The Gunnery: Highlander Highlights

Gunnery Students Experience Junior Year Abroad at Woodstock School in India

In the first arrangement of its kind Stephanie Conant '06 and Dennis Bergan '06 set off this past August to spend a semester at The Woodstock School in the Himalayan mountains in India. Woodstock is one of the famous "Hill Schools" of India, many of which were founded by missionaries in the mid-nineteenth century. English Department Chair John Alter, whose family has been closely associated with the school and who taught there himself in the 1980s accompanied the students and helped them settle in.

Woodstock, which welcomes students from all over the world, meets the standards for English, American and Indian school systems so the Gunnery students had little trouble with the academic adjustment. Mr. Alter introduced them to the bazaars, the unique food, the monsoon season, and natural beauty of the mountain landscapes. Monkeys on the roof took a bit of getting used to. He then rushed home for the opening of classes at The Gunnery.

Stephanie and Dennis's classmates here at The Gunnery are anxiously awaiting their return with tales to tell. A six week tour of India follows their semester. Meanwhile reports indicate they are working hard: Stephanie has the lead in the fall drama production and Dennis is the technology specialist for the same performances. The Gunnery hopes that regular exchanges can be worked out between the two schools in the future.

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A Message from The Director of Admissions

Dear Prospective Student:

I commend you for taking an active role in your educational pursuits. Through our online newsletter, I hope to give you a greater sense of our dynamic and innovative offerings both in and out of the classroom.

A dynamic curriculum, a dedicated faculty, competitive athletic programs, expansive artistic outlets - all of the above can be found here. The Gunnery is a school that will enable you to reach beyond your expectations. We hope to be an environment where you can maximize your potential, develop your character, pursue your dreams and learn the importance of giving back.

Thank you for your interest in The Gunnery.

Sincerely~

Thomas W. Adams
Director of Admissions

Commended Students in the National Merit Scholarship Program

Susan Graham, The Gunnery's Head of School, is pleased to announce that Katherine G. Danziger, Kirk K. Jensen, Henry B.D. Jewkes, and Nicholas J. Volkmar have been named Commended Students in the 2005 National Merit® Scholarship Corporation. A Letter of Commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which conducts the program, will be presented by Mrs. Graham to these scholastically talented students.

About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2005 competition for Merit Scholarship® awards, Commended Students placed among the top five per cent of more than one million students who entered the 2005 competition by taking the 2003 PreliminarySAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Presidential Politics Class Gears up for Election Time

We're familiar with the symbols. We all know the language, but how many of us really understand the rhetoric and semantics behind the reality show known as The Presidential Debates. Faculty member Julia Alling '81 is giving her Presidential Politics class the proper tools to read between the lines as they watch the debate. "I want the kids to know the difference," said Julia, "between complete bashing and strong opinions based on knowledge and facts." Each student follows one of the three candidates. A topic is assigned, and the students need to research where the candidates stand on it. From there, they need to tell the difference between a debate or a pure attack.

"We also look at stereotypes," said Julia. In a blind manner, the different political points on the spectrum are examined - conservative, liberal, reactionary, radical. The kids take surveys to see where on the political spectrum they fall, and most our shocked by where they land. "Again, it's the struggle between subjectivity and cold hard facts."

One other topic the class touches on: voting. Although almost none of the students can legally exercise this right, the values still remain strong. "The Gunnery has taught me that we are responsible for the communities in which we live," said Julia, "As a member of the community of the United States, voting is the accepting of that reasonability. Over 150 years ago, in a different time, Frederick Gunn stood up in front of a crowd of people and said slavery had to go. That is the legacy we are left with."

Gunnery's Girls' 1^st Boat Places 1^st at the
2004 Head of the Connecticut Regatta

The Gunnery's crew teams had a wonderful Sunday on October 10th. At the Head of the Connecticut Regatta in Middletown, CT it was a first place sweep for the Men's and Women's Secondary Fours Races. The race was open to crews which were enrolled full-time in secondary schools. The three mile course upstream on the Connecticut River from Harbor Park in Middletown to the Portland Fire Station gave the Gunnery girls a chance to shine after a long hiatus. [continued...]

Under the Robotic Knife with Dr. David Abala '73

Originally, Dr. David Albala '73 arrived at Duke University Medical Center to build the laparoscopic kidney program. After that program got off the ground, his focus turned to the prostate cancer program. That is where he became acquainted with the da Vinci Surgical Robot. "One day," said David, "I was walking by the cardiac room; I saw it, and I asked why we weren't utilizing it."

The da Vinci Surgical Robot is a machine using the most advanced computer-controlled robotic technology for the treatment of prostate cancer. It is minimally invasive and offers patients an alternative to major surgery. During the surgery, the surgical team inserts the robot's specialized instruments into the patient. Dr. Albala controls the movement of the robot arms from a console about ten feet away. Mini-cameras on the arms send larger than life images to video monitors.

A true landmark in modern technology, this piece of machinery offers many benefits to both doctors and patients. "First, visualization is great," said Dr. Albala, "Second, the blood loss is significantly lower. In an open procedure, 500ccs of blood is lost. That could fill a bottle of Coke. However, with this robot, only 150ccs is lost. Third, catheters can be removed within a week as opposed to 3 weeks with the open procedure." This procedure has allowed doctors to give their patients a major surgery that is less invasive and less painful with a faster recovery time. Most patients leave the hospital the day after surgery.

With gaining popularity, this procedure is provided in centers that have the resources. At Duke, four are scheduled per week. They are already booked through October. Right now, the biggest hurdle facing this procedure is cost. Each machine costs $1.2 million and each disposable instrument costs $1,200.00. According to David, "With this steep cost comes a huge breakthrough. We are excited by this advance in technology and have made a commitment to implementing it successfully for our patients."

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Highlander Highlights is produced by the Admissions Office. Todd Santa Maria is our editor. Please feel free to email or call Todd at (860) 868-7334 if you have any questions or comments about our newsletter.