A CASE OF GOOD ETIQUETTE

Questions about taste were called into play during our 35th annual Brentwood Regatta, when several of our own students partook in air band performances perhaps not quite as characteristically meek and mild as performances of years past. The students were not so anonymously reprimanded in the next assembly, as Head of School Mrs. Andrea Pennells understandingly made a few biting remarks about “the bad and the ugly” nature of the last act, and the importance of maintaining the school’s image as an institution through the use of good taste. Which leaves one to wonder what exactly classifies as good taste? How do you instill in a boarding community the principle of good taste, when its boundaries vary so widely across cultures, and even among individual families?

Not so tasteful!

The role of educating the current generation of tikes, tots, tweens and teens on general societal etiquette, lies heavily on the shoulders of their own parents, as preferences in table manners, theater behaviour and conversational propriety range widely from household to household. As a result, students enter the school with varying degrees of comprehension about what exactly is appropriate for which situations. Consequently, Brentwood has had to set exact standards regarding dress and behaviour. No jeans until 5:00, no clothing bearing advertisement for any alcoholic beverage or illicit substance, and absolutely no kissing within viewing distance of others!

The media, on the other hand is sending out quite a different message to the newest generation of Brentonians. Alcohol, cigarettes, and sexuality are

being pushed on students through television programming, magazine advertisements, and billboards, and despite being holed up in the Brentwood bubble, the media message still worms its way in. Magazines, television and movies are omnipresent across campus, and students are well aware of those messages. Alcohol is overtly used as a symbol of fun, entertainment and sex appeal, whereas sex appeal itself lies behind many a preference in fashion and even moral decisions.

With all this outside input from the media and even our local society, Brentwood is hard pressed for influence over their own students, as examples set are almost instantly toppled through the crude behavior of underage starlets snapped partying into the wee hours of the morning (Brentwood bedtimes range from 9:45 to 11:00) and famous sports heroes charged with heinous crimes.With all of this outside influence, it’s amazing that the current administration manages to keep such a raucous crowd appropriately subdued through such formal public events as the musical, awards ceremonies and the Evening of Dance. The combination of assemblies packed to the brim with fidgety students and important speakers such as Iona Campagnolo, Ovide Mercredi, the Canadian National rowing team and the parents of the late Terry Fox, might make some school administrators nervous, but Mrs. Pennells obviously has a good deal of confidence in the etiquette skills of her students. Luckily, in most cases we manage to ignore the behavioral examples set by the media, and focus on the high moral integrity of those who we see the most in our day-to-day lives—the Brentwood faculty.

Story and pictures by: Berit Anderson (Grade 12)

WHERE ARE YOU GOING? WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

It all begins slowly. An interview, then being dressed smartly and paraded across an alien Brentwood campus, through silent hallways and the overwhelming commotion of the cafeteria — these initial rites act as the starters’ gun. A headlong dash follows, racing through the first crowded months. Roommates, new surroundings, a rush of sign-ins and activities blur by, carrying the bewildered participants. Life seems to fly past, wrapped tightly in the Brentwood bubble. And then, lungs heaving and muscles cramping, the sprinters pace themselves, settling down for the duration.

At this point, it is an endurance test. Goals are set and mileage recorded. Cheering spectators, parents and teachers, stand steady in the peripheral vision, motivating the tiring marathoners with the constant question: where are you going?

“UBC,” Erin O’Shea replies promptly, in university jargon, when asked the common question, where are you going?
As the school year sprints the last corner, the twelfth graders can smile and answer this seemingly fatal query. Fatal in that it signals an end to life at Brentwood. “Mt. Alison or McMasters,” Nicholle Charette answers with a wrinkle of her nose. Similar to many grads, she still has a few acceptance letters to peruse before deciding on her final choice. Final because this is the answer that will begin the next stage, one of the first steps into the adult world.

"Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?" — painted by Paul Gauguin.

The choices, the choices!

THE MAÑANA SYNDROME

Procrastination? I’ll get around to it tomorrow...

Advanced placement exams are over. University applications are in. Finals are not for three or five weeks, depending on the exam. The eternal question hovers over students heads, even as it did in Shakespeare’s day...

To study or not to study; that is the question:
whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outraged teachers,
Or take arms against a sea of tests,
And by opposing end them? To fail; to sleep.

In this, as in few other areas of life, there is a clear boundary between two groups. Those who procrastinate, and those who do not.

One step ahead... David Summers (Grade 11),
waits for the apple tree to grow.

The giving of gifts from parents to their children who are on the point of graduation is a fairly recent tradition, which certainly has become widespread during the 20th century. It would seem however, that the tradition models itself after coming-of-age rituals throughout the world. Just as a Jewish boy or girl celebrates and receives gifts at their bar mitzvah as they make the transition from adolescence into adulthood, so do many North American teenagers receive special gifts from their parents during the time they graduate from high school.

While some gifts tend to be symbolic, sentimental, and particularly meaningful in regards to the bond within a family (a piece of jewelry, a family heirloom, even a bouquet of flowers) some gifts are practical, modern, and meant to be of use to that child after gradation (funds for university, or technological tools that can assist with a post-secondary education). Some gifts can be extravagant, even ostentatious, and are simply meant to induce the same effect that a long awaited Christmas present will evoke (a puppy, an iPod, maybe even a car!)

Katherine Higginson hopes to receive
a number of presents!...

While giving presents at grad has become increasingly popular each year, it is impossible to imply that absolutely everybody partakes in this scheme. Giving gifts at a child’s graduation is not a tradition that is tied to any particular religion, nor is it a seemingly ancient ritual. Some families recognise that being able to pursue a post-secondary education is itself a gift that we are fortunate enough to have. And although during the last months of Grade 12, the minds and hearts of almost every teenager who graduates in North America are devoted to their grad or prom night, not every country acknowledges the graduation process the same way. In England, for instance, there are no grad celebrations, dinners, or dances at all, only a closing awards ceremony. This process completely does away with the idea of giving your grad date a present, which is also a common tradition in North America.

The issue of grad gifts seems trivial in comparison to the serious issues that face the world itself. Thus those parents who often break into a sweat at the thought of what to get their children on graduation night, should realise that whether they choose to bear gifts or not, the gift of love and support is always enough.

... But Jenny Johel would be happy to receive
just a simple bouquet

HAIR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW

In today’s society, gender specific rules are applied to our everyday grooming. Unwritten expectations involving the expected look of each gender are followed right up to the length of our hair. Though the boundaries between what are male and what are female haircuts is becoming more and more hazy, Brentwood's dress code seeks to clarify those boundaries. We, as the fashionable student body, are informed, by our dress code, about the hairdos and don'ts. The sub-category on hair reads that “students are expected to maintain their hair in a way that meets standards acceptable to the School.” These non-specific standards are interpreted mostly by the plaza fashion police. Every morning as students bustle through the doors of the academic buildings, Mr. Felix and other qualified members of the fashion police kindly hand out warnings to the mostly male offenders.

In 2005, we still keep to traditions or precedents, given that the distinguishing factor between genders is length. Girls, much to the dismay of the boys, can grow their hair to any length. This generation of females is not limited to one style, but is encouraged, always within reason, to experiment. Boys, on the other hand, are admonished by the male staff to keep clean-shaven and hair trimmed. These almost sexist regulations engender some grumbling but always complied with.

Enforcing short hair for both genders would seem to be an excellent alternative for some problems encountered among females, as the time spent washing and brushing and fixing verges on the ridiculous. Hair is constantly distracting and being played with at inappropriate times. Girls are lost in daydreams due to obscene finger twirling! Hair is in the way. With our society being so fixated on time management, hair maintenance seems almost counterproductive.

So why do we do what we do with our doo? In a world of billions, everyone is seeking to find an identity. Our outward appearance tends to give hints on how we wish to be perceived. So hair, being one of those hints, is a form of expression. A small attempt, on our part, to reassure our own belief that we are all unique.

Story and pictures by: Jennalee Desjardins (Grade 12)

MERELY A FLESH WOUND

As the sun of summer begins to tip its long awaited head around the corner of a wall of spring-time storm clouds, the students of Brentwood make their way to the sporting fields and tennis courts. The third term is warm and relatively dry, for many their competitive sports season of choice. Sports Coordinators Tom Dickens and Frances Candy put in a lot of effort on this site keeping us all posted on all the goings-on of our sports teams, but lately it seems that something is of being left out. Behind the glory of a Gold, Silver or Bronze from ISA's, Islands or Provincials, there is one aspect that we tend to ignore — the injuries. We hear the roar of a pleased crowd after a stunning try, not the crunch of the winger’s bones as the opposition’s prop lands on top of him or her.

Boy’s rugby is the sport most commonly associated with injury, and with good grounds. Captain of the Brentwood 1st XV Tommy O’Malley has not played for half of the competitive season due to a hand broken while the boys were on tour in Australia. In fact, approximately one third of the 1st XV is currently off sport due to injury. From broken fingers to dislocated ribs, our rugby boys are dropping like flies!. But, while mothers seem to cringe when their boys, especially boys who have experienced years of orthodontia, tell them that they intend to play rugby, it is not the only sport to damage its players.

Marlee Hahn, victim of a hair grab in last week's game against Stelly's

Photo credit above: Adria Hahn

The fairer sex plays rugby too, and though the team does not have any outstanding injuries to boast of, they are still experiencing the pain of a good clean hit. Black eyes and bandages adorn members of the girls 1st XV. The girls, however, are spared from undue pain by the British Columbia High School Girls Rugby Association (BCHSGRA); who demand that each team only play a maximum 80 minutes of rugby per day.

Pain is not exclusive to tackles; the Soccer girls have experienced their share. Unlike the girls of the rugby pitch, there is no sanction on the hours of soccer tournaments. This last Saturday alone, the soccer girls endured 240 minutes of play. Legs bruised by rogue balls and concussions from collisions are not unheard of, or even rare for these ladies.

As Mr. Nick Yaremchuck will attest, the threat of injury does not only prowl the fields, but lurks in the depths. Possibly the most painful injury of the season was sustained by Mr. Yaremchuk with the Outdoor Pursuits group in a white water kayaking incident.
Although this activity has the reputation of being a more serene sport, Mr. Y possibly had a different description after face-to-face encounter with a submerged rock.

So why do people play these sports? The gory details outlined above are examples of hazards that students face when becoming a part of Brentwood’s sports program. Yet all students have intense passion for these sports. They demonstrate their zeal and dedication through their impeccable performance, their unwavering courage and their blistering pride for their teammates and fellow athletes. Ignore the injuries — praise the enthusiasm and perseverance of the athletes. They do it for the love of the game.

Story and picture by: Sydney Black(Grade 12)

THE QUESTION: IF YOU COULD BE ANYONE IN THE SCHOOL FOR A DAY, WHO WOULD YOU BE, AND WHY?

Sean Foote:
My girlfriend, Caroline Philippson, because I'd like to know where she's coming from sometimes.
Katie Jackman:
Mr. Burrows, because I'd like to know why he does the things he does.
Sydney Black:
Lily Healy, because I want all the boys of the 1st XV to love me too.

ENGLISH 12 DEPARTMENTAL EXAMINATION RESULTS

The English 12 Language exam is, like death, a great leveller, and many a mighty student has struggled in vain to write an ‘A’ examination paper.  The English Department is therefore mightily pleased to recognise the significant number of students (51 out of 113 in the graduating class) who wrote a paper of 86% or higher on the April examination. They are:

Brentwood’s class average was 80.66%, over 10% better than the Provincial average of 70.11%.
Kathleen Sinclair wrote the school’s top paper: 97%
No Brentwood students failed.

Paul Collis

ADVENTURE RACE

Brentwood cross-country running coach, Mr. Rob Rose, competed in his 7th Adventure race this past weekend in Ucluelet on Vancouver Island. A Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race (MOMAR) is a one-day event that challenges the
bodies and minds of racers over 30-50km of rugged West Coast terrain and features the multi-sport disciplines of kayaking, mountain biking, trail running, and navigation. Competitors race solo, or in teams of two or four. Mr. Rose's team of four in Ucluelet included his

son, Brentwood student Tate Rose, his colleague, Brentwood teacher Mr. Nick Yaremchuk, and friend Mr. Dave Firth. Tate Rose was the youngest competitor in the race and he received great accolades from the event organisers for his very solid performance. Adventure races test all of one's faculties and prove to be a considerable endurance accomplishment. The race in Ucluelet included two kayak legs totalling 15 km, two running/trekking legs totalling 10 km, and approximately 25 km of mountain biking on logging roads. Cramp-inducing scrambles up muddy slopes and a run to the top of Mount Ozzard were both part of the race. Also included in the race were mystery events such as building a usable bench out of driftwood, and guessing how many salmon fry were in holding tanks at the local hatchery!

The team of four had to stay together for the entire race, as if visual contact is lost between team members, penalty time can be added by race officials. The pouring rain, gale force winds, and mud did not stop the team from finishing the race with a respectable time of 6 hours and 31 minutes. A wrong turn on the mountain biking section, and some intense leg cramps due to dehydration, cost the team precious time on the course. The four racers were not concerned about how they placed, however, as they were just happy to be at the finish line where there was food, drink and shelter!

Future MOMAR races include Sechelt on July 16th, and Cumberland on October 1st. Several of Brentwood's staff and students are considering competing in one or both of these races, but getting to the starting line is often more work than finishing the race. Anyone interested in the races should check out the MOMAR site at http://www.mindovermountain.com/.

Nick Yaremchuk

LOW TIDE CLEANUP DAY

On Saturday morning, Hanako Okano, Barclay Martin and Brooke Browning departed for Cowichan Bay to "celebrate" Low Tide Day. This the one day of the year where a low tide enables much to be done along the low water mark in cleaning up the environment. By the time that the low tide had reached Cowichan Bay in its progression around the world, many locals had gathered to take part in the clean up. The day started off with a pancake breakfast at a local restaurant. Here the participants of all ages were greeted by Liberal party candidate Ms. Cathy Basskin and organiser Mr. Jeff Quinton. Jeff helped arrange the participants into groups and provided them with gloves, garbage bags and maps of their designated clean-up area. The three Brentwood volunteers initially helped with the breakfast clean-up, then set off down the beach to destroy any garbage that lay in their path! After the clean-up all participants were encouraged to take part in the critter count. Local

scientists had volunteered their time to explain any "critters" or other interesting items found while digging down the bay. Low Tide Day is not only about looking after our local beaches but also about understanding and appreciating what they have to offer, since "we all live downstream!"

Story by: Hanako Okano and Brooke Browning (Grade 12)

UNIVERSITY ADMISSIONS SYMPOSIUM

On the Friday night of the Brentwood Regatta weekend, the school sponsored the first annual Symposium on University Admission and Athletics. Mike Sexton, Dean of Admissions at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, and Emily Egge, women’s crew coach at Duke University in Durham, NC shared their experience with an audience of more than 80 students and parents. Mr. Sexton offered advice on matching oneself with a university, and Ms. Egge explained the often arcane NCAA procedures and policies which prospective athletes and coaches must follow. Since both presenters were on campus the Saturday as well, there was ample opportunity for follow-up questions and conversation. Coach Egge graciously donated her powerpoint presentation to the school, thus any athletes who missed the symposium may request a subsequent session in May from Mr. Zenker.

Story and picture by: Fred Zenker (Grade 12)

The Rowing Club participated in the Shawnigan Lake School Regatta over the weekend .

For a full report on all individual crews, please see Regatta Report

PROVINCIAL SAILING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Led by professional coach Mrs. Cindy Hardie, Brentwood’s sailing team (the Seahawks), competed in the British Columbia Youth Championships last Saturday and Sunday. Travelling to Comox (160 km north of Mill Bay on Vancouver Island), the team rode in a school van towing their boats and equipment behind on a trailer. The parents of Eric Rothwell, team captain, were very hospitable and billeted the team at their home.

The first day saw the most intense weather conditions that the Brentwood team, and indeed many of the other competitors, had sailed in. With a small craft warning in effect in the Georgia Strait, 20-knot winds swept Comox Bay while the boats on the more exposed multi-hull course were battered by swells approaching eight feet in height. The Lasers and Bytes from Brentwood were forced into shore by the weather, where they prepared for Sunday’s racing. Eric Rothwell and Jonathan Dunstan stayed out on the water for six hours, completing the full five races run that day, notwithstanding a series of sudden and painful capsizes, wipeouts and associated mishaps. The Brentwood team were able to see footage of themselves taken from committee boats when it was projected onto a screen during the competitor’s banquet at the Coast Western Hotel that evening.

Sunday began with much lighter wind, making tactics and careful sail trimming more important than simply keeping upright. The first race on the multi-hull course was cancelled due to a complete lack of wind that stopped the race, while the monohulls inched around the shorter legs of their course. Conditions improved at around 12:30, and two more races were run before the day’s racing ended. Coming in to de-rig and change into dry clothes, the Brentwood team re-loaded all their gear and boats onto the van and trailer before attending the brief awards ceremony. Jonathan Dunstan and Eric Rothwell won bronze medals in the Hobie 16 category.

Notwithstanding the loss of three team members who are graduating this year, the Seahawks intend to compete at Provincials as well as a number of other regattas in the 2005-2006 season.

SENIOR GIRLS

The past week has been a monumental one for the Brentwood soccer girls. For the first time in memory, the girls won a medal (silver) in a tournament. The event was the Independent Schools Association tournament on Friday, May 13th and Saturday, May 14th, and Brentwood made an astonishing appearance.

The girls went into the tournament ranked second in their North Island league, due to their loss (2– 3) earlier this week against Gulf Islands. This meant they would play two games on Friday, and, assuming they continued undefeated, they would play four long games on Saturday.

On Friday morning, the first match was against St. Margaret’s School. As the girls will admit, the game did not go well, but after a 1–1 tie, the team dominated in the penalty kick shoot-out. This moved them forwards to face the home team, St. Michael’s University, in a strong game that Brentwood won 1 – 0. The girls were tired after two hours of soccer, but they had no idea of their tribulations to follow.

On Saturday, Brentwood had an early start (to accommodate for all four games into one short day). Their first game was against Southridge, and proved to be difficult as both teams were very equal in abilities. After another 1–1 draw (with a goal by Stephanie McClellan), Brentwood managed a victory thanks to their exceptional shoot-out line up and solid goaltending. Their second game put them against York House, who proved to be little competition for the girls, and who were easily overcome in ensuring a place in the semi-finals. By the third game against GlenLyon-Norfolk School, the girls were beginning to feel their muscles tugging at their bones, begging them to stop running and kicking, but the girls refused to listen and were rewarded with a 1 –1 tie and another glorious win in a shoot-outs. GNS had been the Single-A provincial champions this year, but they were moved aside by the rising Brentwood stars.

The final game was a return match against Southridge, a team with a small army of players (twenty-three girls, to be exact) that provided fresh legs for the battle. Given that this was the fourth hour of soccer for the gallant Brentwood few, the prospect for the team was rather daunting. With only 13 players in the squad, and Abbey Rosen and Richelle Young unavailable through injury and sheer exhaustion,no substitute were available. The girls approached the game with determination, but could not manage to sustain the necessary effort for the fourth straight hour of soccer, and — inevitably — they lost.

This year, the girls decided that that they would make it their goal to qualify for the Provincial Championships — a feat that has not been accomplished at the school for a considerable number of years. Later this week, the girls will be competing in the Islands tournament, where they will see if their dream of a Provincial appearance can, at last, be realised.

Story by: Frances Candy (Grade 11)

Soccer photo credits: Mike Flynn

SENIOR GIRLS

The past week has been exhausting, and prosperous, for the girls rugby team. The girls knew that they had the Islands tournament to look forward to on Friday, May 14th and Saturday, May 15th, but before they could focus solely on that, they first had to play a league game against Stelly’s the Tuesday.

The Stellys game was undoubtedly the most beautiful game of rugby the girls had played all year. The large AAA team proved to be no match against the agile Brentwood girls, and the forwards floated the ball out of scrums and sailed it to the backs, who danced up the field to score. All the plays, including “Guataloop, Fromage, and Humpette,” were executed with style, and resulted in a try from scrum-half Amy Van Vliet, outside centre Rebecca Kerswell, full back Sophie Beswick, and two from speedy Jennalee Desjardins on the wing. The forwards did an excellent job attacking and defending against the solid front row of Stelly’s girls, and not one member of the opposition managed to get past the Brentwood try line. The result was a 30 – 0 win for Brentwood, with Frances Candy adding a penalty kick and a conversion, and an air of confidence was apparent as the team headed into the Islands tournament.

Arriving at the Cowichan High School venue in matching Brentwood tracksuits, the girls surveyed their opponents, Ladysmith, and mentally prepared themselves for the game ahead. They knew that if they wanted to make it to the Provincials, they would have to win this match. When the girls got out on the field, after a full cleat check and bobby pin confiscation, they couldn’t seem to pull things together. Typically, Brentwood girls dominate with a try or two in the first five minutes of play, but after more than ten minutes, there was no score, and Ladysmith was turning out to be difficult competition. The girls, however, kept their Provincials goal in sight, and finally were relieved by a long-awaited try.

The entire game seemed to run in waves or scoring from Brentwood, and then long lulls comprised mainly of tiring defence by the forwards. Rona Mitchell and Sydney Black attacked with ferocity, and the team’s youngster, Rona Mitchell (Grade 8), managed to appear from nowhere every time that she was needed.

The final score was 32 – 0 for Brentwood, with tries by Marlee Hahn (1), Rebecca Kerswell (2), Jennalee Desjardins (2), and Jane Griffel (1), with one conversion by Frances Candy. Coach Mr. Jim Burrows said he would have been more worried, but Brentwood didn’t really need a further lead as their position in the tournament had already been secured, thanks to the courage of the battered and bruised girls.

The second game of the tournament was played at the Cowichan Rugby Club. Brentwood faced Port Alberni (who had the same colour jerseys and caused the Brentwood coaches to scramble to find solid black jerseys) in the final to determine the Island Champions. The girls were sore from yesterday’s game, but they brushed off the pain and achieved a memorable victory. Brentwood woke with a shock to their system when the first try wasn’t touched down on the opposition’s line, and they realised the feeling of losing wasn’t one they planned to become well acquainted with. The team’s captains, Sydney Black and Marlee Hahn fought back with great tenacity, and led by an example the rest of the team could follow. Rona Mitchell and Sophie Beswick made great runs that led to tries, and Jill Dearden and Marisol Van Vliet showed great courage in playing with injuries. Tries were scored by Marlee Hahn (2), Rebecca Kerswell (2), Jennalee Desjardins (1) and Frances Candy (1) as well as four points in conversions, but the 34 – 5 win was definitely more than individual tries. The entire team put in a huge effort and received worthwhile results, earning the title of Island Champions for the second year in a row, and their rightful place at the coming Provincials.

Story by: Frances Candy (Grade 11)

Rugby photo credits above: Adria Hahn

1st XV: Brentwood 5, Carson Graham 47

Game 6 vs Brian Mann’s team – Loss: 2-3 (May 17)

Exciting action this past Tuesday as the field hockey team played their best team game so far this season. Calm and composed, the team set out to capitalise on their chances and get out of the scoring slump. A few strategies formed on the whiteboard were put in play immediately on the field and the game showed promise. After being down 2-0, Maria Volk dangled in the ‘D’ and scored her first goal of the season. In the second half, Katie Jackman rose from her own slump and pocketed her third goal of the season (with authority!). The team consistently finishes each match strongly and just came up short in the last two minutes of this game from getting the equaliser. I am happy to report that there were no injuries this week and no bruises should be spotted at this weekend’s Grad…only a bad sock tan!

Rachel Peters

Both the senior girls and boys tennis teams travelled to Vancouver Friday last to participate in their respective Senior ISA Tournaments. A very early 4 a.m. start to the day may have been a slight handicap, but both teams — through fortitude and determination — played well, placing second in each competition, and can take a great deal of pride in their achievement. The team focus is now on the B.C. High School Provincial Tennis Championships to be played early in June.

Franco Biondo (Tennis Coach)

T. GIL BUNCH CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Future presentations:

Pacific Institute of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts Concert

www.celticperformingarts.com, 250-758-0208, 1-866-301-2358

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