ThE MESSENGER - Franco-American School of New York

More documents

Recommendations

Info

2 Social Networking in Real Life By Lucie Desvallées I’ve been thinking lately about what life would be like if you did exactly what you do on Facebook or Twitter. Let’s start with Facebook. Would you ever go up to a random person and poke him or her? I guess you can, but that would be somewhat Internet Distractions By Margaux Salz The only thing harder than actually working on an essay or a “devoir maison” is mustering up the courage to sit down at your desk and begin these most challenging tasks. There is little to no motivation aside from the looming threat of a bad grade and a descending average, and worst of all, the tiniest fly becomes a thousand times more entertaining when compared to the grueling task of analyzing Shakespeare. Our parents faced the same challenges as we have when it came to being focused, but our generation has to deal with an even worse, even more insurmountable obstacle: the Internet. Whenever we are at home we are no more than two minutes away from a computer or mobile device such as an Iphone, Ipod touch, and Ipad. With an ever growing network of Wi-Fi spreading throughout the country and world, it is becoming hard to find places without a mobile Internet connection. Unlike the traditional TV where it was frequent to have no interesting shows to watch, the Internet is on-demand entertainment: there are millions of websites scattered across the web, making it easy for the oldest grandmother and youngest child to find something of interest. There is no need to list the most popular sites that have been making headlines, like YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, but there are many other sites that are also helping us waste away our life, one page after the other. Although it would be ironic to list these in an article aimed at curbing our viewing of these sites, it seems only necessary in the name of journalism to name them: Reddit, memespot, smartphowned, 9gag, 4chan, memegenerator, Tumblr and many, Community Ju n e 2012 odd. Chances are that, sooner or later, that person and others will be scared of you and block, or even unfriend you. First of all, let me just ask: how would you actually block someone in reality? I am going to let you answer that. And, obviously, I understand that you can stop being friends with someone. Another question: Would you give someone a ‘thumbs up’ if you were to like his or her shirt? I am pretty certain that the answer would be no; if you were to hold your thumb up at someone, without even talking, you would definitely make that person uncomfortable. Liking your own status updates is comparable to commenting on something you said. For example: You say, “I just adopted a dog” … then you add, “Wow, what I said was so cool!” Does anyone realize how self-centered that is? Now we move on to Twitter. Honestly, I think that “following” someone in the real world just may make you seem like a stalker. Personally, I don’t many more. How does one resist to the temptation of watching people get hurt on YouTube and contemplating the oddly relatable Success Kid meme? When considering the option of starting homework a list of better things to do immediately pops into any lazy student’s head: most of them having to do with the Internet. The most menial of tasks, like writing a short Graphic by Clemence Wassen article, becomes monstrously arduous in comparison to sitting idly on Facebook and Tumblr while shoving food down your throat. Nowadays it takes a two hour reward of Internet after every assignment to be able to even cope with work. For those with little self-control, the idea of just shutting yourself up in your room and working studiously until every single project is done seems like a bad joke (especially when considering the fact that there’s Wi-Fi in your room and either a laptop, Iphone or tablet right by your side). The most radical option think people would really care if you “had cereal for breakfast” “Would you give someone a ‘thumbs up’ if you liked his or her shirt?” or “just took a nap.” Of course, on Twitter, you will end up with 500 followers just by saying “aced my test.” I t isn’t only these socialnetworks where one does things that wouldn’t be done in real life. On a phone, you put a caller on hold; if you really put someone on hold it could be very rude. In every social network, you ask someone to be your friend; if you did that in real life you would seem a bit desperate. Overall, social networking is just another way in which our means of communicating is evolving, even if it makes you look strange in real life. of all, unplugging your Wi-Fi and/or shutting off the Internet seems as drastic as taking life-support away; not to mention the other members of your household would be less than enthusiastic about having to detach themselves from their screens long enough for you to get your work done, which is especially true for 11th and 12th graders who work for hours on end. Is there really no other option than learning self-discipline to be able to work? Can we actually stay studious while rejoicing in the glory of the Internet, with all its memes, movies, music, and clever e-cards? Scientists have stated that we spend seven and a half hours per day in front of a screen, which, when you think about it, doesn’t sound like much of an exaggeration. We do spend a ridiculous amount of time on the web, and technology will only become more and more intrusive as we continue living: if you think an Ipod touch with Wi-Fi makes it hard to study, wait until you can strap the Internet to your face with Google glasses. It seems impossible to live without being connected to the web, and yet its biggest adversary is school and homework. One of the challenges of students in the years to come, which must not be taken lightly, will not be access to information for research papers and projects, but rather the ability to disconnect from the Internet to get back to real life. Not only do our academic careers depend on our self-discipline, but our social lives as well: Facebook and Twitter do not count as hanging out with friends, and never will. Every student could benefit from a little less time on the computer, and much more time doing almost anything else; maybe like learning Croatian or mastering the harp.
When asked what his biggest obstacles or toughest decisions were, Mr. Leonhardt said that no decision was impossible, but rather that there were many important ones. Some of the most memorable, he said, were launching the Ridgeway project, taking on the lease for the Scarsdale campus, and opening the 11th and 12th grades, which he said was especially difficult given time constraints, the need to convince 10th grade students to stay at FASNY, and the process of gaining accreditation from the French government. When asked about his leadership style, everyone pointed to the same word: “teamwork.” Mr. Leonhardt put it humbly, describing himself as “too lazy to be a micromanager; I’m more of a teamwork guy.” Mr. Peinado said that Mr. Leonhardt “believes in his people, delegates choices, and always works in committees.” He added that the atmosphere Mr. Leonhardt created was “non-hierarchical,” in which it was not about power, but about everyone working together. Mr. Leohardt will certainly be missed. “He’s almost like a father figure to me,” said Debbie. “He’s not just a boss, he’s a friend and a role model.” She fondly recalled how, when telling a story, Mr. Leonhardt always “takes on every accent that the people in the story have, because it could be Brooklyn, or German, or French, and you’re so engaged in it because he’s so hilarious, and he remembers everything word for word.” Mr. Zabotin described his relationship with Mr. Leonhardt as being “based on open and honest communication, on mutual availability and on trust. Those are also the hallmarks of a good friendship, which our relationship has become.” And when asked to describe Mr. Leonhardt in a few words, Mr. Peinado said: “articulate, funny, intelligent, team-builder, and visionary.” Asked about his vision for FAS- NY, Mr. Leonhardt’s said it “starts with the new campus. We’d like to expand to School Life 3 Ju n e 2012 Teamwork a Central Theme of Mr. Leonhardt’s Tenure Continued From Front Page “It’ll be different without his famous bowtie or, as Mr. Zabotin puts it, his uncanny ability to quote La Fontaine for any given situation.” 1200 students in the near future.” The tuition will have to stay at the same rate, the curriculum will expand to include more non-native French speakers, and a new academic track will be created. Mr. Peinado added that the courses might be more diversified through means of having more than just the French curriculum, which will, in turn, reinforce the international aspect of the school. Some students, in fact, might not even need to speak French. He qualified¬ this, though, by saying that the French baccalaureate still needs to be a focal point. On the transition from Mr. Leonhardt to Mr. Peinado, the former said he believes that there will be very little to no change. Mr. Peinado said that he is “not looking to go in a different direction,” stating that Computer Program to Undergo Fundamental Change By Amelia Getahun-Hawkins FASNY has offered Computer class for the past sixteen years but it’s time for a change. While the school plans to use computers more than ever, FASNY has decided, essentially, to cut the class itself in half. Computer classes will still be into groups of regular, intermediate and ESL, but they will only take place for one semester per year, except for in the ninth grade, because those students need a full year of the class for their Brevet. Why only one semester? Like many independent schools that cut the class entirely, the administration feels that one semester is enough for FASNY students to absorb the basics of Computer. However, C-omputer classes are not being entirely stopped because students still need to acquire basic computer skills. To make up for the half of the program that we miss, computers will be integrated more in regular classes and students will obtain computer skills through them. For example, high school students will learn programming in math class. Many will be disappointed about the shortening of one of their favorite classes, but the time will be used during the other semester for Study Hall and elective classes. Also, the administration is trying to put in place a pilot program for students using laptops in class. The one sticking point might be one of those most fundamental skills: typing. Since formal computer classes have been canceled at the lower school, the Larchmont and Mamaroneck administration want to make sure that students acquire good typing skills. It’s also a time to ask about First Class— will it be the program of the future? Mr. Peinado says that the technology department is looking into changing from First Class to a Google-based mail. the transition will have a “positive and serene” essence to it and that he will make sure to keep the school “true to its mission.” Mr. Zabotin, in a letter he wrote for the Gala, said that Mr. Leonhardt made sure that FASNY did “not let academic excellence come at the expense of well-rounded, respectful, and unassuming students,” and, in his interview, he said that Mr. Peinado compliments this view of the school with his “holistic approach to pedagogy,” concluding that he was the obvious choice for the position of Head of the School. Mr. Leonhardt, for his part, doesn’t plan on retiring and sitting on Florida’s sunny beaches just yet; he is waiting for what the future may have in stock. Asked to reflect on his plans, what he’s learned at FASNY, and what he will miss most, he said that, after his health scare in 2009, he feels not only much healthier, but also “much better,” and that his lying in a hospital bed provided for a lot of perspective and insight for the graduation speech he delivered to FASNY’s trailblazing class of 2009. When it comes to life lessons, he believes that he has “developed a deeper understanding of the importance of listening carefully; I have learned to be very patient.” He says that he will certainly miss, above all, “the people, and the opportunity to work in a bilingual environment.” It seems clear that Mr. Leonhardt’s leadership for the past ten years has not just changed an entire school for the better, but also instilled in FASNY his own values of professionalism with warmth, trust with responsibility, and growth with stability. It’ll be different without his famous bowtie or, as Mr. Zabotin puts it, his uncanny ability to quote La Fontaine for any given situation, but his legacy remains, and so does his sparkling personality. As he led the school through its largest expansions, so he leads a new chapter in his life, and we wish him the best. Illustration by Zoé Guyot
Page 1: French-American School of New York
Page 5 and 6: Intercours A Column That Strives No
Page 7 and 8: Despite what the uninformed or unin
Page 9 and 10: Senior Prank 9 Ju n e 2012 All phot
Page 11 and 12: Science Ju n e 2012 Manger ou condu
Page 13 and 14: Cat and Mouse Maze See if you can f
Page 15 and 16: Sh a r k Sp o r t S Januar y 2012 E

ThE MESSENGER - Franco-American School of New York

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?