Portsmouth Abbey School • 285 Cory’s Lane • Portsmouth, RI 02871 HE EACON VolumeT XVII, Number I BFriday, October 20th thebeacononline.org Assembly Dissassembled? McDonough and Paula Wal- ter Director of School Life, is Theodore Anderson that it is an easy way to get Editor-in-Chief the students to connect with their advisors more frequent- ly without disrupting the cur- rent horarium. It came as a shock to many students and On September 10th, the even to former students who students received this email: found out the news. Hi all, We will sitting by ad- Jake Mercier ‘16 said visory at assembly tomorrow. “People seldom consider the Thank You. impact the smallest respon- sibilities of prefect- ship has on a young I’ve completely“ lost my man or woman. Ev- ery Monday and Fri- dorm identity. day it was my job to make sure that my brothers were being ” respectful and rep- Joe Breen VI’s New View Durring Assembly resenting St. Aelreds well. It was more than taking atten- Taylor Lough ‘15, said that relationship with advisors the boys who I don’t have the And just like that a tra- dance, and I am shocked that she loved those Mondays and and students. It just has no same schedule as. Mondays dition cherished by nearly they made that change.” Fridays where “for five min- effect.” and Fridays used to be my fa- every single student— gone. Connor Baughn ‘17 had utes I got to let go entirely of Henry Wilson VI, Preston vorite time of the week.” Many students were confused similar words, “I loved those the work and just enjoy my Kelleher VI, and five other Changing assembly seat- by the change. In fact, mov- young men. With underclass- best friends.” sixth form day students were ing might be trivial but it ing the seating arrangement men it’s hard especially, but With the new change, Fos- in complete agreement when certainly prompts discussion was described as not a move it helped me understand re- ter Davis, VI does not feel Henry remarked “I’ve com- of whether or not students re- against students being dis- sponsibility and how to act any more connected with his pletely lost my dorm identity. ally have a say in affairs big- ruptive during assembly. The as a man more to make sure advisor, “Assembly is fine. Assembly used to be where I ger than student weekend ac- official reasoning according that St. Hughes was inline But it definitely doesn’t do could connect with brothers to both Headmaster Daniel CONTINUED TO PAGE 7 during assembly.” anything to help with the in Aelred’s, now I rarely see Exclusive: Michael Behan ‘08 Talks Root Capital, New Project “Njabini” a strong business entrepre- neur from Kenya, took her James Brower first business loan from Root Staff Writer Capitol to buy sorghum, a wheat like plant, from thou- sands of local farmers which she sold in various markets Michael Behan, from the and festivals. The farmers class of 2008, joined Root and citizens all benefitted Capitol four years ago to from her program which took boost small farms in Africa. many business owners out of Root Capitol aims to help Mike started Work for the Non poverty. Her business today rural, poor areas in Latin Profit in 2013 has reached the top of her America and Africa by pro- After graduating nine viding funding, finance class- years ago, Mike claims that es, and marketing connec- “ the Abbey’s moral base tions to growing agricultural She now leads an taught through philosophy businesses as well as coffee industry dominated and religious teachers in- Behan with Root Capital in 2011 shops and clothing lines. Root spired him to take the path Capitol, a nonprofit corpora- by men he chose. The new fund he es- tion, has donated about 150 tablished in sub-Sahara Afri- million dollars just last year ” ca that brought hundreds of to various product coopera- businesses out of debt ful- tives that supply funding for fills his longtime desire to industry and she overcame thousands of small business help Africa and struggling the gender struggle women owners. The small entrepre- farmers. He advises current face in her country, making neurs use the money donated Abbey students to choose a her a role model for her com- for supplies to boost their lo- career path that they truly munity. Mike also started a cal companies. The company aspire to take part in and to clothing line in 2012 called transferred Mike to thirteen take risks along the way as Njabini Apparel that gave African countries since 2014 it can lead to true happiness. disabled Kenyan woman, and currently requires him to He reminds, ”It’s important who aren’t allowed any jobs spend over six months a year to keep in mind how privi- A Bracelet Made by the Kenyan Mothers in Njabini as most work requires farm to interact with farmers and leged we are to be able to de- labor, work that gives them other small business own- cide what we want to pursue income four times the nation- ers. He claims, “In this time, in our lives and never take al economy of Kenya. one story stands out.” Ruth, that for granted.” 2 THE STUDENT PUBLICATION October 19th, 2017/The Beacon Chicago, New York, DC... On Sunday? ego to spend about sev- en hours enjoying the Harry Skakel sights, if you’re willing Staff Writer the spend the money. For the frugal adventur- ers, they could board a six-thirty Peter Pan bus What if you could have to New York from Prov- lunch in Chicago on a idence and spend about Sunday and be back for seven hours wandering evening Mass? Or see a through the sky-scrap- play on Broadway and be ers to arrive back at the back for study hall? Al- school from their venture though these prospects at about nine-fifteen. sound cockamamie for Places like Toronto or the Abbey weekend, i.e., Pittsburg also are avail- from 4 pm on a Saturday able from Providence or to 8 pm on the following Boston Airport, respec- Sunday, if you’re excused tively. A student could from your obligations, it endeavor to Newport, is in fact possible to get a thirty minute drive largely due to the lack farther from the island with moderate traffic, of activities in Chicago than you’d think. With with heavy traffic; the compared to Newport. If enough endurance and student would be better a student per say want- willingness to run to air- on flying to Chicago for ed to get to Washington ports, trains, and cabs, it leisure. Despite the in- D.C. in a Sunday, he or would be possible to the- terest in a Newport bus she would have to (if he oretically go or she really in- as far as Ice- tended on seeing land to enjoy the city and not a Pan-Fried just driving the Ocean Perch 12 hours round at Fiskfe- trip to the city) lagid, a local board the six-fif- seafood spot teen flight from in Reykja- Providence to A Map of some of the Various Places one Could Go on the vik. Or travel Ronald Reagan Weekend to the great National airport and would arrive tional to board a flight cumstances due to its Salt Lake A bus one might take from New York to Providence arriving dangerous nature. City to have a at about seven-for- ty-five. He or she at seven, leaving a whole ski day and be back for seemingly every week- hour to get back from church the next day. In end, there has been little would have ample time until five when they’d the Abbey. The student fact, you could get just to no interest for a Chi- would however, never about as far as San Di- cago bound Airbus A380, have to drive to Wash- ington Dulles Interna- use Über under any cir- Witness to Venezuelan Politcal Unrest ulent election. Another major she has seen people looking protest was in January 2017, in trash bins for food, when Ella Souvanavong after the court tried to dis- she hadn’t seen that before. solve the National Assembly, Federico says that Mad- Staff Writer which is led by Maduro’s op- uro’s declarations of war position. Protests have led to against Americans weren’t the deaths of more than 140 taken seriously, since “Mad- Venezuelans in 2017 alone. uro and his people lost their President Trump has just Amnesty International and credibility…to at least 75% listed Venezuela on his re- Human Rights Watch accuse of Venezuelans.” Part of the vised travel ban; President Venezuelan police of human reason Maduro is so antag- Maduro of Venezuela calls rights abuse of protestors, onistic towards the United this a declaration of war. such as “live ammunition use States is because both he Currently only Venezuelan and torture of arrested pro- and Chavez, Maduro’s pre- officials and their families testors”. decessor, had contempt for will be affected by the ban, While this violence is very American capitalism and but it may be only the first prominent, the everyday imperialism. Maduro blames step in further restrictions. It struggles also have an im- capitalist pressure for their is a part of a policy of sanc- mense and devastating im- failing economy, claiming tions against Venezuela, pact on Venezuela. A study that the US specifically is such as not purchasing oil published earlier this year waging economic war on from their state run oil com- by Fox News reported that Venezuela.