701 cabot street, beverly, ma 01915 | 978-927-8811

16
701 CABOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915 | 978-927-8811 | WALDORFMORAINE.ORG WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015 Soon-to-be Graduates Moving Out Into the World Eighth grade students last week demonstrated that they are ready to move out into the wider world of high school and beyond. They have spent this year engaging with outside mentors and taking on personal challenges in order to bring to fruition independent projects of their own choosing, and their successful completion was on display Thursday night. “This is a very special evening,” their teacher, Dianne McGaunn, said as the students sat ready to make final speeches and presentations (photo below). “In a way… a rite of passage for the eighth graders and for the school.” The students this year tackled dog training, boat building, book illustration, cheese making, photography, singing & songwriting, and comedy for their projects. There are many aspects to the learning involved in these projects, more than just the practice of a new skill, Mrs. McGaunn said. Planning, initiative, and decision-making were clearly necessary to make it all happen, and successfully working with others and overcoming fears were also on display. “It’s been a wonderful experience to work with them in this way, to see them start to reach out into the world, to work with other people, to learn about new and different things as they prepare to go off to high school,” she said. Please see page 7 for a full report on the projects...

Upload: others

Post on 09-May-2022

3 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: 701 CABOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915 | 978-927-8811

701 CABOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915 | 978-927-8811 | WALDORFMORAINE.ORG

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Soon-to-be Graduates Moving Out Into the World Eighth grade students last week demonstrated that they are ready to move out into the wider world of

high school and beyond. They have spent this year engaging with outside mentors and taking on

personal challenges in order to bring to fruition independent projects of their own choosing, and their

successful completion was on display Thursday night.

“This is a very special evening,” their teacher, Dianne McGaunn, said as the students sat ready to make

final speeches and presentations (photo below). “In a way… a rite of passage for the eighth graders and

for the school.” The students this year tackled dog training, boat building, book illustration, cheese

making, photography, singing & songwriting, and comedy for their projects.

There are many aspects to the learning involved in these projects, more than just the practice of a new

skill, Mrs. McGaunn said. Planning, initiative, and decision-making were clearly necessary to make it all

happen, and successfully working with others and overcoming fears were also on display. “It’s been a

wonderful experience to work with them in this way, to see them start to reach out into the world, to

work with other people, to learn about new and different things as they prepare to go off to high school,”

she said. Please see page 7 for a full report on the projects...

Page 2: 701 CABOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915 | 978-927-8811

A Fun Night Saturday

And Congratulations to a Winner! The Spring Soireé this past Saturday night was a huge success, with more that 60 of Waldorf’s

old and new friends in attendance to learn about this year’s Fund-in-Need. A heartfelt “Thank

You!” to Jen and Chris Benoit for their gracious hospitality, good food, and good cheer.

Special congratulations, as well, to David Grant, a Kindergarten father, who won the 4 Cape Air

tickets to anywhere in the Cape Air Airlines flight system.

The Spring Soireé also provided an opportunity to launch the 2015 Fund-in-Need, “Protecting

our Investment. Growing our Future.”

As all of us know, it was a winter full of surprises, and surprises like these are exactly why we

have the Fund-in-Need. As we can all attest, this past winter truly took a toll. While Waldorf

School at Moraine Farm students enjoyed the many opportunities for snowy walks and cross-

country skiing that this winter offered, the school’s roof did not

end the season stronger and fit.

Our roof sustained a significant amount of damage that requires

immediate repair. In order to protect our investment in this

building, and to ensure that our students’ days are not disrupted

with more intensive repairs further down the road, we need to

invest in the roof repair this summer. We hope you can help.

Another unanticipated development is the fact that Moraine Farm

will no longer be operating as a stand-alone CSA, which means that those Science & Nature

curriculum blocks that rely on the CSA are in transition.

With change, however, comes opportunity.

We would like to take the first steps toward creating an on-campus garden of our own. Adding a

Waldorf School at Moraine Farm Garden is an ideal way to grow our future. This will become a

centerpiece of our Science & Nature Program and a tremendous resource to our faculty and our

children. Kindergarten teacher Lindsay Miles has volunteered to lead the implementation of this

initiative and has been meeting with faculty and agricultural experts to develop plans for a

garden that are in concert with the curriculum. The faculty is interested in using the garden for

hands-on exploration in botany, geology, astronomy, science, biodynamic farming and

handwork. This would be a richly rewarding addition to our campus and to our children’s daily

work.

The 2015 Fund-in-Need, “Protecting our Investment. Growing Our Future,” seeks to raise

$20,000 to repair the roof and seed the beginnings of our garden. Please consider making a

contribution today. Pledge forms and envelopes are available in the front hallway, and should be

returned to Mrs. Deveau. For additional details, contact Scott Smith, Development Director.

As always, thank you in advance for your support! Kind regards,

Scott Smith

Director of Development

Let’s protect our

investment and

grow our future!

Page 3: 701 CABOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915 | 978-927-8811

May Fair, May 15 Have you seen students and teachers practicing in the parking lot? We are all enjoying the added

spring excitement around May Fair preparations (perhaps the Kindergarteners and Nursery

children most of all!). Please join us at this year’s May Fair celebration at 1:30, May 15, in the

lower field. All are welcome.

And please, BRING FLOWERS FRIDAY MORNING for the children to use to decorate their

flower crowns. There will be buckets of water ready to receive them. Thank you!

Second Grade: Keep an eye out for yummy treats afterward for sale by the second grade

families. They are raising money for their third grade farm trip next year. T-shirts will be for

sale after the fair courtesy of the greatest eighth grade class in the world (please read on…).

Eighth Grade

Trip to Hurricane Island: A Special Opportunity The eighth grade will be traveling to Outward Bound’s Hurricane Island location for their post-

graduation trip in June. The class will enjoy sailing, rock climbing and outdoor educational

programs during their visit. Mrs. McGaunn and Professor Foster will be accompanying the

group as chaperones for four days starting June 7.

The trip is a special opportunity for a graduating class to travel together for the last time before

entering high school. The students have been raising funds to pay for the trip all year by raking

leaves, popsicle and bake sales, and as well as selling Waldorf School at Moraine Farm gear.

With the warm weather on the way, we have stocked up on T-shirts in adult, youth and toddler

sizes. Please support the class over the next month by purchasing a shirt! We will be selling

items after school on Fridays until June. Shirts are $10 each ($15 for Women’s, Adult XL and

2XL). For a limited time, buy a second shirt for half price! Outfit your whole clan, and support

this special experience for the Class of 2015. All these items are also available at our school

store or from any Eighth Grade family.

GOT BOOKS Annual WCA Book Sale Friday, June 5, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. AND Saturday, June 6, 9:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m.

We are collecting all categories of books, audio books, CD's and Waldorf inspired toys or games

(no text books or encyclopedias please). Items can be dropped off at school next to the main

office starting Tuesday, May 5. Questions or willing to help: please contact Laura Freysinger

[email protected], Stacey Fisher [email protected] or Jocelyn

Schaeffer [email protected]

TONIGHT 7:00: Lecture in Beverly Farms By the Author of Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys

Free and open to the public. Location: Glen Urquhart School, 74 Hart Street, Beverly.

Page 4: 701 CABOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915 | 978-927-8811

Alumni Update

CONGRATULATIONS to Two Recent Graduates Leading the Way in Technology and Science

Spencer Poore, Waldorf School at Moraine Farm class of 2014, was

introduced to computer technology by his family and by our school in the

seventh grade. Now a freshman in a fully wired, technologically based high school, he is

leading the way, chosen by his school to represent their technology based educational system.

Spencer was one of five students recently selected from Hamilton Wenham Regional High

School to represent the school in the New England 1:1 Summit in Burlington, Massachusetts.

This is a regional education summit where schools leading the way in technology based

education systems, such as Hamilton-Wenham, share their successes and challenges. Students

are selected to represent the school based on their mastery of the technology and their clear

perspective on its educational value.

And Madison Poore, class of 2011, just won third place among regional

finalists in the biology division of the Massachusetts State Science and

Engineering Fair. Many in the Waldorf School at Moraine Farm community will remember

Madison as a wonderful dancer; for her eighth grade project she taught young children how to

dance. But she and her science partner, Rachel Holappa, competed at the state science and

engineering finals at MIT based on their research on the effects of plastics on worm

reproduction (technically, “The Effects of BPA on the Regeneration Rate of Lumbriculus

Variegatus”). Congratulations, Madison and Rachel!

Madison is currently a senior at Hamilton Wenham Regional High School where she is finishing

up her school year in all AP classes and serves as the treasurer of the National Honor Society.

She continues to dance, and recently competed in the Bravo New England regional dance

competition in Lowell Massachusetts.

Circus in a Trunk, Newburyport, May 17 Recommended by a family

from school: The Piccolini Trio's "Circus in a Trunk" runs Sunday, May 17 at the City Hall

auditorium in Newburyport. Time: 2:00 p.m. Tickets available at the door: $16.00 adults,

$10.00 children. “When The Piccolini Trio discovers that the audience is waiting but the circus

hasn't arrived, they decide to perform the show themselves, pulling an amazing and hilarious

performance full of clever surprises from an antique circus trunk. Combining contemporary and

classic European style clowning, The Piccolini Trio brings to life a repertoire of routines using

music, acrobatics, physical comedy, poetic whimsy, juggling, and pantomime.” --

http://www.piccolinitrio.com.

Local Lecture: Anthroposophical Perspective Thomas Meyer will

present a lecture and workshop in Ipswich May 11 and 12, “The Present World Situation and the

War in Ukraine.” Please see the end of today’s Newsletter for more information.

Page 5: 701 CABOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915 | 978-927-8811

Early Childhood Program Looking for Assistants We are looking to fill several early childhood assistant positions for the 2015-2016 school year

in both the morning and afternoon programs.

Responsibilities include supporting a lead teacher in a program that includes outdoor play, rest,

activities, crafts, and mealtime.

Qualifications:

-basic understanding of Waldorf Early childhood education.

-interest in learning more about the philosophy behind Waldorf education

-ability to effectively communicate with colleagues

-ability to effectively follow the guide of the lead teacher, and

-ability to fill in for the lead teacher as needed.

HOW TO APPLY:

We invite you to send a letter of interest and your resume to Waldorf School at Moraine Farm,

Attention: Teacher Search Committee, 701 Cabot Street, Beverly, MA, 01915. Please send

email inquiries or electronic application materials to [email protected]. We look

forward to hearing from you!

TONIGHT: Screen Free Activities Continue Thank you to everyone who came out on Monday afternoon to make fairy houses, Monday

evening to the fun and relaxing potluck supper, and Tuesday for children’s yoga. See you this

evening for watercolor painting!

Page 6: 701 CABOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915 | 978-927-8811

Café Corner - Welcome Yoko! Yoko Yeaton completed her training for café work last week. Please look out for her at the

picnic table and say hello! - Sincerely Jocelyn Schaeffer and Brian Tinger

For the week of April 27, thank you

Ilana Spodick for the eggs,

Mary Mansur for the honey,

Johan Frenje for the coffee,

our kind donor of cups and lids,

Emily Randolph-Silva for getting bagels on Fridays, &

Yoko Yeaton, Mariah Tinger and Dana Dooley for baking.

The café is a 100% volunteer community service run by a small group of dedicated parents. It is

also a general school fundraiser! We sell coffee, bagels and homemade baked goods, M-F from

7:45am-8:45am. If you would like to staff the table or bake, please write to

[email protected]. Please do not bake with nuts or nut products to protect people with allergies.

Thank you!

MARKETPLACE

Children’s Meditation Class, May 7 -- For ages 5 to 9, with Nanda Miccoli, Certified

Children’s Meditation Facilitator at Eternal Balance wellness studio, around the corner in the

Cummings Center (www.eternal-balance.com). Time: 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Cost: $15. Parents are

welcome to stay! Please bring a yoga mat if you have one. More info at www.eternal-

balance.com.

Is This Your Lady??

Please contact

the office to collect her

Page 7: 701 CABOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915 | 978-927-8811

Continued from page 1…

Eighth Grade Projects

DOG TRAINING

The first student of the night, Chloe Irvine, walked up on stage, set her tri-fold of photos and

descriptions on a side table, and said, “Up!” to the freshly groomed Tibetan Terrier that she held

at the end of a leash. The beautiful white and tan

dog then leapt up on his chair, sat down, and looked

out and about the room (photos by K. Fehlhaber).

“Hello, my name is Chloe Irvine and I studied

obedience training and tricks with my dog, Koda,”

Chloe said. “I chose this project because I love

animals, and Koda needed training.” Chloe’s mentor

was dog coach Sarah Prescott, an alumni parent and

former handwork teacher at our school (www.yourdogcoach.biz).

Koda could have stolen the show, drawing laughs as

he stretched his neck out to peer high above the

stage, but Chloe’s practiced presentation remained

the focus, and she quickly took

control.

“Sometimes he doesn’t want to do

tricks, so he scratches his ear,” she

said. “Like when we raise our hands

in class to ask to go get water.” The

dog does what she asks of him about 90 percent of the time, Chloe said. “But I’m

hoping he does it 100 percent of the time tonight.”

After thanking her mentor, parents, teacher, and classmates – and after thanking

Koda, “for being a good boy” – Chloe brought the dog down off of his chair and

guided him across the stage as the dog followed quiet, direct commands: “up” and “down” over

a wooden bench, “sit,” and even a pirouette, up on two legs and turning fully around for a treat

reward (photo). One hundred percent for Koda and Chloe.

At home, Koda has not yet mastered remaining quiet when people walked by the house, Chloe

said. But he has learned not to pull on the leash during walks, and she still plans to for him to get

to the point where he can walk with her off of the leash. “Koda is very stubborn so he was very

hard to train,” Chloe said. But she later added that, “He is very smart and he will [learn things] if

you let him know that you’re the boss.”

Page 8: 701 CABOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915 | 978-927-8811

CHEESE MAKING

Matthew Yoors wanted goats ever since he was in

Kindergarten and saw that his big sister’s classmate

was raising goats for her eighth grade project. He got

his first goats in sixth grade, and is now the proud

owner of three. For his eighth grade project, Matthew

wanted to learn more about cheese making,

“especially cheeses that can be made from goats’

milk.”

After a year of Sundays with cheese makers at

Appleton Farms in Ipswich, Matthew was able to

explain the basics to us on Thursday night:

“This is the basic process of making Camembert.

First you heat the milk to 87 degrees – when using

goat’s milk – than add the cultures and rennet. Then

you let it rest for 45 minutes, roughly; then you cut

the curd, and then scoop the curd into baskets, and

then you float the curd in the baskets. That turns into

this -- which is cheese -- and then you salt the

cheese and put it in the aging room for roughly two

to three months. And then it’s finished.”

Standing in front of his tri-fold later in the evening, Matthew explained that the best way to

really know that the cheese is ready is to feel it. “It’s

done when it’s a little bit squishy, but not firm,” he said.

The tastes of Camembert were excellent, but my favorite

was a firmer, slightly crumbly Goat’s milk cheese that

Matthew had assembled on his own at home last June,

aging it in the fridge for nearly a year. He and his family

also love this cheese and he hopes to recreate the

process/recipe he used in order to make more in the

future.

During his presentation, Mathew said, “I enjoyed the

process of making cheese and working at Appleton

Farms. I also enjoyed the after product being cheese.”

One challenge during the year: Matthew’s goat stopped

offering up milk midwinter. But Appleton Farms was

generous with their cows’ milk, and the cheese making

continued. According to his mentor, Anna Cantelmo,

cheese maker at Appleton (and who is profiled in the

current edition of Northshore Magazine), Matthew was

an expert down in “the caves,” the giant walk in fridges

where rows and rows of cheese are in process. There he

assiduously flipped cheeses, wiped down the mold, and generally learned by doing, she said.

She was happy to report that Mathew has no plans to stop working and learning; he will be

returning to Appleton on Sundays to come.

Page 9: 701 CABOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915 | 978-927-8811

In fact, Mathew’s mentor, like all of the mentors I saw on Thursday night, was obviously proud

of her protégé, joining him to respond to a question from the audience, and then exclaiming, “He

is awesome!” as the eighth grader concluded his presentation.

SINGING & SONGWRITING

When Emily Carrigan was younger, she and her sisters would rehearse songs together and then

perform them in front of their parents. For her eighth grade project, she chose singing and song

writing, which culminated on Thursday with her performance of “Around the Bend,” the song

she wrote about moving on from the eighth grade. She performed with her mentor, Charlee

Bianchini (www.charleebeth.com).

AROUND THE BEND

Amy walked into school one day,

Twisting her fingers in her hair

She knew that things weren’t okay,

And felt tension in the air.

She could see everyone staring

But she couldn’t find her way

And she broke down crying

When she heard someone say:

Eighth grade eighth grade,

High school’s around the bend.

Eighth grade eighth grade

It’s all about to end. It’s all about to end.

Leaving was too hard

But there’s so much to see

So she had to let down her guard

In order to be free.

Eight grade, Eighth grade,

High school’s around the bend.

Eighth grade eighth grade,

It’s all about to end.

Eighth grade eighth grade,

I’ve made so many friends.

I can’t wait to transcend.

I can’t wait to transcend.

Emily learned that you can not always force creativity but that the creative process also requires

persistence. Writing the song was hard, she said, and it “feels really good to have accomplished

it.”

In performance, the chorus was particularly catchy and beautifully enhanced by the harmony

added by her mentor. This was a literal example of something that was true of all the projects;

harmony developed between students and mentors results in a beautiful finished project.

Emily’s mentor, Charlee Bianchini, is a singer and songwriter out of Gloucester. Emily

described her music as “Acoustic slash Folk slash Indie slash Rock.” She also spoke about the

positive feedback Charlee provided during the learning process. “I feel really lucky to have had

her as my mentor,” she said. During her presentation, Emily also thanked her classmates for

providing inspiration for her song writing.

Page 10: 701 CABOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915 | 978-927-8811

Emily also studied the more technical aspects of both singing and songwriting. She explained

the details of common song types, as well as the physical act of singing and the importance of

the vocal chords. We learned that Adele (the soulful singer, songwriter and pop star) had to get

vocal surgery after unhealthy singing techniques damaged her vocal chords.

Despite her practice and her beautiful voice, Emily said later in the evening that standing up to

sing in front a large audience was a significant challenge and that she had been quite nervous.

But it is clear that she has developed skills to face and overcome this challenge as she continues

to pursue her love of singing; on May 11 she performs again at the restaurant “Short & Main” in

Gloucester in an event arranged by her mentor.

COMEDY

Arden Collis Puro is funny. She speaks in a way that is honest and direct, and with an added

pluck that keeps things interesting. Stepping up to the podium, she simply said: “Okay, you

have to bear with me now. I forgot my note cards…” And we were off and laughing.

Arden’s project was writing and

performing comedy. But this was not

a comedy routine, not yet; she really

had forgotten her presentation note

cards. Speaking from memory, she

shared that her project had hit

additional obstacles earlier in the

year. Namely: “I had some

challenges doing the actual work,

because I am a generally kind of lazy

person. So it was hard for me to, you

know, get going,” she said.

But get going she did. Arden

worked with a mentor, Jennifer

Coken of Maryland, and participated

in a comedy workshop in Boston. In

April, she wrote and performed as

part of a comedic trio emceeing the

Waldorf School at Moraine Farm

talent show, where she, her

classmate Mai, and Mai’s mom were

a big hit.

“I really liked performing at the

talent show and hearing everyone

laugh hysterically, and not at what I

was wearing,” Arden said.

She also shared that her experiences

challenged her to overcome a certain

kind of shyness in order to perform.

No, Arden is not generally shy, she

said. But a new situation like getting

up on stage and performing did present challenges. “It was hard to do that.”

Page 11: 701 CABOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915 | 978-927-8811

Arden thanked her supportive mentor, her parents, her teacher, and her classmates “for not

asking me all the time if I could tell them a joke.” She then jumped into a comedy routine

beginning with a report on a recent visit to the Waring School in Beverly (“They really do speak

French all the time!”), followed by some of her thoughts on the teenage years. “As you can see,”

she said. “Being a teen is hard.” Adding, “What they say about us is right, we are pretty awful.

Personally, I often find myself thinking, ‘How can I ruin my parents day today?’”

The routine was a hit, though Fifth Grader Aida DeWeese-Boyd may have had the last laugh. At

the end, Aida raised her hand and asked, “Can you tell me a joke?”

BOAT BUILDING

Ollie Meyer built a boat. Not a model boat, an actual boat-- painted blue with oars, oarlocks,

and an outboard engine. Technically, it’s called a “Flat Skiff 12,” and he described it to the

audience.

“A Flat Skiff 12 is an 11-and-a-half foot boat made of plywood,” he said. “I love boats and it’s

also a perfect size for the marsh behind my house.”

Ollie’s mentor was Nathan Gray, the ceramics teacher at Landmark High School, at Prides

Crossing in Beverly. He connected with Mr. Gray through Laura Quayle (a Waldorf School at

Moraine Farm teacher currently on maternity leave), who had worked with him to build a pair of

wooden skis, Ollie said.

.

Page 12: 701 CABOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915 | 978-927-8811

Standing in front of a tri-fold, which he had

created to illustrate the process, Ollie gave the

audience a primer. The work begins with

drawing the plan on the plywood and then

cutting out the individual pieces. Next the

parts are assembled with zip ties, after which

fiberglass and epoxy are applied. Finally,

everything is sanded down and the boat

painted.

Ollie’s biggest challenge? The cold. “This

affected myself, and the drying time of the

QuickFairs and the epoxies that we used to

hold the boat together,” he said.

Ollie worked in his family’s garage with a set

of commercial boat plans to transform the

collection of thin wood planks into a Flat Skiff 12. As with all eighth grade projects, this one

required patience and skill to take a project from conception to completion over an extended

period of time. Studying plans and working with wood, tools, fiberglass and epoxy, Ollie

brought forth something fully formed and functional, a beautiful blue skiff that was set outside

the Tray’s Room during the day (photo), and on display in the first floor hall Thursday evening.

While anyone who saw the boat knows that it will perform as planned, Ollie told us that it has

yet to go in the water, remaining on shore as adhesives continue to dry. The family also wants to

seek proper regulatory approvals before launching.

BOOK ILLUSTRATION

The results of Anya Fulmer’s project stretched beautifully in front of the stage: seven

illustrations to accompany the medieval German tale, Die Sage der Nibelungen. While five of

the illustrations avoided the many “gruesome scenes” of this story, “the last two couldn’t be

avoided,” she said, referring to two bloody but artistic and illustrative pictures of the story’s

intricate plot.

Page 13: 701 CABOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915 | 978-927-8811

Anya has loved this story ever since first hearing it in sixth grade German class. German

Teacher Frau Kati Manning, Anya’s mom, tells this story over many months in sixth grade. Like

King Arthur, the engaging images and plot speak to the children as they study Medieval times

and such ideals as virtue and chivalry. Anya said that she has always been drawn to the richness

of the tale, telling the audience, “I just really like the story; it’s really powerful.”

Anya’s illustrations are clearly more than random snapshots of the plot; they appear to show

pivotal, transitional moments that capture the unfolding of the story. Working with her mentor,

Gloucester-based children’s book illustrator, Anna Vojtech, Anya said that she learned about the

use of thumbnail sketches to preview painting ideas, how to “read” illustrations, and how to

indicate more in a painting than may actually be there.

For some of her final paintings, Anya actually created “three or four” paintings until she was

satisfied. Over time, she was able to see her own progress and reflect on the development of her

ability. “Seeing all the paintings from the beginning of the school year until now, I would say

there is a huge improvement,” she said. “Also, my painting style has changed a lot.” Her favorite

painting is the last one she did – of two characters, one crouched beneath a cell window about to

be slain, the other, his killer, standing above him with a sword and the bloody, severed head that

is driving her revenge.

In addition to thanking her mentor, Anya credited seventh grade teacher Connie MacLeod with

being a “great art teacher” when her project was beginning last June. Mrs. MacLeod gave

drawing lessons to Anya and accompanied her on museum trips to view art work.

“I’m supposed to say what I enjoyed,” Anya said. “But I can honestly say that there wasn’t

anything that I didn’t enjoy. Except maybe having to finish.”

Page 14: 701 CABOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915 | 978-927-8811

PHOTOGRAPHY

“Landscapes are part of our lives, and there are many beautiful types,” Mai MacInnis told the

audience. Her eighth grade project was landscape photography, which she chose in order to

explore a longstanding interest.

Through the year, she enjoyed finding new places to photograph, “experimenting with different

cameras,” and trying to implement newly learned rules of photography. “My project has

developed over the months by

allowing me to experiment and

to teach myself the difference

between a good photo and a not

so good photo,” she said.

There are a variety of rules that

can be considered when taking

photographs, Mai said. She

explained three – leading lines,

framing, and “the rule of

thirds.” This last idea “is when

you break the photograph into

thirds both horizontally and

vertically, [creating] four

intersections where you position points of interest for the viewer.” A slideshow of Mai’s photos

showed examples of all three of these ideas (two of those photos are shown on this page).

Mai’s mentor was professional photographer Tom Underwood (photo), who she has known since

she was young and who is well known here at school for taking all of the school photos in recent

memory (www.underwoodphoto.com). She thanked Tom “for being an extremely helpful guide,

and a friend.” She also thanked her parents for moral support, her teacher for keeping her on

task, and her classmates, “for not judging my white [trifold] poster board, because they all have

black!”

Mai brought the audience through a slideshow

depicting some of her work – photos of dark trees, dry

grasses close up with sky and clouds behind (above), a

snowy winter garden, a wintery red farm house with its

worn wood fence shown from a variety of angles, birds

in different settings, ocean waves, and many others.

One of my favorite photos was of a solitary park bench,

empty and evocative against a background of sky and

ocean and a foreground of dry grass (below). Later,

Mai explained that the photo came about after she took

a variety of pictures of the same subject from different

angles.

There were other beautiful shots displaying a variety of textures:

birch bark and bricks, brown leaves contrasted with remnants of icy

snow. When someone from the audience asked Mai how much to

buy one of the photos, she did not offer a price but did say that she

was thinking of framing a few and giving them to the school as a

gift.

--By James Kennedy. Photos by Kristen Fehlhaber

Page 15: 701 CABOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915 | 978-927-8811

By the WCA to Support Our School:

beginsMonday,May11inhallwayoutsideMainOffice

Weaccept•Mostcategoriesofbooks…excepttextbooks&encyclopedias

•BooksonCD

•Gentlyused“Waldorf”toysandpuzzles

BooksandtoyscollectedwillbesoldattheannualWCABookSaleonJune5thordonatedtoalocalcharity.

Thankyouforyoursupport!

SponsoredbytheWCA

Page 16: 701 CABOT STREET, BEVERLY, MA 01915 | 978-927-8811