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Katie Barnes CGA ’09, an award-winning journalist, returned to campus to share their experience writing for ESPN’s sports and to talk about her new book about the ongoing debate of transgender athletes. In the book, “Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates,” Barnes (they/them) analyzes how definitions of gender and sex in athletics are shaped by cultural views, evaluating both sides of the discussion. They aimed to reach a broad audience, including “folks who want to learn more about women sports and transgender athletes, and get their questions answered. And for folks who want to see themselves reflected in this conversation.” Barnes, named Journalist of the Year by NLGJA in 2017, addresses the nuanced controversy surrounding transgender athletes as well as the history behind it in their book. As a non-cisgendered individual and an athlete, they felt personally connected with the issue concerning the general misconception of trans athletes in professional sports. Barnes wrote the book to provide information for those who are unfamiliar with the topic and to “create a sense of community” for those who can relate to it. When Barnes was attending Culver Academies, they were a part of the girls’ basketball team. They considered their passion for sports as a medium through which they could express themselves free of stereotypes. Barnes’ high school years at Culver Academies were unique since both their parents are teachers. Mitch Barnes is a senior humanities instructor and Cory Barnes is a master French instructor and chair of the Department of World Languages and Cultures. “It was interesting. I avoided them,” Barnes said. “I didn’t take French because my mom teaches French, which I actually regret.” Katie Barnes giving lecture/Andrew Crowell Katie Barnes listenting to students’ question Andrew Crowell Author Katie Barnes ’09 weighs in on ongoing debate of transgender athletes Jessica Tong & Katie Gao 4
To this day, Barnes still holds memories of their time in Culver and on the CGA basketball team close to their heart. After Culver, Barnes went on to receive their bachelor’s degree in history, specifically Russian area studies and American studies, while concentrating on Women and Gender Studies at St. Olaf College. In 2015, they completed their master’s degree in student affairs in higher education from Miami University. At ESPN, their works followed women athletes, as well as laws and policies regarding transgender athletes. The matter of transgender athletes in professional sports is relatively new in the media, gaining attention through the performances of some athletes skyrocketing post-transition. Lia Thomas’ swim career is one of the most widely debated in the area of transgender athletes. Her ranking shot up over 500 places after she transitioned, bringing mainstream attention to the situation, sparking a great deal of controversy. To this controversy, Barnes said, “Most of the time when we talk about transgender women in women’s sports, we often only hear about them when they win, which then gives the impression that transgender women are always winning.” Barnes aspires to bring forth a deeper analysis regarding transgender athletes. Katie Barnes speaking/Andrew Crowell 5
Albert Lu The Mud Run Groans and muddy splashes sound through the Culver forest as a new cadet crawls through a pool of mud. As he inches forward, elbow by elbow, he sinks deeper, and his one remaining shoe slips off. He finishes this section, and springing to his feet, helps his slower new cadet brothers to their feet. “Let’s go!” shouts his operations sergeant, and, now barefoot, he rushes to fall in formation and run to the next station. On Oct. 8, CMA held the Mud Run, the collective challenge marking a new cadet’s transition from phase 2 to phase 3. Mud run activities involve carrying a “wounded” new cadet brother on a stretcher through a simulated military obstacle course, replete with tall hurdles, poles, waist-deep mud, and river crossings, all while memorizing common knowledge about the five Culver Medal of Honor laureates. Throughout the process, new cadets – guided by their operations sergeant and other old men – are drenched in mud, weighing down the new cadets while they clamber over walls and under logs. At the obstacle course’s end, the new cadets are evaluated by the Sergeants Major club on their knowledge of the Medal of Honor recipients, all while doing pushups. The mud is subsequently washed off through a frigid hose shower, the new cadets change into clean clothes, and are then marched back to their barracks, exhausted. After the mud run, new cadets gain several privileges: they no longer need to march and square corners in hallways, can wear a new collar brass, and can wear reg rec during CQ. Kellye Riordan ’25, Company B’s operations sergeant, led Company B’s cadets during the mud run. When asked how events such as the Mud Run impact new cadets and the new cadet class, he responded, “I think it definitely helps them grow closer. They have to work in a team to get through these challenges, and it builds solidarity between everyone.” Riordan commented on how the process helps new cadets to bond. CMA mud run/ Culver Acadmies 6
“Obviously, there’s been disagreement between the new cadets. There’s always going to be arguments, but as long as they’re new cadets they’re going to have to learn to work together. Duty lineups, inspections, the Mud Run, boards, everything helps the new cadets work together, even if maybe some of them don’t like each other. Everyone needs to cross the river, crawl through the mud, climb over the poles. It doesn’t matter if someone’s the best or the worst new cadet, everyone needs to help each other. And I’m proud that new cadets helping one another and pulling each other up is what I saw during the Mud Run,” Riordan said. Ravi Gaba ’25, a new cadet in Company C, said that the Mud Run was a lot more challenging than he expected. “I thought it was just going to be a walk through the mud, maybe some trudging, and a bit of common knowledge. I knew we were going to have to work together, but not to the extent to which we had to,” he said.” “Working together towards a common goal tends to help smooth away troubles in the new cadet class.” - Kellye Riordan Gaba agreed with Riordan that the mud run builds solidarity in the new cadet class. He said, “In a way, the Mud Run is meant to simulate what a soldier would maybe go through. But it’s obviously not as rigorous as actual training, much less an actual battle. The point of the Mud Run, what I think after doing it, is that we’re meant to cooperate in an environment where we’re all focused on doing one thing. It’s like sports, in a way, or any competitive team that wants something. What we as new cadets want is to be old men, is to get through this thing, and if the Mud Run is a part of that process we’ll work together to overcome it.” Riordan agreed with Gaba. “You really see new cadets who might not be as disciplined in other areas locking it up for inspections, conducting themselves well in hallways, doing everything that’s expected of them. Of course, some of that’s their own personal motivation, but a lot of it is everyone around them pushing them to be the best they can be,” he said. “We pulled each other up” - Ravi Gaba Riordan commented on how the position of operations sergeant has impacted him. “My new cadet year was a long while ago, and even though I’ve worked with new cadets not as an ops sarge, as a team leader maybe, this is the closest I’ve been with a new cadet class. I like leading these guys, and as I’m helping them, I’m helping myself become a better leader as well. I enjoy the motivation I see in the new cadets, all the new cadets, to push themselves to be better in inspections, in conduct, in everything. It’s one of the best parts of being an ops sarge.” While the Mud Run may be over, new cadets still have a long way to go before their Branch Insignia Boards examination grants them the rank of old man. But Gaba is optimistic about the new cadet process, saying, “I know it’s going to be tough, but every old man has gone through what I’ve gone through, maybe harder. And the Mud Run’s just one more step on that journey.” 7
Robert Paylor: Paralyzed to Powerful Jason Tang A man who was told he would never walk again after suffering a catastrophic injury while playing rugby in college came to Culver Academies with an inspiring message of hope, positivity, and forgiveness. Robert Paylor began his speech to students on Oct. 22 by telling them about himself six years ago. Playing for the University of California Berkeley, the 6-foot-5, 233-pound Hercules was dominating the rugby fields. “I am studying in the best public university worldwide and getting decent grades, and I was excelling in the defense of the game; I thought I was having the best time of my life,” Paylor recalled. It all changed for Paylor, however, on May 6, 2017, when he was starting in the Collegiate Rugby National Championship. In a maul, where he was wrestling for the ball against his opponents, Arkansas State University, Paylor was put into an illegal headlock by one player while another knocked off his legs. He was partially unconscious and transported to the hospital immediately, only to hear the terrifying news: He could not walk for the rest of his life. “I’m thinking, ‘This is unreal. There is no way this is happening to me. No way, not me. I have dreams in my life. I have goals in my life,’” Paylor said. However, with the encouragement of his friends and family, Paylor eventually walked out of the maze; he recalled his religious advisor told him that he could not control the circumstances, but one thing he could control was his mindset. Paylor on the stage / Andrew Crowell 8
Controlling my mindset is the key to how I made it through this journey,” Paylor said, “and when I was transferred to Craig Hospital in Denver, where they had cutting-edge technology in curing my injury, I attempted to stay positive even when the doctor said the situation was unpromising.” Corresponding to his speech was a photo of him lying in a hospital bed, despite the numerous tubes that pierced through his body, with a big smile on his face. Another lesson for Paylor from his life-changing injury was practicing keeping perspective. When asked by a student whether he held resentment toward the player who severely injured him, Paylor replied calmly: “The player who injured me never apologized or provided a formal statement. But I did not hate him; I realized that the more hatred I held toward him, the greater the power I gave him, so I forgive.” For the former rugby standout, the power of an individual is not to exert or inflict emotions upon others, but to learn to forgive. Paylor recalled his influence on Talen, a teen who was diagnosed with Stage 4 and passed away at a young age. “Being told by his mom that I served as an exemplar for Talen to play rugby pulled me out of the swamp,” Paylor sobbed when he recalled the memory, “and it encouraged me to take small steps, regardless of the slow progress, to influence those around me. And it’s how I regained my aim in life, with and for others.” The speech was concluded with a 30-second standing ovation from the students of the Academies. In the clamorous applause, Paylor stood up steadily using a walker, with different strengths than what helped him dominate in the game of rugby. Johnny Jimenez CMA ‘24 and Robert Paylor /Tom Coyne 9
IMPACT COMPETITION: THE REVITALIZATION OF CULVER YOUTH CLUB Eleven teams from the Entrepreneurial Studies class Applications of Innovations suggested ways the Culver Youth Club could better recruit workers and promote itself as part of the annual Impact Competition. Applications of Innovation is a class taught by Ed Kelley, a master instructor at The Ron Rubin School for the Entrepreneur. The goal of the class is to plan, construct, and pitch a solution to a selected, local non-profit with the goal of implementing the proposed strategies in the non-profit. Culver Youth Club (CYC) is a nonprofit organization in the town that aims to enrich youths and teens in their daily lives after school with alternative experiences, such as the Cooking Club. The Impact Competition Foundation, founded by stock trader and philanthropist Lance Breitstein, works with multiple prestigious universities, such as Northwestern University and Johns Hopkins University. Culver Academies last year became the first high school to take part in the competition and remains the only high school to host the competition. “The mission of what we try to do at Impact Competition is to teach students that there are many ways to give back and one of the most effective ways is through local, actionable change,” Breitstein said. “You can make a difference in your community.” Culver students who participated in the Impact Competition had up to 10 minutes to present their pitches and five minutes to answer questions from the judges. “The main objective we were given was to seek potential markets or stakeholders, increase Jason Tang Dionte Obertein’ 24 and Roberto Ponce ‘24 / Tom Coyne recruitment, and use data analyses for the betterment of CYC,” said Kevin (Yikai) Lu ’25, a participant in the competition. The Ron Rubin School for the Entrepreneur budgeted up to $ 8,000 for the participants’ proposals, and out of 11 teams, two teams were selected as winners: The New Possibilities team of Dionte Obertein ‘24 and Roberto Ponce ’24 and the Little Prep Leaders team of Chloe Swank ’24 and Prajna Tammana ’26. The New Possibilities Team proposed placing posters at local stores and restaurants to attract public attention for CYC and suggested buying an advertisement in the town’s newspaper as well as passing out keychains and magnets as promotions. 10
The Little Leaders Prep Team recommended that CYC improve its annual report to gain more support from stakeholders and place it in Culver businesses. They also suggested using storytelling on its official website to promote CYC and organize youth competitions. The team also suggested cooperating with the Academies’ Community Service Club to help with after-school activities. Apart from the winning entries, most of the teams encouraged the use of social media and the utilization of town events to promote CYC content. In contrast, others collected public opinions at Culver in helping out CYC. The Enrichment Oasis team, for instance, surveyed a sample of Culver students, and the result showed that 71 percent of the surveyed students were willing to help with after-school activities. Brian Carver, the executive director of Culver Youth Club, was impressed by the students’ creativity and suggestions. “Your ideas are going to go a long way in helping us to grow and meet our goal of serving the youth of the Culver community,” he said. Prajna Tammana ’26 and Chloe Swank ‘24 / Tom Coyne 11
Zhenhe Shi, Chengxi Huang Why Not ChatGPT? In 1440, Johannes Gutenberg built the first printing press. In 1698, Thomas Savery invented the steam engine. In 2007, Steve Jobs combined the iPod and the phone into the prevailing iPhone. In 2022, ChatGPT was born. ChatGPT is a research and communication program where users interact with an intelligent chatbot. Because of its vast storage of data and its ability to learn continuously, the artificial intelligence provides you answers for nearly every question you ask, no matter what you ask, whether fact-based or opinion directed. And in the odd event that you stump the bot, the generator will ask you to rephrase your question, often retrieving an answer on the second go-around. While having accessible access to such advanced technology is extraordinary, educators all around the world, including teachers at Culver Academies, are trying to determine how to utilize ChatGPT’s features in curriculum, and what limits should be placed on using Artificial Intelligence. Chad Turner, Ph.D., is a Culver Academies senior instructor of AP World History, a class requiring a large accumulation of knowledge as well as writing expertise. According to Turner, ChatGPT has its pros and cons for both students and teachers. Although ChatGPT can be helpful for developing writing skills, correcting writing mistakes, and providing suggestions, it sometimes makes up sources and provides inaccurate information. Because of Chat GPT’s popularity, “It is too late in the game to say, ‘Don’t use it at all,’” Turner said. 12
Joshua Danforth, also a Culver Academies instructor of AP World History, believes that in a course where perspectives and original ideas are critical to learning, the outstanding part of ChatGPT – efficiently giving students detailed data and insights on questions – hinders the students from generating their own, while also obstructing the students from developing their skill of research and retaining information. “Whoever does the most is learning the most,” Danforth said. The hesitancy to incorporate AI into study extends in other departments. Patrick Mulkerin, a Culver Academies science instructor, agrees on the nuance pertaining to ChatGPT. Although using the chat box brings potential benefits in our increasingly digitized world, it induces risks of misuse and production of illegitimate work. The teachers are a big part of the Culver family, where the students are the second. CGA Honor Chair Celeste Gram shares her thoughts on ChatGPT. She says that in most cases, using ChatGPT may give some students an unfair advantage regarding tasks and assignments. However, there are scenarios where students will learn from ChatGPT help. 13
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Live at the M&A Albert Lu Spotlights flashed around the room as bands and solo singers performed at Live at the M&A, an event aimed at promoting Culver’s Fine Arts Department to the wider Academies community. “We already have the Huffington concert series, of course, and I think that goes a long way toward publicizing this Music and Arts part of Culver,” said Jenna Odom, chair of the Fine Arts Department, who produced the event. “But when it comes to engagement, if you’re not, say, in Band, or actively taking music lessons, you wouldn’t ever have a reason to go to the M&A building. Dr. (Gabriel) Beach and I, when we conceptualized this event, believed that it was a way to bridge the divide between students who identify as in ‘music’ and the rest of campus,” Odom said. The event on Oct. 21 started off with “Monster” from Frozen the Musical performed by Corey Brennan, accompanied by Ray Fan on piano. Mallory Schurz CGA ‘26 and Jazz band / David Weirich Cooley Terell CMA ‘24 / David Weirich 15
After them came Terell Cooley’s rendition of “What Was I Made For” by Billie Eilish. Then, Caro Gicewicz performed “Vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo. Culver’s Jazz Ensemble accompanied Mallory Schurz, who sang “Bewitched” from the musical Pal Joey. Following Jazz Ensemble playing “On a Misty Night” and “Holy Land,” an instrumental jazz piece by Cedar Walton. Then came Culver’s Chinese band Anonymous, led by Kevin Zhang on drums, performing “The Specter,” “Want To Go To the Beach,” and “Do U Want to Dance?” Ending off the night was Three Day Rain: Ben Rader, William Hancock and Katya Sorg. Snacks (candies fitting the Halloween theme) and an assortment of glow sticks (which many performers looped to their instruments) were provided, as well as dancing spotlights and Halloween-themed decorations. “This is only our second Live at the M&A, but we had such positive feedback for the spring event that we decided to hold a second one,” Odom said. “I think it turned out extremely well. It was a great way to utilize the space in a more informal setting.” The M&A building is one of the oldest on campus, so organizers tried to produce a haunted atmosphere. “We used cobwebs and different decorations, just trying to spruce up the building a bit and build a fun environment,” Odom said. She believes that similar, casual events will help promote the Fine Arts Department. “The purpose of this event is to showcase what we, as a community of music inside Culver, have done, in a more informal and exciting context. I think it did that wonderfully, and we’re planning to do more such events throughout the year, especially with the setup we’ve already made, with all the lights, sound design, and such,” she said. Mallory Schurz, CGA ’26, enjoyed performing at the event. “The song “Bewitched” was outside a lot of my musical comfort zones. I do a lot of fast-paced, belty songs, and this was definitely not one of those. It was a great way to experiment with a different singing style,” she said. “It was also a chance to work with Jazz Band. I’ve done shows with accompaniment before, but never with that many people, where I had to get my cues from so many sounds and instruments. But, in the end, everything turned out great.” Schurz agreed with Odom about the effect of the Live at the M&A concert and supports efforts to expose more students to the arts. “I don’t think it should be squirreled away in some building ‘dedicated’ to music or arts. Showcasing music, doing performances, is a great way for Culver at large to know what we’re doing and appreciate our efforts,” she said. Anonymous Band / David Weirich 16
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Nwanma Udokwu A NIGHT WITH ADA LIMÓN Behind the podium stood a woman whose smile and yellow blouse lit up the stage. The audience hung on to her every word as she wove playful anecdotes and meaningful messages together. Softly, she spoke of what it meant to be human and read poems she deeply connected with. The audience, in return, listened, wanting to learn more. On Sept. 21, a group of Culver students and faculty hopped onto a bus and rode to St. Mary’s College in South Bend to see Ada Limón, the first Latina U.S. poet laureate. Limón has written multiple award-winning books and won awards/honors. She was named the 24th U.S. poet laureate in 2022. The U.S. poet laureate or Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry is a position given by the Library of Congress and they usually serve a two-year term. During their term, the poet laureate “seeks to raise the national consciousness to greater appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry.” Laureates have brought their own passion to the role and have initiated projects to broaden the audiences for poetry. They have started workshops, provided poetry in different spaces, and even highlighted issues through an artist’s eyes. Limón was introduced by the St. Mary’s College President Katie Conboy and walked on stage, brightly greeting the audience. She began her reading with a tale of how she started writing the speech she was reading. She described how she sat outside to write and watched a bee struggle on her back porch. In that tiny moment, she laid the bee to rest in a flower and continued to write with the moment in mind. Darryl Einhorn, a humanities instructor, said that Limón, “took small, tiny moments like seeing a bug on her porch and turned that into sort of a poetic storytelling kind of form that made us all connect to an ordinary moment, but also thinking about the bigger responsibility, or maybe the bigger connection that we have to the world around us.” The poet laureate went on to explain who she was and how she came to love poetry. She had fallen in love with poetry in high school after reading the poem “One Art," by Elizabeth Bishop. The poet writes of the act of losing items, places and people, and how it is an act we should accept. “It’s evident the art of losing’s not too hard to master though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.” - Bishop. Limón read aloud to the room in a strong, melodic voice and spoke of the poem’s impact on her as a teenager. She also said the way she got excited by everything and experiencing things at 100% gave her the ability to write poetry. Ada Limón reading her poetry / Ashley Zheng 18
Limón’s reading included two other poems, “You Are Who I Love,” by Aracelis Girmay and “won’t you celebrate with me,” by Lucille Clifton. Before and after reading them, Limón dug into their themes and messages she encouraged the audience to dwell on. Girmay’s poem was a rambling declaration of love that caused the room to be absolutely still as Limón read passionately. Her eyes shined with glee reading “won’t you celebrate with me”, asking the reader to celebrate surviving life and its obstacles. “She just seemed so genuine and connected on a foundational level to everybody in the audience. I just felt like everything, every poem she read, every sort of idea she threw out, just like I felt like she was in conversation with all of us, even though she was presenting a talk,” Einhorn said. There was a Q&A after the reading, where Ada Limón sat with a St. Mary professor and answered questions submitted. She pleasantly shared her perspective on concerns going on in the world and topics like mental health. After some cookies and ice cream, the group returned to campus, who were full of energy and ideas. Limón had talked about many things that evening but at the end, she said, “life is not something to be missed, so don’t miss it.” This message lingered, resonating with everyone who hear it. Q & A with Ada Limón / Ashley Zheng students and Josh Brown at Insomnia Cookies / Ashley Zheng 19
Controversies around the The four massive murals that hang in the Lay Dining Center portraying Native Americans can draw starkly different responses. Supporters say they depict Indiana history. Opponents say they depict a one-sided version of history. “The murals were created by a white supremacist to tell the story of how the white man conquered the Natives of the land,” said Jayden Hall ’24, a Native American descendent. “They, to me, are the same as the average public school history book. It gives you the whitewashed/watered-down version of the tragedies that Natives went through, and because of this many people are uneducated about history.” The murals are nearly a century old. The Class of 1928 donated the murals, intended to depict scenes from Indiana history. However, moving into the 21st century, the mural scenes gradually attracted questions and concerns. As an expert in local and Culver history, master humanities instructor Gary Christlieb introduces the four pieces of history behind each individual painting. The painting to the far left depicts the origin of South Bend. The famous French explorer Rene-Robert Cavelier, sieur de La Salle christened the “southern bend” part of the St. Joseph River. Therefore, the city was later given the name of South Bend. The area had a strong Catholic influence, ultimately “becoming a major trading route because of the convenience of the river. The second mural depicts the seizure of Fort Vincennes from the British under the command of George Rogers Clark. This symbolizes the process of freeing Indiana as a colony and eventually becoming a part of the Northwest Bowen Xiao Dining Hall Murals Mural 1/Thomas Coyne Mural 2/ Thomas Coyne 20
Indeed, like everyone else, Christlieb is against the Indian Removal Act. However, he also believes the murals serve as “a beacon to a history atrocity that should not occur again.” If they are taken down, he is concerned that we may forget the lesson: “You can’t eliminate the negatives of history and present all flowery views. The negatives occurred because people made choices to do that. The only way to ensure that these mistakes never happen again is when people realize what the decisions were, the impact was, and how they affected other people.” Christlieb said. “History is not a pick and choose. History is a blanket full of holes that one can choose to fix or leave unresolved.” Christlieb said. The mistakes exposed further admonish future generations to prevent from stepping into the same river twice, but instead, move forward toward other innovative and rational options. “Ordinance. Notably, the liberty fighters did not encounter many Native Americans, thus constituting a quiescent period. The third mural portrays the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. Indiana wanted to protect the settlers, so they dispatched William Henry Harrison to quell Indian uprisings led by Tecumseh. Interestingly, Mr. Christlieb pointed out three factual errors in the painting, often challenging his students to find out. add what the historical errors in the painting are. The painting to the far right depicts the Potawatomi Trail of Death. As the largest Indian removal in Indiana history, approximately 859 members of the Potawatomi nation were relocated from Indiana to reservations in Eastern Kansas. The forced removal brought additional deaths of the Indians, evidence of the devastating effect of the Indians Removal Act. Natalia Somma Tang ’24 agrees with Hall. As the CGA diversity chair, she views the murals from the perspective of promoting diversity. “I think it’s shameful that Culver so proudly promotes the legacy of genocide and violence associated with American colonialism so openly and proudly. These values are antithetical to what Culver stands for today and claims to teach its students— to some, they may “just be paintings,” but they represent something much more sinister about our willingness to overlook the negative aspects of our history,” Tang said. While Christlieb acknowledges students’ concerns, as a historian, he believes that “the murals are a recollection of some events that shaped the history of the region we live in.” “It highlights a significant era of the region.” Mural 3/ Thomas Coyne Mural 4/ Thomas Coyne 21
“Our club is open to everyone, not only for Koreans or people who are familiar with Korean culture. I want all of us to experience a new culture, meet new people, and explore the bigger world,” I said at the activities fair. I appreciated Brandon Baek, Jessica Kang, Joy Chung, and many other enthusiastic students’ help. Special thanks to our attentive advisor, humanities instructor Tiffany Bartholomew, who gave a warm hand at the activities fair. Although the activities fair was a success, I was still worried, will people be fascinated by another exotic culture? “Our club is open to everyone, not only for Koreans or people who are familiar with Korean culture. I want all of us to experience a new culture, meet new people, and explore the bigger world” CHLOE KIM 안녕! Culver Students at a KCC Activity / Chloe Kim Chloe Kim / Culver Academies To me, Korea is a small jar preserving treasured childhood memories. When I open the jar, glossy rice, sour kimchi, and chewy rice cakes greet me as if they had been waiting for me. “Diversity”- This is one of the best reasons why I came to Culver. The Academies gather people from various backgrounds, and Korean culture has been recognized and well-known all around the world through K-pop, K-drama, and K-food; however, I realized that Korean culture is not well-represented in this community yet, even though multiple Korean students attend Culver each year and with around 10 new members this year. So, I decided to make a move! It was quite intriguing to start a new initiative. I started KCC (Korean Culture Club) to share Korean culture here on campus with various activities. But the concern was excessive. More than 130 students or faculty members signed up, and they did not only encourage me but also contributed diverse perspectives. In a fleeting period, KCC developed and fostered committee members like a family that aims to promote Korean culture by approaching fun activities such as celebration of national holidays, food fairs, Kdrama nights, and K-pop dance parties, that are easily accessible to all. At Culver, cultures represented by minority students are not always celebrated. I hope that not only the mainstream culture or ethnicity, but also traditions of countries where smaller student bodies belong to can have their own stages. Despite the similarities many Asian cultures shared in their roots, they all have their own unique and exquisite traditions that branched out into different flowers. I wish all to seek beyond Korean culture presented at the world’s largest stages or platforms, to the beautiful languages and traditions of Korea that could be glittering around the corner of the community. To this end, we will continue to spread Korean culture, so please support and watch us! Korean Food Sampling / Chloe Kim CULVER IS IN MY HEART AND SEOUL CHLOE KIM 22
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Will Ruszkowski ‘24 and Celeste Gram ‘24 paced the boys and girls cross country teams to successful seasons, with both qualifying individually for the state finals. Both teams had their youngest teams in recent memory. The boys’ team only had six returners and only three were seniors. However, this did not stop either team. Ruszkowski ran a personal best 16:02.8 at regionals as the Eagles finished in 10th place. He finished in 84th place at state with a time of 16:10.8, Gram finished 22nd at regionals and 54th at state. Gram ’24 and Lorenzo Diaz ’27 (junior varsity) earned first-place finishes at the Northwood Invitational. Culver also welcomed close to 3,000 student-athletes for the 41st annual Culver Academies Cross Country Invitational. CMA placed second. BOWEN XIAO, ASHLEY ZHENG FALL SPORTS Cross Country WRAP UP Basketball game/Kenneth Voreis CGA cross country manager and a 4-year varsity runner, Ella Tang ‘24 shared her unique experience this year being “half runner, half coach.” “Analyzing with coaches different runners, proposing training plans, and running back and forth during competitions to record km scores for teammates. Tang loved the supportive environment and caring teammates. Landon Uher said, “Both teams have an extremely bright future and were happy with how their rookies matured and progressed throughout the season.” Cross country invitational at Culver/ Emily Guo CGA cross country/ Culver Academies CMA cross country/ Culver Academies 25
CGA soccer, led by co-captains Ella Eckerle and Quinn Bird, finished the season 7-6-1 and won the first round of sectionals but lost to Leo in the second round for a final record of 8-7-1. A favorite memory from the season is the last home game. Paityn Thomas ‘24 said “the energy from the team was like no other. It’s not only shown on the sidelines but also on the field. Everyone was supportive and cheering each other on.” CMA soccer made it to the sectionals semifinals, losing 4-1 in an overtime shootout, to finish its season with a 10-6-1 record. Coach Kevin Green was impressed with the team’s performance, given the significant number of new players joined in this season. The players were confident to outcompete the team from last year. Some significant matches include victories against Fort. Wayne Concordia Lutheran (regional finalist), South Bend St. Joseph, Plymouth, and South Bend Adams. “This was a team that never quit, despite the score or opponent,” Green said. The team demonstrated both individual skills and ability to develop and play as a team. CMA soccer varsity player John Quigg ‘24 described the team as “unpredictable” “fun” and “supportive.” Although they did not make it to the states, instead of crying, they were “blasting music” and were thinking about the great season to move on. Soccer The CMA football team finished the regular season 3-5 and prepared themselves for the playoffs. Rory Sullivan ’24 and Kyle Eggebratten ’24 commended the team as “one of the strongest bonds they have seen.” No matter under the Friday night lights or in their locker room, the team demonstrated love for competition “for and with their Eagle Brothers.” Coach Andrew Dorrel said that the team this year fostered teamwork by welcoming the first year and inexperienced players. The inclusion and encouragement for players at different skill levels created a positive football experience for all. The team had a successful postseason. The Eagles won 17-7 at Lowell in the first round, then beat Highland 46-13 in the second round to advance to the sectional championship game for the first time in three seasons. The Eagles lost to New Prairie 43-14 in the sectional final. football CMA Eagles vs Woodlan HS/ Joseph Parker CMA Soccer Senior Day/ Morales Cabrera 26
The fall season for sailing is busy as they traveled around the states for regattas ranging from District Tournaments to National Invitationals. The highlight of the season is from CGA, who finished their best in the Pacific Coast Interscholastic Sailing Association/Interscholastic Sailing Association (PCISA/ISSA) All Girls National Invitational by placing 12th out of 24 teams. This success did not come easy: for the season, they did not have a head coach: "This is a huge accomplishment for our team, especially since we've been operating this season without a head coach, and Katie Sewell has really stepped up to assume the majority of the responsibilities in running the team," sailing director of operations Ashley Brewer said. In addition, both captains from CMA and CGA Christopher Mikesell ‘24 and Annie Samis ‘25 took extra responsibilities to ensure the training and performance of the team. "It wasn't always easy, but we pulled off a nearly typical fall season, which is a great accomplishment," Sewell said. The season witnessed a myriad memorable experiences on or “in” Lake Maxincuckee. JV sailor Ada Liew CGA’26 said her favorite memory was sailing with Carridee Raymundo CGA ‘25 on Labor Day. During the regatta, the high wind made them “turtle”--completely capsize—twice. “It was freezing, but our teammate Hudson Rowles (CMA ‘25) saved us, helping us turn the boat around,” Liew said. Sailing Culver Sailing Scrimmage Labor Day Weekend 2023/ Greg Malin Senior Photos/ Culver Academies Sailing at Home/ Morale Cabrera 27
Although the rowing season was not smooth, they fostered an “adaptable, motivated, hardworking, and steadfast,” environment. Although the boys lacked a head coach and the girls’ head coach recently gave birth to a baby girl, the team never quit. Some achievements include 1st place finishes for the girls novice 8+ and 4+ and 2nd place finishes for the boys varsity 8+ at the Arctic Classic. At the Head of the Rock, the novice boys 4+ finished in 1st place and the girls varsity 8+ finished in 3rd place. Coach Peter Miller wanted to shout out to Lucy Shepard, Cooper Sherman, Preston Hensley, and Natalia Urruela for their consistent work and assistance to the coaches. The latter two individuals were named this year’s recipients of the Lt. Andrew K. Stern Scholarship and Rowing Award. The award is named for Marine 1st Lt. Andrew Stern ’98, who was killed in Iraq. The rowing team is going to wrap up the season in the Head of Hooch on November fifth in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Rowing “Optimistic, energetic, positive” are three words Megan Gifford ‘24 used to describe the team. Gifford is co-captain with Jena Kerr ‘24 this year and she treasured the opportunity to “make an impact on others.” She remembers this season’s memories with her cheerful teammates with great fondness, especially the out of the blue handstand and gymnastics contests during breaks. The CGA volleyball team defeated Glenn, Knox and Tippecanoe Valley to win its fourth straight sectional title. But the Eagles failed in their quest to win their first regional title, losing 3-0 to NorthWood to finish the season with a 27-7 record. CGA Volleyball Head of the Rock/ Mingyan Zhou Senior Night/ Culver Academies 28
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LI, CMA TENNIS FALL JUST SHORT OF PERFECTION B o w e n X i a o Tyler Li ’25 was nearly unbeatable this season. Led by Li, the CMA boys tennis team was nearly unbeatable too. CMA lost just two matches all season, both coming against state-champion Carmel, the largest high school in Indiana -- more than five times the size of Culver. Li won 25 straight matches before losing narrowly in the state semifinal match against eventual champion Alex Antonopolous of Indianapolis North Central 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-2. “Tyler is a great example of the modern tennis player with his excellent court coverage, a seasoned balance of power and finesse, and a temperament reminiscent of Roger Federer,” Culver coach Alan Loehr said. Coming as a new sophomore last year, Li demonstrated a complete dominating performance in tennis. Once ranked 8th in the nation, he soon became the CMA tennis team captain, training and improving with everyone else during the season. “The season overall was good. I didn't really play anyone particularly challenging until the state final, and I think overall I played relatively well. I think I improved from last year, which is something that hasn't happened in many years. It is really exciting,” Li said. Loehr describes Li as a player who is among the Top 75 in his recruiting class in America. “In a sense, he represents himself and Culver on the national stage,” Loehr said. Li also was constantly contributing by teaching his teammates. Ultimately, he was glad to witness significant improvement in the team. Tyler Li / Culver Academies “I was focusing more in this season on how I could help the team as a whole improve rather than just myself. I think I just tried my best to stay after practice, play with the other guys, and just interact with them on a daily basis. And that helps the majority of the team get better, thus being definitely a highlight in this season,” he said. 30
“It was dark after I lost, especially because I will be ineligible to play next year, and therefore, I will not participate in IHSAA tennis. However, I believe the team has a really good shot of competing in the state tournament again next year even without me, because everyone is improving at such a fast rate. I will definitely continue to be involved with the team and try to help everyone as best I can,” he said. Li’s leadership was well reflected in the success of the whole tennis team. The team won their 20th straight sectional title (sixth longest streak in the state) and 34th overall, the 17th regional title, and the 11th semistate title. The JV program finished 14-2, with one of their losses coming to Carmel. The JV team won 2 of the 3 major tournaments in which they competed. Six of the seven starters earned All-State honors from the State Coaches Association. Culver Academies CGA Hockey members talking before a game. Pictured are Alternate Captain Sydney Kauffman, CGA '23 , (13) and goalie Maddie Carter, CGA '23 (39), i Li admitted that losing the semifinals was a nadir, but he managed to cope with this challenge positively, prompting him to set further goals for next year. The team finished with a record of 23-2 and will be seeking to defend their sectional, regional and semistate titles next season. “Tennis is a program that strives to be the best in Indiana each season. So, expectations are high,” Loehr said. Tyler Li / Culver Academies CMA tennis team / Culver Academies Tyler Li / Culver Academies 31
Golfers Zhang, Teglia Push Each Other to Record-Setting Heights Other to Record-Setting Heights Prajna Tammana Senior golfers Kari Teglia and Lynne Zhang pushed each other to record-setting heights this season, leading the team to its fourth straight undefeated season. Teglia and Zhang took turns setting records at the R. Stuart Dickson ‘47 Course. Teglia started by tying the nine-hole course record on Aug. 28 when she shot a 4- under-par 32, matching the record set by former teammate Reese Wilson ’21. A day later, Zhang tied the record again by also shooting a 4-under round. Three days later, Zhang then broke the CGA 18-hole course record with a 5- under-par round of 67, beating the record she had set a year earlier as a junior. Coach Justin Pannkuk said the two co-captains were both excellent leaders. “They were absolutely champions of each other’s success,” he said. “One of the things I’m most proud about our golf culture is that even though it is a highly individualized sport, our girls play it like a team.” He said Zhang and Teglia pushed each other. “They wanted each other to beat each other,” he said. “It was a joy to watch as they were setting and resetting records.” The pair said they work alongside each other, believing they are a team, pushing each other to do well. “When I shot under, Lynne was right there to give me a high-five. And when she does well, she knows I'm here to give her a hug,” Teglia said. Zhang said Pannkuk and assistant coach Chantel Vinson also pushed them. “They both complement each other very well where Coach (Vinson) comes into practice daily with amazing energy that creates an amazing environment every day, and Dr. Pannkuk is always strategically uplifting everyone, especially at tournaments,” she said. Teglia is an enthusiastic person who wants to better herself constantly in both golf and life. She started golfing when she was 13 years old just to try something new and as she kept practicing. “I got addicted to getting better and just improving which got me here today,” she said. Zhang is passionate for golf and recently been committed to Tulane University where she will be on the golf team as a Division I athlete. Zhang said that she started playing golf just for fun because her friends were trying it out and she just loved the sport so much. CGA Golf Team (Teglia and Zhang are in the middle) / Culver Academies 32
Pannkuk said he thought the team had the potential to do better in the postseason this year than last year’s fifth-place finish at state, because the team had its lowest nine-hole scores during the season. “I thought we could have had our best team. We didn’t have our best day at regional,” he said. The team finished fifth, but Zhang and Teglia advanced to state. Teglia was tied for second after the first day of the two-day state tournament, shooting a 1-over-par 73 at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel. She shot 6- over-par 78 to finish tied for 10th in the state. Zhang, who opened with a 5-over par 77, shot a 71 on the second day to finish tied for eighth place. Both won All-State Awards and Academic All-State Awards. “It was awesome,” Pannkuk said. Pannkuk said Zhang and Teglia will be tough to replace next season. “We’re going to need some of the other girls to step up in their leadership, especially Joy Chung, who is a sophomore this year who was playing No. 3. I’m excited to see the leap that she’s going to take next year,” he said. Kari Teglia / Culver Academies Kari Teglia and Lynne Zhang / Culver Academies Lynne Zhang / Culver Academies Lynne Zhang and Kari Teglia / Culver Academies 33
JACK & BREALY: RISING ATHLETES The Vedette features a pair of freshmen athletes at Culver, for the month of October: soccer player Brealy Krahn from Eagle, Wisconsin, and Jack Standfast from Culver, Indiana. PRAJNA TAMMANA Krahn is a hardworking member of the CGA varsity soccer team. She is one of only three freshmen on the team. Though she scored only one goal this season, she is determined to score many more in the future. Standfast is a dedicated runner of the CMA cross country team, whose exceptional performance has come close to breaking the fastest freshman 5k record and has broken the 2nd fastest freshman time at 16:41. What do you love about your sport? Krahn: Soccer is something I look forward to even after the hardest days. I love being able to just leave everything on the field and just have fun. I love always being able to learn something new within the sport. Standfast: I like the simplicity of running. It doesn’t take a lot of material things to do this sport, other than a pair of running shoes. It does, however, take a good mindset, time, and perseverance to be competitive. Brealy Krahn / Culver Academies Brealy Krahn/Culver Acadimies 34
What would you say about the environment of your sport at Culver? Krahn: I always text my mom before my game or else it is bad luck. Standfast: I get dialed in by listening to some good pump-up music. What is your go-to move before competing? Krahn: The Culver soccer environment makes me feel at home. The upperclassmen are all my big sisters, and the coaches are always looking out for me. I can’t wait to be an older sister to the new freshmen next year. Standfast: I have enjoyed running for coach (Dana) Neer this year. He sets a team environment before the season even begins. I actually have grown up running with coach Neer since I was about 5 years old. He knows how to motivate each of us. The relationships I have made with made teammates transcend running. These are not only my teammates, but also my brothers, and we are willing to do anything for each other. CGA soccer/ Culver Academies Jack Standfast/ Culver Academies CMA cross country/ Culver Academies 35
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