PawsThe Monthly

A Carrabassett Valley Academy Student Publication

October, 2013

GOOD LUCK TO ALL STUDENT ATHLETES

IN 2013/14!

Welcome to the first edition of “The Monthly Paws”. This student run publication will focus on the people, programs and events that make CVA a dynamic place. Throughout the year we will bring you news, reviews, information about events and highlight student work. Along the way, our student publishing class will be learning real world skills and building content for our “End of Year” book that will be printed and shared in late May.

The writing in this publication has been peer edited and reflects student work. Feedback for our magazine is welcome at paws@gocva.com

StaffAlex Conrad | Joris Grintalis | Adam Hohmeyer | Bridget Jordan | Maria Leech

PawsThe Monthly

October, 2013 | Issue 1

ContributorsAlex Conrad | Joris Grintalis | Adam Hohmeyer | Bridget Jordan | Maria Leech | Khadijah Mirzan

GOOD LUCK TO ALL STUDENT ATHLETES

IN 2013/14!

Please Join Us!Carrabassett Valley Academy

Community Open House & New Academic Center Opening CelebrationJoin members of the CVA and greater Carrabassett Valley community as we come together to celebrate the many exciting initiatives taking shape at CVA, including the opening of our new academic center. Leave your legacy by placing a note or other small object within our time capsule and be among the first to hear some exciting news from CVA.

Saturday, October 12th | King Cummings Campus

Community Open House 3:00 – 6:00 pm• Academic Center and Dorm tours • Technology Demonstrations • Athletic Program Updates • Children’s Activities • Light Refreshments & Snacks

Academic Center Opening Celebration 4:30 – 5:00 pm• Brief remarks & time capsule deposits

Contact Melissa Fogg for more information: 207-237-4505 | mfogg@goCVA.com

ContentsAcademic Center By Alex Conrad

10 X 10: 10 Minutes. 10 Questions. with Jade ClukeyBy Maria Leech

Water RampsBy Adam Hohmeyer

A Look Back at the Orientation TripsBy Joris Grintalis

Fall SportsBy Bridget Jordan

Back Cover: “Sky”Acrylic on Canvas By Khadijah Mirzan

Amazing opportunities are now available thanks to the new academic center and the upgraded technology that teachers and students now have access to. With new state of the art science labs, an amazing new art room, along with all new classroom technology, give endless new resources to both students and teachers.

The new science labs allow Karen and Shelley, two of CVA’s science teachers, each to have their own lab and classroom space. Safety upgrades are also a major part of the new science labs. The two labs are now connected by a chemical preparation room, where chemicals and compounds are stored in locked compartments. On top of that, in Shelley’s lab, where she teaches chemistry and does in-class experiments, there is a fume hood and chemical shower.

Along with all of these fantastic new upgrades that our already amazing science department has received, the rest of the school is just as impressive. The new, spacious art room with breathtaking views of the Bigelow Mountains give the art students a fresh new outlook on this amazing environment, further inspiring their inner artist.

The new English, Math, History, and Foreign Language classrooms have a new feel as well. Without having support posts in the middle of classrooms, which was a common issue in the classrooms at the Capricorn, gives classes a better sense of one-on-one with the teacher.

On top of all of the classroom upgrades, the new academic center is connected to the existing Murphy Hall dorm building. This allows dorm students to move easily between classes and their dorm life. This is most evident with breakfast now being served in the atrium this fall. This eliminates the need to walk

Academic CenterBy Alex Conrad

down to the Capricorn building every morning and gives students a more homey feel to the dorm building.

In the long run, however, it really comes down to what the students and teachers say about this incredible new space:

When asked about the new opportunities available, there was nothing but good things to say, When math teacher, Dave Koenig was asked about the new opportunities at the new academic center, he told me that he is excited that now both classes and dormitories are on the King Cummings Campus, it gives new opportunities to both boarding and day students. “It was always a very split campus, and now that the new academic center is up here, we really have the ability to start tyeing things back together. It is really cool to see kids come in for breakfast and sometimes have breakfast with their teachers and then go to class. It feels a little more homey.”

Upon asking Briggs Williams, fifth year senior alpine student, about what he has thought about the new building, he had no problem with telling me how much different it is from the Capricorn, “The old building as compared to the new building is much different. It is far more advanced. I couldn’t ask for a better way to spend my senior year than in the new academic wing. It is a breath of fresh air.”

Karen Lanoue-Egan, when asked about her new lab space and what it offers in terms of new opportunities, she expressed how now that her and Shelley have their own lab space, there is no dependency on what the other teacher is doing on a given day. “There are two fully set up labs, where biology and physics is one lab taught by one teacher, and chemistry and earth-science in the other lab. The labs are completely separate, each has its own glassware, there does not have to be any sharing of materials , so each teacher can do whatever they want to do when they want to do it.”

10 1010 minutes.10 questions.

Jade Clukey

with...

Would you go bungee jumping?Definitely. I went sky diving this past Summer.What is your favorite smell?Matches. And anything pumpkin.Where’s the farthest place from home you have traveled?CambodiaAre you a night owl or early bird?Early bird Who taught you how to ski?My dad What is your hidden talent? I can play Beethoven’s 5th on the piano. Do you collect anything?I keep all of the coins from the other countries I visit. Someday I’ll do something awesome with them... Someday.What is the oldest thing in your fridge?Probably a jar of jam. I have so many. Maybe that’s what I collect. I love jam.What do you miss about being a kid?Having no fearsWhere can we find you when you’re not teaching?With my dog, Rhea!

A Carrabassett Valley Native and Sugarloafer, Jade has come back to the Valley to teach English here at CVA. When Jade isn’t in her classroom at the sparkling new Academic Center, she is working at Tufulio’s down the road or nestled up in her apartment. Us here at The Paws were able to catch up and learn more about her by asking some questions that you probably would not think to ask.

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Every fall, the freestyle teams plan a trip to the Olympic Training Center (OTC) in Lake Placid, NY to train on the water ramps. Water ramps are snow flex jumps into a pool. It’s a great way to work on some new tricks before the winter begins. Senior Joris Grintalis, a rookie freerider, experienced his first trip to the OTC this fall. I caught up with him recently to hear what he had to say. “It was one of the best weeks I’ve ever had,” said Grintalis. He worked on perfecting his cork 720’s while he was there. Joris commented, “Every jump, my cork seven improved. I’m getting really excited to put them to snow now that I’m more confident with them. I’ve never been so stoked for winter to come and to ski with the crew.”

Joris Grintalis is pictured below performing a cork 720

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By Adam Hohmeyer

Freshman & Eighth Grade TripThe freshmen along with the eighth graders traveled to the Flagstaff Hut. I sat down with eighth graders Wyatt McDermont, Ethan Collett, and James St. Ville to talk about their trip. They began their trip with a 45 minute drive to the trailhead. After organizing the group, they began their trek to the hut, hiking a trail along the lake. Once at the Hut, they had to do some community service including building a fire pit which they later used that night to roast s’mores. Also that afternoon, they had gone kayaking and canoeing on the lake, fishing (but no one was successful in catching anything), and hiked up to a viewpoint overlooking the lake. They threw around a frisbee and talked while waiting for dinner to cook. The next morning they ate waffles, eggs, and bacon, and headed out on the lake where they had a canoe relay race. Twenty years ago James thinks that they would have camped, because the huts had not been built yet. In twenty years James hopes to see this trip have more time on the water with the kayaks and canoes.

A Look Back on the Orientation TripsBy Joris GrintalisOrientation trips have been common in schools for a while. Everyone knows how they feel before they begin their trip: You aren’t looking forward to it too much, you don’t know most of the people who are going on the trip, and lastly, you don’t really know what to expect. By the end of the trip, you are closer to your classmates, have made new friends, and created many new memories. These trips have been a part of the tradition here at CVA since the beginning. This year, our four classes went on different trips: 8th graders hiked along with the Freshmen to the Flagstaff Lake Hut, the Sophomores kayaked off the coast of Boothbay Harbor, the Juniors white water rafted and took on the ropes courses in the Forks, and the Seniors went on a two night canoe trip in the Moosehead region of Maine.

Sophomore TripThe sophomores went to the coastal town of Boothbay to do some ocean kayaking. I talked to Alex Habig about his trip and he told me all about it. His trip began with a three hour bus ride down to the shore. They then hopped into the kayaks and spent a long time on the water. Habig says “It was cool to see all the boats pass by us” but it made him feel that he was moving very slowly. They grouped back up together after kayaking for a while and saw seals on some rocks. He said that Nate was very pleasant and nice, he liked him as leader for his trip. According to Habig, the freshmen have a great trip to look forward to next year, and recommends that they bring along a lot of dry clothes. He hopes to see this trip in twenty years include swimming at some point, and twenty years ago he believes that they were there for a longer period of time.

Junior TripLiam Moffatt has been going to CVA for two years now. This year,him and his classmates got to travel to the Forks, Maine to have fun bonding with each other while doing the rope course and white water rafting. After arriving and doing some warm up activities, the group started the low ropes course. His first impression of the ropes course was that it didn’t scare or challenge him that much because his summer job this year was as a camp counselor at a similar place. They then slept in cabins and went white water rafting the next day. The white water rafting gave him an adrenaline rush. He now can’t wait for next years trip hoping it will be just as fun. In 20 years he hopes that this trip will remain the same, because it was “dope”. And, he guessed that Big Dogs twenty years ago probably went on a similar trip.

Senior TripThe seniors got to experience a wonderful two night canoe trip through the Moosehead region which has been a tradition at CVA for 22 years now. The trip begins with a three hour drive up to the lake. Tristan explained to me what happened on this great journey. They gathered on the sunny Friday and set off to paddle across the lake to their first camp spot where they played cards, went for a hike and played a circle game that was fun for everyone. They ate some nice tasty food. The next day they broke camp and canoed by steep cliffs. Some students chose to climb up and jump off into the lake. The seniors then canoed back across the lake to a second campsite, and again feasted on Chip’s great cooking. The final day of canoeing allowed the group to try some rapids. Groups of two tried to navigate the whitewater, with many making it safely but a few canoes capsized.

Orientation Trip Photo Archive

2013 FALL SPORTS

2013 FALL SPORTS

“Sky”Artist: Khadijah Mirzan '14Acrylic on Canvas