Around the Arch - News from Blair Academy

Welcome to "Around the Arch," Blair's monthly admission newsletter aimed at giving you, the prospective student, a peek into the daily life of the Blair community. In this newsletter, y arch blue sky

ou will learn about recent and upcoming events as well as student achievements throughout the various realms of Blair life. It is our hope that you find "Around the Arch" both exciting and informative. Please enjoy the first issue of the new year.

The Blair Admission Team

What's Happening on Campus

A new season of Society of Skeptics began with a special event on January 4. This particular program - a Herman Hollerith Lecture on Innovation and Entrepreneurship - featured Judy McGrath, chairman and CEO of MTV Networks, who spoke about "The Creation of MTV." According to the MTV website, "McGrath has been the chairman and CEO of MTV Networks since July of 2004. In this role, she oversees the management and operation of MTV Networks' more than 145 channels and more than 300 websites, which reach more than 510 million households worldwide in more than 160 countries and in 32 languages. A member of the MTV family since its first days, McGrath joined Warner Amex Satellite Entertainment Company (WASEC), MTV Networks' predecessor company, in 1981 as copywriter, On-Air Promotions, MTV. She subsequently moved up the ranks and became editorial director, MTV; executive vice president and creative director, MTV; and then, president, MTV. Under her direction as president, MTV grew from a maverick cable channel to the maverick global brand it is today, symbolizing a culture, a style, an attitude and a vibrant musical landscape. From the beginning, she helped MTV bring the creativity of music, with its passion, originality and energy, to television."

As part of the Society of Skeptics tradition, Ms. McGrath spoke about her role as chairman and CEO of MTV Networks for the first part of the program, then opened the floor to the Blair audience for questions.

A Closer Look at the Community

On December 5, seven members of Earthshine, Blair's environmental club, worked on the School's community garden - located behind Bogle Hall yyyy

- by digging four, 8' x 4' raised beds, then adding a mixture of leaf compost and top soil. According to advisor and science teacher Rob Merrifield, the beds will sit over the winter and be planted in the spring with herbs and vegetables to be used in food preparation by Blair's dining hall staff.

International Weekend

On January 15, the Blair community enjoyed the multi-cultural excitement of International Weekend, an annual event. Dining o yit n foreign cuisine, a Korean café, activities (tai chi, bachata, tinikling, pinatas), an international fashion show and discoteca with student DJs were among the activities that took place in the Romano Dining Hall's "international bazaar." Boys and girls from 20 countries, including Spain, Senegal, Taiwan, England, and Germany attend Blair; this event allows them to showcase their traditional cuisine and culture.

Chinese students studying at Blair treated the rest of the student body to a variety of performances in January, including a dance performance at School Meeting on January 14. Their efforts set the stage for International Weekend.

Athletes in the Spotlight

Blair Academy's girls' varsity team reigned victorious over long-standing Peddie champs (39-30) on January 12. Excerpts from the The Trentonion newspaper read as follows: "For the first time in the history of the Mid-Atlantic Prep League, there's a new team at the top of the girls basketball standings. Peddie School's amazing run of 78 straight wins over M

APL opponents came to an end yesterday when archrival Blair Academy made the long trek south from Blairstown in a snowstorm and pinned a 39-30 loss on the Peddie girls. Blair, which had also knocked off Hun last Saturday, is now at 2-0 in the MAPL and in position to become the first team other than Peddie to claim the league title."

After two close games with Peddie last season, the Bucs knew that this was their year to break the streak. Several strong new guards, including Femi '12, Annette '12, Shaina '13 and Elizabeth '12, were critical to the development of the squad. After huge wins over both Hun and Gill earlier this season, Blair felt confident and ready for the Peddie match-up. Though Blair did not execute as well on offense as in recent games, strong defense and determination kept Blair on top for nearly all of the contest. Peddie cut the Blair lead down to nine at the end of the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer at the final buzzer. Harvard-bound senior, Temi, led the way again, scoring 14 points, while Nicole '12 added 10, Shaina earned 9 (plus 6 steals), Annette scored 4 and Femi had 2.

Measures of Excellence

A group of Blair students and history teachers participated in the Columbia Model United Nations Conference and Exposition (CMUNCE) at Columbia University in New York City from January 13-16. The conference is an annual four-day international affairs event for high school students. CMUNCE is known for its original committees, intense crisis simulations, and focus on introducing its delegates to both Columbia and New York City.

Blair's contingent enjoyed the sights of New York in addition to participating in a number of activities. At the end of the conference, senior Rebecca was awarded outstanding delegate on her committee. For more information, log onto the CMUNCE website at http://cmunce.org

We hope this edition of "Around the Arch" provided you with an informative glimpse into the Blair community. Have a great winter and we look forward to reviewing many of your applications after February 1st.

Sincerely,

Mr. Pagotto, Mrs. Eckert, Ms. Paul, Ms. Machabanski, Mr. Smith, Mr. Clavel, Mrs. Klein and Ms. Tillman