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Bunnell High School * 1 Bulldog Blvd, Stratford, CT 06614 * Friday, February 27, 2015 * Volume LIV, Issue 3
Escape to Quebec: Dog Sleds, Ice Hotels, Freezing Fun
Juniors Alex Ghajar (left) and Drhuva Chagi (right) prepare for dog
sledding on their trip in Quebec. Photo Credit: Ms. Ahlstrom-Nasry
Doralis Ceballos
Staff Reporter
This new year started off
with a bang for several Bunnell
students. With midterms out of
the way and the second semester
in full swing, it was time to take a
break from the stress. On Thursday, Feb. 5 at 6:30 a.m., a coach
bus took off from the SHS parking lot with forty-one students
and five teachers from BHS and
SHS, headed to Quebec, Canada.
They were on their way to experience the French language in a
whole new way.
Teachers accompanying the
students included BHS French
teacher Ms. Ahlstrom-Nasry, Mr.
Stein, Mrs. Harkenreader and her
husband. After a ten hour bus
ride, the students were greeted by
the Prometour Tour Director and
took a walking tour of Quebec.
After the tour, students were
ready for one of the most anticipated parts of the trip: meeting
their host families. The students
were able to stay with actual
citizens of Canada who opened
up their homes for them.
“My host family experience...
was great. The host lady was
really nice and spoke languages like French, Spanish, and
German. She had the house filled
with board games and a pin ball
machine and we had four course
meals for dinner,” said junior
Maria Jose Vanegas.
Most of these families spoke
only French, so it was an opportunity for students to practice the
language and learn a bit more.
On day two of the trip,
students enjoyed breakfast with
their host families and met on the
bus to see Montmorency Falls,
a waterfall higher than Niagara.
Because of the arctic weather,
the waterfall was almost entirely
frozen.
Dog sledding was next on the
list of activities, and it was an
experience unlike anything the
students had before.
“The dogs were very excited to go. When we arrived
they couldn’t stop barking and
running around!” said Ahlstrom-Nasry.
There was one person sitting
down on the sled and another
standing up, called the Musher,
who told the husky dogs when
to start running. After learning
basic techniques and safety,
students embarked on a ride
through wooded trails.
“Dog sledding was a very fun,
but cold experience. [It was]
something unlike I’ve ever done
before,” said junior Alex Ghajar.
Afterwards, the group warmed
up by taking a tour of the sugar
shacks, a type of candy store,
and then enjoyed a lumberjack
inspired meal. There was a man
playing the accordion there and
students learned some traditional
dances.
A short visit to a copper museum followed, and the group saw
different copper creations. They
learned about how the creator of
the museum made church doors
out of copper and visited that
very church, Basilique St-Anne.
On the third day, the group
got to go to the Bonhomme
Carnival, one of the largest
winter festivals in the world.
Here, they saw an ice sculpture
contest where sculptors carved
huge blocks of ice for everyone
to see. There were sculptures of
trees, houses, animals, and even
a bulldog!
Then, there was a historical
presentation where students were
taught how to load a rifle.
After the presentation, the
group headed to the famous
ice hotel, Hotel de Glace. Made
entirely of ice and snow, the
architectural design on this structure was incredible to witness.
This structure is made every year
at the end of Nov., and it takes
about six weeks to build. The
hotel is one level and there are 15
decorated rooms with themes,
like hockey or knights. People
do in fact sleep there, and before
they go to bed at night, it is recommended they go to the sauna
to warm up.
The BHS travelers did not
sleep at the ice hotel, but they
walked around and got to enjoy
the amazing ice masterpiece.
“The ice hotel was beautiful. It
was so interesting because every
room was different,” said junior
Autumn Wagner.
Before the day ended, the
group got to go snow tubing.
There was a ski lift that took the
tubes up the hills that had names
like Everest, Himalaya, and Black
Diamond.
“Tubing was an awesome part
of the trip...It was so fast that you
didn’t even mind the cold. The
tallest mountain was the Everest,
and I even convinced a few of
The Stratford travelers bundle up for the Bonhomme Carnival in Quebec. Photo Credit: Ms. Ahlstrom-Nasry
Black History Month; Honoring MLK
Giovanni-Marie Roper
Freelancer
In the United States, February
is well-known as Black History
Month. This dedication is a way
to honor those African-American leaders who have fought for
freedom and justice for all races
in America. One of the most
famous and well-known leaders
of the civil rights movement is
Dr. Martin Luther King, who has
recently been honored with a
colossal memorial in the nation’s
capital.
Standing tall and made of
white granite, the Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. Memorial overlooks the Tidal Basin in Washington D.C., which many tourists
visit daily. On Oct. 16, 2011, the
National Mall in D.C. formally
welcomed this memorial to its
collection, and this is the first in
the National Mall to honor an
African-American.
The vision for this memorial was casted back in 1982
by Alpha Phi Alpha, the same
fraternity in which Dr. King belonged. Two years after Congress
approved the fraternity’s plan
to build the memorial in 1996,
they began the Washington, D.C.
Martin Luther King, Jr. National
Memorial Project Foundation to
help raise the $120 million that
was needed to build the memorial.
In 1999, a competition was
started to find the perfect design
for the piece. Over 900 entries
from all over the world were
judged by 11 architecture and
fine arts professionals from the
U.S., Mexico, China, France and
India. The judges found the winning design from an architecture
firm in San Francisco, the ROMA
Design Group.
Their design had Dr. King as
the stone of hope coming out of
the mountain of despair. ROMA’s
design was inspired by a line
from one of Dr. King’s most iconic speeches, “I Have a Dream”
which was delivered in Aug. 1963
at the Lincoln Memorial.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s
Memorial in the National Mall in
Washington D.C. Photo Credit:
Giovanni-Marie Roper
In 2006, Lei Yixin, a sculptor
from China, was chosen as the
memorial’s artist. Yixin built the
main pieces of the statue out of
white granite in China and sent
them over to America. Construction was finished by various
architecture firms in early Aug.
the teachers to go on it with me!
I think all the kids had a pretty
awesome time,” said Stein.
The next day the students were
coming back home, and they had
one last look at the city by going
shopping, and bidding farewell to
their gracious host families.
“This trip was freezing fun!”
said Ahlstrom-Nasry.
BHS is very privileged to
be able to have students travel
abroad to other countries. On
this trip to Quebec, students were
able to live with families that
spoke only French. They got to
try new food and learned traditional dances and saw sights that
were once-in-a-lifetime!
Where will Ahlstrom-Nasry
and her entourage travel to next?
Will it be the streets of Paris? Or
the rich historical sites of Rome?
She hopes to plan a trip for next
year, but it has not been decided
yet.
2011, and opened to the public
a few weeks after construction
ended.
Dr. King now stands 30 feet
tall in the heart of Washington
D.C. He stands coming out of
the middle of a mountain, with
the quote inscribed, “Out of the
mountain of despair, a stone of
hope,” on one side and, “I was
a drum major for justice, peace
and righteousness," on the other.
The mountain behind Dr. King is
connected to a crescent-shaped
wall that is engraved with 14
quotes from Dr. King’s many
speeches and writings. The
quotes on the walls reflect Dr.
King, what he stood for, and his
beliefs.
Dr. King was unlike any other
civil-rights activist. He led a
movement without violence
to achieve equality for African-Americans and the victims
of injustice. He was inspired by
his Christian faith and nonviolent activists like Mahatma
Gandhi, and Dr. King was known
for using his voice to push for
social change. He also led many
peaceful protests like the Montgomery Bus Boycott and played a
huge role in the enactment of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, which
outlawed discrimination based
on race, color, religion, gender
or national origin. This was a
huge milestone in the struggle for
equality and peace in America.
With the recent events
involving racial tension in the
U.S., some believe that Dr. King’s
dream of having racial equality
will never come true. But because
of the hard work done by Dr.
King, and many other civil rights
activists, progress has been made,
and the U.S. is coming closer to
making Dr. King’s dreams a reality. Now, his memorial stands tall
as an inspiration and reminder
of his struggles. In lieu of Black
History Month, evey American
should reflect on Dr. King's work
of trying to make the world a
better place for everyone.
Page 2
Upcoming
Events
March 12
Unified Sports Basketball
Tournament
BHS Gym
2:30 to 6:00 p.m.
March 14
Junior Ring Dance
Vazzano’s Four Seasons
7:00 to 11:00 p.m.
March 17
BHS Band Marches in
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Bridgeport, CT
March 19
Faculty Talent Show
BHS Auditorium
7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
March 24
Winter Sports Awards
BHS Auditorium
7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
March 27
End of Third Marking Period
March 30
Spring Sports Athletes Meeting
BHS Gym
2:15 p.m.
March 30
Spring Sports Pre-Season
Meeting
Mandatory for all Parents
BHS Auditorium
7:30 to 9:00 p.m.
April 2
EARLY CLOSING
Professional Development for
All Staff
12:25 p.m.
April 3
Good Friday
NO SCHOOL
April 6
Third Marking Period Report
Cards Issued
April 7
Bridges Program
Housatonic Community College
April 9
Indoor Drumline and Color
Guard Tour to FMS and WMS
OOPS!
Here at the Scribe we take great
care and pride in trying to accurately report the news. We regret
the following errors that were
printed in the December issue:
The names of Staff Reporter
Doralis Ceballos and Freelancer
Yazmin Santos were misspelled in
their respective articles
The boy in the HOSA photo was
a Stratford High student
NEWS
Get Classy on Social Media
Liridona Egriu
Staff Reporter
Technology is at the fingertips
of most individuals in today’s
society, which makes it convenient for some people to make
the wrong choices. The Internet
is now used in all avenues of life,
whether it be at work, school or
home. It is difficult to find anyone, young or old, without ties
to social media or the Internet.
While some may think online
connections are a harmless way
to stay in touch, there is a much
darker side to cyberspace.
Due to easy usage and the
ability to be anonymous, people are not often aware of the
potential problems that can occur
while in cyberspace. Constantly
being connected to technology
increases the amount of cyberbullying, sexting, peer pressure
and harassment in today’s society.
Cyberspace is a virtual world
where people can interact with
one another using different social
media sites. Social media has dramatically impacted the world in
both negative and positive ways.
The pictures, videos and comments that people upload can be
quite different than their normal
face-to-face interactions.
Cyberbullying is bullying that
takes place on the Internet and
is a form of peer pressure and
harassment. Cyberbullying could
be through text messages, emails,
social media sites, embarrassing
pictures and videos.
According to National Center
of Education and Bureau of
Justice, “15 percent of students in
grades 9-12 admit to have experienced cyberbullying.”
Admin. Mr. Koch said “[Cyberbullying] is not a good thing;
we deal with it more than [we
want to.]”
According to cyberbullying.
“We don’t have
a choice
whether we
DO social
media, the
question is
how well we
DO it.”
-Erik Qualman
Author of Socialnomics
us, “In some states, it is a misdemeanor crime to threaten to
‘inflict injury or personal harm’
through the use of e-mail or
another computerized communication system. It is also illegal
to harass, annoy, or otherwise
offend another person electronically.”
Teens who are bullied on the
Internet may have a harder time
escaping from it. It is difficult to
stand up to bullies on the web,
and it may not be obvious to people around them. Those who are
cyberbullied are more prone to
use alcohol and drugs, self-harm
and become truant.
According to dosomething.
org, “Cyberbullying victims are
two to nine times more likely to
consider committing suicide.”
Furthermore, in cyberspace
nothing can be deleted or destroyed. Later in life, all of the
content that was uploaded at one
time online can reappear and
ruin future opportunities.
Social media passwords are
also easily accessible to hackers.
According to dosomething.org,
“More than 600,000 Facebook
accounts are compromised every
day.”
Never assume anything that
is online is private. Cyberspace
benefits a lot of people in the
workplace, and for educational
purposes, but there is an overall
lack of appropriate social media
etiquette.
A serious issue in cyberspace
for teens today is sexting. Sexting
is sending out explicit pictures or
videos of ones’ self on a mobile
device. This is a part of cyberspace that is often times a result
of peer pressure from other teens.
In a study done by the American
National Campaign to Prevent
Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy,
done in the fall of 2008 found
that, “one in five teens had sent
or posted nude or semi-nude
pictures or videos of themselves.”
Sexting usually occurs in
relationships, and even between
friends, but once a picture is sent,
it really is out of the senders’
hands. Even if someone deletes
a picture or message they have
sent, nothing can truly be destroyed from cyberspace.
“Would you press send if I was
sitting there next to you watching
over your shoulder?” said Admin.
February 2015
Dr. Dowling.
An article published by Dr.
Debra Katzman, the Professor
of Pediatrics at the University of
Toronto, said, “Although it can
be challenging for teens to resist
peer pressure, they should be encouraged not to do anything that
makes them feel uncomfortable,
even in cyberspace.”
“Don’t put anything on the Internet that you wouldn’t want on
the front cover of the newspaper,”
said Admin. Mr. Darcy.
The Internet is a hazardous
place of unknown obstacles.
These statistics suggest that
students are provided with
technology and receive very little
guidance to protect them from
cyberspace dangers. To avoid
future problems students should
keep their profiles and messages
appropriate. Be safe, be aware,
and just say no.
Social media has become a huge part of society today. Photo Credit:
Google Images
Bulldog Briefs: From All Four Corners
Nora Turner
Editor
On Thursday, Jan. 8, juniors
Elizabeth Grznarik, Arielle Beninco, Victoria Fatovic and Robby
Khouja attended the CIAC Unified Sports Youth Leadership
Summit at Wesleyan University
in Middletown, Conn. The students traveled to Wesleyan with
Athletic Director Mr. Johnson
and Ms. Metzger where they
attended informative workshops
on how to change the perception
of students with disabilities. The
students also got the chance to
meet with students from other
local middle and high schools,
and discussed ways to improve
the Unified Sports Program.
The Future Business Leaders of
America (FBLA) will be hosting its first St. Baldrick’s Head
Shaving event on Sunday, March
15. St. Baldrick’s is a non-profit
organization that raises money
and awareness for childhood
cancers. The event will be held in
the BHS gym, and will run from
12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Volunteers,
certified barbers, and shavees
are needed for this event to be a
success. Those who are interested
should contact the club’s advisor,
Ms. Heather Sweeney.
The winner of the 2015 Mr. Yearbook Pageant is senior Lucas
Mola, who entered the contest as
Mr. Football, and won his own
page in the BHS Laurel.
This hawk has been spotted in the BHS courtyard, and has become a
celebrity of sorts inside the school. Photo Credit: Dr. Wrubel
Editor: Nora Turner
Staff Reporters: Doralis Ceballos, Liridona Egriu, Julianna Koonitsky, Hannah McGettigan
Freelancers: Karina Castro, David Junga, Paige LeComer, Michele Morra, Giovanni-Marie Roper, Jaslene Ruiz, Yazmin Santos, Brooke
Shannon, Madeleine Videira
Advisor: Mrs. Dena Kelly
The Scribe, the official, student run newspaper of Bunnell High School, is published as a product of the journalism course at Bunnell
High School. These publications welcome submissions from the student body and staff of Bunnell High School. However, the views
expressed in the Scribe do not necessarily reflect the views of the district, administration, students, or staff of the Scribe. Letters to the
editor are welcomed; letters must be signed but names will be withheld upon request. Students interested in enrolling in the journalism
program for the 2015-2016 academic year should contact their guidance counselors, or see Mrs. Kelly in D5 for more information.
The Mission of Bunnell High School: Students will acquire content knowledge, strengthen higher order thinking, and develop character
in order to address 21st century challenges.
February 2015
NEWS
Page 3
Wood/Tech Classes Take Innovative Approach on Curriculum
Juniors Justin Valle (left) and Alec DeRosa (right) sand pieces of a guitar
in Advanced Woodshop class. Photo Credit: Mr. Farrell
year began, students in Farrell’s
Advanced Woodshop classes had
a new task at hand.
This class consists of mostly
juniors and seniors, and they
have to complete Wood I and
Wood II to enroll in this class.
No matter how big or small,
every project is time consuming
and requires a great deal of hard
work and patience. Students
working on the guitars are excited for the outcome of their work.
Junior Justin Valle says, “This
guitar project has taken a long
time, but I know I’ll like it when
I finish it.”
Another project that Farrell
introduced this year was the
hovercraft. This project was a featured article in Tech Directions,
a trade magazine for technology
education teachers. A nearly 14
foot long hovercraft has been
under construction since the
beginning of the year.
Students working on the
hovercraft project are in Farrell’s
Advanced Transportation Tech
class, and they had to complete
Farrell’s Advanced Trans Tech
I and Advanced Trans Tech II
classes.
Like all models, this massive
project started off with a complicated blueprint. Materials and
parts were supplied, and his students have been working hard to
put it together. This colossal piece
is being fabricated with extruded
polystyrene, marine plywood
and waterproof polyurethane
Association of College Admissions revealed that 84 percent of
admissions officers, at both state
and private schools, say that the
grades in college-prep courses are
of “considerable importance” in
their admittance process.
If a student’s GPA does not
exactly meet the average, be
reminded that college admission
officers look at the individual,
and many other factors play role
into whether a student gets into
that school or not. Also try not to
be completely devoted to a single
school, it is never guaranteed
whether one will get in or not. A
helpful tool that students can use
to discover the perfect college is
Naviance, which BHS provides
to juniors and seniors as a search
tool for careers and hundreds of
different schools.
When feeling like all hope
is lost for raising a GPA, then
reach out to a teacher or guidance counselor for help. Talking
with people who care may help
one put things into perspective
for a student. Also, always talk
to a teacher; they are there to be
a guide. Sometimes it takes an
understanding a teacher to know
how to get through their class.
The Class of 2016 is going
to be the last class that battles
through the current type of
SAT’s, which will be modified to
make the essay portion optional.
Also, students will not lose points
for getting questions wrong,
which is a real help to boost
scores.
The ACT’s and the SAT’s are
an important part of the college
application process. Recently,
many colleges been made the
SAT’s and ACT’s even more crucial in their application process,
as said by College Board. High
school students should familiarize themselves with the these
tests before their junior year,
when they typically will first take
them.
For juniors who may not have
studied during the summer,
winter and spring break are great
opportunities to catch up. When
the beginning of senior year rolls
around, students will be dealing
with everything at once: college
applications, the big first quarter
that colleges see on your application, SAT’s, ACT’s, and possibly
SAT Subject Tests. Be prepared to
get a good score on the first-try
SAT by studying a lot so you may
not have to re-take them.
Also, try to limit the amount
of times taking the SAT’s to
three; the College Board says the
average improvement after taking
a three SAT’s is very low.
If a student is looking more to
take the ACT’s, there are plenty
colleges that accept the ACT’s
alone. Getting a 30 on the ACT
is equivalent to getting a 2000 on
the SAT, but make sure to check
out a college’s requirements before deciding whether to take one
test or both.
College essays are the one
special chance to show who a student is as a person. Most college
admissions officers are interested
to see the unique sides of someone and are looking for qualities
that set them apart from the rest
Doralis Ceballos
Staff Reporter
New and intriguing projects
are well underway in Bunnell’s
Advanced Woodshop and Advanced Transportation Technology classes this year. With the
hard work and research done by
technology teacher, Mr. Farrell,
the construction of guitar and
hovercraft projects will be possible for BHS students to complete
now and in years to come.
Over the summer, Farrell
attended a technical seminar
on CNC (computer numerical
controlled) machining, which
focused on researching, designing, analyzing and manufacturing
musical instruments. This took
place at Central Connecticut
State University where Cajun
drums, chimes, cigar box guitars,
ukuleles and electronic synthesiz-
ers are all manufactured.
As the course progressed,
Farrell took note of how the
elements of the projects tied into
what his students learned during
class. He also observed lessons
he would be able to teach his
students in the incoming school
year.
One particular project that
sparked interest in Farrell was the
"STEM Guitar Project” workshop. It was presented by the
National Center for Manufacturing Education (NCME) through
a grant from the National Science
Foundation.
Farrell said, “I was awarded
[the] best mini grant from the
District’s best committee to start
the project here at BHS.”
It was a long and rigorous
process, but he ended up receiving the grant near the end of
the summer. As the new school
Students Evan Tibbals and Robert Noel assemble a hovercraft in Advanced Trans Tech II class. Photo Credit: Mr. Farrell.
adhesive. It will be covered with
the school where it is held. Eight
fiberglass when complete, and
different hovercrafts from local
then the mechanicals will be
schools will be competing in
installed.
May. BHS students working on
the hovercraft have redesigned
Junior Corey Auten said, “My
the steering and rudder of the
initial reaction to this hovercraft
hovercraft in order to be able to
project was how crazy it was.
I was really surprised we were go- race in this competition.
For students just starting the
ing to take on such a [big] project
woodshop classes, Farrell says
and thought it was going to be
that he will be doing these projreally difficult. It gets confusing
ects next year and hopefully in
at times, but we’ve come a long
the years to come.
way and I’m excited to see how it
Farrell says, “My students are
turns out.”
When the weather gets warm- very committed. It’s amazing
when you’re so focused on a
er, Farrell is planning on taking
project how time flies by. I always
the hovercraft out to the auto
believe that you should always
shop and outside. After being
show off the work the kids are
equipped with a motor, this hovdoing.”
ercraft will be able to float a few
inches off the ground.
During the summer, Farrell
also discovered a hovercraft
competition in Conn. and visited
Truth About: College Admissions
Paige LeComer
Freelancer
In today’s society, a higher
education is becoming more and
more crucial to be able to obtain
a steady career. A higher percentage of colleges are becoming
selective in the applications
they receive, as there is a greater
number of students interested in
getting a degree. Navigating this
world of colleges and universities
can be terrifying and confusing
to many students, and these are
some important tips for having
an awesome application.
A student’s grade point average (GPA) is going to be one of
the most important factors for
getting into his or her dream
school. A GPA is calculated by
accumulating a student’s class
levels and grades and creating an
average for their scores.
While SAT and ACT scores
are about equivalent in importance, a GPA shows progression
through all four years of high
school. According to College
Board, it is best to try to show
improvement in school all the
way from start to finish because
it shows greater potential. To get
a sense of a college’s expectations,
it is easy to go on their official
website and search for the average GPA of accepted undergraduate students. With this number
in mind, goals can be set as to
how to improve and work harder
academically.
GPA is also the best reflection
on one’s academic abilities. A
survey conducted by the National
College comes along with a myriad of responsibilities and tasks. Photo
Credit: Google Images
of thousands of applicants.
To be able to emphasize what
is special about oneself as an
individual, a student needs to
really dig deep into themselves
to lay out their best qualities. The
college admissions officers need
to be know that one has grown
and are continuing to mature as
an individual.
College essays need to have
that attention-grabber that will
guarantee a name will be remembered, and this essay may end up
being the deciding factor whether
a college will or won’t accept a
student into their school.
Participating in extracurriculars is important for being
a “well-rounded student.” But,
don’t try to do everything at
once and be the, “I am just doing
this for my college app,” student.
A student will probably have
a better time, and enhanced
application, by filling a schedule
with activities they really enjoy
doing. If there are not any clubs
to one’s liking, then create one; it
will look awesome that a student
started a club on their own. Just
try to get involved with what is
most enjoyable.
College Board says that the a
high quantity of extracurriculars
is no different than a single high
quality extracurricular activity;
the most important part of being
involved in an extracurricular
activity is that it is truly enjoyed
by the student.
But no matter all of these
factors, focusing on school is
most important. Don’t get caught
up on college so much that high
school isn’t enjoyable anymore.
Be sure to balance one’s time and
research which colleges where
one will really shine the most.
High school is an important four
years of a teens life, so be sure to
enjoy the moments now, and get
excited for what is to come.
Page 4
OP-ED/NEWS
February 2015
OP-ED: The Slow and The Furious
Madeleine Videira
Freelancer
Why do so many of us prepare
to venture into the Bunnell
hallway as if we are preparing
for war? The answer is clear and
simple: we need to get to class
on time and we do not have the
patience to deal with anything
that might delay our arrival.
Sophomore Monika Hlinka
said, “I can’t stand it when I’m
trying to get to my class and the
people in front of me are so slow.”
Slow walkers seem to be an
issue that bothers everyone.
When asked about his years of
hallway experience, senior Matt
Bull explained, “The slow walkers
have always been there... the
hallway has been about the same
all four years.”
It is easy to get worked up
about slow walkers, but in the
grand scheme of life, it really
does not matter. In the scope of
the world, it does not matter. We
all know this in our hearts. So
why are slow walkers the bane of
our existence?
The issue is that everyone is
simply too stressed. When you
have a paper due, a science lab
report, five chapters to read for
English, and a math test, your
patience has just about run out.
Slow walkers seem like one more
evil that is being thrust upon you.
They can cause you to snap and
lose your temper. They are the
metaphorical straw that broke the
camel’s back.
So in reality, this is not a big
issue. In fact, these people are
crucial to the Bunnell “Food
Chain” so to speak. Slow walkers
teach us all patience and give
us perspective. When you freak
out in the hallway and yell at
someone for stopping to pick up
a penny, you need to take a step
back. You need to think about
why this three-second delay is
such a big deal to you. Maybe
you are sleep deprived or did
poorly on your last English test.
Whatever the reason, it cannot
be good enough to justify a fullblown meltdown in the hallway.
Freshman Alexa Capuano
says, “I’m definitely not a slow
walker because I know how
annoying that is to other people
and I hate it!”
What should you do if you
encounter slow walkers? If you
know that you will be late to class
if you walk behind them, then by
all means hurry on ahead. And
please refrain from getting angry
with the slow walkers. Do not
yell at them. They undoubtedly
have a lot of work too and are
feeling just as stressed as you. But
if you have some time to spare,
take a load off and enjoy the
stroll through the halls. Use this
time to clear your head. School is
stressful and sometimes all you
need is a little time to think. Do
not let your work overwhelm you
and think about events to look
forward to and things that make
you happy. Then, by the time you
get to class, you are in a better
mood, which will ensure a more
alien communication, there was
no room for boredom.
Junior Fatima Ali said, “I
thought it was humorous to
see the people who aren’t very
outgoing, dance and... speak out.
The best part of the show was
when [La Rosa] made the volunteers dance like they were in the
hottest club.” Seeing friends and
strangers do funny dances and
speak native languages was especially fun for the SHS students
who hosted the show this year for
the first time!
Ten volunteers were selected from the crowd as “levelsix-minded” individuals who
could get hypnotized in a short
amount of time.
La Rosa said, “Almost anyone
can get hypnotized in a one-onone session. It’s rare that someone couldn’t.”
But it takes a special kind of
mind to fall under hypnosis for
a show, so La Rosa had to make
his choices wisely. One important
thing he said was that someone
has to be willing to fall under
hypnosis.
Junior Cynthia Ordonez said,
“[La Rosa] seemed to know what
he was doing, and knew how to
keep his audience’s attention. I
don’t know if I completely believe
in the whole hypnotist thing, but
he made you just forget about
that and just enjoy peoples’ hilarious actions.”
While it is true that many
people are skeptics of La Rosa’s
hypnosis techniques, he puts on
a good show and if the hypnosis
does not captivate someone, his
jokes certainly will!
La Rosa has helped many
people improve in different areas
of their life, like in their self-confidence, public speaking and bad
habits. Hypnosis can be utilized
for all of these bad habits and
many others, which he tailors to
each individual person.
BHS HOSA adviser, Ms.
Signor, said that, “I feel the show
is a great way for family and
friends to come together and
have a laugh out loud time for a
great cause. This year’s show was
another success and HOSA plans
on continuing to host the show
for years to come.”
This unique experience is usually not one that is taken lightly,
especially if someone is hypnotized during the show.
The proceeds of the Hypnosis
Show went towards the Leukemia
and Lymphoma Society, which
is chosen HOSA charity for this
school year. There will be more
about HOSA’s contributions to
the charity next month when
they conduct their Leukemia
“Penny Drive” and more fundraisers throughout the month
of March to help find a cure for
leukemia.
Arinn Buoni
Junior
1. All I Want for Christmas Is
YouMariah Carey
2. Thinking Out LoudEd Sheeran
3. Uptown FunkMark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
4. PartitionBeyonce
5. Night Chances
One Direction
Stephanie Cadley
Senior
1. NirvanaSam Smith
2. WingsBirdy
3. LatchSam Smith
4. Thinking Out LoudEd Sheeran
5. I Bet My LifeImagine Dragons
Ms. Ravo
Permanent Sub
1. Take Me To ChurchHozier
2. Diane YoungVampire Weekend
3. I’m Gonna BeThe Proclaimers
4. Uptown FunkMark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
5. Blank SpaceTaylor Swift
enjoyable class for everyone.
So please help make Bunnell
High School a better place and
embrace the slow walk. But be
sure to keep to the right so that
all those who have a valid reason
to hurry can get by. Good luck
with your hallway travels and try
not to sweat the small stuff.
BHS is in need of some more patience in its hallways. Photo Credit:
Google Images
BHS HOSA: Hypnosis Show Wows at SHS
Some of the participants in Dan La Rosa’s Comedy Hypnosis Show.
Photo Credit: Yazmin Santos
At 7 p.m. on Feb. 5, 2015,
Yazmin Santos
Stratford students and their
Freelancer
families witnessed a spectacle
For the past couple of years,
filled with amusement, humilBunnell High School has enjoyed iation, and of course, hypnosis.
the comedy hypnosis show
La Rosa, a famed comedian and
performed by Dan La Rosa. This
hypnotist, filled the auditorium
year, BHS HOSA decided to join
with laughter from start to finish.
forces with Stratford High School With dancing male ballerinas,
to obtain a greater turnout and
talented rock artists, and exotic
raise funds for both chapters.
The Bullpod: Top 5 Songs on your iPod
Julianna Koonitsky
Freelancer
Justin Almonte
Freshman
1. Stairway to HeavenLed Zepplin
2. It’s TrickyRun DMC
3. SeptemberEarth, Wind and Fire
4. Safety DanceMen Without Hats
5. Play That Funky MusicWild Cherry
Adam Santiago
Sophomore
1. Yay YaySchoolboy Q
2. I Can Feel ItDMX
3. Look Through My EyesDMX
4. RecognizeThe Lox
5. Love Me or Leave Me AloneThe Lox
Page 5 February 2015
ART/CREATIVE FEATURE
Scribe Creative Spotlight
Here at the Scribe we love students who express themselves in artistic formats, like drawing, painting, creative writing and photography. This page is
dedicated to the BHS students who devote their time and talents to the arts.
Be Mine....
Goodbye
By Lauren Anderson
These Valentine Day inspired works were completed by Mrs. Panelli’s art classes.
If I got the chance to tell you
Everything I have to say
It would take me a while
Maybe all day
If I had to put into words
How I feel about you
It wouldn’t be as simple
As tying a shoe
It’d be more complex
Like something you’ve never
heard
But you’d smile and laugh
At every word
As the words pour out
Like a river off my tongue
You’ll intertwine your hand in
mine
And make sure this moment is
long
You’ll give me a smile and look
into my eyes
You’ll sit there while you decide
Whether or not
You think it’d be right
To lay your lips on mine
On this beautiful night
You’ll lean in slowly
Grabbing my face
You come in real slow
I know you want a taste
You look at me
With those intimate eyes
I just want you to know
I’m not good with goodbyes
Artists (top row, l to r); Megan O’Leary, Lauren Anderson, Chad Schroeder, Mia Candanedo, Samantha Hernandez (middle row, l to r): Doralis
Ceballos, Sabryna Frazetta, Astrid Rodriguez, Yoselyn Sarceno (bottom row, l to r) Carissa DiCicco and Chad Schroeder
Winter Feelings
By Olivia Belliveau
Mask
By Jessica Guerrucci
“Meryl Streep”
By Kathleen Politica
November slipped by shaking,
hiding in blankets, just trying
not to ice over
yet.
December slips in aching,
cold crystallizing
its bones,
time wearing its
clothes, its skin,
thin.
January will slip together breaking,
rubbing its eyes, parting
the clouds like curtains,
singing its morning song,
and February will slip through
taking
care of the broken glass and
missing pieces and
trying to puzzle a mess into
a miracle.
I’m hiding behind a mask that
isn’t mine.
It has glitter and gold and all the
beauty shows.
It has delicacy and simplicity.
It is whimsical and fun.
No one knows what lies underneath;
That is, no one except me.
If they saw my real face I don’t
know what they will say.
This is my life, it’s just an act.
The smiles, the laughter, and
everything they know,
Is so far from the truth, I’m afraid
to let it show.
Even if I close my eyes and wish
it all away,
This is who I’ve become and I
have nothing else to say.
The Moon
By Kara Murray
Artists: top row (l to r): Jaqon
McKoy and Ashante Devalda
bottom row: Emily Harrison
I would love to live on the moon
with you
We could sit and watch the earth
fall off its axis
And I would search through the
stars
Until I found a pair bright
enough to resemble your eyes
And when a shooting star comes
by
I won’t need to wish for anything
anymore
And when the meteor finally hits
We’ll blow up like a bomb
And scatter into every corner of
the universe
And we can paint the moon like
a rainbow
Because I’m so tired of the white
I’ve never lived without oxygen
But I can learn to live without it
And I’ve never walked on the
moon before
But the first time I do
I want it to be with you
Page 6
ENTERTAINMENT
February 2015
New Year, New Music
Nora Turner
Editor
Tired of the same old songs looping on your playlists? Liven up your music repertoire in 2015 with these four albums that offer a sound for
everyone. They will have you blasting your headphones and jamming along in the new year.
Bulldog
Buzz:
How do you feel about the
closing of the Stratford movie
theater?
Julianna Koonitsky
Staff Reporter
Into the Woods: Major Motion
Picture Soundtrack by Various
Artists
Perfect if you love: music from
Les Miserables or Wicked
From the new 2014 major motion picture, the Into the Woods
soundtrack is a lively, upbeat and
full of Disney magic. Based upon
the Tony-winning Broadway musical of the same name, Into The
Woods’ story is a compilation of
many Grimm Brothers fairy-tales
like, “Rapunzel,” “Cinderella,”
“Little Red Riding Hood,” and
“Jack and the Beanstalk.” This
album is a breath a fresh air and
it’s another wonderful movie
adaptation of a musical. The intro, “Prologue: Into The Woods,”
tells the storyline in sing-song,
and its tagline, “Into the Woods,”
will surely be stuck in listeners’
head for days. “Agony,” sung by
Chris Pine and Billy Magnussen, is a beautiful harmony of
both Rapunzel and Cinderella’s
princes as they question why
their princesses are, “just out of
reach.” While “Any Moment” is
a comical fight between Cinderella’s prince, Pine, and the Baker,
Emily Blunt, where they tell us
to treat any moment as one’s last
because, “any moment, big or
small, is a moment, after all. Seize
the moment, skies may fall, any
moment.” Meryl Streep gives an
epic performance as the witch in,
“Stay With Me,” where she begs
Rapunzel to never leave her, and
Streep’s voice shines. This album
will leave you both smiling and
reminiscent of the childhood
fairytales with a mysterious touch
of make-believe.
rose ave. by You+Me
Perfect if you love: The Lumineers and the Civil Wars
This emerging dynamic duo
of pop goddess, Alecia Moore,
more famously known as P!nk,
and Canadian singer-songwriter,
Dallas Green, is an indie powerhouse that is soon to take over
the genre. Their debut album,
rose ave. is soft, but moving,
and it is surprising from the
usual grunge pop more known
by P!nk. Her partner, Green, is
more known under the moniker City and Colour, whose
own work is similar to that on
rose. ave. The ten-track album
is filled with mellow chords,
powerful lyrics and two voices
that meld together like magic. All
the album’s songs were written
together by Green and Moore,
and Green leads them through
with his masterful acoustic guitar
skills. Opening track, “Capsized,”
talks of how a love gone wrong
can’t always be salvaged, where
as the breathtaking, “Unbeliever,” tells how to keep hanging on
even when it seems the darkest.
Perhaps their best duet shines
in “Gently,” where they discuss
sacrifice and that they, “wouldn’t
mind,” giving up anything for
one another. Their ability to
create swells and melodies with
little instruments is best shown
in “Love Gone Wrong,” where the
two switch off singing its verses,
then meet in the glorious chorus.
This album is soothing and filled
with raw emotion, and rose ave.
is perfect music for a rainy day
and will have listeners humming
along to each chord.
In The Lonely Hour by Sam Smith
Perfect if you love: Ed Sheeran
and Frank Ocean
Even though Sam Smith is still
a newcomer on the “pop” scene,
his soulful voice has rocked the
globe with his chart-topping
album, In the Lonely Hour.
This 22-year old London-born
phenomenon has topped charts
for months on end and recently
dominated the Grammys, winning four awards for Best New
Artist, Best Pop Vocal Album,
and Best Record and Song of the
Year for, “Stay With Me (Darkchild Version).” Smith’s falsetto
is intimidating, yet uplifting, and
he reaches notes that seem unreal
for a male voice. “Stay With
Me,” the album’s greatest hit, is
a must-listen; Smith highlights
how he is, “just a man,” looking
for love. “Stay With Me” reached
number two on the U.S. Billboard
Hot 100 and was an international
success. “Leave Your Lover” is
another passionate acoustic piece,
where Smith asks, “What use is
money when you need someone
to hold?” Smith finds his soul in
“I’m Not The Only One,” where
he struggles with the effects of
cheating in a relationship. Its
chorus is infectious and moving, and makes such a horrible
topic sound so beautiful. When
listeners want a little pep, look to
“Money on My Mind,” which has
a funky dance beat that would be
perfect for working out. Smith
has made a statement on the pop
genre, and he will for sure be an
artist to follow in the future.
About Last Night by Sleeper
Agent
Perfect if you love: Cage the
Elephant and Paramore
This sugar-coated pop-punk
band from Bowling Green, Ky.
has infected the genre with its
sing-along choruses and quirky
lyrics. After their first album
Celebrasion hit in 2011, Sleeper
Agent received praise for their
upbeat girl-band sound from
frontwoman Alex Kandal, while
keeping it original with a mashup of Sixties rock and Seventies
bubblegum-pop. The six-man
band earned a spot at the coveted
Vans Warped Tour in the summer of 2014, as their sophomore
album, About Last Night, released
in May. This new effort cleans up
the band’s rough-edged sound,
and it takes their garage-band
look to a more sophisticated
space in the pop-punk world. The
albums’ gem is “Waves,” which
is a song laced with summertime fun, and a stellar melody.
“Be Brave” is an ideal tune to
get ready in the morning, and
“Take It Off ” a great dance track.
Sleeper Agent is unique band
whose songs will never get out of
your head.
Poetry Club; An Expressive Outlet
David Junga
Freelancer
Students wishing to express
their ideas through words or who
are hoping to hone their writing
skills have a fantastic opportunity to do so with the BHS
Poetry Club. Advised by English
teachers Ms. Rountos and Mrs.
Kulenych, the Poetry Club caters
to a spectrum of poets ranging
from novice to adept.
Found in room B120, the
atmosphere is laid back and new
members are always welcome.
The club meets after school on
Tuesdays where they discuss and
perform poetry that they have
written. Being a part of Poetry
Club also provides enjoyable
practice for public speaking.
Junior Olivia Belliveau said,
“The first time I performed for
other people was recently at the
Stratford Library, with people
from Stratford High. It was so
fun to hear everyone’s work and
it was a really supportive and
welcoming atmosphere.”
Rountos is a huge supporter of
these Poetry Fairs at the Stratford
Library. She said, “The Poetry
Fair in December was a great
success.”
Students from Stratford High,
Bunnell, and Bridgeport schools
came to perform for their peers
and family members. It was a
positive night where students
got to showcase their talents and
have their voices heard.
Although the rivalry between
Bunnell and Stratford High can
still cause awkward tension, Bunnell and its sister school put aside
their differences to come together
in the form of verbal expression.
The collaboration between Bunnell and Stratford High is defi-
nitely one that can only further
cement the bond shared between
the two schools.
Members really have positive experiences. Junior Lauren
Anderson’s take on Poetry Club
is, “[that it] is an awesome way
to express yourself without any
judgment. It’s a great way to
get inspired. Everyone respects
each other and also each other’s
writing.”
Anderson, along with the
other members, reads the Poem
of the Week on the Bulldog
Bulletin. If students are interested
in sharing their speaking voice
or being on the daily announcements, being a member of the
Poetry Club can help students
reach those goals.
Most students are nervous the
first time they perform in front
of an audience. Member junior
Kara Murray shared how she felt
when she first read one of her
poems: “I was really nervous at
first because I don’t usually read
my stuff to people, but once I
did it I had a lot of fun. People
seemed to really like my writing,
and now I really enjoy reading
my pieces out loud.” The positive
reception by other members is an
energy that the entire group can
feed off of.
A plethora of students in writing based classes like Creative
Writing and Journalism enjoy
showing their writing prowess in
this club.
Senior Jelanie Billie-Soto said,
“Poetry club is so enjoyable, but I
wish more people knew about it.”
Poetry Club meets on Tuesdays after school, and new members are encouraged to come
share their talents!
Mrs. Horan: “I will be sad to see
it go. It was nice to have a movie
theater in town.”
Clarissa Polynice: “It’s sad
because now Stratford won’t have
a place teenagers can hang out.
Having another potential gym
is a waste. We should keep the
movies.”
Daniel Halchak: “I feel as if it is
a part of the town’s entertainment
going away, and the plans of an
L.A. Fitness being put there [is]
useless. Without the theater, kids
like me won’t have a place to
‘hang out’ and will continue the
cause of an anti-social generation.”
Aaron Samuel: “I don’t mind it
closing because it’s turning into a
gym, so it’s not a big deal.”
February 2015
NEWS
Page 7
Finding the Balance Between Work and School
Finding a balance between working and school can be difficult for teenagers. Photo Credit: Google Images
Jaslene Ruiz
Are more teens stressing because
Freelancer
of it? Having a job and balancing
school can create different feelAs children turn into preings depending on the student.
teens, and pre-teens turn into
Today, more teenagers are
young adults, they learn to take
beginning to work while in
on more responsibility, but time
school. According to Dr. Jeylan T.
begins to be an issue. As they
Mortimer, a Sociology Professor
start to juggle school and work,
there is less time to socialize with at the University of Minn., “Today about 80 percent of teenagers
friends or complete schoolwork.
who continue to attend high
school have a part-time job.”
While the average student
only works 19 hours a week,
many students say that having
a job and getting school work
done is a hassle. It takes a very
determined person to be able to
do both.
However, junior Katlyn Parkes
says, “Balancing both a job and
school is easy. As long as you
know where your priorities
stand, you won’t lose focus. I tend
to always get school work done.
Plus, I get my own money. It felt
great being able to buy my family
Christmas gifts from my money
this year. It’s beneficial.”
Other teens think otherwise
from Parkes. Junior Alona Scott
said, “Personally, balancing
school and work can be overwhelming. I don’t have time
for friends or anyone. Getting
homework and studying for tests
and quizzes are hard because I
have to stay up late to get it done.
The only good thing is that I’m
making my own money.”
Giving teens as many hours as
they receive can be overwhelming. Perhaps jobs should cut
down on hours and have teens
worry more about school. Intense
stress can be harmful to a teen’s
health. Life could be easier to
manage during the school year
if teens only had to work on
weekends.
Similar to Scott, junior Cayla
Wallace, who works at Wendy’s
about five times a week says,
“Looking back on my decision to take on a job while in
school, I believe it has become
overwhelming. Homework and
studying takes up a lot of time, so
does working. It usually causes
me to stay up late at night trying
to finish my work.”
Junior Kieaundria Poole, who
works two to three days a week at
Panera Bread, said, “It’s overwhelming, but it’s very beneficial.
I’m learning how to handle more
responsibility and its teaching
me maturity. I have grown a lot
in the past months from having a job. I can also do my own
thing now. I don’t have to ask my
parents for money anymore and
it’s taught me how to grow independently. Getting a job might
have been the best decision I
have made.”
Junior Melissa Hernandez is a
student who is currently unemployed and focusing on school
full time. Hernandez said, “It
would be way too overwhelming.
It takes a lot to get everything
done and not feel like there’s too
much on your plate. I already
get barely any sleep because of
school work.”
Overall, depending on the
person, balancing school and
work can be challenging. If
someone is a determined person,
go for it. If not, focus on what really matters, which is taking care
of oneself as a teen. Having to
balance school and a job is only
a small preview of what is ahead.
It’s good to get ready for it, but
enjoy the teenage years. Everything has its time. When the time
comes, then it comes. Until then,
just enjoy life.
Snowy Days or Sunny Days? Rifle Team Makes BHS Proud
Which is better; summer or winter? Photo Credit: Google Images
Brooke Shannon
get the school days over with in
Freelancer
the winter time when it’s cold
outside because it’s more time
Days off from school due to
snow and cold weather may seem that I could be spending outside
in the warm weather in June.”
awesome, until the days have
Before winter, the last day of
to be made up in the end of the
school was scheduled to be June
school year in June. Some stu15. But that date is indefinite
dents at Bunnell enjoy the days
off but do not enjoy making them now due to the number of snow
days that have occurred. This
up as much.
winter there has also been many
Some BHS students feel that
delayed openings and a few early
snow days are a great break
closings, but those won’t affect
during the school week. Junior
the day that students get out of
Emily Ayala said, “I love snow
school in June.
days because I like the snow and
Senior Jackie Williams said,
enjoy sledding with my friends.”
“I don’t mind snow days. I love
Days off give may give students
having the days off, except I want
opportunities to do activities
to graduate as soon as possible.”
that they may be too busy to do
The more snow days, the farther
during the school week.
the end-of-school-year events are
“I love snow days because it
pushed off.
gives me a chance to go snowSnow days affect BHS students
boarding with my family and
positively and negatively. They
friends, and I love to play in the
snow,” said senior Phil Miklovich. provide a break from school, but
when the time comes that stuSenior Shannon Hofmiller
dents have to make them up in
said, “On snow days I usually
the summer, it is not as enjoyable,
stay inside, drink hot chocolate,
especially when it is sweltering
and watch shows and movies on
hot. However, the weather canNetflix.”
not be controlled and snow days
Students like junior Christina
are scheduled for the safety of the
Perez would rather have the time
students and staff. Unfortunately,
off in the summer. “I don’t like
by the end of the year the school
the cold weather,” says Perez, “I’d
days usually pile up when most
rather enjoy the warm weather
students and teachers would
and not have to be in school
rather be swimming in the pool
when it’s a beautiful day.”
or soaking up the sun.
Junior Megan Uhrynowski
agrees and said, “I’d rather just
Assembled in all of their gear are the BHS rifle team: top row (l to r);
Coach Josie Burzynski-Smith, Neil Murdoch, Nick Fazekas, Kyle Sullivan and Philip DiNardo, bottom row (l to r); Hope Kavulich, Michele
Morra, Lily Mudre, Katie Gorlo and Carly Wermuth
Michele Morra
Freelancer
Bunnell rifle team for the win!
This season, the Bunnell rifle
team has had a great record, and
ended the regular season 4-2.
This year, the team is further
exemplifying that the rifle team is
a great addition to BHS athletics.
Although many competitive
sports involve team practices
and some elements of individual
practice, too, rifle truly exemplifies a sport where the better one
performs individually, the better
a team performs as a whole.
Rifle is also very mental, not
completely unlike other athletic
endeavors. However, in rifle if
one’s mental concentration is off
by even the slightest, it can have
a huge impact on the individual
and team scores. Being able to
focus and tune everything else
out is key.
This merging of individual
and team achievement is what
attracts some of Bunnell’s finest
athletes. Two examples are Head
Coach Josie Burzynski-Smith, a
BHS alumna, who shot all four
years and tied the school record
of 199 in her senior year, and her
brother, Mike Burzynski,
who later tied that record.
This year’s rifle team consists
of nine members: senior captain
Lily Mudre, junior Nick Fazekas,
sophomores Phillip DiNardo,
Katie Gorlo, Michele Morra, and
Neil Murdoch, and freshmen
Hope Kavulich, Kyle Sullivan,
and Carly Wermuth.
Captain Mudre joined the
team her freshman year. Prior to
joining, she said she had never
heard of anything like rifle before. She had done many other
sports, but none during the
winter, so rifle seemed interesting to her. Mudre’s highest score
ever was a 197 in her junior year,
which is near perfect. She loves
being captain, and feels that she
is responsible enough to handle
the team. As captain, one of her
goals for this year’s team is to be
undefeated in the regular season
and go on to compete in the State
Championships on Feb. 25.
Sophomore Murdoch first
joined this season and excelled
very quickly. After only being on
the team for two weeks, he scored
a perfect 50 on a prone target. It
is very rare for someone to score
so well so soon. Murdoch said
he joined because he was very
intrigued with the sport and
wanted a chance to meet new
people with the same interests.
In a rifle match, each team
member shoots two targets
which are letter-size sheets of
heavy paper. Each target has 11
“bulls” (sets of scoring rings), but
only ten are scored. The eleventh
bull, called the “sighter,” is used
for practice shots as the shooters
adjust their rifles for maximum
accuracy. Once they have taken
their practice shots and are ready,
they shoot one round in each
bull for a total of 20 shots. They
shoot five shots from each of four
shooting positions: prone (laying
down), sitting, kneeling, and
offhand or standing.
The scoring of all the targets
depends on where each shot hits
the bull. The shooter gets anywhere from zero to ten points,
with a “bull’s-eye” being worth
the full ten points. Each individual on the team earns a score out
of 200, and the team adds up the
top five scores. Whichever team
has the highest score wins the
match.
Coach Burzynski-Smith says
the thing that attracted her to the
sport is how you can improve
your score invaluably and also
help your team in the end. She
loved traveling, excelling quickly,
and winning very frequently.
Her favorite part of the sport is
how it’s the only one where men
and women compete equally.
Burzynski-Smith loved being able
to shoot next to both her coach
and her brother most of her life,
and she still enjoys that to this
day. She loves being a coach
because you cannot just learn this
sport in a week; it take years and
years of practice.
February 2015
NEWS
Page 8
Teacher Feature: Ms. Sweeney
Hannah McGettigan
Staff Reporter
Although Ms. Heather
Sweeney has only been teaching
at BHS for two years, students
and faculty members are sure to
acknowledge her contributions
towards BHS and its Business
Department. Teaching several
classes throughout the school
year such as Personal Finance,
Intro to Business, Microsoft
Office, and Entrepreneurship, has
connected Sweeney to students
of all grade levels. She is also
the sophomore class’ and Future
Business Leaders of America’s
(FBLA) adviser.
Before becoming a Bulldog,
Sweeney worked at Region 16 in
Beacon Falls and Prospect, Conn.
Eventually, she landed in the
Waterbury school district teaching Business to middle school
students.
“Prior to coming here I was in
Waterbury, and I must say it is a
completely different place to be.
I love Bunnell and my students,
especially since we have a culturally diverse population,” said
Sweeney.
Sweeney graduated from
Masuk High School in Monroe,
Conn. She had high athletic
achievements in softball, including All-Conference and All-State
titles, while earning Varsity
honors all four years. For her
undergraduate studies, Sweeney
attended Lynn University in
Boca Raton, Fl. and majored in
Business. Sweeney eventually minored in Psychology at the University of Bridgeport due to her
fascination of the human mind.
She also earned her Masters Degree in Education to pursue her
passion in teaching.
“When I was a little girl, I
remember being so intrigued and
fascinated by teachers, but I also
always had an interest in business
and looking into opportunities to
create and develop new ideas into
a business of my choice,” said
Sweeney.
All of Sweeney's students are
sure to gain lifelong skills like
respect, timeliness, responsibility,
diligence, and communication.
Sweeney's classes are filled with
lessons that students can take
with them throughout their lives.
“Ms. Sweeney is very nice. She
definitely knows how to make
learning fun and enjoyable,” said
sophomore Julianna Koonitsky.
FBLA has continuously progressed since Sweeney became
its adviser. She attends conferences like the Officer Leadership
Conference with Bunnell's FBLA
officers, and organizes fundraisers like the #NinaStrong T-shirt
fundraiser. These are just two of
the many business related events
that Ms. Sweeney has helped with
at BHS.
Members of FBLA gain important business skills along with
character development strategies
for everyday use. FBLA introduces students to becoming better
leaders for the rest of their high
school careers and for the future.
“Ms. Sweeney is always energetic and ready to start class. In
FBLA, I’m learning to become a
better leader and have stronger
communication skills. It’s helpful
to because business relates to all
careers,” says senior Julia Fredericks.
“FBLA participates in many
events throughout the year. Our
main goal is to pair business
and education together. We try
to connect with our community
both in the school and outside of
the school. We provide opportunities to members that will
prepare them for life after school
and help them develop skills that
will help them in any field,” said
Sweeney.
Sweeney and FBLA have been
working hard to prepare for
future events, including the St.
Baldwicks “Shave Your Head”
fundraiser. The event will take
place on March 15 from 12 to 4
p.m. in the BHS gym, and students and staff members will be
able to shave or cut their hair in
honor of those who have illnesses
like cancer. The monetary goal of
the fundraiser is to raise $50,000.
“She's a great colleague and
knows how to balance ideas that
relate to business. She has truly
made FBLA grow and improve,”
said former FBLA adviser and
fellow business teacher, Mrs.
Coleman.
Along with being the FBLA
adviser, Sweeney is also the Sophomore Class Adviser. Providing
fundraising ideas to help the
sophomore class is one of the top
priorities of being an adviser.
“I meet with the sophomore
class officers to develop fundraising ideas to help with future costs
of the class. We are currently
creating order forms to purchase
class apparel that will help raise
money for their class fund,” said
Sweeney.
“If you think about it, all of
the things that I was interested
in would end up leading me to
teaching. I tied in my business
savvy ways with my passion for
Sweeney in her classroom, where she teaches Microsoft Office and Entrepreneurship classes. Photo Credit: Hannah McGettigan
teaching,” said Sweeney.
Outside of the school, Ms.
Sweeney continues to share
her passion by helping others.
Sweeney is currently teaching
yoga, and she is a health and
fitness coach. She has her Holistic
Health and Yoga Certifications.
Sweeney also enjoys working
out in her free time and entering
races such as the Tough Mudder
and the Spartan Race.
“I am currently training for a
fitness competition and plan on
running a Spartan race this year.
I always run the Litchfield Road
Race in April with my family
which is about seven miles. The
next step would be attempting a
half marathon,” said Sweeney.
Besides working out, Sweeney
really enjoys photography. Creating different perspectives of the
world and capturing moments
around her is Sweeney's favorite
part about photography.
“I love taking photos of beautiful places as well as really cool
and unique places. I like playing
around with whatever is around
me,” said Sweeney.
For Sweeney, the most rewarding part about being a teacher are
the relationships she builds with
all of her students. Student-teacher connections are what makes
teaching an amazing career for
Sweeney.
“I grow so attached to my
students. I'm sad that I have to
let them go each semester! I love
the ability to teach my students
because there are many aspects of
business that I try to stress to my
students,” said Sweeney.
Freshman Kaleigh Mirowski
said, “Ms. Sweeney is always
there for her students and will
give you help when you need it.”
Students who want to pursue a
career in the business field should
be sure to take one of Sweeney's
classes. Her advice and lessons
will prepare many to face the
realities of the real world.
Wrubel just did not see the clues.
“It made sense because she
was gaining weight rapidly and
wouldn't run around in the pen;
we thought she was just fat and
lazy. We suggested she eat less.
Right before she gave birth she
lost about 40 grams, and we
were very confused but it turns
out that her water broke,” Forte
explained.
Going from two chinchillas to
three has been a bit of an adjustment considering they now have
to take care of a newborn.
"We had to get them a bigger
home, and do more things, like
[weighing] Butter Finger everyday,” said Forte. It's nothing they
cannot handle though! Fudge
and Hershey have adjusted well
to having a new family member.
“They get along really well and
Hershey tends to act like an older
sister towards Butter Finger.
They're all very protective of each
other,” said Forte.
Although unexpected, Butter
Finger has been a great addition
to the AP Biology family.
Spontaneous Chinchilla Birth in BHS
Dr. Wrubel holds one of his adorable chinchillas in his classroom, where
he takes care of a variety of animals for his AP Biology class. Photo
Credit: Hannah McGettigan
they did not think much else of
Karina Castro
it. However, the next day when
Freelancer
Wrubel and Nurse Karen came in
It was an ordinary, peaceful
to do a weekend checkup on the
Friday after school in Bunnell.
animals, they noticed something
The animals in Dr. Wrubel's
was different. It was not an obroom had all been taken care
vious change though and it was
of by his AP Biology students.
not until Wrubel walked past the
Seniors Jessica Tartaglio and
chinchilla “home” that he noticed
Rylie Forte had looked after their a strange object in the cage.
chinchillas, Fudge and Hershey,
When Wrubel happened to
and they did not notice anything
pass by the cages to clean them,
unusual, except for the fact that
on the lower level where the
Fudge had randomly lost about
bedding lies, something was out
40 grams since the week before.
of place. Wrubel noticed that
The weeks prior, Fudge had
there was a stillborn chinchilla
gained weight, so this was a
lying in the cage, but lying along
strange change. Perhaps she had
with it was an infant that had
stopped eating so much, and
survived. The baby chinchilla was
named Butter Finger, to go along
with the candy theme of all their
names. The mother, Fudge, was
doing okay, as well as the other
four-month old baby, Hershey.
“We gave extra food for the
mother for her nursing and left
that day knowing there was an
addition to the chinchilla family
and everything have been good
since,” said Wrubel.
The following Monday when
Wrubel informed the AP Biology
students about the birth, everyone was stunned. It was completely unexpected because no
one had any idea that Fudge was
pregnant. Considering she had
given birth to Hershey just four
months prior, and she had been
separated from a male chinchilla,
this new baby came as a complete
surprise.
As it turns out, the separation of Fudge and another male
chinchilla didn't happen soon
enough, and before coming to
Bunnell for the year, she was
already pregnant again. When
Tartaglio and Forte were informed of the news, they couldn't
believe it.
“I thought he was talking
about the lizards....We both
looked at each other and thought
it couldn't be true,” said Tartaglio.
However, after considering
what happened, the events began
to make sense, but the class and
The new baby chinchilla in Dr. Wrubel’s classroom, Butter Finger. Photo
Credit: Hannah McGettigan