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!The$Echo$ !!!!!!2013&14! ! Issue!2!

THE ECHO Remembering!Mr.!Walker:!A!

Collection!of!Memories!

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Editor&In&Chief:!Erinie!Yousief!

BGA!Happenings!Editor:!Jonathan!Reiss!

Special!Interests!Editor:!Annie!Kennedy!

Sports!Editor:!Nora!Scott!

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Associate!Sports!Editor:!Ivy!Shelton!!

Photography!Editor:!Jacklyn!Abernathy!

Writers!&!Photographers:!Hersheyth!Aggarwal,!Laura!Anglin,!Chad!Bramlett,!Sarah!Butler,!Danielle!Caron,!Audrey!Collins,!Stokes!Dunavan,!Miller!Fahey,!Andrew!Graveno,!Emily!Hopkins,!Bethany!Kirkpatrick,!Brenna!Kirkpatrick,!Neel!Kurupassery,!Madeline!

MacArthur,!Chloe!Masten,!Michaela!Murphy,!!Grace!Whitten,!Steve!Xu!and!Reagan!Yancey!!

The$Echo$Staff!

BGA!News!

Sports!!

Page%2:!Remembering!Mr.!Walker:!A!Collection!of!Memories!Page%3:%Getting!To!Know!Our!Foreign!Exchange!Students!–!Part!1:!Our!Students!From!Germany!Page%4:%Getting!to!Know!Our!Foreign!Exchange!Students!–!Part!2:!Our!Students!from!China!!

Page%5:!BGA’s!Golf!Team!Page%5:%BGA’s!Bowling!Team!Page%6:%BGA’s!Girls’!Soccer!Team!Page%7:%BGA’s!Girls’!Volleyball!

Page%8:%Thanksgiving!Traditions!Page%9:%Editor’s!Thoughts!Page%10:%BGA’s!Thanksgiving!Food!Drive!Page%11:%College!Hunting:!A!Closer!Look!at!Liberal!Arts!Page%12:%Movie!Review:!Ender’s$Game!!Page%12:%Judging!a!Book!By!Its!Cover:!One$Flew$Over$the$Cuckoo’s$

Special!Interests!

By:!Annie!Kennedy!!

Around! BGA,! Mr.! Walker! was! a! walking!legend.!Whispers! in! the!hallway!would! tell!of!his!intentional! and! humorous! insanity! in! the!classroom! or! of! his! magnificent! instruction! on!material! that! would! have! otherwise! been!impossible! to! understand.! He! directed! the!classroom!with!such!passion!and!forwardness!that!he! transcended! the! stereotype! of! a! high! school!teacher!and!became!a!beacon!of!skillful!knowledge!and!witty!humor.!His!laugh!was!unmistakable,!his!smile! unforgettable,! and! his! genuine! sense! of!compassion! for! every! student! made! Mr.! Walker!someone! to! love! and! embrace! in! the! classroom!setting.!He!transformed!the!learning!experience!in!every! class! he! taught! and! instilled! a! sense! of!excitement!for!new!material.!Those!who!knew!him!knew!he!was! a! friend,! a! devout! teacher! until! the!end.!However,!Mr.!Walker!was!not!only!a!teacher!of! school! material,! but! also! of! lessons! that! are!essential!to!battling!the!hardships!and!expectations!of! society.! He! taught! patience,! dedication,! and!embodied!the!skills!of!overcoming!hardships.!

(Continued!on!page!2)!

Page%13:!Photos!From!the!“Pink!Out”!Football!Game!

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The$Echo$ !!!!!!!!!2013&14! ! Issue!2!

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By!seeing!his!strength!and!compassion,!the!student! body! and! faculty,! friends! and! family,!experienced! a! superior! influence! of! humor! and!knowledge! that! only! Mr.! Walker! was! able! to!provide.!!

Students,! teachers,! and! alumni! have!selected! and! provided! favorite! memories! of! Mr.!Walker!to!share.!

Katie%McDaniel:%Senior:%%

My$ favorite$ memory$ is$ the$ day$ in$ class$ when$ Mr.$

Walker$told$the$class$he$“would$twerk$on$our$faces”$if$

we$didnAt$pay$attention.$

Andrew%Graveno:%Senior:%%

One$of$my$favorite$memories$of$Mr.$Walker$is$the$day$

he$forgot$his$car$keys.$$After$Mr.$Walker$found$his$keys$

(in$ his$ back$ pocket)$ he$ came$ back$ to$ school.$We$ were$

Mr.$Walker’s$ first$class$once$he$got$back$and$the$class$

walked$in$to$Mr.$Walker$sitting$in$his$green$chair$with$

a$Cheshire$cat$grin,$bursting$to$tell$us$the$events$of$that$

day.$Another$ would$ be$ the$ first$ day$ of$ class$ when$ he$

was$ assigning$ our$ seats.$Mr.$Walker$ told$ us$ to$ write$

the$name$of$our$first$pet$and$our$street$name.$Mine$was$

Ginger$ Sarah$ Anne.$When$ Mr.$ Walker$ read$ out$

“Ginger$Sarah$Anne”$he$looked$at$me$from$behind$the$

paper$and$burst$out$laughing$saying$that$“it$would$be$a$

great$name$for$a$prostitute.”$

Mrs.% Logan:% Middle% School% and% Upper% School%Art%Instructor:%

I$ remember$ a$ conversation$ I$ had$ with$ Robert$ Walker$

when$I$was$a$student$here.$$We$were$going$over$a$short$

story$ I$ had$ written,$ and$ he$ questioned$my$ statement,$

“What$ she$ felt$ was$ indescribable.”$His$ response,$ “If$

you’re$ describing$ it,$ it$ can’t$ be$ indescribable.”$ I$

remember$ the$ happiness$ I$ felt$ when,$ after$ Meet$ the$

Teacher$Night,$my$parents$reported$he’d$told$them$that$

I$ “hung$ the$ moon”.$ His$ humor,$ his$ stories,$ his$

charisma$ and$his$ sarcasm$are$ all$ parts$of$my$personal$

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history$that$influenced$my$life$long$after$I$left$high$

school.$ I$ think,$ in$ this$ case,$ Mr.$ Walker,$

indescribable$is$the$best$word$choice.$$

Dr.%Tommy%Anderson:%BGA%graduaing% class%of%1986:BGA%Teacher%from%1990:1996:%

I$was$one$of$the$lucky$ones.$I$had$Robert$Walker$as$

an$English$teacher$at$BGA$in$1983,$and$then$I$was$

his$colleague$for$six$years$when$I$taught$English$at$

BGA$ from$ 1990V1996.$ His$ sense$ of$ humor$ and$

pedagogical$ brilliance$ are$ the$ stuff$ of$ legendsVV

things$Robert$shared$with$all$of$us$generously.$But$

I$have$a$ special$memory$of$Robert,$ one$ that$ I$have$

never$shared$before.$In$1990$during$my$ first$stateV

wide$English$teachers$conference,$I$drove$Robert$to$

Chattanooga$ for$ the$ overVnight$ event.$ We$ split$ a$

hotel$ room.$ $We$discussed$ politics,$music,$ and$ art,$

but$we$also$talked$about$the$idea$of$greatnessVVwhat$

makes$ someone$ great$ and$ others$ normal.$ Our$

discussion$went$ in$a$predictable$direction$at$ firstVV

Churchill,$Dylan,$the$usual$suspects.$But$before$we$

called$ it$ a$ night,$ he$ said$ to$me$ that$ greatness$ can$

appear$in$unexpected$places.$I$remember$him$telling$

me$that$women$and$men$can$be$great$in$common$or$

unexceptional$moments.$Robert$went$on$to$say$that$

Dr.$ Lucas$ Boyd$ and$ Larry$ McElroy$ were,$ in$ his$

opinion,$ great$ men$ in$ their$ profession.$ IAll$ never$

forget$ this$ moment$ of$ sincerity,$ and,$ yes,$ in$ the$

stories$ we$ told$ together$ about$ our$ colleaguesA$

greatness,$ sincerity,$ of$ course,$ soon$ turned$ to$

hilarity.$But$for$a$moment$I$think$I$had$a$glimpse$at$

what$motivated$Robert;$to$this$day,$I$feel$privileged$

to$ have$ shared$ this$ intimate,$ honest$ moment$with$

Robert$Walker.$For$a$new$English$teacher$at$BGA,$

seeing$ for$ a$ brief$ moment$ how$ Robert$ valued$ his$

colleagues,$ how$ he$ valued$ hard$ work$ and$

institutional$ commitment,$ and$ how$ he$ was$

thoughtful$about$ the$ impact$ educators$might$make$

on$a$daily$basis$only$confirmed$for$me$that$I$was$in$

the$right$line$of$work.$Indeed,$greatness$does$emerge$

in$unexpected$places.$

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!The$Echo$ !!!!!!2013&14! ! Issue!2!

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Part One: Our Students From Germany

By: Brenna Kirkpatrick

This year, BGA has been fortunate enough to welcome four foreign exchange students into its student body. Adrian Kossick and Carl Kunz, both sophomores from Germany, have had a few months to adjust to both the American lifestyle and the lifestyle of a BGA student and continue to learn and adapt on a daily basis. Recently, Adrian and Karl were interviewed about their experiences as exchange students thus far.

Adrian and Carl had similar reasons for wanting to participate in an exchange program. Both were largely interested in learning about a new culture and expanding their horizons. Adrian described his interest in spending time in America as prompted by a desire to develop a better worldview, while Carl was attracted to the idea of an adventure.

Many preparations were undergone for Adrian and Carl to be able to participate in the exchange program. Adrian began the extensive application process for one of three hundred spots in his extremely competitive exchange program, Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange, in May 2012. He took years of English, obtained a deputy recommendation, and traveled around Germany before he found that he had been chosen from a pool of ten thousand to receive a full scholarship to spend a year studying in the United States. Carl also had many applications to fill out, both for the United States and for Germany. Eventually, his application process culminated in an interview at the American Embassy in Germany. Undoubtedly, the process of obtaining a VISA was very lengthy for both Adrian

Getting%To%Know%Our%Foreign%Exchange%Students%

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and Carl, as they both elaborated on their never-ending VISA paperwork!

Naturally, Adrian and Carl both miss certain things about their homes in Germany. Adrian said, in particular, he misses the superior German candy and soccer, as, even though he appreciates football, the German culture surrounding soccer simply does not exist in the United States. Carl misses the freedom that his home city of Berlin provides him, as he does not have the same ease of transportation in Franklin. Of course, both boys miss their friends and families back home, but are able to communicate with them over the phone and through Facebook.

Adrian and Carl were both surprised by relatively different things about BGA and about the United States in general. Adrian was quite surprised by the fact that BGA had uniforms and by the cleanliness of and low prices in the United States, as driver’s licenses in Germany, for example, cost approximately $2,000. Carl was surprised by the small size of BGA and the emphasis that was placed on sports, as sports were a bigger deal at BGA than he had expected.

In closing, Adrian and Carl spoke of their overall favorite parts about BGA and living in the United States. While they gave various answers about sports and school teams, the exposure to a rural atmosphere, and education, their overwhelming favorite part about their experience have been the people they have met. Hopefully, the BGA community will continue to make Adrian and Carl’s time spent as students in American the experience of a lifetime!

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Getting%To%Know%Our%Foreign%Exchange%Students%

Pellentesque:!

Consectetuer:!

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Part%Two:%Our%Students%from%China%

By: Jonathan Reiss We are lucky to attend a school that

recognizes the value of diversity. Diversity extends far beyond racial boundaries, and instead, according to Malcolm Forbes, Diversity is “the art of thinking independently together.” At the Academy, we have recently seen an increase in the number of foreign students: both those who plan to graduate from Battle Ground Academy and attend college in America, and those who simply come for a single year, for cultural enrichment and dialogue.

Zhen “Steve” Xu, Class of 2014, of Shenzhen, China, near the border of Hong Kong, joined the BGA community in the fall of last year, upon his father hearing his business associate’s high accolades for BGA, despite being 7,000 miles away.

In my recent interview with Steve, I was able to ask him a couple questions. What do you miss the most about China?

Definitely my little sister! (Steve’s family is a rare example in China. They have more than one kid, perfectly legal, contrary to popular belief.) I also miss real, authentic Chinese food. It’s nearly impossible to find in Nashville! What is your favorite aspect of BGA?

Diversity. It’s entertaining to be able to meet a wide array of people, even if they are a little eccentric.

Steve has taken culture shock to be a

learning experience. From his observations of the American judicial system through the school’s mock trial team, Steve developed unique beliefs in regard to Chinese judicial reforms, and even has a desire to pursue law school, hopefully to become a corporate attorney or running a business.

Si Han “Andy” Pang is a recent addition

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to the student body as a member of the Class of 2017, also hailing from China. Andy’s superb language skills have brought him to assimilate easily into the community, even taking the stage for one of Conner Hoge’s weekly football skits. What do you miss the most about China?

While I do miss my home country, I miss my family most of all. Especially my 12 cousins! What have you learned in your experience so far?

From living in the USA, I have learned a lot about the country itself. I have come to love the students at school; they are smart and funny! BGA has some really good, nice teachers. I really enjoy the school!

Finally, Jason Chen, Class of 2015, found

himself connected to the BGA community through his cousin, who has attended BGA since kindergarten. Jason got his first taste of BGA through shadowing for a week last year, immediately taking to the atmosphere provided by the unique student base. What has been the biggest difference for you in the U.S.?

The communication between people: it’s much different in China. To any students, the smallest shifts can present the most interesting differences. For example, the United States and China both have variations on the borders of one’s personal space, a form of communication.

The legacies of BGA (the character, the scholarship, the excellence) carry far. In order to preserve and improve these legacies, the school must continue to follow the precedent of providing quality, life-lasting education to the diverse student body, doing its best to allow for a wide array of mindsets. Despite all three being from China, Jason, Andy, and Steve each provide a unique insight into a country thousands of miles away. Each comes from a different city, a different family, which all contribute to different ways of thinking.

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!The$Echo$ !!!!!!2013&14! ! Issue!2!

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Tallying Up the Score

By: Chad Bramlett

Although the remarkable golf season at Battle Ground Academy may have ended weeks ago, the excitement and news of what they accomplished has yet to die down. The boys’ and girls’ teams both had great seasons that were peppered with personal successes along the way.

In the heat and humidity, the golfers at BGA began to practice in August after their first tournament, the Sumner Cup, and it definitely showed throughout the season. Equipped with only two girls, sophomore Rachel Arvizu and freshman Hannah Wright, the girls’ varsity team was able to unlock its true potential and prove itself to be just as versatile as the larger teams. The boys’ team comprised three seniors (Brady Lawrence, Matt Reed, and Mark Puryear) and two underclassmen. The boys’ team, along with girls’ team, represented; even when neither group managed to place at any of the matches, they still demonstrated formidable skill by using the losses to discover what needed improvement and then using their discoveries to fuel later victories at tournaments.

Thus, despite the outcome of the matches, the teams had a good season and were able to unveil their abilities at the tournaments. With the help of much practice and the leadership from player-coach Brady Lawrence, the golfers at BGA were able to battle their way to the regional tournament, where things really started to get exciting. The girls’ team placed second and the boys’ team fought its way to the top and placed first in the regional tournament, proving the extraordinary talent both teams held and allowing both teams to progress to the state championship. In the state championship, the teams displayed astounding talent and both teams placed sixth. With this epic culmination of the 2013 season at BGA and many young golfers showing interest and promise, the golfing program at BGA has much to look forward to next year.!

BGA%SPORTS%

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A Quick Look at the BGA Bowling Team

By: Laura Anglin

The BGA bowling team started their season in late September. The team consists of seniors Brady Lawrence, Grayson Guthrie, Grant Drury, Matt Reed, Junior Laura Anglin, and freshman Clark Ingram. Bowling matches are made up of three games and each game includes ten frames. Four lanes are used during the match; lanes one and three each have three members from one team and lanes two and four both have three members from the other team, so there are six members of each team competing in a game. Bowlers on the first two lanes interchange lanes after every frame and bowlers on the second two lanes do the same. Matches are based on a 27-point scoring system. Teams are reward points for things like the number of pins that fall during a game and individual wins per game against someone on the other team. The bowling team’s regular season ends in December.

Currently, the bowling team has two wins over Ensworth. One of those wins happened when Ensworth only had three players.

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The$Echo$ Issue!1,!September!2013!

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BGA Lady Wildcats Keep Kicking By: Ivy Shelton The ladies of the BGA women’s soccer team endure months and months of pre-season training, all in the hopes of besting their opponents and growing as a unit. The 2013 season, turned into one of the most successful seasons in recent memory. The girls used their hard summer of conditioning, training, and team building activities to their advantage and formed an impressive team with an impressive season. Upon speaking to Coach Morrissey, I gathered insight on the girls’ attitudes and goals coming into the season. Each year, before the start of the season, the seniors form a list of team goals to try to reach that season. This year, those objectives included everything from scoring a target number of goals, to winning a majority of the 50/50’s each game, to winning the state title. The team fought hard this season, and their goals were within reach: at the end of the season, the girls were undefeated in district play with a record of 6-0-0, and a winning record for the overall season of 14-4-5. The Lady Wildcats dominated all season long and captured the Division II-Class A district title. The team and coaches chose three players (two seniors and one junior) to represent the team on and off the field as captains. Hannah Lawrence, Annie Redovian, and Korrie Sauder received the honor of being captains, and, according to Coach Morrissey, were all leaders in their own way on and off the field. When I spoke to Coach Morrissey around mid-season, she said that “this season has already fulfilled many expectations, which has given the team a great amount of confidence. This surge of confidence has infected every member on the team and

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consequently affected the type of soccer we’re playing right now.” Clearly, excitement grew around the team, and the school rallied to support the ladies’ success. The players’ uplifted spirits helped them to play some of their best soccer and enjoy their time as a team. I asked Coach Morrissey about any surprises she noticed during the season that she did not expect in July when team practices began, and she said the underclassmen of the team contributed in much larger roles than she originally planned. The younger players contributed valuable minutes in varsity matches, allowing the seasoned veterans quick breathers and time to replenish their energy so they could reenter the match stronger than before. The underclassmen, especially the large group of freshmen, were not afraid to integrate themselves at the core of the

BGA%SPORTS%

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!The$Echo$ !!!!!!2013&14! ! Issue!2!

BGA%SPORTS%

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Volleyball Season 2013

By: Miller Fahey

If you had the chance to go to a volleyball game this past season, it was obvious how much energy and fight the team brought to each game. The Lady Wildcats volleyball season ended more abruptly than expected with a loss to St. Georges during a sub-state game. Even with a shorter season than the players and fans would have liked, the Wildcat volleyball team played well this year and gained many titles including regional runner-up and district champion. In the new district, St. Georges and Knox Webb were the biggest rivals for the team. Senior captain Sara Zumbach said that the main team goal was to win state. Sara was out for most of the season with a stress fracture in her foot, but still managed to lead the team and earn the Captain award. Sara was not the only good leader on the team, though; Anisa Moore, a senior outside and middle hitter, talked about the contagious leadership that was displayed throughout the season. In each grade there were leaders on and off the court, and each girl stepped up this season in order to do their best with the goal of state in mind. The five senior leaders will definitely be missed next season, and their absence will definitely prove to be a challenge for next year’s team.

Even with the goal of winning state unaccomplished, there were still many highlights from this season. Anisa said her favorite part of the season was beating Knox Webb, and the most memorable game was the last one against St. George. Sara agreed with Anisa that winning district was the highlight of the season and the most memorable games include those against

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Ravenwood and a team from Kentucky. Both Anisa and Sara said that high school volleyball has been very enjoyable for them. Sara’s said her favorite part of volleyball is digging a girl that hits really hard, and Anisa enjoys volleyball because she says it releases her stress and helps her to have fun. Anisa talked about how she wants to play volleyball until she isn’t able to anymore and Sara will be playing volleyball next fall at William and Mary. The volleyball team made BGA proud in the new division and, challenges aside, the team next year holds a lot of promise and potential to gain another state title for BGA.

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SPECIAL%INTERESTS%AROUND%CAMPUS%

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An Analysis of Traditions surrounding Thanksgiving

By: Grace Whitten

Most families in the BGA community

have similar customs: on Easter, we hide Easter eggs; on Christmas, we open presents; on birthdays, we eat cake, and so on. However, each family has its own unique, special traditions that stretch further back than most can remember. Thanksgiving, for example, is a holiday that nearly every American commemorates one way or another. Many sit on the sofa, watching the football games, some slave away in the kitchen, preparing a stuffed turkey, and others ready themselves for Black Friday. But has anyone ever questioned these traditions? The original story tells of Native Americans and pilgrims gathered around a long table to feast and play games. How did we get from there to Fall Out Boy performing on a parade float? There is no exact date of when the traditions of Thanksgiving moved from historical fact to today’s traditions and commercialism. It is known that George Washington was the one to declare the need for a day of “Publick Thanksgivin” and Franklin Roosevelt was the one to adjust the date to what it is now—but, somehow, along the way, the Detroit Lions played the Chicago Bears during the Thanksgiving season and suddenly football became a cornerstone of holiday that predated its existence.

Equally strange? The presence of the turkey. There is no evidence that a turkey was actually eaten at the first thanksgiving

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(accounts only mention “wild fowl,” but that could mean duck or geese). In fact, corn, apples, pears, potatoes, and cranberries were not even available to the pilgrims and Natives at the alleged time of the first thanksgiving; the suspected dish is in fact elk or deer.

To further the confusion surrounding present Thanksgiving traditions is the association it holds with Black Friday. From an economic standpoint, it is no surprise that the day of thanks is used to launch billions of dollars worth of ads in the form of parades and that these ads are successful in convincing consumers to buy products as soon as possible. However, what is strange is that the one day devoted to “being grateful for what one already has” is used to commercialize what one does not have. And that the tactic actually works. Americans have indeed shaped the meaning of Thanksgiving to fit growing generations’ ideals and values. Hence the furthering from historical accuracy and the emphasis on football and business. But it seems that, no matter how often the meaning of the day is changed, Americans will always consider the last Thursday of November to be a sacred day and one that ought to be commemorated with tradition—no matter what those traditions may be.

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!The$Echo$ !!!!!!2013&14! ! Issue!2!

Editor’s%Thoughts%

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Whipping the Dead Horse: A Critique on Standardized Tests

By: Erinie Yousief

According to CBS News, the U.S. spends

more money on education than any other country in the world. Every public school student receives an estimated $11,500 in the form of books, supplies, and instruction, each year—meaning that (discounting rates of inflation) the government spends about $172,500 to send one student through high school. When analyzing such a generous amount of funding and when comparing it to what other governments provide, one can hastily assume that the U.S. provides the best education.

However, according to the New York Times, the U.S. currently stands as 20th in education, making it average. This presence of academic mediocrity has led to much frustration and bafflement, especially among those who assume a parallel exists between money and intellect. Indeed, the lack of such a correlation indicates that some factor outside of funding has diminished the prestige of an American education.

Policy-makers are divided on what feature of the system has caused the brunt of the damage. Many attest that it is the low teacher salary and the subsequent cultural attitude towards educators that hinders advances in academic growth; others believe the problem stems from the high costs of college tuition.

While these stances both present valid arguments that need desperate attention, the issue of standardized testing—though challenged—has yet to be adequately reformed; and seeing as it represents the heart of the system, it is imperative that it be addressed first.

The most obvious problem with hours upon hours of multiple choice questions centered

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on writing, reading, and arithmetic is the diminishment of creativity. Indeed, the constant selection of pre-determined answers rather than crafting one’s own response eventually leads to a crippled mind that struggles to produce and defend its own positions. The continuous recycling of past answers limits the introduction of new ideas and new outlooks, ultimately hindering the development of discussion and curiosity—the two roots of academic growth. Sooner or later, students lose their conviction; they become so accustomed to regurgitating what books and teachers have said that they fail to discover their own thoughts, emotions, and views. Such a disconnect from one’s own self gives way to confusion, indecisiveness, and bitterness; emotions that are reflected in the incredibly low rates of school and job satisfaction, according to a CNN article released in January 2010.

In other words, more and more students, as a result of standardized testing, have no true understanding of their individual skills. The stresses of achieving perfect (or a near-perfect) scores on the ACT and SAT force them to act in a mechanical, robotic manner and the pressure encourages the suppression of instinctive drives. In order to succeed, students must continuously delay short-term happiness in order to squeeze in more hours of memorization and must ultimately devote themselves to letters and numbers, leaving their hidden urges dormant and unexplored. Students invariably develop no interests in any particular academic sphere because they have been conditioned to see each subject as a task to complete, rather than hobby to nourish.

Many teachers at the Academy seem to share my fears and therefore steer clear of having multiple-choice questions on tests and quizzes, or provide an adequate number of free-response (Continued on page 10)

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The$Echo$ !!!!!!!!!2013&14! ! Issue!2!

%Thanksgiving Food Drive

By: Danielle Caron

The Thanksgiving Food Drive is a great act of service that all BGA students have the opportunity to participate in. Because of previous experience with food drives at their other schools, Mrs. Angola and Ms. Handelsman created the Thanksgiving Food Drive for BGA. It began seven years ago, feeding 40 families at Graceworks each year. Even after feeding all the families, the leftover money goes towards food gift cards for the cafeteria workers. Ms. Handelsman believes that the Upper School should help out people less fortunate than they are, and the effort each student puts in really!makes a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. Her favorite part is when a few students are allowed to come after school to help sort all the food and go grocery shopping for the missing items. Everything gets loaded up into large cars with the help of the baseball team and Coach Myers and is taken to Graceworks one day after school. Every student has a responsibility to bring food for the families at Graceworks; some have the opportunity to go above that and sort or transport the food. The Thanksgiving Drive is one of the greatest acts of service BGA does, and each student is encouraged to do his or her part to not disappoint the families.

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questions to compensate; such a tactic is similar to what Finnish teachers—the world’s top educators—do for their students. In fact, according to the Washington Post, Finnish students never see a multiple choice question until the end of their senior year, when they take the first and only standardized test of their education. It is no wonder that these students lead the world in education; the limiting of standardized testing undoubtedly gives them a wider understanding on the complexity of varied subjects and such a method does not pressure them to over-simplify key concepts in order to master the system; Finnish students thus experience a depth and a richness in their schooling that does not require the constant scanning of textbook pages, looking for key terms to memorize. If the U.S. hopes to compete globally, similar steps to what Finland has already undertaken must be considered; it is time to move past the limits set by the ACT and the SAT and to move towards emphasizing the principles of analyzing, evaluating, and creating.

In order to nourish the full person and to cultivate higher levels of societal happiness, the condensed system of linear thinking and the subsequent restraint of natural ambitions must cease; the money and the students are ready—it is time for change. Rather than “whipping the dead horse” (deepening the emphasis on

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!The$Echo$ !!!!!!2013&14! ! Issue!2!

COLLEGE%REVIEW%

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College Hunting: A Closer Look at the Liberal Arts

If you’re the kind of student who finds the

thought of 5000 other freshmen entering college with you daunting, don’t worry—there are options outside of university life. A liberal arts college is defined as an institution that focuses on giving a complete academic curriculum to an undergraduate student body, so rather than giving all attention to their graduate students, these colleges look to their undergrads first. Rather than preparing its students for a pre-professional degree (like law or business), these colleges encourage students to take classes in all fields before settling into more of an idea-based major, such as history, psychology, or art. However, for a student that can apply the concepts learned in class to real life, the lack of professional focus is hardly a problem and actually gives some unique insights one wouldn’t find elsewhere. These programs are usually separated from university life in three key areas: liberal arts colleges are smaller, usually include firm residential requirements, and give students two years to explore before declaring a major. The colleges are expensive, but the good news is, though most don’t offer merit aid, the majority of liberal arts colleges promise to pay 100% of demonstrated financial aid.

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Here are the six top liberal arts colleges in the country, according to US News ratings for 2013-2014: !

1.!Williams College (Massachusetts) Tuition and fees: $46,600 Enrollment: 2,052 Setting: rural !

2.!Amherst College (Massachusetts) Tuition and fees: $46,574 (2013-14) Enrollment: 1,817 Setting: rural !

!3.!Swarthmore College (Pennsylvania) Tuition and fees: $44,718 (2013-14) Enrollment: 1,552 Setting: suburban !

4.!Bowdoin College (Maine) Tuition and fees: $45,446 (2013-14) Enrollment: 1,839 Setting: suburban !

5.!Middlebury College (Vermont) Tuition and fees: $45,314 (2013-14) Enrollment: 2,516 Setting: rural !

6.!Pomona College (California) Tuition and fees: $43,580 (2013-14) Enrollment: 1,607 Setting: suburban !

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The$Echo$ !!!!!!!!!2013&14! ! Issue!2!

MOVIE%REVIEW%

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Watching Ender’s Journey

By Madeline McArthur

After spending two hours watching the film, my legs are stiff, my bum is sore, and my mind is BLOWN! Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card has been adapted into a film and was released on November 1, 2013 in the U.S. The film includes an amazing cast, most of whom have been nominated for Academy Awards. Asa Butterfield stars as the main character, Ender, a boy whose brilliant mind is used by the military to defeat its enemy, the Formics. However, Ender is not the only child the military uses. An entire army is created with children in their early teens. The military supports the use of child soldiers because, in their eyes, children do not fear the same things adults fear, so they will not fear

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killing. However, the military forgets how fragile

children are during the developing stage as teenagers. I will not ruin the movie for you, but keep in mind the fragility of young minds while you are watching the film.

Ender is the most fragile of the child soldiers. He is brilliant, but disrespectful towards authority, violent, but compassionate. His goal throughout the film is to find balance within himself. The military uses Ender to access his brilliant and violent qualities, while dismissing his compassion. This compassion is best seen when Ender says: “‘…in the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him…in that

BOOK%REVIEW%

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Judge a Book by Its Cover: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Reagan Yancey predicts the plot of novel by taking

one glance at its title and cover art

Randall McMurphy, the center of Ken Kesey’s novel, is a wild man. As a child he often struggled with obeying the rules and found enjoyment in playing pranks. His rebellious personality stays with him through his teenage years and eventually leads to an accident that severely injures his left hand. After having surgery, he discovers that his middle finger has been replaced by a tiny foot; the epiphany leads to his descent into insanity and ten years later he is forced into a hospital. There, Randle experiences difficulty in making friends and coping with his mental instability—until the day he meets his soul-mate.

She too has a disfigured hand. Such an

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emotional connection allows them to bond in ways no one could have imagined.

The plot eventually swells into a dramatic climax when Randal has a sudden breakthrough with his psychologist and is discharged from the institute….but all while his lady love, Sandy, is forced to remain in the hospital.

To find out what happens to Randle and Sandy read One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest!

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!The$Echo$ !!!!!!2013&14! ! Issue!2!!

PHOTOS%

Pictures!by:!Stokes!Dunavan!