communicating in a variety of ways. At heart, I know I’m a book nerd, and I have always loved that part of myself, as tucked away as it might be in this larger than aver-age body.

I have coached at the high school and college level for the last 18 years, but my coaching experience at MA has taken on a new significance since my arrival in 2007. Not having the oppor-tunity to be in the classroom has made my time with the lacrosse team that much more special to me. Knowing now that my time on

the field with the boys is my only “classroom” teaching opportunity with students, I find myself appre-ciating that time more each season.

I love my job as Athletic Direc-tor. I get the chance to “coach” all of the stakeholders in MA athletics and to provide endless opportuni-ties for both adults and students to learn more about themselves as individuals and as teammates. I can’t thank MA and the families involved with our lacrosse pro-gram enough for the opportunity to work with their sons. And I can’t help but feel the same about the larger MA community.

The time I get to spend in my outdoor classroom has become the home for both my student/teacher and athlete/coach personas. And, for now, my inner book nerd will have to find a home in the intense discussions with my son Teaghan about Good Night, Moon.

Thank you, MA.

My MA: life as a teacher-coach

Editorial: get the Advil, SATs are a headacheYou see the hints of it every-

where you go. Students tucked away into a corner of the Silent Room at lunch, hunched over a bubble-filled sheet. Four-inch thick tomes, with that kiss of death — “College Board” — printed on them, are lugged throughout the school. Those red, puffy eyes, and that crazed look. You know what it is.

It is the SAT. Strictly speaking, of course, it is

not just the SAT that causes most upperclassmen, and even some of the more jumpy underclassmen, to become stressed. No, there are a whole host of standardized tests that have the ability to frazzle our students, with the most prominent among them including the ACT, the SAT Subject Test, and the Ad-vanced Placement (AP) exams.

The reason why these exams induce so much tension is their perceived affect on a student’s admittance to college. And in this way, students’ fears and stresses are well founded. It is commonly known that formally preparing for

the standardized tests — whether with a tutor, a pro-gram, or by one-self — increases the likelihood of receiving a good score. However, this preparation, piled on top of a student’s already-o v e r w h e l m i n g workload, can be the spark that ig-nites the explosive meltdowns that oc-casionally occur in the school’s hall-ways. (Don’t lie. It’s either been you or you’ve seen one.)

Additionally, the school’s courses, while wonderful and directly in-line with the mission statement, do not tailor towards the standardized tests. The school itself also does not provide any type of in-house program or tutor that is available to help students study for the exams, although cer-

tain individual teachers make their services available. These issues can create an MA student who, while perhaps doing well in school and an overall perfectly intelligent person, is woefully unprepared for standardized test-taking. Mix in the cost of outside-of-school preparation courses and there is a large disparity in the varying levels

of readiness to take the tests.

This disparity is another overreach-ing issue with stan-dardized tests. Usu-ally, colleges will take into account a person’s finan-cial situation when viewing their test scores, because it can clue them in to whether or not that student received any type of prepa-ration. However, does this same rule apply when an ap-plication reader sees

“Marin Academy” stamped on the transcript? Does MA’s reputation actually mask the large economic differences among the students at school?

Another source of inequality is the extra time system. Many students require extra time on their standardized tests for vari-ous reasons. However, some take

issue with the fact that a test like the ACT allows for extra time in certain situations because of the fact that the ACT is an exam that is based around the notion of time limits.

Still one more place where test-takers see inequality is in the fact that some students simply test better than others. Students often wonder whether or not it is fair that they be judged on a supposedly “equal” plane by a test such as the SAT, yet some students happen to be inherently better at standard-ized test-taking. Success can come down to something as arbitrary as learning style.

Yet, despite all of their issues, standardized tests seem like a necessary evil. No test, at least at this point, can put every student on equal footing. Colleges need some way of equalizing the vast field of candidates, and standard-ized tests provides them with this. So while the stress of the SAT is unfortunate, it won’t be removed any time soon.

Max Weiss

To study for the SAT, students often have to summit this mountain of text books

6FEATURES

Time - Unlimited2 Pages

The standadized testing profile of the Class of 2012 is derived from the school profile that Marin Academy itself sends out to all col-leges. It describes the middle 50 percent SAT and ACT scores of the senior class and the range of their GPAs. See below.

The five questions below the testing profile depict the results from a anonymous standardized testing and extra help survey taken by the juniors and seniors. Eighty-six juniors and 90 seniors took the survey, for a total of 176 upperclassmen.

Page design by Annie WarnerNovember 4, 2011

-6-

Which college placement test(s) have you registered to take? (One person did not answer)

(A) Exclusively the SAT (55.4 %, 97 students)

(B) Exclusively the ACT (3.4%, 6 students)

(C) Both (25.2%, 44 students)

(D) Don’t Know (16%, 28 students)

1.

Have you ever recieved/will you recieve any extra help while preparing for any of these tests?

(A) Yes (93.2%, 164 students)

(B) No (6.8%, 12 students)

2.

In what grade level did you start utilizing extra help for standard-ized tests?

(A) 9th (4.8%, 8 students)

(B) 10th (15.1%, 25 students) (C) 11th (73.5%, 122 students)

(D) 12th (6.6%, 11 students)

3.

FOR JUNIORS: What forms of extra help have you utilized? Respondents checked all forms that apply for them.

(A) Outside tutoring (62%, 49 students)(B) Tutoring from an MA teacher (1.3%, 1 student)(C) A prep class (24.1%, 19 students)(D) Practice tests (76%, 60 students)(E) Used a self-help book (55.7%, 44 students)

4.

FOR SENIORS: What forms of extra help have you utilized? Respondents checked all forms that apply for them.

(A) Outside tutoring (73%, 62 students)(B) Tutoring from an MA teacher (3.5%, 3 students)(C) A prep class (29.4%, 25 students)(D) Practice tests (85.9%, 73 students)(E) Used a self-help book (57.6%, 49 students)

5.

Standardized Testing Profile for the Class of 2012

SAT Middle 50% Averages Total: 1890-2130 (out of 2400)

Critical Reading: 610 – 700Math: 620 – 720

Writing: 630 – 730(out of 800)

ACT Composite for Middle 50%29-31 (out of 36)

Un-weighted GPA Range: Highest – 3.99 Lowest – 2.24

7Standardized tests and the rising pressure to do well on them has sparked much

debate on what exactly is the best way for a student to demonstrate how prepared they are for college. Despite the fact that the school has an academic philosophy centered around careful thought and discussion, standardized tests do not necessar-ily follow this trajectory.

“[Standardized tests are] not something we require; [they’re] required by the colleges,” Learning Services Coordinator Rebecca Young said. “And they’re not necessarily looking at your intellectual level.”

Students generally agree with this viewpoint, describing tests like the SAT and ACT as “evil tests full of tricks” and “all about strategy.” College counselor Jennifer Christensen reveals the true reason they were instituted.

“The idea was that standardized testing might level the playing field for first gen-eration college bound students or students from an ethnic or national backgrounds,” Christensen said.

Still, the tests have now become more about who can become the most skilled at taking them. Students notice that the skills and theories they learn in classes are not necessarily the ones they need to practice to do well on the SAT and ACT.

“Grammar is something on the SAT that’s not really something taught at all in the English classes at MA,” junior Anne Williams said. “Even in math it’s more conceptual.”

Testing of any kind, whether in the classroom or in a cold gym full of angsty teenagers, comes in two forms: aptitude tests and achievement tests. The PSAT, SAT, and ACT are considered aptitude tests.

“An aptitude test looks at your cognitive ability, or your skill level with certain problems,” Young said. “School is really a lot about achievement tests, so your abil-ity to read or to do math or to write in an intellectual way.”

Although these two definitions rest on close borders, aptitude tests are geared more towards predicting potential in problem solving whereas achievement tests look at specific subjects and content. In the context of college, this distinction hardly seems to matter.

“[Ratings that determine loan qualifications] for colleges and universities are sometimes attached to how high are the average SATs or ACTs for incoming stu-dents,” Christensen said. “Every college and university oftentimes borrows money in order to complete projects or to grow. And one of the ways these outside organizations evaluate the stability or the wrath of an institution can be standardized test scores.”

Experienced teacher, and SAT math tutor, Jamie Collie explains how achieving in the classroom often doesn’t matter when it comes to the scores.

“Usually I find that students who do well in the math classroom do well on the math part of the SAT,” Collie said. “But there can easily be a 50 to 60 point swing depending on how much they have prepared.”

Students appreciate the value of an MA education and don’t seem to be looking for more standardized material from their teachers. This, however, only generates a greater need to seek outside help.

“It isn’t really the schools job to prepare you for standardized tests and I don’t think students really expect that from MA,” senior Sharanya Venkataraman said. “But I needed an outside tutor to help me figure out how not to fall for the trick questions and other little things I might not have figured out on my own.”

Collie agrees knowing that the school’s academic policy and mission would never support a curriculum surrounded on standardized tests.

“At schools that I have taught at before, SAT prep was a part of Algebra 2 and Precalc,” Collie said. “But if that started happening at MA surely people would ask why are you doing that.”

Nonetheless standardized test preparation seems to create more anxiety than the actual test itself. This revolves around the uncertainty of the content and how little intellectual skill is required to receive a high score.

“[My SAT tutor] knew that I wasn’t going to study 400 vocab words just so I

could get two or three questions right” senior Alex Hartzell said. “He said for a high schooler that was a waste of time and not necessary, so it became all about strategies.”

School curriculum and style are but one aspect contributing to how prepared students are for standardized tests. In the end, tackling these tests is just like studying for a test from a teacher you have never had before – the format being completely unfamiliar.

“Everybody has to study for the SAT.” Young said. “Even those who go to high schools where there were many more multiple choice tests and things like that, the SAT and ACT are whole different tests.”

Extra time as a factorThe issue surrounding equality in testing relates to the concept of extra time

and providing students with learning differences the opportunity to demonstrate their intellect on both aptitude and achievement tests.

Acquiring accommodations is not always an easy decision. Extra-curricular activities can affect how willing students are to comitt to academic extra time.

“One thing I tell students is that extra time is a big time commitment. It means you have to stay during lunch or after school to finish tests.” Young said. “But for some students if they didn’t have that time then they would not be able to achieve at the level they are able to.”

For sophomore Madeline Ginsburg, test anxiety has affected her since middle school. Although getting As and Bs in her academic classes, Ginsburg scored extremely low in certain sections of the ERB, a standardized aptitude test for primary independent schools. After a teacher noticed her focus drop and anxiety build right before tests, and especially math sections, Ginsburg was tested for a learning difference.

“A psychologist determined that I would benefit from extra time on school math tests and also the math sections on standardized tests,” Ginsburg said. “It’s nice that I get to relax a little during the test and avoid focus drops.”

However, Ginsburg and others have noticed that a certain stigma revolves around the concept of giving students extra time around campus.

“I’ve heard people say that it’s just a way to get more time even though you don’t really need it,” Venkataraman said. “But if someone does have a learning disability in that way it’s good to let them have that chance to prove themselves”

There is a common misconception that extra time is simply handed out by the learning counselors and advisors. Rather a strict process for providing accom-modations exists for all students. Teachers too admit to have misunderstanding the concept at first.

“When I first started teaching I certainly thought that everyone would do better with extra time since it’s such a luxury,” Collie said. “But its not just about having more time, its about having an equal opportunity to communicate your knowledge and for some people it takes longer to -do so.

While this may stand in the classroom, when extended time also applies for students taking standardized tests the situation becomes more complex.

“When it comes to the SAT and extra time, I think learning differences pose a serious challenge,” senior Jamie Muresanu said. “Instead of trying to devise some formula to calculate the correct amount of additional time kids need to achieve parity, maybe there should be a supplemental test or just an altogether different testing route that students exclusively with learning differences take.”

Those that do have extra time note their advantage in test-taking situations as well.

“I didn’t even see it in myself, but I would get really panicky before and during the test,” Ginsburg said. “And I’m sure other people do too, but it’s just the fact that a teacher noticed it that was lucky for me.”

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November 4, 2011

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Opinion8 November 4, 2011

Marshall LevensohnOp-Ed Editor

My email inbox only had 20 new robo-messages from random colleges wanting Prospective Ap-plicant (me) to “Apply Today!” Among the dozens of unwanted messages, however, I received a message from a Director of Ad-missions that I actually know, Dan Babior. Dan invited me to join him to visit my middle school to talk about Marin Academy.

Upon reading his message, I immediately remembered Dan’s visit to my class with a Town alumnus when I was a prospective student. That boy was a junior at MA, and his deep voice conveyed wisdom and mightiness to us all. During his visit I personally con-nected with both the alumnus and Dan. This interaction was a sig-nificant factor in my decision to attend MA.

I was now back at Town as the alumnus, telling tales of my experiences going through the eighth grade admissions process

and attending school with girls. Although they were four years younger than I, the students had a

lot in common with me. Both the eighth-graders and I were going through the stages of applying to

the next level of educa-tion. We were preparing to make decisions that would influence the courses of our lives.

Going back to Town gave me new perspective on applying to schools, whether they are high schools or colleges. In-stead of listening from the audience — as I have so many times during re-cent college info-sessions — I was now leading the discussion. This contrast highlighted the impor-tance of personal connec-tions in the admissions process as Dan fielded each question, first by ask-ing for the student’s name. The eighth graders were able to make a personal connection with Dan, with me, and thus with MA.

Every applicant at some point feels power-

less when their academic fate lies in the hands of unknown members

Mission impossible: writing the college essay

Personal connections tie students to schoolsof an admissions staff. The power, however, inevitably reverts back to the applicant once acceptance let-ters arrive. When this shift occurs, personal connections with a school pay dividends because students are more likely to attend a school to which they feel connected.

While MA obviously receives fewer applicants than colleges do, its push to make applicants feel a personal connection to the school is still outstanding. From shadows to ambassador lunches, MA’s em-phasis on personally connecting applicants to our school is the driv-ing force behind recruiting such high-performing classes.

As I anxiously anticipate spring, when the power will (hope-fully) shift back to me, I take note of all the components that have personally linked me to our school. Similar to my eigth grade decision, I expect personal connections to highly influence my college choice because where one attends is more than just an academic institution; it’s a community.

Sam PritzkerFeatures Editor

I am currently in the car on my way to college number fifteen. My mom asks how I’ve been doing with the sudden influx of applica-tions to complete. “Everything’s fine,” I mention, “except for one thing — one very important thing — my essay.”

Writing the perfect college es-say is like baking a flawless souf-flé. All of the different elements are beside you, but when it comes to mixing them together, there’s al-ways a good chance it will fall flat.

I’m awe-struck by the kinds of personal statements that garner at-tention from top-tier universities. Princeton University claimed the best essay they read last year was about a girl who walked her dog everyday after school. To which I reply: Seriously? How did she make picking up Charlie’s poop in any way, shape, or form notewor-thy? Did she disregard discussing

her experience as a hawk tamer? And what about her role as school president? Colleges want to know that, right?

The answer to all of those questions is both yes and no. Over the years, I have (embarrassingly) managed to read college essays from the best and the brightest here in the Bay Area. The topics have ranged from one student’s autistic twin sister, to another student’s love of her wheeled backpack. Oh, and did I forget to mention one ap-plicant’s essay about his favorite M&M color?

Let’s face it: we all kind of want to save someone from an explod-ing volcano or take a trip abroad and come away with profound realizations. They would make for awesome stories, would they not? Again, yes and no.

Plain and simple, I am a perfec-tionist. I hit myself over the head every time I spot a grammatical error in my section of The Voice and am never truly happy with my

artwork. Often times, I suffer the consequences: sleep deprivation and, if I’m not careful, according to my close friends and doctors alike, chronic stomach ulcers. My motto for class representative elec-

tions last year was “I get things done so you don’t have to,” but right now it doesn’t feel as though I’m getting much of anything done (aside from almost having induced my first ulcer…I have my astro-

physics midterm to thank for that!)

W h e n i t comes down to it, though, what I have learned in these past few months is uncom-plicated: no essay is perfect. Despite heartfelt meta-phors and com-pletely unique storylines, there is always room for improvement. Perhaps this is a good thing. Per-haps instead of ensuring who I am and what I stand for is suc-cessfully reduced

to a mere 500 words, I should fo-cus instead on who I would like to be. Just don’t expect the ulcers to go away. Those are here to stay, college or not.

Tiffany Chang

Anna Kelly

A&E 9November 4, 2011

Avery HaleA&E Editor

The middle school days of jean mini skirts and other barely there apparel have seemed to fade fur-ther and further away as female high school students grow older. At MA, a noticeable difference in style choice can be easily recog-nized between underclassmen and upperclassmen girls.

Not only do the younger girls often have a different style alto-gether than say a senior student, but their skirts in particular ap-pear to be significantly shorter and noticeably tighter. This fashion trend tends to vary by student, but it is no question that recently the skirts girls choose to wear have become more and more conser-vative throughout the years they spend at MA.

“I think part of it is that maxi

dresses and long skirts are com-ing back into style now, so people are more willing to wear them to school,” senior Lyla Wilton said. “Younger girls may not be willing to do this because the people who do, definitely get criticism for it from guys, and as an underclass-man this can be especially scary.”

In addition to the idea that the younger girls are more scared of criticism, many students believe that the underclassmen simply care

more about their ap-

Upperclassmen and underclassmen skirts: meant to flirt or drag in the dirt?

pearance.“I guess younger girls are more

worried about making a good first impression and being hot, but once you’re an upperclassman you al-ready know everyone so it’s less about worrying about what your friends think and more about ex-pression,” junior Ella Cooke said. “I also think it’s kind of just people who are willing to be more artsy that wear longer skirts.”

While not all of the long skirts have a particularly ‘artsy’ look to them besides the fact that they are a bit longer, students continually argue that it is a very particular type of person who tends to wear them, and that this look goes against what is typically thought of as mainstream.

“It’s always the indie girls that are wearing the long skirts, or the girls that seem more down to earth” senior Andrew Schleeter

said. “But honestly, shorter skirts are just way more attractive.”

While this idea that guys do not approve of the longer skirt trend

may have an impact on the clothes girls choose to wear, the skirts continue to make an appear-ance around school day after day.

Yet the more the older girls choose to wear these long skirts, the more ada-mant the guys have become about their dis-

approval, includ-ing underclass males.

“When younger girls wear shorter skirts it’s way bet-ter just because it shows off their bodies which is what guys want,” sophomore Ben

Lyons said. “I think m o s t guys just t h i n k t ighter clothes in gen- e r a l and es- pecially s h o r t skirts just look much more attractive.”

Despite this backlash from the male population , girls continue to wear skirts of all lengths. Although it is predominantly upperclass girls who choose to don longer skirts, this trend seems to be creeping into the younger grades as well with a select few freshmen and sopho-mores choosing to steer clear of the tight and tiny body con skirts.

New fashion trends come and

go, but the long skirt and maxi dress trend has certainly had an impact on both male and female students in all grades.

It’s always the indie girls that are wearing the long

skirts, but honestly, shorter skirts are just way more at-

tractive.

I think part of it is that maxi dresses and long skirts are coming back into

style now, so people are more willing to wear them to

school.

Photos taken by Avery Hale

A&E10 November 4, 2011

Improvisation fuels fall play: “Descent Into Mayhem”Samantha Jolson

Staff Writer

This year’s fall theatre produc-tion is “Descent Into Mayhem”, a collection of interconnected stories concocted by writer and director Annie Elias, will run on Nov. 4 and 5.

Based on the Italian folktale “The Parrot,” the show begins in a Rapunzel-esque fashion with a businessman locking his daughter in her room before he leaves for Dubai, leaving behind a parrot to provide her companionship while he is away. The majority of the play revolves around a series of increasingly fantastic stories that a parrot tells the girl in an attempt to distract her from letting her ob-sessed suitor into the house.

The play is acted in the Ital-ian style of Comedia del Arte, in which there is a set plotline and largely improvised dialogue.

Junior Stephan Hannan, who plays a general who embodies how

the girl views her father, is getting a lot of improvisational experience from his part. At one point in the play, he has to tell a long-winded war story.

“Basically, [every show] I’m making up a monologue that’s tying into a scene going on at the same time,” Hannan said. “There’s a lot of give and take, [but the] cast is really great.”

Many of the actors in the play also have the opportunity to write their own dialogue. Sophomore Charlie Hurtt and freshmen Sara Scannell and Maddie Salesky play three clowns who try to make a humorless prince laugh.

“We get to create our own little show, and it’s really fun,” Hurtt said. “And because of [the struc-ture of the play,] we get to make every show slightly different.”

At a rehearsal, the practice was based around perfecting comedic timing (which needed very little alteration) and blocking. There was a lot of brainstorming about

set pieces and additional props, as well as some toying with the idea of a drawn-on background. The final appearance of the stage has yet to be determined, but it is sure to reflect the spontaneous nature

of the show.While the show has changed

over time, some changes were deliberate.

“We have these two highway-men who we rewrote the dialogue

for to make them more comedic than [intimidating],” Elias said. “Keep in mind, this was written before 9/11 and the terrorist threat. [In the original script,] they were talking about planting a car bomb and beheading the main charac-ter.”

Similarly, in one torture scene, the performers change the costume of the torturers from black hoods to a more medieval style. The charac-ter designs themselves have taken on a far more mystical air than in past productions, said Elias.

“One character is a sort of witch who collects hearts, and in one scene she has the heart of a young boy. She used to be more of a sci-entist, but now she kind of reminds me of Sybill Trelawney from the Harry Potter books.”

Elias says that she is happy with the direction the show has taken this year.

“It’ll be its own thing- not just redoing something they did at an-other school.”

From lanyards to mid-calves, guys’ fashion sweeps schoolIt’s not hard to tell what’s “in” at MA. Look around the cafeteria on

any given day and you are sure to find a multitude of male students with lanyards dangling from their necks and pockets, mid-calf socks, college sweatshirts, and boat shoes. The real question is, what’s the appeal?

Students refine their improvisation skills during a rehearsal for “Descent Into Mayhem”

Samantha Jolson

COLLEGE APPAREL: College shirts, sweatshirts and hats are abundant on cam-pus. “With college shirts it’s just that you wear the shirt of the college you really want to go to,” said junior Jeremy Berkov. But college apparel doesn’t necessarily seem to corre-spond to college aspirations. “I have a Yale sweater,” said junior Austin Reid, “so girls ask me if I go to Yale and I say ‘yeeaah lil’ mama’”.

KEY LANYARDS: Lanyards seem to be both practical and popular. “I have a lanyard because it’s easy to use,” said junior AJ Johanson, “you can leave your keys in your pocket or on your neck, so it’s hard to lose your keys.” If you really want to go with the trend, let your lanyard hang out of the side pocket of your shorts, so that it can be easily snatched by anyone who wants to annoy you or steal your car. However, per-haps not all fashion statements are conscious choices. “With [these trends] I have it because someone gave it to me,” said freshman Milton Dimas, “I didn’t get it for myself.”

HIGH SOCKS: High socks seem to be one the most common trends, showing up frequently throughout school. Reaching the middle of the calf, guy seem to love this recent trend. What’s the secret behind their popularity? “To be honest,” said se-nior Alex Moss-Bolanos, “the high socks just make calves look great.” So, if you’ve been hitting the gym, grab some high socks and show off your toned calves.

BOAT SHOES: With the amount of boat shoes present at MA, you’d think the sail-ing team had more members. But no, we have just many students who want to look as though they should be hoisting sails on a yacht in Nantucket. “Boat shoes are classy as heck,” said junior Alex Herdman, “but…I don’t see any boats at MA. Be conservative when deciding to wear them or not.” In short, wear them sparingly to optimize classiness.

Annie Warner

Writing and reporting by Annie Warner, Managing Editor

Sports 11November 4, 2011

Five coaches resign, irking players in their wakethe team]. It was his choice to leave.”

I n t h e t r a c k team’s case, the coach t o ld one member who then told everyone else.

“Over the sum-mer I was doing some work with Don and he just told me one day ‘You

know Devron, I’m not coming back this year.’ He was matter-of-fact,” sophomore and track team member Devron Martin said. “I told AJ, Berk [Norman], Kenny [Volkmann] and some other people, and it got around that way.”

Members of the varsity softball team, which received an email from Frechette in late July, were also upset by the way they were informed.

“The worst part about it was finding out over email from Josh. I wish [Gruendle] had at least had the de-c e n c y t o tell the oth-er captains and I [sic],” junior and softball cap-tain Lauren Hansen said.

Frechette said that athletes typically find out that their coach is leaving from the coaches them-selves. However, in Gruendle’s case, she was not told to send the email herself.

“I didn’t even consider telling the team myself, as I thought it was more of Josh’s role,” Gruendle said. “I firmly believe he is a huge asset to your organization and I would hate to step on his toes in that regard.”

Coffino was the only coach who emailed his athletes.

“I felt firmly that I, and no one

else, should be the person to no-tify the players and parents of my decision,” Coffino said. “I tried to figure out a way to make this hap-pen in a timely manner, i.e., before word of my decision leaked out in the county.”

In response to the statement that track, JV soccer and girls’ JV basketball had not received any formal announcement, Frechette said, “I think we can do a better job, but you know, some coaches reach out and let them know right

away and some don’t. I try to fill in the blanks as best as I can. Unfor-tunately I

think we get a little too focused on the season at hand.”

While members of the basket-ball team were upset by the way they heard the announcement, a larger part of that dissatisfaction was due to the timing of the an-nouncement.

“[My basketball teammates] were like ‘What now?’” Johan-son said. “There was a little bit of animosity because we found out in September, which is two months before the season starts.”

Frechette said that, along with the search for the track coach, the search for a new basketball coach

should be finished in a few weeks. Although there are no candidates for the softball coach yet, the team hopes that their replacement sticks around longer than the last one.

“[Gruendle] was only here for one year,” said Hansen, “and to come and create a team around her coaching, only to leave, made me feel like she was just being fake with us.”

Inside the Decisions

Frechette said Gruendle’s situa-tion was difficult because she fully expected to be here for an extended period of time, but then her situa-tion changed.

“She was working from home, but she took a new job where she was traveling three or four days a week, so it was not going to be possible for her to continue,” Frechette said.

Kavanaugh and Coffino left for Marin Catholic and Tamalpais High School, respectively.

As to why they left, Frechette said that the two schools simply offered better opportunities for the coaches, who will both become head coaches of MCAL teams. When asked if pay was a factor in their decision, he said that it is hard to compare MA’s and the MCAL’s

coaching pay. “The MCAL often has

teaching positions along with their coaching positions, so you can’t really compare that,” Frechette said. “I couldn’t say with the MCAL whether their pay is more or less…I don’t think whether coaches stay [at MA] or not depends on their pay.”

Coach Coffino agreed.“Pay was a total non-fac-

tor in my decision,” Coffino said. “In fact, I will be making less money at Tam as a coach than at MA.”

Coffino cited the main rea-son for his departure as his de-sire to be in the MCAL.

“Four years ago, I expressed hope that MA might move into

[the] MCAL,” said Coffino. “I be-lieved then, and even more so now, that MA can compete effectively in the MCAL, although I am mind-ful … that some think otherwise. I eventually came to understand that the league switch was not likely in the foreseeable future or ever. Hence, I took advantage of … a rare opportunity. I was also drawn to the challenge of coaching in a large public school with a diverse demographic.”

A Lasting ImpactWhatever the reason for the

coaches’ departures, one thing is certain: their presence will be missed.

“[Don] was really kind, really cared about us, and was always there…he was motivational in his own way, and fun - you wanted to go to track because Don was a nice guy,” Martin said.

As a member of both the bas-ketball and track teams, Johanson will be among those most im-pacted.

“It’s funny because this year I quit cross-country, so it’s like I quit those coaches,” Johanson said. “But then I found out that my other two coaches quit me…I was thinking ‘This is going to be a fun year.’”

I didn’t even consider telling the team myself, as I thought it was more of Josh’s Role.

Oliva Lloyd

Who’s next? Varsity basketball isn’t the only team with an uncertain future

Tiffany ChangStaff Writer

This summer, six sports teams found out that their coaches re-signed. Michael Coffino, boys’ var-sity basketball coach; J O’Malley, girls’ JV basketball coach; Don Oliver, head track coach; Hilary Gruendle, varsity softball coach; and Eamon Kavanaugh, boys’ and girls’ JV soccer coach, all will not be returning this year.

“I found o u t t h r e e weeks ago when [Cof-fino] sent an email,” junior, varsity basketball player and track team member AJ Johanson said. “I was playing basketball in the gym when Noah Lakritz came in and said, ‘Did you guys hear? Check your email!’ So I looked at my phone and sure enough, there was his letter of resignation.”

The Informants and Informed

Of the six teams whose coaches have left, only varsity basketball received a team-wide email from their coach. Some members of the JV girls’ soccer team learned the news by stumbling upon an ad on Craigslist.

“[Over the summer,] a friend posted a link on my Facebook wall to an ad on Craigslist that said that MA was looking for a new JV soccer coach,” sophomore and JV soccer player Amanda Klein said. “She found the ad when she was looking for a summer job.”

Fellow JV soccer teammate So-fia Miller saw the post on Klein’s wall.

“At first I was really upset. I texted [Eamon]… ‘How could you do this?’” said Miller.

Sophomore goalkeeper Sammy Barish was also upset by the news.

“I really disliked how he didn’t tell us that he was leaving,” Bar-ish said. “I think it should be the coach’s responsibility [to notify

At first I was really upset. I texted [Eamon]... ‘How could

you do this?’

Sports12 November 4, 2011

Suffering and success go hand in hand, rower finds

Wildcat athletes: universally unified against UniversityDS: Why did you start playing volleyball?AD: I started in sixth grade because it was something I had never done before. I started playing for my school.DS: Does the team have any pregame ‘rituals’? AD: We always go after warm-ups outside to change into our game jerseys, grab our pinkie tape which has an inspiring word on it, and put it on our left pinkies. Then we hold each other’s hands in a circle and Ellie starts with a hand squeeze to the person next to her right. They pass it on, and when it comes back to her we all go, “Aaaaaahhh! Cats!”DS: Are there any rival schools that your team is determined to beat? AD: Beat University.DS: How does the team get pumped before a game?

AD: We get pumped up during warm-ups with the music and the pre-game play to build up our intensity.DS: What is one moment in volleyball that you hope to remember years from now? AD: It was last year when we played University in the BCL championships. Even though I was a bench warmer, it was just such an intense game and it felt so good to win. It was a really close game, kept everyone on the edge the entire time, and it was a huge comeback for us.

DS: When and why did you start playing soccer?AF: I started playing soccer when I was about seven just because I enjoyed it. In second grade it was a lot like a job in my life rather than something I do for fun. Now it has become more like a passion.DS: Does the team or you have any pre-game rituals?AF: Before every game we huddle up and the captains give a motivational pre-game speech. We pump each other up and remind every member of the team to work hard.DS: Who/what has been the inspiration for you? Why?AF: Josh Kalkstein has been the biggest inspiration for me, for my whole time at MA. He knows how to get the team pumped up before a big game and can get the best out of us. His high expectations for the team motivate us to work hard every training session and in every game. DS: Are there any arch rivals that your team is determined to beat? why?AF: Branson and University. We just don’t like them.DS: Who on the team inspires you the most?AF: Terry Castleman inspires me a lot. He is always very vocal and never lets anyone get off without working.

Writing and photography by David Sutter

Greig SteinStaff Writer

Sometimes to accomplish what you dream of doing, you have to sacrifice everything.

Last summer I was in Kent, Connecticut trying out for the Unit-ed States National Rowing Team. Three days into the camp, I called my parents and insisted I come home. I was sick and showed no hope of making the roster — only 18 of the 60 rowers would make the team. I was the smallest out of the group and had trouble keeping up with my competition.

In my dreams, making the na-tional team was a completely differ-ent experience. Somehow, physical pain never factored into my dreams about rowing. I had always thought about the glory, and never the work that would get me there. Yet after only three days, I had turned from a race-hungry, dedicated athlete into a beaten down rower who just wanted to go home and sleep in his own bed.

I called the head coach so I could meet with him and tell him I would be going home the next day due to my sickness. Being sick was enough to get me an honorable discharge from camp, but inside I knew that it

was not the real reason I was leav-ing. I couldn’t admit it to myself at the time, but I was leaving because I just could not take it anymore. The work was too much. We were being tested every day - and losing just one four minute race meant that they would send you home. It was survival of the fittest.

To my frustration, my coach didn’t pick up. He texted me later that night, asking me what it was that I needed to meet with him about, but I had already gone to bed. If he had picked up I would have quit that night.

I woke up the next morning and forced myself to endure one last practice. It was a miserable morn-ing —16 kilometers of high inten-sity rowing — but I got through it, and was finally going home. I would talk to the coaches after lunch. But as I walked back to the dining hall to eat I couldn’t help but think about all those nights I had laid awake dreaming about racing at Worlds and representing my country.

It had been two years since I had set my goal, two years of con-stantly imagining myself wearing a USA unisuit. My teammates told me that I probably wouldn’t make

it, and even my coach had pulled me aside and sug-gested I try a ‘de-velopment camp’ instead. But still, I thought about it constantly. For those two years, I told myself that I could do it, and I would do it, no matter what sac-rifices it took.

I soon realized that the misery I was going through was that sacri-fice. I would have to sacrifice my entire summer if I wanted to make the team. So I soldiered on, day by day, one practice at a time. I took my days moment by moment, hanging on for my life.

After a few weeks, I realized my focused thinking was working. I was keeping up. I had made it past the first two rounds of cuts. I won my seat races and proved myself on the water. There were just four more rowers to be cut, and after suf-fering so much, there was no way I was about to let one be me. It came down to one final day of seat racing on the water to determine who would be in the boat to race at

Worlds. There were ten of us com-peting for the six spots left. It was clear that it would come down to one final four minute race; 1500 meters would decide whether I would make the cut.

They put us out in two boats of four men each. After one time down the course, I switched boats with another rower. Whoever made the boat go faster would be the one. I shook his hand before we drifted away - we both knew this was it.One of us would be going home.

The coaches started the two boats even with each other, and after just twenty strokes my boat had gained three feet on the other. Half way through the race I was thirty feet ahead. I knew it right

then that I had done it. I had made the national team.

This meant going to Eton, England, to represent the United States. There, I had the experience of a lifetime racing against other countries’ national teams, an ex-perience I may never have again. I had spent two years dreaming of racing at the international level and I finally got there.

My boat came in twelfth, which was not as good as we had hoped for. But when I put my head down after our last race, in which England and Denmark sprinted past us in the last fifteen strokes, I didn’t feel an ounce of regret, as I knew that there was nothing more I could have given.

Sure, I didn’t completely achieve what I wanted, which was to medal at Worlds, but that didn’t matter to me. I pushed myself fur-ther than ever before, and put it all out there. The satisfaction of know-ing I had worked so unbelievably hard weighed more than a medal around my neck.

This summer I learned that to live your dreams you have to stick with it even when times get tough. Even if that means suffering, it’s a whole lot better than giving up.

Greig’s boat, in front, racing at the World Championships against Belarus, Serbia and Canada.

courtesy of writer

Anna Dawson Andreas Freund

Dawson, at home in the New Gym Freund rips a shot on goal