RAVEN SPEECH & DEBATERS celebrate their wins … PHOTOS BY KENDALL CLARY Published biweekly by and for the Upper School students of Riverfield Country Day School in Tulsa, OK APRILAPRIL 19,3, 2015 2018 THE COMMONS Tensions flare after Russian spy poisoned Headed to stillwater By James Morley STAFF WRITER The tension between the United States and Russia is at its highest point since the Cold War. Russia and the United Kingdom have been in a bitter diplomatic fight since Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter, Yulia, 33, were poisoned in the English cathedral city of Salis- bury on March 4. The nerve gas used to poi- son the former spy and his daughter is Novichok, a military -grade nerve agent developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Since the poisoning, the A campus tour will be the highlight of the day tomorrow for Riverfield’s Upper School students. PHOTO: OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY U.S., European Union countries, Canada, and Ukraine have ex- pelled more than 100 Russian By Brenden Paul laser tag, and finally, Breig said we would have our traditional diplomats. STAFF WRITER game of broomball. He said broomball is very fun, and all The attempt on the life of freshmen or new students must play it. the spy on U.K. soil is not the he long-awaited Spring Trip is tomorrow! Not As he explained it, broomball is basically a mix of soccer first line Russia has crossed in many details have been leaked about the trip yet, and hockey. It is played on ice wearing normal tennis shoes recent years. On top of their but this will be your first look at all of the exclu- while running around with a broom trying to score goals, simi- expansion into Ukraine, war sive details. lar to soccer and hockey. crimes in Syria, and their med- It will all take place tomorrow, and we will be The trip may seem like it won’t be a very long excursion, dling in the 2016 U.S. presiden- Tvisiting Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. The trip will but the estimated return to Riverfield is between midnight and 1 tial election, tensions are high begin in the morning with a campus visit, then we will do all a.m. the next morning. not only between Russia and the kinds of fun activities until late at night when we return. Most of the freshmen are excited to go on their first Upper U.S. but also NATO countries. I recently asked Mr. Hodges and Mr. Breig what activities School Spring Trip, and I am excited to try broomball. This is a On March 26. British Prime we will do. They said after the OSU campus tour, we will go to great bonding experience for all students and a good way for Minister Theresa May said, Incredible Pizza, then bowling and skating. We will also play seniors to visit local colleges. “The United Kingdom will stand shoulder to shoulder with the EU and NATO to face down these threats.” Earlier that day, Russia said it planned to retaliate against the Speech & Debate takes 3A State title U.S. if its diplomats were ex- pelled. A statement from the By Andrew Jordan Starting with Cross-X De- and Carson Keesling all made it Jordan took 5th Place in Dramatic Kremlin read, “the principle of STAFF WRITER bate, the teams of Jad Jaafar and to the quarterfinals. Duet. reciprocity will be enforced.” Noah Laubach, James Morley In Foreign Extemporaneous, In Standard Oratory, Alex Despite that threat, the U.S. On April 5 through 7, and Connor Keesling, and James Puls got 5th Place, Smith won State Champion, the announced its plans to expel Riverfield took 21 students to Shashu Singh and Mitchell Shashu Singh got State Runner- first freshman to win State in a Russian diplomats. It was a Norman for the Speech & Scott all made it to the quarterfi- Up, and Jad Jaafar won State long time at Riverfield. good move for the U.S. It shows Debate State Tournament, nals, and the team of James Puls Champion. All in all, Speech & Debate our commitment to the E.U., where they walked away with and Tobin Anderson took State In Domestic Extemporane- had a spectacular showing. Even and it also shows Russia that their second 3A State title in a Runner-Up. ous, Noah Laubach placed State though there were a few speed there are lines that shouldn’t be row. In Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Runner-Up and James Morley bumps along their way, they dom- crossed. With both the Debate Robert Hale made the quarterfi- won State Champion. inated the State Tournament again The expulsion of the diplo- teams and the Speech students nals while Evan Keely took In Speech events, Evan this year, earning their second 3A mats is the harshest check on doing outstandingly well, State Runner-Up and Hannah Keely won State Runner-Up in State Championship. Russian actions since former quite a few Raven speakers Grenier won State Champion. Dramatic Interpretation. Congratulations to Mr. David President Obama expelled 35 walked away with either State In Public Forum Debate, Ethan Shaw won State Run- Wright and his talented students! diplomats after interference in Runner-Up or State Champi- Charlie Heldebrandt and Noah ner-Up in Prose Interpretation. Once again, you’ve made us all the 2016 presidential election. on honors. Hall along with Miles Capehart Gracie Rowell and Andrew proud. THE COMMONS is published biweekly dur- VOLUME XII ISSUE 12 ing the school year by the Upper School Newspaper elective class SPRING 2018 STAFF at Riverfield Country Day School, 2433 W. 61st Street, Tulsa, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ................. James Morley Oklahoma 74132. The staff reserves the right to edit any article or THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2018 letter submitted for publication. Send all MANAGING EDITOR ............. Brenden Paul submissions to the Editor-in-Chief at NEWS EDITORS ...................... Logan Payne, Jack Bluhm [email protected]. All opinions SPORTS EDITORS .................. Noah Laubach, Brady Heinig DESIGN EDITORS .................. Jake O’Shaughnessy, expressed are those of the individual writ- OPINIONS EDITORS .............. Kip Derryberry, Quinten Nokes .................................................... Jack Jones, Mason Malloy ers and do not reflect positions of the staff, A&E EDITORS ......................... Connor Keesling, Maddy Edwards GRAPHICS EDITOR ............... Elise Wagoner adviser, or school administration. REVIEWS EDITORS ............... Alex Milton, Andrew Jordan COLUMNISTS .......................... Grace Clark, Grant Heinig, Online: riverfield.org/community/student-newspapers.cfm FEATURES EDITOR ............... Will Dozier, Hana Saad .................................................... Alexis Lipe, Adaira Reid THE COMMONS Thursday. April 19, 2018 ALL DAY TODAY: VARSITY BOYS TENNIS EAST/WEST SHOWDOWN AT SPORTS HERITAGE HALL IN OKLAHOMA CITY … GO RAVENS! 2 — A recap of the big moments — Usain bolt to try soccer MARCH MADNESS By Jack Bluhm 28 mph. Bolt’s top speed is the STAFF WRITER same. Every time the Olympics By Noah Laubach the Final Four. with both UNC and Arizona No, this is not another fake are held, he beats the world SPORTS EDITOR With all of the hype, a few losing on the first weekend. article. This is a legitimate record. In the 2012 London experts thought it might get to Only one half of the 1 and thing. The fastest man in the summer games, he beat his The No. 1 overall seed, them and cause them to lose an 2 seeds made it to the Sweet world is going to play soccer. own world record. Virginia, came into the tour- early game, but no one predict- Sixteen, and an 11-seeded Usain Bolt, the 6’6” Ja- The Jamaican has been nament after destroying the ed them losing in the first round Loyola-Chicago made it all the maican runner, will try out for approached by many soccer ACC, commonly referred to to the University of Maryland way to the Final Four. The the Borussia Dortmund Ger- teams because of his size and as the best basketball, all year. Baltimore County, a 16 seed. Cinderella team ended up fall- man league squad. The former speed. He could head the ball, Led by Kyle Guy and The biggest upset in March ing in the semifinals to one of Olympic sprinter has revealed win headers in the midfield, Devon Hall, two of the best Madness history was just the the hottest teams in college that he has not been fully ac- and attack a third of the field. shooters in the conference, the beginning to a tournament filled basketball, the Michigan Wol- cepted by the German league The fastest player in the Cavaliers were projected to with upsets. Other heavily fa- verines, a 3 seed. squad, but many rumors have game right now is Pierre make a deep run in the tourna- vored teams to win it all, UNC, The other semifinal fea- said that the club will sign him Emerick Aubameyang, who ment, with over 30% of ESPN Duke, Kentucky, and Arizona, tured two 1 seeds battling it during the June transfer win- plays for the English team, brackets having Virginia in all fell before the Final Four, out in what actually turned out dow. Arsenal. He used to play for to be the least competitive of Bolt can run the 100m Borussia Dortmund. If they the two semifinals. The Villa- sprint in 9.6 seconds, which is had kept him, they could’ve nova Wildcats beat the Kansas comparable to a domestic cat had the two fastest players to Jayhawks to return to the Na- which can run at top speed of play the game. tional Championship game for the second time in three years, and after winning the entire tournament in 2016.