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Saturday, July 30, 2011
A Guide to Becoming an ASP Intern
By ANDREW KNIGHTON
In addition to the 270 students studying here at the Advanced Studies Program (ASP) and enjoying the beautiful St. Paul’s School (SPS) campus, a total of 24 female interns and 15 male interns reside in the dormitories, teach in the classrooms, and lead extra-curricular activities. While all of them are doing roughly the same job here, the interns are a diverse group of people: they all have very different personalities, despite meshing quite well together; they all have different educational backgrounds, as some were SPS students, some are ASP alumni, and some had no previous affiliation with either the ASP or SPS. That said, there has been some curiosity about how the interns are hired and why they choose to work during the program’s five and a half weeks.
Michael Chen, from San Diego, California, just graduated from Dartmouth this spring with a major in ancient cultures and civilizations. Chen first heard about St. Paul’s School from a faculty member here at SPS, who was interviewing him about his enrollment at Dartmouth. He was looking for a summer job just as he finished his final year in college. “It was the first thing that popped up on a Google search when I was looking for a summer teaching job in New Hampshire,” Chen said.
Although Chen never attended the ASP, he expressed an interest in the World Religions class because of his deep background in the ancient world. He filled out the online application and was contacted in January by Michael Ricard, ASP Director. A phone interview took place and questions were asked about how he would handle dorm/class issues and, soon after, Ricard hired Chen for the position.
St. Paul's Green Efforts Continue Through ASP
By JOE TARR
Members of both the ASP and SPS communites waste electricity every day, which increases emissions to the atmosphere. The faculty and maintenance staff work hard to reduce the campus’ carbon footprint in a time where global warming remains a critical issue.
St. Paul’s Schoolhouse alone has a $5000 monthly electric bill. Little signs are posted above most light switches asking people to, please, shut them off. Some light switches state the Schoolhouse monthly electricity bill. House supervisors and interns enforce that students turn off their lights whenever necessary. The dorms use motion sensor lights in the hallways to ensure they are off most of the day. In most dorm showers there are sand timers of three to five minutes to encourage students to use less hot water.
The Ecology class is working on avoiding fertilizers with chemicals at St. Pauls by making a compost pile, which will create life for more earth worms and strengthen the quality of the soil. With the use of fertilizers, St. Pauls takes the risk of the chemicals being washed out into the many ponds on campus, killing wildlife. Every day at breakfast, lunch, and dinner students are asked to throw napkins and food into marked barrels so the Ecology class can put it in the compost pile that they have constructed. “The barrels are not anything new. Previous ecology classes have done the same process over the summer, taking the job of the hands of the cafeteria staff as they take control during the normal school year,” said Ben Henry of Goffstown, an Ecology this summer.
Members of both the ASP and SPS communites waste electricity every day, which increases emissions to the atmosphere. The faculty and maintenance staff work hard to reduce the campus’ carbon footprint in a time where global warming remains a critical issue.
St. Paul’s Schoolhouse alone has a $5000 monthly electric bill. Little signs are posted above most light switches asking people to, please, shut them off. Some light switches state the Schoolhouse monthly electricity bill. House supervisors and interns enforce that students turn off their lights whenever necessary. The dorms use motion sensor lights in the hallways to ensure they are off most of the day. In most dorm showers there are sand timers of three to five minutes to encourage students to use less hot water.
The Ecology class is working on avoiding fertilizers with chemicals at St. Pauls by making a compost pile, which will create life for more earth worms and strengthen the quality of the soil. With the use of fertilizers, St. Pauls takes the risk of the chemicals being washed out into the many ponds on campus, killing wildlife. Every day at breakfast, lunch, and dinner students are asked to throw napkins and food into marked barrels so the Ecology class can put it in the compost pile that they have constructed. “The barrels are not anything new. Previous ecology classes have done the same process over the summer, taking the job of the hands of the cafeteria staff as they take control during the normal school year,” said Ben Henry of Goffstown, an Ecology this summer.
Talents Prove ASP Student Are More Than Just Smart
By GREG O'BRIEN
On Saturday July 16th, the Advanced Studies Program (ASP) held a talent show in Memorial Hall for past and present students; and even for the interns. Between outrageous costumes, mind-blowing voices, and a folk story about Zelda, it was truly an interesting night. A few stood out amongst the crowd.
The talent show was hosted by Advanced Mathematics intern, Donny Dickson, and Marine Biology intern, Kate Shaper who improvised their entire performance. Dickson said, “All of the parts where we were singing, we were reading each other’s lips.” Their MC skills proved mediocre, but the improvisational factor added to their dynamic skits.
It is safe to say that the third act of the night confused everybody a little. Charlie DeBenedetto performed a finger-style guitar narrative combo about, well, what was it about? Some of those in the audience got back in touch with their inner nerd and immediately knew what was unfolding. For those of that were left wondering, DeBenedetto told the story of Link, a character from the Nintendo series Zelda. DeBenedetto said, “When I first learned guitar as a freshman, I always wanted to play videogame music.” When asked why he chose to play this song, he responded, “I feel like I have a very strong connection with the song and people would care more about the story than my voice.” He was absolutely right. The story intrigued the majority of the office and many wondered about its content due to their lack of knowledge about the topic and its strange appearance in a talent show.
On Saturday July 16th, the Advanced Studies Program (ASP) held a talent show in Memorial Hall for past and present students; and even for the interns. Between outrageous costumes, mind-blowing voices, and a folk story about Zelda, it was truly an interesting night. A few stood out amongst the crowd.
The talent show was hosted by Advanced Mathematics intern, Donny Dickson, and Marine Biology intern, Kate Shaper who improvised their entire performance. Dickson said, “All of the parts where we were singing, we were reading each other’s lips.” Their MC skills proved mediocre, but the improvisational factor added to their dynamic skits.
It is safe to say that the third act of the night confused everybody a little. Charlie DeBenedetto performed a finger-style guitar narrative combo about, well, what was it about? Some of those in the audience got back in touch with their inner nerd and immediately knew what was unfolding. For those of that were left wondering, DeBenedetto told the story of Link, a character from the Nintendo series Zelda. DeBenedetto said, “When I first learned guitar as a freshman, I always wanted to play videogame music.” When asked why he chose to play this song, he responded, “I feel like I have a very strong connection with the song and people would care more about the story than my voice.” He was absolutely right. The story intrigued the majority of the office and many wondered about its content due to their lack of knowledge about the topic and its strange appearance in a talent show.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Spotlight on the Arab World
By ZACHARY BLANCHARD
In regards to his Conservative move to involve the U.S. in the Arab Spring revolts, President Obama said that America's current "short-term interests do not align perfectly with our long-term vision... But we can— and will— speak out for a set of core principles." These principles include freedom of speech, press, and religion, all of which are rights granted to Americans. In his address back in May, Obama makes it apparent that U.S. involvement in Arab Spring is not an expansion of war efforts, but rather an effort to offer the stability of democracy and freedom. What about America’s own stability?
There is bipartisan agreement in Congress that Obama should have received their approval before getting involved in Libya. It is not that everyone in Congress is against involvement; it is that they believe Obama was unconstitutional, violating the War Powers Act of 1973. Obama was quick to become involved in Libya, making Congress and citizens alike ask, “Why?” Obama’s quick reaction is reason to believe that his intentions could be more than just humanitarian efforts. Many see it as America sticking their nose where they don’t need to, once again.
In regards to his Conservative move to involve the U.S. in the Arab Spring revolts, President Obama said that America's current "short-term interests do not align perfectly with our long-term vision... But we can— and will— speak out for a set of core principles." These principles include freedom of speech, press, and religion, all of which are rights granted to Americans. In his address back in May, Obama makes it apparent that U.S. involvement in Arab Spring is not an expansion of war efforts, but rather an effort to offer the stability of democracy and freedom. What about America’s own stability?
There is bipartisan agreement in Congress that Obama should have received their approval before getting involved in Libya. It is not that everyone in Congress is against involvement; it is that they believe Obama was unconstitutional, violating the War Powers Act of 1973. Obama was quick to become involved in Libya, making Congress and citizens alike ask, “Why?” Obama’s quick reaction is reason to believe that his intentions could be more than just humanitarian efforts. Many see it as America sticking their nose where they don’t need to, once again.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
ASP Presidential Candidates Square Off in Final Debate
By RACHEL KRAMER
While the first ever Advanced Studies Program Twitter Presidential debate held two weeks ago was a scripted skit of near total agreement, the live debate held last Monday night might be considered a real dispute between the candidates, even without the promised boxing match. Candidates Carolyn Keyes, representing the American Solutions Party, and Molly Kepner from the Block party, went head to head in a front of a live audience in Memorial Hall. They debated issues that ranged in topic from abortion, Keyes as pro-life and Kepner being pro-choice, to the death penalty, which Keyes supported and Kepner did not.
Monday’s debate did not have anywhere near the amount of agreement on issues as the first debate hosted by the Mass Media class. Keyes said in preparation for the live debate that she worked with her team, splitting up the research so “everyone’s involved.” She knew her stance on all the issues, but practiced the question and answer style to become more comfortable articulating her answers. “We have no idea about the questions for Monday’s debate,” she said in an interview last Tuesday. When asked what she would change about the first debate if she could, she said she would have liked to “elaborate on [her] views,” to differentiate herself from Kepner because they agreed on the social issues in which they were allowed to pick their stance.
While the first ever Advanced Studies Program Twitter Presidential debate held two weeks ago was a scripted skit of near total agreement, the live debate held last Monday night might be considered a real dispute between the candidates, even without the promised boxing match. Candidates Carolyn Keyes, representing the American Solutions Party, and Molly Kepner from the Block party, went head to head in a front of a live audience in Memorial Hall. They debated issues that ranged in topic from abortion, Keyes as pro-life and Kepner being pro-choice, to the death penalty, which Keyes supported and Kepner did not.
Monday’s debate did not have anywhere near the amount of agreement on issues as the first debate hosted by the Mass Media class. Keyes said in preparation for the live debate that she worked with her team, splitting up the research so “everyone’s involved.” She knew her stance on all the issues, but practiced the question and answer style to become more comfortable articulating her answers. “We have no idea about the questions for Monday’s debate,” she said in an interview last Tuesday. When asked what she would change about the first debate if she could, she said she would have liked to “elaborate on [her] views,” to differentiate herself from Kepner because they agreed on the social issues in which they were allowed to pick their stance.
An Hour in the Life of a Crew Member
By HALEY CIRKA
“Now, to square the oar, move your hands like this,” Jim Lauderdale, the head coach of the Advanced Studies Program crew team, demonstrated for me. “You do the opposite when you feather the oar.” My pulse quickened as his brief introduction to crew lengthened. I was not supposed to be in the crew boat. I only wanted to observe the practice and take a few pictures. But when they were short on rowers, I knew that I would join the other crew members as a fellow rower. “Crew’s the ultimate team sport,” crew intern Kate Shaper told me beforehand. I was about to find that out for myself.
“Now, to square the oar, move your hands like this,” Jim Lauderdale, the head coach of the Advanced Studies Program crew team, demonstrated for me. “You do the opposite when you feather the oar.” My pulse quickened as his brief introduction to crew lengthened. I was not supposed to be in the crew boat. I only wanted to observe the practice and take a few pictures. But when they were short on rowers, I knew that I would join the other crew members as a fellow rower. “Crew’s the ultimate team sport,” crew intern Kate Shaper told me beforehand. I was about to find that out for myself.
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| Rowers carry the boat into the water |
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