diff --git a/zephyr/models.py b/zephyr/models.py
index ac570d7dc7..710d3ff271 100644
--- a/zephyr/models.py
+++ b/zephyr/models.py
@@ -2,17 +2,41 @@ from django.db import models
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
 from django.db.models.signals import post_save
 
+def get_display_recipient(recipient):
+    """
+    recipient: an instance of Recipient.
+
+    returns: an appropriate string describing the recipient (the class
+    name, for a class, or the username, for a user).
+    """
+    if recipient.type == "class":
+        zephyr_class = ZephyrClass.objects.get(pk=recipient.user_or_class)
+        return zephyr_class.name
+    else:
+        user = User.objects.get(pk=recipient.user_or_class)
+        return user.username
+
 class UserProfile(models.Model):
     user = models.OneToOneField(User)
     pointer = models.IntegerField()
 
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return "<UserProfile: %s>" % (self.user.username,)
+
 class ZephyrClass(models.Model):
     name = models.CharField(max_length=30)
 
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return "<ZephyrClass: %s>" % (self.name,)
+
 class Recipient(models.Model):
     user_or_class = models.IntegerField()
     type = models.CharField(max_length=30)
 
+    def __repr__(self):
+        display_recipient = get_display_recipient(self)
+        return "<Recipient: %s (%d, %s)>" % (display_recipient, self.user_or_class, self.type)
+
 class Zephyr(models.Model):
     sender = models.ForeignKey(UserProfile)
     recipient = models.ForeignKey(Recipient) # personal or class
@@ -20,6 +44,10 @@ class Zephyr(models.Model):
     content = models.CharField(max_length=200)
     pub_date = models.DateTimeField('date published')
 
+    def __repr__(self):
+        display_recipient = get_display_recipient(self.recipient)
+        return "<Zephyr: %s / %s / %r>" % (display_recipient, self.instance, self.sender)
+
 def create_user_profile(**kwargs):
     """When creating a new user, make a profile for him or her."""
     u = kwargs["instance"]
diff --git a/zephyr/views.py b/zephyr/views.py
index 6902d0221d..0b162cf5e1 100644
--- a/zephyr/views.py
+++ b/zephyr/views.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from django.shortcuts import render
 from django.utils.timezone import utc
 
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
-from zephyr.models import Zephyr, UserProfile, ZephyrClass, Recipient
+from zephyr.models import Zephyr, UserProfile, ZephyrClass, Recipient, get_display_recipient
 from zephyr.forms import RegistrationForm
 
 import datetime
@@ -42,12 +42,7 @@ def home(request):
 
     zephyrs = Zephyr.objects.all()
     for zephyr in zephyrs:
-        if zephyr.recipient.type == "class":
-            zephyr_class = ZephyrClass.objects.get(pk=zephyr.recipient.user_or_class)
-            zephyr.display_recipient = zephyr_class.name
-        else:
-            user = User.objects.get(pk=zephyr.recipient.user_or_class)
-            zephyr.display_recipient = user.username
+        zephyr.display_recipient = get_display_recipient(zephyr.recipient)
 
     user = request.user
     user_profile = UserProfile.objects.get(user=user)
@@ -76,16 +71,9 @@ def get_updates(request):
     new_zephyrs = Zephyr.objects.filter(id__gt=last_received)
     new_zephyr_list = []
     for zephyr in new_zephyrs:
-        if zephyr.recipient.type == "class":
-            zephyr_class = ZephyrClass.objects.get(pk=zephyr.recipient.user_or_class)
-            display_recipient = zephyr_class.name
-        else:
-            user = User.objects.get(pk=zephyr.recipient.user_or_class)
-            display_recipient = user.username
-
         new_zephyr_list.append({"id": zephyr.id,
                                 "sender": zephyr.sender.user.username,
-                                "display_recipient": display_recipient,
+                                "display_recipient": get_display_recipient(zephyr.recipient),
                                 "instance": zephyr.instance,
                                 "content": zephyr.content
                                 })