The Devon Dialogueproudly publishing for five decadesDevon Preparatory Schoolvolume vi, issue i | october 2014

State Champs!The Baseball team brings home a state championship to Devon! See below.

Reading with a PurposeThe Book Club embraces its new moderator, Mr. George Sheehan.See Page 2

Mr. George Sheehan and Mrs. Tara McKennaThe Devon Dialogue interviews the two newest members of our Devon faculty.See Page 7

CAP Summer DriveCAP donates school supplies to those in need.See Page 3

The Tide Rolls InGraham Alabdulla ’15

O n Aug u st 2 8, t he De von P rep Pa rent s A s soc iat ion (DPPA) prepa red a day of f u n, ba rbe c u i ng , a nd a n oppor t u n it y to soc ia l i z e w it h bot h old a nd ne w f r iend s. It w a s a w a r m su m mer day, t he per fe c t set t i ng for t he Welc ome Bac k to S c hool P ic n ic. It w a s f i l led w it h delec t able ha mbu r ger s a nd hot dog s, g r i l led b y t he pa rent s of De von P rep, a s wel l a s mout h-w ater i ng des ser t s broug ht b y t he se vent h a nd n i nt h g r ades. It w a s a g reat w ay to welc ome ne w f a m i l ies a nd st udent s i nto t he De von P rep f a m i l y. St udent s had t he oppor t u n it y to me et t hei r ne w teac her s a nd c atc h up w it h t hei r old ones. It w a s a memor able e vent be c au se of t he memor ies m ade a nd t he e x per ienc es had t here. It w a s u ndoubted l y a f u n, memor able e vent w h ic h c reated la st i ng memor ies for ne w a nd ret u r n i ng st udent s a l i ke.

Field of DreamsZach Delphais ’16 and Joe Orsatti ’17

While many people consider Friday the 13th a day of misfortune, this past June it brought nothing but good fortune to Devon Prep’s baseball team. After an hour-long rain delay and nearly nine complete innings the game was still tied, but that all changed in a single moment. After stealing third base, Chris Bauers ’14 immediately saw his opportunity and took it. The ball had been thrown over the third baseman’s head and into left f ield. He sprinted towards glory, securing Devon Prep’s f irst state championship in its f ifty-eight year history as he dove in to home.

After losing the team’s top two pitchers to injury in Zach Schellenger ’14 and Sean Phelan ’15, many people doubted that the team could go back to the state playoffs for a second straight season. They couldn’t have been more wrong. With strong performances on the mound by Pat Rohr ’15, John McSurdy ’16, and CJ Kohlbrenner ’14 and a lineup that could hit from top to bottom, the Tide certainly did start rolling. They rolled right past some of the area’s top teams, such as Conestoga. They rolled right past Calvary Christian in a rematch of last year’s district championship to win their f irst district tit le in four years. Finally, they rolled right past the previously undefeated Elk County Catholic in the state final at Penn State University and succeeded in bringing a hard-earned state title back to Devon.

Last year was truly a year to remember. Now, we are looking at what could be the most anticipated

season of Devon Prep baseball in the history of the school. The players and coaches who gave us that great memory will take the field next spring under that beautiful banner that reads, “Home of the 2014 PIAA Class A State Champions.” With fourteen returning players from the championship squad, things look promising for back-to-back state titles. The Tide is led by seniors Pat Rohr (pitcher), Dominic Hardaway (catcher), Eric DiPietro (third base), Sean Phelan (first base), and Tyler Klicka (left f ield) in addition to a strong supporting cast of sophomores and juniors. With many positions left open by the departing of the Class of 2014, coaches Mark Aquilante ’94, Pat Kane, and Tom Graham will look to field the best team that they possibly can and attempt to form another championship team and make sure that the presence of the Tide will be forever felt in Nittany Lion territory.

But what was it that set last year’s team apart? Was it the solid pitching performances? Or perhaps it was the near f lawless defense? Or maybe the top-notch first base coaching, or the luck brought by Devon’s secret weapon, Mr. Pat Nattle? Whatever it was, the tight-knit baseball team looks to change Devon’s history books once again. We can look back at last year’s Cinderella story and see the emergence of an everlasting dynasty of dominance over PIAA baseball for years to come. Let’s put our faith in the coaching staff and the team that has already produced a championship win for the record books at Devon Prep.

As you arrive on campus, there is no doubt where the PIAA Class A state championship

resides for 2014.

2 Dialogue NewsYoung Men on a Mission

James Lucas ’15

Passing the TorchRieve Bule ’15, Co-Deputy Editor-in-Chief

L a st su m mer, s t udent s f rom De von P rep joi ne d toget her w it h pa r i s hes a nd yout h g roups f rom a l l over A mer ic a for a f ive day m i s sion t r ip i n Mag nol ia, Delaw a re. T h i s w a s t he sec ond yea r t hat De von P rep pa r t ic ipated i n t he Cat hol ic Hea r t Work Ca mp prog r a m, a nd t he e x per ienc e w a s ju st a s re w a rd i ng a s t he pre v iou s one. St udent s f rom ac ros s t he c ou nt r y c ombi ned t hei r t a lent s to a id f a m i l ie s i n ne e d i n t he Mag nol ia a rea . From pa i nt i ng to c lea n i ng to y a rd work , s t udent s spent t hei r t i me a nd ef for t on m a k i ng l i fe bet ter for t he f a m i l ies . De von st udent A nd re w St au f fer ’1 5 re c ou nted h i s e x per ienc e: “My g roup helped a wom a n w ho c ou ld no longer t a ke c a re of her la r ge hou se. I n prepa r at ion for her move, we helpe d her c lea n out her at t ic a nd we d id some muc h ne e de d y a rd work .” Howe ver, t h i s we ek w a s not solel y de d ic ated to work . T he c re w of t he Cat hol ic Hea r t Work Ca mp g u ided t he st udent s on a jou r ne y of f a it h,

be g i n n i ng w it h Ma s s i n t he mor n i ng , a nd c u mu lat i ng eac h day w it h a n e ven i ng prog r a m, w h ic h i nc luded s k it s , s i ng-a long s, a nd a per iod of med it at ion a nd ref le c t ion. T h roug h bot h prog r a m s a nd work , t he st udent s were broug ht not on l y c loser to Jesu s, but c los er to eac h ot her a s wel l . De von ju n ior M ic h ael Nic ola s ’16 ent hu sia st ic a l l y s t ated, “Cat hol ic Hea r t Work Ca mp w a s a n a m a z i ng e x per ienc e. I met ton s of i ntere st i ng pe ople a nd h ad a n awesome t i me.” A f ter t he we ek , t he st udent s ret u r ned to t hei r homes to c a r r y out s er v ic e i n t hei r ow n c om mu n it ies, w het her t h roug h s er v ic e or ga n i z at ion s suc h a s G ood Work s, or t h roug h s c hool g roups l i ke t he C h r i st ia n Ac t ion P rog r a m . T he v i r t ue of ser v ic e l ives on t h roug h t he s e st udent s, a nd hopef u l l y ne x t yea r, t he y w i l l se e t he ret u r n of m a ny of t hem to Cat hol ic Hea r t Work Ca mp.

T he ne w sc hool yea r ha s broug ht about m a ny c ha nges w it h i n t he w a l l s of De von P rep. O ne of t he s e c ha nges w a s t he i nt roduc t ion of t he ne w St udent Cou nc i l . T he yea rl y spr i ng ele c t ion y ielde d prom i si ng re su lt s , w it h Pat Roh r ’1 5 ele c ted a s pre sident , Gabe Pa l la nte ’1 5 a s v ic e president , a nd A nd re w Daw son ’1 5 a s t rea su rer.

Pat Roh r h a s be en one of t he most i nvolve d st udent s at De von P rep s i nc e f res h m a n yea r. W het her it be lead i ng t he C h r i st ia n Ac t ion P rog r a m on ret reat s or or g a n i z i ng De von’s for m a l da nc e s, he a l w ay s play s a pa r t i n ju st about e ver y t h i ng. He i s bou nd to m a ke a n ef fe c t i ve st udent bod y president . Gabe Pa l la nte ha s t a ken it upon h i m sel f to be c ome t he most ver s at i le v ic e president De von P rep ha s e ver had. Hav i ng be en a soc c er tea m c apt a i n a nd homeroom pre sident

mu lt iple t i me s over t he yea r s, he i s t he def i n it ion of a tea m player. A nd re w Daw son i s a s ded ic ated a s t he y c ome a nd he’ l l c er t a i n l y be able to c h a nge t he g a me a s he t a kes over a s t rea su rer. He h a s be en a f u nda ment a l pa r t of t he st age c re w for a l l of De von’s mu sic a l produc t ion s over t he pa st fou r yea r s a nd he w i l l su rel y put t h at k i nd of leader s h ip abi l it y i nto h i s ne w posit ion.

E ac h ha s stepped up to t he c ha l lenge of represent i ng ou r st udent bod y of De von P rep. A l read y t he t h re e have be g u n to m a ke a la st i ng i mpres sion w it h f res h idea s a nd a more h a nd s-on approac h to t he sc hool’s pol it ic s . We c a n a l l look for w a rd to se ei ng t hei r i n nov at ive pla n s u n fold i n t he c om i ng sc hool yea r.

A f ter a br ief su m mer h iat u s, Book C lub ret u r ne d t h i s S eptember deter m i ned to c ont i nue c ha l leng i ng it s member s. T he u n for t u nate depa r t u re of t he beloved M s. Pat r ic ia T iehel br ief l y d i s hea r tene d m a ny st udent s, i nc lud i ng t he sen ior s of t he Book C lub, but t he member s were more t ha n happ y to a s k M r. G e or ge She eha n to over s e e t he d i s c u s sion s of t he you ng sc hola r s . W hen pres ente d w it h t he oppor t u n it y to t a ke t he proc tor s h ip, M r. She eha n ent hu sia st ic a l l y ac c epted. Ne w to t he De von f a m i l y, M r. She eh a n ha s be en w hole-hea r te d l y welc ome d b y t he c om mu n it y, espe c ia l l y b y t he Book C lub. A f ter t he s e ea rl y wor r ies, t he fou nder s, Jos h L ieber m a n ‘1 5 a nd Nic k Ippol it i ‘1 5 , c om menc e d Book C lub ac t iv it ies on t he se c ond Tuesday of S eptember. T h i s a l l-sen ior c lub boa st s it s la r ge st pa r t ic ipat ion i n t he la st t h re e yea r s w it h a rou nd f i f te en de d ic ate d reader s. Av id reader s l i ke D re w Hayden ’1 5 a nd Joe Tet i ’1 5 a re proud to have c ont i nue d t h i s c lub for a t h i rd st r a ig ht yea r.

Howe ver, before st a r t i ng d i sc u s sion, t he c lub had to f i r st c hoose a book . Hav i ng t ac k le d Th e Shining b y Stephen K i ng a nd The Met amor phosi s b y Fr a n z K a f k a, t he Book C lub w a s bou nd to have a w ide v a r iet y to c hoose f rom . T he sele c t ion of book s w a s

c reate d b y i nput s f rom eac h Book C lub member a nd f rom M r. She eh a n . A f ter muc h del iber at ion, t he you ng l iter a r y c r it ic s c hose Hear t of Darkne ss b y Jos eph Con r ad. T he f i n a l l i s t i nc luded United St ate s of Ban an a b y Gia n n i n a Br a sc h i, Fathers an d Son s b y Iv a n Tu r gene v, Kok oro b y Nat su me S osek i , a nd The Pl ag u e b y A lber t Ca mu s. Given les s t h a n t wo we ek s to c omplete t hei r f i r st work , t he Book C lub lau nc hed it s f i r st rou nd of l i ter a r y d i sc u s sion s at i t s se c ond me et i ng on S eptember 18t h .

A home for i ntel le c t u a l c onver s at ion, t he Book C lub i s deter m i ned to hold it s s t rong c om m it ment to read i ng a nd i nter pret at ion du r i ng a r igorou s t i me for t he s en ior s, w ho mu st dea l w it h om i nou s appl ic at ion dead l i nes a nd A P c la s ses. T h at bei ng s a id, t he love for mea n i ng f u l book s h a s not s topped i n w a ke of t hes e d i f f ic u lt ies . D re w Hayden eloquent l y su m m a r i z e s t he c lub i n s ay i ng t h at “Book C lub i s w here t r ue en l ig hten ment c omes upon t he d i sc iples of l i ter at u re t h roug h t he enjoy ment a nd d i sc u s sion of t houg ht provok i ng book s.” T h i s pa s sion a nd love for read i ng a long w it h t he v a lued i nput of M r. She eh a n w i l l en su re t he su r v iv a l a nd prosper it y of Book C lub i n t he f ut u re.

Bibliophiles Bond Over BooksWill Moreno ’15

3

Jesuit College FairSean Fulmer ’16

O n T hu r sday, S eptember 2 5, t he ju n ior a nd sen ior c la sses a ssembled i n t he g y m for t he Jesu it Col lege Fa i r. T here were 16 Jesu it sc hool s i n at tenda nc e: Ma rquet te Un iver sit y, L oyola Un i ver sit y Ma r y la nd, L oyola Un i ver sit y C h ic ago, L oyola Un iver sit y Ne w O rlea n s, Sa i nt Peter ’s Un iver sit y, S c r a nton Un iver sit y, Reg i s Un iver sit y, W he el i ng Jesu it Un iver sit y, Fa i r f ield Un iver sit y, X av ier Un iver sit y, St . L ou i s Un iver sit y, Ca n i siu s Col lege, L e Moy ne Col lege, Spr i ng H i l l Col lege, Joh n Ca r rol l Un i ver sit y, a nd St . Joseph’s Un iver sit y. T he Col lege Fa i r w a s ver y i n for m at ive a nd helped m a ny ju n ior s a nd sen ior s get i n touc h w it h represent at ives f rom t hose c ol leges. Ma ny st udent s i n at tenda nc e were ver y i nterested i n goi ng to a Jesu it c ol lege a nd t hose st udent s t h at were not c onv i nc e d before t he Col lege Fa i r bet ter u nder stood a nd appre c iated t he

benef it s of goi ng to a Je su it c ol le ge a f ter t he Col le ge Fa i r.

For m a ny of t hes e ju n ior s, t h i s w a s t hei r f i r st enc ou nter w it h t he c ol le ge proc e s s. Ju n ior E dd ie Mc Gi n le y ’16 s a id, “Per sona l l y, I w a s rea l l y g lad to have t he oppor t u n it y to lea r n more about d i f ferent Cat hol ic u n iver sit ie s . T here i s so muc h to lea r n w hen look i ng at a c ol le ge so it w a s g reat to s e e it l ive a nd i n per son.” T he Col le ge Fa i r helpe d t he s en ior s na r row dow n t hei r s c hool s t hat t he y w i l l appl y to a nd helpe d t he ju n ior s u nder st a nd w hat e x ac t l y t he y w a nt i n a c ol le ge. T here w a s a l so t he oppor t u n it y to c ompa re s c hool s be c au s e t he y were a l l toget her i n t he s a me room at t he s a me t i me. T he ju n ior a nd s en ior c la s se s wou ld l i ke to t ha n k t he D i re c tor of Col le ge Pla n n i ng a nd Plac ement, M r s. E l i z abet h E s h lem a n, for put t i ng a l l of t h i s toget her.

The ElectionDrew Hayden ’15

Every year, Devon Prep puts on a consistently entertaining Fall Drama which showcases the numerous talented actors who attend the school. This year’s show will be no different. The show is The Election, a comical representation of a high school student body election. The play wright describes his play as: “After an embattled student body president resigns in disgrace, Mark Davenport f igures he will cruise to victory in the special election. After all, his only opponent is nerdy

Christy Martin, who has no friends, and is proposing eliminating football. But that’s before she gets an extreme makeover, raises millions of dollars through a mysterious SuperPAC, and starts running vicious attack ads on local television. Now Mark is in for the fight of his life, and it’s either face total annihilation or accept the services of a slick professional campaign manager with questionable ethics and his own SuperPAC. A hilarious and timely satire on the contemporary political scene.” With CJ Nave ’15 as

Mark Davenport, Rieve Bule ’15 as Karl Merriweather, and Jack Wagner ’17 as Gary McMaster, and under the strong direction of director Mr. Paul Recupero, this show is guaranteed to be a good time for the whole family. The Election takes place on November 7,8, and 9, right in the middle of election season, and after all the hard work and time the director, actors, actresses, and volunteers have put forth—and considering how funny the show is—this play should be attended by everyone!

CAP Summer DriveEddie McGinley ’16

One of t he chief priorit ies here at Devon Prep has a lways been to g ive back to t he communit y and to t hose less for tunate t han we. This was cer tainly t r ue t his past summer, when t he Christ ian Act ion Prog ram (CA P) held yet anot her drive in order to earn supplies for t hose in need. This specif ic drive’s goal was to col lect various school supplies and have t hem delivered to St. El izabet h’s Communit y Center in Nor t h Phi ladelphia. Nearly 3000 items were gat hered and subsequent ly dist r ibuted, consist ing of ever y t hing f rom pens and penci ls to calculators and back packs. Senior CA P Presidents Pat Rohr ’15 and A ndrew K ramer ’15, as wel l as junior CA P Vice Presidents Eddie McGinley ’16 and Keane W hite ’16, headed t he organizat ion and dist r ibut ion of t he items. Famil ies of Nor t h Phi ladelphia received t hese

supplies at St. El izabet h’s annua l Communit y Block Par t y, where t he items were dist r ibuted direct ly to t he chi ldren at tending school. CA P

w il l a lso team up w it h St. El izabet h’s Communit y Center in t he upcoming Thanksg iv ing Food Drive t hat w i l l direct ly benef it t heir food pant r y and t he famil ies of t he surrounding area.

Fres h m a n or ient at ion i s a n e x c it i ng t i me for ne w a nd ret u r n i ng st udent s a l i ke. W ide-e yed f res h men h ave t he oppor t u n it y to e x plore t hei r ne w sc hool w h i le e x per ienc ed sen ior s proud l y s how of f t he i n st it ut ion t hat ha s be en t hei r home for t he la st t h re e yea r s. T he ne w n i nt h g rader s were f i r st led to t he c a feter ia w here t he y m a ke ner vou s c onver s at ion w it h one a not her. It i s a n u nder st a nd abl y u nc om for t able e x per ienc e: a ne w plac e, ne w people, a nd c on f u si ng idea s a s to w h at t he h ig h-sc hool e x per ienc e w i l l ac t ua l l y ent a i l . Fr. R ic h a rd W y z y k ie w ic z ’61 c lea r s h i s t h roat to c apt u re t he st udent s’ at tent ion before open i ng t he e vent w it h a pr ayer. H i s suppl ic at ion i s fol lowed b y a br ief spe e c h f rom A s si st a nt Head m a ster M r. L a r r y Iez z i , w ho t hen h a nd s t he rei n s over to t hose member s of t he sen ior c la s s i n at tend a nc e. S en ior s Pat Roh r, Luc a s Wat son, E r ic D i P iet ro, M ic h ael K nud son, Ty ler K l ic k a, A nd re w Daw son, Gabe Pa l la nte, a nd Jac k Hega r t y a re eac h a s sig ned to a g roup of f res h men . E ac h sen ior lead s h i s g roup on a br ief tou r of t he f ac i l it ies, prov id i ng i n for m at ion about teac her s a nd c la s ses a s wel l a s a n s wer i ng a ny quest ion s. Fol low i ng t he tou r s, s t udent s a re led to t he g y m w here t he y engage i n c l ic hé ic ebrea ker s a nd h ave a not her oppor t u n it y to engage w it h one a not her, now t h at some of t he i n it ia l ner vou snes s h a s abated . W h i le it m ay not se em l i ke a l i fe-c h a ng i ng e vent on t he su r f ac e, t he i mpor t a nc e of f res h m a n or ient at ion c a n not be over st ated . It i s t he ver y f i r st e x per ienc e t h at t hese you ng men w i l l h ave w it h t he member s of t he De von P rep c om mu n it y : pe ople w it h w hom t he y w i l l be work i ng , c ompet i ng , a nd jok i ng for t he ne x t fou r yea r s of t hei r l ives.

Fresh Princes of DevonMichael Knudson ’15, Co-Deputy Editor-in-Chief

Pictured, from left to right: CAP Vice Presidents Eddie McGinley ’16 and Keane White ’16 and

Presidents Pat Rohr ’15 and Andrew Kramer ’15

4 Dialogue News (Continued)ACTing Smart

Josh Lieberman ’15

Speak Up and Be HeardEddie McGinley ’16 and Matt Kelly ’16

T he pres su re on te en s t hese day s i s e x c r uc iat i ng. T hou s a nd s of te en s c onc ea l t hei r problem s w it h i n; t he t houg ht of bei ng judged b y t hei r pa rent s a nd t hei r pe er s pet r i f ie s t hem . Luc k i l y, Spea k Up i s a s a fe haven for a ny te en s w ho w a nt to t a ke t he bu rden of e ver yday l i fe of f of t hei r s hou lder s.

Spea k Up i s a n i nterest i ng a nd u n ique e x per ienc e for a l l i n at tenda nc e. S ome st udent s w ho at tend represent t hei r sc hool s . T he y a re h a ndpic ked b y t hei r g u id a nc e c ou n selor to be a c ont r ibut i ng member of t he Spea k Up leader s h ip c om m it te e. T hes e tea m leader s have a k nac k for c reat i ng a n i m med iate c on ne c t ion w it h te en s f rom m a ny loc a l sc hool s .

Upon a r r i v a l at S eptember ’s ed it ion of Spea k Up, a l l t he st udent s were i m med iatel y d i re c ted i nto Ma lver n P rep’s t heat re bu i ld i ng , w here t he y were enc ou r aged to step out of t hei r c om for t z one a nd s it w it h st udent s f rom ot her sc hool s . A f ter t he i nt roduc t ion s were

c omplete d, t hos e i n at tend a nc e lea r ne d about t he or ig i n of Spea k Up f rom it s fou nder, M r s. Ma r t ie Gi l l i n . M r s. Gi l l i n’s e x per ienc es w it h her f a m i l y a nd her c h i ld ren le d her to est abl i s h Spea k Up a s a plac e w here te en s c ou ld c om mu n ic ate w it h t hei r pa rent s a nd t hei r pe er s. A f ter M r s. Gi l l i n’s i nt r ig u i ng a nd emot iona l t a le, e ver yone w a s spl it i nto g roups to d i s c u s s pos sible topic s for t h i s yea r ’s a n nua l Spea k Up brea kout e vent . S ome of t he topic s d i s c u s s e d i nc lude: S oc ia l Me d ia, S e x a nd P res su re, D r ug s a nd A lc ohol, a nd Com mu n ic at ion w it h Pa rent s. De spite f ierc e debate s about t he topic s at ha nd, it ende d a s it be g u n w it h a s t udent-le d pr ayer.

Spea k Up t r u l y w a s a c om for t able a nd peac ef u l w ay to dea l w it h te enage problem s. St udent s felt r ig ht at home i n t he open env i ron ment i n w h ic h Spea k Up w a s c onduc te d . Ever yone w a s reluc t a nt to leave, w it h so m a ny word s a nd idea s st i l l ha ng i ng on t hei r tong ue s. Howe ver, t he y w i l l

h ave to w a it for t he ne x t Spea k Up me et i ng i n Oc tober to f u r t her delve i nto t he problem s a l l te en s i ne v it abl y f ac e.

Spea k Up prov ides a fou nd at ion for a l i fet i me of posit ive c om mu n ic at ion . A l l De von P rep st udent s a re i nv ited a nd enc ou r aged to pa r t ic ipate i n t he Spea k Up Brea kout E x t r av aga n z a on Ja nu a r y 2 7, 201 5 at 6:30 pm . T he Spea k Up leader s h ip c om m it te e w i l l be e x pe c t i ng you !

One aspect of Devon Prep that makes it such a unique school is the academic achievement of its students, which is clearly personified through Devon’s Academic Challenge Team. This team of information hungry students is a manifestation of Devon’s intellectual power. The team has ambition and wits, both of which make it a formidable opponent in regional competitions. Mr. Mecouch, the activity’s proctor and head, alongside captains CJ Nave ’15, Soham Bharne ’15, and Josh Lieberman ’15, helps prepare these students at least three times per week to sharpen their memories and reflexes, seeing as buzzing in and answering is a task not only reliant on brain power but also on hand-eye coordination. The necessity of these skills is what prompts Devon to begin practicing early, during lunch and recreation periods throughout the week, with the intention of giving Devon an edge over other schools. Will this year’s Academic Challenge Team pull through and deliver on their positive prospects? Only time will tell, but rest assured that ACT will no doubt try its best to represent Devon as the academic powerhouse it is known to be.

The 2013-2014 school year was a great year in many regards. A long list of achievements and accolades can be tallied, among them a Baseball State Championship title. The charitable works of the Christian Action Program certainly reside atop that list. Each year it is truly remarkable the impact a relatively small group of students can have on our surrounding communities. Turkeys were donated, gifts were wrapped, sleepless hours ticked by, and peanut butter did in fact meet jelly. Through these well-known and loved events, CAP members made a difference. Whether it was opening a gift on Christmas morning or sharing a meal with loved ones on Thanksgiving, lives were changed. At this early point in the school year, Devonites have a chance to consider the question “How can we improve upon our charitable capacities?” Led by Presidents Pat Rohr ’15 and Andrew Kramer ’15, Devon Prep students will once again work tirelessly to make a difference. With the help of junior Vice Presidents Eddie McGinley ’16 and Keane White ’16, it will be a very successful year. Hopefully, throughout the 2014-2015 school year, the CAP leaders will continue to outdo themselves, just like they have in previous years.

No CAP on CharityAndrew Kramer ’15

The German Club kicked off a new school year with its annual election. The results were as follows: Jack Wagner ’17 won the presidency, August Piro ’16 became vice president, and Sean Fulmer ’16 was elected secretary. The German Club immediately began to plan its annual Oktoberfest. Oktoberfest occurs every year in early October and is eagerly anticipated by the student body. There is bratwurst and sauerkraut in abundance. Everyone can come out and enjoy some great food as well as a taste of German culture. The German Club is open to anyone interested. You do not even have to be taking German to join. The German club would also like to thank Mr. Steve Lukens for his great leadership and dedication. In the words of Vice President August Piro, “German Club is a great way to learn about the cultures of other countries. As vice president, I’d encourage anyone to come out and learn more about the wonderful German culture.” The German Club meets on Tuesdays immediately after school in Mr. Lukens’ room.

Sean Fulmer ’16

It’s All German to Me

5Dialogue SportsVictory for Varsity

Sam Young ‘15

T he end of su m mer mea n s t he st a r t of a ne w soc c er sea son. T h i s yea r ’s v a r sit y soc c er tea m ret u r n s w it h f ive sen ior s on t he squad. A nd re w Sha n non ’1 5 a nd Gabe Pa l la nte ’1 5 a re t he c apt a i n s of t he tea m . T he rest of t he sen ior s i nclude A nd rew K ra mer at m id f ield, Dave R a nda l l at defen se, a nd Sa m You ng i n goa l . T he ju n ior s a re wel l represented b y Ha r pre et C heem a, Ta n ner Dag get t , Tony Ga l lo, Mat t Kel l y, M i ke L ove, Gr a nt McK n ig ht , A nd re w Wel s h, a nd Kea ne W h ite. T he sophomores st a nd st rong w it h

W i l l son Ca mp, De von L aut , J i m my L of t u s, a nd Da n Sha n non. I n add it ion, D re w Ma s la n k a ’18 a nd Ty ler Wr ig ht ’18 t a ke on t hei r role s a s ne wc omer s a nd c omplete t he T ide’s roster for t h i s yea r.

T he season has sta r ted of f s low a nd stead y a s t he tea m prepa re s to r a mp t h i ng s up w it h s e ver a l leag ue g a me s approac h i ng. T he v a r sit y tea m s how s prom i s e a nd potent ia l a s t he player s c ont i nue to t wea k t hei r per for m a nc e for t he bet ter. Joh n Hood ha s a s su me d t he head c oac h i ng dut ie s due to Coac h Je w it t ’s f a m i l y c om m it ment s. T he J V head c oac h, T i m McNa l l y, i s s teppi ng up a nd f i l l i ng i n a s a v a r sit y a s si st a nt c oac h. T he tea m—a long w it h e ver yone at De von—w i s hes M r. Je w it t a nd h i s f a m i l y wel l . T he tea m look s to m a ke M r. Je w it t a nd a l l t he member s of t he De von c om mu n it y happ y b y re c reat i ng a not her g reat s ea son of v a r sit y soc c er !

O ver t he cou rse of t he su m mer, f ive Devon P rep st udent s pa r t ic ipated i n t he a n nua l B.E . L a x su m mer lacrosse leag ue. I n 201 3, Devon P rep a nd Delco Ch r ist ia n for med a combi ned tea m k now n as Tea m 21. However, t h is su m mer, Met hac ton joi ned t he m i x . T he leag ue lasted f rom Ju ne 18 t h roug h Aug ust 7. Su m mer leag ue is a f u n way to keep one’s sk i l ls sha r p i n t he su m mer, wh i le a lso encou rag i ng t he adopt ion of new posit ions. Ta k i ng r isk s t hat a player nor ma l ly wou ld not ta ke is a lso a component of t he su m mer season. T he tea m played aga i nst Spr i ng ford, Boyer tow n, Pope Joh n Pau l I I, a nd Da n iel Boone h ig h schools. Of ten h i ndered by lack of at tenda nce, t he Tea m 21/Met hac ton tea m was able to f ig ht for a 4-4 record u nder t he leadersh ip of coach Ma rk Consolo. Tea m 21 look s for wa rd to a not her g reat su m mer lacrosse season nex t yea r.

ReLAXing in SummerAnthony Walker ’16

Under t he g u ida nc e of head c oac h T i m McNa l l y, t he J V S oc c er tea m i s of f to a n e x c el lent s t a r t . W it h ke y v ic tor ies over Fa it h C h r i st ia n Ac ademy, Ac ademy of t he Ne w C hu rc h, a nd Delaw a re Cou nt y C h r i st ia n S c hool, t he rem a i nder of t he 201 4 sea son appea r s br ig ht . T he J V tea m ha s held t he opposit ion sc oreles s i n t wo w i n s t h i s yea r t ha n k s to stel la r per for m a nc es f rom goa l ke eper A nd re w Bet t s ’16 a nd t he or ga n i z ed defen se i n f ront of h i m . T he tea m a l so boa st s a potent of fen sive t h reat spea rheaded b y ne wc omer AJ Ga rd i ner ’18. Co-c apt a i n E dd ie Mc Gi n le y ’16, w ho c er t a i n l y fe el s t h at t h i s yea r w i l l c ont i nue st rong l y, s ay s, “T he tea m i s f i l led w it h sol id player s w ho have load s of t a lent a nd potent ia l . I rea l l y t h i n k we c a n suc c e ed t h i s sea son .”

Goal-OrientedGrant McKnight ’16

It is a new school year and a new season for Devon Prep’s Cross Country team. Training nonstop since mid-summer, the runners have been hard at work for some time. Of course, their training has been augmented by the expertise and guidance of head coach Paul Sanborn ’64 and assistant coach David Evans ’08. With the aid of these two coaches, our runners have gotten faster, stronger, and broken barrier after barrier.

From the trails of Wilson Farm Park to the roads of Devon, our runners have been working hard, running far, and seeing the sights. These Devonites have braved heat, hills, and intimidating talks by Mr. Sanborn and Mr. Evans. The team has run time trials on Radnor Trail, a converted railroad track, has jogged through the rolling hills of Valley Forge National Park, and has traveled almost every road within three miles of Devon Prep.

Aside from training, the team has competed in several meets, invitationals,

and scrimmages. Most recently, on September 30, the team raced at Rose Tree Park. On this hilly course in the bright sun, the Devon runners faced off against schools such as New Hope, Church Farm School, and Valley Forge Military Academy. Leading the team was one of the captains of the team, senior Lucas Watson ’15, with a second place finish. The other captains are James Enderle ’15, Daniel Azarian ’15, and Andrew Stauffer ’15.

The Devon Prep Cross Country team has been and is still running hard and pushing onward to the finish line. Its members have all been persevering, improving, and growing. They have been pushed by Mr. Sanborn and Mr. Evans to be the very best they can. Cross Country is a tough sport. It just is. Nonetheless, our runners have accepted that fact and thrived. Even though the season is nearly over, the Devon Prep “Cross Country-men” are still working as hard as ever.

Out Running the FlashMichael Nicolas ’16

This fall, the varsity golf team has shown a strong sense of spirit and determination on the golf course. Under the superb guidance of coach Frank Casey, the team has improved its performance in each individual match as well as the skills of each player. Whether it be a practice or a match,

the team has continued to rise to the occasion. Significant improvement in scores can be seen across the board. Eric DiPietro ’15 and Bryan Donato ’18 have both made it to districts and Eric set the school record for the lowest score during a match with a 32. In a recent interview, Dan McCallister ’15

was quoted as saying, “If I had to pick what defines the team, I would say it would be our strong work ethic and that we’re all having fun out there. I think if you can have fun in the match, and as a byproduct play your game well, then that’s a beautiful thing.”

Blue and Gold Succeed on the GreenDan Crowe ’15

The soccer team in a last-minute huddle

6

De von D ia log ue: Obv iou s l y you a re ne w here at De von, but how long h ave you be en work i ng a s a n educ ator?

M r s. Ta r a McKen na : Ten yea r s.DD: W h at k i nd s of c ou r ses have

you t aug ht over t hose ten yea r s?T M: I’ve t aug ht a ton of d i f ferent

t h i ng s. It ’s most l y be en m at h a nd s c ienc e, w h ic h i s w hat I teac h here, but I’ve t aug ht some pret t y neat c la s ses on t y pi ng a nd ele c t r ic it y.

DD: W here d id you go to c ol lege?T M: I went to V i l la nov a .DD: A lot of s t udent s r ig ht now

a re wor r ied about c ol lege a nd t hei r f ut u res. Wou ld you s ay t hat you r educ at ion at V i l la nov a prepa red you wel l for a c a re er a s a n e duc ator?

T M: Yes, I t houg ht it w a s a g reat s c hool . I got my m a ster ’s t here a nd I t houg ht it prepa red me e x t remel y wel l . But u lt i m atel y ha nd s-on e x per ienc e i s t he best teac her.

DD: W h at have you lea r ned f rom s w itc h i ng per spe c t ives? W hat do you t r y a nd ke ep i n m i nd a s a teac her, t h i n k i ng bac k to you r ow n d ay s a s a s t udent?

T M: W hat I a l w ay s t r y to remember i s t hat my c la s s i sn’t t he on l y c la s s. It ’s i mpor t a nt to ke ep i n m i nd a s a teac her t hat you r k id s have lot s of ot her work for lot s of ot her subje c t s, a nd t hat you r pa r t ic u la r c la s s m ig ht not be t he most i mpor t a nt to t hem . T hat ’s w hat I a l w ay s w i s he d my teac her s wou ld c on sider bac k w hen I w a s a s t udent , a nd now t hat I’m a teac her I a l w ay s ke ep t hat i n m i nd.

DD: I u nder st a nd t hat you have t wo you ng c h i ld ren. W hat i s i t l i ke ba la nc i ng a c a re er a s a f u l l t i me teac her w it h t he st re s s e s of mot herhood?

T M: It c a n be a l i t t le t i r i ng. But I love w hat I do a s a teac her a nd I love spend i ng t i me w it h my k id s, so my day i s u sua l l y f i l le d w it h ac t iv it ie s I enjoy. You ju st have to rol l w it h t he pu nc he s.

DD: W hat a re you r f i r st i mpre s sion s of De von a s a br a nd ne w member of t he f ac u lt y ?

T M: I’ve be en plea s a nt l y su r pr i s e d w it h how f r iend l y e ver yone i s to tel l you t he t r ut h. I w a sn’t e x pe c t i ng e ver yone to

be so welc om i ng. T he teac her s, s t udent s, a nd pa rent s h ave a l l be en g reat .

DD: Do you h ave a ny pa s sion s or hobbies out side of teac h i ng?

T M: Wel l I’m rea l l y pa s sionate about f i ref ig ht i ng ac t u a l l y. My f a m i l y h a s a l w ay s be en f u l l of f i remen . I ac t u a l l y ju st at tended a f i remen’s c onvent ion i n W i ld wood, N J t h i s mont h . But I a m a l so a big spor t s f a n .

DD: Fi ref ig ht i ng i s a ver y ad m i r able t h i ng to be pa s sion ate about . W h at a re you r f avor ite spor t s tea m s?

T M: I love t he Ne w York Met s a nd t he Gre en Bay Pac ker s. But I a l so l i ke t he E ag les.

DD: W h at ad v ic e do you have for t he st udent s here at De von P rep?

T M: St ud y, s t ud y, s t ud y ! But it ’s i mpor t a nt not to s t res s. I f you st res s a nd get ner vou s a nd t h i n k you’re goi ng to f a i l , you’re more l i kel y to. It ’s so i mpor t a nt to ke ep a posit ive at t it ude. I f you t h i n k you’re goi ng to do wel l t hen you w i l l .

De von D ia log ue: Bei ng a teac her w a s not you r f i r st c a re er c hoic e. W hat w a s you r c a re er before you be c a me a teac her?

M r. G eor ge Sheeha n: I pr ac t ic e d law for over t went y yea r s, pr i m a r i l y c ou r t room a nd c iv i l law.

DD: W h at m ade you w a nt to s w itc h c a re er s?

GS: I enjoyed t he pr ac t ic e of law for a long t i me. A nd t hen, I d id n’t . T he bu si nes s c ha nged, t he profes sion c ha nged, a nd it no longer prov ided me t he emot iona l s at i s f ac t ion t hat it had. I enjoye d bei ng i n a cou r t room t remendously, but a s oppor t u n it ies to be i n a c ou r t room be c a me les s a nd les s, I spent more t i mes s it t i ng beh i nd a de s k — t a l k i ng on t he phone a nd ne got iat i ng. Paper work w a s not t he rea son I be c a me a law yer i n t he f i r st plac e.

DD: W h at spa rked you r i ntere st i n E ng l i s h?

GS: I w a nted to be a n E ng l i s h teac her s i nc e t he t i me I w a s i n h ig h sc hool . I suppose my g reat i ntere st

i s t hat it i s a ver y ac c e s sible avenue i nto how pe ople t houg ht a nd felt i n t he pa st — a l it t le more ac c e s sible t ha n h i stor y be c au s e pe ople re vea l how t he y fe el a nd how t he y t h i n k best t h roug h stor ies. T he y a l w ay s have, for t hou s a nd s of yea r s, a nd E ng l i s h prov ide s you w it h t he oppor t u n it y to read t hose stor ie s a nd to lea r n f rom t hem, a nd to s e e how, despite a n aw f u l lot of c ha nges a nd a n aw f u l lot of prog re s s, a s m a n ha s e volve d, t here a re some t h i ng s t hat m a n st i l l w re st le s w it h, t hat he ha s w rest le d w it h s i nc e t he ea rl iest day s of w r it i ng.

DD: W here d id you get you r deg re e f rom?

GS: I got my u nder g r aduate de g re e a nd my law de g re e f rom V i l la nov a .

DD: W hen you a ren’t read i ng or w r it i ng , w hat a re you doi ng i n you r f re e t i me?

GS: I c ou ld tel l you w hat I wou ld l i ke to be able to do. I’d love to have more oppor t u n it ie s to w r ite,

w h ic h perh aps I w i l l have i n t he nea r f ut u re, but it i s ver y d i f f ic u lt bei ng a teac her to h ave a g reat dea l of e x t r a t i me. Be c au se, to do it r ig ht , i t t a kes a lot of t i me — prepa r i ng , g r ad i ng paper s—but most l y to prov ide you r st udent s w it h t he best , a nd t h at t a kes a s muc h t i me a s get t i ng read y for a t r ia l .

DD: How long h ave you be en teac h i ng for?

GS: E le ven yea r s. T h i s w i l l be my t wel f t h yea r.

DD: Is t here a ny t h i ng el se you wou ld l i ke to add?

GS: It ’s wonder f u l to be at De von . I have been welc omed b y e ver y bod y i n t he De von c om mu n it y i n a n e x t remel y w a r m w ay a nd I look for w a rd to g row i ng old here, i f I h ave t he oppor t u n it y. S o, i t h a s be en a wonder f u l c h a nge for me a nd h a s breat hed ne w l i fe a nd ne w ener g y i nto my t i red bones, w h ic h i s g reat .

Dialogue ProfilesIn the following profiles, the Devon Dialogue interviews the two newest members of the Devon Prep community: Mr. George Sheehan and Mrs. Tara

McKenna. Mr. Sheehan teaches tenth grade English, AP Language and Composition, and AP Literature and Composition, and Mrs. McKenna teaches ninth grade Geometry, eleventh grade Precalculus, eleventh grade Physics, AP Statistics, and AP Physics Labs.

Out of the Courtroom and Into the ClassroomPat Blumenthal ‘15, Digital Editor

Out of the Fire and Into the Frying Pan

Michael Knudson ’15, Co-Deputy Editor-in-Chief

7Dialogue EditorialsMock Trials and Real Results

Michael Knudson ’15, Co-Deputy Editor-in-ChiefT he A mer ic a n lega l s y stem i s a

c omple x one. It i s u n i m ag i nabl y i nt r ic ate a nd it s subt let ies of ten e sc ape e ven t he most sea soned law yer s. To suc c e ed a s a c ou r t room at tor ne y, one mu st have a f i r m g r a sp of t hese i nt r ic ac ies. Ru les of e v idenc e mu st be memor i z e d, le g a l pre c edent mu st be ver i f ie d, a nd t he c a se it sel f mu st be a na l y z ed. But k now ledge a lone i sn’t enoug h to suc c e ed, not b y a long s hot . Add to t hat k now ledge a l it t le poi se, a lot of c on f idenc e, a nd some wel l c r a f ted ac t i ng a nd t hen, a nd on l y t hen, w i l l you have a suc c es sf u l law yer. T hese s k i l l s a re e x ac t l y t hose t hat a re i mpa r ted t h roug h pa r t ic ipat ion i n h ig h s c hool moc k t r ia l - s k i l l s neede d not on l y to be c ome suc c es sf u l i n t he lega l f ield, but s k i l l s t hat c a n be t r a n s lated a nd appl ied to v i r t ua l l y a ny c a reer.

“Moc k Tr ia l” m ay sou nd l i ke a d au nt i ng ac t i v it y to t he v i r g i n ea r, a nd to some deg re e it i s , yet it c a n be broken dow n a nd e x pla i ned qu ite s i mpl y. It i s e x ac t l y w hat it c la i m s to be: a “moc k t r ia l .” Tea m s c on si st of t h ree at tor ne y s a nd t h re e w it nes ses w ho a re g iven a pre w r it ten, f ic t iona l c a se a nd a s ke d to a r g ue for a pa r t ic u la r s ide. T he y mu st prepa re t h i s a r g u ment a nd present it i n t he for m of a t r ia l . T he t r ia l i t sel f fol low s t he s a me for m at a s t hat of one you m ig ht se e at you r loc a l c ou r t hou se. T he t wo s ides beg i n b y del iver i ng open i ng st atement s to t he ju r y, prov id i ng a br ief over v ie w of t he a r g u ment s t he y w i l l be present i ng. T hen, w it nes ses a re c a l le d to t he st a nd. E ac h w it nes s i s subjec t to t wo “e x a m i nat ion s”: a d i re c t e x a m i nat ion a nd a c ros s e x a m i nat ion. T he d i re c t e x a m i nat ion i s t he w it nes s’s c ha nc e to tel l h i s or her s tor y. T he quest ion s a re a sked by a suppor t i ng at tor ne y a nd a re st r uc t u red to bol ster t h at at tor ne y ’s s ide of t he c a se. T h i s na r r at ive d i re c t e x a m i nat ion i s fol lowed b y a n of ten t i mes g r uel i ng c ros s e x a m i nat ion. T he “c ros s” i s a c ha nc e for t he opposi ng at tor ne y to u nder m i ne t he w it nes s’s c red ibi l it y, a nd m a ke h i s/ her na r r at ive le s s bel ie v able. It i s du r i ng t h i s pa r t of t he quest ion i ng t hat you w i l l hea r t he d r a m at ic , c ont rover sia l que st ion s so c ha r ac ter i st ic of L aw & Ord er. Fol low i ng t he d i re c t a nd

c ros s e x a m i nat ion s, at tor ne y s a re per m it te d to del iver c losi ng a r g u ment s. T h i s i s a n oppor t u n it y to t a ke a l l of t he i n for m at ion t hat w a s re vea le d t h roug h que st ion i ng , eloquent l y c on sol idate it , a nd del iver it to t he ju r y i n t he for m of a c onc i se su m m at ion of you r a r g u ment .

W h i le t h i s i s on l y a br ief over v ie w of t he proc e e d i ng s, t he w hole pic t u re of moc k t r ia l i s u n i m ag i nabl y more c omple x . Mont h s of c a ref u l prepa r at ion go i nto c a ref u l l y c r a f t i ng eac h a spe c t of t he c a s e to most ef fe c t ivel y a r t ic u late a pa r t ic u la r s t a nc e. E ac h que st ion a s ke d of a w it ne s s i s wel l t houg ht out , a f i t te d pie c e i n t he pu z z le of t he c a se. Ever y ha nd ge st u re a nd i n f le x ion of t he voic e i s pre c i s el y t i me d to eng age t he ju r y ’s at tent ion. Ever y s i ng le det a i l of t he c a se i s a na l y z e d, e v a luate d, a nd u s e d to be st ef fe c t . At lea st t hat ’s how it work s at De von. It re qu i re s a la r ge a mou nt of t i me a nd a n a r g uabl y la r ger a mou nt of ef for t , a nd t h i s of ten d i s c ou r ages i ntere ste d st udent s. But t he work i s u nden iabl y over s hadowe d b y t he re w a rd s.

Moc k t r ia l , pa r t ic u la rl y De von P rep moc k t r ia l , ha s a nu mber of benef it s t hat m a ke it wor t h a l l t he t i me a nd st re s s. T he nu mber-one fea r A mer ic a n s have i s t he fea r of spea k i ng publ ic l y. T h i s e x c e e d s t hei r fea r of ter ror i st s , i n s e c t s, deat h, or a ny t h i ng el s e. Moc k t r ia l i s a n ac t iv it y t hat , i f i t does not c ompletel y el i m i nate it , w i l l at lea st a l le v iate t hat fea r. Del iver i ng eloquent spe e c he s, a s k i ng que st ion s, a nd re c it i ng le g a l def i n it ion s i n f ront of a g roup of s t r a nger s i s a t r u l y ef fe c t ive w ay to i mprove one’s publ ic spea k i ng abi l it y. W it h some proper c oac h i ng a nd a lot of pr ac t ic e, a l l pa r t ic ipa nt s i n moc k t r ia l e vent ua l l y reac h a st age of s el f-c on f idenc e t hat a l low s t hem to a r t ic u latel y e x pre s s t hem s elves. T h i s i s a n i nv a luable s k i l l t hat c a n be appl ie d to a ny d i s c ipl i ne. Doc tor s, bu si ne s smen, rea ltor s, a nd e ven c ler g y men ne e d to be able to ef fe c t ivel y a r t ic u late t hei r bel ief s a nd posit ion s i n order to suc c e e d, a nd t h i s abi l it y i s lea r ne d, s t reng t hene d, a nd pol i s he d t h roug h moc k t r ia l . Add it iona l l y, t h i s ac t iv it y c a n be a me d iu m for c r it ic a l t h i n k i ng a nd a na l y si s .

T here a re t wo m a i n element s to t he moc k t r ia l c ompet it ion : t he per for m a nc e (w h ic h prov ides t he spea k i ng s k i l l s a nd c on f idenc e ment ioned above) a nd t he prepa r at ion . T he prepa r at ion of a moc k t r ia l c a se, espe c ia l l y at De von P rep, prov ides suc h a w ide r a nge of f a r reac h i ng , i ntel lec t u a l , a nd appl ic able ad v a nt ages t h at it wou ld be a l most i mpos sible to c over t hem a l l i n a s i ng le a r t ic le. I nten sel y e v a lu at i ng page a f ter page of w it nes s st atement s, e x h ibit s , a nd st ipu lat ion s teac hes a member of t he moc k t r ia l tea m to read w it h a c r it ic a l e ye. O ne se em i ng l y i n sig n i f ic a nt det a i l c ou ld m a ke or brea k a n ent i re c a se, so t he i mpor t a nc e of t horoug h a nd a n a l y t ic a l e v a lu at ion i s s t res sed a nd i mpa r ted w it h g reat d i l igenc e. T h i s s k i l l , aga i n, c a n be appl ied to v i r t u a l l y a ny d i sc ipl i ne, w het her t he m ater ia l t a ke t he for m of a sc ient i f ic paper, a bu si nes s repor t , or a ne w spaper a r t ic le. P repa r at ion for a moc k t r ia l a l so c onve y s a hol i st ic s t y le of t h i n k i ng. I n order to for mu late a suc c es sf u l c a se t he or y, a l l a spe c t s of t he c a se mu st be t a ken i nto c on sider at ion at a l l t i mes. E ac h i nd iv idu a l ad v a nc ement, eac h ne w idea or per spe c t ive, mu st ke ep i n m i nd t he g r a nder pic t u re of t he c a se a s a w hole. It i s too ea s y somet i mes to get c aug ht i n t he t r ap of m i nut ia . A hol i st ic s t y le of t h i n k i ng , a c on sider at ion for somet h i ng la r ger t h a n t he i m med iate i s ju st a not her of t he m a ny a nd v a r ied benef it s of moc k t r ia l .

Ta ke some t i me to ref le c t on w h at you hopef u l l y re c og n i z e now a s a n i ndubit abl y ad v a nt age ou s ac t iv it y. I n w h at ot her c lub c a n you lea r n t he i n s a nd out s of one of t he most h i stor ic a l l y s t able a nd i n f i n it ivel y i nt r ic ate lega l s y stem s i n t he world? I n w h at ot her ac t iv it y c a n you su r mou nt hu m a n it y ’s g reatest fea r w h i le s i mu lt a ne ou s l y aug ment i ng you r c on f idenc e? W h at ot her e x t r ac u r r ic u la r add s to you r a r sen a l t he s k i l l s of publ ic spea k i ng , c r it ic a l a n a l y si s , hol i st ic t h i n k i ng , a nd tea mwork i n a n i ntel le c t ua l l y s t i mu lat i ng a nd d iver t i ng m a n ner? Moc k t r ia l i s a de c ided l y u n ique e x per ienc e a nd a n e x per ienc e t h at c a n a nd s hou ld be pu r sued at De von P rep.

8 Long Live RockCJ Nave ’15, Editor-in-Chief

Editorial Board

Editor-in-Chief: CJ Nave ’15Co-Deputy Editors-in-Chief: Rieve Bule ’15 and Michael Knudson ’15Digital Editor: Patrick Blumenthal ’15Photography Editor: Andrew Loper ’15Faculty Moderator: Mr. Lawrence Theuer

Associate Editor for Entertainment: Graham Alabdulla ’15Associate Editor for News: Soham Bharne ’15 Associate Editor for Editorials: Josh Lieberman ’15 All photos, unless otherwise noted, were taken by newspaper staff or Ms. Rose Lombardo, for Devon Preparatory School.Special thanks to Fr. Shea for his tireless assistance and guidance.

© 2014 Devon Prep

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Summer is supposed to be a time for relaxation and fun. Going down to 40th Street in Ocean City, New Jersey was both of those things. Lying on the beach for five hours, playing washers and bocce in the sand, and getting Manco and Manco’s pizza and Aunt Betty’s ice cream is practically my dream day. However, this summer, I experienced something more fun and, at times, more stressful than I ever have before: going on tour to play music.

I first went on tour with a group from the Main Line School of Rock known as the Delta Squad. This is a collection of the best students from that school. The itinerary included stops in Cleveland, Chicago, and Milwaukee. But first, an eight-hour bus ride to Cleveland was required, and due to a magnificent tour bus breakdown in exotic Canfield, Ohio, that ride stretched out to twelve-hours. However, as a severe thunderstorm rolled through with the band on the side of a highway in a sweaty, gross bus, everyone realized that this was the true meaning of rock-and-roll. Well, not really. After finally getting to our hotel in Cleveland, we spent the night and woke up the next morning ready to go. That day, we went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and performed right in the main lobby, a venue played by countless rock legends. We were able to walk around for a few hours beforehand, and seeing all the rock history in that museum was something truly special. The gig had four bands alternating sets: Cleveland School of Rock, Toronto School of Rock, Fort Washington School of Rock, and of course, Main Line School of Rock, right down the road from Devon Prep. After this gig and yet another rainstorm in the city of Cleveland, we returned to the hotel to get some rest. The next day, we were off to Chicago. The band played two shows in the Windy City. The first show took place at another School of Rock, namely the new Oak Park location. Main Line, along with Fort Washington, Oak Park, and Chicago, gave a great show to all those in attendance. The following day, we played at a very nice venue called Lincoln Hall. We were able to walk around in the city before the gig, and all of us were able to absorb the beauty of the city of Chicago. The Lincoln Hall show turned out to be a show with about twenty other School of Rock house bands, so one can only imagine how long and how loud that performance was. That being said, hearing Rage Against the Machine and seeing the crowd’s reaction was simply great. After the Chicago stop, it was time for our final destination: Milwaukee. The first show in Milwaukee was at an outside venue directly adjacent to a bar and brewing company. That show was quite possibly the loudest performance ever put on by humans, on record. Even Father Shea would not have been able to measure how many decibels of sound were created with the intensity formula because the numbers would be so huge. After that destruction of everyone’s ears, the next two days were what we had been waiting for. We were competing with over fifty other house bands in the GEMBA competition at Summerfest, the world’s largest music festival. We had the privilege of playing for judges including Jimmy Chamberlain, the drummer for the Smashing Pumpkins, Earl Slick, the guitarist for David Bowie, James Williamson, a member of the Stooges, Damon Ranger, an Emmy-award winning composer, and many, many more. We also played at the same festival as Dave Matthews, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Outkast, Luke Bryan, Usher, Arctic Monkeys, and just about every other well known living musician. It was an absolutely tremendous experience, meeting fellow School of Rock members and legendary musicians (getting a selfie with Earl Slick was unreal to me) and getting to play with some of my best friends. We eventually

made it to the finals of the GEMBA competition and came very close to winning. After GEMBA, it was time to head home with a stop in Sandusky, Ohio to stay at the Great Wolf Lodge. Our third tour bus, however, had other ideas, and decided to break down in the middle of Indiana. Despite this, all was good, because it broke down right near a rest-stop with a Starbucks in it. After almost five hours of waiting, we were on the road again. Finally, after logging what felt like 10,000 hours on the bus, we arrived home after one of the best weeks of my life. That was only half of my touring last summer.

The rest of the time I spent touring was with the School of Rock Allstar program, an audition-based program that accepts the top 2.5% students of all Schools of Rock internationally. Amazingly enough, and as a testament to the level of the Main Line School of Rock, six Allstars were chosen from my school, including myself. The first three days were, in a word, brutal. Each day was filled with hours and hours of rehearsals and tens of thousands of water bottles. Seemingly, every meal we had was pizza, which I was thrilled with, frankly. After rehearsals, we played our first gig at the World Café Live in Philadelphia with the Main Line Delta Squad and one other house band. It was an unbelievably fun experience, because both the Allstars team and our house band were fantastic. It was a blast playing with new friends and old. After this show, we went back to our hotel and all hung out and got to know each other just a bit more. There were kids from Downingtown, Fort Washington, Philadelphia, Princeton, Long Island, and Baltimore, and each and every one of them was a great person and a great musician. Following our concert in Philly, we played a very relaxed show on the Wildwood Boardwalk and went on the greatest wooden rollercoaster known to man. The next day was a long one, just like every other day. We played a show at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, and by the time the five hour show was over, people were falling asleep while carrying the gear out to load up the bus. Our last stop was a three day stay at Gathering of the Vibes in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where I was honored to play saxophone with the horn players from jam band Deep Banana Blackout. Gathering of the Vibes was such a great experience and it really did live up to its name(with a very interesting smell, I might add). John Fogerty, Widespread Panic, and just about every Grateful Dead cover band in existence played at Vibes, and by the time it was over, everyone was heartbroken. Everyone on our team had become such good friends in such a short amount of time, but it was time to go. After two week-long tours of playing music with great people, I can unequivocally say that without music, life would be far less interesting, emotional, and fun. Music makes life worth living.