Argentine culture came alive in Spanish 5 this week. Thank you to SBA Spanish teacher Aly Kendall for the following report of a rich cultural exchange that she initiated for the benefit of SBA student-athletes.
"Spanish 5 welcomed two guests late this week. Annika Deurlington, a freshman at Claremont McKenna College and graduate of Truckee High, spent the previous school year on a rotary scholarship in Argentina. A true ambassador for study abroad, she modeled lovely Spanish and encouraged our SBA students to take advantage of any similar opportunities that might come their way. Her friend, Martín Benavides, a native of Argentina who is visiting Annika during a break from his college studies, was eager to share with the class as well. It was wonderful to see Chris, Chuck and Conner welcome these guests and show genuine interest in their lives. Annika and Martín shared a little bit of their perspectives with us, allowed us to practice Spanish with a native speaker, and generally expanded our visions of the Spanish-speaking world. It was a special opportunity for us, and we were grateful for their visit.”
Student Council's annual pancake fund raiser at Sugar Bowl Resort's Village Hall Sunday netted over $400 toward campus activities this year.
"Thanks to all the student-athletes who volunteered to help out and to the Ski Team families for their support," said Student Council Advisor Aly Kendall. "It was a lot of fun for everybody!"
A heartwarming photo greeted student-athletes as they filed into 102 today for Student Council elections.
Taken well before their Fighting Marmot days, the photo showed big brother Drew - Captain of SBA Team Freeride - draping an arm affectionately over the shoulder of little sister, Camille, an SBA Nordic ski racer.
"Vote Hartley," the campaign poster declared. No exclamation point needed: Camille's upraised thumb said it all.
The brother-sister duo was elected President (Drew) and Vice President (Camille) today at All School Meeting after delivering a campaign speech they had co-authored as a poem to the student body (stay tuned for the text of the speech to be published).
Congratulations also to Chuck Klein and Daisy Schadlich, who were elected Secretary and Treasurer, respectively, and to all of the candidates for having the courage to run for office and for the strength of their speeches.
"The speeches today from all of the candidates were the best I have heard during my time as Student Council Advisor," said Aly Kendall. "It's exciting to see our students show so much interest in leadership roles within our community, and I look forward to working with the newly elected leaders on campus as they plan community-building and charitable activities for our student body."
Student Council membership is open to all student-athletes and depends on their participation and creativity for its success.
"We are looking forward to lots of Marmot participation this year," said Aly. "All are welcome."
First day of practice for Team Nordic's Super Secret, Super Early Devo Program was Friday. While there is only one recruit so far, he displayed tons of potential and cuteness.
Student Council President Dylan Murtha meets and greets
Kudos go out today to the Student Council for their work in raising $500 at the annual Sugar Bowl Ski Team Pancake Breakfast.
"The kids that helped today were terrific," said Student Council Advisor Aly Kendall.
"Dylan (Murtha) organized the event and the students really did all the work themselves. When I walked in the kitchen at the end of the breakfast, they had already mopped the floor and done the dishes without prompting.
"On behalf of Student Council, thanks to all the parents that supported us this morning."
"Thanks, too, to Chef Scott (White) for all of his work in getting all of the supplies together for the event."
Cassidy Cichowicz and Alex Alvarez
give the thumbs up
Grace Hutton and Conner Evans also took the lead in raising funds for the school's new Model United Nations Club. The club will be tuning skis and accepting donations for their services. They also reported that today was a huge success.
Proving that everything is now in full and frenetic swing on the SBA campus, new campus leaders have been elected and Student Council meetings are already underway.
Katrin Larusson,
SBA Student Council VP
Dylan Murtha,
SBA Student Council President
Chuck Klein,
SBA Student Council Secretary
Riley Plant,
SBA Student Council Treasurer
Faculty Advisor Aly Kendall organized campus-wide Student Council elections. Each candidate for office was required to give a speech in front of the student body. Our President and Vice President-elects both proudly represent the town of Truckee. Congratulations to the newly-elected Student Council leaders!
Maya Crosby,
SBA Yearbook Chief Editor
Appointed to the leadership position of Chief Yearbook Editor this year is Maya Crosby. You will hear more about exciting developments on The Fighting Marmot yearbook in future posts.
Congratulations, too, go to Maya on her appointment to this important leadership position on campus.
Life is good when it's part of your job to cycle around Lake Tahoe on a sunny spring day.
After months of planning by the "Older, Better Lookin' Boys'" advisory (ask Dylan Murtha), the first of what will hopefully be many Tahoe Lake Century SBST Fundraisers went off this week with only a few spills but lots of smiles.
Worthy of note:
Riley Plant, by
Rollin Atkinson
While several riders completed multiple stages, SBA Board member Dave Riggs was the sole member of the peloton to peddle all seven legs and finish the entire 120-mile ride. Way to go, Dave!
Former Marmot Dad of the Month Brian Dunn made a strong case for a repeat coronation, serving as a single-man SAG wagon crew as well as official starter and time keeper. Thank you, Brian!
Having never been on a road bike before, Spanish teacher Aly Kendall rode a true relic of a bicycle, Marmot Man's own Schwinn Traveler (circa 1975), fearlessly through the traffic of South Lake Tahoe on the tour's fourth leg.
Chef Molly prepared a fabulous feast for the entire SBA community to cap off a wonderful day.
Michael Cooper,
by Jack Knorpp
Thank you from everybody at SBA to all of those who gave so generously to the Sugar Bowl Ski Team Foundation, either in bills, bike gear, or time!
Camille Hartley, member of the 9th-Grade
Girls' Advisory, breaks the dress code
in memorable style
to benefit High Fives.
SBA's Student Council has sponsored break-the-dress-code days every Wednesday this year as a regular fund raiser to support High Fives Foundation, a local charity helping those who have suffered life-altering sports injuries.
Students pay $1 to wear a hat and $2 for the privilege of sporting sweat pants.
Student Council threw down the gauntlet this week, turning the spring fund raiser into a challenge between each of the school's advisory groups.
The ninth-grade girls' advisory group now leads the competition in per-capita giving, based on their generous donations today.
"Student Council was happy to see the many donations of support today, and is thrilled to have raised $70 in our first day of the competition," said Student Council Advisor Aly Kendall.
Talent Show MC Devin Gill congratulates winner Steven Tetrault
Talk about eclectic music tastes...
The 2011 SBA Talent Show/Kick It Community Dinner this week featured student performances of music by Frank Sinatra (Fly Me to the Moon), Charlie Daniels (The Devil Went Down to Georgia), Plain White T's (the Rhythm of Love), John Newton (Amazing Grace) and Jane Taylor (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star).
"I didn't know that there was so much musical talent on campus," Head of School Tracy Keller told the student body at the conclusion of the evening's entertainment.
"The SBA Talent Show has come a long way since its inception here."
Taking top podium honors at the Student Council-sponsored event was Steven Tetrault, who delivered an impassioned recitation of his original poem, Opus/Vox Populi.
Student Council Vice President Dylan Murtha was the driving student force behind the event, said SC Faculty Advisor Aly Kendall.
"Without Dylan, it would not have gone as well as it did. He not only performed - and quite memorably, I might add - but he also took the lead in recruiting and motivating other people on campus to perform."
Enjoy the video footage, as well as a text taste of Steven's poem found at the bottom of this post.
And now, as promised, an excerpt from Steven Tetrault's original poem Opus/Vox Populi, posted here with the author's permission:
We all have the potential for greatness or weakness - to accept our stations in life and wither away;
Or stand united and build as one hand, one heart, one soul.
To raze Babel’s great misadventure,
Or take its broken bricks and rebuild Jericho’s gates; undo the tragedies of eternity.
We are born with our own potentials, ready to [ab]use them as willed by ourselves.
There are these hidden truths in everything around us.
The rules that can be broken, laws for manipulation;
Those who know them, and those who stumble into things greater than themselves.
We all have the yearnings of possibilities yet to be, yet to have been;
Allusions to the realities beneath and above, and through our own. Metaphors.
Dwell not in the mistakes of the past but in the promises of the future;
History and time will absolve us all of our mistakes.
Revel in the beauty of the profound and infinite universe,
The power of physics, the grace of mathematics;
The quantum miracle microcosms that build planets and galaxies and the blush in the infant son’s cheek.
These are the true reasons to live.
We all know the victories of problems greater than any one man; any one woman; any one child or person.
Courage is looking across the void of temporality to just LOVE.
"Spanish 5 welcomed two guests late this week. Annika Deurlington, a freshman at Claremont McKenna College and graduate of Truckee High, spent the previous school year on a rotary scholarship in Argentina. A true ambassador for study abroad, she modeled lovely Spanish and encouraged our SBA students to take advantage of any similar opportunities that might come their way. Her friend, Martín Benavides, a native of Argentina who is visiting Annika during a break from his college studies, was eager to share with the class as well. It was wonderful to see Chris, Chuck and Conner welcome these guests and show genuine interest in their lives. Annika and Martín shared a little bit of their perspectives with us, allowed us to practice Spanish with a native speaker, and generally expanded our visions of the Spanish-speaking world. It was a special opportunity for us, and we were grateful for their visit.”
