Vol. 1, #1 - Oct. / Nov. 2015 The grey towers The NEW revamped Maryvale newspaper! Page 3: Teenage Mr. Shin Page 4: The Syrian Crisis Page 7: Lonnie Garret on America’s Got Talent! Page 13: 5 Ways To Stay Organized October 2015 The grey towers First Days at Maryvale By: Anna Wojehowski ‘19 When pulling into the long either, as they went through Maryvale is "how welcoming driveway of Maryvale, you are the same thing at one point or all the teachers are, and how overwhelmed by the amount another. Eventually finding friendly everyone is.” For of cars already coming in. classes is a breeze even that future ninth graders, many After months of anticipation, Spanish classroom (floor two upperclassmen believe the best the new chapter of your life is by the staircase)! advice is to not be scared, to about to begin. As you open ask for help, and to use your the door of the car to step into Being new at a school is nerve- time wisely for homework. your new life, you are greeted wracking for anyone. When After all, the last thing anyone with inviting cheers, music asking ninth graders what wants to do is come home after and singing. Loud noises of intimidated them the most a long day of school and have everyone welcoming each about high school, the most to write three papers or other with excitement echo common answer was the projects all due the very next through the whole campus. workload and getting to know day! Any worries about the first the different buildings. Many day of school are washed students are going through the It’s unavoidable: the first few away by the warm same trials and difficulties. days of school are going to be welcome...until it's time to get After a few weeks, the nuances stressful, but Maryvale is a to your first class. Where on of high school sink in; after place where we will make earth is that Spanish classroom the initial fear, it is easy to endless memories during our in the Castle again? settle in and become high school years; it is a place comfortable with Maryvale. where we will tell our future New students at Maryvale do kids stories on top of stories not need to worry about What really helps overcome about how great our getting to classes. All the the overall anxiousness and experiences were. This is going teachers are patient; they fear of high school are the to be home for the next four -- understand what you are other students and faculty. and for some, the next six -- going through. There's no Ninth grader Sophia years! Embrace the energy, the need to be nervous to ask the Tsamouras states that the most sisterhood, and remember to upperclassmen where to go comfortable part of breathe! � Page 1 October 2015 The grey towers Editor’s Letter Greetings Maryvale community! My name is Ally Wade and I am this year's Grey Towers Editor-in-Chief. I am honored to take on this position, and I’m so excited to be working with these amazing writers and photographers, bringing you the best newspaper yet. This year, we have tons of captivating articles in store for you that don't necessarily just focus on Maryvale. Maybe you're looking for a new band to listen to, or perhaps you want to stick your nose in an article about something happening on the other side of the world. Either way, Grey Towers and its changes will be worth checking every two months! In this edition, we wanted to focus on our beloved Maryvale and get the inside scoop as to what is happening in our very own classrooms. You will also find articles where we asked you, the student body, how the start of the school year is going. I hope you enjoy this years very first edition of the Grey Towers and stay around to see the awesome changes going on around here. � � Page 2 October 2015 The grey towers Teacher Feature By: Paige Wilkinson ’19 & Jennifer Wojeck ‘19 Who comes to mind when thinking of a while encouraging diversity and great leader? Being a leader requires great openness. confidence, control, and the ability to be open-minded while working with many Mr. Shin started working in education, people. Maryvale’s Upper School Head, but found himself leaving that profession Mr. Victor Shin, obtained these qualities to work with a non-profit organization. at a young age and found a certain calling After receiving many emails from his to become a huge part of the Maryvale previous students, he realized that his community. greatest calling in life was as an educator. When Mr. Shin returned to teaching, he Mr. Shin is the youngest of three boys. As became a part of the Maryvale family. a child, Mr. Shin attended private school and occasionally found himself in When asked about his first few years physical confrontations with other working in a female-dominated school students; as such, he began taking karate Mr, Shin's responded, "How do I feel? I as a mechanism of self-defense. His first feel like I need…to listen to the students language was Korean, and being and the facility and everyone. Kids are bilingual has helped him connect to his kids; it doesn't matter if you're male or family in addition to having helped him female, everyone has needs and wants him dig deeper into his roots. His ability and sometimes kids just want to be to think in both languages allows him to heard." Many students wonder, however, reach across language barriers while how Mr. Shin manages Page 3 October 2015 The grey towers to handle over 300 teenage The girl I was running against, Though negative, the girls with minimal frustration I literally said I was better than experience benefitted him: he and annoyance. “I sometimes her and I didn't mean to say discovered, over the years, think I annoy you,” he that.” Entering into the debate how to communicate better laughed. unprepared led to some with others -- and with unfortunate consequences that students. When asked for his Despite his calm demeanor, he could not forsee. “I ended advice on being a teenager, Mr. even Mr. Shin has suffered his up hurting her feelings. Later I Shin explained: “Be you, don't moments of embarrassment apologized and even got try to be something that you're and defeat. "When I was reprimanded by the not or that you don't want to running for sophomore class administration. I didn't mean be. God made you the way president,” he reflected, “I had to say what I had, but in the you were supposed to be, so be to give a speech but I didn't heat of the moment, I did." As happy with that, because you write it down so I kind of a result, Mr. Shin discovered never know what tomorrow did it impromptu; I wasn't that speaking and will bring.” � prepared, but I should have communicating effectively been. was a powerful skill. Syrian Refugee Crisis Reaches Its Peak By: Sydney Logan ‘17 countries. Recent events have brought a new light to what the United Nations is calling a "humanitarian crisis," springing from protests against a corrupt government turned violent. In recent months, many Syrian refugees Syrian refugees escape via boats, heading towards Turkey. have been seeking asylum (the right to Many boats capsize due to overcrowding. legally live and work in a different Source: Syracuse.com Visar Kryeziu country) in European countries, such as Since its start in 2011, the civil war in Serbia, Germany, and Sweden. A number Syria has forced approximately four of refugees have been reaching European million refugees to flee to neighboring shores by boat. These boats, which are Page 4 October 2015 The grey towers meant to hold a small number of people, Syria and other countries of conflict. IRC are being packed with refugees and are works with the US government to find sailed across the Mediterranean Sea, from placement for refugees in the US. In the Turkey to Greece. Many boats capsize past year, the IRC branch in Baltimore has and result in mass drownings. Pictures of resettled 20 Syrian families in the city, and drowned immigrants washing up on has worked with 15,000 people since beaches caused media outcry around the being established in 1999. IRC's main job world, a catalyst for world leaders to is to find these refugees jobs as a way to assist these refugees. receive an income. While assisting families in adjusting to their new lives, What are world leaders doing about it? IRC has called upon the US to accept The UN has requested that European 65,000 migrants by the end of 2016. countries increase the number of Syrian Whether this goal will be met is mystery. refugees they are taking in. This has But as more refugees are fleeing Syria and caused many disagreements among the flooding into neighboring countries, European Union, as country leaders world leaders may have to accept that debate on how many migrants each they play a role in the lives of these country should take in. President Obama displaced Syrians, who have spent the has also made the call to increase the last four years looking for a safe haven amount of refugees accepted into the from their war-torn home country. � United States. His plan has met with opposition. A Republican presidential candidate recently said that allowing Syrian refugees into the country is “nothing short of crazy” under the belief that the incoming refugees are all Islamic terrorists.