September/October Issue

French Intensive 

By Samantha Reynolds  
       Period three on the first day of Freshman year I walked into Madame Buccilli's "Language Paradise" with shaking hands. A class with mostly older girls, I was decidedly intimidated by the thought of learning French with Sophomores and Juniors, all of whom had actually taken French II, unlike me. But in the class were two other Freshmen: Kashvi and Riley. Together, the three of us worked through grammar, pronunciation, and frustration. We may nothave been the most fluent French speakers in the class, but we were determined to keep up with the best of them.
Four years later, we three are all that are left of the Maumee Valley French Program. A number so small that the school was reluctant to carve an entire year-long class for us out of Madame Buccilli's demanding schedule. But it's not like any of us were planning to switch to Spanish or Chinese after so many years of French. The solution was a French Immersion Intensive-- and it was definitely intense.
There was grammar, there were films, there was research, there were field trips, and there was lots and lots of laughter. 
        In an exercise to use vocabulary in a practical context, Madame Buccilli took us on field trips, speeding along the road in her little blue car, continuing until we were able to provide the words for "speeding" and "getting a ticket" (luckily, we always got them before that second one became anything more than a hypothetical!), and she would stubbornly sit in the hot, sun-soaked car (even after spending the VERY warm day outside at the zoo) until we could say "air conditioning." Sometimes it took a while, but the moment we gave up and she finally agreed to tell us the answer, it would seem obvious. At least, until she asked us to provide the word an hour later, when it transformed back into a shadowy figure lurking in the recesses of our subconscious and the cycle began anew.

        There was a similar cycle when we learned grammar. If you want to see a show, ask one of the three of us about use of the word "don't." There's an eighty-seven percent chance we will start screaming. But, still, we had fun, and we laughed, and we ate (a lot!), and we learned some French. Kashvi and I are headed to France for the second intensive, but our days of classroom learning are done (French review lunch parties are fun, but still not quite the same). Farewell, French Program. We will miss you. And to my fellow "Queens of French," I have only one more thing to say: "Stirez-vous!"
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Fall Sports Update

By: Ishani Gupta
        The support and attendance of the fans especially at the field hockey and soccer games has made a huge difference and on the behalf of all fall teams, we can’t tell you how much your support means to us.
        First and foremost, our MV varsity soccer team has managed to once again win the fall tournament. 6-0 is a pretty impressive score that they accomplished during the game against Monclova last Friday. Back in August the soccer team had an unfortunate loss to Emmanuel Christian, but had a great comeback beating them last weekend as well.

        Field Hockey has had a really fun filled season, from preseason to now! As a team, they recently ran the Race for the Cure together for the 20th time in a row and followed it with a nice team breakfast. Scores wise, the varsity team recently beat Greenhills 3-0! In addition, Sarah Boyk broke the record of most career field hockey goals at Maumee Valley and during one of the toughest games against Shaker Heights; Maddie Lockyer saved an amazing 25 shots on goal. Everyone on the team is sad at the thought of the season ending soon because of what a great season they had together.

         Tennis has had a fun season as well, between practice, games, and some team bonding; they have been busy and has grown closer into a tight knit team that always has each others backs whether it is on or off the court. In addition our MV Golf team has held a pretty decent record, 5 wins, 5 losses and 1 draw! The team is really pleased with their season so far.








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Conferences 

By Fareid El Gafy
        We’ve all been there—palms slick with sweat, conscience pounding at the inside of the skull, and feet tapping incessantly to a palpitating heart. Down sits advisor, and parents flank the accused. They shake hands and the crisp manila folder flies open with a deafening thud, inaudible to all but us. But really, why bother worrying?
     
        The first conferences of the year will soon be upon us, and though they are an arduous and uncomfortable process for many, they really shouldn’t be. Many students fret about their parents’ opinions of their grades, but an effective and simple solution to this is simple transparency. A conference is thirty minutes set aside to discuss a crude assessment of a few months. No one but you has been there each night spent writing a complicated paper. No one else has taken note of the hours spent toiling over textbooks, tests and timetables. No one can argue your corner better than you, and as you mature into an adult it is your right and duty to represent yourself to the best of your ability.

        Other students will preoccupy themselves with a less than stunning résumé. Take these faults in stride. If you feel as though you are not committed to an activity enough, then find a way to engage yourself with it more or simply drop it—nothing is worse than an activity with no story or motivation to back it up. Use each conference as a chance to try something new. Join another club, plan an event, or cut unnecessary drains on your time. Each conference is a pit stop in the overall race of the year. It’s a chance to fly back into the action with a renewed spirit, so take advantage of it. If there are noted problems, then identify them yourself, and prepare solutions to them. Don’t make others solve your problems for you, but allow them to offer their advise so that you can achieve the best possible outcome. After all, a conference is about you, and your parents and teachers are there to see you succeed.

        So don’t worry. Dry your hands, let your mind rest at ease, and stretch out your legs. Shake your advisor’s hand confidently, and welcome your parents comfortably. Be proud of the contents of that manila folder, because if you aren’t, no one else can be.

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College Admission Visits

By: Kiran Dzur
        High school may be a place to learn, grow, and discover who you are, but it is also a place of preparation: for college. The word “college” itself evokes curiosity in some, excitement in others, and anxiety in still others, but no matter how you feel about it, there is a lot to consider when choosing one.
The College Board
This is why college admissions representatives have been visiting Maumee Valley.

       At various times throughout the school day and over the weekend, admissions representatives stand up in the K Center and talk about their college. The presentations vary by school and by representative, but they all include three main elements: “They discuss academics, campus life, and scholarship opportunities,” says Maumee Valley college counselor, Ms. Pont. After the presentation, attendees have the opportunity to meet with the representatives and “demonstrate interest,” or show that they are considering the college. Colleges that have visited Maumee Valley during the last couple weeks are: Miami University, Ursuline College, Kenyon College, Denison College, Georgetown University, and many more.

        You may be wondering, what is the point of these college visits? Why should I go? One main reason to attend college visits is to learn about a variety of different colleges. “There are 3,600 colleges in the US.” Ms. Pont explains, “It is very difficult for a high school student to know about all the schools.” You may be thinking, I already know about the colleges I want to apply to! However, it is important to branch out and consider all possibilities. By attending a college visit, you may find that a college you’ve never heard of is the perfect place for you. Even if you aren’t sure you want to apply to a college, attending a presentation about it is still worthwhile. “They educate!” Ms. Pont says, referring to these college visits. There is no harm in attending, either: you’re not committing to one school if you attend a presentation by one of its representatives. Additionally, stopping by the K Center for an hour to explore opportunities for your future doesn’t cost you any money or require a long car­ride.

         Maumee Valley’s college admissions visits are mostly geared toward high­ school juniors, because, as Ms. Pont remarks, “They are really at the start of the search process.” If you are a freshmen or sophomore, you do not need to attend these visits­­though of course, if you are passionate about a college, there is nothing prohibiting you from going.

        Thanks to our college counselor Ms. Pont, we now have the answers to some basic questions about college visits. Future college admissions visits include: Northwestern University
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Tips 

By: Emma O'Leary  
      As we enter our third month of school, some of you may find it difficult to stay motivated in the face of assignments and tests on top of extracurriculars and other responsibilities. At this point in the game, teachers aren’t hesitating to assign plenty of in-class and out-of-class work to be completed and graded. All of these tasks, if not kept under control, can begin to pile up and result in late work, stress, and a loss of motivation. Therefore, it is important to get good study habits and a drive to succeed under your belt as early in the year as possible.
   
        As far as study habits go, it is important that you figure out what works for you in terms of learning and retaining new information effectively. For some, collaborating with others and working in small groups to study is what helps solidify concepts. For others, study guides and solo study-sessions are what help the most. It is very important that you find out what kind of studier you are. I would suggest trying new things—maybe try flash cards to study for your quiz one day, and try re-writing your notes another day—and seeing which things are most effective. Then, when it comes time for major tests and assessments, you can have a plethora of go-to study tricks that work the best for you, and you can get the grades you want.

        The next part is the hard part: staying motivated. We’ve all had those moments mid-semester when we have to study for multiple quizzes or write an extra-challenging paper, and we can’t seem to summon the strength to work on anything. Despite the palpable importance of said assignment, nothing seems to make you want to jump in and start working. In order to avoid moments like this, it is important to find things that keep you on top of things and make you want to complete all your work on time and to the best of your ability. One simple fix to increased productivity is to take breaks. Even just a five minute break for every hour you work can make assignments seem a lot less daunting, and let you feel even more satisfied when you can relax and know you just spent an hour working hard.
        Another helpful tip would be to write down a list of goals or reasons why you want to do well. Having a set list you can refer back to will help you realize why hard work pays off, especially when you feel like you don’t want to do anything. Simply reminding yourself why you want to work hard on school work or other activities can help you stay on track and get everything done. The more work you put into something, especially something you don’t want to do, the more you’ll get out of it, and the better you’ll feel for having done it.




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Schedule Exposé

By: William Cagle
        So if you hadn’t heard, we’re trying this new schedule thing. It’s loud, it's proud, it's happening. It’s been hyped up for well over a year now, and at last the bell has rung for the first round. So what are the results? Are we bleeding on the floor, chipped tooth, wheezing from a jab to the stomach? Is the schedule laying on the floor amidst the splinters of a wooden chair, smashed with well-placed slam over the head? Let’s take a look.

        Over the last few days, I sat down with a variety of members of the Maumee Valley High School community: a group of underclassmen, two faculty members, and a pair of upperclassmen. The results were varied between groups, but surprisingly consistent within those groups.
The underclassmen, sophomores in this case, were fairly optimistic about how the block schedule was affecting their studies. This is unsurprising, as they have only had a single year with the previous schedule, and had yet to become stuck stubbornly to it, á la comfort food.

        “The long classes don’t feel long,” said one sophomore. “Even the boring classes,” she added, jokingly. “They just feel like normal classes.”

        “We can get more projects done in class…we can do a lot more,” piped in another.

         In regards to the homework load, they felt that the schedule was, “good for people with sports…It gives you an extra day for homework for certain classes,” adding, “but with that they give you more work, since there is more time.”

         They did have a few complaints: “I wish we had advisee more,” “I don’t like how it doesn’t start over each week,” “A five minute break is too short.” However, they “love the breaks and long lunch.” Overall, they said, “You just need to get used to it.”

         A solid hit for the students, at least from the underclassmen perspective. Let’s take a look at the other side of the ring, from where the faculty observe the happenings of the first few weeks of school.

        "I like the longer classes. I didn't think I would.,” said one anonymous teacher. “It lets me start something and actually get it done. I like teaching 3 classes instead of 5. It doesn't feel like I'm going crazy.”

        Though apprehensive, this member of the faculty seems to have found the newly structured school day a welcome relief, giving more time to teach the students and for them to take a breath.

         “I think the longer periods give teachers the ability to do different things,” said another member of the faculty. “It also gives an additional challenge, because they have to change their teaching styles.” In order, I assume, to fill the hefty blocks of time with their students. “It’s more college preparatory,” they said, and with a smile, continued, ”Although I think that without Poom's emails people would be lost.”

         They were a little concerned about students having “too much free time during their free periods, if they are not responsible.” In addition they felt that the schedule was “harder for the Middle School right now,” but that their current schedule would make for an easier transition when they cross over to the Upper School.

        Overall, the two faculty interviewed seem cautious but hopeful for the functionality of the block-style schedule.

        Over in the peanut gallery, the upperclassmen have a slightly less positive view on the schedule. I sat down with two of them, a Junior and a Senior, to ask them about their thoughts on the situation.

        “Everyone is equally confused, so I have time to BS my homework,” started the Senior, a disheartening but realistic viewpoint. “The fifteen minute breaks feel unnecessarily long…but it gives me time to wander around I guess,” added the Junior. “Yeah, I used to have to do my homework at school, and then at lunch…but now I can do it during the fifteen minute break,” laughed the Senior.

        Here they got on a roll, talking over each other and laughing. I let them go for a while.

        “Free periods after lunch now give me time to take those much needed naps,” said the Junior, “and 80 minute free periods in the morning make me wonder why I pay to go to school.”

        “This schedule prepares me for the utter depression I will face in college,” pondered the Senior.

        “Yeah, I thought the schedule was supposed to get rid of the huge load of homework, but its only increased it and I’m confused.”

         Watching me scribble down their conversation, the Junior interjected, “Don’t get mad at Will for this article.”

        “Yeah don’t come after his family,” joked the Senior, before finalizing the conversation with, “But in the end, Sally Pont makes it worth it.”

        We’re only three weeks into this first rotation, but as you can see, opinions are already being built. As this year goes on, we’ll discover more pros and cons to our new schedule, I’m certain. But whether it will work out for better or for worse in the end? Well, that remains to be seen.

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Experiential Education at its finest 


By: Alafair Turner
        Independent studies are a hallmark of Maumee Valley’s experiential curriculum. Giving students the opportunity to select a subject and pursue an interest in depth, the program allows both personal and educational growth. Students who choose this option for an intensive must find a sponsor, a topic to study, and something they’ll do each day of the three weeks. Some may decide to conduct biological research, while others practice photography extensively. This year, we had a variety of independent studies ventured by sophomores through seniors.

        Maria Ciminillo, a junior, explained her opportunity: “For my independent study, I shadowed Judge Goulding at the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas. During my time I sat in on a murder trial, a malpractice trial, multiple dockets, and organized legal paperwork.” Her topic was clearly very serious, and she “loved that this independent study time gave me a chance to gain some hands-on experience… I got to see what it would really be like working in court all day. This gave me enough information to be able to judge if this career path might be a good fit for me.” Independent studies give students the chance to explore possible careers and see whether or not they’d like to further follow that path.

Kassie Fuiten completed an independent study
 at The Toledo Museum of Art. 
        On another end of the professional spectrum, Samina Hejeebu, also a junior, studied the science of teeth through several different lenses. She says: “I shadowed an orthodontist, a periodontist, and a pediatric dentist during my independent study. I especially enjoyed the pediatric dentist and the orthodontist.” Her work was a new take on a familiar situation: “I had never had any experience in the dental field outside of being a patient so I found it very interesting to see it from a different side.” Grace Ludwig, a senior, spent her three weeks studying midwifery. She had the opportunity to spend time with “hospital-based midwives attending appointments. I was able to do things like measure patients' bellies and use the doppler to find babies' heartbeats. The most valuable part of my experience was getting to see a birth at the hospital.” She gained hands-on and interactive experience in a field she loves. She plans to continue in that area, because she loves working with babies: “I am hoping to shadow a neonatal intensive care unit nurse.” She enjoys the independent study program because “it keeps the doors open for all and any possibilities.”

        One of the best aspects of doing an independent study is that it gives you practical knowledge in a particular field, and there is always another chance to explore something new. Samina summed this idea up perfectly: “I would love to do another independent study; however not in the same field. I would want to explore another possible career rather than do something similar to what I did during this independent study.” Maria also appreciates the broad variety of options provided by the program: “I’m not sure if I would want to do something along the same lines as this or branch out more.” This curriculum is key as students approach high education and college; knowing the “ins and outs” of an intriguing field or discipline helps students make professional and informed choices in the future.

Natalie photographs an ultrasound of a heart.
        Natalie Bawab, a sophomore, “shadowed a pediatric cardiologist and a pediatrician…. I was able to see what each doctor did on a daily basis and I was able to see how they interacted with their patients. I was also given the opportunity to look at cardiac tests on children and how those are used to diagnose.” Her work was very focused and allowed her the chance to delve into one discipline. She says she isn’t sure what other type of internship or shadowing she may do in the future, but she plans to develop another independent study at some point in her career at MV. 

         Beyond just experiential learning, this program gives MV students conceptual and technical knowledge. In Natalie’s position, she gained a better understanding of cardiac tests. I remember that during my internship at the University of Michigan’s Stem Cell Lab last winter, I was able to apply much of the information I obtained in AP Biology, about processes like gel electrophoresis, PCRs, microscope types, and more. Maria’s work allowed her to refer to knowledge she’d gained in history classes.
Sunny Ding did an independent study at WGTE.

         Karena Amy, a senior, “created a short documentary about human trafficking in Toledo Ohio. I learned how to edit, film, interview and as well as learning about this issue that is very relevant in Toledo.” This choice allowed her both artistic outlet and also practical knowledge of a serious problem. She learned “…about human trafficking, film making, and interviewing. I enjoyed making my own schedule every day, making appointments and managing my own time.” When students are not in classrooms all day, they need to schedule their own time, and tackling an independent study is the perfect way to build time management and organizational skills. Karena says that if she pursues another individualized option, “it will backpacking in Europe in May.”

        Clearly, the independent study program at Maumee Valley gives students plenty of space to design, plan, and execute a full learning experience. It is a great way to explore a possible career path, apply concepts carried from the classroom, write about in a college essay, or just have a ton of fun. This program is one of MV’s greatest and most distinct features, and hopefully everyone decides to create their own experiential opportunity.

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Locker Decorations 

By: Susu Alkhalili

        To celebrate this spirit week, we had different fun themes to dress up for, different activites every day at lunch, and at the end of the week, the pep rally and bowling social, all leading up to homecoming.

        However, we also had a locker bay competition, where each grade would decorate their locker bays, in whichever way they pleased. Here’s what each grade came up with this year.

 Seniors:
       The seniors went for a Paris theme, with a small set up which included, a couple chairs and a table. Not only that but all of the lockers were covered in black paper, and lights were strung up along the entire wall. To top it all off, “Paris” was written, cut out, and pasted on the wall on top of the lockers.

Juniors:
       The juniors decided on the “sprite” theme, and covered all of the lockers with green and white paper, to represent the sprite colors. They then took a bunch of sprite cans a put them on top of all of the lockers.

Sophomores:
       The sophomores went with a superhero theme, and covered all of the lockers with black paper and pasted different superheroes logos around the locker bay. They also hung pom-poms made of tissue paper of the different colors of different superheroes from the ceiling.

Freshmen:
       The freshmen went for a “Candy Land” theme and started off by using pieces of construction paper to make a path on the floor. They also had a Candy Land player piece and used streamers and candy to make decorations that were hung up on lockers. Also, the words, “Candy Land” was cut out and pasted on lockers as well. 

      On Friday, a group of judges went around all of the locker bays, and chose the best,
and most creative one. And, the winner this year’s locker bay competition was…

Freshmen! Congrats freshmen and great job everyone!

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Immersion: An Intense Intensive Spanish Experience
By Poom  Pipatjarasgit
        Are you an advanced level Spanish student who just can’t get enough of Spanish? Do you love movies? Do you want to improve your Spanish in just three weeks’ time? You can do all of this in Film Studies in Spanish.
        In class, we watched a movie almost every day, from many different genres, so there will be at least one that you’ll like. Classes also consisted of heated discussions after the endings of movies, research of background information before we watched a movie, mini-presentations, and tears. Through watching films, you’ll also learn tons of random, but helpful vocabulary that you’ll remember forever. (Prueba de maniobrabilidad? The maneuverability portion of the driving test? Where else would you learn that?)

        My favorite movie of the class was Volver, a Spanish movie directed by Pedro Almodóvar. Set in Spain, it is a drama that shows the dysfunction and tension between members of a family. As the movie progresses, the viewers see more and more as to why the family became separated, and the characters face complicated situations and must make difficult decisions.

        As our final assessment, we were split up into small groups of three or four individuals and worked on a short film that touched on one or more of the themes discussed in class. We had less than a week to plan, film, and edit the entire short film, but all three of them turned out very well, and were shown at the intensive fair.

        Although every day left me mentally exhausted, I can truly say that all aspects of Spanish (my speaking, listening, writing, and reading) improved during this course. This class was definitely worth taking, in part because of its huge payoffs by the end of the intensive.

        Overall, we all improved our Spanish proficiency through discussing, debating, and watching movies from the diverse world of Spanish language cinema. If you are a highly motivated, advanced, and passionate Spanish student who wants a challenge, you will love taking Spanish Film Studies.


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Work Day Play Day

By: Yiting Ding (Sunny)
        It is an annual tradition for students of Maumee Valley to have Work Day Play Day. We use
the day to do volunteer work and activities for community building. This year, we had our Work
Day Play Day on September 18th.

       In the morning, we went to different places for volunteer work with our advisee groups. We got help from parents and teachers to drive us to the various destinations. My advisee group went to Farnsworth Park to trim branches. We put on gloves and learned how to use the big scissors to cut different types of branches. After we worked for a while, it began to rain. However, the rain did not stop us from working. It was delightful for us to contribute our love to the community.

        In the picture above, the students in my advisee group were working hard and trimming the
tree branches.

        After the hard work in the morning, all the students and teachers arrived at the Swan Creek Park at noon and had a picnic lunch together. We talked about what we had done for volunteer work while having lunch. It was beautiful in the Swan Creek Park. We all enjoyed the sunshine when we did our activities in the afternoon. The teachers offered many kinds of fun activities for us, such as a nature walk and knitting. I chose to join Dr. Barnes's knitting group and learned how to knit a scarf.

        In the picture to the left, Ms. Reineck and I were sitting together and knitting. It was the first time for both of us to knit. We both had a good time.


        As time went, more teachers and students joined us. We spent great time as a group, chatting and laughing. The community building activities were able to bring everyone together and give everyone a chance to get to know each other. Work Day Play Day marked a beginning of the new school year at Maumee Valley.

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