Hudson Community First kicks off school year

by Hannah Lugg and Kristina Dungan The 2010-2011 school year began with a bang, or at least another kind of noise. New and re-turning students were welcomed on to campus Aug. 21 with a back-to-school concert hosted by the Community First Youth Advisory Board and featuring the mash-up/remix duo The White Panda. While the production appeared flawless, behind the scenes several students and community members worked hard to ensure success. Hudson Community First, a collaborative ororganization led by Laura Gasbarro, mother of Nick Gasbarro ’11, is a collaborative organi-zation dedicated to building community part-nerships to help youth in Hudson make posi-tive life choices. The group sets up activities to encourage students to work together to form an environment that supports the endeavors of individuals in Hudson. Ideas to maintain positive activities within the community have already been taking place, such as efforts by Drew Perdue ’13 to promote “Celebrate National Smile Day” Oct. 1. Western Reserve Academy with its own Hud-son Community First Youth Advisory Board is effectively tied to the Community First Organi-zation in Hudson and will work to raise money for activities throughout the year. One of the organization’s goals is to encourage a sense of belonging within the greater community. In order to accomplish this, the board developed two ideas. First, it plans to integrate new students and make them feel welcomed to the school and downtown Hudson. Oliver Curtiss ’11 created a brochure and website that would guide all new students around campus and the surrounding area. Second, the board hosted The White Panda Concert, the goal of which was to develop com-munal bonds and build a sense of excitement for the upcoming school year. Planning for this event began on a commu-nity service day last spring when the WRA advisory board was split into two groups. One

group, led by rising seniors Nick Gasbarro, Josh Mathew, Aaron Segal and Melinda Nanovsky, was given the task of preparing an event to open the next school year with energy and enthusiasm. They formulated an idea for a concert and after some searching and deliberating, chose The White Panda. The decision was made because, said Mathew, “They have tons of energy, they do mash-ups of popular songs and they do all of this for a cheap price.” Over the summer the group found funding for the concert, got in touch with The White Panda’s agents, and secured a location for the event. A problem arose, however, regarding admis-sion selectivity. Concert promoters wanted to ensure that only Western Reserve Academy students entered the concert, which followed the final registration held for the 2010-2011 school year. The school’s 100 new students posed a potential problem for large-scale admis-sion, because photo IDs were not yet available to all students. A solution was found in creating and distributing The White Panda T-shirts, which depict a panda with headphones on the front and local sponsors’ advertisements on the back, a plan that made WRA students immedi-ately more visible to supervising adults. The students on the school’s advisory board devoted much time and effort toward the concert and Margaret Karam ’79, Director of Social Mission and the Fine Arts departments, applauded them, saying, “I am very proud of ev-erything they did. It is proof of what organized students can do with a little bit of time to plan.” Others credited with supporting the event included the Dads Club and faculty. Gasbarro, expressed pride in the headliner event, saying he hopes this year marks the be-ginning for more such efforts. Said Gasbarro, “I hope it will be an annual event for the school.”

InsideTHIS ISSUE

NEWS

McKee finds Vos paintingArtwork by rare Dutch art-ist discovered in Seymour attic

OPINION

Harold DonnellyA tribute: 43 years of teach-ing and coaching at WRA

ARTS

Little Shop of HorrorsRock musical set to open Fri., Oct. 29

COMMUNITY

Umbral AmbrosiaThe best local coffees reviewed

SPORTS

Athlete SpotlightNick Gasbarro, college foot-ball hopeful

Thursday, October 28, 2010 Vol. XCVII, No. 1Western Reserve Academy

McKee finds Vos painting

Students during Hudson Community First’s headliner event, sporting The White Panda T-shirts

SCHOOL NEWS

by Molly Ginnegar Western Reserve Academy has been around since 1826, so it stands to reason that the hal-lowed halls of the older buildings hide some well-kept treasures. One such treasure, a por-trait by famous Dutch painter Hubert Vos, was discovered this year by Senior Class Dean and history teacher Kevin McKee in the attic of Seymour Hall. Vos was most famous for his portrait of the Dowager Empress of China; he was the first artist to depict such an important figure. However, knowledge of the painter is out-weighed by unknown information about the painting, bringing up questions such as: who is the mysterious man who is pictured in this life-size portrait? Where did he come from, and what was his background? What started out as a desire to decorate the history wing might have turned into one of the most potentially profitable discoveries to happen on this campus. The style of the painting displays several similarities to the style of Vos’ other paintings, which mostly depict exotic lands and their inhabitants. continued on page 2

Enhancing the Downtown experience

CAMPUS LIFE

by Marc Rauckhorst You might have seen them lately, those little cards. All you have to do is walk into a par-ticipating store and flash the card like a VIP pass. They’re the Western Reserve Academy Favorites Cards, the latest addition to WRA student life. The concept of the Favorites Cards began during a service day last spring when the Hud-son Community First Youth Advisory Board was deciding how to make new students feel welcome, not only to the WRA environment, but also to the entire Hudson community. Thus, they planned to compile a brochure of local businesses. To encourage the students to patronize the listed businesses, Hudson Community First also made a discount card for stores frequent-ly visited by WRA students. The businesses included on the discount card are Main Street Cupcakes, Dave’s Cosmic Subs, Hershey’s Ice Cream, The Learned Owl Bookstore, Hud-son’s Restaurant, Caribou Coffee and Pizza BOGO; each business has their own respec-tive “deal.” With the help of WRA parent Sue Curtiss, the Hudson Community First board worked on contacting these businesses. The stores were enthusiastic about the idea. As one Caribou Coffee employee said, “We’re not just a corporate company that doesn’t recognize the students coming in. We have an interest in the local community.”continued on page 2

photo by Doe

2 Reserve Record October 28, 2010

Continued from page 1 This portrait, however, is of a single man. The question as to how the school acquired such a painting has a possible answer in past school benefactor James Ellsworth. Suppos-edly, Ellsworth met Vos at the World’s Fair and might have commissioned him. McKee consulted WRA Archivist Tom Vince about the mysterious man in the por-trait, but, to Vince’s knowledge, the subject of the portrait was not a Reserve teacher, and may not even have a connection to the

school. Though the picture is full of mysteries, there exists in its ownership a potential in-come for the school. Some of Vos’ portraits have been sold for as high as 3,000 dollars in today’s market, and many are hanging in the world’s art museums. If WRA keeps this potentially valuable portrait, it may prove a crowning jewel in the school’s collection of art, an art work of historical significance that the community can enjoy for generations to come.

Continued from page 1 Card sales during the start-of-school registra-tion in August were deemed a success. Almost 300 cards have been sold to date. The cards remain available for purchase. The cards’ sudden popularity is best captured by Hudson Community First advisor Marga-ret Karam ’79, Director of Social Mission and Chair of Fine Arts: “They’re my favorite.” Despite their availability and professed ap-peal, apparently not many people have been us-ing the cards, so far. Caribou Coffee only sees about one person per week use the card, and an employee at The Learned Owl said she has yet to see one.

One theory as to the low percentage of card users is that some of the deals associated with the card are too specific for the typical student. For example, the current discount at Caribou Coffee is “buy an oatmeal and get a free cof-fee.” The prospect of the card’s popularity in-creasing in the future looks hopeful. Examples of pomising deals include 10% off at Dave’s, four cupcakes for the price of three at Main Street Cupcakes and more. The Favorites Cards are a positive addition to the downtown experience. Sara Shore ’13 summed it up perfectly, “I’ll still go downtown my normal four times a week, but the Favorites Card is an extra bonus.”

Enhancing the downtown experience

McKee finds Vos painting

by Lillian Carter

“Cupcakes,” many think, as True DeBolt ’11 makes her way to the front of the Chapel dur-ing Morning Meeting. Actually, DeBolt’s pres-ence at the podium usually means that it's time for Random Acts of Kindness, recognition of members of the Western Reserve Academy community for their good deeds, anything from giving someone a smile to helping some-one with homework. According to DeBolt, one of the leaders involved in the program at WRA, Random Acts of Kindness "...gives students the confidence to act with kindness, celebrates the ones that have, and encourages others to follow in their footsteps."

Random Acts of Kindness are sweet at WRA

The British are coming!by Emily Clark

Thirteen students from the Caterham School in Surrey, England, arrived on WRA’s campus for a two-week stay in mid-October as par-ticipants in the Caterham-Western Reserve Academy annual exchange organized through the WRA History Department and the Cater-ham School Politics Class. Over the summer, rising seniors from WRA traveled to England with History Department Chair Diccon Ong ’81 for a similar experience. While here, the Caterham students will attend classes, sports and social events, live with local host families, and take a side trip to Washington, D.C., with retired faculty member and history depart-ment chair Jim Bunting. The goal of this program is to create cross-cultural bonds and build friendships between the two schools.

(RE): MEDIA comes to WRAby Emily Clark

Currently, the Moos Gallery in the Knight Fine Arts Center houses the project (RE): MEDIA by adjunct professor of photog-raphy at Columbia College, Chicago, Krista Wortendyke. According to her website, “(RE): MEDIA is an exploration of the way imagery and information from movies, videogames, newspapers, and the Internet come together to form our perception of war.” Wortendyke is famous for blurring the lines between fiction and non-fiction in her photographic compila-tions. The show runs from Oct. 15 through Nov. 19. See recent gallery exhibit on page 7.

photo by Hulsey

Top: DeBolt and Bennett Graves ’13 hand out cup-cakes at Morning Meeting

Newsbriefs

Above: A detail from the Vos paintingBelow: McKee stands by his historic discovery

photo by Hulsey

photo by Hulsey

News

October 28, 2010 Reserve Record 3Opinion

Editors-in-chief: Emily Clark, Zach Wendeln, Jessie WilsonNews: Oliver Curtiss, Martha MillerNews Briefs: Oliver Curtiss, Martha MillerOpinion: StaffCenterfold: Peter Suwondo Arts: Mehar Bains, Tracy TienCommunity: Megan Barsella, Sam ClarkSports: Nayan ShahSports Columnist: Aaron SegalProduction & Design: Peter SuwondoPhotographers: Nathan Hulsey, Peter Suwondo Staff Writers: Chevonne Anderson, Lillian Carter, Kris-tina Dungan, Molly Ginneagar, Kristina Graham, Jacob Hutner, Eilidh Jenness, Eldred Lee, Hannah Lugg, Josh Ly, Joe Marmerstein, Marc Rauckhorst, Max Rosenwas-ser

Guest Columnist: Josh Mathew

Faculty Advisor: Patty Campbell

The Reserve Record exists as an educational tool for stu-dent journalists, graphic designers, artists, and photog-raphers. The staff operates as an extra-curricular activity and is utilized to inform, educate and entertain the public, while providing a forum for student and com-munity expression. The editors and staff have worked on every facet of this publication.

The opinions expressed in the Reserve Record do not necessarily represent those of the administration, trust-ees or student body. The editors assume full respon-sibility for the contents of the publication and invite community responses. The Reserve Record is published

five-six times per year and is available to students, staff, parents, the last graduating class and the extended WRA community, as well as online through the school’s public web site under Publications.

Please address any concerns, comments or requests to:

Reserve RecordWestern Reserve Academy

115 College StreetHudson, OH 44236

The man everyone loved to hate: George Steinbrennerby Josh Mathew George Steinbrenner was a man of many words, whether he was speaking about the performance of his players and coaches to the media or confronting his critics. But there was one thing about George Steinbrenner that needed no explanation: winning was everything. He demanded excellence throughout his entire organization. From the people who sell peanuts in the stands, to the players and coaches who put on the uniform every day; George Stein-brenner wanted his team to be the best. Whether loved or hated, George Stein-brenner’s attitude changed the world of sports forever. Mr. Steinbrenner led a group of inves-tors in purchasing the New York Yankees from CBS in 1973 for about 8 million dollars. In 2010, Forbes valued the New York Yankees at 1.6

billion dollars, making the Yankees the third highest valued sports team in the world. During his tenure as principal owner of the club, Mr. Steinbrenner put the Yankees back on top of the sports world winning seven World Series titles, giving the team a total of 27 (the most championships of any team in any sport). He has often been criticized for “buying” all of the best players in the league, but this argu-ment is invalid. Mr. Steinbrenner was always dedicated to putting the best product on the field, no matter how steep the price. He was also criticized for being too harsh and demand-ing on those who worked for him. Mr. Stein-brenner was once quoted as saying, “I will never have a heart attack. I give them.” It is this kind of attitude that separates George Steinbrenner from most owners. It’s what makes George

Steinbrenner “The Boss.” It is this attitude that has made George Steinbrenner successful and whether you liked him or not, George Stein-brenner was arguably the most influential owner of all time and he changed the world of sports forever.

Editors’ Note: George Steinbrenner was the owner and manager of the New York Yankees from 1973 until his death on July 13, 2010

Students at Western Reserve Academy pursue their education with vigor and passion through the support and guidance of teachers and faculty. Since 1967, one man has contrib-uted much time and support to help enrich the lives of his students. Harold Donnelly Jr. has served WRA in a variety of roles, including teacher, coach, parent, mentor and friend. Inspiring students for more than 40 years, he is known for his enthralling stories and com-passion for anyone who wants to learn. It is no surprise that students and colleagues alike seem drawn to this big-hearted man. Around the WRA community, the adjective that is most synonymous with Donnelly is car-ing. Patrick Smith, Science Department Chair and Assistant Director of College Counseling, said, “Mr. Donnelly loves working with students and he genuinely cares about students and their progress and well-being. Mr. Donnelly can be found at games, concerts, plays and all sorts of assemblies observing and supporting our stu-dents.” As a teacher, caring about student suc-cess is extremely important, a point that seems to drive this man. “He is an institution within this institution, and he has been there for a lot of kids over the years,” Smith said. “In short, he cares, and car-ing can take you a long way in this profession.” Spanish teacher James Fraser, affectionately known simply as Señor, was appointed as a fac-

ulty member in 1967, the same year as Donnelly, and the two share a friendly rivalry regarding who has taught at WRA longest. According to Fraser, one of Donnelly’s most amazing qualities is his command of the Eng-lish language. “He is a story teller, and he could almost always regale stories to anybody. He

truly has a wealth of knowledge about English literature,” said Fraser. “Most students who had him liked him because he was a fun-loving guy and he helped a lot of students who were hav-ing trouble. He was very good to a lot of people and he never sought any glory for that along the way. He is a tremendous inspiration to a lot of students, ” said Fraser. Lee Blankenship, who teaches Engineering Design, Architectural Design and Woodwork-ing, also readily paused to pay tribute to Don-nelly and reminisce about his colleague’s long career, as well as what Donnelly has meant to the WRA community. “Hal is a loyal friend, and an amazing storyteller,” Blankenship said. “He would be sorely missed by the Reserve community and by me in particular. He really loves this school and all the people in it.” An-other faculty member, Julie Pratt, Junior Class Dean and chemistry teacher, also paid tribute to Donnelly. “Hal is really funny, easy-going and he has always shown that he absolutely loves teach-ing,” she said. “He loves the kids above all else.” The WRA community certainly seems to appreciate how lucky it is to have had such a great teacher in its midst for the last 43 years, recognizing--it seems--that remarkable educa-tors, like Donnelly, are among the school’s rar-est treasures.

Original pen and ink by Ji Hoo Woo ’13

Harold Donnelly: teacher, coach, friend

Above: Harold Donnelly

by Mehar Bains and Marc Rauckhorst

Ellie Cutchin ’12

6:50-7 AMGroggily rises from bed with her dog Bucka-roo at her feet

7:30 AMEats a large bowl o oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins, says good-bye to her family, then drives her ’92 Volvo to school

10:00 AMMorning Meeting: her favorite part o the day, since she has her friends all around her

10:20 AMEnglish III with Dr. Dyer: one o her favorite classes

11:20 AMFree period: goes to bookstore and buys a mufin; hangs out with best friend Caroline Hub-bard ’11 on Ellsworth Patio

1:30 PM Environmental Science with Mr. Zimmerman: learns about the carbon cycle

2:25 PMDissects a cat in Zoology class, can name all the organs inside

3:20 PMRuns to the dining hall for a PBJ and Gator-ade before sports prac-tice begins

3:45 PMVolleyball prac-tice with Mrs. Bonomo: is cap-tain o the JV team for the 2nd year in a row and loves her team

5:30 PMGets home, plays with Buckaroo for a few minutes be-fore eating dinner with her family and starting her home-work

12:00 PMGoes to sleep; dreams about her horses

As interviewed by MARC RAUCKHORST

Savannah Soffer ’14

7:00 AMAlarm goes of to “I Like It” by Enrique Iglesias; snoozes for if-teen minutes

7:40 AMGoes to breakfast at the dining hall with friend Sibel Sarac ’14

8:00 AM1st period class: Enriched Algebra I

8:55 AMChoir practice in Hayden Hall

10:20 AMFree period: works on math homework from earlier in the morning

11:20 AMEnglish I class: studies Rime of the Ancient Mari-ner

11:45 AMExtended lunch period: best time o the day, accord-ing to Soffer

1:30 PMGoes to Mr. Davies’s Ancient World His-tory class; ights an “epic battle” with the multiple bees in Mr. Davies’s room

2:25 PMEnjoys a “fun and ener-getic” French class - last period o the day!

2:25 PMChecks Facebook “quickly;” inishes as much homework as she can

3:45 PMField hockey practice with Ms. Fiedler

5:30 PMChanges clothes, eats dinner in the dining hall

7:30 PMCheck-in at Ellsworth 3rd; works on homework, begins with the most dificult

11:15 PMIs usually asleep from the tiring practice

As interviewed by MAX ROSENWASSER

11:20 AMModern World History with Dr. Robinson: currently studying the Renaissance

1:30 PMStudies functions in Mr. DiBiase’s Algebra II Honors class

7:15 AMRolls out o bunk bed as alarm goes off, often collides with roommate Joe Neuman

9:00 AMFeels hungry after 2nd period, frantic-ally asks friends for food; observes that girls frequently have food while guys do not

12:00 PMEnjoys sit-down lunch with advi-sor Ms. Karam; spends much o his time with Jonathan Farr ’12 won-dering why they still run cross-country

8:00 AMHeads to irst period class

3:00 PMGets out o sixth period class, heads over to his dorm room in Bicknell to blast Asher Roth’s new song “Grind” over and over again

3:45 PMGoes to cross-country prac-tice - the most interesting part o the day, in Baldwin’s opinion - with Jack Hoover ’11 and Bobby Vail ’11; Señor Fraser loudly en-courages the trio to run faster during the workout

6:00 PMEats dinner at the dining hall, then plays frisbee on the front ields before starting his schoolwork

11:00 PMDorm lights-out time: “goes to sleep”

10-11:00 AMSits through two more classes

Foss Baldwin ’11As interviewed by ELDRED LEE

Centerfold4 Reserve Record October 28, 2010 Centerfold Reserve Record 5October 28, 2010

Photos by Nathan Hulsey

a DAY in the LIFEOF

A WRA STUDENT

Reserve Record staff interviewed four students #om the WRA community to catch a glimpse into their daily lives

Nick Sovich ’13

7-7:20 AMWakes up and eats breakfast at home

7:55 AMArrives at school, is dropped of near Wilson Hall

3:45 PMCross-country practice: is forced to run, as So-vich puts it, until he has been “suficiently pun-ished;” travels with the team to run the difi-cult course at Kendall on Mondays; is re-warded with milk-shakes at Señor Fraser’s house on Wednesdays

5:15 PMShowers and works on home-work in the din-ing hall until dinner begins

6:45-9:30 PMWorks on schoolwork until his ride comes to take him home

10PM-12AMContinues homework, then goes to sleep at mid-night

As interviewed by CHEVONNE ANDERSON

8:00 AMFirst period: physics with Mr. Baldridge

9:00 AMStudies Catcher in the Rye in Mr. Lewis’s English II class

10:20 AMSpanish class with Señor Fraser

7 am 9 am 4 pm 11pm

6 Reserve Record October 28, 2010

By Kristina Graham and Joshua Ly With the excitement of a new school year still brewing, Western Reserve Academy Drama Department highlights the fall sea-son with its first production, “Little Shop of Horrors,” directed by Margaret Karam ’79, the school’s Director of Social Mission and the Fine Arts Department. While honoring one of the school’s longest-standing tradi-tions, the fall musical not only jump-starts the academic year, but it also allows new students the opportunity to become involved in the WRA’s arts culture. The entire student body is invited to audition for parts in the musical,

regardless of any previous role or vocal train-ing. The rock musical focuses on Seymore Krelborn, an orphan working for Mushnik’s Skid Row Florists, who happens to stumble

upon an otherworldy Venus Fly Trap. Sey-more later discovers this seemingly harmless plant’s desire for human blood. The musical centers around each step Seymore takes as he nurtures this man-eating flytrap. The talented cast includes Zachary Wendeln ’11, Meg Mar-tinez ’11, Mac Kimmerle ’11, Reid Welsh ’11 and Zach Zockoll ’12. Martinez, who plays the leading female role of Audrey, explained what being a part of such a tradition means for her. “Amazing! I never thought this is where I would be,” said Martinez. As for the supporting actress, True DeBolt ’11, her role is as the do-wop girl Chrystal who has “a personality similar to that of a sassy diva,” a role that allows her to act as narrator and reveal a significance about the plot of the story. Not enrolled in drama classes, DeBolt none-theless has been active in productions during her four years at WRA. Her advice for those considering acting and singing, is to try out. “Being in a play lets you meet all these new people, have a lot of fun and, best of all, wear these cool costumes,” said DeBolt. “Little Shop of Horrors” opens at 8 p.m. Fri., Oct. 29, in the Knight Fine Arts Center (KFAC) with subsequent shows at 8 p.m. Sat., Oct. 30 and 2 p.m. Sun., Oct. 31. Students are encouraged to honor the tradi-tion of wearing formal dress on opening night as a way of paying respect for the hardworking cast, as well as to the audience.

“Little Shop of Horrors” next spirited musical

By Eilidh Jenness and Micah Collins-Sibley For the last two years, Gen Bettendorf ’12 has accompanied on the Chapel’s piano more than four hundred voices in rousing choruses of Western Reserve Academy’s alma mater, “Old Reserve.” Even though Bettendorf is apparently not one to seek praise for her tal-ent, she nonetheless serves a vital role during Wednesday Morning Meetings. Bettendorf is involved in the music program at WRA, but her love of music did not begin on WRA’s campus. She has been playing pia-no for more than 11 years and has been singing in choral groups for at least 10 years. Through music, Bettendorf said she “experience[s] a happiness that [she doesn’t] get anywhere else.”Anyone who frequents Hayden Hall has likely heard Bettendorf practicing piano. Music, she says, has taught her “dedication, persistence, and patience.” With the assistance of Margaret Karam ’79, Director of Social Mission and the WRA Fine Arts Department, and Ed Wiles, Fine Arts faculty member and director of the Reserve Symphonic Winds and the Reserve Jazz Proj-ect, Bettendorf has undoubtedly grown as a musician during her time at WRA. Karam said Bettendorf’s “enthusiasm is con-tagious [and] she’s passionate about what she

does.” Wiles also noted the way Bettendorf “is constantly making music for all of us.” From the thousands of pieces Betten-dorf has played, she says her favorites are “Laudamus Te” from Mozart’s “K.427” and Beethoven’s renowned “Moonlight Sonata.”

It isn’t difficult to imagine Karam suggest-ing, “Listen carefully the next time you stand up to sing in the Chapel on Wednesday and take a moment to notice Gen Bettendorf’s gift to us.”

Musician’s spotlight: Gen Bettendorf

Arts

Bettendorf, who plays the Alma Mater during Morning meeting on Wednesdays, practices in the Chapel

photo by Hulsey

Students rehearse many hours prior to the musical’s opening photo by Hulsey

A PERSONALITY SIMILAR TO THAT OF A SASSY DIVA

“

”-Meg Martinez, describing the character she portrays in the musical

Dunkin Donuts Boarders, look away. This last one’s for day students’ eyes only. A five-minute drive south along Darrow Road, the trip is well worth it. As you walk into the combina-tion Gas Station/Dunkin Donuts, everything seems slightly sketchy. But after that first taste of Umbral Am-brosia, all such thoughts melt away in a coffee-inspired bliss like none other. The perfect complement to AP

U.S. His-tory first period,

everything seems wonderful while drinking this coffee. A rating system hasn’t yet been invented that can properly capture such essence.

October 28, 2010 Reserve Record 7

By Marc Rauckhorst Coffee fuels millions of Americans every morning and plenty of students at Western Reserve Academy. With a variety of different coffee houses well within reach of campus, here's the WRA rundown on the ins and outs of Hudson's coffee trade.

Umbral Ambrosia: coffee around WRA

Community

Above: the Moos Gallery recently featured artwork by WRA parent and tutor Diane Farr

Moos Gallery exhibit: Diane Farr

Caribou Reportedly a perpetual favorite of WRA faculty mem-bers Kevin O’Brien, Jeffrey Cronheim and Daniel Dyer and enjoys a solid reputation for both its coffee and the setting’s stimulating work atmosphere. The coffee at Caribou, both light and dark roasts, has an earthy tone, which is unique among the contenders. Served piping hot, the coffee is best enjoyed if patrons first embrace the aroma and the scent of the drink before actaully chugging it down. Overall, a good coffee and an even bet-ter setting garners Caribou an above average score.

7/10

WRA Dining Hall By far the cheapest (free) and closest to campus (right in the middle of it) the Dining Hall brew has a few key advantages. The coffee is mediocre, starting with a harsh hit on the tongue as soon as you taste it. The aftertaste is smooth and, although a bit cliche, refreshing. When the cup is first filled with ice to make an iced coffee, the effect is stupendous and well worth the small effort. If you’re in a hurry, or low on cash, the Dining Hall is by far the best choice around.

9/10

McDonald’s Long known for not only the low price of their coffee, McDonald’s has been attempting to enhance its image with the McCafe brand over the course of the last sev-eral years. Presented in a nicely insulated cup, the coffee goes down hard and fast. The taste is entirely palatable, perhaps even good, especially with the addition of some creamery product and sugar, but some patrons report a metallic after-taste that invokes a hazy picture of steel machinery grinding away at the beans. Still, the reinvention of their coffee’s taste, along with the continued low price and convenient drive-through makes McDonald’s hard to pass by.

ENTIRELY PALATABLE, PERHAPS EVEN GOOD

“”

7/10

Starbucks A fair hike for all but the most intrepid of boarding students, Starbucks remains a valid option for the aver-

age day student most mornings. The name of Starbucks is synonomous with quality and taste.

Those traits are reflected in any number of coffee hous-es, but sadly, not Starbucks. With a perpetually burnt taste in the majority of their roasts, along with a tangy taste as the coffee hits the back of the throat; Starbucks may leave patrons with little reason to bother.

3/10A PERPETUALLY BURNT TASTE

“”

“10/10

A COFFEE-INSPIRED BLISS LIKE NONE OTHER ”

photos by Hulsey

Reserve RecordWestern Reserve Academy115 College StreetHudson, OH 44236

Sports ColumnDear Mr. James...by Aaron Segal

Dear LeBron James, I’ll keep this brief. Your reign in Cleveland as the self-titled “King” has been remarkable. The Cavs have had it all: an NBA finals appearance in 2007, the best record in the NBA in 2008 and 2009, multiple Central Conference cham-pionships, a Finals appearance in 2007, the list goes on. And sure, we ranked dead last in atten-dance for the 2002-2003 NBA season. We had won only one single playoff series since 1992 before you put a leash on Cleveland Cavalier basketball and claimed it yours. But here we are. Years of hype lead to the big “D” word, your asinine, superfluous press conference, “The Decision” (As a side note, how you got ESPN, “the worldwide leader in sports,” to endorse your juvenile attempt at forged notoriety, I will never understand). The Decision? What decision? The decision per-taining to where you plan on prostituting your lottery-drawn basketball talent for the next 10 years? What comes after that? You don’t have a home. You don’t have fans. You think the South Beach community would prefer to go sit in the stifling American Airlines Arena instead of going to a nightclub or the beach? All you have left is a new jersey to slither into a couple times per week while you pretend you’re play-ing for something meaningful. I get it, you want a championship ring. We have all heard it thousands of times. Do you think every other professional athlete in the world doesn’t play the game to win champion-ships? This city worshipped you because we bred you, we raised you, we gave you every opportunity you could ever dream of. We sup-ported you when you dropped 56 points and when you gave up on us in Game four of the Eastern Conference Championships in 2009. Not to worry though, we are not upset; you don’t deserve that kind of satisfaction. If you think this city is worse off after your departure, then it’s a good thing you left because you don’t know the first thing about us. We are strong enough to support some of the worst, cursed sports teams America has to offer. We are a city, banded together, praying for the best and expecting the disastrous. You are just a lonely, solemn, rich athlete, representing a city that means nothing to you other than the name on your paycheck. But that’s OK; at least you have your money.

Hugs and Kisses, A Cleveland Fan

Non-profit org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 6

Hudson, Ohio 44236

8 Reserve Record October 28, 2010Sports

by Joe Marmerstein The echoing cheer of “ohana” could be heard in the gym as the volleyball girls took their posi-tions on the court. With six seniors, this year’s team certainly did not lack leadership. What made this year’s squad unique, according to captain Caroline Hubbard ’11, was the sense of family and closeness that the girls shared. “This year the girls have taken the idea of ‘team’ to a whole new level,” said Coach Sherry Chlysta. “They [were] like a family—the idea is that you don’t let your family down; you never give up on the ball, never give up on the team, and never give up on your family.” At the beginning of the season, captains Emily Clark ‘11 and Hubbard ad-opted this theme to carry the team through the year. Before each game and at the start and end of each practice, the team gathered together to chant “ohana,” the Hawaiian word for “family.” The six senior members, Margaux Dean, Nata-lie Boerio, Melinda Nanovsky, Caitlin Green-wood, and captains Clark and Hubbard set the tone. In a sport that so heavily relies on team-work, this was an important aspect of their game. They started out the season on a 6-0 run, the best start that any team has had in many years,

said Chlysta. These victories included wins over their rivals, The Elms, and a tough match against Aurora, in which Chlysta said the team “played some of the best volleyball [they] ever played.” The team concluded its season with an impres-seive 18-4 record. In addition to the seniors, the team benefit-ted from the addition of three new freshmen: Ashleigh Groves, Miranda Fetterman and Emma Presley. A big part of the team’s success has been the experience on the team; Clark and Boerio are four-year seniors, and Nanovsky is a three-year senior. “Natalie and Melinda have both come a long way in their development as volleyball play-ers,” said Chlysta. “We [were] able to run more complicated plays that constantly [kept] the opponent guessing. This ... helped us maintain a strong defense as well as a strong offense.” The combination of this team’s strong leader-ship and the addition of some new impact-play-ers helped propel the team through its successful season. Win or lose, according to Chlysta, fans received what they were promised--fun and exciting matches.

Volleyball enjoys impressive season

by Jacob Hutner In addition to being the Student Body Co-President, Nick Gasbarro ‘11 is the captain and driving force of the Western Reserve Academy football team. This wide receiver and defensive back’s strengths are his work ethic and “a never ending positive attitude” said Coach Patrick Smith. “As a captain, he always has the best interest of the team in mind,” said Smith about Gasbarro’s invaluable role on the team. He is “just a kid who will give you everything he’s got no matter how tired or how hurt he is,” said teammate Griffin Trau ’13. With good funda-mental skills and football IQ, Gasbarro hopes to continue playing in college. NCAA DIII schools like Kenyon College and Case Western Reserve University, both in Ohio, Trinity College in Connecticut, as well as a few other colleges, are currently interested in recruiting Gasbarro. Said Trau of Gasbarro, [He] is “a great role model to everyone at Reserve.”

photo by Doe

The volleyball team huddles before a game with Coach Sherry Chlysta

Athlete Spotlight: Nick Gasbarrophoto by Suwondo