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Common Ground Service Club Helps Senior Home |
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In May, Valley Haven Senior Center asked the Midland Common Ground Service Club to help with a fundraiser. Students helped move tables and chairs, and clean up after the event, held at Clos Pepe Vineyards.
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Grass Mountain Day 2011 |
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Students and faculty formed a Midland "M" at the summit.
Photo credit: Pilots Eric Cobb and Gary Gordon
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Juniors Take Over in Final Week |
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During the final week of school, which is also Final Exam Week, the Juniors took over leadership roles and became the Prefects in the yard for Wednesday and Thursday nights. This is part of the leadership curriculum for next year along with Junior Dance Weekend and the trip to Mexico and an overnight retreat. After meeting with each class, the faculty and each Junior, the 2011 Prefects will be selected by Mr. Graham and announced by the end of June.
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| Peter and Callie run Assemblies |
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Junior Leadership Camping and Workshops |
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The juniors have been getting ready to lead the school next year. They completed a day and a half of Leadership workshops facilitated by Head of School Will Graham, and faculty members Hayley Anson, Johnny Ninos, Laurie Munger, Donna Williams, Derek Harwell '88, Ian Cummings, Jill Redl and Roddy Taylor. An overnight camping trip followed by a day of activities on the field and in Stillman were part of the preparation. The juniors also planned the annual Junior Dance Weekend May 13-15 and showed impressive organizational skills. See more pictures.
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Senior Prefects |
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 Many Midland seniors earn prefectships, a system of mentoring that Paul Squibb brought with him from his Kent School days. School Prefects Two seniors are chosen by the Head of School to be the School Prefects, who essentially set the tone for the student body. This year's School Prefects, Mariah and Shue Him, conduct assemblies, sit on council, govern the prefects, and serve as the primary bridge between faculty and the student body.Class Prefects
Several seniors act as class prefects, in which two seniors are responsible for each class. For instance, there are two freshmen boy prefects, and two freshmen girl prefects and so on. These seniors perform countless roles for their prefectees, including checking them in at night, helping them with academic and social issues, being the younger students' confidants and mentors, and being the first line of authority. The prefecting system builds strong relationships across classes, and teaches younger students to trust in and rely on their peers.
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Common Ground Service Club |
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This year, several students formed the Common Ground Service Club which was introduced during the evening assembly at Round-Up. The goals include helping others by bringing awareness and educating the Midland community about the needs of others around the world by bringing projects to Midland. This will be done by attending lectures (the group went to see Edna Adan, the former first lady of Somaliland at UCSB, and plans to attend a lecture in November celebrating 50 years of the Peace Corps entitled "The Future of International Service"), by gathering monetary donations and unwanted clothing to send to poorer countries, writing letters, making gifts, helping with Project Healthy Neighbors in November, organizing the activities for MLK Jr. Day, and standing in front of the Midland community presenting consciousness-raising activities like "A Vow Of Silence" which was done at Round-Up weekend. Stay tuned for more news and projects.
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Transnational Fiesta: Twenty Years Later |
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Paul Gelles, Spanish Language Faculty member, will be filming a movie this summer, entitled Transnational Fiesta: Twenty Years Later. This is a sequel to an documentary film he co-produced with a Peruvian visual anthropologist twenty years ago. The first film (Transnational Fiesta: 1992) was about migrants from an Andean community (where Paul lived for a couple of years) living in Washington D.C., and who returned to their homeland to sponsor a major religious celebration. The film was a success and was widely distributed. This summer the fiesta is being sponsored by the children of those who sponsored it twenty years ago, and the new film is going to look at the changes in the family, community, and fiesta over the last twenty years. Transnational Fiesta: Twenty Years Later promises to be interesting and will contribute to the debates around migration today. To see a trailer from the first film and to find out more information on the current project, check out the film's website at www.transnationalfiesta.com. To get on an email list, click on "Join our list of friends and supporters."
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Around Campus |
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Here are some photos of students and faculty members coming and going to class, studying, and catching up.
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Community Outreach |
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The Common Ground Service Club organized a food/clothing/toy drive over Thanksgiving. They spent the following week sorting and packaging items, and delivered them to People Helping People in the Valley.
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Secret Santa Week |
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Each year during Finals Week, many Midland students elect to take part in the the annual "Secret Santa" program, which means that over the course of 10 days, simple (often handmade or performed) gifts are exchanged, with the giver remaining anonymous until the Winter Banquet. Gifts range from decorated pine cones, a load of kindling or firewood, songs and poems, and candy. Below, Brian Bang '11 gives a wooden sign to Marguerite Graham, with "I love you" written in several languages. Ian Cummings sings a verse of "Silver Bells" to Leah Kaplan '13. (The gift-givers remain anonymous and ask others to distribute the gifts, for those of you confused about the logic of it all.)
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Midland Heading to Quarterfinals in CIF Southern Section Basketball |
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Midland will host the #1 ranked team in Division 6A, Padre Pio Academy, on Tuesday, February 22nd, at 7 PM at Santa Ynez High School. Padre Pio (Garden Grove) has a record of 21-5. Midland is now 11-6. Midland is the last Condor League team left in any division.
Midland beat Southwestern Academy (San Marino), 76-34, on Wednesday, February 16th. Click here to see photos of the game. Midland came from behind to beat Lee Vining on Friday, February 18th. Midland overcame a rocky start as the Oaks were affected by the 7000 ft. elevation. The team was down by 10 points after the first quarter. Evan Kidd '11 had a huge 12-point second quarter. Midland was down by three at the half. The teams had an even third quarter. Then Midland was down by three early in the fourth quarter, and hit 10 out of 11 free throws to win by 5 points! Midland was led by Evan Kidd with 20 points and four 3-point shots, and Ted Kim '12 with 17 points and three 3-point shots.
Congratulations to the Mighty Oaks! Great team work!
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Shakespeare Night |
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On Sunday May 15, to close out Junior Dance Weekend, over 20 faculty members and students performed in Midland's annual Shakespeare Night, this year with a Vampire theme, organized by Jill Redl. Photos by Rachel Featherstone '11 and Shayla Gordon '12
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Students Travel to LA for Flamenco Performance |
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Faculty member Paul Gelles and intern Anthony Harvey `04 took 13 Midland students to see the Hispanic Flamenco Ballet in Santa Monica. During two amazing hours, the dances and music of different Latin American countries and Spain were showcased, including those of Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Republica Domincana, Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. The music and the dances that accompany them--Tango, Merengue, Salsa, Norteno, as well as the amazing Capoeira and Boleadores dances and music, from Latin America, and Jota, Zarzuela and Flamenco from Spain--were dramatically performed by costumed dancers accompanied with both live and taped music. In the background a video screen provided information on the dances and countries as well as back and forth word play with the audience, made up of some 200 high school students. Students and faculty were mesmorized by some of the performances and students Riley and Meghan joined several students from other high schools on stage to perform a dance! It was a great time for all.
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The Family School Visits for Lunch in the Garden |
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On Friday, May 13, the students in Purple Door (4th and 5th grade) at The Family School, came over to Midland for make-your-own pizzas in the Garden. Midland's Spring Garden Crew was on hand, and Katie Isaacson provided toppings - several from Midland's Garden - while Ben Munger '79 was on baking duty. We had a nice visit and look forward to doing it again next year!
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Alumni/ae, Parents and Friends Weekend |
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Ideal weather, Peter Coonradt's '64 " Midland Stories", delicious food, a student art show, an equestrian drill in the arena, a ceremony for the John Dreyfuss '52 Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient Warner Henry '55, class reunions, a dedication at the new corral and a connected community were highlights of the 2011 Alumni/ae, Parents and Friends Weekend, April 30- May 1, at Midland.
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| Pebbles Gonzalez '13 talks with an alum |
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Play: Mouse Trap - Agatha Christie |
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During Alumni/ae, Parents and Friends Weekend Midland students Leah Kaplan '13, Chelsea Young '13, Anna Moiseyeva '13, Merlin Plumbley '12, Ashley Johnson '13, Kendall Cook '13, and faculty member Cory Cramer preformed Mouse Trap by Agatha Christie directed by Anthony Harvey '04. Photos: Diego Marcogliese '13
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Celebrating the Life of Barry Schuyler '41 |
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Barry Schuyler '41 passed away on April 28th, 2011. A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, June 4, 2011 from 1-4 PM at UC Santa Barbara. Born in 1923 in Brooklyn, New York, Barry founded the Alchemists Club at Midland in 1939, and graduated from Midland A.K. (Age of Kerosene) in 1941. In 1949, he married Jean Kellogg, and from 1951-1959, Schuyler was a Math and Science Teacher at Midland. From 1955-1998 he served several terms during these years as a Director on Midland’s Board of Trustees. In 1999, with an initial gift and pledge to match future gifts, Barry kicked off the first Endowment for Midland’s Scholarship Fund campaign with Bill Kimpton '54. Barry Schuyler has always been the heart of Midland's environmental programs, and in 2003, he conceived of and funded a faculty position dedicated to integrating environmental programs with Midland's mission of academic rigor, guided by an environmental advisory board. He followed the progress of this undertaking through his final month with us, with unending support and sage advice regarding building our campus's renewable energy infrastructure alongside our students. Outside of Midland, from 1970-1990, Barry was a Trustee at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History; the Board President from 1975-1978, and again in 1988. In 1996 he earned a Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Engineering from UCLA, and was a Lecturer Emeritus in Environmental Studies at UCSB. In 2000, Barry, with his wife, received the Santa Barbara News-Press Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2005 the Schuylers received the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. "The value of Barry's contributions to Midland School is incalculable. He was, truly, one of the guardians of Midland's soul," shares Lise Goddard, Director of Environmental Programs. Head of School Will Graham adds, "Barry is the only person I know that had a personal relationship with every Midland Headmaster. Jean and Barry followed the school closely over time, and we have lost one of Midland's most loyal and supportive friends."
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| At a senior auction - Barry in the front row (by Auctioneer Flint's knee) in glasses |
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Grass Mountain Day 2011 |
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Students and faculty formed a Midland "M" at the summit.
Photo credit: Pilots Eric Cobb and Gary Gordon April 25th was Grass Mountain Day for the 2010-2011 school year.
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Best Dressed |
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 On Sundays, when we have our semi-formal dinner, juniors Meghan Brown and Kevin Jung are deciding which students are the best dressed. In this photo, Paul Kim and Martin Huerta represent the males, and Nessa Ryan and HyeMin Lee the females.
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