March 2016 - Bristol Public Schools

Volume 2 ♦ Issue 2
Q2-Q3 Edition ♦ April 2016
CHOOSING A SIDE
By Raina L.
the rivalry between them can
make
some
friendships and
relationships a
bit complicated.
Whether
it’s
choosing a side
to sit on for
sporting events, rooting
for players on opposing
teams, or even going to
a place where there will
be more people from
“the other school”, mix-
It is no secret to anyone
in Bristol that there is a
clear rivalry between
Bristol Eastern and Bristol Central. While both
high schools are great,
Inside this issue:
Secrets. Privacy.
At What Cost?
3
Two Wrongs
Right
4
Making Herstory
5
CT Shootings:
Bitter Debate
6
Robots Taking
Over Our Jobs?
8
Tinder: Kindling
Stereotypes
9
ing schools and friendships can be difficult.
Alyssa L., a junior at
BEHS who has friends
that attend BCHS, said
of choosing seats at
Eastern vs. Central
sporting events, “It hasn’t been hard to choose
which side to sit on because I’ll always fully
support the school I go
to when it comes to
sporting events.” She
(Continued on page 3)
UNSUNG
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
By Valerie B.
The music department has always been
at a constant battle.
Whether it’s the budget
or the worth, music
seems to face challenges in every school. At
BEHS they have a talented music program,
they have opportunities for all who wish to
pursue music. From
groups like Strawberry
Fields to Jazz Band,
every student is guaranteed an education in
music. A very common
battle the music department in our school,
like
many
other
schools, faces is the
under-appreciation.
Ricky H., a Senior at
BEHS who is also a
part of Strawberry
Fields, says that during
his sophomore year the
choir won every single
award they competed
for and there was absolutely no recognition
for it. He adds that the
music program has
(Continued on page 12)
FRESH START
A Renewable Future
By Noah C.
Large fossil fuel companies have been in control of our government
for decades, and with
the 2016 presidential
election closing in,
America has a chance to
take back control of its
own political system.
Senator Bernie Sanders
is running for the Democratic nomination for
presidency in the election of 2016. As a socialistic democrat, many of
Sen. Sander’s planks—
views on various topics
and issues—involve
massive changes in
American society. One
of his most well known
planks lies in the matter
of climate change, especially the ridding the
American political system of influence from
the massive fossil fuel
lobby.
Sen. Sanders has
claimed in multiple
debates and interviews
that the primary reason
for lack of progress in
climate change is the
billions of dollars that
are being poured into
the political system by
the fossil fuel industries.
Page 2
The only intent of the
fossil fuel industry is to
secure its business for
future profit without
governmental intervention. These companies
exert a lot of pressure
on elected officials who
rely on their money in
order to remain in power, said environmental
teacher Mrs. Dilernia
from Bristol Eastern
High School. She also
pointed out that this
contributes to the reluctance of Americans to
embrace clean and renewable energy sources.
Statistics reveal that
since 2009, oil, coal, and
electric companies have
spent nearly $2.26 billion in federal lobbying,
with an additional $330
million being spent on
federal campaigns. This
results in corrupted
government officials
who often rule in favor
of the companies supplying all this money.
Ultimately, the nation
is prevented from taking steps towards renewable, clean energy
sources that will be
needed for the future
generations of Americans. Rather, the nation
is moving backwards by
considering legislation
to build Keystone pipelines, which would ultimately cause environmental catastrophes.
Banning fossil fuel
lobbyists from holding
jobs in the White House
is one way Sen. Sanders
claims will combat this
issue as president of the
United States. Doing so
will eliminate the fossil
fuel industry’s influence
over elected officials
who are supposed to be
serving the people of
this nation, rather than
these large companies.
As a result of less influence from the fossil
fuel industry, the American economy can then
be mobilized to design
and manufacture renewable energy sources.
There are plenty of options already for the
public to utilize in order
to reduce their impact
on climate change. In
fact, many people such
as Mrs. Dilernia would
do whatever it takes to
(Continued on page 8)
Eastern
EasternExtra
Extra♦♦ Q1
Q2-Q3
2015 Edition
SECRETS. PRIVACY.
At What Cost?
By Colin S.
The Edward Snowden
case in 2013 had citizens
of the U.S astonished by
the knowledge that the
government has been
spying on them in their
own homes. The NSA
(Na tion al
S ecur i ty
Agency)
has been
around since 1952, monitoring the lives of
American peoples.
Since 2006, Snowden
worked on computers
until he was enrolled in
the CIA and went to a
specialist school to further develop his craft.
As he was promoted to
higher positions, he
discovered his fear. He
feared that the NSA was
unconstitutional
through their extensive
window into American
lives. He stated in an
interview with a journalist: “I don't want to
live in a world where
everything I say and do
is recorded.”
Some Americans disagree with Snowden's
statement. “It is good to
keep tabs on bad people. It may make Americans uneasy, but it is for
the greater good,” says
Ally B., a junior from
Farmington
H igh
School. She is an avid
user of the internet.
Wanting to expose the
government's secret to
the public, he copied
approximately 1.4 million government files,
and disclosed it to the
public. According to
Army General Martin
Dempsey, “the vast
majority
of
those
[undisclosed files] were
related to our military
capabilities, tactics, operations, techniques and
procedures.”
BCHS tended to treat
BEHS students differently… if some of them happened to go out onto the
(Continued from page 1)
field after the game.”
Alyssa believes that tenalso stated about the fa- sion rises during sporting
mous Thanksgiving Day events if her friends hapGame that “people from pen to be on a sports
CHOOSING
A SIDE
Volume 2 ♦ Issue 2
Edward Snowden was
a former CIA member
who specialized in computers and security.
Stationed in Geneva,
Switzerland, he was
responsible for upholding computer network
security.
Eventually
Snowden worked as a
contractee for Dell, and
managed many government agencies. He
gained the moniker of
an “expert in cyber
counterintelligence”
Today, Snowden currently resides in Russia.
His passport has been
revoked by the US government. Russia has
granted him political
asylum until 2017. In
the meantime, he has
sent out 27 other asylum request to countries
including Germany,
and countries in Latin
(Continued on page 12)
team, and added that
“No matter what school
you go to, there is always
going to be a high level
of competitiveness. Having two high schools in
the same area [raises that
level] because each
(Continued on page 7)
Page 3
CURRENT EVENTS
TWO WRONGS = RIGHT
Part II of a Two-Part Report
By Inoj E.
There are many reasons
why America has a
problem with police
brutality. First, police
departments are not
required to report instances of abuse at the
federal level, and many
cities and states have no
reporting requirements.
Police brutality has
been the focus of controversy on social media, in the news, and in
newspapers so much so
that police in many
communities are considering—or have already begun using—
cameras on their uniforms in addition to the
ones already in their
motor vehicles.
Police officers have
tough jobs and have to
make a lot of tough decisions when doing
their jobs. Not every
officer is “bad,” but
some officers may deliberately act on their own
thoughts and beliefs
beyond those sanctioned by their department. It is for that reason that communities
Page 4
are coming up with
their own solutions.
Authorizing officers to
use violence on citizens
requires an extreme
amount of trust. Young
people of this generation in some areas of the
United States are suspicious of bestowing trust
on organizations that
haven’t proven to be
transparent in their reporting, manipulative
and unclear in their
claims of appropriate
use, and supportive of
efforts to make holding
abusers accountable
more difficult. An officer of the law should
have the same right
every other citizen does,
but if they break a law
they should be arrested
and charged just as the
average citizen would
be.
In big cities with a lot
of violence and gangs, it
is difficult for police
and for citizens alike.
Some citizens take their
pain out on officers,
jeopardizing everyone’s
safety, as well as inno-
cent bystanders. Furthermore, it only furthers the unfair distrust
officers have of certain
groups.
It all comes down to
this: ALL LIVES MATTER!
A community
needs to trust in the
those that enforce the
law just as those who
enforce the law need to
treat each person individually, not as a label
or stereotype. Furthermore, social media
blows everything out of
proportion, further enflaming what tensions
may already exist.
Without a dialogue,
everyone instead jumps
to conclusions. When
that happens, everyone
suffers. Two wrongs, in
these cases, never make
a right. ■
Chippens Chatter
Eastern
♦ Winter
Extra ♦2006
Q2-Q3
Edition
Edition
CURRENT EVENTS
MAKING HERSTORY
By Rebecca F.
Volume 2 ♦ Issue 2
redefiningherstory.org
A woman's image was always of a
damsel in distress or assistant and
one of never having power. But that
changed on August 18, 1920, when
women received the right to vote and
were given the right to voice their
opinion. Ever since, women have
slowly built their image to match
men. Today there are women who are
running for president, protecting the
streets, and who are CEO’s of companies. Still, their images are tarnished
through movies and TV casting females as women in distress
Throughout history it’s always been
the girl getting saved by the big
strong man. Once in a while the big
strong man does get saved, but it’s
rare. Women were seen as weak and
needing to be taken care of, and it
was the man's job to do so.
With each generation, different
“images” were planted in their heads.
Today, it’s the idea that women can
do whatever men can do that’s bee
planted. But this image took time. In
the early 1900’s it was set into young
children that women should stay at
home and take care of the children,
while the men go out and provide.
Seventy-year-old Craig Chocquette
recalls his mom's career life while he
was growing up: “When I was a kid
my mother worked as a mother all the
time. Ran all aspects of family life
that had to do with the children including sit down meals at night,
cleaning the house, washing clothes
and assuring the kids did their homework. In those days working outside
the house wasn't necessary because
husband made enough money to support the household.”
Jamie Finkelstein, a 36-year-old
mom, said a woman's image is all
about the following: “Glamour, insecurity, style, self conscious and jealousy”
The difference between women in
the 1940s and women today is big.
Women today are able to proudly
work without being criticized or embarrassed. Women in the forties
stayed home and took care of the children without a second thought.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the
pursuit of equality. According to
UNWOMEN.org, “Gender equality
before the law does not necessarily
mean that women have equal opportunities in practice.”
All women want is full equality in
life and at work. They want to change
their image by becoming leaders
without relying on men. ■
Page 5
CONNECTICUT NEWS
CT SHOOTINGS TRIGGER
BITTER DEBATE
By Noah C.
Despite current gun
control legislation in
Connecticut, gun related crimes have remained stagnant in recent years. As a result,
citizens of the state
question whether or not
this legislation is actually reducing the amount
of gun related crimes, or
if other measures must
be taken to protect the
people without infringing upon their constitutional rights.
In the past decade,
gun related murders
have decreased by nearly 40%. This decrease is
believed by many to be
due to laws passed in
1995, mandating that a
gun-license is needed to
purchase a gun, as well
as an eight-hour training course, a background check, and lifting the minimum age
for purchasing a gun
from age 18 to 21.
Though there has
been a major decline of
gun related violence,
the problem has not yet
been solved entirely. On
Page 6
March 4, 2016, a man in
New Haven was shot in
the chest while sitting in
the passenger seat of a
car. Police have reason
to believe that the
shooter was perched in
an apartment complex
nearly two blocks away,
and the motive behind
the killing is still unclear. Another shooting
took place in New Haven on Wednesday,
March 9, when a man
walked into a tattoo
parlor and shot two
people inside when
they were unable to
help him. Cases like
these exist and have
been on the rise despite
a 40% decrease since
1995, indicating that
background checks and
restrictions on certain
weapons have not effectively eliminated gun
related crimes.
Proponents argue that
Governor Malloy has in
fact worsened the matter with the passing of
AR (assault rifle) bans,
and strongly oppose his
efforts to enact stricter
gun control policies.
Doc, manager of Wolf’s
Indoor Shooting Range,
says that the current
legislation gives the
criminals more rights
than the citizen since
the criminals are going
to be getting their
weapons off the black
market or in some other
illegal manner. “The
laws haven’t changed a
thing,” Doc stressed,
stating that more honest
citizens will end up
victimized because they
will not have the means
to protect themselves
with a gun. Hartford
according to Doc, is no
safer with unarmed
citizens than it was before the legislation was
enacted.
Statistics refute these
claims. Compared to
other states with similar
gun control policies
such as New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and
Maryland, gun related
homicide in Connecticut
dropped substantially
between 1995 and 2005.
(Continued on page 13)
Chippens Chatter
Eastern
Eastern
♦ Winter
Extra
Extra
♦2006
Q2-Q3
♦ Q1
Edition
Edition
CONNECTICUT NEWS
DRUGS: It’s Not Just Their Problem
pinterest.com
By Kyle F.
Connecticut has had a
growing drug and underage drinking problem. People want to
know what is being
done.
In Connecticut, New
Haven and Litchfield
counties are two
with significant instances of
drug
overdose. New Haven county had the
largest
accidental
overdose deaths totaling at 84 all due to
heroin.
Between
January and
September,
Litchfield
county had 18 accidental heroin overdoses.
A poll of 46 underage individuals revealed a concern that
underage drinking is a
problem affecting their
peers.
Only 39% felt
that there was no problem.
CHOOSING A SIDE
(Continued from page 3)
school wants to be the one to represent that city/town,” although, as
Lauren K. said in an article about
rival school friendships, “Having
friends at rival schools really adds to
the fun and intensity of these highly
anticipated games.”
Jorge H., a senior at BCHS who recently moved from Eastern to Cen-
Volume 2 ♦ Issue 2
In New Haven county, efforts are underway
to prevent substance
abuse through educating the youth, increasing school assemblies,
and encouraging an
ongoing dialogue about
the underlying problems that lead to underage drinking and substance abuse.
And because even the
elderly are at risk of
becoming addicted because of the painkillers
they receive after surgery, outreach efforts
are also targeting this
age group. ■
tral, reflected on the experience and
stated, “After years of being part of a
family, I had to move and it wasn’t
fair to them or me” and expressed
that moving to another school his
senior year didn’t feel right. He misses all of the faculty, staff, and students, and said, “I miss how we used
to be a family there… everyone in
that school taught me something.”
When people found out Jorge was
dating someone from Eastern, they
(Continued on page 13)
Page 7
EYE OPENING NEWS
RISE OF THE TERMINATOR
Are Robots Taking Over Our Jobs?
By Kyle F.
According to World Economic Foreign research, over five million jobs in
the world will be lost to developing
artificial intelligence, robotics, and
other technological changes. Administrative and office jobs will account for
two-thirds of them.
Though about seven million jobs
will be lost, two million will be created with the new robotics. The future
jobs that will become available will be
in the computer, mathematical, architecture, and engineering related
fields.
WEF founder Klaus Schwab and
Richard Samans used data from a
survey of 15 different economies covering 1.9 billion workers, 65 percent of
the world workforce. Countries like
Australia, the U.S, the U.K, China,
Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan,
Mexico, Turkey, and South Africa will
be the most affected. Those countries
are the most populated and are some
of the more technologically advanced
FRESH
START
(Continued from page 2)
live 100% sustainably.
However, she points
out that the biggest
issue is the cost of these
Page
Page 88
countries in the world. The more the
population of the world expands, the
more jobs will be needed, but at the
same time technology is making jobs
harder to find. Computers today, depending on the job, can do the work
of 100 people.
High school graduates and those
already in college will be affected
because they may have to carefully
consider or even change their major.
Ever since the Industrial Revolution,
technology has become more advanced, eliminating jobs in the process. At the same time, they have created new fields and new jobs. The
problem is more jobs are becoming
obsolete than the amount of jobs being created. With the rapid growth
the world is going through, if this
pattern keeps up, eventually there
will only be enough jobs for a handful
of people. ■
technologies. The technologies are too expensive to merely go out
and purchase at a moment’s notice. If the
economy was geared
towards production of
these new technologies
on a massive scale, the
price would then decrease, which is something Sen. Bernie Sanders intends to capitalize
on.
Assuring environmental justice across the
nation is another branch
(Continued on page 14)
Chippens Chatter
Eastern
Eastern
♦ Winter
Extra
Extra
♦2006
Q2-Q3
♦ Q1
Edition
Edition
TINDER: Kindling Stereotypes
By Grace D.
Today ten million people use Tinder as a way
to find their match. Tinder is a dating app
where after posting a
picture profile, users
can explore the posts,
swiping right for “yes,”
you're interested in the
person, or left for “no,”
you’re not interested.
Many believe apps
like Tinder are changing
the way teens behave
and think. This is because it is a dating tool
based mostly on looks,
not a person’s personality or attitude. Such an
app turns people into
robots with no feelings
since there is no chal-
lenge to get to no someone. People do not have
to think more than they
need to.
Studies reveal that
Tinder is affecting its
users emotionally by
simplifying the way
people answer questions. Swiping through
the app and making
choices so quickly likens it to a game. Its ease
leads some to view it
more as a toy than an
app to find a match.
“It’s definitely hard
sometimes to make decisions because I want
to make people happy
with what I choose,”
said Emma, a sixteen-
year-old sophomore.
She looks for the personality in a person; she
doesn’t judge solely by
appearance. Aware of
her decisions she makes
while using Tinder, she
always considers what
she’s doing before doing it.
Some people truly
want to find a genuine
match using the Tinder
app. ■
WHAT’S EATING
THE SCHOOL BUDGET?
By Colin S.
A 2.8 million dollar
budget for cafeteria
services through 20162017 has been approved
by the Board of Education. This new approved
budget
is
$40,000 over the current
budget.
This budget is a
standalone from the
$111.6 million that the
Volume 2 ♦ Issue 2
Board of Education had
also approved.
For the year of 2016,
the cafeteria has a projected deficit of $31,000.
“We are in good shape
if you compare that to
historical data,” says
Karen Vibert, the chair
of the school board's
finance committee. Last
year ended with a defi-
cit of approximately
$64,000, compared to
deficits in years prior, as
high as $300,000. Of
this budget, 1.9 million
dollars come from the
state and federal government, while the rest
is from the cafeterias
themselves. The cafete(Continued on page 15)
Page 9
ON THE ROAD
MOVE OVER!
By Grace D.
dbiservices.com
Since the 1960s, five
state troopers have been
struck and killed on the
side of Connecticut
highways. State troopers are currently using
social media to remind
drivers the Move Over
law requires drivers to
slow down and move
over for law enforcement in emergency situations. The law has not
been followed as strictly
as it needs to be, resulting in crashes between
drivers and law enforcement.
Cathy, a long term
driver, said “many people are always in a hurry and don’t want to
take the time to be cautious.”
State troopers realize
their jobs carry risks,
but many troopers are
needlessly put into
Page 10
harms way multiple
times each day by people who have failed to
move over.
”From what I know,
this law is not strict
enough,” said Alana
Dubois, a college sophomore at Fairfield and
driver of four years.
Alana, aware of the
Move Over law, does
follow the law by moving over and slowing
down to let law enforcement do their work. She
thinks the main reason
most people don’t is
because they are not
paying attention to their
surroundings. It may be
from texting, listening
to music too loudly, or
not seeing the flashing
lights or hearing the
sirens coming from the
other vehicle. She believes drivers need to be
more aware of the
law before further
accidents occur. The
law will help Connecticut’s law enforcement do their
job more effectively
and it will make it
safer for them to
work.
This year state troopers have issued 440 tickets statewide and with
fines starting from $181
for not following the
law. In some issues,
drivers said they were
unaware this law even
existed in Connecticut,
which may account for
why most people have
failed to move over and
slow down to let the
emergency vehicles go
by.
“Many people are too
busy before getting
their license that they
don’t take Driver's Education. [They] do not
know many of the rules
of the road,” Cathy said.
Cathy added, “In a
case on Route 6 in Bristol, a car went through
the traffic light when it
turned green. But she
did not pay attention
and didn’t see the lights
of a moving fire truck
and struck the fire truck
and died.”
Drivers who do not
know the law increase
the risk for emergency
vehicles to respond
timely to emergencies. ■
Eastern Extra ♦ Q2-Q3 Edition
ON THE ROAD
R U TEXTING
OVER THE SPEED LIMIT?
handsfreeinfo.com
By Bella M.
Driving is an activity
that claims the lives of
million Americans a
year. Some people may
consider driving to be a
somewhat safe task but
it's not.
Adrian Lund, the director of the Insurance
Institute for Highway
Safety says that the primary reason for the
surge in roadway
deaths is people drive
more miles and the kind
of driving changes. People are going to more
parties and participating in more risky driving because they are
under the influence.
Many drivers, especial-
Volume 2 ♦ Issue 2
ly teens, also use their
phone while driving
and don't pay much
attention to the road.
Distracted driving can
be deadly.
Teens, or beginning
drivers, contribute to a
great number of highway or roadway crashes
in general.
“We know they are
more at risk,” says
Lund.
Sixteen-year-old Jacob
L., a junior, believes that
following too close is
the number one cause of
crashes on the highways. He believes teenagers are irresponsible
drivers because “they
don’t think about what
could happen and don’t
follow the rules.” Lincoln was 16 when he
first got his license. He
experienced his first
accident because of icy
roads. “Weather,” said
Jacob, “is also a key
factor in highway accidents because the
weather can be very
unpredictable and you
never really know what
to expect.”
Hunter D, a senior,
believes drivers between 16 and 25 are
more responsible for
highway crashes, or just
crashes in general. He
attributes it to driving
inexperience and the
urge to do stupid things
that could get them or
others hurt.
Hunter attributes texting or driving under
the influence as other
factors affecting young
drivers.
Texting, according to Hunter ,
makes drivers look
away from the road,
(Continued on page 14)
Page 11
UNSUNG
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
(Continued from page 1)
given him a safe place where he
knows he is always welcomed. “It’s a
very supportive community of people
with similar interests,” he says.
Music is an essential part of life; it's
incorporated in almost everything,
from movies to shopping, providing a
constant soundtrack. Playing an instrument (or singing) increases brain
productivity and has proven to be a
contributing factor to advanced reading and math skills. It only seems fair
that high school music programs get
the treatment and recognition they
deserve. Ricky says, “To make the
student body more aware, we can
announce the band and choir concerts
through the school’s announcements,
or put up posters and fliers around
the school that advertise music
events.”
SECRETS. PRIVACY.
(Continued from page 3)
America. Countries like Germany
immediately denied the request.
Mr. Coderre, the choir director at
BEHS, says he is happy with the attention the music department is receiving. He stated, with enthusiasm,
that about 12% of the school is involved with the music department,
whether it be through band or choir.
Like Ricky, Coderre says the music
department is a place of acceptance,
“It’s a place where you can come and
you know that everyone has the same
interests.” The program has also influenced students to stay in school,
“I’ve had kids tell me that the only
reason they came to school was because they knew that they had choir
at the end of the day.” He adds, “It
makes me happy to know that I
helped a few kids graduate.”
There is progress being made but
there is always room for growth. The
music department not only benefits a
student’s classroom life, but it can
greatly affect their personal and social
life. With 12% of the school population involved, they’re closer than ever
to the recognition they deserve. ■
There is worry present in what can
be seen by the government online, but
it may be useful as a country to be
aware of suspected criminals. But is
leaking information to a previously
unaware populace the right idea? ■
Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire
YES2MOTIVATION.COM
Access Resources to help with Math, Reading/
Writing, College Searches/Scholarships, SAT/ACT,
AP Practice and MUCH, MUCH MORE!
Page 12
Eastern Extra ♦ Q2-Q3 Edition
BITTER DEBATE
(Continued from page 6)
There is no way, however, to reveal
whether or not this is actually due to
the legislation, or if other factors such
as policing, population size, or shifting demographics are also responsible. This point is made clear by many
gun control critics in Connecticut.
Dow, an employee at Wolf’s Indoor
Shooting Range, says that Governor
Malloy needs to stop acting on emoti o n . H e c l a im s th a t i t i s
“irresponsible to pass gun restrictions
based on emotional incidents that
occur in the state,” and that the laws
do not directly impact the crime rate
in Connecticut.
As an alternative to gun control,
Doc suggests that Connecticut adopt
the Castle Doctrine that is in place in
states like Maine and Texas. This doctrine allows for homeowners to legally defend their property without being tried for murder under the law.
Doc explained that this would actually lower the amount of break-ins in
the state of Connecticut because no
CHOOSING A SIDE
(Continued from page 7)
told him that “it’s hard to maintain a
relationship when you don’t know
what [the] other person [is] doing.”
He told them that it was all about
trusting that person.
It can be hard to maintain any sort
of relationship with someone from a
rival school, whether a friendship or a
romantic relationship, especially
Volume 2 ♦ Issue 2
criminal would break into a house
knowing they can legally be shot at.
It’s not likely that Gov. Malloy will
be adopting these types of policies
any time soon, nor will any Democratic governor.
Gun control in Connecticut will
continue to be a heated topic well into
the future, especially as Malloy pushes for further restrictions through
legislature. Whether or not gun control actually reduces crime is difficult
to measure, and unless solid evidence
is provided to reinforce the claims
that it actually does, people will continue to debate the merits of both
sides. The issue comes down to how
people personally interpret the second amendment. People are a product of their environment, and will
ultimately formulate their beliefs
around their upbringing. Many believe that by making firearms less
available, less crime will occur. Others, like Doc, would argue that “an
armed society is a polite society.” ■
when the two schools are in the same
town. The key to focusing on the person and not their school is to do just
that; remember why you associate
with them. It may get hard when
there are sporting events or people
voicing their opinion, but as long as
you work at it, you can healthily keep
the rivalry alive between you both. ■
Page 13
FRESH START
(Continued from page 8)
of Sen. Sander’s plan to combat climate change and environmental degradation. On his website, Sander’s
uses the example of Hurricane Katrina flooding the city of New Orleans,
proclaiming that the majority of African Americans who were evacuated
never returned to that city. He uses
these statistics to argue that low income families will be the most affected victims of these natural disasters if
climate change is not halted into the
near future.
The government needs to be on the
same page if America is to take steps
towards a cleaner future. Sen. Sanders
claims that we must bring climate
deniers to justice, in order to mobilize
a unified America towards cleaner
energy. It’s also critical for the Ameri-
TEXTING
(Continued from page 11)
increasing the chances of swerving
into another lane or losing control.
The danger is multiplied if the driver
is under the influence since drinking
and driving affects judgment and
perception.
“Yes, we are not always responsible
and caring about our driving skills so
some teens drink and drive not quite
understanding the consequences.”
can public to be educated on the issue. Mrs. Dilernia said that Americans need to know that adopting
clean energy will save them money in
the long run due to the fact that
America would become energy independent—not relying on nations like
the middle east for energy sources—
and overall stimulate the economy
with jobs and production of these
new energy sources. The public isn’t
informed on the issue, which prevents them from making an educated
decision on how to approach climate
change. People are afraid of change,
but they wouldn’t be if they knew
what that change would bring about.
After all, “Change is what has
brought us where we are today in
America. We have never stood still,
and we shouldn’t start now,” advised
Mrs. Dilernia. ■
Hunter was 17 when he got his license and has been in one accident as
the result of irresponsible driving.
Drivers may agree or disagree, but
it's clear that no matter how safe vehicles are designed to be, crashes are
still going to happen, impacting people's lives every day. The goal is to
minimize such risk factors by driving
responsibly at all times. ■
YOU ARE NEVER ALONE!
Teen Helpline
1-800-400-0900
Page 14
Adolescent Crisis Intervention &
Counseling Nineline
1-800-999-9999
Eastern Extra ♦ Q2-Q3 Edition
SCHOOL BUDGET
(Continued from page 9)
clipartkid.com
ria helps to pay by their breakfast and
lunch sales.
Additionally, this newly approved
budget does not include a new federal
program called the Community Eligibility Provision. This program will
allow all students in specific schools
to receive free breakfast and lunch.
Students can currently qualify for
reduced or free meals by having their
parents fill out paperwork that includes proof of income and family
size. Students that are already receiving direct aid from the state may also
qualify. “Once a school population
reaches 40% direct certified, the entire
school receives free meals, regardless
of income,” says Karen Hintz. According to Hintz, four possible
schools may be eligible to apply.
There is little change, however, for
students. No additional foods will be
added. According to the Director of
Food Services Greg Boulanger, “We
have strict, strict regulations. Everything that we serve is under the guid-
ance of the Board of Education and
must fall under the Child Nutrition
Laws.” For change of this kind to occur, Congress would need to be lobbied. Fortunately, students with dietary needs will, by law, see a greater
increase in gluten-free foods, as well
as a reduction in sugar. Other foods
may also become soy free and egg
free. Reduced and free meals will still
be offered.
Board Chairman Chris Wilson stated that this new program would provide additional reimbursement for
the district, helping to relieve the
chronic deficit in the cafeteria budget.
In May 2014, the school board voted
5 to 3 to doing business with a culinary company in Long Island, called
the Whitsons Culinary Group. This
new company would have provided
cafeterias with greater food options
for students, as well as eliminate deficits spending in later years. Before the
company was hired, the Board of Education ultimately ruled in favor of
local workers, and against a privatized cafeteria that would have jeopardized the positions of nearly 50
cafeteria workers in Bristol. ■
It’s that time of year!
Just a reminder to be
safe and responsible.
clipart.me
Drive carefully and
be mindful of
other drivers.
Most of all,
HAVE FUN!
Volume 2 ♦ Issue 2
Page 15
AP EXAM SCHEDULE
MONDAY, 05/02
08:00 AM: Chemistry; Environmental
Science
12:00 PM: Psychology
MONDAY, 05/09
08:00 AM: Biology; Music Theory
12:00 PM: Physics C; Mechanics
02:00 PM: Electricity and Magnetism
TUESDAY, 05/03
08:00 AM: Physics 1
TUESDAY, 05/10
08:00 AM: United States
Government and Politics
WEDNESDAY, 05/04
08:00 AM: English Literature and
Composition
THURSDAY, 05/05
08:00 AM: Calculus AB; Calculus BC
FRIDAY, 05/06
08:00 AM: United States History;
Studio Art (Portfolios
@ 8 PM)
WEDNESDAY, 05/11
08:00 AM: English Language and
Composition
THURSDAY, 05/12
08:00 AM: Statistics
FRIDAY, 05/13
08:00 AM: Microeconomics
glasgowacciesrfc.com
GOOD LUCK!
COME BE A
PART OF
SOMETHING
SPECIAL!
JOIN THE
EASTERN
EXTRA!
See Mr. LeCara
in Room 246
for more details.
Q2-Q3 EASTERN EXTRA CONTRIBUTORS/STAFF: Inoj E., Rebecca
F., Valerie B., Gabby M., Raina L., Noah C., Colin S., Grace D., Bella M.,
and Kyle F. Faculty Advisor: Mr. LeCara.