Gavin Swenson, rising Casady sophomore, showcases his yo-yo skills in the video above. Gavin competes in yo-yo competitions and will travel to national competition after taking first and fourth place in the multi-state South Central Regionals.

Congratulations, Gavin!

In the fall of 2007 my parents told me we were going to move from Memphis, Tennessee, to Oklahoma City, at the end of my eighth-grade year.

Two weeks before my freshman year, we arrived in OKC. Three days after semi-settling in, I went to Casady volleyball pre-season training. I was ridiculously nervous! I was ‘Facebook Friends’ with three people in my class, which did little to help my emotional state. However, the nervousness disappeared the instant I walked through the gym doors and was greeted by a girl on the volleyball team who introduced me to other girls, giving me what would be my lasting impression of the friendliness at Casady. By the end of the first week of school, I had made tons of friends, was apart of a sports team, had signed up for clubs, and was getting ready to audition for the fall theater production. One night after school, I realized that even though it was normal for me to be nervous about starting high school in a new place, it paid off because I knew I had stepped into new territory, and I had made it!

I am now a Sophomore, and already I’ve learned a lot about myself and who I want to become since I arrived here, and I give Casady the credit. Not only have I realized that a piece of paper your teacher gives you with a bunch of scribbles on it will actually help you learn the essence of iambic pentameter, I am also learning that it is important to be involved in your community and to be a good citizen at school. Casady makes all of this learning possible. Teachers never turn down a request for help, and they want to help us bring out the best in what we do, whether it is in sports, academics, the arts, or any other activity. Casady has such a bright vibe, and I have always sensed a friendly closeness with the Casady community.

I’m thankful to go to school here, and when I graduate in 2012, I will leave proud and prepared.

I have two favorite things about Casady: sports and cheerleading.

I play volleyball in the fall and tennis in the spring. Volleyball was a really good learning experience for me. I played volleyball in 7^th and 8^th grade, but this year was very different. I felt like we actually learned detailed skills particularly for our position, instead of learning the very basics for everything. I played setter this year, which I also played in 8^th grade. It was difficult being a freshman volleyball player, and it was a little intimidating at times. However, the coaches, Coach Freeman and Coach Miller, really helped and I felt like they cared about us.

I haven’t played high school tennis yet, but I did play in 7^th and 8^th grade, and I’ve been taking lessons from Coach Hoven. I have a lot of fun playing tennis, and I love that there are a lot of courts at Casady to play on. I can already tell how good of a coach Coach Hoven is. He’s nice and very helpful, although I’ve heard rumors that he still gets us in shape on the courts. I am very excited to see what tennis will be like in the spring.

Just like volleyball and tennis, I’ve cheered at Casady since 7^th grade. My first year of Casady cheer was very fun; a lot of people did it and we all had a blast. 8^th grade cheer was a little bit bumpy. We had a new coach, and by the end of the year, there were only five people on the squad. JV cheer is really fun. Even though the squad is small, we have fun together. Coach Mitcham is really fun too. She’s very nice, but knows when we start getting out of hand. I am sad that the cheer season is almost over.

This is only my freshmen year at Casady, but I already love it!

It’s that time once again- the hustle and bustle of the holidays is here. Have you started making your holiday wish list yet? In the spirit of consumerism, here are the must-have items for students of all ranks. Make sure you add them to your holiday wish list!

A Wish List for Students

• Netbook- Netbooks are great for keeping up with e-mails and assignments on the go. The size makes them convenient to carry to classes and while traveling. If you take notes on your laptop during lectures, I suggest getting a netbook to lighten your load. Here is a list of PC World’s Top 10 Netbooks: http://bit.ly/5j2Y6Y
• Portfolio- Get a great portfolio going by saving your best projects, papers and accomplishments in college. Add your resume and package it together in a professional way. Make sure your portfolio has binder rings and a zipper. This ensures you can add pages to your portfolio and don’t lose any of your work. This one is pricey, but it’s a great example: http://bit.ly/8n8xZ9
• PokenPULSE- Ditch your memory stick and upgrade to a pokenPULSE. It has 2GB of memory for all of your assignments and allows you to connect with your classmates and professionals in your field because it is a self-proclaimed “social business card.” The best part? It’s only $35. Here is a link to the product: http://www.poken.com/pulse
• Skullcandy Titan Headphones- Put some fun into your studying with these great ear bud headphones. Product features include high quality sound and a great bass, superior isolation from outside noise, and cable mounted volume control. Plus, they were featured on HeadRoom’s Ten Best Headphones of 2009 list. Here is a link to check them out:http://bit.ly/7KS917
• Compact Digital Camera- Capture your memories in pictures while you are in high school and college. You only get to do each once, and having pictures to back up your experiences is well worth the investment. When I’m heading out the door to do things, I make sure I have four things: phone, wallet, keys, camera. I’m always connected and I never miss a beat. Here is a link to CNET’s Best Budget Digital Camera’s for 2009: http://bit.ly/5ELPd9

What would you add to this student wish list to make your holidays merry and bright?

Author: Jamie Mitcham

Short Bio on Ali Cheek: Ali is an active member of the student body at Casady School. Ali is a captain on the varsity cheerleading team and also plays field hockey for Casady. As a student, Ali is the president of PASS and a member of gales, the environmental club, French club and multicultural club.

Post by: Alison Cheek, Casady School Senior

Most in the Casady community know about the School’s summer plans. Now the rest of the metro does too. Casady’s new UD director and building expansions are outlined in Saturday’s edition of The Oklahoman. Click here to read the article.

Bright was also quoted in the The Oklahoman here talking about private schools in Oklahoma staying strong despite tough times in today’s economy.

Thanks for being apart of Casady and striving along with us to be the very best we can be!

• Monday- Volunteer Appreciation Day.
• Tuesday- Volunteers Roar! Animals Day.
• Wednesday- Earth Day- Tree ceremony outside of Harper.
• Thursday- Circle of Service Day.
• Friday- Celebration Time- Presentation of Presidential Service Awards.
• Saturday- Global Youth Service Day- Adopt-a-Street clean up on Britton and Pennsylvania. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at Student Center. YAC Lake Clean up and Carbon Footpring and Water Conservation Awareness Walk.

After a nationwide search, Casady School is excited to announce Peter B. Huestis as its next Upper Division Director.

Here are a few fast facts about the new face on campus:

•  Mr. Huestis is a native Canadian.
• He previously served as the Associate Headmaster for External Affairs at Forsyth Country Day School in North Carolina.
• He has worked with both the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics as a guest relations agent and free agent camp coach.
• He earned a master’s degree in sports management and a bachelor’s in history.

“Huestis will deepen faculty’s learning styles and learning on how to help students balance academics, arts and athletics,” Chris Bright, Casady Headmaster, said. ”Overall, he will bring faculty and Casady together on shared aims.”

Huestis officially begins July 1, 2009. Please join us in welcoming them to Oklahoma City and Casady.