Spring 2007 - Milton Academy

LORAX, named for the Dr.Seuss character who “speaksfor the trees,” was establishedin 1987 and is an environmentalgroup working towardraising awareness of the environmentin a time when theseissues are especially serious forglobal well-being. The first toinitiate organized recyclingon campus, and having hadmembers attend internationalenvironmental summits, themembers of Lorax this year arehosting an environmental filmseries, planning a garden andcompost system on west campus,and trying to eliminateMilton’s use of Styrofoam whileselling mugs made from recycledplastic.Young Republicans promotesopen thought and encouragespolitical activism, providing ahaven and support network forconservatives on campus whileattempting to break down politicalstereotypes. The groupcampaigned for Kerry Healeyduring the 2006 Massachusettsgubernatorial campaign and isnow planning a fund-raiser andletter-writing campaign in supportof the USO. This year thegroup has also raised moneyfor Iraqi schoolchildren, the victimsof the 2004 tsunami, andfor a house that treats woundedsoldiers.World Health Organization(WHO) club is a place for discussionabout medical issuesaround the globe, raisingawareness about these issuesand funds for people affectedby them. Having donated$1,750 last year to the MapendoClinic in Kenya, which cares forHIV-infected refugees, MiltonWHO has officially establisheda fund-raising bridge with theorganization, donating all profitsto its cause. The group hassponsored field trips to medical-relatedsites such as TheBody World 2 exhibit at theMuseum of Science, Boston,and hosted prominent speakers,including the former HongKong representative of WHO’sinternational organization.Common Ground is a multicultural,action-oriented studentassociation working tohelp Milton Academy fullyembrace all of its diversity. Itsunderlying principle is to educatethe community about ethnic,racial, religious, gender,sexual, physical, class, familyand geographic differences,while celebrating the “commonground” that brings all groupstogether at the School.Focusing on a particular themeeach month, the group hostsspeakers, discussions and apopular film series to provide aforum for open discourse. Thegroup aims at debunkingstereotypes, challengingassumptions, and involving studentsin social justice issuesand facilitating action.I N V O L V E DModel UN, as an organizedprogram, began in 2003 when12 students attended theNHSMUN conference, which isa national conference for highschool students held in NewYork City. Since then, ModelUN at Milton has grown toinclude about 40 students eachyear, who attend at least one oftwo conferences—the nationalhigh school conference and theHarvard Model UN conference.The goal is to get studentsinvolved in current affairs byresearching and representing aspecific nation’s position on anissue such as AIDS, climatechange, women in politics, orthe situation in Iraq. Throughpreparation, discussion anddebate, the students who participatein Model UN gain a morecomplete picture of the importanceof the United Nations anddifficulty of drafting resolutions,which allow each nationto maintain sovereignty whilestill coming to a compromise.Free the Children was foundedthis year and is an officiallyregistered chapter of the parentorganization. The club beganwith the goal of fund raising forthe well-being of childrenaround the world, particularlyin the area of education andhealth care. The organization isalso very involved in stoppingchild abuse and child labor. Fora recent fund-raiser, the groupsold about 250 bags of chocolatetruffles and candies, makingnearly $700, which thegroup donated to Free theChildren’s project in Sri Lanka.The money will cover theexpenses of building a newwashroom for a school in theAmpara District in Sri Lanka,where 40 schools weredestroyed by the tsunami in2004. Any remaining moneywill buy backpacks full ofschool supplies for 10 students.The group is now organizing amini swap-it and working onthe Clean Water project.Self-Governing Association(SGA) includes every memberof the Upper School studentbody, a membership formalizedat the Class IV Book SigningCeremony. Its membershipexpresses an awareness of andresponsibility for upholding allSchool standards. The SGA isled by Milton’s two co-headmonitors and elected membersof Council, representing everyclass, every campus house, andboth boarding and day students.In addition to partakingin all student disciplinary decisions,the SGA undertakesmany Schoolwide projects eachyear to better the School as awhole and to facilitate relationsbetween students and theadministration. This year, theSGA has successfully begun torefurbish and clean up theStudent Center by challengingstudents on ‘Blue’ and ‘Orange’teams to compete in a year-longcleaning competition.Free Tibet Club is an officialchapter of Students for a FreeTibet, a grass-roots organizationthat includes studentsfrom all over the world.Milton’s chapter was officiallystarted last year and since thenhas held conversations with theAsian Society to debate theChinese occupation of Tibetand held numerous fundraisers.One such fund-raiserincluded selling “FreedomBracelets”—bracelets wovenwith yak hair by Tibetan nunsliving in exile—and “FreeTibet” tee-shirts. The moneyraised goes toward sponsoringa child living in Tibet.32 Milton Magazine