I am working on a bunch of articles right now. I am trying to get them all done as soon as possible; sometimes news just creeps up and begs to be reported, so I apologize that I have spread myself over many articles thus preventing a complete article from being finished, but I can assure you that my notebook is FULL of quotes and notes, I just have to type and organize.
{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Note to Cassie: The Burtis Article was saved and formatted in Quark on Friday. I will get more articles in as I can.}}}}}}}}}}}}}
Where have you lived?
I lived in Kansas for 9 years. I liked the freedom of living in the country. For example, you could lure animals in by leaving out food for them. By doing that, we took in 9 dogs, 12 cats, a ferret, and 2 rabbits. The ferret wanted to live in the garage; the other animals stayed outside. The cats had plenty of food with all the mice that were around. Living on a farm, the other animals found food also. I now live inWaterloo, Iowa. Even though I have friends in town, I miss country life in Kansas.
Favorite foods? Wiener Schnitzel, really good steak that is medium rare, and grilled corn with butter.
Favorite books now and as a kid? I like action and mystery where the story is personal, but I hate romance, they ruin books.
What is one specific book you like? Mortal Allies by Brian Haig; I do not like autobiographies, but instead enjoy reading about the main events of history. My interest is focused on World War II, Vietnam, and other wars.
Favorite music? Any except opera. I love classical, hip hop, rap, rock, and I am open to new things. I do listen to the occasional country.
What is a prominent memory about your childhood? When I ran away from home. I was eight years old, and my big brother made me make a peanut butter sandwich for him. I used the loaf ends, which he does not like, and gobs of peanut butter. Because he didn’t like it, he made me eat it; to get back at him, I ran away. He was supposed to be babysitting me. Eventually I was picked up by a state trouper and brought home.
What are you most proud of about you life?
Being the person that I am: caring and helping people, being myself, and not a poser.
What is your favorite drink? Cold, white milk.
Favorite candy? Not a big fan of candy.
Favorite movies? Band of Brothers because it shows a realistic scope of events and the actors are phenomenal.
If you could be a super hero, who would it be?
For a bad guy, I would pick Dr. Evil; for a good guy, I would be a Transformer.
What was your favorite toy as a kid? GI Joes.
If you had to lose a hand or a foot, which would you pick? Neither, but if I had to pick, it would be my hand.
Would you rather pierce your nose or die your hair pink? Pink hair.
Box question: Other peoples’ answers suck; I want a witty one. [Walter pulls Anne Raushert over to think of a witty answer for the box question...] Walter responds, “I would give the box away to someone that needs it.”
Favorite long word or phrase? “So how is life?” and Bootylicous. What do you see in your future? I am married and I have children. There would be a bunch of little Burtises running around. I would number them, Burtis One, Burtis Two, etc.
What are your political views? Go John McCain. I have many Republican views, but I am not stuck to one party. In the upcoming election, it is important to look at the candidates, look at the real facts, and take a stand.
Do you have any more political insight? I wouldn’t lose any sleep if Obama was President; I just wish Hillary would drop out. Favorite color? Purple.
Symbol? Scorpio?
Fruit? Apple: I like them really red or a sour, green Granny Smith apple. Sometimes I have the apple with carmel.
If you could learn any language completely, what would it be? German, for overseas business.
What biblical verse or story is most important to you? The Ten Commandments.
Got something you want to ask your schoolmates? Send in your questions to C. Puls for the Lighter Side!
What the heck is 614 for? I don’t want that number! Please give me your Vineyard article ASAP! K thx!
– CP
I am sitting down to work on the Vineyard article right now. The 614 is the number of words long that the Burtis article is; I bet ending with the “is” bothers you.
CASSIE, I want to make my third ’senior survey’ the last one, so I will try to interview the remaining seniors for Issue 28. I would appreciate a note in your ‘Letter From the Editor’ that says, “Any seniors who were not yet interviewed for the Senior College Survey, please try to find Matt Breuer; he will also try to find you.”
My last article has to do with the Day of Silence that took place. I will be working on that Saturday evening. Peace.
MATT, I wish that someone had told me about the day of silence. I would have observed it had I known. Today someone told me that Mr. Keller put the kibosh on announcing it because it would disrupt classes too much. WELL YOU KNOW, getting killed for being born is pretty disruptive, too. But don’t quote me on any of that, because I have not done any investigation.
Thanks for editing my column and writing all these articles. I will put together a letter from the editor as well.
Peace out,
– CP
CASSIE, Who told you Mr. Keller put a kibosh on it? I have quotes from Keller about the Day of Silence that I am trying to work into an article. I am trying to figure out how to budget Sunday; we will have to see what happens. If I do not show up to help layout, I am really sorry that the work was put on you; I hope writing extra articles and taking pictures makes up for that. Oh, be sure to look in the Volume 27 photo folder for photos I put in there. I was thinking you could make a group sidebar of funny faces out of Howard, Christy, etc. and there are other photos of stuff I do not recall. I really do think the ‘Smell the Flowers’ sidebar is pretty.
CASSIE, Now you have an article on the Day of Silence. I hope it looks alright.
I have a rough draft of the Wiccan article, but I want to check with the Wiccans about it on Friday.
Jacqueline Hill & Her Baptist Background
To promote understanding between people of different religions, The Religious Viewpoint continues its series on the faith of individuals.
Even though sophomore Jacqueline Hill’s background is Baptist, Hill said, “I am non denominational. My entire family is Baptist but my stepdad’s family is Catholic.”
Hill shared a vivid event from her childhood. “My mom’s stepdad used to ask me to read the Bible before I could read the Cat and the Hat. He told me I would be going to Hell if I could not read the Bible. He described Hell as full of your worst nightmares. I understand the importance of reading the Bible, but not when you are that young.”
In contrast, her Mom’s Dad “is very open about any spiritual questions.” Hill also wanted to make clear that “we are not Southern Baptist. Southern Baptists are way over the top with being conservative.”
In regards to the Southern US, Hill said, “A lot of people down there don’t really agree with Catholic views.” [EXPLAIN]
One of Hill’s religous joys is discussing spiritual matters with her Dad’s Mother until 2 a.m. in the morning, laughing and snacking the whole time.
As to the sacraments, she said, “We have communion, however we do not drink wine; we drink grape juice. The giving of communion is the same as other denominations. For baptism, we usually baptize in a river. I was baptized by my grandfather. Infant baptism is rare; most people don’t get baptized until their early 20’s or late teens. Some people, like newlyweds, even get baptized again. Baptism is a public profession of faith.”
Other sacraments have been eliminated altogether. Hill said, “As far as confession, we don’t have it. We believe that you don’t need to have a mediator between yourself and God. We believe you can speak to God yourself.”
Hill concluded, “My family takes everything from the Bible literally. If it said an orange was green, they would believe it, although my immediate family does not take it as literally.”
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Location: Wayland Academy, Beaver Dam, WI
PostPosted: 01 Feb 2008 03:24 pm Post subject: WICCA INTERVIEWS Reply with quote Edit/Delete this post Delete this post View IP address of poster
In the course of the conversation with the Wiccans and other students, some of the interviewees wished to remain anonymous. This desire for anonymity has caused a handful of the quotes to have unclear attribution. In jotting down the quotes, the separation between the anonymous and the attributed has become a little blurred. If the speaker is not specifically written down in my notepad, the quote will be attributed as anonymous.
Stand out quotes:
“We do not have green skin and warts.”
“An it harm none, do what ye will”
Veronica Neumann-Thompson prefaced her explanation by saying “Wicca is a nature based religion that is very open to self interpretation.”
Veronica underscored the fact that “there is a difference between Wicca and Witchcraft; not all Wiccans are Witches. But, just like everything else, Witchcraft can be good or bad. There are green Witches, also known as hedge Witches, who are involved with gardening and herbs.” There is also the “positive white or bright magic” which contrasts with “black magic, which is along the lines of harm or manipulation.”
Wiccans have a belief similar to the “you sow what you reap” of the Christian and the Karma of the Hindu. Veronica explained it as the “Rule of Three: What you do unto others comes back unto you threefold.”
An important point Veronica kept highlighting was that “not every Wiccan is the same. Wicca is like an umbrella; it covers so many different beliefs.”
Wiccan traditions are filled with “a lot of stuff that involves candles.” Some other objects, though, are disliked. “Opals and gold are not good; they have a strong connection to the spiritual world.”
Connecting with spirits “tends to lean more towards black magic.” This practice is tricky because “Spirits can be guiding or mischievous.”
An anonymous student said of a friend, “They can take stones, lay them on someone’s body, and then read them for insight into the mental and emotional state of the person.”
In the form of a parable, a student new to Wicca said, “Take a Bible and put it outside, and it will wither away and be nothing. What we believe in or worship is the elements themselves.”
The new follower continued, “Some believe in a god or goddess or both. Some use Greek, Norse, Egyptian and/or Native American gods to resemble their gods. Some people will worship and follow Apollo. There are no set beliefs or path, but that of not hurting people. Wicca is a guideline on how to treat people. Wiccan is set up to be a way of life. Religion has rules.”
The recent convert also said, “I like the idea of worshiping with others.”
In regards to the afterlife, Veronica said, “Summerland is a place where all spirits go to meet with their loved ones.” At the same time, “Reincarnation is a common theme in Wicca.” Veronica elaborated. “It is the soul that is being reincarnated; the soul could go into anything.” In comparison to the non-believer, “Wiccans tend to meditate or have their own set of prayers.”
One Wiccan explained another aspect of Wiccan tradition. “Talismans are important; they are a huge part of the Wiccan tradition. You can attach spells to an object as a substitute for a charm.”
Explaining this unique aspect of Wicca, Veronica said, “Talismans are symbols of what you believe in and they can be used as charms for good luck or health.”
A student sitting near by said, “If you make a talismans out of your lovers hair and then give it to them, you become bound forever.”
Another item of the Wiccan is a crystal. Veronica said,”Crystals are a way of concentrating energy; positively charged crystals help you maintain a positive outlook.”
Veronica elaborated on the equality that is displayed in Wiccan beliefs. “Wicca is a religion that believes everything is equal, all creatures are equal and everything has a soul.”
One of the Wiccans said,”From my experience, Wiccans are very caring for the people around them and the environment.
To differentiate from darker spiritual forces, Veronica said,”I don’t like the idea of Satanists or Satan worship. Most Wiccans choose not to believe in Satan.”
A documentary shown by Brendan Weinstein and a visit from Lost Boy Augustino Mayai last week made Wayland students aware of the crisis in Darfur.
Intriguing Expectations
As November 2nd began, Wayland was expecting Augustino Mayai to give a presentation on the situation in Sudan.
Mr. McDonnell expected to “be exposed to a 1st person account of how it is to live in one of the toughest places on earth.”
As to the motivation of the speaker, Mr. McDonnell assumed “the goal of the speaker is to awaken our compassion and our understanding.”
In regards to how Wayland can help, Mr. McDonnell continued, “Even if we can’t do something to help right now as students and teachers, down the road we might be in a position to help prevent these struggles from happening.”
Freshmen Brooke Schumann hoped to gain “more knowledge on Darfur and the issues.”
Schumann thought, “There is a lot to be said. There are problems that need to be solved and people need to recognize them. I look forward to learning how to help.” Schumman was excited to have the opportunity to hear Mayai because she “was not able to make it to the video” which Brendan Weinstein showed earlier that week.
Junior Andrew Haberman expected to gain from Mayai’s presentation “a better understanding of what is going on in Africa.”
Meanwhile, senior Sarah Murphy was articulate and passionate about her thoughts, saying, “I think the presentation is going to be really insightful because we have someone that has experienced the event.”
Turning her thoughts to the victims of this crisis, Murphy said, “It is very easy to forget the down trodden in the world, leave the problems of others behind and concentrate on yourself.”
Murphy continued, “I think it was a really good move for Brendan to get someone who has been in Africa. It will be really beneficial in getting people to donate. I appreciate and commend Brendan for his work.”
Senior Josh Hoeft summed up the thoughts of the community. “Mayai will help us to see what is going on outside the U.S. After all, we’re not the only people in the world.”
After experiencing the presentation, Jacqueline Hill said, “It was overwhelming that millions of people are being affected. It was really upsetting. I felt uneducated about the genocide in Africa.”
Student Leadership
Junior Brendan Weinstein is the student Darfur activist and coordinator of the various Darfur-related events on campus. Brendan offered some comments at 9:25 while waiting for Mayai to arrive for the 9:40 presentation. Was he worried that the speaker would be late? Not at all; he confidently replied, “He is going to be here in time.”
Brendan informed me of the groundwork that he laid beforehand. “Last night, we had about 100 people in the Science Lecture Hall [watching a National Geographic documentary on Darfur.] I saw people laughing and crying. I don’t think one person left the room. I talked afterwards and we had Q & A. There were people in the dorms talking all night about how moving the documentary was. People have been asking for a second showing.”
As to what students can do to help, Brendan said, “I don’t worry about donations that much. People talking is much more powerful than one hundred dollars. Tell your friends about what is going on. If you can change people on an individual level, that is very powerful.” This is same reason that “[Mayai] is trying to educate people.”
Brendan offered Gandhi’s words as a model to follow: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” But his personal dream is that “people will be inspired to become better individuals.”
Sharing Stories
Some students received extra time with Mayai when he visited various classes throughout the day, such as Journalism, World Civilizations and European History.
During one class, Mayai shared quirky memories and incidents. Mayai said, “I had never seen snow. I didn’t know that people walked through it.”
Mayai also revealed that Halloween was not a favorite holiday of his. Kids in strange costumes came to his door one evening and asked for candy. He wondered why they did this and told them he didn’t have any candy. Not missing a beat, the kids asked for some dollar bills. Mayai grabbed his wallet and handed them a few singles. Halloween in Madison also caused traffic problems on his way to his apartment. This was extremely frustrating.
Mayai also said that, “I had to learn the traffic lights,” because, back in Africa, the colors represent different commands.
Ending up in America because of the U.S. government, Mayai said, “I was received well by the public, but the government didn’t do enough.” Mayai expected that the government would give him more training on how to live in America. Instead, the public was what acculturated Mayai to American life. But his first living arrangement in America was with fellow Africans in apartments so they could remain in contact.
When asked about religion, Mayai said, “Religion is one of the mechanisms that the boys use and still use. [They would think to themselves that] maybe God wanted me to go to Kenya. We thanked God for the days that had passed. Some of us can use religion to fulfill our needs.”
In regard to what Wayland can do, Mayai said, “Students make a great impact in any political crisis. Students can educate the public and raise money. Increase your effort to inform the public. Use the funds you collect to further inform people.”
This is because, as Mayai reminded us, “Death due to diseases is very prevalent in Sudan.”
Ausgustino Mayai recommends donating funds to the Genocide Intervention Network (http://www.genocideintervention.net/), as he knows that they use the money well. Keep Africa in your thoughts and prayers.
Recommended Charities:
gfa.org
persecution.com
worldvision.com
globalgiving.com
samaritanspurse.org
redcross.org
salvationarmy.org
Title: Do You Cheat?
Sub-Title:
The Statistics Vs. The Students [or]
The Truth About Dishonesty
A Rutger’s survery found that seventy-five percent of high-schoolers “engage in serious cheating,” but the reality of cheating at Wayland remains obscure. Do Wayland students cheat?
Faculty Perceptions
Academic Dean Mr. Lennertz defined cheating as “stealing, pure and simple.”
Mr. Lennertz commented on the amount of cheating at Wayland. “I would like to think it is not very prevalent, but I do not know. The instances that come across my desk are few… I tend to see the serious situations of cheating. I don’t hear the faculty talking about cheating.”
Although the punishment can be “on a case by case basis,” Mr. Lennertz said, “I keep track of instances of cheating. I warn the student that the next time I will enforce the handbook because cheating violates the core values of integrity and respect for other people.”
Dean of Students Mr. Keller defined cheating with an example. “There have been instances of students hiding answers on the back of their tie.”
There is an unclear area of cheating, according to Mr. Keller. “The only gray area is working together, although every student is smart enough to know the difference between copying and working together.”
When asked how widespread cheating is at Wayland, Mr. Keller said, “I would like to think that [the seventy-five percent statistic] is not talking about Wayland, but we have had prefects lose their title over cheating, and I am sure there are kids that regularly plagiarize.”
The academic dean had no immediate solution to the problem but noted, “It is great to have this discussion.” He explained that open conversation gets everyone on the same page.
Mr. Keller shared some thoughts about punishment for plagiarism, “Current academic circles say the best way to curb cheating is to punish to the full extent of the law. Anywhere from a zero, to a major violation, to a dismissal. I assist Mr. Lennertz in the decision, but he has the final say.”
Mr. Keller believed that time constraints compel many students to plagiarize. “At a boarding school your schedule is so full that it is very easy to get caught in a hole. Time is the scarcest resource in a boarding school.”
Mr. Keller underscored the societal pressure to have a high-paying career. To achieve this, a student reasons, he or she must graduate from a prestigious college, and getting into college requires stellar high school grades. Thus, students value the A over genuinely learning the material.
Certain televion shows are also to blame. “Cheating is one of the effective ways to win on a reality TV show.”
Corrupt icons and leaders are another ingredient to the problem. In general, Mr. Keller said, “People’s perception of what is okay has changed.”
As proof of this moral relativism, Mr. Keller explained that his mother knows people from church who have lost their livelihood because of corrupt corporate leadership.
English teacher Mr. McDonnell, when asked if Wayland students cheat, said, “Yes! I have caught them.”
On the other hand, art teacher Ms. Boucher said, “It is pretty difficult to fake an art project.”
Mrs. Peters simply observed, “I think cheating is more prevalent than the faculty realize.”
The Student’s View
Two main camps of thought emerged among the students: those who thought that their peers cheat and those who believed they did not.
Selina Adler said immediately, “I think that everyone at Wayland has cheated before.”
Austin Scholz calculated, “Just today, eighty-six point three percent of Wayland students are cheating.”
Jacqueline Hill’s figure was a bit lower. “Eighty-three percent of the students at Wayland will end up cheating before they graduate.”
Amberly Ritchie agreed. “I think a lot of kids at Wayland cheat.”
Dezarae Avalos said, “I have seen more cheating at Wayland than in my years in public middle school.”
According to Avalos, “People cheat because everyone else cheats.”
Matthew Hernandez disagreed. “I don’t think cheating is prevalent at Wayland. It is not like public schools would be.”
Amongst the numerous voices, there was one consensus: by cheating, students are only cheating themselves of knowledge and character.
Sidenote: Stand Out Quotes
Spencer Schumann: “Cheating is going to come back and bite the cheater in the butt.”
Anonymous Quotes: “I don’t have the guts to cheat.” “Of course I cheat…[laughs], It’s fun.” “We cheat because we are desperate, lazy, arrogant procrastinators who are pressured by our parents.” “There is good cheating and there is bad cheating. It is the way we get by.”
If we want more filler in the teacher area, here are some more of their quotes. I do not plan on putting them in the paper unless we need to fill some space.
Mr. McDonnell: “Cheating can be any form of academic dishonesty. If you help somebody else in an incorrect way that is also cheating. The punishment for plagiarism is a grade of zero and a reference to the Academic Dean. He is a reasonable man. We are probably not going to catch everyone that cheats. There are different levels of cheating.”
Ms. Boucher: “Plagiarism is very, very serious. It can ruin your professional and academic career. It is just wrong! Part of me thinks it should be a one strike policy, but some people need a warning when it is their first time. Before coming to Wayland, some people do not know what plagiarism is. Seriously egregious is copying a paper off the Internet. Asking your friend what happened in the chapter you did not read is a gray area. The only solution to cheating is to punish it. They don’t have enough time or because they are lazy or a combination of the two.”
Stand Out Quotes for Wiki:
“Try editing Wikipedia; it’s fun.” By Mr. Keller
“Everything on Wikipedia should be taken with a significant grain of salt.” By Ms. Boucher
To Wiki or Not to Wiki?
An internet beast called Wikipedia has reared into the academic world; even Google results often come up with Wikipedia entries. How should teachers and students treat this monster–or is it a helpmate?
Mr. Keller, Dean of Students, said, “I love and hate Wikipedia.”
This is an odd type of relationship. On the one hand, Mr. Keller said, “I wish they had Wikipedia when I was a kid.” On the other hand, “You never know where the information is coming from and thus you have no idea where to go.” This lack of direction can be seen in articles with warnings like, “[The article] needs additional references or sources for verification. It may contain original research or unverifiable claims.”
The Wikipedia discussion for Mr. Keller centers around citation. Mr. Keller reasoned that a resource that does not have solid authors is not a solid resource.
Mr. Keller said, “It seems like it would be a great resource, but there are pages that have citations that still don’t have an author.”
With an author, someone is accountable. Mr. Keller said that someone “can bark up their tree” if the author is wrong.
As to the accuracy of Wikipedia, Mr. Keller gave it a nine, but he said, “I love to sabotage Wikipedia, so it would be a 9.5 if I were never born.”
He continued, “Sabotage is kind of a strong word; I have fun with and gently poke at Wikipedia.”
Mr. Keller once wrote on Wikipedia that history teacher Mr. Osvald holds the record for longest performance of the Macarena.
Mr. Keller advised that students use Wikipedia “by the inverse proportion to the importance of what you are looking up.”
For example, he said, “In college, I think you would rather show up naked to class than cite Wikipedia for a source. You would be laughed out of the institution.”
Mr. Keller’s final analogy was that “research is a 5 course meal; you need meat and potatoes, not just appetizers.”
Compared to the infinite number of times Mr. Keller has visited Wikipedia, Academic Dean Mr. Lennertz said, “I think I have been on Wikipedia a dozen times.”
As to when a student should use Wikipedia, Mr. Lennertz said, “That is up to the faculty, [but] I know there are some faculty who feel that Wikipedia has no credibility.”
Math teacher Ms. Moe believed Wikipedia should be used “to inform yourself on basic information; [and] you should never assume it is fully correct, you should never cite it in a paper.”
According to Ms. Moe, “A lot of students go to Wikipedia and use it as fact; they should really search further, and not just stop there, which they often do.”
Ms. Moe uses Wikipedia when she wants “to get a little more info on some higher level math.”
Not a heavy user of Wikipedia, Mrs. Bleifuss said, “I don’t know if it is good or bad.”
In contrast, the very impassioned art teacher and librarian Ms. Boucher said, “I hate it. I’ve been on it a few times for little random things. Why anyone would use it for an actual research paper is beyond me. You can’t know if the info has been tampered with.”
According to Ms. Boucher, “Students like Wikipedia way more than they should.”
Latin teacher Dr. Lake held her tongue a few times, but still had tons to say. She believed Wikipedia should only be used “by someone seeking general information in a non-academic setting.”
As an over arching theme, Dr. Lake said, “There are some students who understand the benefits and drawbacks of Wikipedia; however, most do not understand the ephemeral nature of the internet and therefore do not put in the effort to discern fact from fiction.”
Dr. Lake concluded laughingly, “Wikipedia is evil.”
Short and to the point, American history teacher Ms. Alpaugh said, “Don’t use Wikipedia; avoid it like the plague.” For Ms. Alpaugh, Wikipedia’s only redeeming quality is that “it is amusing for its inaccuracies.”
Finally, the student users, abusers and observers of Wikipedia speak.
Senior Josh Hoeft said matter-of-factly, “You can use it for quick information, not for a research paper. The accuracy also depends on if you find it on a good day; and I know I have screwed it up before.”
As to what the faculty think of Wikipedia, Hoeft said, “Teachers hate it.” Freshman Brooke Schumann also said, “I think teachers are against it.”
Dezarae Avalos’ insight into Wikipedia is that “it should be used if you need a definition; do not use it as a big, main source. You get some funny things when you let everyone edit Wikipedia.”
Freshman Jackqueline Hill stated bluntly, “I don’t think [Wikipedia] should be used; it is crap.”
An admirer of Wikipedia, sophomore Megan Connell said, “I love Wikipedia. It makes me so angry that Wiki can not be used as a source. That site is better than Google.”
As a side fact, Connell added, “I know Mr. Graham doesn’t like it.”
Sophomore Stephanie Hill pointed out that her brother Tyler Hill “found that Dr. Seuss is a sexy beast.”
[Freshman?] Christy Rojas summarized the Wikipedia situation neatly: “It can help some people and mislead others.”