Faculty Spotlight .............p. 2

Student Spotlight ............p. 2

SAT/ACT Scores ..............p. 2

Developing Leaders ........p. 3

Student Essay ...................p. 3

Applied Science ...............p. 3

Admissions Events ..........p. 4

Student Life ......................p. 4

In This Issue

Winter 2010 K-12, College Preparatory Private School, Dublin, CA www.QuarryLane.org

“The teachers and administrators are [our students’] second moms and dads. They want the best for them, like we do.” I couldn’t agree more.

I personally strive to offer our students the best curriculum, programs and administrative team, but it’s truly our faculty that brings the concepts to life. The passion of our teachers is the fuel that powers our mission “to create an atmosphere that inspires a lifelong love of learning so that each student can reach his or her fullest potential—emotionally, socially, academically, and physically—in order to assume responsibility as a future citizen of the world.”

QLS AlumniUniversity Acceptances

The list below is a compilation of some of the nation’s top schools. It also contains some of the universities where Quarry Lane alumni have been accepted.

Carnegie Mellon University Columbia UniversityCornell UniversityDartmouth CollegeSt. Mary’s CollegeHarvard University Johns Hopkins UniversityLoyola Marymount UniversityMITNew York UniversityNortheastern UniversityNorthwestern UniversityRice UniversityUC BerkeleyUC Los Angeles UC San DiegoUSCUniversity of the PacificVanderbilt University

PassIonaTe Teachers InsPIre PassIonaTe sTudenTs

Rise of the R O B O T S

A Touch of Technology

Christopher Hair- Senior

as part of the applied science II class, Quarry Lane senior christopher hair set out to

research and build a touch screen computer display. hair demonstrated his working prototype to impressed Quarry Lane staff members in February. After the demonstration, hair sat down to answer some questions about his project.

SLATE: Your applied science II project involves a table-top touch screen computer…can you help me with the technical name?

Hair: It’s called a frustrated total internal reflection multi-touch display.

SLATE: For those of us who are a little more technically-challenged, what does that mean?

Hair: Well, think of a giant iPhone screen built in to the surface of a desk or table.

SLATE: Why did you want to investigate this type of technology?

Hair: I wanted to explore the idea of human-computer interaction and I thought this project would be cool.

SLATE: so you developed the programming and the hardware?

Hair: Well, I customized some existing programs to fit my needs. I did write two applications on my own that interpret gestures and touches. I also worked with a number of open source programs that analyze data to track finger position.

SLATE: Impressive! What about the hardware?

Hair: All of the materials were common and readily available. I used Plexiglas and infrared LED lights that shine through the glass to illuminate the fingers, which can be tracked by the camera.

SLATE: Was anyone instrumental in helping you through this process?

Hair: Dr. Taylor and Dr. Mizusawa were my mentors and they helped me trouble-shoot some of the initial problems. Dr. Arac sponsored the project so I’m very thankful to him. My family members also served as extra hands during the construction phase.

SLATE: so, was the model that the teachers saw this week a completed version?

Hair: It’s more of a working prototype. I’m still working on developing more sophisticated

software for future applications.SLATE: What are a few of the applications

you envision for this technology?Hair: The possibilities are extensive, but I see

it being particularly useful in the realm of education. I envision a classroom full of desks that have built-in computer displays with applications that enable students to record lectures, take notes, interact with the instructor and classmates, browse the internet for further research and refer to a dictionary. It could also be very useful in the growing area of distance learning.

For a middle school student, the only thing more cool than building and programming your own robot

is getting credit for it at school. That’s exactly what students at Quarry Lane have the opportunity to do.

In grades 6 and 7, robotics students learn a fairly straight forward, graphical programming language to command robots to do simple tasks. students are also responsible for the actual hardware construction of the robots and installation of sensors, which interact with the robot’s environment through sound, light or movement. The concepts covered in robotics are accessible to all types of students—tech savvy or not. robotics teacher Jon emrich said, “It’s great to see students who don’t consider themselves strong in math and science become interested in robotics. The class helps students get outside of their comfort zone and stop limiting themselves.”

In grade 8, students can continue

their study of robotics at a slightly more advanced level. students learn a version of the c programming language to perform more sophisticated commands with their robots. a team from Quarry Lane competed in the FIrsT Tech challenge robotics competition where the object is to earn points by getting plastic balls of various colors in different goals. Mr. emrich believes that robotics has a very broad application. he said, “I use robotics to teach teamwork, leadership and oral and written presentations—skills that every student can benefit from in the future.”

If a student has excelled in both levels of middle school robotics, they may be a

several teachers have pooled their combined science experience to mentor one of Quarry Lane’s most promising young inventors. one teacher has accompanied a group of her students on a visit to a college that specializes in her subject area. Another teacher sacrificed a weekend to escort a team of students to the 2010 science Bowl competition at Las Positas College. To offer the best possible guidance, our college counselor has become an expert on each of our graduating senior’s strengths and interests. other teachers have helped guide students through national essay contests and robotics competitions.

The extra investment that our educators make on a daily basis does not go unnoticed by the parents. one upper school parent echoed my personal sentiments when she said, “The teachers at Quarry Lane truly care about the success of each individual child.” a lower school parent said it this way,

perfect candidate for one of the advanced computer science classes that is offered at Quarry Lane. “It’s important to introduce the middle school students to robotics regardless of their skill level. It’s equally important to provide a place to challenge those students who are particularly advanced. For those students, we offer advanced Placement (aP) computer science in high school,” said Mr. emrich. aP computer science is part of the science, engineering and Technology Track, a uniquely crafted course of study for students who are interested in math and science and wish to pursue future careers in technology.

Alison Bryski - 8th Grade

Get to know our inspirational instructors!

sincerely,

Sabri Arac, Ph.D.headmaster

There are many aspects that set apart Quarry Lane from other schools. our small class sizes,

rigorous academic standards and family atmosphere are a few that immediately come to mind. however, one of our greatest strengths is the staff’s willingness to go the extra mile for the sake of our students. I never cease to be impressed with the level to which our teachers go “above and beyond.” The passion that each educator has for his or her students is evident in every classroom. Our staff members are constantly giving their extra time to help students succeed.

In January, Quarry Lane launched the “have a heart, help haiti” initiative to help those affected by

the recent earthquake in haiti. Many students described the devastation as “overwhelming” to witness on television and immediately wanted to do something to help. In her leadership class, Mrs. Paz-rumore discussed the

Faculty Spotlight

Student Spotlight

dr. david Montgomery is a true renaissance Man. The st. Louis native has traveled to nearly

twenty countries and teaches english, economics, united states history, european history, World history and Theory of Knowledge (ToK).

dr. Montgomery’s higher education journey began at stanford, where he studied english and russian. dr. Montgomery said, “I’ve always been interested in politics and history, so the cold War fascinated me. russia seemed rather exotic and fascinating.” he eventually earned his doctorate in slavic languages and russian Literature at Berkeley. his graduate work included extensive study and travel in the former soviet union including research in the literary archives in Moscow and st. Petersburg. he said, “Travel in russia is always interesting but I was fortunate enough to be there during some very interesting times, such as the last days of communism in 1991. one day, I worked in the archives and held a note from Leo Tolstoy in my own hands; the same afternoon I was in a pro-democracy demonstration in the middle of Moscow. on other occasions, I got to visit places such as Tashkent and samarkand, so I feel very fortunate.”

This year, he is teaching the inaugural semester of ToK, a course that challenges students to consider

David Montgomery, Ph.D.Upper School Humanities Teacher

Close Up

dawn Brown, who teaches fifth grade, originally joined Quarry Lane as the lower school

computer teacher when her husband was relocated to the Bay area from Massachusetts. This year, she joined Mrs. Liebman to create a dynamic duo of fifth grade teachers! Mrs. Brown holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a concentration in elementary education from Brandeis university

Dawn Brown Fifth Grade Teacher

The Heart of Quarry Lane

how different disciplines formulate questions and knowledge, and to reflect on how we know what we know. “From a high school perspective, Theory of Knowledge is really a unique course. It challenges students to make comparisons across disciplines, to learn about how they construct arguments, pose important questions and try to fashion answers. That’s powerful training of a type one usually doesn’t encounter until late in college, or graduate school.”

When dr. Montgomery isn’t teaching, he has fun with his 3-year-old William, who has eclectic tastes in music. “My son enjoys everything from sesame street to The rolling stones, The Who and Bob dylan, so we have lots of fun with that.”

arnosh Keswani joined The Quarry Lane school for his freshman year of high school

and is having a great time. When asked what he has enjoyed so far about his first year at Quarry Lane, Keswani replied, “I really like having small class sizes and the teachers are like family. Quarry Lane is a great learning environment!” he went on to say, “at Quarry Lane, if a student is interested in something, they are free to pursue their goals.” That begs the question: what is arnosh Keswani interested in? “I love

learning about politics and the political process. My dream is to attend USC for my undergraduate studies, then go to the Kennedy school of Government at harvard and eventually become a california senator or president of the united states.” considering these aspirations, Keswani’s role as freshman class president is a great way to begin his political career.

Besides being a great student, Keswani, who was born in Pasadena and now lives in san ramon, is an avid golfer and sports fan. “Golf teaches

you important life lessons like honesty, perseverance and determination. Aside from golf, I pretty much love to watch every sport…except figure skating.” When he’s not studying or golfing, Keswani likes to read historical non-fiction and books by his favorite author Malcolm Gladwell. “right now I’m reading American Lion by Jon Meacham. It’s about the life and presidency of andrew Jackson. I’m really enjoying it. I’ll definitely take a few tips from his administration.”

Arnosh Keswani

Taylor Sowers Taylor sowers is in Mrs. Blaney’s

fourth grade class and has attended Quarry Lane since preschool. sowers’ sister Lauren also attends Quarry Lane. When asked about sowers, Lower school director Gabrielle denton said, “Taylor is the epitome of a well-

her personal favorite, swimming. as if that wasn’t enough, sowers is learning to speak Italian and play piano. Through her Girl scout troop—of which she’s been a member for 3 years—she has participated in numerous community events. over the summer, sowers performed in Honk at The Pleasanton Playhouse and hopes to act in another play in the summer to come.

“Taylor is the epitome of a well-rounded, intelligent and kind

Quarry Lane citizen...”

To find out more about our students and their outstanding achievements,

please visit our websitewww.QuarryLane.org

College Entrance Test Results

2008 Quarry Lane Students’ average ACT national rank composite score is 94% (top 6% nationally). This means that the Quarry Lane average ACT composite score is better than

94% of students nationally (information received from www.actstudent.org).

(information received from College Board SAT website: www.collegeboard.com)

2

2008 Quarry Lane 11th Grade Students’ Average SAT Scores

2008 College-Bound Seniors’ Average SAT Scores Nationwide

622662

502 515 494

696

and a master’s degree in education from Tufts University. Mrs. Brown taught fifth grade for nine years in her home state of Massachusetts. She is both a student and a teacher of great writing. she said, “I have studied the Lucy calkins, emPoWer, and Write Traits methods for writing development in students. I am currently studying at uc Berkeley to help improve students’ abilities to write fiction, non-fiction, persuasive and many other styles of writing.”

Mrs. Brown places a strong emphasis on collaboration and teamwork in the classroom. “students learn to work together as a team, but also learn to challenge themselves as individuals, or help support each other as they challenge themselves. I have found that students work better together and progress further in their studies with support from their classmates,” she said.

“Mrs. Brown brings years of experience and an exceptional attitude to the classroom. she’s such an asset to our faculty and her students love her,” said Lower school director Gabrielle denton.

outside of work, Mrs. Brown loves to travel—especially to Kauai, Lake Tahoe and Massachusetts. When she’s not traveling around the country, you can find her at home spending time with her 9-month-old son, writing, working on her house or riding her motorcycle.

rounded, intelligent and kind Quarry Lane citizen. She exudes confidence and maturity. I think she’s a great role-model for her classmates. she’s the type of student we love having here!”

Besides being a great student, sowers is a star athlete who participates in soccer, basketball, softball, lacrosse and,

background and history of the western hemisphere’s most impoverished nation. armed with more information about haiti and an ever greater resolve to help, the students set a simple goal to raise $10 per student. In the lower school, students were given pink and red paper hearts to hang on the “heart wall” when they brought in their contribution. To the credit of the students and their families, Quarry Lane was happy to give over $2,100 to haiti relief.

Critical Reading Math Writing

By Gabrielle DentonLower School Director

Developing Leaders While Serving Others

nothing warms the heart more than seeing children band together to influence positive

change. I’m lucky to have many “heart-warming” moments each year because service learning projects have always been an important part of the Quarry Lane experience. our tight-knit community is proud to have joined with local and national organizations to benefit a variety of causes—some of which receive our support year after year. students look forward to these opportunities and are able to plan, promote and mobilize. sadly, every few years the world experiences a catastrophe in the vein of the tsunami in Indonesia, hurricane Katrina or the recent devastation in haiti. In these cases, Quarry Lane students use their philanthropic experience to respond immediately. With pride, I

Features

would like to highlight some of the causes we have supported and why these activities are so important for character development.

Through Pennies for Patients and the Light the Night Walk students raise money to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. students rummage through pantries and cabinets at home to fill Alameda county Food Bank barrels. With the assitance of their parents, Quarry Lane students have helped fund micro-loans to entrepreneurs in the developing world through Kiva. In the wake of the destruction in haiti, Quarry Lane students immediately mobilized the “have a heart, help haiti” initiative and set up collection stations throughout the local community.

The benefits of participating in activities like these are two-fold. First,

When dr. carmen Taylor thinks about the applied science I class, she thinks

of Malcolm Gladwell’s concept of “mystery vs. puzzle.” Gladwell asserts, “Puzzles can be solved if you have the right information. Mysteries, on the other hand, remain mysteries no matter how much information you have. They require judgments and the assessment of uncertainty, not a simple, factual answer.” according to dr. Taylor, this is a perfect way of thinking about science.

she goes on to say, “students are so used to their classes being like ‘puzzles’ that can be solved by connecting the dots you find in a textbook. In Applied science I, students seek to solve

Applying Science to Mysteries‘mysteries’ they observe in the real world that may or may not have an answer…making it different from any other class they take.”

so, what is applied science I? The class is based on several “design challenges.” The instructor gives the students a problem, materials, ground rules and a desired outcome. It’s the students’ responsibility to solve the problem with the given materials in the allotted amount of time. once students have completed several design challenges, they get to choose a problem they want to solve. They formulate a project proposal and submit it to the teacher for feedback and guidance.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma Programme is a world-renowned, pre-college course of study offered at The Quarry Lane School. We asked one of our top students to describe a day in the life of an IB student. here’s what Quarry Lane junior alexis church has experienced so far in this rigorous program:

IB Adventure

You are at the bottom of a massive mountain and you have all the supplies that you will need to get

to the top. You are completely excited to begin the journey. Energetically you make your way up the first half of the massive mound of rock. Slowly, fatigue sets in as you realize this is not as easy as you though it would be. It is at this point that you are faced with a decision: do you give in to the fatigue and hike back down to the bottom or do you conquer the rocks?

About a month into the IB curriculum

This year, applied science I students have created projects as diverse as a light-weight, portable emergency cast for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, a mobile shelter for homeless people and catastrophe victims and an audio/visual reading device for the hearing or visually impaired.

applied science I is a foundation for the science, engineering and Technology Track at Quarry Lane. This specialized Track was formulated to challenge students who excel in the areas of mathematics and science and wish to pursue these areas as a future career. “We’re preparing students now for the mysteries they will solve in the future,” said dr. Taylor.

3

people in need receive aid: homeless families are given clothing and essential goods, food banks receive items for distribution in the community, blood cancer research is funded. second, students foster a sense of generosity, kindness and humanitarianism through serving others. Many students give from allowances, part-time job income and birthday money, or take on extra voluntary chores, just so they can help a worthy cause. students learn the value of taking action to bolster positive change rather than waiting for adults to take charge. creating an environment where generosity is modeled and praised will help to fill our local community with kind, thoughtful children…and, in 20 years, kind, thoughtful professionals, and community leaders. That’s a future I can look forward to.

go to my IB math class, only to find that Mr. Nguyen is there to help me tackle the mysteries of the sine and cosine. In Spanish class, not only am I exposed to an amazing new language, but also to Latin

American culture. In Chemistry we have the opportunity to design

some of the labs that we do and then we write them up in intricate lab reports. (Writing discussions is my absolute favorite.)When the bell rings after lunch I am excited to go to English where we

spend entire class periods plumbing the depths of a

novel and analyzing the impact structure on certain themes. On my first day of art I walked into the classroom petrified and now I am comfortable formulating and executing my own projects. For my historical investigation, a simple question about Eva Peron led to the accumulation of a vast knowledge on

the Argentinean first lady. IB has made learning a journey

rather than a routine and given me the opportunity to have one-on-one attention from my teachers. I cannot wait to continue my IB adventure.

Recently, the fifth grade students of Quarry Lane traveled to the Martinez courthouse to learn about the criminal justice system first hand. This is what supriya ravishankar had to say about her experience:

on January 12, there was a lot of

excitement for the fifth grade classes of Mrs. Liebman and Mrs. Brown. We were going on a field trip to the Martinez

Courthouse to witness a real court trial and have an opportunity to enact a mock trial! As we entered the courthouse, we saw the California state seal hanging proudly and boldly behind the judge’s seat. The

judge sat straight and stiff, listening intently behind an elegant brown desk. Two bailiffs were standing firm,

like trees rooted to the ground as they guarded the courtroom doors. The court

clerk was busily scribbling on paper, and the court reporter was vigorously typing the questions of the prosecutor and statements of the witness. The defendant was glancing nervously at the defense attorney, who was murmuring some words to the judge. Unfortunately, we were not able to wait to hear if the defendant was guilty or not guilty because we had to leave. I certainly would like to know what happened after we left.

We then went to an empty courtroom to enact the mock trial. It was a blast! The format of the courtroom was exactly like the one we had just visited. In this mock trial, there was the defendant who

was accused of stealing a car. I was the defense attorney and two of my fellow classmates were prosecutor and judge. The rest of the students were witnesses, clerks, court reporters and bailiffs. I thought I did a good job of defending. At first, the jury found the defendant not guilty and within several moments, they changed their minds and unanimously voted her guilty! Despite the outcome, it was a really fun trial.

In conclusion, the trip to the Martinez Courthouse was amazing! The best part of the trip was the mock trial. I think the Martinez Courthouse visit was one of the best trips the fifth grade has taken this year!

Fifth Grade Goes to Court

Hot Air Balloon Design Challenge

and courses I realized that I was conquering a massive mountain. In a single night I would have to decipher the cryptic sine, cosine and tangent graphs for IB math. On top of that there would be a reading assignment from my high level English and History of the Americas courses, as well as problem sets for Chemistry. Lastly, I would have to work on my Spanish workbook and a little bit of art. I realized that IB was not as easy as I thought it would be. I had reached the point on the “IB Mountain” where I was faced with a decision: to give up the work and go back to normal classes which required less effort or stick with IB and challenge myself continually with the volume and depth of my work.

I decided to conquer the rocky IB mountain. It has been a challenge, but it’s definitely worth it. In the morning, I

The best part of the trip was the mock trial.

Student Life

Quarry Lane senior and Junior achievement student ambassador rebecca Kershaw

had the opportunity to interview Mary huss, publisher of the san Francisco Business Times and 2005 athena Business Woman of the Year (redwood city san Mateo county chamber of commerce). The live interview took place as part of the 2010 spirit of achievement Gala, an annual event hosted by Junior a c h i e v e m e n t (Ja) of northern california that r e c o g n i z e s i n s p i r a t i o n a l local business leaders. This year’s honorees were andrew Ball, President and ceo of Webcor Builders, and Mary huss.

according to their website, Junior achievement of northern california’s purpose has been to educate and inspire young people to value free enterprise and understand business and economics to improve the quality of their lives. Through Ja, local professionals help administer age-appropriate curriculum about business, workforce issues, economics and free enterprise to

Spirit of Achievement

Staff Writer Kelley Foulk | Graphic Designer Nathan Baird

SLATE is published by The Quarry Lane School.

Dublin Campus - K-12 6363 Tassajara Rd., Dublin, CA 94568 (925)829-8000Pleasanton East Campus - Preschool 3750 Boulder St., Pleasanton, CA 94566 (925)846-9400Pleasanton West Campus - Preschool 4444B Black Ave., Pleasanton, CA 94566 (925)462-6300

www.QuarryLane.org

Printed on 100% recycled paper.

Night Out at the Tonga Room

one of the best parts of winter at Quarry Lane is the yearly evening of the arts showcase.

In December, Quarry Lane staff, parents and students were delighted by music, dancing and drama provided by the lower and upper schools. The Villa was packed with families as well as artists and performers participating in this year’s production. The lower school chorus sang traditional holiday tunes and the jazz band gave the night a pop music feel with its rendition of Billy Jean, by Michael Jackson. other acts included a lyrical dance, a Beethoven sonata, an altered book presentation, several drama performances and an impressive a cappella solo from the musical Thoroughly Modern Milly. The yearbook staff was out in full force to promote this year’s catamount

An Evening of Art

2010 Admissions EventsDate Time Event Location of EventMarch 21 1-4 p.m. Open House The Dublin Campus

3-5 p.m. Open House The Pleasanton East & West Campuses

4

on december 5, The Tonga room in san Francisco hosted Quarry Lane’s winter “Big

night out.” The night of dinner and dancing, which has become a Quarry Lane tradition, was described by one student as “winter formal, only better.” High school students, dressed in formal attire, met at Hacienda crossings in dublin to take photos. Then students boarded a music-filled, luxury limousine-bus that whisked them away to san Francisco. When they arrived at the Fairmont hotel, students were escorted to the legendary Tonga room where they enjoyed dinner and danced to the latest music.

The Tonga room is a san Francisco landmark. The room, in the basement of the Fairmont hotel, was originally the hotel pool and has since gone through several renovations until it eventually became the Polynesian-style paradise that it is today. although the room has gone through many changes, the pool remains and has been converted into an indoor lagoon where bands provide live music aboard a small boat. Tiki men, tropical flowers and palapas throughout the restaurant provide the

finishing touches. This fun ambiance is a major reason why the Quarry Lane students love the Tonga room.

eleventh grade student Jolie Fu said, “We played music in the limo-bus to get us ready for dancing. Then we had dinner—the food was great! We danced and had a lot of fun!”

Wilker Vieira, also in eleventh grade said, “It was cool to have everyone together. There was lots of dancing; it was fun seeing everyone dressed up.”

After several hours of dining and dancing, the evening came to a close. students returned to their limo-bus and rode back to dublin while sharing stories of the night. “We had a blast,” said one junior. “I can’t wait for the next big night out!”

Leadership teacher Liz Paz-rumore believes events like the Big night out are an important part of the high school experience. “our students work so hard on their studies all week long so it’s important to provide these social outlets. Fun events build a sense of community and a positive connection to the school at large. It’s great to see the kids cut loose and enjoy themselves with each other!”

cougar pride was intense this year! The basketball season kicked off with a school-wide

spirit rally and the introduction of the new cougar mascot, and wrapped up with a win against the california school for the deaf. It’s hard to believe that the season is already over and fans will have to wait until next year for the next basketball game, but it’s a great time to recap the season.

Looking back on this year’s team, both coaches had positive memories. coach Tom Margulis said, “The team improved so much this season in both skill and attitude.” Coach Sim Hothi added, “The players started the year as individuals but learned to trust each other and became a cohesive unit.”

according to coach Margulis, team captains Wilker Vieira, Rafi Ibrahimi and alex Milinkovich always brought their “a game.” he said, “They are all vocal players with great attitudes and leadership qualities. The other players on the team definitely look up to them.”

When asked about this season’s highlights, coach hothi said, “Well,

Cougar Spirit High as Basketball Wraps Up

students in elementary through high school.

during the two years that Kershaw has been involved with Ja, she has met some of the most successful and

respected business leaders in the Bay area and learned valuable lessons in business etiquette and networking. Kershaw finds the monthly Ja seminars she attends to be extremely valuable. she says, “I’ve learned interview tips, resume building strategies and how to present an ‘elevator speech’—what to say and how to conduct yourself

around a business person when you only have a few seconds to get their attention.”

When asked about her experience meeting and interviewing Mary huss, Kershaw said, “she was so friendly and approachable. I asked her about her first job and how she got where she is today. This helped put things in perspective for young people who are just beginning to dream about their future careers. I learned that Ms. huss’ work ethic is what helped her become so successful.”

[athletic director] Phillip harr was very supportive from the beginning and made it easy to take this team in the direction we wanted to go. as far as the team goes, I was extremely proud of my players in a game against head royce. They started down zero to 10. a lot of teams would have given up right away but the cougars fought hard. They showed similar determination in a game against the california school for the deaf; the game ended with the cougars losing by a narrow margin but the hustle and maturity the players displayed proved they are winners at heart.”

athletic director harr places a strong emphasis on the positive impact that athletics can have on the students. he said, “successful sports teams promote school pride and confidence, which, I believe, spill over into the students’ academic lives. The more positive a student feels about their school, the more eager they are to participate in class and be a good citizen. That’s why sports provide so much more than just a fun game to watch.”

annual, which is touted to be the best yet. a hot cocoa bar and bake sale (benefiting the McHenry House) made the night extra cozy.

Benjamin Zhang- Sophomore

“I’ve learned interview tips, resume

building strategies and how to present an ‘elevator speech’…”