Friday, March 27, 2009

“Alumni Athletes”

This week, I would like to honor three student-athletes from the Class of 2008 who are now competing at the NCAA Division III level for three colleges in the northeast.  I admire their ability to balance academically rigorous schedules with all the physical and psychological demands of intercollegiate athletics.

Chris Wiles ’08 (left) is a freshman at Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. After an outstanding career in cross country at Williams which included leading the Blues to two New England Championships, Chris had a successful freshman season running for the Ursinus Bears and finished his first season as the top freshman runner on the twenty member team. His personal best time was 28:46 for an 8 K race (approximately 5 miles)! Chris plans to major in science.

Merrick Smith ’08 (right) is a freshman at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  Merrick was a star athlete for the Williams basketball and lacrosse teams receiving Williams “Senior Male Athlete of the Year” award last spring. Merrick has earned a starting defensive position for the Moravian Greyhounds and has already contributed several assists and numerous groundballs in his first season. Merrick plans to major in engineering.

Carmen Trobaugh ’08 is a freshman at Emerson College in Boston. Carmen was a four-sport varsity athlete at Williams starring for the girls’ soccer team and being a key contributor to the swim, basketball and lacrosse teams during her career at Williams. It was no surprise that Carmen was chosen as the “Senior Female Athlete of the Year” last spring. Carmen had a successful fall season for the Emerson Lions soccer team despite an unfortunate knee injury, which she overcame by season’s end. In February, Carmen decided that she could somehow handle playing a second college sport for Emerson and is now a key player on the Lions lacrosse team, which recently returned from playing in Florida during spring break!  Carmen plans to major in communications and marketing.

I am proud of the accomplishments of all of our new alumni student-athletes and impressed that they continued their commitment to “healthy minds and bodies” in college. I personally know how grateful they will be that they continued to follow their athletic passions and their willingness to represent not only their college but also their alma mater.

Look for our athletic department to continue to feature our alumni as they compete in college athletics. We ask our parents and friends to send us photos of our alumni athletes whenever possible!

Stay tuned! Enjoy your weekend.

Friday, March 6, 2009

“Surprise Witness?”

This week, I was invited by two separate eighth grade English classes taught by Mrs. Kim Belair to be a surprise witness in a trial involving characters from William Golding’s famous novel, Lord of the Flies. Room 208 became a classroom courtroom. Members of Mrs. Belair’s upper school Journalism class served as a jury; they were responsible for taking notes, swearing in witnesses, and making the final verdict to determine the innocence or guilt of characters in the novel. The Honorable Kim Belair presided over the courtroom proceedings.

Throughout the trial members of the eighth grade English classes exhibited proper courtroom procedure, even entering the court properly dressed and adhering to all courtroom rules. In one class, I served as Lieutenant Barnaby Smith, a member of the rescue party, and provided testimony for the defense team trying to protect the innocence of Roger, a "biggun" who was stranded on the previously deserted island.  Members of the prosecution drilled me with questions trying to obtain reasonable doubt of Roger’s innocence.

In the other class, I served as surprise as a witness for the prosecution, Head of  Roger’s School, in the prosecution’s hope to determine the guilt of one Jack Merridew.

I was extremely impressed by the students’ ability to follow courtroom protocol through the proper questioning the witnesses and respectfully opposing the opponent’s testimony.

I am grateful for the opportunity that the eighth graders gave me by being involved in an important role to for their classes. This experience was a terrific way for Middle School students to analyze a novel, understand the motives of the author, and his development of personalities. We have many bright, aspiring, and capable lawyers and judges among the members these two classes!

Please note that I will be taking a 2-week hiatus from the blog due to Spring Break.  Enjoy your time away from William, and I hope everyone comes back reenergized for an exciting 4^th quarter!

Stay Tuned. Enjoy Spring Break!

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