the

vol. XXXI, issue 1

stentorian
the north carolina school of science and mathematics


august 2010
stentorian@ncssm.edu

Who will be the new head unicorn?

By Rebecca Hong
As the classes of 2011
and 2012 begin this school
year, the NCSSM community
also welcomes a few other
people into the school – new
chancellors. Last year marked
the last term for Gerald
Boarman, former chancellor
of NCSSM. So, who will head
the school this year?
At the time of printing,
Boarman’s permanent succes-
sor had not been announced,
though it is thought that the
new Chancellor will be an-
nounced at the Board of Gov-
ernors meeting on Friday,
August 13. Until the new per-
manent Chancellor takes of-
fice, NCSSM will have an in-
terim: Thomas Williams.
Williams, who was
handpicked by UNC President
Erskine Bowles to act as
interim chancellor, has had
extensive experience in
the North Carolina public
education system. He has acted
as superintendent of Granville
County and Johnston Public
schools, and has served on the
NCSSM Educational Advisory Last school year, students had person with experience,
Council. Williams’ term will the opportunity to suggest [and] a person whom
begin August 17, the beginning qualifications necessary to students and faculty
of first trimester classes. Until become the new chancellor. will respect.”
then, UNC Vice President Some of these suggestions Frye predicted that
and General Counsel Laura made the list. the new chancellor
Bernstein Luger is serving as Shirley Frye, Chair of make take some
the interim chancellor. the Board of Trustees, said time before taking
Some may wonder how ex- that among other things the office, “We expect the
actly the permanent chancel- Committee was looking for permanent chancellor
lor was chosen. The Chan- “a leader who could take the to be selected within
cellor Search Committee, a NCSSM community to the [August], but [he or
twenty-one-person group, was next level, someone who she] will need time to
formed by the NCSSM Board would want to grow the school, close out or complete
of Trustees in February in or- a person with people skills, a some responsibilities
der to complete this where [he or she] is,
task. The Commit- presently.”
tee’s members rep- The Committee
resent students, fac- selected three poten- Interim ChancellorThomas Williams
ulty, alumni, parents, tial candidates, one retired from the NC public schools after
NCSSM’s founda- of which Bowles more than three decades as a classroom
tion, the education nominates for the teacher, principal, and superintendent.
advisory committee, UNC Board of Gov- From http://www.northcarolina.edu/news
the administration, ernors to consider.
the community, and The Board of Gover- stated, “The three persons that
the NCSSM Board of nors ultimately decides on the were nominated and sent to
Trustees. choice of the new chancellor. President Bowles each exem-
The Committee As for worries that the plified the above qualifications
worked hard to find The Search Commitee’s website allowed change between three different and characteristics and are
a person with the interested citizens to nominate people chancellors may cause confu- great leaders that will be able
right characteristics they felt would make a good Chancellor. sion at school, Frye believes to make an excellent transition
to lead the school. From http://www.ncssm.edu/chancellor-
search/committee.php
they are unnecessary. She into their new position.”

NCSSM welcomes new faculty and staff

By Seon Kang
In order to fill the positions
vacated after the last academic
school year, NCSSM has
recently hired several new staff
and faculty members.
The school has hired
Michael DeHaven and Dave
Thaden, both humanities
instructors; Ryan Donaldson,
our new class attendance and
Textbook Manager; Douglas
Marks, a mathematics
instructor; Bill McNairy, a
physics instructor; and Patrick
Rainey and Monique Williams,
both chemistry instructors.
Michael DeHaven
photo courtesy of Rick Hess
Michael DeHaven has de-
grees from several universities
in the state of Illinois and has
also done graduate work at Co-
lumbia University. He comes
to NCSSM from the Illinois
Mathematics and Science
Academy, where he taught
for 17 years. DeHaven has re-
ceived many teaching awards
throughout his career and will
be teaching Economics, Asia,
and American Studies.
Douglas Marks received
both a B.S. in Mathematics,
summa cum laude, and an
M.S. in Applied Mathematics
from North Carolina State
University. He is an N.C. native
that has known and worked
with many NCSSM alumni in
the past. Marks says he looks
forward to working with the
talented students and faculty
of NCSSM.
Douglas Marks
photo courtesy of Rick Hess
Patrick Rainey earned his
PhD in Chemistry with an
emphasis on organometallic
catalysis from Texas A&M
University in 2000. Since
then Rainey has worked with
countless research groups,
Vector Research in RTP, for
whom he served as Research
Director.
Rainey’s personal hobbies
include sports, training in
karate (he has coached the U.S.
national Junior Olympic Karate
team) , and spending time with
family and friends. Rainey
says, “I am excited to share
my knowledge and experience
in both interdisciplinary
scientific research endeavors as
well as academic, government,
and private sector research
Patrick Rainey
photo courtesy of Rick Hess
involvements with the students
and future leaders of NCSSM.”
Rainey will be teaching
Advanced AP Chemistry and
Organic chemistry.
Monique Williams is an
alumna of NCSSM, a graduate
of the class of 1998. Since
Monique Williams
photo courtesy of Rick Hess
then, she has earned a B.S. in teaching Physics and Physics
Chemistry and Biotechnology
from NC State and eventually
earned a Ph.D. in Biochemistry
from the University of Florida.
Dr. Williams looks forward
to teaching at her high school
and to sharing her enthusiasm
for chemistry by teaching the
AP Chemistry course.
Ryan Donaldson is filling the
position of Class Attendance
and Textbook Coordinator.
Donaldson graduated from
SUNY at Canton with an William (Bill) McNairy
Associate of Applied Science photo courtesy of Rick Hess
with Advanced Topics this
year.
Dave Thaden comes to
NCSSM after his fifteen years
as Principal of East Chapel
Hill High School. Thaden
received a B.A. in English
with a minor in History from
the University of Michigan
and has also received an M.A.
in English. Thaden will be
teaching American Studies and
possibly some other humanities
Ryan Donaldson courses.
photo courtesy of Rick Hess
in Computer Information
Systems degree.
Bill McNairy is coming to
NCSSM with previous teaching
experience in the NCSSM
Distance Education and
Extended Programs Division.
He has earned his Ph.D. in
Experimental Solid State
Physics from the University
of Virginia and has taught at
major universities including
NC State, UNC Chapel Hill, David Thaden
and Duke. McNairy will be photo courtesy of Rick Hess
 august 2010
features the stentorian | ncssm

When at NCSSM, do as the SMathers do

By Liz Ball
NCSSM is a unique environment, filled with opportunities
(but we know that). Everybody has been or will be told to be
Socialize
social, to try this, to go to that. While I am a strong advocate for
Talk With a Teacher Outside of Class – NCSSM
trying everything at least once, it is hard to do everything and
teachers aren’t here just to lecture and assign homework;
even harder to decide how to divide your time. Here, I’ve tried to
they truly care about students and want students to do well,
highlight some of the must-do’s that aren’t as talked about.
even if they each express it in their own way. Whether it’s
saying hello to Mr. Gann on 9th Street (Walter Vaughan),
learning about Ms. Wiley’s adventures in Costa Rica

See the town (Paula Gordon), or discussing stereotypical sappy teen

poetry with Dr. Miller, make a point of talking to the
wonderful teachers around school. They have years of
Explore 9th Street – The shops and restaurants on 9th experience and many stories to tell, and it is our job as
Street are great for escaping the monotony of schoolwork youth to open our ears and our minds.
or trying some new flavors. Be sure to explore. Attack a
Vermonster with some friends, or browse a comic book store.
Senior Alyssa Rabel recommends Ox & Rabbit: “I bought
Bond with Your Roommate – Roommate bonding
both of my brothers’ Christmas presents there - a chess set
is important, even if you find that you don’t have much
and a T-shirt that said Durham on it and had a picture of a
in common with your roommate(s). My ex-roommate
ham.” Whether you’re a junior, a senior, or even a faculty
Lucy Goodwin-Johansson and I found that we were
member, you never know what you’ll find.
quite different, yet we had many wonderful movie nights
and cooking adventures. Senior Cole Finney shared his
Go on a Loop – Loops are a great way to explore off experience: “My roommate and I bonded pretty much all
campus and visit places too far to walk to. There are loops year over two-player online flash games. We’d just play
to Southpoint, Wal-Mart, and Target, and a few other places silly little games once in a while. He beat me, mostly.” It
where students like to spend their weekends. And the bus doesn’t matter what you do, but bonding must be done!
rides there and back are great for bonding. In the words of
Senior Wendy Bartlett, “All I can remember is coming back
to school from Wal-Mart, and the radio was on. Taylor Swift
came on, and the whole bus started singing along.”

Go on a Bus Trip – Durham is a lot larger than just

9th Street and Northgate, so hop on a bus and find out. You
Embrace new
can buy a day’s worth of adventures for only two dollars.
Go visit all those places that interest you but that you’ve
never had a chance, or find somewhere new to make your
experiences
own. According to Senior Evan Strother, “It’s a day-long
Perform at Koffeehaus – Getting up in front of your
thing, but it’s definitely worth it, especially if you have the
peers can be a little nerve-wracking, but Koffeehaus is a
right company.” So go break out of the NCSSM bubble,
friendly environment. You can sing, play an instrument
and don’t forget your camera.
(Guitar is popular, but a guy last year played accordion a
few times.), do a comedy routine, read a poem, act out a
Visit Duke Gardens – We all need a break every
skit – pretty much anything you want. Hearing the applause
once in a while and a chance to be immersed in nature.
afterward makes this totally worth it.
Visiting Duke Gardens is a wonderful way to do this. With
a small lake and plenty of flowers and trees, Duke Gardens
provide a nature sanctuary for souls being consumed by
the terrors of schoolwork. And according to Strother, it’s Go to (and Participate in) Shows of All Kinds
“basically the most gorgeous scenery you’ll find within – The music and drama departments, as well as movie
the Triangle.” and culture clubs, do a remarkable job of putting on great
shows to look forward to. With orchestra concerts, plays,
fests, and frequent movies (some of them outdoors), there
Visit the Quarry – The Eno River State Park is
is always something to see. Be sure to check them out and
wonderful if you ever want to explore a nature trail, but
participate every once in a while, whether through acting,
the coolest part is the old rock quarry, which is filled
helping behind the scenes, or even voting on which
with water. On the way to the quarry, you’ll see a sign
movie should be shown. Get involved and customize
advising you not to swim, but rules are for bending. Make
your NCSSM experience.
sure you go with someone who’s been there before or get
directions. Most people take the bus ($2.00 for an all-day
ticket), but it is possible to bike there. Watch the Sunrise – When faced with a workload
such as NCSSM’s, it is important to remember to find
Visit Bulkogi – Usually parked near the end of beauty in the small things. The sunrise is one such beautiful
9th Street, Bulkogi (otherwise known as the “Korean thing. Most swear by the top of the North Watts staircase,
Taco Truck”) is a tasty and incredibly different PFM but the sunrise can be enjoyed anywhere. Hopefully you’ll
alternative. The food is cheap, and you get a lot for what watch it by choice instead of during a work-induced all-
you pay. You can follow NCBulkogi on twitter to know nighter, but beauty can be appreciated either way. But, if
the changing hours and locations of the truck. Bulkogi is you can’t be bothered to get up early, sunsets on the Watts
not for everyone but is definitely something to try at least staircase are beautiful too.
once. After all, who wouldn’t want to claim that they’ve
had Korean barbeque?
 the stentorian | ncssm
features august 2010 

NCSSM Students Rant and Rave

I just love... I just can’t stand...
“...the people during RLA week”-Anonymous “...the emptiness during RLA week.”-Anonymous

“...burgers”-Kagan Griffin “...Leaving Mother Lake.”-Kagan Griffin

“...jamming to hot tunes with my jazz combo, The Sound Function.”- “...staying up all night doing homework.”-Shawn Blazer
Shawn Blazer
“...people who aren’t punctual.”-Imani Williams
“...the people at Science and Math. They make everything worth it--
Amstud papers, PFM food, and all-nighters.”-Sean Lindsey “...people who are too much.”-Lamar Richardson

“...the PFM crroissants.”-Imani Williams “...not having a chill senior year.”-Timbi Shepherd

“...riding loops to Southpoint with my friends.”-Lamar Richardson “...parents stressing over college apps.”-Gino Lerebours

“...good company.”-Gino Lerebours “...Dubstep.”-Tucker Jones

“...eating off campus with friends.”-Alyssa Rabel “...when the PFM doesn’t have soy milk.”-Jaehee Yoo

“...hard work.”-Tucker Owen

Not all science and math schools are made alike

By Davis Goodnight
In May, just before exams,
the NCSSM Quiz Bowl team
traveled to Chicago for the
national NAQT competition.
While there, the four-man
team, Saumil Jariwala, Matt
LaBarbera, Neil MacIntosh,
and myself, journeyed off
the beaten path to the Illinois
Mathematics and Science
Academy (IMSA) to see how
it compared to NCSSM.
The differences between the
two institutions began to show
on the train ride to Aurora, IL
where the school is located.
Unlike NCSSM, located near
the heart of Durham, IMSA is
along a country road, with no
restaurants or malls for miles.
Like us, students cannot have
cars, so they have to improvise
and make do with their
surroundings.
Immediately upon arriving,
the contrast between the two
schools became even more
striking. While NCSSM’s
campus was once Watts
Hospital, IMSA’s began
as a standard public high
school. A sprawling, single-
story building contains all
classrooms and offices, the
library, the cafeteria, and
essentially every part of campus
besides the students’ rooms.
To us, the idea of not having
residential and academic halls
side-by-side is foreign, but to
our tour guide, IMSA Student
Body President Sid Sapru, our
campus arrangement is just as
novel.
Touring this large building
revealed some similarities,
however. We found ourselves
saying, “Oh, that looks just
like 3rd Watts,” or “That hang-
out spot is like our Chiba” at
different places throughout
the building. Academics at
the school are similar to those
at NCSSM, as well, with a
focus on science and math, but
with required courses in all
disciplines.
Perhaps the most noticeable
difference between the two
schools, though, is that IMSA
has a sophomore class, the
possibility of which for
NCSSM has caused much
controversy over the past
few years. When chatting
with students, they seem to
be indifferent to having a
10th grade class. While at
NCSSM, the discussion of one
immediately rouses students’
passion on both sides of the
argument.
Residential life at IMSA is
also different from NCSSM.
There are seven residential
buildings on campus, three
all-male, three all-female,
and one coed. They are all
identical and are referred to
only by a number, not a name.
All the same, each hall has a
personality and stereotypes
much like NCSSM’s. Halls
have newer facilities and
furnishings and bathrooms
inside all rooms, but rooms are
smaller than most at NCSSM.
Work service and leadership
positions are a part of IMSA
life, but not nearly as large
as they are at NCSSM. Work
service requires only a few
dozen hours of work over
the course of the year, and
leadership positions are handed
out to both seniors and juniors.
Many positions are very similar
at both schools, with IMSA
having Student Ambassadors
and Peer Counselors who fill
a role similar to NCSSM’s
PCC’s and MPC’s.
Leadership roles in
Residential Life seem very
different from that of the
RLA’s at NCSSM. Their
equivalents at IMSA have few
responsibilities of their own
and work much more as an
assistant to the adult on hall,
similar to an SLI, than as an
independent hall leader. As a
whole, work service is given
less regard; students at IMSA
do not always know what
leadership role their friends
have, and students typically
think twice before telling
others their job.
The final difference, and
perhaps the most important as
far as the schools’ personalities
go, is the weekend life on
campus. We visited on a
Sunday afternoon, and the
campus was virtually empty.
Save a few people in lounges or
playing catch, the parking lot
was empty and most students
Above is the sign that welcomes students, faculty, and visitors to IMSA’s campus. IMSA
was founded only five years after NCSSM opened.
Photo from http://staff.imsa.edu/~scott/General_Info.html
were home.
Sapru estimated that sixty
to seventy-five percent of
all students go home each
NCSSM’s Mission Statement
weekend. Because of IMSA’s
To meet North Carolina’s need for responsible
proximity to the Chicago area,
where Illinois’ population is leadership in the development and application of
centered, most students live science, mathematics and technology To act as a
within easy driving distance,
catalyst for educational improvement throughout
and the location of the school,
away from all the excitement, North Carolina and the nation
leaves its students believing
home holds more than school
on weekends.
IMSA and NCSSM have — Endorsed by NCSSM Staff and Students
two distinct histories and 2/16/90, Adopted by NCSSM Board of Trustees
cultures, and as an NCSSM
3/2/90, Revised 3/6/98
student, I felt that IMSA
student life seemed incredibly
alien. The fact of the matter
From http://www.ncssm.edu/about-ncssm/history-and-mis-
sion
is that most IMSA students
would feel exactly the same
IMSA’s Mission Statement
if they visited our campus.
Each campus has adapted and The mission of IMSA, the world’s leading
grown in a way suited to its teaching and learning laboratory for imagination
environment. This key fact, as
and inquiry, is to ignite and nurture creative,
I have realized, is the reason
why NCSSM continues to ethical scientific minds that advance the human
maintain its uniqueness among condition, through a system distinguished by
a slew of other similar schools
profound questions, collaborative relationships,
in the nation.
personalized experiential learning, global
networking, generative use of technology and
pioneering outreach.
Recycle
This Paper From https://www3.imsa.edu/about/profile/mission_and_be-
liefs
 august 2010
features the stentorian | ncssm

Highlights from the 2

Lett poses in front of the

poster displaying his high-
ranking project ideas.
photo from http:// From left (men), Philip Rash, Akash Ganapathi, Bryce
www.siemens-foun- Afresh graduate of Science Taylor, Damian Jiang, Matt Jordan, (women) Kathleen
dation.org/en/compe- Lan, and Christine Ye and two international students
tition/2009_winners. and Math (a.k.a., a grand senior),
htm pose for a group photo.
Lanier Lett earned Fourth Place at Photo from www.facebook.com
the national Siemens Competition in
Math, Science, and Technology.

Six students from

Academics NCSSM earned high

ranks at a competitive
international math
modeling competition
Then juniors, Sam Stone, William Su,
in Singapore. One team
William Bell, Angela Zhang, and Violette
tied for second place,
From left to right, Su, Bell. Zhang, Zhu. Zhu, a.k.a. Team Rocket, earned the 2nd
while the other was
and Stone enjoy a break from their busy highest score in the Conrad Spirit of
in the top half of
day concocting the perfect nutrition Innovation Awards Competition with their
bar. participants, a total
photo from http://www.conradawards.org/ nutrition bar,“Peanut Butter Rocket-
of 60 teams from 17
Chips.”
countries.

Last year’s softball team

made it to the quarter finals
of the NCHSAA tournament,
losing 0-2 to Midway High
School in the second round.

Members of the softball team dress up for a

girls’ night out.
photo from www.facebook.com Athletics

A proud track team The men’s tennis team made a

poses together, all racket on the court when it earned
NCSSM’s men’s spring track
members wearing
and field team won the 1A State the 1A State Runner-Up spot, 4-5
the 1st and 2nd place
medals they earned. Championship and the women’s team against Mt. Airy High School.
photo from http://www.
facebook.com/
earned 1A State Runner-Up.

photo courtesy of NCSSM Athletics

 the stentorian | ncssm
2009-2010 school year
The track team choreographed its own running-themed
dance number at last year’s Airband.
photo from www.facebook.com
An annual production students
spend the entire school year
looking forward to, Airband allows
students to choreograpgh and
perform dance numbers of their
choosing (permitted they’re clean)
in front of the entire school and
the greater community.
Around Campus
Though the world-record-breaking total of
509,147 pounds of food was not reached (yet),
on March 20, 2010, NCSSM raised 319.990 pounds
of food, enough to feed 5,827 people, in the
largest food drive in the history of the
school and possibly the local community. This
accomplishment was thanks to the leadership
of SLI Sue Anne Lewis and plenty of student
and community volunteers.
NCSSM students pose in the NC Big Cart while
it was on campus for the Food Drive.
photo from www.facebook.com
and City Council members.
photo from www.facebook.com
features august 2010 
Some students of NCSSM’s Asian community
perform a Korean-style dance number at Asia Fest.
photo from http://www.facebook.com
The school body has multiple
opportunities to immerse itself
in the cultures of Asia, Africa,
and Latin America through their
respective Fests. They also have
the opportunity to enjoy aspects of
Native American culture through the
annual PowWow. Finally, students
are able to represent countries Last year’s seniors stand in
of their choosing, create booths, anticipation to find out who
is crowned Mr. Uni. Grand
and present their cultures to the
seniors A.J. Woodward and
school at the annual, MPC-sponsored Arjee Restar tied for the honor
FestivALL event. last year.
photo from www.facebook.com
NCSSM’s male students battle
for the crowns of Mr. Uni (for
seniors) and Baby Uni (for
juniors) in this annual pageant
that you don’t want to miss.
After 10 years as NCSSM’s
Chancellor, Gerald Boarman
left the unicorns to take
on new challenges.
Created By Ade Ilesanmi
From http://www.dailytar-
heel.com/index.php/ar-
ticle/2010/01/gerald_boar-
Food Drive student volunteers and man_to_retire_as_chancel-
Sue Anne Lewis pose with the mayor lor_of_n.c._school_of_sci-
ence_and_mathematics
 august 2010
features the stentorian | ncssm

Food for thought

Hoël Wiesner

2 5
1 photo taken from http://looky.
wordpress.com/2008/11/07/
durham-north-carolina/

Ninth Street
Map by Ade Ilesanmi
3

6
4

NCSSM
Expensive
1--Magnolia Grill
If you know anything about Durham restaurants, then
you’ve probably heard of Magnolia Grill. Ranked for a
number of years in a row now as one of the top restaurants
in the nation, Magnolia Grill is fully booked at least a month
in advance. I’ve never eaten here either, but apparently,
the praise is well deserved. If you’re very lucky, you
might get to try it out before your two years at Science
and Math are over. And if you do, please take me with
you.

Low Price ($0.01 to $8)

3--Bali Hai
It’s a restaurant on 9th Street. Your senior siblings will take you there, so I won’t spoil it.
4--Dale’s Indian Cuisine
If you go for lunch between Monday and Thursday with another friend, you’ll both be able to enjoy their
buffet for 50% off. It’s a nice place to go if you want a lot of food for a reasonable price.
5--Elmo’s Diner
If you want diversity and great service, or a traditional American breakfast, this is the place for you. There
are always a lot of people though, so if you’re in a hurry, you might want to look elsewhere.
9--Bahn’s Cuisine
Bahn’s is a little Vietnamese restaurant that serves a fantastic vegetarian special on Wednesdays and
Saturdays. You can only pay by cash though, so remember to stop by the ATM before leaving the school.
10--Chubby’s Tacos
The first of two Mexican restaurants on 9th Street, Chubby’s is where you go if you don’t want to walk too
far but still want some quesadillas or tacos before after-dark curfew.
15--Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches
It’s a chain of sandwich restaurants that also deliver to campus. Not the best food around, but it will fill a
stomach well.
13--Devil’s Pizzeria
They serve New York style pizzas along with calzones and pasta. They’ll sometimes be at Happy Half, selling
two slices of pizzas for $5. They don’t deliver though, so you’ll have to call Domino’s if you want a late night
snack.
14--International Delights
International is a personal favorite of mine. They serve your typical Turkish foods, ranging from falafel
platters to gyros and pastries, but it is all well cooked and affordable. They also make great fries.
19--Bruegger’s Bagels
Another chain, but a delicious one nonetheless. Bruegger’s is great for those Saturdays when you’ve missed
the PFM but still want breakfast, or just anytime you want a warm bagel.
**Cosmic Cantina
Cosmic’s has acquired a kind of mystique about it in the past few years, namely because of the staircase you
must climb to get there. While all the dishes are wonderful, the burritos are what you’ll go for. They are by
far the best burritos in the city, so do go have one when you get the chance.
**Mad Hatter’s Bake Shop
Another great place to get breakfast, Mad Hatter’s makes fantastic breakfast burritos, and their Egg
Benedicts are simply delicious.
**Whole Foods
While not technically a restaurant, Whole Foods does serve healthy dishes and is a great place to get your
fill of sushi. Convenient if you also need groceries.
the stentorian | ncssm
features august 2010 

10 11 12 14 15
7 8 13 16 17
9
18

Ninth Street

Free ($0)
PFM
The chief source of nutrition for your time at NCSSM, though the
word nutrition can be used lightly. Here, you can eat breakfast,
lunch, and dinner for free and though they serve decent food, by
the end of first trimester, you will probably have had enough of
reheated potato casseroles for a lifetime.
Parents
If you live close to school, you might look into calling your parents ** indicates those
a bit more frequently than expected. Tell them you miss them and
they’ll probably come visit you. Preferably around lunch or dinner. places that are not
Best option for a free meal at a restaurant of your choosing. on Ninth Street but
are found just off
2--Biscuit King Ninth Street or on
So while our beloved Biscuit King isn’t amongst us anymore, it will
always be remembered by many us as one of the most famous and Broad Street, a safe
distinct restaurants on 9th Street. and quick walking
distance from the
school.

Medium Price ($8 to $15) Coffee and Treats

**Broad Street Café 12--Ox and Rabbit
The atmosphere is relaxed and the pizza is good. If you get Milkshakes and old school sodas
the chance to stay after dark, they also have bands playing on are all you can order at Ox and
weekends. It’s also less than a block away. Rabbit, but be assured that they are
**Palace International the best around. Order one of their
This African restaurant is often empty, but the food deserves specialty shakes or create your own
a try. They offer a large array of meats prepared in various soda; you won’t be disappointed. The
sauces and vegetables, and their dessert cake is wonderful. They owner is also really cool.
also have a lunch buffet for the really hungry.
7--Charlie’s Neighborhood Bar 16-Francesca’s Dessert Café
This restaurant is famous for being a biker hangout. You’ll Do you have a paper due soon but
often see gleaming Harleys parked out front while their riders can’t find a quiet place to work? Did
enjoy a nice cold beer inside. While all those bearded men look you just pull 3 all nighters in a row
scary, Charlie’s does make American burgers a thousand times
better than the PFM. and need something to help you stay
up? Are you craving some gelato?
8--Dain’s Place Francesca’s is the place to go then!
I’ve never eaten there and you probably never will either. While
they do serve food, Dain’s is mainly a bar, and unless you want a
Level 3, you might want to stay clear from this place. 17--Bean Traders
While their coffee isn’t particularly
special, Bean Traders makes the
best Chai tea out of the three
High Price ($15 to $40) coffee shops around school. They
also have a porch area with plenty
**Watts Grocery of interesting people to meet.
If you have the money and want to taste one of Durham’s
finest restaurants, Watts Grocery is the place to go. It’s also
the closest restaurant to campus. The food is a mixture of **Ben and Jerry’s
Mediterranean and European cuisine, with the added bonus of all It’s ice cream. It’s famous. It’s
being made with local products. It’s worth every penny. delicious. Get some friends and go
eat a Vermonster if you dare. Or go
6--Vin Rouge for free cone day. Either way, Ben
As a Frenchman myself, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve
been to a French restaurant where the food has been nothing and Jerry’s, no matter where it is,
like what you can find over seas. Vin Rouge is not one of these is always delicious.
though, and the food is what you would expect from a good
Parisian restaurant, with a bit of originality thrown in to top the
whole meal off. **Joe Van Gogh
One of three coffee shops around,
11--Metro 8 JVG’s is across the street from
While this is one of the few restaurants around I have eaten school. Perfect if you want to grab
at, a quick Internet search will tell you that Metro 8 is an upper a cup of coffee between classes.
scale steak house with excellent meats and a cozy atmosphere.
This is the most expensive of the high price restaurants around
though, so make sure your bank account is filled before going.
 august 2010
opinion the stentorian | ncssm

Going Face-to-Face with Facebook

By Maili Lim
“Just make the account
so you can see all my new
pictures, and then delete it.”
Even coming from my
ex-boyfriend, it sounded so
benign. I would get on this
thing they called “Facebook,”
check out what mischief the kid
had been up to in Venezuela the
past few weeks, sign off, and
then never use the thing again.
Done deal. Little did I know,
as I reluctantly re-entered my
email address on the sign-up
page, that I was signing away
hours of my precious life with
one swift action.
Sure, Facebook has its strong
aspects -- its convenience
and ability to provide us with
instant gratification has earned
it brownie points in popularity,
with the number of new users
increasing by more than
double in the past year. It’s
true that there are classmates
I’d probably never see again if
it wasn’t for Facebook, as well
as friends all over the world
with whom I would have lost
touch. I’ll admit it: thanks to
Facebook, I can barely go a day
without checking my profile to
reassure myself that I am still
connected to the social arena.
But at what cost is all of this
being granted?
In reality, what comes
disguised as an unmatchable
convenience is actually
bringing out the worst in us.
Those childhood friends you
thought you’d lost contact with
forever? To be frank, you were
probably too lazy to physically
send a letter out in order to
sustain the actual relationship.
Contact lessens, connections
diminish, friendships die.
Back in the day there was
zero tolerance for laziness.
Nowadays, there’s more than
enough wiggle room—but
with social networking utilities
such as Facebook, who can
blame us? A simple message
on Facebook Chat demands
far less effort than any other
means of communication.
Let’s face it—we simply don’t
have it in us to even find the
stamps anymore.
Don’t think that I’m just
hating on Facebook; it’s the
whole social networking scene,
Twitter and Formspring among
many others. Why do we adore
these services so? The truth
is that they act as enormous
stages—places where we can
go to showcase our lives and
gather input from others. To be
honest, I’m guilty of it just as
much as the next person—I am
thrilled when someone drops a
new question in my Formspring
inbox. If you think about it,
the idea behind Formspring is
actually quite remarkable; is
there a higher compliment than
asking someone a question?
Ultimately, Formspring
cleverly hooks its users by
building up and stroking their
egos via questions asked by
their family and friends. So
what does that make us? Studies
claim that this phenomenon
has reduced us to an infantile
state. While that may be a tad
extreme, I definitely agree that
such phenomena encourages
selfishness.
And of course, there’s
the infamous stalking that
everyone—and I mean
everyone—does. Admit it.
Remember that cute guy you
met at the beach? Got a little
bored, and before you know it,
you’ve got the down low on
“Mr. Hottie’s” trip to Scotland
last month and what all his
friends have to say about it.
If you ask me, that’s a little
excessive. What happened to
the “Hi, my name is ____”?
way of getting to know people?
Or has that become obsolete?
Browsing Facebook to “stalk”
those we don’t personally
know may seem harmless,
but in reality, it detracts from
true social interactions and the
rewarding relationships reaped
from such communication.
It’s not as if our generation
is entirely clueless. If you
yourself have not attempted
to take a “Facebook vacation”
then you probably know of
friends who have tried. And
failed. Most of us began to feel
something was missing; with
Facebook devouring hours of
our precious time each day,
we ought to have noticed
something!
I know Facebook helps you
keep your connections alive.
I know that as an NCSSM
unicorn, Facebook has helped
you start off on a great foot
with your senior/junior sibling.
I know the convenience of
Facebook, and the brilliance of
social networking. But I also
know that the world beyond a
pixilated cyberspace is just as
radiant, if not more so.
If you’re a Facebook
addict, here’s food for thought:
just because something lies at
our fingertips doesn’t mean
it should be used without
discretion. So for all of you who
consider Facebook convenient,
or even vital, understand the
value of what you’re giving up
for that convenience—seconds,
minutes, hours to spend beyond
a computer screen, to take a
breath of fresh air and truly
live your life.

Mixers, and IVIZes, and IDP’s … oh my!

By Xavier Jarrett
Seniors, after experiencing
countless Hill mixers and
several IDP’s (Instant Dance
Parties), you know what to
expect from these unique social
events. Juniors, for some of
you, these events may come to
rule your weekend lives here
on campus.
attitude provides an atmosphere
that’s more accepting of how
students really want to express
themselves.
While the first few
mixers may seem like an
overcrowded room of people
flailing around, these events
are a great way for juniors to
years, the event has had so
many people in attendance
that the students’ collective
sweat “rained” down from
the ceiling. Students exited
the hall lounge wringing out
their shirts stained with the
perspiration of others.
Unfortunately, the class
of 2012 may not witness

Now for those
newcomers, you may be asking
yourselves what these three
activities are, exactly.
Senior Andrew Espenshade
summed them all up in one
concise phrase: “Hot, sweaty,
and fun!”
At NCSSM, the
administration understands
that we are often limited when
it comes to certain freedoms
students are used to having.
Activities such as driving
your car and running barefoot
around campus have been
taken away. It seems that in
an attempt to compensate for
the loss of these everyday
privileges, the administration
hosts several school dances;
however, these dances are
not always the greatest social
activities.
“School hosted things
tend to be kind of drag.
Administration is a kill joy,”
senior Robert Sprude said.
In response to
these sometimes lackluster
dances, students host their
own dance parties otherwise
known as mixers. Unlike
the administration-approved
events, mixers feature student
DJ’s who cater directly to their
peers.
“Who else knows how to
throw a party with music better
than your own friends? Mixers
are a fun, chill atmosphere
to let loose,” senior Gina
Thompson said.
Mixers are run entirely
by the students with only the
occasional SLI checking in.
This laid-back and care-free
“No one
knows
you yet.
Everything
is new. . . .
Have fun!”
-Gina
Thompson
interact with other students
and seniors.
If you feel as if your
dancing is sub-par, there is
nothing to worry about. The
freeing environment at NCSSM
encourages us all to humiliate
ourselves on the dance floor,
especially during those first
few weeks on campus. The
events often serve as better
icebreakers than the activities
you will attend with your
brother or sister hall.
“Mixers are the better
places to go if you want to
meet people. Though you
may not be talking, you will
be jumping around, laughing,
and sweating,” senior Walter
Vaughan said.
As a student who
attended the Fourth West mixer
last year, Vaughan knows about
sweat extremely well. During
the start of the year, Fourth
West is known for hosting the
first official mixer. In previous
“raining” sweat as the Fourth
West mixer cannot be hosted
on hall any longer. Due to
a fire-safety code that was
brought up last year, all
mixers have to be hosted
off of the residential halls.
Without the smaller spaces
for the sweat to gather, it
appears as if the juniors will Students start the year off with lots of dancing and lots of sweat at
escape the sweaty mixer that the Fourth West Mixer.
the seniors now hold as a fond From www.facebook.com
memory. Even though IVIZes allow wouldn’t do it at your home
Similar to mixers, IDP’s for males and females to high school, at least try it here.
happen throughout the year, as explore halls that are normally Who knows, maybe you’ll
well, but they tend to occur less off limits to them, some current discover something new about
often. The key difference in the seniors found the first few the social facet of your life.
two events is that while mixers IVIZes to be rough. “[IVIZes]
tend to focus on mainstream can be very troublesome for
music and hip-hop, IDP’s are juniors who want to meet new
heavily centered on techno people and just be able to hang
The Stentorian
2010-2011
music. out somewhere because no
“IDP’s are usually dark, so matter where you are, going
Editors-in-Chief
I don’t have to worry about up to a random room and
Davis Goodnight
how badly I dance, and I can staring at the people and the
Ade Ilesanmi
just have fun. Plus, I really like room inside is just awkward,”
Vaughan said. Seon Kang
strobe lights, techno, and the
rave environment. It’s mindless Sprude agreed with
Vaughan, “IVIZes are great, News Editor
fun,” senior Taylor Haag said.
Nathaly Lemoine
For those students who are but awkward before you know
adamant about not dancing, anyone.” Bringing along a
Features Editor
IVIZes (Inter-hall Visitations) senior sibling for the first
Kexin Yin
serve as an alternative source few IVIZes might help ease
of fun. During an IVIZ, the strange transition into
Lifestyles Editor
students are allowed to venture exploring another gender’s
Kagan Griffin
onto halls of the opposite sex. hall.
While an SLI still constantly Juniors, no matter what
Opinions Editor
checks in on students, IVIZes events you decide to partake
in, follow this piece of advice Maili Lim
still possess the same care-
free atmosphere of mixers and from Thompson: “No one
Sports Editor
IDP’s. Whether it’s playing knows you yet. Everything is
Gary Li
video games, dancing to new. Take some risks! Have
music, or just talking, IVIZes fun!”
The only way to truly Photo Editor
are a welcomed break from the
Jaehee Yoo
normal residential separation embrace the Unicorn lifestyle
that males and females must is to engage in something new
and out of the ordinary. If you Advisor-John Kirk
face.