Volume 134 Issue 8

March 7, 2013

T H E VIGOR NI A

Student Newspaper Since 1878

A Celebration of Cultures on Campus

By Kara Banson 13 Editor-in-Chief On Tuesday, February 19th the World Cultures Club held the annual and much anticipated International Assembly. Hosted by Sarah Chun 13, Amy Oh 14 and Michael Yang 13, the assembly was like no other. It showcased the international cultures present on campus and engaged the audience with interesting music and dances. It was also one of a few assemblies where both the Upper and Middle School were united. The assembly began with introductions from international representatives in their native languages. Then, Mr. Healy acknowledged WAs very first Scottish student, Calum Hepburn 15. Hepburn explained the significance behind the Scottish flag and presented it to the WA community. When it came time for the performances, Korea was the first country to showcase its talent. Dressed in their traditional attire, the performers were harmoniously in step. They even included members of the audience for their final scene. Priyanka Javlekar 13 represented India. She

Rumor Has It: A Play Review

Gossip spreads quickly via text messages Photo Courtesy of Mr. Webb By Alexandra DelloStritto 14 Editor-in-Chief On Friday February 22nd, the seats of the Andes Pitt Theater filled with people anxiously awaiting the world premiere of Sacred Texts: Or 64 Kisses, a play by Josh Levine. The play follows the story of teenagers Corey, Robbie, and Tina, as rumors spread regarding Corey and Robbies relationship. It raises questions regarding sexuality, friendship, and self-discoveryall in forty minutes. The play begins dynamically as the school hallways buzz with texts back and forth about an alleged kiss between Robbie (Adam Echelman 13) and his openly gay friend, Corey (Andrew Reiter 13). The kiss brings tension to Robbie and Coreys relationship, only heightened when Robbie agrees to go to out with Tina (Anita Alur 13). The date, a trip to a videogame conference, poses a problem, as Tinas gaming knowledge goes no further than phone applications. Corey offers to text Tina information during the date to help her talk to Robbie. After eventually coming clean about her lie to Robbie, Tina admits that despite texting or tweeting a lot of people, in reality she has few friends. The play continues to touch on topics that affect teenagers everywhere as Robbie later admits to Corey that he is unsure of his sexuality. Later in the play Tina reveals that she was the one that began the rumor about the kiss, as part of a plan to get Robbie to go out with her. The play ends similarly to how it begins the halls are buzzing with texts and rumors as students await the next update on Corey, Robbie, and Tina. This time Tina doesnt start a rumor, rather she ends them by posing a simple question: Does it really matter? Sacred Texts: Or 64 Kisses is an accurate representation of high school in more ways than one. With just three main characters, Levine managed to relate to almost any student. Turn to Rumors on Page 3

Several students perform a traditional Korean fan dance Photo Courtesy of WA GlobalComm Twitter performed a solo of four songs in four different languages: Sanskrit, Marathi, Benjali and Hindu. Her confidence and talent was admirable. Turn to International Assembly on Page 3

News

Wrestlings Strong Season

By Jessica DePatie 13 Worcester Academys wrestling team finished the season on a strong note, with three members qualifying to Prep Championship at Choat Rosemary Hall. Though wrestling team captain and senior, Chandler Mendenhall 13 was not able to wrestle this season due to an injury, he enthusiastically cheered on his three teammates that qualified to the championship, Brennan Stevens 16, Brandon Casamassima 15, and Dom Casamassima 13. Although none of the three placed at the Choat (forcing them to give up their spots in the Nationals Prep Championship), Brandon Casamassima was the closest to placing; getting eliminated only one round before qualification. Perhaps the reason for their success early in their season was because of their incredible stamina and dedication. When asked about the teams greatest strength, Mendenhall commented on the intense conditioning they put into being prepared physically. We may not always have the best technique, but we are usually in pretty good shape to outlast everyone, says Mendenhall. When asked about the new coach, Gordie Lockbaum, Mendenhall describes his addition as contributing an interesting dynamic to the team, referring to the fact that there were both senior and junior coaches this year. Although he has had three successful years on the wrestling team at Worcester Academy, Mendenhall says that he will not be wrestling in college because his

Team member Conrad Geenty 14 gets ready for his match Photo Courtesy of Conrad Geenty college of choice, Washington University, does not have a wrestling team. When asked if he will miss the team, Mendenhall says, I will for sure. I have been captain all three years and I have enjoyed it. I wish I could have wrestled this season. It was definitely a great experience.

By Adam Echelman 13

Ask Adam: Prom Problems

Dear Adam, Im always the first to admit things, so here goes: I dont have a date to prom. I know; its still early. Prom isnt for another month anyway. Maybe some knight in shining armor will come to rescue me, or perhaps, there is somebodysomewherethat I havent thought of (though, I seriously doubt that). I feel like all of my friends already have a date or have a person in mind while I dont. What should I do? -Promless Princess
Dear Princess, Believe it or not, every junior and senior feels this way at some point when thinking about prom. Men definitely have it easier, but that doesnt mean we dont worry too. Prom arrives, and suddenly, the awkward crush you had freshman year seems like the closest thing you have to a date. Its exciting, overwhelming, and pretty bizarre. What should you do? First off, relax. Every year, we chip awaylittle by littleat the formalities surrounding this silly little dance. Girls ask guys to prom frequently, and nobody looks down upon it. People go alone or take two dates. Same-sex couples are slowly joining in on the fun too, and honestly, its refreshing. I know it may not seem this way, but there are more than enough guys without dates. You dont have to be best friends to go to prom. If a boy doesnt have a date by April, hes probably in the same, frantic situation as you. However, if you dont feel comfortable asking any WA guys, I would suggest asking a boy from outside of WA whom you are close with. Call up a friend, or, if you are really nervous, send him a Facebook inbox. Worst-case scenario: he says no, and you move on. Last year, at least a quarter of the dates came from different high schools. If that still doesnt work, just go alone! Most people use their dates for one or two photos and then ignore them for the rest of the night anyway. I know its taboo to be date-less, but if you are uncomfortable with these other ideas, try finding a few friends who are in a similar situation and going with them as a group. Trust me; you wont regret it. Prom is about having a good time, and as long as your friends are there, you will have a blast.

On Campus
Sacred Texts: 64 Kisses Review
Continued from Rumors/ Page 1 The way that Tina struggles with separating herself from social media and comes to accept that she is the popular girl that no one wants to hang out withthat she is alone is almost heartbreaking. Corey is not free of problems either as Robbie accuses him of being fake and two-faced after coming out. Robbies troubles are more complex, as being the topic of the schools rumors seems to be the only thing constant in his life. As he pushes Corey away, he questions his sexuality and has troubling identifying with himself. Despite covering some hard topics, the play remains light and humorous with the use of great one-liners. Levine himself stated that he wanted it to be lightit wasnt going to be a heavy drama. The play maintained a balance between serious and funny throughout the showing. What might be considered the most memorable part of the performance was the end. The question posed makes people reassess their values in lifewhether they let technology shape them, tweets and texts dictating their movements and thoughtsor whether they focus on real life interactions with real friends. Overall, Sacred Texts: Or 64 Kisses proved to have not only a great story but great actors as well. Alur, Reiter, and Echelman did wonderful jobs portraying their characters, as well as all of the members of the ensemble. The costume crew led by Margaret Gardner 13 put together a wide variety of outfits, taking care to represent a spectrum of styles. The set was equally impressive, especially considering the fact that in can be set up and taken down in under five minutes, a requirement of the Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guilds Festival, which the cast and crew compteted in on Saturday March 2nd. Congratulations to the cast and crew, as well as to Mr. Addis and Josh Levine on the work put into creating and performing the play.

Top and Right: The actors perform Bottom: The cast poses with playwright Josh Levine Photos Courtesy of Mr. Webb

Continued from International Assembly/ Page 1 Chinas exhibit was composed of two dances and a song. With some elements of rock, both Chinese and Taiwanese students displayed their skill and showed how they have fun. Turkeys movie was very informative as it highlighted its rich culture. Pictures of the kebabs and baklava definitely made the audience hungry. Greeces performance was also entertaining. With clips highlighting Greek culture and tradition, Maria Parafestas 13, Emma Andrianopoulos 14, and Ms. Koveos performed an intricate dance that increased in speed as it progressed. The audience cheered and clapped and even members of the audience joined the fun. The last performance was from the dance team. Wonderfully choreographed, the dance featured a mix of songs from all around the world. Although it went longer than the designated time, the as-

sembly was a definite success. Because of dedication of the students and the help of Mrs. Dow and Mrs. Herlihy, the production not only entertained the audience but also reminded WA of the importance of understanding and appreciating different cultures. The sense of internationalism continued even after the assembly. Decorated with beautiful ornaments and festive colors, both Adams and the Megaron were transformed, allowing all to experience new tastes. The food staff prepared kimchi, pho (soup), hot and sour soup, coconut cake from Turkey, tacos and a variety of Greek tastings in the salad bar. Overall, the day celebrated the cultural diversity present on campus. Many people are looking forward to what next years celebration will bring. Congratulations to the students and the faculty who worked hard to make the assembly memorable.

Features
Your Eating Disorder Questions Answered
By The Pillars Please find responses to your questions from speaker Elysa Neumann 11 who talked with us on Wellness Day about her personal story with an eating disorder while at Worcester Academy. Both Elysa and the Counseling Office have worked together to respond to your questions. Q: How did you get over thinking your body image wasnt perfect? A: Much of getting over my perception I owe to my student group Reflections who works to promote positive body image on campus (check out their pictures on facebook, I will be a mutual friend if you have added me). We do this really cool photo shoot with naked (ok not really) people and signs saying love your body. They emphasize loving your body for what it does and not comparing it to others because each person has their own individual shape. Personally, I also started trying to combat every negative thing that popped into mind when I looked in the mirror with two positives, eventually the negatives just went away. Q: How did you know that you had an eating disorder in high school? A: I didnt admit, even to myself, that I had an eating disorder until sometime during senior year. I think, deep down, I knew all along but I just wasnt ready to face it. When I did finally admit it, the fact that I had a disorder was very clear from my behaviors (restrictive eating, purging, compulsive exercise) and the symptoms (exhaustion, dizziness, rapid weight loss, inconsistent weight, insomnia, amenorrhea, nodes, social withdrawal, distorted perception of body image). It is clear to me now that I was not willing to recognize what was very clearly an eating disorder. We can all wear blinders when we do not want to recognize a problem. Since I was not willing to see this for myself, I masked my feelings and behaviors for others, making it harder for others to detect that I had a problem. Q: Should I always recommend that a person with an eating disorder have medical support, or is just giving that person mental support enough? A: Eating disorders are very complex disorders that almost always require medical intervention to recover (for example, I tried to get better on my own for a year and a half and only managed to marginally improve). So suggesting medical care--physician, psychologist, nutritionist (typically teams of 3 work with eating disordered patients to solve the problem from all sides)--is very important. Just remember that you cannot force your friend to get better, but even if they refuse medical care know that you have done something that will help them in the long run and continue to show your support.

Elysa shares her personal experiences during her presentation for Wellness Day Photo Courtesy of Mrs. McCarthy Q: Once you confront a friend about the issue of a suspected eating disorder how should you follow up? A: You should follow up in the same way you would for any serious conversation. Bring it up again later casually, something like, hey just wondering how you are doing, or making clear you are there for support works perfectly. Q: What percentage of people dont recover from an eating disorder and do they go back to it? A: The road to recovery is not a smooth one, many people relapse several times (I definitely have). There isnt an exact statistic on this but of the 24 million people who suffer from eating disorders only 10% receive treatment, the mortality rate for those who receive treatment is 2-3% and those who dont is 20%. The reason I am not just doing the math on this is because survival does not necessarily correlate to recovery.

Vigornia Staff March 7, 2013

Editors-in-Chief
Shona Allen 13 Kara Banson 13 Alexandra DelloStritto 14

Writers
Jessica DePatie 13 Adam Echelman 13

Advisor
Christina Webb