May - Weston Public Schools

Wildcat
May 2008
Tracks
WHS reflects on
Cohen’s departure
Brooke Appe
STAFF WRITER
as the primary disciplinarian of the school, they do
not see all of the dedication she puts into making fair
decisions that are best for students in the long run.
“Students don’t realize how much she
thinks and cares about their well-being. People just
see the outcome, but they don’t see the effort spent in
making the decisions,” said Parker.
Weston High School Assistant Principal
Natalie Cohen recently took the position of
Lexington High School Principal for next year.
Many are expressing grief over the loss of a WHS
administrator who is
very dedicated to her
job.
“I think it’s
sad that we’re losing
Ms. Cohen because
she brings energy to
a job that isn’t easy,”
said junior Scott
Scarpato.
Although
it was not easy for
Cohen
to
leave
Weston, she knew she
had to take advantage
of this once in a
lifetime opportunity.
“I love it here
and never thought
I’d leave. […] But
this was an exciting
prospect for me, and WHS students talk with Cohen in the cafeteria.
PHOTO/Lexi Lewtan
to work in a school
as large and strong as
“I’m proud that in difficult times I was as fair as I
Lexington was very attractive,” said Cohen.
Many are regretting the loss of an could possibly be,” said Cohen.
Everyone around the school is beginning to
individual who has been such a great part of WHS
feel
the
loss
that will come. Cohen is known for her
for the last eight years. Cohen’s presence and
hands-on
approach,
which has been seen by many
impact have been greatly felt during her time here.
grateful
staff
members
and students.
She has achieved a lot in her eight years at WHS,
“She’d
come
in
and help serve the food. She
three of those as English department head and
was
always
willing
to
help
out in here and we’ll miss
five as assistant principal. These accomplishments
her,”
said
food
service
worker
Laura Welby.
include establishing a closer relationship between all
“I’m
really
happy
for
her. It’s our loss and
teachers and the members of the attendance office to
her
gain
[…]
not
everyone
is
aware
of everything she
increase student attendance and creating new teacher
does,”
said
history
teacher
Robin
Wanoksy.
groups that help new faculty members make the
Despite her sadness about leaving, Cohen is
transition into WHS more easily.
excited
about
working at a larger school that shows
“She’s done a great job enforcing all of the
a
dedication
to
education similar to WHS. She faces
policies and procedures of the attendance office like
a
lot
of
challenges
ahead, like adapting to Lexington
the N rule,” said attendance office secretary Regina
High
School’s
three
times larger population, and
Wong.
learning
the
traditions
and
day-to-day practices at the
Many students are beginning to think about
new
school.
school without Cohen.
“I have to do a lot of homework as I move
“She really keeps the school in line, and
forward,”
said Cohen. “I hope to support students
it will definitely be different without her,” said
and
make
sure what they need gets accomplished.
sophomore Alisha Teplow.
I
hope
to
support
teachers and make sure what they
For WHS Principal Anthony Parker, Cohen
need
gets
accomplished.
Like in Weston, education
has been a great influence, as well as a very helpful
in
Lexington
is
of
very
high
importance, and I love
resource since he first came to WHS two years ago.
that
energy.”
Parker has worked with Cohen every day and sees
When reflecting on her time at WHS, Cohen
the major contributions that she has made including
has
had
eight
years of hard work and dedication to
those that some teachers and students do not even
look
back
on.
Her influence and presence in WHS
realize.
have
been
greatly
felt and will continue to leave a
“It has been great for me working with her.
mark
on
students
to
come.
When I first came to this school, she gave me history,
“I
would
like
to be remembered as someone
background, and context, which a new principal
who
had
a
good
time.
Someone who used all her
needs in a new community,” said Parker. “She is
energies
to
be
fair,
thorough,
and kind,” Cohen said.
very smart, organized, loves kids, and is fabulous
with curriculum development.”
Although students may only know Cohen
Controversy
over Olympics
China’s foreign policy
sparks protest of Beijing Olympics.
Page 2
‘08 activities
spark controversy
Kyle Yang
STAFF WRITER
time and at the right place. One
of them was not really concerned
with what he/she was doing.
“I wasn’t really thinking
about the consequences at the
time. I really like my class, and
I supported my class spirit by
painting the signs,” said one of
the creators of the sign.
Besides the stop signs,
the T-shirts that contained
implications of driving under
the influence have also been seen
as controversial. Those T-shirts
contain controversial phrases
such as “Westoners” and “.08 We
reach the limit.” Many students
praise the T-shirt for its creative
and original message.
“I honestly do not think
it is a big deal. Freedom of
expression does not stop at the
school gate. I’m proud of myself
for helping my grade to produce
creative T-shirts that bring the
senior class closer,” said one of
the creators of the T-shirt.
“The number on the
T-shirt [0.08] can represent
anything. Since it has an
implication [related to blood
alcohol levels], the real message
“Can’t Stop 08” is a
ubiquitous phrase that everyone
in Weston High School has
become used to seeing this
year. From simply walking to
math class to driving home after
school, one can hardly avoid the
somewhat catchy senior slogan
that incorporates a traffic sign
into its design. Lately, the slogan
has been made into T-shirts for
the class of 2008 as well; those Tshirts also contain controversial
messages.
Although many see all
these activities as an essential
part of the high school tradition
for seniors, some students are
unaware of the legal implications
of some of the activities
associated with this slogan.
While enjoying the
class spirit, some students do feel
concern about the way the slogan
is expressed, namely spraypainting traffic stop signs with
the word “Can’t” above and “08”
below the word “Stop”.
“I don’t think ‘Can’t
Stop
08’
is
a
controversial slogan
at
all.
However,
vandalizing
and
painting traffic signs
is definitely a wrong
thing to do,” said
senior Ross Kiser.
S o m e
students,
however,
simply think it is not a
serious issue at all.
“We
are
above
the
rules.
Nothing can stop
‘08,” said senior class
president
Nathan
Lipkin.
Some faculty Vandalized stop sign. PHOTO/Lexi Lewtan
members also have
strong opinions about
is never directly stated. I see it
the traffic sign issue. “While there as a funny and creative way to
is nothing wrong with “Can’t express senior class spirit,” said
Stop 08,” painting a traffic sign to senior Joe Duffey.
express it is definitely wrong. It’s
Some faculty at WHS
simply vandalism,” said Principal disagree with the idea that the
Anthony Parker.
implied message of the shirts was
It all started roughly appropriate for school.
four months ago. The creators
“We’re in a school.
of the signs got the inspiration Rights thus need to be limited.
randomly while driving out of School is a special environment
the school. At the time, they had where expression should be
spray paint with them in the car. suitable for educational purposes.
It was one of those ideas that
continued on page 10
simply struck them at the right
Summer Movies
WHS awaits the release of
upcoming films.
Pages 4
A New Era in
Weston Tennis
Weston tennis teams find
success.
Page 12
In & Out of WHS
May 2008
Page 2
Celebrities take action through grassroots organizations
Nicole Liu
STAFF WRITER
For years, the world
has battled major conflicts
including poverty, disease, and
the environment. In order to
solve these problems, many
people have become reliant on
the government. In contrast,
individuals such as musical artist
Bono and former vice
president Al Gore have
dedicated themselves to
initiating
“grassroots”
organizations
that
encourage
individuals
to come together and
take action themselves
instead of waiting for
the government to do
something.
While
some
of
these
non-profit
organizations have been
developed for a few
years already, many Weston High
School students have not heard
much about them, such as singer
Bono’s humanitarian “One”
campaign.
“I’m a fan of Bono, so
I’ve heard he’s involved with
fighting poverty, but most people
in our school aren’t informed of
the cause,” said senior Joseph
Wynant.
The One campaign was
initially created to fight global
AIDS, hunger, and extreme
Elyssa Shea
poverty, and to educate people
throughout the world about how
they can help solve these growing
issues in third-world countries.
Currently, the organization has
over 2.4 million members. Goals
of One include allocating more
of developed nations’ budgets
toward providing funding to meet
basic needs like healthcare, clean
water, food, and education in poor
countries. In order to get involved
or learn more about the campaign,
students can find One on facebook,
myspace, and the official website.
(www.one.org)
Another
non-profit,
grassroots effort that has received
slightly more publicity in WHS
is Al Gore’s work to halt global
warming.
“I haven’t heard much
about the organization, but I know
Al Gore is really involved with
environmental action,” said senior
Leticia Machado.
In addition to his
documentary, “An Inconvenient
Truth,” that the entire school
watched last year, Gore has
recently released “The Eleventh
Hour,” another documentary that
is narrated by actor Leonardo
DeCaprio.
“I think it’s really
good that [Gore] is bringing
attention to the
environment and
global warming.
It sends a message
that needs to be
addressed,” said
sophomore Suzie
Friedberg.
Most recently,
Gore has begun
the “We Can
Solve the Climate
Crisis” campaign,
also
known
as “We.” The
organization was implemented
in hopes of educating society
of the urgency and solvability
of the climate crisis. We’s
website offers individuals the
opportunity to get involved in
the environmental movement,
as well as advice on how to
advocate for change, make a
difference in the community,
spread the word, and sign a
petition for a global treaty
on climate change. The site
(www.wecansolveit.org)
also
World News Briefs
STAFF WRITER
Worldwide—Food crisis
The rising price of food has caused the World Bank to take emergency action. Protests have been
seen in Haiti, Egypt, Ethiopia, the Ivory Coast, the Philippines and Indonesia, where the lack of available
food has increased the number of people starving every day. Poor farming land has made it hard for
Bangladesh and Afghanistan to import enough food, while the restrictions on rice exports in India, China,
and Vietnam have also challenged the countries’ abilities to gain the money necessary to provide food
for their respective people. Many experts predict that this year may see the largest food crisis around the
world in decades.
Zimbabwe— Delayed election results
Due to delayed poll results in the presidential election, the Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC) in Zimbabwe, Africa, has taken a stand. The party staged a strike to pressure immediate release
of the election’s outcome, which has not yet been determined due to a recount of votes in some areas.
President Robert Mugabe remains in office while it is decided whether he or his opposition, Morgan
Tsvangirai, will run the country next term. Because the government is currently ignoring a court-ordered
immediate release of the results, the issue is likely to come up in a UN Security Council session.
Iran—Nuclear power plan
The five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council--China, the US, Russia,
France, and the UK, as well as Germany--will meet in Shanghai to discuss Iran’s nuclear power plan.
Concerned that Iran’s installation of devices to further enrich uranium could lead to the development of
nuclear weapons, the Council has previously asked Iran to stop development but Iran has refused. The
Iranian government claims they only wish to acquire civilian nuclear energy.
tracks government, business,
and individual success stories,
proving that change is attainable.
Since the campaign was
established, We has been widely
supported and funded by the
money Gore received through
his Nobel Prize win as well as the
proceeds from sales of his book
and movie, “An Inconvenient
Truth.” Some have even said the
We campaign is currently one of
the most ambitious organizations
today.
“I don’t know much
about some of the organizations,
but I don’t see any harm with
famous faces or wealthy
people promoting them,” said
environmental science teacher
Teal Parker-Axt.
Instead of waiting
for the government to
take action on growing
concerns such as the climate
crisis, AIDS prevention,
poverty,
and
starvation,
humanitarians such as Gore
and Bono have proposed
solutions and campaigns to
solve these issues. While
these
organizations
are
well supported throughout
the nation, attention to the
campaigns is still lacking in
WHS. Students can discover
more
information
about
these grassroots foundations
and how to contribute to the
process by visiting the official
websites.
The changing face of
the UAE
Dan Wu
STAFF WRITER
The United States and many other countries are currently
undergoing one of the worst oil crises in history as gas prices soar.
However, there are some countries that are seeing the other side of
this price increase, mainly the oil-rich countries such as the United
Arab Emirates (UAE).
“The demonstrations of wealth in Dubai are unseen in
America. There are 500 residential buildings being constructed
within the next three years, which are being engineered with the
latest technology,” said junior Kevan Zadeh, a WHS student who has
visited Dubai in the UAE.
The UAE is one of the top exporters of oil in the world and
owns the world’s largest oil reserves. The benefits of this can be seen
in the city of Dubai, the fastest developing city in the world with so
much construction going on that it owns 25% of the world’s cranes,
and construction workers outnumber actual citizens.
In Dubai, almost everything that is being built there will
be the largest or only of its type, such as the Burj Dubai-- the tallest
building in world, the world’s first underwater hotel, palm-tree shaped
islands, the largest man-made marina, and an indoor ski resort.
“The city itself has amazing architecture and a lot of
powerful technological advancements,” said sophomore Keshav
Tyagi.
Already having the world’s busiest airport, when all
construction is complete, it is estimated that Dubai with its mix of
shopping and sightseeing will be the most popular city to travel to in
the world.
The United Arab Emirates, however, has been accused of
having links to terrorism. It was one of the three countries in the
world to recognize the Taliban before September 11, and two of the
hijackers on that
date came from the UAE.
Not only that, but the country was
also found to be a source of terrorism
financing and were reportedly less than
cooperative with American investigators
about the funding, before and after September
11.
In addition, in 1999, the U.S. was
forced to abort a planned attack on Osama bin Laden’s headquarters
when it was discovered that the UAE’s royal family was visiting
him for a hunting trip. While that was years ago, many still question
whether the UAE has truly ended its connections to terrorists.
“I don’t know of any official connection between Dubai and
terrorism now, but some of their oil revenues could be diverted to fuel
Islamic extremists,” said sophomore Jake Waxman.
Vast amounts of oil money are flowing into the UAE,
especially from the US, and while most experts consider it unlikely, it
Continued on page 3
In & Out of WHS
May 2008
Page 3
Issues in China resurface due to Olympics 2008
Emmy Dabbelt
[…] The U.S. needs to improve its relations with China
and Chinese officials have deemed these British protests
rather than alienate,” said senior Jon Skillman.
“vile, unacceptable and shameful.”
President Bush has expressed only sympathy
Despite negative feedback, Greece found
The Olympic games are historically a time
for China and little concern about the conflict in Tibet.
similar resistance when the torch was first lit. Activists
of non-partisan enjoyment where people from all over
Despite the President’s lack of concern, many other
supporting Tibet attempted to blockade the torch outside
the world can showcase athletic ability in wholesome
American politicians have openly spoken out.
of the Athens stadium, but were unsuccessful and
competition. However, this goal is being challenged as
Robert Weiner, former public affairs director
subsequently arrested. Protestors in Olympia, Greece
the 2008 Beijing Olympics approach.
of the White House and Olympic spokesperson, and
also attempted to ruin the ceremonial torch lighting
Protestors around the world have attempted to
John Larmett, former congressional foreign affairs
process in honor. Although activists lay in the street in
stop the procession of the ceremonial Olympic torch.
legislative assistant, are just two with opinions on the
front of a convoy of vehicles, the torch was only held up
When the torch made its way to San Francisco, officials
matter.
for several minutes.
managed to revise its route last-minute, causing many
“To win [the hosting of the] 2008 Summer
China’s position in Darfur has also contributed
protestors as well as spectators to miss the ceremony.
Olympics Games, China held out the promise that
to worries concerning human rights. Actress and activist
However, French protestors found more success
human rights would benefit. However, the Chinese
Mia Farrow spoke out against China’s provision of
as they extinguished the torch on at least two separate
government has recently shot and killed over 100
weapons to the genocidal forces in
occasions, forcing
monks and arrested over 1000 people protesting in
Darfur recently as the Olympics torch
the flame to be
Beijing’s suppression of Tibet’s culture, religion,
passed through Hong Kong.
carried by bus and
and autonomy,” said Wiener and Larmett in a press
“History will note [China’s]
cutting short the
release.
silence [about Darfur],” said Farrow.
procession.
The goal of the boycotts would be to decrease
“I’m disgusted. For our leaders to
Despite the
tourism in China, pressing the country to better its
refuse to attend the opening ceremony
accomplishments
international image. Countries involved in the boycott
would send a clear message to Beijing
of these protestors,
are demanding that China begin dialogue with the
that their policies on certain issues are
many in France have
spiritual leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, free political
simply not acceptable.”
spoken out against
prisoners and end the violence in Tibet.
These protestors are also
their actions.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Tibetans have been
against China’s stand in Tibet, where
“Everyone
reported dead in the past few months due to abuse.
violence has escalated since March
has a right to express Olympic protest riots in London. Photo: www.Bloomberg.com
There are accounts of Tibetans sent to Re-Education
14. Political figures worldwide are pressing China to
themselves, but to stop [the torch from] passing shows a
Through Labor camps, where they are often found dead
end the violence and improve human rights. It has been
lack of respect for the basic freedom of our athletes to
in a matter of weeks. Many victims of the camps show
argued that China is exploiting the Olympic games for
carry this flame, which is a message of peace to the whole
signs of torture such as electrocution and assault.
tourism profits the country does not deserve given its
world,” said Head of the French Olympic Committee,
“Serious concerns cannot be swept under
human rights violations.
Henri Serandour in a “China View” article.
the carpet for the sake of ceremonial duties. Unless
Some political leaders have suggested that an
Earlier protests in London also attacked the
and until China takes steps to honor the spirit of the
international boycott of the 2008 Olympics games may
torch when thousands waved the Tibetan flag, shouting
Olympics, as laid out in the Olympic Charter, I do not
be necessary to fully express to China opinions on the
“Shame on China.” Protestors attempted to put out the
believe that [other countries] can attend the Beijing
issues of Tibet and Darfur. However, some disagree.
flame, but were unsuccessful. Roughly 35 were arrested,
Games in good conscience,” said Nick Clegg, leader of
“Especially for the United States, a boycott of
UAE continued
the liberal Democrats, in a Thaindian Times article.
the Olympics would be a severely unintelligent choice
could be used for more than just
city construction and projects.
“The [terrorism] acts
could still be going on and
the money may be used for
to retreat to Taiwan as the Communist Party of China came to power.
the wrong reasons given their
Since this time, Taiwan, or the Republic of China, has operated with a
STAFF WRITER
history,” said sophomore Nini
separate government that the PRC considers to be illegitimate.
Yue.
After the formation of that separate government in 1949, the
On March 22, 2008, Ma Ying-jeou was elected president of
As mentioned before,
Taiwan, and he will assume office this May. Ma’s election represents a KMT acted as the ruling party in Taiwan. In 1986 the DPP was formed
however, the country’s links to
turning point in policy concerning Taiwanese independence from the illegally to oppose the one-party government of the Republic of
terrorism existed many years
China. In 2000 the DPP candidate, Chen, became president of Taiwan,
People’s Republic of China (PRC).
ago. Since then, the UAE has
Ma is a member of the Kuomintang (KMT), which was the marking the first time that a party besides the KMT had been in power
changed its image into a US
ruling party on the island since the KMT’s retreat from Mainland for a little more than half a century. Chen and the DPP aggressively
ally, and the US Coastguard
China in 1949 until 2000. Taiwan has acted as an independent promoted Taiwanese independence. With the recent transition back to
even supervises some of its
government from the PRC, despite the mainland’s claims that Taiwan KMT control, the movement for independence seems to have halted.
major ports. It also has worked
Although reunification with the PRC will be a gradual process,
is still a part of China.
jointly with the US on major
The election of Ma to the presidency has caused a division Ma believes that improving relations with mainland will decrease the
operations in tracking down
within Taiwan. Chen Shui-bian, a member of the Democratic threat of future conflict.
terrorists, such as the probe into
“The more we open ourselves, the more we interact with the
Progressive Party (DPP) and the president of Taiwan for the past
the car bomb assassination of the eight years, advocated Taiwanese independence from the mainland. mainland, the chances of war will be less,” said Ma to Time Magazine
ex-prime minister of Lebanon.
However, the KMT still considers Taiwan to be a part of the PRC, and in March.
Some students think the country
President of the United States George Bush said in a March
Ma is promoting the eventual reunification with the mainland. This
with its new image does not use
23 interview with the Taipei Times that he
process is a gradual one that will
the oil revenues for any acts of
supports Ma’s policies.
take more than just the length of
terrorism.
“It falls to Taiwan and Beijing to
Ma’s term as president.
“When I went to Dubai,
build the essential foundations for peace
“We would not pursue du
I could see that the place is a
and stability by pursuing dialogue through
jure independence […] We would
lot more democratic now and it
all available means and refraining from
resume negotiations on the basis of
really has changed,” said Zadeh.
unilateral steps that would alter the crossthe 1992 consensus [forged during
Others even go so far as talks in Hong Kong] in short, ‘one
strait situation,” said Bush. “I believe
to say that the theory of terrorism China, different interpretations.’ […
the election provides a fresh opportunity
being funded through oil is just
for both sides to reach out and engage
] If the two sides get together, the
absurd.
one another in peacefully resolving their
chance of war will be minimized,”
“You can’t make any
differences.”
said Ma to the Reuters News
assumptions that some profits
Ma hopes to better relationships
Group.
of oil go to terrorism; it’s a
Eric Stix, a senior at Weston High School, believes that Ma’s with China using a policy of “mutual non-denial” in which neither
generalization. Just because it’s
election signifies that the people of Taiwan want to eventually reunite Taiwan nor China deny the existence of the other. Although he favors
an Arab country doesn’t mean
eventual reunification with the mainland, Ma has stated that he does
with the mainland.
that they support terrorism,” said
“If they elected a president knowing that this was going to be not intend to take part in reunification talks with China during his
sophomore Derek Kief.
his policy and China also feels it is in their interest, then even though tenure.
While it may be safe
China’s history of democratic shortcomings and human
it may be a hard transition, it probably should be done,” said Stix.
to say that the US can trust the
Junior Silas Chan believes that reunification with the PRC rights abuses have been criticized by Ma. Despite being in favor of
oil-rich UAE in the midst of this
reunification, Ma has vowed not to compromise the freedom and
would allow Taiwan’s economy to flourish.
oil crisis, the UAE’s previous
“I think that Taiwan would definitely benefit from reuniting democracy of Taiwan.
links to terrorism still raise
“Taiwan’s identity has to be respected, and we have to
with China because China’s economy is rapidly growing and would
some doubts as to where their
negotiate with each other on equal footing. What I can promise voters
help Taiwan develop further,” said Chan.
revenues end up other than in the
Taiwan’s political status has been a divisive issue for many is that we will not negotiate the issue of unification and we will not
construction of Dubai.
years. In 1949 the Nationalist forces of Chiang Kai-shek were forced support de jure independence,” said Ma to Reuters.
STAFF WRITER
Taiwan looking to reunify with China
Michael Glen
Page 4
Arts & Entertainment
May 2008
Popular websites deliver customized results
Mike Bullister
STAFF WRITER
When “*FREE* IPHONE!!!” pops up on a
webpage, it is easy to tell that small-time advertising
websites are trying to scam you, but what if major
websites with millions of users such as Facebook were
based around sneaky advertising deals? New websites
such as StumbleUpon and Last.fm
provide services for internet users
as well as stealthy advertising for
major corporations.
StumbleUpon
is
an
internet device that is similar to
a search engine, but the results
are tailored to one’s interests as
opposed to the keyword request on
Google.
“I found some really
interesting websites that I really
enjoy [through StumbleUpon],”
said sophomore Ben Heath. “It’s
addictive.”
The tool itself is a free
download that adds a search bar to one’s internet
browser. When the toolbar is installed, a user account
is created. The user is then brought to a page with a
long list of interests and he or she marks check-boxes
next to things that are of interest. Then the user can
begin what is called “stumbling.” At any future time the
user is on his or her computer, he or she merely presses
the “Stumble!” button on the toolbar, and it brings up a
random website based on his or her interests and based
on the feedback of users with similar interests.
Users can rate websites with the “Thumbs Up”
or “Thumbs Down” buttons. This way, users will be
sent to more engaging websites in the future because
the good ones have been recommended by many other
“stumblers.”
“Because so many people use StumbleUpon,
people have verified the sites that it gives,” said
sophomore Nick Haradhvala.
“What I used it for was stuff about computers.
The first couple [websites] were just kind of boring, and
then the next one came up and it was about the Mac and
applications that it uses, and it was interesting because
that‘s the kind of stuff that I am into,” said user and
WHS sophomore Gabe Nelson.
Stumblers can also use their accounts to find
friends or make new friends based on other people’s
interests, much like Facebook. Users can send messages
and share their internet finds with fellow users.
“Other people who use it—you can click their
icon and see what they like […] Friends are imported
through email,” said Haradhvala.
StumbleUpon is a very effective way for the user
to find something interesting or entertaining even when
the user does not know exactly what he or she is looking
for. The New York Times described StumbleUpon as
resembling a “TV remote” for the web. StumbleUpon
combines two key elements of popular internet websites:
interest-based finds and social networking.
Another popular website that combines these
two elements is Last.fm. Last.fm is an internet radio that
suggests new music and includes social networking.
“It’s based around your musical interests,” said
sophomore Alex Aronson.
Much like StumbleUpon, users create accounts
and are encouraged to download a program. The
download is a program called the “Scrobbler” that sends
information to Last.fm about what the user is listening
to on iTunes, Windows Media Player, and on their mp3
player. Additionally, the program is a radio that plays
music from the internet based on keywords or artists
entered by the listener as well as the user’s expressed
interests.
“[Internet radios] play songs that are similar
to your favorite bands,” said Heath. “I’ve found a lot of
really good bands that way.”
Again, like StumbleUpon, the user can rate the
content by pressing the “Love” button for songs that they
like and the “Ban” button for songs that they do not like.
StumbleUpon and Last.fm are merely the more
successful examples of a whole new breed of websites and
web tools that have been appearing over the last few years.
These new websites are high-powered and money-making,
yet usually free to the user. Many people question how
these free services are making so much money. The answer
is advertising.
Websites such as StumbleUpon and Last.fm base
their means of making money on the Facebook model.
These types of social networking sites are successful
because they are able to get so much specific information
about their users. They advertise to the users based on
information taken from the “interests” section of the profile.
Facebook presents advertising banners to people based on
what advertisers think that they would buy. According to
valleywag.com, Facebook charges sponsors for targeting
users based on profile info including “gender […] favorite
interests, activities, and movies.”
According
to
www.mikebogo.com,
with
StumbleUpon, “Every once in a while, a site that you’re
taken to is there because an advertiser paid $.05 to bring you
there. This site will generally be related to your interests,
and you can’t tell the difference.”
Users find it to be a major negative that they often
are not able to tell when they are being subjected to an
advertisement.
“[A website] makes you think it’s for one thing,
socializing with your friends, but at the same time, you are
part of this industry and being used to make money,” said
freshman Alex Michael. “That makes me sort of annoyed,
sort of angry.”
“I’m not really angry at them, but it seems very
sneaky,” said Heath.
If websites know something about their users,
advertisers can target these consumers very precisely.
Although many people say that advertisements do not affect
them, statistics show that this method of more targeted
advertising is much more effective in raising sales.
Although some users are bothered by the fact that
one often “can’t tell the difference” between just accessing
the website versus being advertised to, most users seem
not to find it bothersome enough to quit using the valued
services provided by the websites.
“Personally, if they need to do that to make money,
I don’t care,” said freshman Max Lurie.
“I don’t really mind, but it’s kind of annoying,” said
continued on page 5
Summer concerts attract WHS students
Liza Kidonova
STAFF WRITER
In the coming months,
several concerts will take place
in the area featuring pop, rock,
and and alternative music stars
such as Alicia Keys, OAR and
the Dave Matthews Band. In
addition, concerts featuring
numerous popular artists like
WBOS’s Earthfest and Jam’n
94.5’s Summer Jam happen every
year around the time as well.
Many at WHS plan to attend one
or more of these shows,.
On May 24 WBOS hosts
Earthfest, a free concert at the
Boston Hatchshell. Headlined by
the band Cake, the concert will
also feature some bands from the
‘80’s and ‘90’s, like The English
Beat and Cracker. While most at
WHS have never heard of these
earlier bands, some are excited
for a chance to see Cake live and
for free.
“I’ve listened to a little
bit of Cake. They have a really
unique style. I had no idea there
was going to be a free concert,
but I’m definitely going to try
to go,” said sophomore Eve
Jackubowski.
Alicia Keys has been
on tour since April 19 and will
continue her “As I Am” concert
tour until June 18. Keys told
Billboard.com that the
tour, which
displays
songs off
her album
“ T h e
Diary
o f
Giants Stadium on May 31,
and is sponsored by New York
based radio station Hot 97 FM
and Boston based station Jam’n
94.5 FM. Headlining this year’s
Summer Jam are performers Ray
J, Rick
Ross,
Trey
Songz,
and
Alicia Keys,” will be “conceptual”
and “thematic” in nature. She will
be performing in Boston on June
11 at the TD Banknorth Garden.
Another concert that will
be popular among WHS students
is Summer Jam 2008.
Summer Jam is an
annual concert held at the
The Dream.
“I’m planning on going
to Summer Jam this year and
have gone in previous years. It’s
the one day of the year that you
can get really excited for and just
have a great time,” said senior
Maria Ollen-Smith.
As
the
summer
progresses, several other major
concert tours arrive in the area,
including the Dave Matthews
band. The Dave Matthews
concerts will be on June 24
and 25 at the Tweeter Center in
Mansfield. Matthews and his
band have been around for years,
but their relaxed style of music,
blending elements of
rock, jazz, and
blues, is still very
popular
with
many at WHS.
“Last
year I went
to the Dave
Matthews
Band concert,
and it was
amazing,”
said
junior
Jazmin Lotfi.
“I’m definitely thinking about
going this year.”
Pearl Jam is another
popular band whose June
concert is much anticipated by
some WHS students. Pearl Jam
has also been recording and
performing for years, but their
alternative rock sound has made
them a long-time favorite with
teens and adults alike.
“I like Pearl Jam because
they put a different spin on rock
music. I hope they don’t get sold
out too quickly because I want to
go [to the concert],” said junior
Jackson Vescuso.
Pearl Jam will perform
at the Tweeter Center on June 28.
The O.A.R concert
will also be held at the Tweeter
Center but later in the summer, on
August 8. O.A.R. is a folk-rock
band very popular with students
at WHS. Their popularity has
grown in recent years as more
high school and college students
discover their sound.
“I’m going to the O.A.R.
concert for a birthday party this
year, so it should be a lot of fun,”
said junior Whitney Trook.
The strong line up of
concerts this summer draws from
many different types of music
and features a variety of popular
and acclaimed performers. In
this eclectic mix of tours and
performances, everyone will be
sure to find something to look
forward to and enjoy.
Arts & Entertainment
May 2008
Page 5
Summer movies offer lots of action
Alex Bruce
STAFF WRITER
As another school year
slowly begins to wind down,
many blockbusters are nearing
release in movie theaters across
the country. Although movies
in all genres will come out over
the next few months, it seems
that action movies, especially
those featuring superheroes, are
the types of movies that students
at Weston High School are most
looking forward to.
“I really can’t wait to
see [the new Batman movie]
‘The Dark Knight’; it looks like a
fantastic movie,” said junior Alex
Newell.
Over the past few
years movies based on comic
books have become increasingly
prevalent, and this spring seems
set to continue that trend. The
movie “Iron Man” recently came
out on May 2, and movies based
on the superheroes Batman, the
Hulk, and Hellboy are nearing
release, exciting many fans of
the comic books and of previous
superhero movies.
“Iron Man,” which stars
Robert Downey Jr. as the titular
hero, tells the story of Tony
Stark, a wealthy industrialist
who is captured by terrorists
and forced to build weapons
of mass destruction. However,
rather than complying with the
terrorists’ demands, Stark builds
a high-tech suit of armor that he
uses to fight his way out of the
terrorist complex, becoming Iron
Man, a hero who uses his armor
to combat evil.
“I’m looking forward
to seeing ‘Iron Man’ because I
like superhero movies and it will
be a good movie to watch with
friends,” said junior Mary Wells.
Comic books featuring
Web Pages,
continued from page 4
freshman Erica Kwiatkowski.
A positive effect of
advertising being more targeted
is that people do not have to see
as many advertisements in total,
and also they see fewer ads in
which they have no interest.
“I think that [I would
prefer] less ads but more focused.
I’d much rather have one little
[ad] box thing at the edge [of the
webpage],” said Kwiatkowski.
Although
the
advertisements may seem shady
to some users, both the users
and the advertisers benefit in
the end. Users get free online
tools and services like Facebook,
StumbleUpon, and Last.fm, while
advertising brands get subtle and
effective ads. Still, it makes you
think, as freshman Daniel Park
noted.
”It’s kind of like, do the
ends justify the means? Both
ends, both parties are happy—
both the consumers and the
advertisers—but is this process
of shady advertising justified?”
Iron Man first appeared in 1963,
in which Iron Man built his suit
of armor after being captured
by enemies in Vietnam. The
upcoming movie contains an
updated version of the story meant
to be more relevant today, and
Tony Stark is now captured
in Afghanistan. In its first
weekend of release “Iron
Man” took in $101 million
in the U.S. and Canada,
giving it the tenth highest
opening weekend earnings
of all movies released so
far.
“The
Dark
Knight,” the sequel to
the 2005 movie “Batman
Begins,” is set to release
July 18, 2008. “The Dark
Knight” tells the story of
the battle between Batman,
played by Christian Bale,
and the Joker, played
by Heath Ledger, and is
shaping up to be an even
darker movie than “Batman
Begins.”
“The Dark
Knight” became surrounded
by controversy when Heath
Ledger, the center of “The
Dark Knight’s” marketing
campaign, tragically died
of a prescription drug overdose
on January 22 of this year.
“After the death of Heath
Ledger, I wonder how it’s going
to affect the new Batman movie,”
said sophomore Chris Haines.
Although Ledger’s death
was a shocking tragedy, it did not
actually affect the production of
“The Dark Knight,” as Ledger had
already finished all of the filming
for his role. However, Ledger’s
death will undoubtedly change
many people’s interpretations of
the film, for better or for worse.
“Heath Ledger’s death
has only heightened my interest
in how the movie will turn out,”
said Newell.
“The Incredible Hulk”
is also nearing its release date of
June 13. Starring Edward Norton
as Bruce Banner, this movie will
retell the story of the Hulk’s
origins, and show Banner’s inner
battle to control the monster
raging inside of him. Not all
are excited about this movie’s
release.
“I saw the
trailer for the Incredible
Hulk movie, and it
looks like it is going to
be an atrocious movie,”
said sophomore Alex
Coburn.
Another comic
book movie nearing
release is “Hellboy II:
The Golden Army.”
This movie, based on
the relatively obscure
Hellboy comic books
and sequel to the 2004
movie
“Hellboy,”
stars Ron Perlman
as the title character,
and has the acclaimed
director Guillermo del
Toro at the helm. The
plot of “The Golden
Army” is based around
the rebellion of a
mystical world against
humanity.
Other action movies
are also coming soon, besides
superhero movies.
A major
upcoming action movie is
“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull,” which is
set to release on May 22. “The
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”
will be the fourth movie in the
Indiana Jones series, and Harrison
Ford will be reprising his role as
“Indy,” despite the fact that he
is currently 65 years old. Other
series stalwarts will be returning
as well, including George Lucas
as the writer and Steven Spielberg
as the director. In addition, Shia
LaBeouf and Cate Blanchett will
be costarring.
“I think it says something
about the status of the series that
Indiana Jones continues to be
played by Harrison Ford. The
‘Indiana Jones’ movies are pretty
much classics now,” said junior
Aimee Coburn.
A final action movie
to be on the lookout for is
“Hancock,” starring Will Smith,
which has a release date of July
2. “Hancock” tells the story of a
homeless man, Hancock, played
by Smith, who has amazing
powers that allow him to fly, give
him super strength, and make
him invulnerable to damage.
However, Hancock generally
does more harm than good when
trying to save the day and is hated
by the general public.
“‘Hancock’
looks
awesome, and Will Smith is the
man,” said senior Adam Vaughn.
With all of the movies
coming out in the near future, it is
clear that WHS students will have
plenty of films to fill their time.
Toucher and Rich provide radio humor
Jason Geller
STAFF WRITER
While driving in their cars, many people listen to the radio just
for music and never bother to listen to the announcers on the station
and what they talk about. As a result of this, many announcers on the
radio have become generic and are no longer original. In a world where
the majority of DJ’s on the radio are no longer amusing to listen to,
who can people turn to in order to still get interesting, funny material
on the air? One radio program that offers this is WBCN’s Toucher and
Rich program.
The show’s hosts, Toucher and Rich, provide a unique blend
of music and social commentary, aided by
their sidekicks Crash, and Adolfo. Crash
has been fired from four radio shows in
the past, so his perspective is often unique
for radio. He is also known as a party guy
who has had a wide range of experiences
with women. Adolfo, on the other hand is a
23 year-old nerd who could not speak any
language at all until he was five years old,
and who is obsessed with anime. The show
also occasionally features an intern named Nick who is supposedly
illiterate. This variety of different characters adds contrast to the show
and makes for many unique and interesting conversations.
Toucher and Rich have been announcing now for years and
have been continuously producing new material to keep listeners
interested. Whenever radio talk show hosts discuss or produce original,
controversial material, they are given national attention for it, and
oftentimes in a negative light. A very recent example of this is a contest
that Toucher and Rich held.
The two hosts of the show have embarked on this contest in
which the listeners vote for the ‘Unfunniest Comedian.’ Sixteen comics
were chosen for their horrible stand-up, regardless of how good they are
as actors, or how funny they are in movies. The only thing that matters
is how good or bad their stand-up is. “I don’t listen to Toucher and
Rich that often, but I always try to tune into ‘the unfunniest comedian’
if I happen to be in the car at the time,” said freshman Cheryl Lang.
“The program really seems to bring to light how comedians get laughs
out of people just because the people want to laugh, not because the
comedians are actually funny.”
Toucher and Rich have been accused of choosing these
comedians because of personal bias, and of choosing the worst clips
from their comedy skits to put on and give as examples during the
contest. I disagree. In my opinion, they have absolutely nothing
against the people they are examining on the show but rather object
to their stand-up comedy. In fact, Toucher and Rich have discussed
how listeners have accused them of this personal bias before on the
show, and as a result, they started choosing random segments from the
comedians’ published stand-up routines.
Toucher and Rich are trying to prove that if people actually
stopped to listen to what they are
laughing at every once in a while,
they would really see how bad some
stand-up that is deemed good is. People
often listen to comedy with the goal of
laughing and having a good time, and as
a result, they laugh at horrible material
that is in no way funny. Toucher and
Rich examine this during their show
and help to bring this to light.
Although Toucher and Rich have gotten the most national
attention for the “Unfunniest Comedian,” they also have a lot of other
funny yet controversial things on their show that are always worth
tuning in to.
“Recently, while listening to Toucher and Rich, I had to pull
my car off the road during one of their skits I was laughing so hard.
They had their intern Nick attempt to read a Doctor Seuss book while
walking on a treadmill with his hands in his pockets,” said junior Nick
Burkus. “Every time he made a mistake in the reading, they would
increase the speed of the treadmill by half a mile per hour. He made
so many mistakes that the skit ended up with him falling down on the
treadmill.”
While this type of comedy may not be for everyone, Toucher
and Rich offer so much more than the average DJ. Many other radio
stations out there now only have generic material that does not present
any new ideas, and one, WBOS, has even gone so far as to eliminate all
DJ’s and just play music and commercials all day. Toucher and Rich
offer a great alternative to this trend, so try tuning in sometime soon.
Wildcat World
May 2008
Page 6
Ways to have fun in and around Weston
Symphony Knight
STAFF WRITER
Students and residents of Weston often complain about how limited their options are when they are trying to find something
to do in their spare time, but for those who are willing to think a little creatively and look beyond the obvious, there are great options
nearby. Whether staying in Weston or traveling further, one need only be open to a new experience to have a fun, relatively cheap
adventure.
Have a bite to eat
Most WHS students looking for a fun place to eat on a day after
school or on a weekend stop by Theo’s Pizzeria & Grille and grab
a bite. Theo’s is located right in the center of town on Boston Post
Road. This Weston center pizzeria and sandwich shop is one of the
area’s few casual spots for inexpensive eats. While Theo’s is much
closer, if you are willing to take a 15-minute drive, you can try The
Upper Crust Pizzeria in Waltham, which offers great Italian dining
for about the same money and provides some different options than
Theo’s. This laid-back, upscale pizza parlor attracts diverse, young
costumers. By day, area college students indulge in a slice during
study breaks, while evening brings diners looking for a full
meal in a fun environment. If you are looking for a casual
place to catch the game, there are also several flat-s
creen televisions in the restaurant for
your enjoyment.
Close to home
On a Sunny spring morning grab a couple of friends and a ball, and
play kickball or dodge ball out on the town green. After working up
an appetite, walk about two minutes to Weston’s own Ye Olde Cottage
Restaurant. It is a tiny place with classic American cuisine that gives
off a distinct small-town charm. Furthermore, breakfast is at a price that
everyone can appreciate. Kickball on the town green and breakfast at
Ye Olde Cottage is a wonderful start to a beautiful sunny day.
Go to Moody Street.
Beyond The Upper Crust there are many other options for fun on Waltham’s Moody
Street. If you find yourself craving a meal with flavor at an affordable price, visit
Tom Can Cook. The atmosphere at Tom Can Cook is trendy, fun and inexpensive.
Tom Can Cook seems to have found a niche with their fusion cuisine including Thai,
Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese in both traditional and non-traditional styles. If
you want to follow up dinner by seeing a movie, you are in luck: just a few blocks
away is the Embassy Cinema. Featuring a mix of independent film, foreign language
cinema and Hollywood favorites, the Embassy Cinema is the perfect centerpiece to
a night on the town in Waltham.
Senior internships provide hands-on experience
Jen Kupper
STAFF WRITER
Senior internships give students in their final
year of high school the chance to branch out and obtain
first-hand experience in the working world. Starting on
May 12, seniors have been given the opportunity to gain
insight into a dream job and find out if such a career is
really meant for them.
“I think that internships are a really great
learning experience. We get to learn new skills about a
job that we have a lot of interest in,” said senior Candace
Couper.
A great deal of experience and information can
be gained through these internships. Seniors will receive
advice from working professionals and learn both the
basics and difficulties of working in the area they chose.
Internship choices range from small, obscure
boutiques to huge, world-renowned architectural firms.
The internship process continues for almost three
weeks and allows students to intern in a new working
atmosphere.
“Every internship is unique because you learn
something entirely different depending on where you
decide to go. There has always been a broad range of
internships that cross all areas of work including medical
fields, education, the arts, as well as many others. Some
internships that may be viewed as a bit more unique are
working alongside important politicians or professional
sport teams like the Red Sox, because they are once
in a lifetime opportunities,” said Clifford O’ Connor,
internship coordinator.
Many students were looking forward to their
approaching internships because they want to view
what their career choice is like in actuality and if they
are interested in pursuing it down the road.
“I chose to work at an elementary school in
Framingham with a speech therapist for my internship
this May. I can’t wait to start because I want to major
in speech therapy in college, so through this internship
I will be able to find out if it’s really what I want do,”
said senior Leticia Machado.
The internships are scheduled for five days
per week, and students are required to work at least
six hours each day. Many internships, however, have
hours that vary or are at entirely different times than the
current school schedule.
“Students’ schedules while on their internships
completely vary. One student may work from 9 to about
3 in the afternoon, whereas another student may start
at 3 in the afternoon and work until 9 at night,” said
O’Connor. “Most students will end up working typical
business hours beginning at 9 in the morning, but every
internship has a different schedule of hours.”
In many cases these internships can end up
becoming full summer internships and even job offers
in the future if students work to their utmost potential.
“They are looking for kids with good work ethic,
punctuality, responsibility and other skills they normally
look for when hiring. If they can identify a student with these
desired qualifications and if the student fits into their business
culture, then they don’t want to lose track of that person. Last
year, 56% of students were offered summer jobs by their
mentors, and at least one third of the class continued working
for paid employment,” said O’Connor. “Some kids who have
graduated from college are now working at the place of their
senior internship because they were able to make a lasting
impression on their mentors.”
These internships mark the end of seniors’ high
school years and the beginning of the quickly approaching
college years and the careers that will ultimately follow that.
“The end of senior year is the best time for
internships to take place, because it gives students something
productive to do for the last four weeks before graduation.
Many students have already stopped studying by this time,
are ready to check out, and are anxious to start something
new, so this is the perfect opportunity for them,” said
O’Connor.
Senior internships are a really great experience; they
are the starting point for students to figure out what the best
fit is for them in the long run and to learn more about what
they truly want to do later in life. They serve as a head start
into the working world, and are a great way to gain useful
information and make lasting connections that will make a
positive impact for students’ in the future.
Wildcat World
May 2008
Teachers
find joy
through
music
Sara Bendetson
STAFF WRITER
It has always been a question on every student’s
mind what teachers do when they are not at school. The
truth of the matter is, they have lives unrelated to school just
like the rest of us.
A typical Saturday for a Weston High School student
may include going to the movies, the mall, or hanging out
with some friends, which is not uncommon for teachers to do
either. In fact, just like a number of WHS students, teachers
are also parts of clubs, projects, and like Doug Calais, David
Fuller, and Alejandro Yegros, musical groups.
“[Music is] something you gotta have. It makes
everything right, it makes everything good,” said Calais.
Since he was seven, Calais had dreamed of
becoming a professional musician, and by his mid 20’s that
was who he had become.
As a guitarist, singer and songwriter, Calais has
been in three bands, one in Los Angeles, one in Boston,
and one he played with around Europe in countries like
Switzerland, Austria, Italy, and Germany.
“Good band mates are always friends for life. It
was a lot of fun, but a lot of being on the road and a lot of
struggling,” said Calais.
When Calais felt it was time to settle down and start
a family, he decided to step away from being a professional
musician and chose a less demanding job as a teacher.
“I still love music, and I plan to start another band
soon,” said Calais. “I need to be with people with the same
wants and who are passionate about it; I’m passionate about
it.”
Like for Calais, performing music has been a huge
part of Fuller’s life since he was a young boy. As the years
rolled by his love for music only grew stronger, and he knew
that his interest in performing would be something that
would never fade away.
Fuller plays the role of the drummer in two bands:
The Zaitchik Brothers Band, which is a nine piece band, and
the Who Dat Band, a five piece band.
“I have such a love of music and such an appreciation
for playing with good musicians,” said Fuller.
The Zaitchik Brothers Band has been together
for 24 years and plays at events such as weddings, bar/bat
mitzvahs, and corporate functions, while the Who Dat Band
Fuller shows his percussion skills during the May assembly
Page 7
Relay For Life returns
to WHS
Venetia Breene
STAFF WRITER
Relay For Life, an annual event involving
teams of people walking to raise money for cancer
research, will once again be taking place at Weston
High School from May 31- June 1.
“Relay For Life is a unique opportunity for
our community to come together in the fight against
cancer,” said Ashley AbelsonJames, worker for the
American Cancer Society and
organizer of all the WestonWayland relay. “Many of
the participants are cancer
survivors, which serves as a
reminder that our community
is not immune to this disease
and we can actually help
our friends, families and
neighbors who have been
touched by cancer.”
Each student who
participates is required to join
a team, so that one person
is not walking for 15 hours
straight. Each member takes
turns to walk until the end of
the 15 hours.
“They have candle
lit bags [called luminaras] that
line the track throughout the night to light up the track
with names, drawings and photographs honoring those
who have died due to cancer and celebrating those who
have survived,” said Brooke Elman, sophomore, who
plans to be part of a team.
Relay for Life was established in the 1980’s
and began with one person running marathons to raise
money. Dr. Gordy Klatt envisioned the idea of a 24hour relay event occurring across the United States to
create more money for cancer research and for saving
lives.
His idea became a reality, and the money
raised is now given directly to the American Cancer
Society, which appeals to a lot of the participants.
“I am really looking forward to doing it this
year. I have never done it before but it actually sounds
like a lot of fun and it is for a great cause. The walk
also gives us credit for community service hours,” said
Jessica Rabil, sophomore.
WHS and Wayland High School have
play at clubs along with private functions.
Although Fuller admits that at one point he
thought he wanted music to be his primary occupation,
he knew he needed
something to fall
back on and attended
Berklee College of
Music.
On top of his
dedication to being the
METCO coordinator
for Weston, Fuller
also devotes about
ten hours a week
to teaching
drum
lessons and playing
with his band on
weekends.
“It’s been a blessing
to be able to work
with young people
while creating music.
I know I’m in the best
of both worlds,” said
Fuller.
PHOTO/Lexi Lewtan
participated in Relay for Life together in the past,
and this year’s event is scheduled for the WHS track.
Teams of students will spend the time walking and
sleeping in tents. This year, with a larger and more
active committee that includes several Weston High
School students, it is expected that the high-energy
event will be filled with many fun activities.
“We are going to have games, contests and
tournaments, theme laps all night that you dress
in costume for, food, music (we have a great DJ),
dancing,
and
a Ms. Relay
contest where
boys dress up
and compete in
a Miss Americastyle pageant,”
said Abelson.
T h e
committee
enabling these
fun events to
happen
this
year
includes
several Weston
and
Wayland
students,
as
well as parents
and American
Cancer Society
members. The
WHS students include Alex Bruce, Jeremy Hagger,
Aaron Sikes, Julia Bruce, Mike Lanzillo and Greg
Lanzillo. They meet once a month to discuss and
organize the event.
“The Relay for Life is always very organized
and well thought out. It is great to see how much
effort everyone puts into it to really give back to our
community,” said senior Chris Sergi.
The Relay was smaller last year, with 23
teams participating and raising about $36,000. This
year, 40 teams have already registered and more are
expected to join in.
The goal this year is to raise $40,000, but as
Abelson said, “With this level of participation, we are
sure to blow that out of the water.”
The American Cancer Society will hold
around 5,000 relays across the country in 2008 and
are expecting to raise a total of $435 million. The
money raised at the Weston-Wayland Relay will be
put towards cancer research and patient services in
Massachusetts.
Calais’ and Fuller’s long-term involvement in
bands is not the path Yegros has chosen, who instead
plays music for the personal enjoyment of it and for much
smaller audiences.
“Playing the guitar has always been something
I’ve done for fun; it’s really relaxing,” said Yegros.
Yegros has played the guitar since he was 19 and
continues to play as well as write music today. He plays
with two of his friends regularly and performs whenever
he has the opportunity at local open mic nights.
“It’s an opportunity to be creative and an excuse
to get together with my friends,” said Yegros.
Whether playing music for fun or in front of a
crowd of hundreds of people, all three of these men have
found that music has enriched their lives in ways most
students would never suspect. Education may be their
career, but music is their first love.
“I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to
play. I’ve been a performer since I was 11 years old and I
always say ‘Music always loved me back,’” said Fuller.
Opinion
May 2008
Page 8
More respect needed for WHS teachers & staff
Lea Hachigan
STAFF WRITER
“Respect your elders” is a Confucian
saying that dates back thousands of years. At
Weston High School, however, we couldn’t have
strayed farther from this adage.
Sure, sometimes a little unintentional
rudeness is unavoidable when you’re having a bad
day, but lately I have been shocked at the blatant
displays of insolence towards adults I have seen
from students at the high school. We all need to
take a step back and show more honor towards our
teachers and administrators.
Let’s start with the most basic display of
indifference towards learning on the part of the
students—talking during class. Our eighty-minute
blocks are long and some side conversations are
unavoidable. What’s inexcusable, however, is when
classroom noise has reached a level that seriously
impedes learning. When a teacher is asking our
class to quiet down for the fourth time in five
minutes, I can’t help but feel ashamed for the way
students are representing themselves.
We are all guilty of being a bit too chatty
at times, myself very much included, but sometimes
we have to get perspective on the situation and put
ourselves in our teacher’s place. What if you were
giving a presentation and people were talking to
their friends with their backs turned to you? Most
of the time, people don’t even bother to lower their
voices in a display of utter disinterest and what
amounts to contempt.
Still, we are teenagers and it can be hard to
sit for an entire class period and pay full attention
to what the teacher is saying. So our teachers
should understand this and try to engage the class
in enough varied activities to avoid this monotony.
The truth is, however, that sometimes the only
way to learn certain information is by sitting still
and taking notes for an entire class period. We
don’t have to do it every day, but in college most
of us will face longer stretches of time with lecture
after lecture. Instead of resisting in a disrespectful
manner, we should try harder to engage ourselves or
at least not be arrogantly insolent.
The next big issue at WHS is grade
accusation. Every time report cards come out, the
halls are flooded with exclamations like “I can’t
believe she gave me a C!” All of these allegations
are shockingly reminiscent of my first grade self’s
favorite book “The Berenstain Bears and the
Blame Game” in which Brother and Sister each try
to absolve themselves from the guilt of breaking
Mama Bear’s favorite lamp by blaming each other.
Although one high school report card will
hardly determine your future (no matter how much
your parents may try to convince you otherwise), I
can understand being upset with a bad grade. The
fact of the matter is, however, that your teacher did
not give you a C. Teachers don’t reach into some
magical hat and pull out a random grade to stick on
your report card. You earned the C.
That said, there are certain times when
teachers do make mistakes. If you really didn’t
deserve that C, then by all means go and talk to
your teacher, ask to see a grade print out, and
resolve the issue. Marching into the EnglishHistory office, loudly proclaiming that you were
cheated and demanding a grade change is not the
answer. Walking around and bad-mouthing a teacher
because of a grade you received for not doing your
homework or studying for tests is similarly unfair.
As young adults, we need to grow up a bit and take
responsibility for our actions. If you want an A, try
putting effort into your classes and talking to your
teachers about how you can improve.
Perhaps the most disturbing display of
rudeness comes when teachers ask us to do some
simple task and we refuse. For example, far too
often we leave the cafeteria looking like World War
III was just fought across the tabletops with trash
strewn and drinks spilled everywhere. And what
happens when a teacher asks us to throw away our ice
cream wrappers?
We go into our self-defense mode. “It’s
not my trash!” we profess adamantly. When the
teacher asks us if we wouldn’t mind taking the
tray approximately seven steps to the trashcan, we
desperately seek another route. “But how come you
didn’t tell those kids to clean up their tables?” we
indignantly whine. Mind you, by this time, it would
have been much faster and surprisingly painless to put
the tray away ourselves. But of course we can’t give in
to this unfair treatment! We would be seen as weak.
The weakness, however, exists only in our
minds. By refusing to clean up for the benefit of the
common good (I mean come on, do you like sitting at
dirty tables with trash and crumbs everywhere?) and
giving attitude when asked to tidy up, we aren’t seen as
strong but as incorrigibly rude kids.
So what if it wasn’t your trash? That does
not mean you can’t throw it away. And chances
are the teacher has already talked to other students
about cleaning up and is on his way to talk to even
more. Once again, we come off looking immature
and ungrateful in our inability to deign to recycle a
Gatorade bottle.
Luckily there is an easy way to solve this
problem. We need to listen to what our teachers tell us
to do and comply. Thanks to our strong school system,
students’ heads are often swimming with thoughts of
Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience” and its manifestation
in the protests of people like Ghandi and Rosa Parks.
Complaining about cleaning up your trash, however,
is hardly comparable to refusing to change seats on a
bus or overturning colonial rulers. We should listen to
and respect our teachers and administrators by doing
something so small as cleaning up after ourselves.
As a school, the lack of respect we show
adults is embarrassing. We need to work to expunge
this climate of rudeness, or else we can expect to be
followed by the Weston stereotype of being a bunch
of spoiled kids. I honestly don’t see any reason for
students to have such insolent attitudes when it comes
to talking to their teachers. Disrespectfully talking back
doesn’t make you look cool; it just makes you look
immature and entitled.
The more respect we show teachers, the
more they will give back to us. We wonder why some
teachers treat us like little kids, but I don’t find it much
of a mystery. Once we rid the school of this negative
atmosphere, life will be better for teachers as well as
students.
Wildcat Tracks
Senior Editors
Francesca Breene, Lea Hachigian,
Nicole Liu, Ginny Nolan
Editors
Editor At Large: Emily Mello
Front: Michael Glen
In & Out: Elyssa Shea
Arts and Entertainment: Brooke Appe
Wildcat World: Emmy Dabbelt
Opinion: Alex Bruce
Sports: Harrison Levitan
Photo and Graphics Editor
Lexi Lewtan
Faculty Advisor: Kate Lemons
Staff Writers
Sara Bendetson, Venetia Breene,
Michael Bullister, Alex Cammuzzi, Jason Geller,
Liza Kidanova, Symphony Knight, Jen Kupper,
David Levine, Rohan Nagarkar, Paul Nelson,
Dan Wu, Kyle Yang
Opinion
Page 9
May 2008
Social Science turned into a gossip class
Chessy Breene
STAFF WRITER
As juniors two months ago hastily chose their
courses, they could not escape the urges of current
seniors to take Senior Social Science as opposed to a
“real” history class. One common way to hear the class
described among students is as a “joke” or “gossip class”
but is this really what Soc, as it is called, is all about?
Both Kay Cottle and Kim Young have
constructed a wonderful course to help students get
to know one another better, learn about emotional
intelligence, and even discuss difficult issues such as
drug use, rape, and abuse. Parts of the class could even
compare to a Psych course, but unfortunately a lot of kids
waste this opportunity.
As one senior anonymously said, “Most of the
time we just want to talk about the latest gossip, even
though there are some interesting things that our teachers
want us to learn. Gossip definitely takes over our classes a
lot of the time.”
Unfortunately, I feel that the same is often true in
my class, where any time Young tries to refocus the class
on more serious topics than the latest senior drama, the
whole class moans.
The course is designed to address some really
key issues that a lot of us deal with as seniors in high
school, but it is often hard to keep a conversation serious
with so many kids joking around. There’s no denying that
often conversations that could be incredibly useful and
interesting to some people are blown off by others and
made into jokes, and it is frustrating for a lot of kids who
want the real classroom experience.
“There are so many kids in my class who are
disrespectful and don’t want to talk seriously about some
important issues. It annoys me a lot, especially when it’s
something I’m interested in.” said an anonymous senior.
And what about the issue of confidentiality? I
know many students who want to talk seriously about
their lives but have valid concerns about trusting their
class. There have been plenty of circumstances this
year where senior’s secrets have ‘leaked’ from the
classroom. At the beginning of the year each member of
the class signs a confidentiality
agreement, but so many times
this year that confidentiality
has been breached. In my
opinion, you know people
are turning Soc into a gossip
opportunity when rumors get
spread and you hear friends
saying things like, “You know
what I heard happened in Ms.
Cottle’s Soc class yesterday?”
When we do work,
however, the work we have
done in Soc has been very
interesting and also incredibly
useful in helping me deal with
day-to-day issues. We have
learned about how to deal
with difficult people, how to
approach challenging situations
with friends or family, how
to ask and answer questions
insightfully,
and
more.
Our capstone project as we
approach graduation is to create
our own autobiographies, and I
know this project will become a cherished possession
to many of us in the years to come. I am more excited
for this project than I have ever been about an academic
requirement before.
This is the kind of work I believe we need to
take advantage of. There is no other class like Soc where
we are able to learn and talk about things that are off
limits in any other class. We should be grateful for a
class that gives us this opportunity, not take advantage
of its relaxed environment. Soc is the most studentdriven course in Weston High School, and its motives
are honorable. It is a
gift to seniors to be
able to take this class
as opposed to the more
traditional
history
classes, but I feel that
students take advantage
of this gift. My goal
is to urge future Soc
students to appreciate
the course for how it
has been designed.
I believe that
Soc is a very valuable
class for seniors, but
in order to get value
from it, future seniors
will have to approach
it in the correct way as
compared to how too
many of my classmates
have handled it. It is not
a time to slack off or
catch up with friends,
but a time to help out
your peers and listen to
one another in a safe environment. Soc is really what the
students choose to make of it, and those who take it in
the future need to embrace the course for what it is and
how it has been constructed, not exploit it for the best
juicy secrets.
Patriot Act Erodes Civil Rights
Rohan Nagarkar
STAFF WRITER
Enacted on Oct. 26, 2001
by the Congress of the United
States, The USA PATRIOT
Act was the almost immediate
response to the attacks of Sept.
11. The act’s primary purpose
was to prevent future terrorist
attacks, but what it has actually
accomplished is to invade
people’s privacy and violate
their civil rights.
By “Uniting and
Strengthening
America
by
Providing Appropriate Tools
Required to Intercept and Obstruct
Terrorism,” the government has
given law enforcement agencies
the ability to wire tap and search
all email, phone, financial, and
even library records of anyone in
the country without a court order.
It also allows the deportation and
indefinite detention of immigrants
“suspected” of terrorism–related
acts.
Out of all the abilities
the government has gained
through the passing of this act,
the most utilized by far is the
wire-tapping of international calls
made or received in the United
States. Unlike the detention
policies of The PATRIOT Act,
the wire-tap can affect both
citizens and non-citizens making
or receiving international calls.
I realized a few weeks ago that
when my grandmother calls us
from India, the caller ID indicates
that the call is coming from the
“U.S. Department of Justice.” I
can only assume that this means
that conversations between my 75
year-old grandma and my family
are being monitored.
This
controversial
bill has been questioned by many,
including director and creator
of “Fahrenheit 9/11,” Michael
Moore. In Moore’s movie,
congressman Jim McDermott
admits that “no senator read
the bill.” This is probably why
several controversial parts of
the act were passed in congress
without serious consideration.
Despite that fact, there are many
who feel that wire-tapping is just
fine.
“I don’t care if
the FBI listens in on
my conversations.
As long as they
are doing it to
protect America,”
said senior Sam
Alam.
People
who
share
Alam’s
belief
think that the
blatant invasion
of
privacy
through
the
searching
of
anyone’s
financial, phone,
and email records
without a court
order is a good
idea because it
can help prevent
terrorism. They also
believe that indefinite detention is
O.K. because, although it seems
harsh, it will keep America safe
from extremists. I disagree.
Although the wire-taps
and the checking of personal
records
enable
government
agencies to track large money
transactions, can help raise a red
flag if someone buys dangerous
chemicals or bomb components,
and can hinder long distance
communication
abilities
of
miscreants, it should only be used
on suspected terrorists. In other
words, citizens and non-citizen
residents who are not involved
in malicious activities should not
be spied upon. Only once there
is some evidence that a person
is involved in terrorist activities
should monitoring be allowed.
For example, if someone buys
a large amount of an explosive
chemical, then the company
selling the chemical should
inform the authorities about
potential misuse, and only then
should the person who purchased
it come under government
scrutiny.
The indefinite detention
of suspected terrorists is another
major part of The PATRIOT Act
that needs to be changed. Being
detained for only being suspected
of something goes against the
principle “innocent until proven
guilty.” Under this segment of
the act, a person suspected of
intending to harm the United
States can be held for seven
days without any explanation as
to why they are being detained.
There should be a proper trial,
and terrorism should be treated
like every other crime. Until
evidence links a suspect to the
crime, detention should be out of
the question.
This detention policy
also allows for non–uniformed
prisoners of war to be sent to
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, one of the
United States’ most controversial
prisons. From released prisoners
and a Red Cross investigation in
June of 2004, it became known
that detainees are being tortured
through
sleep
deprivation
techniques, are exposed to loud
sounds and songs for extended
periods of time, and are denied
access to the Qur’an, the holy
book of Islam.
Suspected terrorists or
people who potentially threaten
homeland security should be
investigated and should cooperate
with an investigating team, but
they should not be forced into
a jail cell immediately. If an
investigation turns up enough
evidence, then and only then
should a suspect be detained.
In order to improve
our homeland security while
protecting the civil rights of
people in the United States and
abroad, Congress should be
open to changing the act so that
suspected terrorists are given the
benefit of the doubt until proven
otherwise and are brought to trial
just like every other criminal
would be.
Wildcat News
Page 10
WHS news in
brief
David Levine
STAFF WRITER
WHS Theater Company
Out of 114 schools competing statewide, the Weston High
School Theater Company was selected as one of three state winners for
the 77th annual one-act play competition. The WHS Theater Company
was also the only school out of the fourteen that competed in the final
round that wrote its own play, “Painting Provenance.” The monthlong competition was hosted at fourteen different schools (including
WHS). It took the WHS theater group almost two and a half months
to prepare the production, and their hard work paid off. Four students
won additional awards including Maddie Redlick and Brian Cowe,
who won acting awards, along with Alex Engler, who won a projection
design award, and Devin LaFrance, who won both sound and lighting
design awards.
New People in the Administration
Amber Bock will begin her position as the Assistant
Superintendent of Curriculum and Development for the Weston
Public Schools on July 1, 2008. She will take the place of the previous
Assistant Superintendent, Cheryl Maloney, who is replacing Alan Olif
as the district’s Superintendent. Bock has served as the principal of
the Bates Elementary School in Wellesley, Massachusetts for eleven
years, and before that she served as an administrator and teacher for a
total of 11 years. Bock’s many duties will include heading curriculum
development at the Weston Public Schools and reviewing WEEFC
grants.
“We are very fortunate to have Amber Bock joining our
administration. She is a highly respected principal in Wellesley who
loves working with students. She will bring her years of experience as
well as that passion for supporting learning to her new position,” said
Maloney.
Also starting on July 1, 2008 will be Christopher Aufiero
as the new director of athletics. Aufiero has served as the director of
athletics for the Bedford Public Schools since 2003 and previously he
had been a physical education and health teacher for a total of four
years. Aufiero has also worked as the baseball coach for various high
schools and colleges for ten years.
“[Aufiero] is very approachable, and he is committed to
sportsmanship and listening to both kids and coaches. I am happy to
have such a user friendly director who will continue to improve the
athletic programs,” said interim athletic director Robert Desaulniers.
Art Show
The fifth annual first through twelfth grade art show began on
May 8 at the High School and will be up for the following two weeks
around the halls. The opening reception included the unveiling of two
new pieces of permanent artwork: the METCO Mural and the (soon to
be complete) pillars of education. Hundreds of students are participating
in the show through various media including photographs, sculptures,
Artwork displayed in WHS.
PHOTO/Lexi Lewtan
and paintings. This year the show’s date was moved earlier in May
so that the seniors could participate in the hanging and introduction of
their work.
High School Film Festival
The film festival this year will take place on May 22 in the
high school auditorium, marking the end of the two-week art show.
The festival will include slightly over an hour-long presentation of
the best movies from this school year, as chosen by video teacher Ted
Garland. Following the presentation, the audience will vote for their
May 2008
Weston becomes more
eco-friendly
“It is a privilege to
waste, but it’s our responsibility
to conserve. This should become
part of our lives, not only at
school, but also at home,” said
Oliff.
With the theme of
“Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” Oliff
has tackled this problem on three
fronts. One of the largest actions
installed so that students could
rinse recyclable bottles before
STAFF WRITER
putting them in the recycling bin.
“I never really use the
While each year Earth
sink.
It’s
a good idea but not too
Day helps to raise awareness
many
people
actually dump out
of Weston High School’s
their
drinks,”
said junior Varun
environmental impact, many
Tyagi.
individuals have been taking
Despite
Weston’s
more significant steps to make
enthusiasm
to
be
more
the Weston Public
environmentally
conscious,
Schools more efficient
future changes are up to the
and earth friendly.
students themselves.
Led
by
“Individuals have to feel
science
teacher,
motivated
to take responsibility.
Janet
KreslUltimately
it comes down to
Moffat,
Students
that,”
said
Kresl-Moffat.
for
Environmental
The pace at which
Action (SEA) have
progress
is being made does not
led the wave of
surprise
Dr.
Oliff.
change at WHS.
“You
have
to
From
distributing
understand
that
it
takes
a
while
recycling bins to
to change a culture,” said Oliff
removing
invasive
Although there have
species from campus,
been
many
changes throughout
this group has taken
the
Weston
school system, the
responsibility
for
largest
transition
is yet to occur.
the task of spreading
Individuals
making
changes
knowledge
and Students recycle.
PHOTO/Lexi Lewtan
today
depend
on
the
student
involvement in helping
body
to
make
changes
tomorrow.
the
environment.
taken is the involvement of the As students and all staff become
Posters line the halls advising
Weston Department of Public engaged in these efforts, greater
students about how to make
Works. Weston Public Schools progress is expected.
better decisions regarding their
now sends all recyclables (paper,
impact on the environment.
plastic, glass, and cardboard) to
SEA has even researched
Weston DPW instead of paying
the installation of solar panels on
for a service to dispose of the
the roofs and the use of bio fuel in
materials. In the past year, over
‘08 - continued from page 1
school buses.
30 tons of recyclables have
A large obstacle that
been sent to the Weston Transfer
has restricted SEA is the budget.
Station. This change has led to a
Although they did look into the use
When students use their
savings of $1,500 every month.
of bio fuel, the amount of money
freedoms
to disrespect authority,
In an effort to “reduce,”
needed to make the transition and
then
the
freedom has to be
water control devices have
maintain the up keep is too great
checked,”
said history teacher
been installed in every school.
to be undertaken.
Susan
Graham.
As a result, water flow has
“After researching the
“The number .08 refers
decreased by 18 percent. Energy
possibility of bio fuels we came
to
the
legal
limit of alcohol
efficient light bulbs have also
to realize that it was just too
which
can
be
consumed
and still
been installed in both the WHS
expensive,” said Kresl-Moffat.
drive.
We
do
not
espouse
such a
and the Weston Middle School
School administrators
message,
especially
being
worn
gymnasiums. Alterations such as
are also focusing on the issue
in
school.
‘08,
as
in
2008,
would
these have decreased electricity
of the environment. In his last
be just fine,” said Parker.
use by five percent.
year as Superintendent, Dr. Alan
Thus, many feel that
Unfortunately
some
Oliff has made a significant effort
the
T-shirts
did not just walk a
projects, such as the cafeteria
to spread the actions of Kreslfine
line
between
what is and
sink, have not caught on with
Moffat and SEA to all parts of the
is
not
appropriate
but actually
the student body. This sink was
Weston School system.
overstepped it.
“Although
anything
that celebrates intoxication is not
okay. I understand the rebellious
favorite videos, and the winners will take home awards. The festival spirits that teenagers try to
will have an Academy Awards feel complete with glitzy decorations promote. It brings the senior class
closer as a family. However, as
and refreshments.
“This will be a great event for the students to showcase their they go on with their lives, I hope
the seniors can actually make
videos to their family and friends,” said Garland.
good decisions for themselves.
Anything controversial they
Memoli named Orchestra Director of the Year
WHS music department director Christopher Memoli won try to celebrate right now will
the Massachusetts Orchestra Director of the Year award from the hopefully not become reality,”
Massachusetts chapter of the American String Teachers Association said Assistant Principal Natalie
(ASTA). The award was given out at the All-State Conference on Cohen.
Seniors always try
March 27 after a private nomination process that stressed consistent,
to
come
up with special ways
holistic accomplishments and respect for the nominee by both the
to
celebrate
senior class spirit
school and ASTA communities. Memoli received recognition for both
in
order
to
leave
a remarkable
his ten-year leadership of the Weston Music Program and creation of
legacy.
This
year,
however, the
the Eastern District of the Massachusetts Music Educators Association
expressions
have
certainly
been
that hosts regional events which were previously unavailable to
controversial.
students living around the Boston area. Memoli was also one of the
Harrison Levitan
younger recipients of the award and previously served as the president
of the Association.
Sports
May 2008
Page 11
Weston looks forward to DCL changes
Ginny Nolan
STAFF WRITER
The DCL has gotten a new competitor with
Tyngsborough accepting the invitation to join the league
this year. More additions are to come in the next few
years with Waltham and Arlington planning to join the
DCL as well, but what do these changes mean for Weston
athletics?
“I think it’s terrific
for Weston. It gives all teams- softball, basketball, hockey,
football-- a chance to compete
for a championship without
having to compete as much
against huge schools like AB
and LS. Those teams have an
unfair advantage because of
their school size,” said Athletic
Director Robert Desaulniers.
With the addition
of Tyngsborough, Weston is
no longer the smallest school
in the DCL. Tyngsborough
only has 600 students in total,
significantly less than Weston’s
730. Not being the smallest
school has already improved
WHS’s position in the league,
and many more changes are on
the way.
Once all three teams are integrated into the
league next year, the DCL will have 12 teams in total, and
will therefore be able to split into two divisions for many
sports: DCL large and DCL small. Weston will be in the
DCL small along with Tyngsborough, Wayland, Bedford,
Arlington, and Concord-Carlisle. The teams in the DCL
large will be Acton-Boxboro, Boston Latin, Waltham,
Newton South, Lincoln-Sudbury, and Westford Academy.
Sports that have at least ten teams from the
member schools competing will be split into the two
divisions. For these sports Weston will still play every
team in the entire league, but with the new setup teams
will play weighted schedules with more games against
schools their size. Teams will play every team in the same
division twice, and play teams in the other division once.
There will be one league champion for each division
based solely on league record within their division. These
sports include
boys and girls
basketball,
baseball, field
hockey, golf,
boys and girls
lacrosse, softball
and volleyball.
The
schedules for
cross country
and track teams,
wrestling teams,
and football
teams will be a
little different.
Cross country,
and indoor and
outdoor track
teams will face
as many league
opponents as
the DCL athletic directors deem appropriate. For these
sports there will be two league champions and they will be
decided upon at the end of the season DCL Championship
Meet. Wrestling teams will compete against each league
opponent one time. There will be two divisions, and two
league champions will be selected based on league records
within their division. Football will also have two league
champions based on division record.
“As a football coach I’m pleased that my team
can now compete in the DCL instead of an independent
league,” said Desaulniers.
Some students are happy about the change,
saying that it will give Weston an advantage after years of
having to play against power-house teams that come from
schools that are more than twice the size of WHS.
“This is good for Weston because for a small
school like us, winning the DCL against huge schools like
Westford, A-B, and L-S would be impossible for many
teams, but now since we play several smaller schools, it
is more fair,” said senior soccer, basketball and lacrosse
player Merry Batter.
“In the past, since Weston is a small school and
there are less people to choose from for each varsity team,
we were at a disadvantage. But now the small schools
play each other more, and we’re more evenly matched,”
said junior lacrosse and soccer player Aimee Coburn.
However other students see the disadvantages to
breaking up the DCL.
“I think the DCL split is disappointing because
generally the quality of competition will go down since
now we only play the big schools once,” said senior
tennis player Josh Bookman.
For sports that have less than ten school teams
competing in the league, nothing will change; they
will be placed in one division and will have one league
champion. These sports include girls hockey, gymnastics,
and boys volleyball.
The only sport where the kinks are still being
worked out as to how it will fit into the new DCL is
winter swimming.
This new DCL will be in full effect for the 20082009 season, but all involved plan to monitor the change
carefully to make certain that it is having the desired
effect. The DCL athletic directors have agreed to meet
sometime before the 2010 fall season to review the league
alignments, and at that time a decision will be made
regarding the future years of the DCL.
Concussions and head injuries increase
Emily Mello
STAFF WRITER
This past year there
was a dramatic increase in the
number of student concussions at
Weston High. This has led many
to question why the increase has
occurred and whether sports have
changed this year in a way that
causes more head injuries.
According to Kathy
Becker, WHS’s nurse, it is not
necessarily the sports that have
changed.
“There is increased
awareness about concussions
because of pro athletes such
as Ted Johnson, who ended
his career early due to head
injuries,” said Becker. “We have
become more careful about
diagnosing concussions this year,
but there have also been more
concussions in general. Better
sports equipment, such as harder
helmets and stiffer pads, may
prevent broken bones, but they
can also be used as a weapon and
cause more head injuries.”
Andrew Rizza, WHS’s
athletic trainer, agrees with
Becker.
“The main cause of the
increase in concussion diagnoses
is not so much that there are
more injuries as that people are
more aware of the symptoms,”
said Rizza. “Everyone reads or
hears about concussions in the
news and knows more about what
they are because of the media.
Students are more likely to come
to me because they know the
signs of a concussion.”
The combination of
more concussions and more
careful diagnoses has caused the
number of student concussions
to more than double from 20062007 to the 2007-2008 school
year. Last year, the total number
of concussions was 14, while
Weston reported 34 so far this
year.
While last year no
concussion diagnoses were due
to head injuries from soccer, this
year there was a total of five. This
does not necessarily mean that
there were no concussions due
to soccer from 2006-2007, but it
shows that WHS is taking them
more seriously in the present.
“When the brain is
bruised, the damage is hard to
quantify and doesn’t show up
on a MRI or CAT scan. As a
school, we’re trying to draw
the line between head injuries,
which are more permanent,
and concussions, which are
temporary,” said Becker.
But the line between
head injury and concussion can
be very hard to draw. Junior
Megan Leddy felt the effects of
her concussion for longer than
the average period of time, so
there are questions about whether
her injury was officially a head
injury or was still classified as a
concussion.
“In
school
I
was blank and had no
idea what was going
on. For longer than
is normal, I was
constantly distracted
by loud noises in
the
classroom
and
couldn’t
concentrate on
what was being
taught,”
said
Leddy.
W h i l e
concussions are usually
caused by a blow to
the head, head injuries
can have other causes
such as seizures and
head penetration. Head
injuries also usually have
more long term and
consequential results.
According
to
WHS’s
health
department, head injury
is a new field of inquiry
and
concern.
The
severity of a concussion
is hard to diagnose because
presently
it
is
measured through a
series of subjective
tests.
Most of
these tests are based
upon memorization. In one of
the evaluations student athletes
are given a series of random
words to memorize and
asked
to
repeat
them minutes later,
while
in
another
they must be able to
recognize
specific
pictures when seeing
them for a second
time.
Although
student
athletes
agree that concussion
diagnoses have been
made more carefully this
year, many also think that
other factors are causing
the increase in injuries.
“I think that the
level of competition and
intensity has increased this
year, making games more
dangerous,” said junior Anna
Been.
Another major problem
concerning head injuries is
that some student athletes
do not want to tell their coaches if
they believe that they have gotten
a concussion, because they do not
want to be taken out of games.
“It’s not dangerous to
play with a concussion. You’ve
got to sacrifice for the sake of
the team. The only way I come
out is on a stretcher,” said Kelby
Jasmon, a high school football
player of Springfield, Illinois in a
New York Times article.
“Our coaches would
take us out in a second. So
why would we tell them?” said
Matt Selvaggio, a teammate of
Jasmon’s.
This lack of concern
over concussions shows that
there is a great need for increased
awareness and education about
head injuries for students
throughout the U.S. But WHS
may be ahead of most of the
country in terms of concussion
awareness.
“Coaches are educating
their athletes about concussions
and teaching better techniques
when it comes to hitting,” said
Rizza.
Even though school
health officials are being more
careful about diagnoses, students
still need more information
concerning head injuries so that
they can understand the severity
of an untreated concussion.
Sports
May 2008
Page 12
Bloom shows star quality
Paul Nelson
STAFF WRITER
It is relatively uncommon that
a WHS student athlete goes on to the
prestigious collegiate NCAA levels,
and it is only once every blue moon that
this student athlete can flirt with going
professional. Junior Sahil Bloom is just
this kind of high school athlete, and he
has made a name for himself due in part
to brute determination.
“He commits year-round and is
easy to look up to. The work he puts in is
inspiring,” said sophomore catcher Chris
Conlon.
With his big strides to success
as a pitcher, Bloom is receiving serious
scholarship consideration from Stanford,
Duke, and Michigan, but the specifics
cannot be disclosed at this early stage in
the process.
More recently, Bloom has been
receiving pro attention with a call from
the Toronto Blue Jays General Manager,
J.P. Riccardi and a look from New York
Yankees scouts.
“I figure that you can’t force
that kind of stuff. With pro attention
you have to stay on an even keel and
continue to work hard. You have to keep
the same mentality as always when you
are playing, it always has to be playing
for the love of the game,” said Bloom.
Even if he does get drafted
out of high school, Bloom still has his
priorities in check. His family has had a
heavy influence on his scholastic career
in the student aspect of being a studentathlete.
“I want to go to college, no
doubt about it. If baseball doesn’t work
out for me on the pro level, college gives
me the best opportunities to succeed in
some other field,” said Bloom.
Constantly being in the spotlight is
not as easy as it sounds since it entails a great
deal of expectation from others. The pressure
to live up to it is even greater.
“You know you have to focus very
hard every pitch because on the bigger stage,
one mistake is all it takes,” said Bloom.
Bloom
began
working
out
Cressey Performance in Hudson, MA.
Honestly I can’t say enough about training
there,” said Bloom.
His teammates agree that his
success has come from hard work, and
Bloom has become a self-made athlete.
“He is a work horse. He wants the
ball on the mound. He throws a lot of pitches
with
good
command,
and
the
movement on
his
pitches
makes
him
effective,”
said
senior
designated
hitter, Spencer
Honeyman
It is
evident that
pitchers on the
high school
level
on
average have
to command
two or more
pitches.
Bloom’s
ability
to
throw
and
control five
pitches
for
strikes is a
large part of
his success on
the mound.
religiously last summer, and dedicated his
off- season to losing body weight and putting
on muscle weight. Ultimately his goal was to
strengthen his core and elevate his game to an
even higher level.
“A major part was training at
“Having confidence in every pitch
means knowing I can turn to any one of them
if the situation calls for it,” said Bloom.
Since the summer, Bloom has
gained significant speed on his fastball,
hitting over 90 mph in a showcase down in
South Carolina. Generally players who can
hit 90 mph look attractive to scouts.
Bloom’s resume was already very
bulky going into this baseball season. It
consists of participation in the Battle of the
States Underclassmen 2007, the Coastal
Carolina Showcase, and membership in the
Ruffnecks AAU team.
Bloom’s promising pitching career
has not been without adversity.
“My grandfather passed away ten
minutes before my first varsity start. Then I
gave up a long homer the first batter I ever
faced in a varsity uniform,” said Bloom.
Since then he has posted a 14-4 record.
When his teammates see him take
the ball, there is a collective sigh of relief.
“It’s good to play behind him
and makes you feel confident in the field
knowing you have a pitcher who will battle
every strike for you,” said senior utility
man, Sam Bernstein.
Despite being calm and collected
on the mound, Bloom does feel nerves like
any other athlete.
“I get extremely nervous before
every pitching appearance. But when I step
on that mound, I trust my ability, and that
nervousness is just a sign that my mind and
body are ready to compete,” said Bloom.
His ability to channel his emotions
is only one part of his talent. Bloom also
relies on those around him off the field for
success on the field.
“Having family, friends, and
coaches that support you 110 percent is a
great feeling. You feed off that support and
translate it into confidence.”
It is clear Bloom has a bright
future, but he doesn’t let that get to his head.
First and foremost, he is a good teammate.
“Although an extremely talented
player, Sahil never lets his personal goals
supercede those of the team,” said senior
shortstop and captain, Matt Helfer.
Tennis teams see improvements
Alex Camuzzi
The players have noticed a difference as
“We enjoy his company,” said junior Jacob
well,
and
they
are excited for an opportunity to compete
STAFF WRITER
Klapoltz.
in the newly overhauled DCL.
Spector has seamlessly blended his talents
The Weston High School tennis teams have
“We can do better this season because this
and personality with the rest of the program, despite age
undergone several changes this year in both their athletes year we play smaller schools,” said sophomore Jennifer
and experience being less than his peers. His talent has
and coaching staff. These changes have led many on the
Sieber. “The coaches are encouraging and supportive, but more than made up for his novice status.
teams to expect greater success.
they’re tough at the same time.”
“Will is very talented, and he loves to compete,”
The WHS girls team has struggled for the
The boys tennis team has
said varsity head
past few years, but this season they hope for a better
experienced different changes. Last year marked
coach Peter
performance.
general success in the
Koekkoek. “He
This can be
playoffs after they
is currently
attributed to
reached the Division
undefeated at the
the new hires
2 North region finals.
first singles spot.”
at coaching
Finishing the season
With
positions:
at 12-5, members of
this new core of
Julie Homthe team feel like they
players, Coach
Mandell and
accomplished a lot.
Koekkoek has set
Diane Sanaito.
This year the
high goals for his
These coaches
team has started off
team.
have brought a
the season with an 8-3
“We
hard-working
record, but are hopeful.
hope to finish
mentality to the
They are adjusting
with a winning
team.
to some major roster
DCL record, and
“In Girls tennis team warms up
PHOTO/Lexi Lewtan changes. Graduating
then go deep into
the past, it was a
seniors like Wes Talcot
the MIAA State
little more loose,
and Andrew Elman
Tournament at the
but I am more strict this year,” said coach Hom-Mandell. were major parts of the team’s success last year.
end of the regular
“I try to get to know the individuals and personalize the
Despite their departure, the team remains hopeful.
season.”
practices.”
“We lost a strong doubles team, but
With a
Coach Hom-Mandell is hoping her new
this year we have a really strong singles team to
new coaching staff
coaching style can bring a certain level of success, but her compensate,” said junior Jeff Greenberg.
Matt Clark ready to strike
PHOTO/Lexi Lewtan
for the girls team
definition of the word success is quite different from most.
The team also sees a bright future
and a talented
“To me, the win/loss record does not matter. in freshman player William Spector, who has
young core for the boys team, the Weston High School
Success comes from within; I want them to love tennis.”
already made a large impact this season.
tennis teams have set themselves up for the future.
Their win and loss record has improved from
“We have a strong new player that bumps
a 1-14 record last year to an 2-9 record so far this season. everyone else down one spot,” said Greenberg.