CatlinSpeak

Throughout the eight years I’ve known Mike Reese and his family, I’ve seen him as a family man, musician, and ath-lete. On November 13, I talked to him about his career as Chief of Portland Police and his thoughts on the Occupy Portland movement. Audrey Davis: How does Occupy Portland differ from other Occupy movements?Mike Reese: Well I think there are more similarities than differences between Occupy Portland and other Occupy movements. There is a lot of communication throughout the movement and they have similar strategies [to other Oc-cupy movements]. Portland differs because there is a lot of communication between the city officials and organizers

[of Occupy Portland] who build communication to facilitate free speech. There is a lot more suspi-cion between the city officials and [Occupy] organizers in other cit-ies. Davis: What impact has Occupy Portland had on the nation as a whole?Reese: I don’t think Occupy Port-land has had much of an impact. The Occupy movement itself has had a great impact on the country. It’s resonated with a lot of people who are disappointed with the lack of jobs, the poor economy, and corporate greed. Davis: What is your view of the police’s role in a movement like

Occupy Portland?Reese: Our role is to facilitate the right to free speech in a peaceful way and to enforce the [protesters’] constitutional rights. I really take seriously our duty to keep people safe and give them the right to free speech. We have to keep the balance of competing rights––if they’re blocking bridges for example, then it interferes with public safety. Our re-sponsibility is to protect the safety of the public and balance those competing rights. Davis: How has the Portland police’s approach to the Oc-cupy movement differed from the approaches of other

Interview with Chief of Police Mike Reese: A Reflection on Occupy Portland

On May 13, 2010, two students from Cat-lin Gabel won two out of the top three honors at the Intel International Science Fair. Like the name suggests, high school students from all over the world compete with their scientific research projects. In the 63 years of the competition’s history, no other high school has had two of its stu-dents go on to claim two of the top three prizes. Traditionally, the science fair is not an avenue one would think Catlin Gabel is strong in. That distinction belongs to OES - the “science school,” where every student is required to participate in an

individual science research project. Our success in the Intel Science Fair sparked my interest in the difference between Cat-lin’s science program and OES’s science program, or if there even is a difference. Perhaps the two schools are actually more similar, but with a different educational philosophy toward science research.

The two schools have a very similar skills-based approach to science education. Both schools de-emphasize standardized tests. Aline Garcia-Rubio, head of the Catlin Gabel science department, argues that with the world’s ever-expanding base of scientific knowledge, it is vital that we are equipped with the skills to obtain and ana-lyze information. Similarly, Bill Lamb, a distinguished science teacher at OES, cites the importance of developing a con-ceptual framework, critical thinking skills, and communication ability as important elements of succeeding in college and beyond. Despite this, both schools also perform well on these tests. In publicly-released statistics, out of 173 AP exams in 2011 at OES, 88% of those exams received a score of 3 or higher. Similarly, out of 127 exams at Catlin Gabel in 2011, 82% of them

Is OES’s ScienceEducation Really That Much Better than Catlin’s?

Our Own Urban Farmer: Blue House GreenhouseBlue House Greenhouse Farm resides in the heart of Port-land. A farm in the middle of a city. Nestled on the cross-streets of North Williams and North Cook, this paradoxical third of an acre farm exemplifies what it means to be an “urban farmer.” Amanda Moore, the owner of Blue House Greenhouse Farm, has an extensive background in agriculture. As a student, Moore was always interested in food and how food worked, and she graduated with an interdisciplinary degree in sustainable food systems. After graduating, she worked at nonprofits, and more specifically as the garden and educational manager at a food bank in Tucson, Arizona. “I worked on educating people about how to grow food in their own gardens,” she explains. After moving to Portland a couple of years ago, as her ambitions grew, Moore de-cided to start her own business, culminating in the birth of Blue House. Farming is generally associated with vast expanses of acre-age, and a rural location. So why make the decision to plant a farm within city limits? “It was important to me to be in the city, because that’s where I live,” says Moore. The ac-cessibility of the land was also a key factor. Incidentally, the land itself had quite the history. The Nurn-berg Scientific Company originally had a warehouse that stored chemicals on the land during the ’60s. Then, in 1967, the warehouse burned down. After the burning, the com-pany paid the Department of Environmental Quality to test the toxicity of the land over a period of two years. The re-

sults showed that there was nothing wrong with the levels of heavy metals, and that the land was safe for a residential area. However, the toxicity of the land did raise questions later on when Moore started Blue House; agricultural standards for growing food had never been placed in an urban setting. Moore ran her own tests, and found nothing concerning in her results. The land was safe for farming. Nevertheless, the land’s history produced some alarmed reactions from

Amanda Moore working in her farm. (Photo credit: Anaka Morris)

By Layla Entrikin ‘13

Portland police officers in downtown portland. (Photo credit: Olivia Bolles)

By Audrey Davis ‘13

What’s inside? A Ranking of Catlin’s Bathrooms • BOTM • Holiday Recipes •2012 Rose Bowl

By Terrance Sun ‘13

Nicholas Elliot ‘13 and Maya Kinley-Hanlon ‘13 studying the speed of sound. (Source: catlin.edu)

Issue #3, Wednesday, 14 December 2011 www.speak.catlin.edu

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Right: A volunteer we met there, about to serve the soup. Top Middle: The boys. (Photo Credit: Anaka Morris) Bottom Middile: My C&C heading back to Catlin on the MAX. (Photo Credit: Joan Piper) Top Left: There were maps of countries all around the world containing pins that marked the locations of other Loaves & Fishes centers. It’s amazing how many centers there are in the

United States.(Photo Credit: Anaka Morris) Bottom Left: Serving lunch. (Photo Credit: Anaka Morris)

By Anaka Morris ‘12

After nearly four months in the United States, sopho-more Nimsi Campos and senior Tapiwa “Taps” Nkhi-sang have largely assimilated to the culture of Catlin Gabel. You may have seen them around campus, but it’s time to find out more about these two fabulous ex-change students, their homes, and their perspectives on life in America.

Campos is with the family of sophomore Katie Zech-nich, and she went to the Cloud Forest School, or Centro de Educación Creativa (CEC) in Costa Rica. Nkhisang, who is staying with senior Genevieve Gide-onse’s family, (and will begin staying with sophomore McKenzie Spooner’s family halfway through the year) previously attended Maru-a-Pula School (MAP) in Botswana.

Campos and Nkhisang’s time at Catlin has meant adapting to many differences between Portland and their homes in Costa Rica and Botswana, respectively. One of the biggest changes has been in their daily rou-tines, especially for Nkhisang, who previously board-ed at MAP instead of attending just day school.

Unlike Catlin, MAP school ends at 12:45, leaving the

rest of the day for students to complete their weekly requirement of community service, and for sports like netball, for which Nkhisang was a team captain. As such, ending school around 3PM has been difficult for Nkhisang, who says ending school earlier is the one thing she would change about Catlin. She has a point: MAP’s six-period schedule, which spans the time be-tween 7AM and 12:45PM includes only a little less classroom time than Catlin’s current schedule, and leaves time to do so much more outside of school.

Though they come from opposite sides of the world, both ladies have similar views on multiple facets of life in America and of school at Catlin Gabel. The thing they agree on the most? The difficulty of the homework load.

Campos and Nkhisang both state that one of the big-gest differences between their old schools and Cat-lin is the homework load. “I thought MAP was hard, only to come hear and realize that we have it good at MAP. The workload is different. We don’t get as much homework at Maru-a-Pula,” says Nkhisang. Campos agrees, exclaiming, “I’ve never done so much home-work!”

For Nkhisang, the pressures of homework are doubled by the college application process, which is extremely different from the process in Botswana. There, Nkhi-sang had already been accepted to the University of Botswana, which required only the submission of exam scores and a statement of what she wanted to study in college. Here, she is finding the college pro-cess to be much more difficult: it requires outside help from counselors and teachers, and for her college in America is a high-stakes endeavor. Says Nkhisang, “I want to go to college in the US. I threw off my accep-tance to [the University of Botswana] to come here, so this needs to work out.”

Campos and Nkhisang also agree about the differenc-es in technology between schools. Neither student had to do homework on a computer at home, nor were they required to bring laptops to school. Both also comment that the use of technology here forces everyone to be more constantly connected and to use technology as a resource, rather than relying on friends or teachers.

Both ladies also have had to assimilate to the Ameri-can perception of time, which has been a challenge for both of them. “In Costa Rica,” says Campos, “there is something that we call ‘la hora tica’ and it’s that ticos (Costa Rican people) are never on time.”

Similarly, on the subject of punctuality in the U.S.

Nkhisang says, “It’s insane. It’s different, because I’m used to just knowing that two o’clock means three o’clock. Here if it’s at two it means I have to be there at two.”

Despite the differences between Catlin and home, both exchange students are happy to be here. Nkhi-sang values the opportunity to learn more about a new country and a new culture, and on the subject of at-tending Catlin, Campos says, “I think I am the luckiest person ever.”

Ultimately, Campos and Nkhisang both realize that they are representatives of Costa Rica and Botswa-na, and they hope to not only learn about the United States, but to also share their own cultures and per-spectives with students and teachers at Catlin. “Catlin is a beautiful community, but it is very important for me to show people different points of view about their own culture,” says Campos. “[I want] to tell Catlin students how lucky they are! It is also important to me to show them that [Costa Rica] is awesome.” Says Nkhisang, “Experience is the best teacher, and I am here to experience a different culture, and learn what I can from the Catlin community and the US at large. I am therefore very happy to be partaking in this ex-change program.”

For Joan Piper’s C&C, service day this fall took place at the Loaves & Fishes in Beaverton. Never has my C&C bonded so much after one day. Begun in 1959, Loaves & Fishes serves food to the elderly while also partnering with Meals on Wheels, where people deliver food to people’s homes. The organization provides meals to people over 60 years of age, normally people who are homeless. The meals are created in order to give nutrition to the elderly and keeping a healthy diet for people who may have trouble staying healthy as they get older. The organization relies on the amount of volunteers it has and donations given from the community. If you’d like to see the experience we had with this organization, take a look through our photo diary of the month at: speak.catlin.edu!

Photo Journal at Loaves and Fishes: A Day of Service with Joan Piper’s C&C

A Moment with This Year’s Exchange Students Nimsi Campos and Tapiwa Nkhisang By Fiona Noonan ‘13

Sophomore Nimsi Campos, from Costa Rica. (Photo Credit: Anaka Morris)

Senior Tapiwa “Taps” Nkhisang, from Botswana. (Photo Credit: Anaka Morris)

Chief of Police Mike Reese

Blue House Greenhouse

cities?Reese: We clearly communicated with the Occupy movement participants that we’re here to protect their right to free speech, and [we] kept a clear and honest relationship. Davis: The Occupy Oakland movement seemed to struggle with violence, what have the Portland police done to keep Occupy Portland fairly peaceful?Reese: It’s about communication; it’s about our of-ficers, who are very engaging. They had a presence in the camp––officers have attended decision-making meetings and gatherings and facilitated people’s right to free speech. Event organizers did not see us as an organization opposed to them, but as a force to help them. Davis: What have the Portland police done right, and what would you have done differently?Reese: Communication has been the best thing we’ve done, and we have had an engaged police force that used a lot of restraint. We’ve had a lot of people come up to us and we’ve been very restrained. [Protesters] setting up tents from the very beginning have been very problematic for us. We don’t really know how many people were living in the parks because there were a lot of empty tents, so I would have advocated for no tents from the beginning. I would have told them that they could camp in the parks, but no tents. The tents have caused a lot of damage to the parks. Davis: What has been the most difficult piece of Oc-cupy Portland for you personally?Reese: The lack of leadership at the Occupy move-ment. We’re dealing with a group of people who don’t have a clear leader. At one point we received an email saying, “We’re the real Occupy movement and the other homeless communities are fake and we will be moving out November 5.” We also got another email

[from a different group in the Occupy Portland move-ment] saying that they were the real movement, saying that they weren’t going to leave and would fight the police. The mixed signals were very difficult to deal with.

Davis: How have you communicated if there is no clear leader?Reese: We’re in the camps every day, so we talk to everybody we possibly can. When people ask to meet with us, we meet with them. We [have] also attended decision-making meetings and gatherings.

Davis: I saw that you have asked the Occupy campers to move out tonight, November 13. What influenced this decision to ask the campers to move out?Reese: [The camp] really became a public health and public safety crisis. We had people overdosing on her-oin and methamphetamine. There were people inside the camp who were advocating for violence. We re-cently had one man attempt to burn down a building. That was the point where I told the mayor we couldn’t sustain this. Davis: How did the Portland police prepare for this closure?Reese: You know Audrey, I can’t disclose specific tac-tics. Davis: It is very likely that many campers will defy the police, how do you plan deal with this?Reese: If people want to be arrested then we will arrest them in a peaceful manner. If they engage in violence, then we will use enough force to overcome them. Davis: How do you expect this closure to play out?Reese: I’m going to say a prayer and hope for the best. The shutdown of Occupy Portland in Chapman and Lownsdale Squares proved to be somewhat success-ful. Even though there were a few arrests, the police and Occupy Portland participants worked together in a peaceful manner as Reese had hoped. Although the campers in Chapman and Lownsdale Squares were evicted, members of Occupy Portland have turned to rallies and marches to make their voices heard. On No-vember 17 many Portlanders participated in the “N17” Occupy Wall Street protest. The police used force as necessary to maintain public safety. During the march, as police officers forced protesters off the street and onto the sidewalks, a woman yelled and pushed back, and was then pepper sprayed by an officer [see picture on front page]. 50 arrests were made as the protesters stormed banks such as Wells Fargo and Bank of Amer-ica in downtown Portland. Chief Reese’s compassion-ate leadership and respectful approach to a passionate cause made a difference in our city.

Police officer at Occupy Portland. (Photo credit: Olivia Bolles)

neighbors and customers. According to Moore, it’s “been a challenge, overcoming the stigma of the land’s previous uses.” Regardless of the challenges, the benefits of urban farming are immense. For one, urban farming makes food more accessible to people: “It’s making food vis-ible to the consumers,” says Moore. It’s also keeping the food business in the Portland area. The buyers are local, and the restaurants Blue House supplies are lo-cal. Also, being within such an urban area means that the interaction with the community is constant. “Hear-ing positive reinforcement from different people for what we’re doing is great,” Moore adds. Though urban farming as a business can be difficult, there are benefits even if you aren’t working for profit. Take, for example, the garden that Carter Latendresse has started in the Catlin Gabel Middle School. The garden has become a huge community effort and a learning experience spanning many age groups. Par-ents, students, and faculty are involved. Community gardens can be an educational tool in teaching people how to eat sustainably and to know what all goes into

the food industry. “It completely changes your view on food. So much work goes into the processes,” Moore states. By taking control of your own garden, and working with your community, everyone has the po-tential to become their own urban farmer. If you’d like to check out the farm, here’s a link to Amanda Moore’s website:http://bluehousegreenhousefarm.blogspot.com/

Amanda showed us how to pick carrots. (Photo credit: Anaka Morris)

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There was a wall of graffiti which was awesome! (Photo credit: Anaka Morris)

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We’ve all heard the story: “Rich team X signs great player Y, becomes best team in sport Z.” Teams such as the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Lakers, or Mi-ami Heat, with payrolls soaring far and beyond those of their competitors, always sit at the top of preseason predictions. These are the teams America loves to hate because they play the role of Goliath in their respective sports. But the questions still remain, does spending more money make these teams any better than the rest? Can any team, no matter its budget, compete for a title? Can competitive balance truly exist among to-day’s sports? Teams like the Yankees confirm the notion that money produces wins. After all, the Bronx Bombers’ collection of 27 World Se-ries titles remains unmatched by teams in any sport. The Heat’s offseason spending-spree catapulted them into the NBA finals. Before them, the Lakers, with their payroll scraping the $100 million mark, reached the finals in three consecutive years, while win-ning the last two. However, these success stories do not reveal the whole tale. In 2008, the Tampa Bay Rays, with the sec-ond-lowest payroll in all of baseball, leaped past the Yankees and Red Sox to claim the American League East title, on their march to the World Series. The Rays represented one of the greatest sports stories and fans rushed to cheer on the underdog. But more fascinating is the means in which they constructed their ball club: 27 of 40 players on the roster were drafted by the Rays’ organization, by far the highest mark in the majors. For small-market teams such as Tampa, the draft serves as the primary means for constructing a ball club. In the draft, they have access to the top-tier

talent before the “Goliath” teams can get to it. Many systems are used to achieve competitive balance in sports. The Major League Baseball draft order is de-termined by record, with the worst teams picking first and the best teams picking last. In the NFL and NBA, salary caps limit the spending of the richer teams. The process of contractual arbitration, which is mostly lim-

ited to the MLB, also aides small-market teams. If they have a great player lined up to become a free agent, they can offer the player arbitration. If he declines, and is signed by another team, the player’s original team receives the first-round draft-pick of the signing team. This both deters some potential suitors and compen-sates teams for their loses. Developments towards competitive balance manifest themselves in all the major sports, but Major League

Baseball sets the gold standard. ESPN’s Jayson Stark writes, “Baseball has had nine different [World Se-ries] champs in 11 years.” This year, the Texas Rang-ers were one strike away from making it 10 different champions in 11 years. The NFL and NBA have never had a stretch like that; the NBA has had only six Finals winners in the last 11 years. Not only does postseason baseball showcase a variety of payrolls among differ-

ent teams, it also has included teams from all over the monetary spectrum. This year, the Rays (29th in payroll) and Diamondbacks (25th) made it the postseason, alongside the Yankees (1st) and Phillies (2nd), who were the only two teams from the top 10 in payroll to make the playoffs. Not only that, but those two did not even make it out of the first round. The two teams that made it to the World Series, the Cardinals and Rang-ers, were 11th and 13th respectively. The 2011 World Series was not simply a competition be-tween the last two teams standing, but a show-case of how teams with smaller payrolls can still compete against the heavy-hitters. While big-market teams continue to haul in championships, the sports themselves are be-coming more and more balanced. Despite these improvements, there are still many areas

for change. International free agency and draft-slotting systems could further develop this trend

of teams with lower payrolls competing with richer teams. A combination of homegrown talent and free agent spending would be necessary for creating a championship club. If each of these improvements could be applied to all three leagues, the competition level among sports as a whole would increase dramati-cally. This higher level of balance between different market teams would contribute to more close games, enthusiastic fans, and a more competitive atmosphere.

Rays celebrate their victory over the defending World Series champion. (Source: The New York Times)

Is Competitive Balance in Sports Really Possible?By Tucker Gordon ‘13

Courtesy of a defender running into a punter, and some cheating by Reggie Bush a few years ago, the Oregon Ducks will face off against the Wisconsin Badgers in the 2012 Rose Bowl Presented by Vizio, kicking off on New Years Day in Pasadena, California.

The storyline in this Rose Bowl is not only far dif-ferent from any previous Rose Bowl, it is also more compelling. The two high caliber offenses are both deserving of this berth, yet college football fans may have easily seen a Michigan State vs. USC Rose Bowl. Don’t forget the shot of redemption for these two sto-ried programs that have both gone to Pasadena in the past two years, losing their respective games: Oregon to Ohio State in 2010 and Wisconsin to TCU in 2011.

While Oregon and Wisconsin each celebrate their re-spective Pac-12 and Big-10 championship titles with roses clenched between their teeth, the fans need to remember that this victory only matches the expecta-tions set for them in September. Now they need to win in the post season.

Wisconsin needs to prove that last year’s Rose Bowl defeat was a fluke, while keeping in mind that Michi-gan State was only four points away from taking this opportunity from them.

For coach Chip Kelly and the Oregon Ducks, this one is a little more personal.

The Oregon Ducks have not won a Rose Bowl in 95 years—they won in 1917 when, as the first Pacific Coast Conference team to go to the Rose Bowl, they shut out Penn 14-0. They have only made four Rose Bowl appearances since then, losing each game. More than anything, this program––which features the most prolific offense Oregon has seen in a while––needs postseason success. Chip Kelly needs a January win.

But Kelly said it best: “You’re not going to get some

team you can roll 50 on.”

The fact of the matter is that Wisconsin is a team that prides itself on toughness, especially in their starting lines. For Oregon, control-ling the battle up front is crucial if they want to have any chance of winning the Granddaddy, and after turn-ing the ball over four times against a 6-7 UCLA team that USC shut out 50-0 the week before, the Ducks cannot allow turnovers to kill them.

Oregon will need to tighten its fundamentals. Their de-fense will need to be assertive at the line of scrimmage and not give running back Montee Ball, who ran for four touchdowns against Michigan State, any space to run. Similarly, Wisconsin’s defensive line will look to slow LaMichael James and prevent him from getting in the open field. Duck cornerbacks need to make big defensive plays if Oregon forces Wisconsin quarter-back Russell Wilson to throw. Kelly understands that his team needs to make an example of the powerful yet Badgers, and for Oregon to win and make a statement, his quick tempo offense must get into rhythm swiftly.

For two programs with outstanding running backs, the real question of the Rose Bowl is whose system of play can impose more will on the other. Can Wis-consin bully Oregon’s offensive and defensive lines––like Auburn did in last year’s BCS National Champi-onship––while controlling the clock and the pace of the game? If they lose the battle up front, can Wis-consin play from behind and find the receivers in red and white, exposing Oregon’s inexperienced freshman cornerbacks the same way USC did?

Right now, USC is crying foul that Oregon won the

Pac-12 championship for the third consecutive time while allowing a mediocre UCLA offense to put up 31 more points than USC allowed. Oregon must win big in the Rose Bowl to silence USC and all the other crit-ics of Kelly’s system: those who believe that any team with more than a week to prepare can shut down his quick strike offense. And LaMichael James, a Doak Walker award winner and the nation’s leading rusher, must make a big statement in Pasadena.

Although most of the Ducks players who lost the Rose Bowl to Ohio State two years ago have graduated, many remember the bitterness of that loss, as well as the bitterness of losing the National Championship to Auburn last year, and they are determined to win the third time around. Said guard Mark Asper, “Unfortunately we’ve come up a little short the last two years, but I have to say that’s added fuel to the fire and focus for this contest.” Oregon senior tight end David Paulson added, “We haven’t won [the Rose Bowl] here in awhile and we’d like to be the ones to change that.” With two of the strongest offenses in college football, this exciting and unique matchup is sure to be a high scoring game.

My prediction: Oregon 39, Wisconsin 31

The Oregon Ducks. (Source: The New York Times)

Oregon vs. Wisconsin: Predicting the Rose BowlBy Ben Shmulevsky ‘13

At Catlin Gabel a student can learn three different languages, master the three bod-ies of science, learn about transitioning governments in developing countries, and spend a semester studying the art of the memoir, but at the end of the day, if you ask them how the Federal Reserve injects money into the economy, you will be met with a blank stare. Or perhaps something like, “Well, they print money, don’t they?” Nearly all public schools in the country, as well as many private ones, offer courses in economics. These are the classes that go over the elements of supply and de-mand, basic business concepts, and the fundamental structures of our country’s economy. Unfortunately, Catlin Gabel does not have these classes; students may glean some tangential economics from history or math courses, but they remain woefully ignorant of, say, how economic policy is managed in the U.S. Not only does this impair a student’s understanding of how nations and markets interact with each other, but it also leaves Catlin Gabel students with no knowledge of personal finance. It may be easy to assume that Catlin students will learn these skills in col-lege and adulthood, but why leave them unprepared? A 2005 report by the National Council on Economic Education found that 60% of high school students lacked understanding of fundamental economic concepts. The survey covered over 2,000 students and 3,500 adults and quizzed them on basic ideas of money, interest rates, government, and personal finance, among others. The survey had other interesting results (females were more likely to fail the quiz than males; adults with a high school education scored the same as 12th grade stu-dents), but overall it made a compelling case for more economics in high school curricula. The N.C.E.E. aims to help people make “informed and responsible choic-es throughout their lives as consumers, savers, investors, workers, citizens, and participants in our global economy,” and their programs have reached over 15 mil-lion students in the United States. However, it is unlikely that they have influenced anyone at Catlin Gabel. Economics may seem outside of Catlin’s liberal dogma. After all, many people see economics as one of the most conservative sciences, especially with the affiliation of those like Milton Friedman and Alan Greenspan. In reality, though, economics is the most powerful model for social change. Around the turn of the 20th century, Fabian economists such as Sidney and Beatrice Webb were the first to advocate for social justice reforms like a minimum wage, universal healthcare, and the abolition

of hereditary peerages. Friedman, despite his small-government reputation, was the one to introduce a direct tax on the employer for programs like Social Security and Medicare. The Federal Reserve annually employs thousands of economists to do research on a variety of topics, including how to best affect living conditions in the United States through monetary policy. Economics, though frequently used for the defense of evil (credit default swaps, collateral debt obligations, etc.), has through-out history done more good than harm for society. Catlin Gabel has a strange reluctance to teaching economics. Some teachers have an avid interest in the subject and try to integrate it into their courses, but the mate-rial is always tangential and never appears on tests. I have personally advocated for an economics class at Catlin, but I have not found a faculty member willing to devote a full elective to the subject. It seems that at Catlin Gabel, in the constant battle between progressive education and college preparation, the entire field of economics has fallen by the wayside. The ignorance of such an integral science may be forgotten in the celebration of other broad-minded courses, but an undeni-able truth remains: economics cannot be left out of a liberal arts education. To do so would be akin to only teaching romance languages or removing chemistry from the curriculum. Economics needs a place in every school as a foundational science. With the possible exception of algebra or writing, economics is the most applicable course in the real world, and because Catlin Gabel’s single most important job is to prepare students for life, the school cannot continue to ignore it.

The Argument for Economics at Catlin GabelBy Andrew Hungate ‘12

The new arts building, a massive investment of time, money, and space, will transform the arts department as we know it. Such an investment clearly demonstrates the school’s dedication to its students’ creativity, but why, exactly, are the arts so vital at Catlin Gabel? It cannot be denied that art permeates every corner of Catlin’s campus: from the woodshop pieces hanging in the Middle School commons to the Jazz Band perfor-mances at the winter assembly to the senior class gift mural designed by Becky Garner ’11, art surrounds us. This omnipresence of art stems from the constant opportunities Catlin provides for students’ artistic ex-pression. In that respect, among many others, Catlin is a unique place, especially in a time when many schools are cutting back on their arts programs. Head of school Lark Palma is a firm believer in the arts as a vital part of education at Catlin. “We don’t think of the arts as ancillary, we think of them as core,” she says. “We think that every child can be creative; every child can act, can draw, can be inventive. It’s this fun-damental belief in our students that builds confidence in their creative thinking.” Upper School media arts teacher Nance Leonhardt ex-pands Palma’s point, noting that art is “not filtered by a teacher dictating what’s right and not right to talk about. Art teachers are very similar to reference librar-ians. We have a knowledge base and we have the tools to help students access what they need to articulate their ideas. [Art is] about coming up with an idea and refining it; it’s about responding to what you’ve cre-ated.” This idea of responding to a work of art and adapting a creation is key in the development of any success-ful student, and is taught effectively through art. Says Palma, “The ability to say, ‘I don’t like how that turned out, but I’m going to try it again,’ builds resiliency and tenacity that isn’t always possible in more hard-edged classes.” This also fits into what Palma calls Catlin’s desire to be a “laboratory school,” a school emphasiz-ing trying new things.

Alix Meier Goodman ’71, a Catlin alumna whose sons, Andy Goodman ’09 and Reid Goodman ’11, both went to Catlin, has donated funds toward the new arts building and is helping fundraise by convincing

others to donate as well. She views the arts as vital in that they are highly experiential and provide “An opportunity to be successful in a diverse way. It’s like the reason for outdoor education: a kid might not be so good at math, but it’s something [else] he can excel in. [Art is] a way to feel good about yourself.” The arts allow students to learn resiliency in a rela-tively “low-stakes” setting: unlike in other classes, there are no consequences for failure in an arts class––no grades for color mixing, no penalties for missing

a note during a performance. Students can take these skills learned through the arts and apply them to other classes, and eventually to other facets of life. In an ar-ticle in the Caller from the summer of 2011, Leonhardt writes that the school’s approach to learning through techniques developed in arts classes “leaves an indel-ible signature on alumni, many of whom may never set foot in a ceramics studio again, but when faced with a professional dilemma will conjure the memory of wrangling a shapeless mass of mud and water into a sleek vessel under [former ceramics teacher] Judy Teufel’s watchful eye. [They will remember] the feel of the clay veering determinedly off course and then, with persistence and a steady hand, the sense of it righting itself as the circuit came to a close. They will not only remember the success, they will remember the journey and the dividends its lessons paid.” Meier Goodman agrees, “I think [the arts are] going to be important for the 21st century: [the arts facilitate] problem solving, critical thinking skills, and com-munication with others about why you created some-thing and why you did it.” She goes on to say, “[The arts building] is a really good place to learn those life skills. Once you go off to college or a job, you have to have that kind of resilience.” Unfortunately, not all academic institutions hold the arts in such high regard. “Because of the hierarchy of what colleges look at in admissions and the hierarchy of how subjects are prioritized and emphasized with graduation requirements, it is often overlooked that the arts do very unique things for students’ develop-ment,” says Leonhardt. Palma has similar misgivings, noting that some colleges even take arts grades out of GPAs when considering applicants. Regardless of the college admissions process, Catlin maintains a strong arts tradition. “Without arts, I feel like students would graduate without a big component of their education,” says Palma. “If there were not arts, we would not be fulfilling our mission.” This mission creates bold learners who possess the ability to adapt and create in the face of adversity. Palma, “A school without a vibrant arts program isn’t a school [at all].”

Why the Arts Are Vital at Catlin and BeyondBy Fiona Noonan ‘13

Upper School art teacher Nance Leonhardt helps Layla Entrikin ’13 with a graphic design project. (Photo Credit: Anaka Morris)

Can you name this man? (Source: The New York Times)

Sports Page 4 Catlin newsPage 5

Fashion Scene (Seen) on CampusBy Hannah Rotwein ’13

Chocolate Peppermint Patty Cookies

Ingredients• 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks• 3 large eggs, at room temperature• 1 cup sugar• 3/4 cup flour• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt Preparation1. Put chocolates and butter in a medium metal bowl and set bowl over a pan filled with one-inch of simmering wa-ter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until melted, then remove from heat and let cool slightly. Whisk in eggs and sugar, mixing until combined. Then whisk in flour, baking pow-der, and salt. Chill dough, covered, until firm, about two hours.2. Let dough sit at room temperature 15 minutes. Mean-while, preheat oven to 350° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop one tbsp. portions of dough, rolling each into a ball, and then using your palm to press each ball into one-quarter inch thick rounds. Put onto sheets 1 inch apart. Bake cookies until they no longer look wet on top, about eight minutes. Let cool on baking sheets.Make ahead: Batter up to one day; baked cookies up to two days, airtight.3. In a bowl, mix three cups powdered sugar, four tbsp. milk, and three-quarter tsp. peppermint extract. Spread one heaping tsp. peppermint icing onto the flat side of one cookie. Top with flat side of a second cookie to form a sandwich, pressing together to squeeze filling to the edge. Roll edge of cookie in crushed and sifted candy canes. Makes 20. Adapted from Sunset magazine, December 2009(Sources: Sunset.com, Myrecipes.com)

Candy Cane Cake This holiday cake recipe is as tasty as it is stunning. For a shortcut version, start with a store-bought angel food cake.

Ingredients• 1 cup sifted cake or pastry flour• 1 3/4 cups sugar• 12 egg whites, at room temperature• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar• 1/4 teaspoon salt• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract• 1 teaspoon almond extract• 8 ounces peppermint candy canes• 2 cups heavy whipping cream

Preparation1. Preheat oven to 325°. Sift together flour and three-fourths cup sugar. Sift again and set aside.2. In a large bowl or standing mixer, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt. Beat until soft peaks form. Add three-fourths cup sugar and the vanilla and al-mond extracts. Continue beating until egg whites are firm but not dry.3. Sift one-third of the flour-sugar mixture onto the egg whites and, with a rubber or silicone spatula, gently fold the mixture into the egg whites. Add remaining flour in two batches, folding gently after each addition. Turn bat-ter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan and bake until browned and firm to the touch, 50 to 60 minutes.4. Invert cake (in pan) on a cooling rack for at least an hour. When completely cool, run a long, thin, sharp knife between cake and pan to loosen, and remove cake.5. Put candy canes in a large sealable plastic bag. Crush them into small pieces with a meat pounder, rolling pin, or the bottom of a small frying pan. Sift crushed candy with a fine-mesh strainer and reserve candy dust for an-other use. Set crushed candy aside. 6. In a large bowl, beat cream with remaining one-quarter cup granulated sugar until soft peaks form. Frost cake with whipped cream using a spatula to form swirls and peaks. Sprinkle frosted cake with crushed candy canes. (To get candy on the sides, hold your hand about one inch from the cake and gently toss crushed candy at the sides.) Serve immediately, using a serrated knife to cut slices. Adapted from Sunset magazine, December 2006(Source: Sunset Publishing Corp)

     

     

       

   

 

     

Grant Phillips Cydney SmithSarah Koe

Layla Entrikin Maggie Weirich Cameron Boyd

Layla Entrikin Kallisti Kenaley-Lundberg Ruth Lind Valerie Balog

Kate Rubinstein Patrick Walsh Brooke Edelson

Maggie Weirich

As Catlin resides in its own bubble within the larger community, the clothes exhibited by its patrons reflect just that: fashion tendencies apparent in the larger world infused with wryly Catlin gestures—raincoats and Patagonia apparel, anyone? The following photos show just how much Catlin students and teachers are in-fluenced by trends this fall—or not. This October, students and teachers have been gearing up for colder temperatures with leggings and over-size textural sweaters in oatmeal and cream shades. Feet clad in seventies-inspired suede moccasin booties have taken over campus pathways, as have those donning menswear-inspired leather Chelsea boots. Chelsea boots—which often double as hiking or gardening shoes—have been elevated to new heights with their incorporation into everyday outfits and by unique materials, such as ostrich-leather. Students have mirrored the rise of the Chelsea boot and moccasin booties in the larger world but kept the trends decidedly theirs with pops of colorful (and often mismatched) socks.

(Photo credits: Hannah Rotwein)

Sarah KoeAnnika Berry Fiona Noonan

For two Fridays in a row, the Arlene Schnitzer Con-cert Hall was filled to capacity with fans of two of the country’s most celebrated artists—David Sedaris and Herbie Hancock. As an avid fan of both per-formers, I attended both events; on the first night I was lucky enough to be accompanied by fellow stu-dent Annika Berry. Together we reviewed Sedaris’s performance. David Sedaris, the author of six New York Times Bestsellers and “The Santa Land Diaries,” per-formed to a sold-out crowd at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on November 4. His current tour, as he told the audience, covers an astounding 41 U.S. cities in 42 days. At some points during his reading Sedaris seemed overwhelmed with this fact, but the rest of the night he emanated vitality and charisma. The first essay that Sedaris read was about why he is not running for president. His biting satire of the Republican presidential candidates exemplified his remarkable ability to cut through cultural euphe-misms and political correctness, such as when he said, “This country has enormously high gas pric-es and awful illegal immigration. If I were elected President, I would kill two birds with one stone… and have illegal Mexicans push our cars. But I’m not running.” Similarly, he suggested that he could solve droughts in the Midwest by crushing the unions’ col-lective bargaining rights and watering the fields with their tears. His topics that night ranged from his Pari-sian dentists to his father, and only one of the essays that he read was already published—“The Motherless Bear.” He read outrageously funny entries from his personal journal, and told jokes that he had collected on his tour to breathless laughter and applause. Over-all, despite the brilliance of his previous work, Sedaris

rose above and beyond the expectations of his fans and gave a stunning performance. At 71 years old, Herbie Hancock is still a lion of a piano player––he can do things that defy the very con-cepts of rhythm and space. He performed at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on November 11 with the Or-egon Symphony, playing many solo tunes (including

“Footprints,” “Embraceable You,” and “Cantaloupe Island”), as well as his famed big band arrange-ment, “Sonrisa,” and the featured piece, “Rhapsody in Blue.” Hancock did not just play music though: he talked, cracked jokes, and flirted with his attrac-tive young page-turner. He developed a personality on stage that came through in both his speech and his music. At times, the orchestra had difficulty keeping up with him. Hancock told the audience at one point: “I realized that when I’m up here just by myself, without a bass player or drummer, I can do whatever I want. I don’t have to keep time or stay in the same harmonizations. I’m free to play whatever I feel.” He toyed with the various themes of Gersh-win’s “Rhapsody,” not caring about wrong notes or correct interpretations. It was incredibly refreshing––a dynamite performance. When he finished, the en-tire hall erupted in a thunderous five-minute standing ovation that drew him back for an encore. When the audience finally left that night, Hancock’s words still echoed in the hall: “Music is more about life than it is about music.” Sedaris’s and Hancock’s performances likely gave the Arelene Schnitzer Concert Hall the best week of its existence. Each performer brought his own de-finitive charm to the stage and proved his eminence. They shook the hall with breathless laughter, filled

it with stunned silence, and ultimately, rapturous ap-plause. Neither of them will return for a long time, but it will be worth the wait. At the end of Sedaris’s perfor-mance, Annika and I waited nervously by his signing table. We had hoped to get a quote from him for this article. However, when he finally sat down, we merely stood transfixed; the greatness of the tiny man over-whelmed us. Eventually we shuffled away, thinking, “next time, next time…”

Another season of Project Runway has drawn to a close, with all its usual drama and surprise. But the intricacies of the show remain largely unknown to its view-ers—for example, how often are the story lines contrived versus genuine? A talk with Portlander and season nine Runway contestant Becky Ross reveals the behind-the-scenes shenanigans viewers are dying to know.

The perennial question of reality shows is whether story lines are authentic or scripted, and Project Runway in no way escapes the question. Ross herself is suspi-cious that the production crew manipulates happenings on the show, saying Project Runway host Heidi Klum wears an ear-piece so as to be in constant communica-tion with production. Ross is also unsure if story lines influence which contestant is eliminated each episode. She does note, however, the creative liberties production takes with television advertisements, say-ing it often edits segments that falsely sug-gest judges criticizing certain contestants. However, Ross contends her clash with fellow designer Joshua McKinley was real, and that he was “really that mean.” About that annoying music that plays between the time Klum says a name on the runway and whether or not said person is still in the competition? “Production adds that music afterwards, and Heidi’s pause is three times longer on the runway.” What’s a reality show if not dramatic? Why, viewers may wonder, were there no Portland sightings of Ross after her elimi-nation from the show? The answer lies in the fact that Ross, along with all elimi-nated contestants, was sequestered in New York for the remainder of the six-week show. All eliminated contestants must pretend to still be on the show whenever the surviving contestants venture into public, so people do not know who has been eliminated before television airings. Ross even mentions people who would stand outside fabric store Mood in an attempt to figure out which contestants were still in the running. Eliminated competitors lived in a Project Runway alternate universe, venturing to a separate Parsons workroom each day, where they amused themselves with the actual contestants’ leftover material.

Come Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Project Runway stages three finale shows at Lincoln Center. The top ten designers—Ross missed out by one elimination spot—created and showed collections. This precaution is taken to eliminate the chances of the public discovering who the final designers are in the time between Fashion Week in September and the airing of the final episodes in October. Now, about that finale. Ross states that finalist Victor Luna was her favorite de-

signer from the start, and lauds the beauty of the photographic prints in his final collection. She goes on to say, however, that she is not sur-prised that Anya Ayoung-Chee won the competition. While Luna’s print-ed clothes were fresh and new, the drab sheer clothes he added right be-fore the showing at Lincoln Center deflated the creativity of the collec-tion. Ross herself acknowledges that Luna may have won had he stuck to his prints. What Luna lacked, how-ever, was Ayoung-Chee’s brand-ability. Judge Michael Kors himself stated he could visualize an “Anya bag,” “Anya dress” and “Anya shoe.” Ross sums up Ayoung-Chee’s appeal as a “beachy fantasy—who wouldn’t want to be that girl on the beach in a sarong?” Ross is compli-mentary when saying Ayoung-Chee

understood the appeal of her persona and used it to her advantage.

Ross is pleased with her decision to go on the show. Although she admits she “didn’t know what she was getting herself into,” she accedes the “leaps and bounds” the show has afforded her career. Despite this bonus, Ross is unsure she would acqui-esce if asked to return for Project Runway All Stars. The stress of the competition, and the fact that she is not allowed to reproduce any styles or elements of any styles she created on the show, are downsides she is hesitant to repeat. Fans will just have to chart Ross’s continued rise in the fashion industry without the aid of the televi-sion set.

Sedaris’s and Hancock’s performances likely gave the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall the best week of its existence.

(Photo credit: Annika Berry)

The writer with Season Nine Project Runway contestant Becky Ross. (Photo credit: Bonnie Aust)

A Fantastic Week at the Schnitz: David Sedaris and Herbie Hancock Perform

Project Runway Season Nine: Behind the Scenes

By Andrew Hungate ’12

By Hannah Rotwein ’13

local news Page 6 Arts & entertainmentPage 7

The Potty Review: A Ranking of Catlin’s BathroomsBathrooms. You need them. Catlin has them— a lot of them. Catlin has so many that sometimes it can be hard to choose which bathroom to use. Therefore, we have teamed up to break down the nitty-gritty and give you a comprehensive review of the best (and worst) bathrooms on campus. Whether you’re frantically memorizing the order of Odysseus’ nostoi when you suddenly need to offer some libations to the toilet gods or you’re hiding in the Learning Center skipping PODS and need to flush your rejection letter down the toilet, this article is for you.

Upper Library

Privacy: These bathrooms are located in the very silent library. Too bad your mission is not so quiet (thankfully Sue does not shush bathroom goers!). Facilities: All stainless steel. Smell: Suffers from the Single Bathroom Syndrome (SBS). Smell can’t be blamed on others.Foot Traffic: Lots of nerds at Catlin equals lots of people in the library. Lots of people in the library equal lots of people in the bathroom. Heavy foot traffic. Aesthetic: Hand painted tiles line the walls. Lovely!Location: By the transitive property of Catlin nerds, these bathrooms are in the perfect location. Other: Catlin nerds like gender equality and some students want these bathrooms gender neutral. Yet a few fe-male nerds cringe at the idea of sharing a bathroom with stinky freshman boys. Furthermore, there’s no indication if the bathroom’s locked. And when you walk towards the bathrooms, everyone in the library knows the business of your business. Overall:

The reviewers. (Photo credit: Rachel Caron)

By Eli Wilson Pelton ‘12 and Sarah Koe ‘12

Lower Library

Privacy: Major design flaw in the stall doors. Awkward gaping slits make for awkward bathroom eye-contact while you’re on the toilet. Facilities: The facilities may not be all stainless steel, but at least there’s a full-length mirror. Smell: Varies by bathroom patron. Foot Traffic: Moderate to low. Skyrockets when Gerlinger is in full use.Aesthetic: Tiled on the inside and pretty artwork can be seen when you exit.Location: Must take circuitous route around Nance’s media arts room or receive death glare from Ginia for access.Other: If upper library bathroom is full, you get to take the elevator to the lower library bathrooms and admire Cameron Boyd’s art installation. Nance’s class watches you enter and exit while playing World of Warcraft on their computers. Overall: Awkward eye contact while peeing in Lower Library.

(Photo credit: Eli Wilson-Pelton)Hand painted tiles in Lower Library. (Photo credit:

Sarah Koe)

Vollum Single:

Privacy: Very private. Facilities: All stainless steelSmell: Homey smells waft from the LC. But occasionally suffers from SBS.Foot Traffic: Very low.Aesthetic: Whitewashed brick walls are reminiscent of prison / Eli’s traumatic ex-perience at public school. Location: Must trek up and down stairs. Can we get a PE credit for this?Other: Lock is questionable. So much space. Maybe even too much space? See Vol-lum women’s for comparison. Overall: 1/2

Vollum Women’s:

Privacy: If you consider playing under the stall footsie with your bathroom neighbor private, then yes. Facilities: All stainless steel.Smell: Stinks for days. Foot Traffic: Bizarrely busy. One bathroom the size of a cupboard desig-nated for all the girls in Vollum is not enough. Aesthetic: Dark, one light, no painted tiles on walls. Dislike. Layout: Awkward and crammed. You could fit 1.5 Lauren Shareshians in here.Location: Must trek up and down stairs. Can we get a PE credit for this?Other: These Vollum nerds are not pleased with bathroom inequality. Vol-lum women’s is half the size of the Vollum men’s bathroom. Overall:

Lots of space in Vollum Single. New Nap Club meeting spot? (Photo credit: Sarah Koe)

Vollum Men’s:Exactly the same as Vollum women’s except nothing is the same and every-thing is better. Future topic for feminism class?Overall: 1/2

It is so crammed in Vollum Women’s! (Photo credit: Sarah Koe)

No room in Vollum Women’s! (Photo credit: Sarah Koe)

Plethora of space in Vollum Men’s! (Photo credit: Sarah Koe)

Sick RoomPrivacy: Great privacy until Nicole’s awkward freshmen laugh at you or philoso-phizing seniors make a connection between your entrance into the sick room and Dante’s descent into hell.Facilities: Kate Grant is the new Martha Stewart. Bathroom has been sprinkled with Kate’s personal touches: EO Handsoap, organic air freshener, a colorful painting and a table/foot rest. However, the sickbed with all its stains would not be found in Liv-ing magazine.Smell: There’s an organic air freshener!Foot Traffic: Very low. See above about stained sickbed.Aesthetic: Nice ceiling tilt. Beautiful view of the quad if blinds are rolled up.Location: Long trek up stairs. Other: This is Brett Mathes’s favorite bathroom on campus. Tony Stocks suggests the addition of a bed skirt and princess canopy to the sick bed.Overall:

Sick room. (Photo credit: Sarah Koe)

Sick bed stains in Sick Room. (Photo credit: Sarah Koe)

Organic room freshener, festive mug and personalized hand soap in Sick Room! Thanks Kate!

(Photo credits: Sarah Koe)

Dant Bathrooms

Privacy: Great privacy. Facilities: All stainless steel. Women’s has nice sink to toilet ratio (2 sinks : 3 stalls)Smell: Average.Foot Traffic: Moderate to high (prepare for awkward faculty run-ins).Aesthetic: Hand-crafted tiles on walls and lovely trim around ceiling. Women’s has beautiful lighting and double mirrors.Other: And now a quote from Tony Stocks: “This bathroom seldom has enough paper towels.” Thanks Tony!Overall:

Outdoor Science

Privacy: Exposed to the rest of the quad. Literally. When the men’s door opens you can see someone urinating. Facilities: Reminiscent of seedy highway rest stops.Smell: Smells like the great outdoors!Foot Traffic: Moderate.Aesthetic: Dirty, rainwater soaked floors.Location: Only good when temperature exceeds 80 degrees and the sun is shining. Oh wait….Other: Eternal dilemma of locking the actual door or the stall door. Pro-tip: lock both, bring hand warmers and take as long as you want.Overall:

Vitruvius (the bathroom in the back of the Science building)

Privacy: This bathroom has its own hallway. The only people who will see you walk in are Aline and attentive front row biology students.Facilities: Just died and went to bathroom heaven. Amazing trim on door, all stainless steel and the occupied lock is made of weathered brass.Smell: The sweet smell of science.Foot Traffic: Constantly occupied. Allocate at least five minutes for wait time.Aesthetic: Simplicity works for this bathroom. Location: Out of the way but the walk is worth it.Other: Dan Griffiths’s preferred “loo”!Overall:

Other bathrooms of note: Cabell Center:Overall: Lower Barn:Overall: Track port-a-potty:Overall: Lower School bathrooms:Overall: 1/2 Gym lobby:Overall: Locker rooms:Overall: First floor of Toad Hall:Overall: 1/2

Dant Women’s bathrooms. (Photo credit: Sarah Koe)

If the door to Outdoor Science opens, everyone can see you! (Photo credit: Sarah Koe)

The Outdoor Science bathrooms get dirty. (Photo credit: Sarah Koe)

Vitruvius. (Photo credit: Eli Wilson-Pelton)

Catlin news Page 8 Catlin newsPage 9

The first time I met senior Megan Stater was at an orientation for new freshmen, four years ago. After a bit of small talk, Megan asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I shrugged my shoulders, admitting I didn’t have a definite plan. When I returned the question, Megan declared simply that she planned to be the first female President of the United States. Although I laughed and wrote her off as a bit crazy, I have discov-ered over the past years that if anyone could do it, she’s our gal. Though short in stature, this bachelorette quickly makes up ground with her infectious giggle, mind-bending in-tellect, and pure sass.

So Megan, what are your main interests?Oh you know (shrugging), sitting in cafés talking about philosophy … just kidding! (Giggles.) Hmm, I really enjoy watching people play video games. Boys like to play video games, and I like to watch them! I never had much of a childhood, so I get re-ally into that “kid” stuff.

Describe for us your perfect date.Ooh, such a good question! Hmm, maybe some kind of skanky dance? (Sarcastically) That’s how girls pick up guys these days, right? No, no, just joking. Well, to be hon-est, I have very little “dating” experience. I mean these days high-schoolers don’t really go on dates anymore, you know?

The song that will be playing when you en-counter your true love?“Imagine,” by John Lennon. It’s perfect.

What are your requirements for a significant other?Single. Male. I’m not too picky. But they’ve got to be born before the year 1997 (sorry, freshmen!). I’m very chatty, but I get awk-ward if he’s not outgoing … for a date to work, he’s got to be talkative!

You may never have heard anyone actually call Jona-than Bray by his real name. Popular nicknames be-sides the obvious “John” have included “Jonty” and “Jay Bray,” but what really lies under that sideways smile? After receiving more than a few requests for him to be BOTM, I sat down with this sassy and mysterious newbie to Catlin Gabel. Throughout our interview, he sat next to me in a li-brary study room with a pencil in hand, mindlessly drawing lightly on the table while he talked. His raspy chuckles at each question and constant eye rolling at the silly nature of being BOTM made it seem as though he wasn’t too thrilled with our conversation, but by the end of our interview a true hint of his romantic side surfaced.

The quick detailsGrade: Sophomore.Previous school: Grant High School.Favorite food: I like sushi.The thing you can’t leave your house without: My clothes!Preferred nickname: I don’t want to disclose it.Holiday(s) you celebrate during the winter: Christmas.

To begin, how has your transition to Catlin been?(Nervously looks at the pencil in his hand.) Good in some parts and bad in others. I suck in math, so that’s not good.

What do you look for in a person?I like them to be happy and not too annoying. Like not overly happy, because that pisses me off. (Laughs.) And I hate optimistic people—no, don’t put that in. Don’t put that in, it’s not totally true! I hate over-the-top optimistic people. I also like tallness.

What’s your number one way to make someone fall in love with you?I don’t have one––I just talk to them and … yeah. (Smiles shyly and continues to draw circles lightly on the table...don’t tell Margy?)

What do you like to do in your free time?I like to play tennis and read … and hang out with my friends. What everyone else likes to do in their free time.

What song would you use to set the mood?Oh jeez … there’s a lot. I like Coldplay, they’re my favorite band.

Would you rather find a lover under the mistletoe or

sledding down a hill?Are you kidding me? Mistletoe smells horrible. (I guess that means he’d rather be sledding.)

Hot chocolate or eggnog?Eggnog tastes like [crap] (sorry, I had to censor this one). I don’t really like hot chocolate either though––it tastes like coffee or something. Starbucks hot choc-olate tastes so bad…my sister gets weird mint hot chocolate and then makes me drink it … it’s weird. (He has an older sister, by the way.)

Are you a closet romantic?Sure. I don’t really know what that is … but yeah.

Are you looking at anyone special right now for ro-mance during the holiday season?No. (Sheepishly grins … something makes me not really believe him.)

Then are you on the lookout?Not really, no. (Catlin ladies are going to have to change his mind!)

Any embarrassing moments when trying to find love?Last year this one girl thought I was stalking her. It was not funny at all it was so bad. She was so beautiful it was crazy. Every time she would pass me in the hallway she would like run away…not really run away, but yeah, you know.

First kiss?New Year’s Eve 2010, in Hawaii.

Favorite hangout spot in Portland?The waterfront.

What are a couple of things people would be sur-prised to find out about you?My family is from South Africa (pauses to think), and my favorite movie is Titanic.

What would be your dream date?Well, we’d get on a boat and sail down to some island and have a picnic or something. And then we would watch the sunset and then … I don’t know … go home and make sweet love. (So he does have a romantic side!)

Lastly, what is the best way for a girl to catch your attention?

I don’t know¬¬––they don’t really need to do any-thing to catch my attention. If I like them then they’ll catch my attention all by themselves.

He’ll love you for who you are, ladies, and that’s all anyone could ask for. Although he may seem very cool and collected on the outside, this sophomore has a truly hilarious sense of humor: he had me laugh-ing so hard I snorted, which, to my embarrassment, he made sure to point out. Whichever nickname you choose to call him, this guy is worth getting to know!

Sophomore Jonathan Bray is December’s Bachelor of the Month. Ladies, just be yourselves to catch this bachelor’s attention.

(Photo Credit: Anaka Morris)

Bachelorette of the Month, Holiday Edition: Megan Stater By Annika Berry ‘12

By Anaka Morris ‘12

Senior Megan Stater is December’s Bachelorette of the Month. Gentlemen, the holi-day season is the perfect time to woo her with expensive gifts! (Photo: Anaka Morris)

From the tube to the flat-screen, televisions have come a long way since the 1940s. But now there is a new kid on the block: the In-ternet. As television’s biggest competitor, cable companies now have more than just each other to worry about. With innovations like Netflix and Hulu, is cable really the best way to watch television pro-gramming anymore?

With so many choices avail-able, how could anyone pos-sibly decide between the wide variety of cable options and the accessibility of inex-pensive online alternatives? Cable can provide families with a vast array of television networks and channels, but how many of those channels does the average person actu-ally watch?

For students, especially dur-ing a school week, it’s often difficult to find the time to watch television at night in addition to completing home-work and sports activities. More often, students “catch up” with their favorite shows online over the weekend. In-novations like TiVo make the recording of such shows pos-sible, but even that comes at a price.

Television networks them-selves seem to have caught on to the phenomenon, and have started making shows available on their websites after airing them on televi-

sion. MTV, VH1, Fox Net-work, The CW, and many others have found a new way to promote and adver-tise their programming over the Internet free of cost for the viewer. And despite the fact that websites such as Hulu can only offer a limited amount of information and news, many news channels now have their broadcasts

available online on their own websites for free.

Internet Versus Cable: The Most Cost-Effective Way To Watch TV

Hulu+ $7.99

95.88 Very cheap, convenient and updates automatically. Considerable selection of different shows and movies, and there is no binding contract.

Still limited in show and movie options.

Monthly Fee Annual Cost Pros Cons DirecTV: Choice

$29.99 $359.88

DirecTV On Demand, which gives instant access to over 6,000 shows and movies for no extra charge. No startup costs, and free installation.

After the first year, price bumps up to $44.99 per month. In addition, only 150 of the channels received would be in digital HD

DirecTV: Choice Xtra

$34.99 $419.88 In addition to DirecTV On Demand, you would also be able to watch television online on the DirecTV website, with over 210 channels including HBO for up to three months.

After the first year, the price increases to $49.99.

DirecTV: Choice Ultimate

$39.99 $479.88 All the same benefits as Choice Xtra, but with and additional 225 digital channels, including eleven movie channels.

After the first year, the price is raised to $54.99.

DirecTV: Premiere

$83.99 1,007.88 Includes all the benefits of Choice Ultimate, with HBO, Cinemax, Starz and Showtime available, and more sports channels in HD.

After the first year, the price inflates to $98.99. Pricy!

Netflix: Internet Only

$7.99 $95.88 It’s cheap! And convenient, since all shows can be streamed from your Internet onto your television and on laptops.

A limited selection of shows are available online. You also cannot watch news (local or global), sports, etc.

Netflix: DVD/Blu-Ray Addition

$15.98 191.76 Still very inexpensive, and you get a wide variety of DVD’s and blu-ray to watch along with all the online features.

Still limited for certain shows, but you can order HBO shows on DVD once they are released.

Hulu: Free! $0 $0 No cost at all! Watch certain shows for an unlimited amount of time. And, unlike Netflix, some major news outlets are

Limited in show and movie options.

Monthly Fee Annual Cost Pros Cons Xfinity: Digital Starter

$29.99 $359.88

You get channels such as HBO, Showtime, Starz, and Cinemax. There are over 80 digital channels, and thousands of on-demand movies and TV shows.

Requires a two-year agreement, and you only get HBO, Showtime, Starz, and Cinemax for 6 months unless you pay for more expensive package

Xfinity: Digital Preferred

$39.99 $479.88 Over 160 digital channels, including several sports networks such as NBA TV and other on demand choices.

You still only get select premium channels for 6 months (HBO, Showtime, etc). Also requires a two-year contract. Pricy.

Xfinity: Digital Premier

$84.99 $1,019.88 You get over 200 digital channels, including HBO, Showtime, etc. which will remain available as part of your deal even after 6 months, including all your other on-demand choices.

Requires a two-year contract, and its extremely expensive.

Xfinity: Online Bonus

N/A N/A If you bundle with an Xfinity Internet plan, you can watch select television online with Xfinity Online TV.

FiOS: Prime HD Plan

$64.99 $779.88 You get 195 digital channels, and HBO and Cinemax are 50% off for the first year, and there is no annual contract required

This is the smallest package that FiOS offers, and it’s already pricy.

FiOS: Extreme HD Plan

$74.99 $899.88 In addition to 50% off of HBO and Cinemax for one year (included in starter price), you can receive up to 285 digital channels, and still no annual contract required.

Already getting expensive for not many additional perks.

FiOS: Ultimate HD Plan

$89.99 $1,079.88 350 digital channels, 50% off HBO and Cinemax, and still no annual contract.

Cons: Seriously expensive, $15.00 more a month than the Extreme HD plan, but with only

Is OES’s Science Really Better than Catlin’s?

Monthly Fee Annual Cost Pros Cons DirecTV: Choice

$29.99 $359.88

DirecTV On Demand, which gives instant access to over 6,000 shows and movies for no extra charge. No startup costs, and free installation.

After the first year, price bumps up to $44.99 per month. In addition, only 150 of the channels received would be in digital HD

DirecTV: Choice Xtra

$34.99 $419.88 In addition to DirecTV On Demand, you would also be able to watch television online on the DirecTV website, with over 210 channels including HBO for up to three months.

After the first year, the price increases to $49.99.

DirecTV: Choice Ultimate

$39.99 $479.88 All the same benefits as Choice Xtra, but with and additional 225 digital channels, including eleven movie channels.

After the first year, the price is raised to $54.99.

DirecTV: Premiere

$83.99 1,007.88 Includes all the benefits of Choice Ultimate, with HBO, Cinemax, Starz and Showtime available, and more sports channels in HD.

After the first year, the price inflates to $98.99. Pricy!

Netflix: Internet Only

$7.99 $95.88 It’s cheap! And convenient, since all shows can be streamed from your Internet onto your television and on laptops.

A limited selection of shows are available online. You also cannot watch news (local or global), sports, etc.

Netflix: DVD/Blu-Ray Addition

$15.98 191.76 Still very inexpensive, and you get a wide variety of DVD’s and blu-ray to watch along with all the online features.

Still limited for certain shows, but you can order HBO shows on DVD once they are released.

Hulu: Free! $0 $0 No cost at all! Watch certain shows for an unlimited amount of time. And, unlike Netflix, some major news outlets are

Limited in show and movie options.

Hulu logo and Xfinity logo. (Source: photobucket.com)

checked in at 3 or above. These scores are signifi-cantly higher than the national average, where around 50-60% of exams receive a 3 or higher. Although stan-dardized tests do not fully measure a student’s knowl-edge, they do illustrate the similar levels of success both programs achieve. Catlin Gabel and OES both focus on skills, rather than facts, as the important basis of any student’s science education.

Both schools also offer similar varieties of courses and strong flexibility in course choice. Catlin and OES of-fer the basic physics, chemistry, and biology trio, along with a variety of electives such as ecology, geology, and modern physics. Both schools attempt to make special accommodations for special-case students, and do have a general science education track for the ma-jority of students. The two schools also employ well-educated and dedicated faculty members who help to extend the richness of each course. Lab equipment at Catlin Gabel and OES exceeds the equipment at most high schools. In general, both schools offer and have the resources to enrich a plethora of courses.

So far the two schools seem nearly identical. How-ever, their key difference lies in their educational phi-losophy toward science research. There are two ways to look at this issue:

1) Every student should participate in a science re-search project, with the support of a mentor and the school’s s resources. This is one of the best ways to truly experience the actual method of scientific explo-ration.2) It’s unrealistic to think every student will have the interest to work on science research, and we won’t force anyone to do anything. People are different, and if some students want to work on science, they can. Students who take interest in other subjects like writ-ing or acting shouldn’t be required to participate.

Even though the two philosophies are different from each another, one is not necessarily better than the other. I see the merit in giving students the choice of whether or not they want to participate in science re-search. I understand that people are different, and that different people want to do different things in life. At Catlin, it’s still possible to be successful at science fairs, as many of our past students have shown. Yet at the same time, I wish more people would work on research projects. It’s truly a powerful experience to investigate a new topic that nobody else has explored yet. It trains real-life logical reasoning, emphasizes creativity, and lets students experience the whole sci-entific method, from conceiving an idea to present-ing it to the scientific community. Sure, not everyone wants to be a scientist, but not everyone wants to be a writer, either. Why do we spend so much time learning

how to write essays if most of us are not going into professions that focus heavily on writing? This is jus-tified because the skills developed with writing essays are useful in our everyday lives. Similarly, it could be argued that the general skills associated with science research are also important in many aspects of life. It’s clear that both philosophies are legitimate--they are equal, and neither is necessarily better.

Examining the schools in this way, it’s clear that the idea that OES’s science education is way better than Catlin’s is just a myth. Both schools offer similar courses, with competent faculty members. The main difference lies in the approach to science research, where OES’s model has just as much merit as Cat-lin’s. With that said, I think it would be great if both schools’ science departments sat down and discussed their respective policies with each other. In the process of writing this article, that idea has grown legs, and could happen sometime in the near future.

Look out for the next article about the “Catlin-OES science education summit” in a future issue of Catlin-Speak.

By Layla Entrikin ‘13

arts & entertainment Page 10 Catlin newsPage 11

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Bachelor of the Month, Holiday Edition: Jonathan Bray

Continued from page one

So what does it all mean? In a growing technological so-ciety; it would make sense to tailor our entertainment and enrichment to a more person-al experience online. You can save money and watch your favorite programming when it’s most convenient for you. What’s not to love?

They also must read in their free time. (Rolls eyes.) Or, at least, they must have a working knowledge of Russian literature. Like c’mon! They’ve got to know Tolstoy!

First kiss?Max, 7th grade. He had braces. He went in for the kiss and literally cut my bottom lip open … that was absolutely horrible, and traumatizing, too! (Scrunches face at recollection.)

Would you say you’re high maintenance?Yep!

If he were to buy you a gift for the holidays, it would be…Oh man! Lots of things! I like books, clothes, chocolate (preferably Belgian). I also need new perfume … that’s always a good buy. I like flow-ers. I just like gifts in general! Expensive ones. That’s all you need to know to woo me: buy me expensive things!

And what holiday gift would you purchase for your special someone?Me? Oh I don’t buy gifts. (Tosses blond hair over

her shoulder matter-of-factly.)Advice for your peers on how to snag the gentle-men?It works really well if you just bother them un-til they start dating you. Honest! Tried and true. (Winks.)

What’s your zodiac symbol?Leo—my birthday’s August 1. I strongly identify with my astrology symbol—I read a daily horo-scope, etc. As far as I can figure, water signs are NOT compatible with me. If you’re a water sign, I’d seriously have to think about whether or not to commit. Other Leos are supposed to be a perfect match.

Cozy by the fire, or out riding the snow slopes?(Tilts head in thought.) How about cozy by the fire AFTER a day on the slopes?

Celebrity crush?Natalie Portman. Obviously!

Three things people don’t know about you?Well… I’m no good at keeping secrets. And, uh… my favorite color’s green (looks around in thought). I used to ride horses, too… occasion-ally competitively. None of these are interesting! (Raises hands in exasperation.)

Anyone in particular currently?I’m keeping my options open … as I said, I’m not picky whatsoever! (Raises an eyebrow.) But yeah, I’m on the prowl.

Any deal-breakers?Bad driving. (Bites lip in thought.) I mean I guess I’d say that I’m a bad driver—but if HE’s a bad driver it’s just too much. I get very stressed out.

Before she is out of her seat, I ask Megan how she’d like people to contact her. She offers her e-mail address––staterm@catlin.edu—and en-courages people to send her a message. “Pictures welcome!” she jokes, turning and heading off to biology.

Winter Crossword Puzzle Provided by Andrew Hungate ‘12

Megan Stater and James Furnary (Photo Credit: Anaka Morris)

Bachelorette of the Month

Answers online at www.speak.catlin.edu!

Newspaper StaffEditorsFiona Noonan ‘13Hannah Rotwein ‘13Audrey Davis ‘13

Layout DesignElla Bohn ‘13Audrey Davis ‘13Grant Philips ‘12

Writers Andrew Hungate ‘12Anaka Morris ‘12Eli Wilson Pelton’12Annika Berry ‘12Terrance Sun ‘13Layla Entrikin ‘13Ella Bohn ‘13Grant Philips ‘12Fiona Noonan ‘13Hannah Rotwein ‘13Audrey Davis ‘13

Continued from page 10

bonus article: holiday gift guide at www.speak.catlin.edu

Arts & entertainment Page 12