Musk Turtles' Disappearance Causes Big Stink

By JAMES GRAHAM

Three days after two Ecology turtles were announced missing, fueling campus-wide speculation that they had made a daring escape or that the Marine Biology class had played a prank, their mysterious disappearance took a tragic turn. One turtle was discovered dead in the Ecology classroom and the other, which remains missing, is suspected dead. The turtles were reported missing on the Saturday of the end of the first week of ASP, and the first turtle was discovered on the following Tuesday.

Rick Pacelli, the Ecology Master Teacher, discovered the first missing turtle in a corner of the classroom. While only one turtle was actually found, the class believes the other may have crawled under the refrigerator in the classroom or to a small space inaccessible to humans. The ‘ninja turtles,’ nicknamed by the class, used a tall plant called a ‘picker weed,’ placed in the tank earlier in the week, to climb out of their aquarium.

Reed Loy, an intern for the Ecology class, said that the incident was “an honest mistake, and we all feel horribly that this happened.” Mr. Loy hoped that students would view this mishap as a cautionary tale regarding the possible ramifications of humans taking animals out of their natural habitat.

ASP Cribs

By JOHN RETTEW

In this installment of ASP Cribs, we take a trip to North House and also pay the guys in Manville a visit.

College Workshops Aim to Prepare Students for Application Process

By ABIGAIL CRANE
 
Since the start of the the Advanced Studies Program, the program’s college counselors have held weekly, optional college workshops, met with mixed reactions from students.

Designed to be a source of information for students beginning the college application process, the optional college workshops have been held on June 30, July 6, and July 13.  The workshops held thus far have consisted of intern interviews, a detailed explanation of the common application, and a mock deliberation of three applicants, where students posed as admission officers.

The college counselors believe the workshops have been successful. Attendance is up from last year’s sessions, according to college councilor Chris Moses. In previous years the college workshops “were not as developed as they are now, or as popular. [This year] and last year, students have made it part of their experience,” AD Hilary Paul continued to say.

College Counselor Jaime Caryl-Klika agreed.  “I've been very pleased with the level of enthusiasm demonstrated by this year's ASP class,” said Mrs. Caryl-Klika.

Heat Wave Torches the ASP

By JOSH PERREAULT


From Monday, July 5 to Friday, July 9, the entire Advanced Studies Program (ASP) community combated a miserable heat wave that tied records in Concord and all around the state of New Hampshire.

Members of the Ecology class escape the heat by working in the shade.

High temperatures are usually a nice aspect of the summer season in the Granite State, balancing out the harsh winter temperatures the state sees annually. This year, however, the heat has resulted in ludicrous extremes throughout most of the state, as the temperature has only occasionally dipped below 90°F and has reached as high as 99°F, as it did on July 6 in Concord, tying a record set in 1911. With the humidity levels varying between a slightly uncomfortable 70% to a stifling 86%, the heat wave has hit the ASP particularly hard, making saunas out of most buildings without air conditioning.

“It felt like I was wilting,” said Caitlyn Brooks of Wing House. “It was difficult to concentrate in class, and it was hard to sleep. I took lots of naps.”

Traditions Bond Students, Alums to the ASP

By KATIE KISSINGER


To those unfamiliar with the Advanced Studies Program (ASP), the terms feed, serenade and Playfair may sounds like gibberish, but these classic ASP traditions, that have lasted for decades, are often students’ fondest memories from their summer spent at St. Paul’s School.

Courtesy: Brendan Cohen

“We used to order pizza from a deli nearby, and throw big pizza and ice cream feeds,” said the Honorable Joseph N. Laplante, a graduate of the ASP in 1982 and a former resident of Conover 20.  Although twenty-eight years have passed since he was a student at the ASP, Judge Laplante recalls many ASP traditions that continue on today.

“I remember the talent show,” recalled Judge Laplante.  “Two other guys and I put together a three-piece rock band and performed songs by the Ramones.”

I Scream, You Scream: ASP Screams for Desserts

By MEG JONES


Many Advanced Studies Program (ASP) students have found themselves indulging in the large variety of desserts offered in the St. Paul's School dining hall. According to Larry Fischer, who oversees the day-to-day operations of the dining hall throughout the summer, the St. Paul’s School baker tries new items during the ASP because there are fewer students than during the normal year. This fact has not gone unnoticed by the students here this summer.

“I feel like there are more dessert options than regular food,” said Studio Arts student Elli Peterson.

“I feel like a lot of the soups are desserts - they're just posing as soup,” said Studio Arts intern Elissa Rodman.

Although many indulge, some students have managed to avoid consuming extensive amounts of dessert. In a recent survey about the ASP desserts, one student indicated they did not eat dessert at all, while another student said that they ate dessert only once a week.

“I really like the M&M cookies,” said Ecology student Ethan Emerson, after having recently trying the cookies for the first time at ASP. Jo Estevao, a student in Forbidden Fictions, said that she has eaten one or two servings of ice cream a week while at the ASP.

BP Must Pay for Damage to Local Businesses

By PETER ROBINSON
 
Editor's note: This editorial marks the second in a series entitled "Breaking the Bubble" - the series aims to promote awareness of current events within the "bubble" of the Advanced Studies Program community. You can access the podcast connected to this topic by clicking on the heading and we will hope that you will join us for a lunch discussion on the spill this Friday (July 23rd) in the Lowest dining hall.

Eddie Kurtich is the owner of Eddie’s Quality Oysters in the Plaquemines Parish community of Port Sulphur, Lousiana. He has been the proud owner for the past 40 years and employs up to six people. Since the explosion that led to the oil spill, Kurtich hasn’t been able to collect nearly enough oysters to keep his business running as well as it previously did.

Courtesy: United States Coast Guard

Last June, Kurtich sold 40,000 sacks that consisted of 100 pounds of oysters each. This year, he expects to sell between 6,000 and 8,000 sacks.  He petitioned BP for assistance, showing them the statistics that prove his lack of business. However, BP has not given him any payouts. Other business owners he knows have received $1,500 to $2,500, but, he said, “hardly anybody’s getting big money.”

Kurtich plans on selling a fraction of what he sold last year. BP must take responsibility for the downfall of Kurtich’s business; the company disregarded many warning signs, including a small blowout that occurred months ago, that could have prevented an incident of this magnitude. Logically, BP should have looked into how this happened and if it could happen on a larger scale.