By Mya Dobrowolski ’21

In this week’s edition of Faculty Highlights, get to know Russian teacher Mr. Lyvandansky!

Where were you born and raised?

I was born in a town called Leningrad. It was in the Soviet Union or the USSR, but as most Americans say, the CCCP.

 

How long have you been working at Sem?

I started in 1992. I’ve been here for 28 years. 

 

What is your favorite class to teach?

Russian 4, by far. The students are very mature and advanced. They even have some knowledge of Russian that is applicable in the real world when they travel to Russia.

 

What is your favorite football team?

The Cowboys because when I was little, I loved cowboy movies. 

 

If you could be an animal, what animal would you be?

A cat. When I was little, I read a story about a cat who walked by himself. I think Kipling wrote it. 

 

What is your favorite color?

Blue. It’s calm but at the same time warm. 

 

What is one place you’ve always wanted to travel to?

Well, I have traveled everywhere I have wanted to. I wanted to go to Western Europe and I did it. 

 

What is one object that you couldn’t live without?

Tik Tok. I spend hours on it. 

 

What is a quote that you live by?

I believe that everyone should “live, laugh, love.”

 

What is your favorite thing about Sem?

The sense of community here. It’s one big loving family 

 

What is your favorite sport?

Skiing. Love it. 

 

Any plans for summer?

Spend time with the family. I’ll teach my twins how to swim, ride bikes with Leo, and host a lot of BBQs.

New Club at School is Nuts!

by Max Liu ’21

“Squirrel watching isn’t just a club. It’s a lifestyle.” – Jonah Pascal ‘21

A brisk January morning passes by. Keefer Wu ‘21 has spent the second half of his lunch bell tracking down the Rodentia Sciuridae, also known as the squirrel. Today in particular, Keefer is attempting to get an image of one particular squirrel, one that has been constantly harassing the tree outside of the Stettler Learning Resources Center. “Geoffrey,” as head of security Jonah Pascal ‘21 calls him, “is a creature that evades all detection. You see him, and then he’s gone before you can get a picture.”

The squirrel is a fascinating creature. With its sizable tail and short legs, one would think that capturing a squirrel would be simple. As head of trapping Shailee Desai ‘21 will tell you, however, this is never the case. “Trapping squirrels can be pretty difficult. I tried when I was approximately 10 years old, using a crate and a couple of nuts and a ziplock bag. The squirrel took the nuts and escaped.” However, this has not deterred the Official Rodent Observation and Study Society of Wyoming Seminary (dubbed Squirrel Club). “Squirrel club has been working diligently on a high-quality trap that poses no risk[s] to either humans or squirrels,” claims Ms. Desai.

A common question that the Squirrel Watching Club receives is “why?” The easy answer: to observe and study squirrels. However, the club does have other motives.

“Squirrels scare me” say Shane Holcombe ‘23 and Flynn Little ‘21. This is a perception shared by various students across campus. However, squirrels are nothing of which to be afraid. The Rodent Observation and Study Society’s official mission statement is to spread awareness about an underrepresented population on campus. Mya Dobrowolski ‘21, founder of Book Club, perfectly captures this message: “Squirrel club is not only an enriching school club, but it also fosters creativity that is crucial to the development of awareness towards squirrels.”

Of course, Squirrel Club is also an opportunity for students to have fun and topractice critical thinking. Niko Katsuyoshi ‘20, a TikTok star, calls the activity “one of the most interesting and interactive clubs on campus” and an “opportunity to go out and watch nature.” Multiple fun and original events have been hosted this year, including an art competition and ‘squirrel hide and go seek’.

“Squirrels are really nice. They give life to nature,” says Sandra Hategekimana ‘21. Since its founding in December 2019, Squirrel Club has been actively gaining members and seeking support from the local community. “Squirrel Club has shown me a part of campus that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise,” says Matthew Kuloszewski ‘21. Each day, the club worked towards changing the opinions of the students and creating a more inclusive environment on campus.