Issue #3 November 2011 - Plainfield Public Schools

Plainfield Public
Schools
November 2011
Layout Editors: Emily Hogue and Nicole Yon
The Panther Advocate
Plainfield High School’s Student Newspaper
Inside this
issue:
Student &
Teacher
Interview
212
Cow Patty
6-7
Bingo
Club
News
1518
Backpacks
Banned
23
Healing
Haiti
30
Movie
News
Pep Rally
Review
3233
35
74th Annual Plainfield Griswold Thanksgiving Game
TEACHER INTERVIEW
Page 2
Mr. Lee Gets Schooled
Interview and Photographs by: Samantha DelRusso
Meet Mr. Lee, a student-teacher here at Plainfield High School. He helps teach history in Mr. Hart’s room. If you would like to meet
him, stop by and introduce yourself. But you better hurry. Mr. Lee will not be here for long. Once again, you can find him in Mr.
Hart’s room, 1104.
What is it like to be a student teacher?
It’s interesting and fun. I get to try a lot of new things with the kids to
see what works and what doesn’t. It’s a lot of work, and can be challenging at times. But it’s fun for the most part.
How has your experience been teaching a bunch of high school
kids so far?
So far it has been pretty good. There’s not too many complaints. It’s
been a good experience. I’m learning a lot about what works and
doesn’t work.
What grade and subject would you like to teach and why?
Well, I’m not sure what grade, but I would like to teach any level of
high school. The juniors and seniors you can do a lot more with. I
Mr. Hart with Mr. Lee
would love to teach a Connecticut history class, so kids can relate to
their state. I also like early American history, which is what I’m teaching sophomores.
Did you always want to be a teacher?
Probably ever since middle school. A lot of teachers had shown me how fun education could be. Definitely at the end of my high
school career I wanted to be a teacher.
So your teachers inspired you to become a teacher yourself?
Yes, that is correct.
If you could choose any other occupation, what would it be and why?
(laughs) I think I would be a professional golfer.
Would you like to become a teacher at Plainfield High School some day?
I would. I like it here. I graduated from here, so it’s interesting. I like the idea of just teaching where I came from; it’s kind of neat. I
think I can relate to the kids better.
What college are you attending to get your degree to become a teacher?
I currently am in Sacred Heart down in Fairfield, but I go through the Griswold campus.
Whose class are you teaching?
I am teaching Mr. Hart’s early U.S. history class.
How long will you be a student teacher here at PHS?
Not much longer actually. I will only be here until
Thanksgiving.
What happens next, when you are done being a
student teacher here?
After I’m done here comes the hard part because I have
to find a job. When I’m done here, I’ll be certified. I’ll
have to do a whole bunch of paper work, which takes a
couple months. Once that’s done, I can start finding a
job. But I plan on, when I’m done student teaching, I
want to sub here. That way I can stay around.
Mr. Hart’s history class
TEACHER INTERVIEW
Page 3
Got A Q-Tip?
Interview and Photographs by: Jenna Brown
Back in the day he was the voice of Plainfield
High. He did the morning announcements and MC’D all
of the school pep rallies. He was popular: liked by all
students and faculty. When he walked down the halls, he
jammed out to Nelly, singing “You streakin’ a rainbow
boom boom baby.” He was cool and he was real. He was
known as Big Papa Swab, cotton swab, or q-tip. His real
name? Joshua Darryl Swabby.
If you are not aware, Mr. Swabby is a student
teacher here at Plainfield High School. He decided to
pursue teaching because he has a passion for history. He
previously wanted to become a major league umpire but
that didn’t work out for him because they only hired 18
out of 120 guys. Later, he worked at the Mystic Seaport,
but was laid off. He then turned to teaching because he
wanted to be able to work with kids and also follow his
passion. Mr. Swabby started student teaching here on
September 6 and his last day is November 21. Once he is done student teaching, he hopes to become a high school teacher somewhere; hopefully here if there is a job position opening.
Alongside student teaching, Mr. Swabby also has a job, so he does not have much spare
time. The time that he has left outside of student teaching and working is spent lounging around the
house. During the spring, he is an umpire for the baseball season and during the summer he drives
to the beach in his 2002 Chevy Cavalier, which he has had since his junior year in high school. He
also spends time perfecting his hair spike. When asked what product he uses to do so, Mr. Swabby
said, “Umm, it depends on the gel. Right now the gel is known as Studio Five. Clean gel. Studio
Five Clean Gel. ’Cause the other ones do the white flaky stuff so I don’t care for that. So that
would be my perfection spike I guess you can say.”
Besides his future plans, spare time, and hair, Mr. Swabby has a fascination for Snapple
and its facts. I asked him for the Snapple Fact of the day and he quickly stated, “The Snapple fact
for today was if you have $1 billion dollars and you spend $1000 a day, it will take you 2,749
years to spend $1 billion dollars. So if you make $1 billion dollars a year or you have a billion
dollars, you are set for life.” He also added that his favorite kinds of Snapple are peach, raspberry,
and lemon. He does not care for Snapple apple.
Mr. Swabby believes that he is one of the best up and coming history teachers. I tested his
knowledge and asked, “Who was Francisco Pizarro?” and he was very rapid with his answer.
“Francisco Pizarro. He dominated the Inca Empire back in the 1540s I believe.” His student teaching days are quickly coming to an end. I asked if he will cry the day he leaves and he said, “I don’t
think I will cry. I’m not the crying type. But it will be an emotional day because I’ve come to like
it here. You get into routines and expectations of the kids and stuff like that, and you get an interview like this about my hair, so it’s sad to leave.” Being a student in Mr. Wilcox’s fourth block
class and having him in there every day, the class and I have grown to like him as a teacher and a
person. It will be sad to see him go. We will make sure that his Snapple Facts live on.
“’Cause the
other ones
do the white
flaky stuff
so I don’t
care for
that.”
SCHOOL NEWS
Page 4
Dreams Do Come True!
Commentary and Photographs by: Mikey Zheng
Ever notice the ugly, green, Grinch fur looking garden in the center of our school? Ever wonder what it was for or what it’s going
to become? I got the chance to interview George Avern, our head janitor, to ask what the purpose of the green weed plantation
was for.
Thank you for your time to discuss about the disgusting garden.
It’s my pleasure. I agree, the garden is gross.
What is the purpose of the center piece in our school?
Well, the main purpose was for looks and to be a beautiful garden. But its not
looking so well if you’ve taking a look at it. All you have to do is just look at
it.
What are your improvement plans for the garden?
Mr. Worth and I had many ideas for improvements. Over spring break and
summer break, we are having some students to come and clean up the garden.
Our ugly garden
After receiving many generous donations from Lowes, we have a fountain we
can put at the top of the hill. We will be planting flowers, mainly sunflowers and roses, all around the perimeter. We we’ll also be getting help from local landscapers to help flatten out the bottom of the hill. We’ll be installing benches and picnic tables for students to
use. Students will have access to the garden when they have study hall and lunch. If we have enough budget left over, were also thinking about putting in a stone wall for kids to etch in their names.
What’s a rough estimate of the budget we will be using to improve the garden?
I’d have to say roughly around $12,000.
Where are we getting all this money?
Lowes of Plainfield heard our request to remodel the garden so they have been very generous. Some local philanthropists in Plainfield
also donated.
Who are the students you selected to help out?
How long do you think this project will take?
Roughly around 2-3 months to finish remodeling and a while for the plants to grow.
When was this idea thought up?
We always had the idea in mind but never followed through with it due to lack of budget
and time.
Well, Thanks for your time, and best of luck on the remodel.
http://www.onlyoutdoorfountains.com/
Depending on how many landscapers we have, we might ask some few kids from the National Honors Society or the Garden Club, maybe some kids who want to do this for credit
recovery. All the help we can get in that confined area will be much needed.
It was a pleasure, and thank you!
Future fountain to be placed in the garden
Page 5
STUDENT & TEACHER INTERVIEWS
No Shave November?
Interviews and Photographs by: Sydney Ball
As many of you know, November is the month of hairy faces! I’ve decided to interview some people who have been looking unusually
hairy lately. I asked them a variety of questions regarding their facial hair. I chose a variety of people, some of the hairiest, some of
the least hairy. They all had unique answers to all of my corky and strange questions. If only I was a man so that I could grow my
own facial hair…
How long have you been growing your facial hair?
Mr. Zielinski – October 17.
DJ Bledsoe – Since the beginning of July.
Ryder Bartholomew – Probably about a week.
Derek Kirslis – Two months.
Mr. Smith – I have been growing it for one week, 7 days.
Kevin Thoare – Since birth.
Does it ever itch?
Kevin Thoare sporting his facial hair
Mr. Zielinski – Yes, all the time.
DJ Bledsoe – No, because I shampoo and condition it.
Ryder Bartholomew – No, not really.
Derek Kirslis – No.
Mr. Smith – Yes, it does itch.
Kevin Thoare – Yes, it does itch.
What are your favorite things about facial hair?
DJ Bledsoe – Being able to grow a sweet beard.
Ryder Bartholomew – Ladies love it and I look great.
Derek Kirslis – I don’t look 12 with it.
Mr. Depasquale with an awesome beard
Mr. Smith – Umm, nothing.
Kevin Thoare – That I have facial hair and other people don’t.
Do you like your facial hair being scratched?
Mr. Zielinski – No, it’s creepy.
DJ Bledsoe – I don’t really care, as long as I know the person and they ask.
Ryder Bartholomew – I love it and it’s my favorite American past time.
Derek Kirslis – I don’t really care.
Mr. Smith – No.
Do girls/women find your facial hair attractive?
Mr. Zielinski – I don’t know.
DJ Bledsoe – Sometimes, if they like facial hair.
Ryder Bartholomew – Every single girl I have ever met loves it.
Derek Kirslis – Women swoon upon the sight of my epic beard.
Mr. Smith – I don’t think so, nor do I care… happily married ha-ha.
Kevin Thoare – What women don’t find my facial hair attractive?
Group of senior boys: (from the left) Jacob Ducharme, Ryder Bartholomew, Tyler Auger and
Andrew Hanley with their facial hair
SCHOOL NEWS
Mom
acha’s
M
y
m
:A
Winner
Page 6
Raffle
W
Cow-a-bunga!
Article and Photographs by: Emily Hogue
inner:
Noah
Fields
’ Dad
You know you live in a hick town when the entertainment of the weekend consists of watching a cow poop on a field. The Plainfield
Music Department held the 2nd Cow Patty Plop and Flea Market. The Cow Patty Plop is set up in a grid-like fashion, with each
square containing a number. If the numbered ticket you were sold matches the number of the square that the cow plops on, you’re
the winner! Being part of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, I was asked to be a volunteer, and my day went as follows:
7:00 AM - Wake up
7:10 AM - Actually roll out of bed
8:00 AM - Get Dunkin’ Donuts
8:30 AM - Arrive at the school
9:00 AM - Get everything set up
10:00 AM - Event starts and people arrive
11:00 AM - Try and sell fruit but no one buys any
12:00 PM - Cow is released on the field
12:30 PM - Everyone is freezing on the bleachers
1:00 PM - Cow still hasn’t pooped
1:53 PM - Cow plops in a square
2:00 PM - Event ends and everyone goes home satisfied
A Flea Market also took place at the same time as the Cow Patty Plop. Anyone was allowed to rent a parking space in order to set up
a booth to sell items of their choice. One booth sold foam swords, and another booth offered face painting. Concessions were also
sold to make the event more enjoyable. After browsing through the booths, attendants sat in the bleachers to cheer on the cow.
Mrs. Turenne selling Annie Shirts
Tyla Rudd painting butterflies
Kids playing with foam swords
Continued on Next Page...
SCHOOL NEWS CONT.
Page 7
I then took the opportunity to go on the field and take pictures up close and personal. The cow was very stubborn and didn’t want to
walk much, so Dan Desjardins and his dad continually pulled the cow in order for it to move. They also went as far as putting all of
their body weight against the cow to try and make it budge. (Seen below)
Dan Desjardins’ dad trying to get the cow to move
People cheering the cow on
The cow up close and personal
Deana Zambarano and the cow
Olivia Marandola and Breanna Palazzo “with” the cow
TEACHER INTERVIEW
Page 8
Bastienesta
Interview and Photograph by: Haley Ames
Mrs. Bastien is a civics and human development teacher here at Plainfield High School. I took it upon myself to interview her about
her maternity leave from PHS and how it feels to be back. Also how she feels about PHS, including the students and staff. Most of the
students have had her as a teacher and she says she is harsh on grading and has a difficult class. For the students that haven’t had
the chance to take her class, here she is!
What is your new born child’s name?
Baylynn Aubrey Bastien.
What day was your child born?
July 29, 2011.
How did it feel being away from school for however long?
I liked being home with my daughter and son, but I did miss being with my students.
What did you like most about being home and not at school?
Not having to grade work! I like the teaching part but not the grading.
Are you glad you are back at the school?
Yes and no, because it’s a lot of work to balance my kids and work. I’m also going
school right now.
What did you miss the most being away from school?
The people I work with and working with kids. I love working with kids!
How does it feel being back with all the students and staff?
It keeps me busy, on my toes.
How long were you gone?
I was gone for two months.
What is your favorite part about teaching?
I would have to say, getting the kids excited about learning.
Do you feel you have a connection with the students here at Plainfield High School?
Yes, I definitely do. I like to associate with them and be there for them.
Do you think you are too hard on your students or not hard enough?
I think in between. My expectation as far as their work is very high.
What made you start teaching?
More because I liked social studies and had to find a way to use that! I like to be around a lot of people.
Have you worked at any other schools besides PHS?
I worked at Windham High School, not as a social studies teacher but as an aid (helper). I also student taught at Lyman.
How many years have you been a teacher altogether?
Seven years!
Do you have any other subjects in mind that you would like to teach?
English, that’s it. I could never teach math or science!
If any, what are your goals for the New Year 2012 with your new students?
I want to improve writing skills.
How do you plan on achieving this goal?
I’m going to implement a portfolio writing project.
What college did you attend?
Eastern Connecticut State University.
How long did you attend college?
It was five years, and now I’m back at
school again.
How have your years at PHS been so
far?
Overall good. There are days better
than others.
How much longer do you plan on
teaching?
I haven’t really figured that out yet. I
think whatever I choose to do will still
be teaching students.
SCHOOL NEWS
Page 9
Park it Here!
Interview and Photograph by: Megan Gudeahn
Mr. Parkinson is a math teacher here at Plainfield High School. Many of the students here already know him, not only because he is
a great math teacher, but also because he is one of the football coaches, and track and field coaches. Mr. Parkinson is a devoted,
helpful teacher, as well as coach. Most students are familiar with him, but some students may not be; therefore, this is a way to get to
know a little about him.
How long have you been teaching here at Plainfield High School?
Eight years now.
Where did you attend college?
University of Connecticut.
How long have you been coaching football here at PHS?
Eight years.
What originally caught your interest for teaching at PHS?
I had just finished my certification and PHS had a job opening two weeks before
school so, I applied and I got it...
Did you always want to teach math? If not, why did you turn to math?
Ever since I wanted to teach, it was math; I picked it because I find it interesting
and I’m good at it.
Did you always want to coach football?
Yeah, my dad coached in Stonington for twenty years, so I’ve always been
around it.
Are you participating in “No Shave November”?
I rarely shave, no matter what month it is.
How do you feel about the football team this year?
I’d be lying if I said I was happy with the record, but I think we’re improving
consistently and working hard.
Were you satisfied, as a team, with the turnout of the Homecoming Game?
It’s always good to win, and I think we did a lot of things well, but we certainly
could have played better.
Do you think the team is well-prepared for the upcoming Thanksgiving Day
game?
Mr. Parkinson yelling at an inI’m sure Thanksgiving will be a great game.
nocent student!
As well as being a math teacher, and a football coach, you’re also a track
coach, are you excited for the upcoming
indoor season?
YES!
What was your most embarrassing moment in your years of teaching here?
I never get embarrassed! EVER!
What was your most memorable?
So many memories, I can’t pick just one.
Do you have a class that you will always remember?
All of them, they are all special in their own way!
Do you have any pets? If so, what are their names?
Yes. Gracie; she’s a Golden Retriever.
Do you like ducks?
Yes?
Does it make you angry when you hear a “QUACK!”?
Google.com
No, but I’m usually confused.
Lastly, what is your favorite thing about PHS?
Mr. Greene!
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
Page 10
Making “Cookies” at Midnight
Interview and Photographs by: Samantha Mason
Sadie Pettigrew, a senior at our high school, enjoys making “cookies” at midnight
and getting caught in the rain. She’s not a fan of yoga and she has half a brain.
What’s your favorite part about being a senior?
My favorite part about being a senior is having less than a year left of high school.
Why do you love cats so much?
I especially love cats because they’re very friendly and if you need a friend they’ll be
your friend because they’re friendly and sometimes can fit in cups and wear mittens.
Why do you like short bearded men?
I like that they're really cute and cuddly and I like facial hair.
Why do you like Sydney Ball?
She is a cool person and a cooler friend. She’s nice, and cool.
Peacin’ Out
What are your plans after you graduate?
I plan to go to Eastern and study radio broadcasting and one day
you’ll hear me on the radio.
What’s your favorite class in school?
AP history and graphic design.
What will you miss most about Plainfield High School?
All my awesome friends, and Mr. Wilcox, and Mr. Jordan, and Mr.
Scott, the vending machines, the janitors, the desks, and the chairs
and the white boards, and Dr. Wu, and homework (Haha). That’s
all.
Sadie in a boat
Why don't you eat meat or animal byproducts?
Companies and factories make meat and food where they make cars.
What will this school remember most about you?
Probably nothing except being a vegan, pale, and my obsession for
Young Change.
Despite the rumors… Do you find your attire weird?
Heck no. I feel like I’m different and everyone is scared of
different; that’s why they hate on me so much.
What phrase fits you best?
To each his own.
Thank you for your time.
You’re super welcome.
Sadie and Dr. Wu
STUDENT INTERVIEW
Page 11
Ty Bow, Pancakes962
Interview by: Sydney Ball Photograph by: Earl Davis
I have decided to interview Tyler Bowerman, who is a Plainfield High School Junior, for this issue of the“Panther Advocate.” Tyler
Bowerman is my best friend forever. We like to play Runescape together (online game), and talk deeply about our problems. What
are best friends for, right? Tyler is also my favorite person in the whole world because he’s fun to look at; look at him. He’s great
and you know it. Don’t be jealous because you’re not my best friend and a smart, cool, funny guy like he is.
What’s you’re favorite online game, and what is the point of it?
Runescape. The point is to gain experience and "levels" in certain areas of your character's life.
What’s your combat level, how long has is taken you to reach this level?
Right now my combat level is 56. I had a much greater account that I used from about 5th-8th grade, which was unfortunately
banned at level 110 or 111. However, on my current account, Pancakes962, I've spent about 2 months playing on and off.
What is your favorite thing about Runescape?
The people. Runescape is a world full of people that enjoy Runescape. If you
like crafting, you can find people at the crafting guild to talk to all the live long
day. If you like woodcutting, like me, you can find others with the same interest. There's always someone that you can find common ground with and talk
to.
Who do you play with?
I don't have very many friends that play Runescape. However, I do spend a
decent amount of my online time playing with Sydney Ball. Apart from reallife friends, I have a bunch of people on my friends list who I've met while
cutting down willow trees.
My best friend Tyler Bowerman and I
Who’s your favorite girl in the world?
My favorite girl in the world is Sydney Ball, because she plays Runescape with me, and because she's not normal, just like me.
Who’s your favorite teacher?
My favorite teacher at PHS is Mr. Marr. Every time I talk to him I learn something interesting. As for teachers that I have right now,
I'd have to say that my favorite is Mr. Greene, as he is often very strongly opinionated, just like me.
What’s your favorite thing to do?
I like to go to my friend Brett's house, where many of my friends spend their time, and sit in a circle with them.
If the world was being taken over by Zombies who would you want to hide with?
Whoever's at Ian Mercier’s house, because he has a good plan to survive.
What is your opinion on the worlds toughest controversies: gay marriage and abortion?
Gay Marriage: If you're in love, you should be allowed to get married if you want.
Abortion: The child IS NOT alive yet. Although it has a beating heart, when that of the mother stops beating, so will that of the fetus.
There is nothing wrong with aborting a child. Especially when it may save the parents and the child a TON of trouble.
STUDENT INTERVIEW
Page 12
The Wild, Wild Wes!
Interview by: Marissa Dube
Wesley Carpenter is a junior here at Plainfield High School. He’s the type of guy that everyone should get to know, if you don’t already know him. He’s the coolest guy I know here at PHS and also my best friend; therefore I thought I should interview him so other people can have the opportunity to learn a little about Wesley, if you don’t know him too well.
Who are your favorite people?
Marissa Dube, Shawn Thomas and Uncle Bill.
What do your weekends consist of?
A whole lot of… shenanigans.
When the heck are you ever going to clean out our locker?
Never, that’s your job!
What would you do if you woke up one morning and your hair was
pink?
I would be like “What the heck!?” and then go to school and rock the new
hair-do.
Do you hate the school’s food?
I don’t know, I hardly ever eat it.
What annoys you the most about PHS?
The large groups of people that walk mad slow down the hallway. I’ve been
late multiple times as a result of this. There should be a minimum hallway
speed.
How do you navigate through the very crowded hallways?
Hehehehehehe, I just truck through everyone.
What would you do if someone fell in front of you in the
hallway?
Wesley Carpenter and I
Laugh.
Do you plan on moving out of Plainfield after you graduate high school?
Most likely; this town kind of stinks.
Do you cry while watching sad movies?
Only if the sad part involves a dog, that stuff gets to me.
Are you a money spender or a money saver?
Spender, no matter how much I have, it’ll be gone in a day.
What do you think about the number of students in an average classroom?
I don’t know, because in one of my classes there’s like 11 students, and in another there’s 23. So the average is pretty
sporadic.
What do you think about helping poor people?
I wouldn’t mind helping as much, if some people wouldn’t abuse the system, like those who collect welfare, and not even
try to get a job.
What is your favorite video game?
Hmm, it’s either “Grand Theft Auto 4”, “Modern Warfare 3”, or “Super Mario.”
What’s your favorite movie?
Either “Die Hard” or “Finding Nemo.”
Thanks for your time best friend!
No problem, buddy.
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Page 13
Whipping your child: Is that really necessary?
Commentary by: Marissa Dube
Hillary Adams, a 23-year-old women, suffers from ataxic cerebral palsy, which causes difficulty with balance, hand and
feet movements and speech. As if that wasn’t tough enough, she was physically abused by her father for years. Seven years ago
when she was 16-years-old, her father, William Adams, a judge for a court in Texas who specializes in children related court cases,
whipped Hillary brutally 20 times across her back and legs with a leather belt. His reason behind beating her so badly was because
she downloaded music illegally. About a half hour before that happened, she had set up a camera in her bedroom because she knew her dad was going to hurt her in some kind of way since
abuse like this has been going on in her home for quite
awhile before that unpleasant incident. Her dad did not
know about the camera because it was hidden on her
dresser with a scarf around it to block the little red light,
so therefore she got away with catching this terrifying
abuse.
Seven years went by and she finally decided to
Hillary Adams
put this horrible video on the internet. Her reason behind waiting so long before airing this video of her getting abused was because at the time she
was still living under her father’s roof and was afraid to see what would have happened to her
mother, her sister, or to herself if her dad saw the video. So she decided to wait ‘til she was far
away from her father and was living on her own before she aired it. Hillary warned her father
that she would air it if he reduced her financial support, and took away her Mercedes automoWilliam Adams
bile, which her father had provided, and that he would live to regret it. Her father reduced it
and took away her car so she aired it as she said she would.
When I watched the video of this girl who was my
age getting whipped by her father it really broke my heart
because it looked so painful and Hillary looked terrified.
That is not a normal humane way to punish someone, especially a young girl who has ataxic cerebral palsy. Hillary and
her mother were asked to speak to Matt Lauer on the
“TODAY show” since this video saddens a lot of people and
is so upsetting to watch. On the show they were asked a majority of questions like, “Why did she keep it a secret for so
long?”and “Why didn’t her mother do anything when she
watched her daughter get beat with a belt?” Her mother answered and said, “I was so brainwashed and scared of my
husband that there was nothing I could do.” Matt Lauer
asked Hillary about how she felt watching the video and Hillary said, “I’ve experienced everything from crying about it
to almost just laughing.”
Hillary’s mother
Hillary Adams
It completely disgusted me when Hillary’s mother said there was nothing she could do about it, because she could have left
her crazy husband and got a restraining order if she was that afraid of him, and got her daughter help. Getting beaten like that as a
young teenager could really do some permanent emotional and physical damage to a person.
Although police say five-year statute of limitations has passed since savage beating, something should be done as a punishment to William Adams. He abused his daughter who has disabilities and that’s just not right. Absolutely no one should get away
with disciplining their child in such a cruel way. In my opinion, he should lose his job, and I’m sure many others agree with me because that is not discipline: it is straight up abuse.
Pictures and information from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2057419/Judge-William-Adams-beat-disabled-daughterHillary-video-WONT-charged.html
SCHOOL NEWS
Page 14
Pumping Out the Pumpkin Bug
Commentary by: Ryan Dumais
Sure, you have heard of bed bugs, but have you heard about pumpkin bugs? According to a recent discovery, a new species of insects are infesting local supermarkets who have pumpkins for sale. These insects are
known to be dangerous and harmful to human health. While most merchants are doing their best efforts to
sanitize their stores, it may not be enough.
Anthony Stevens, a 72-year-old grandfather from Hadley, Massachusetts, was
helping his twin grandchildren, Chris and Melissa, with their annual pumpkin carving.
The young children, ages seven, were more than excited to enter their masterpiece into
the November Harvest Pumpkin Competition, but much to their surprise they had encountered centipede-looking insects within their decorative jack-o’-lanterns.
infestation.ca
Stevens claims that the insects were inside of the pumpkin, feeding off the
The pumpkin bug specie, found terrorizing
seeds and pulp within. He reported his problem to his local supermarket, Market
supermarkets and other produce stores.
House, where he bought the vegetable, complaining of this abomination. He resented
the fact of an exchange and demanded to speak to the manager, Stewart Carthy. Carthy apologized like a respected manager and reported the written complain the shipper of his merchandise.
The shipping company, International Services, reimbursed both Carthy and Stevens. International Services
then reported the weird insects within the pumpkin to the IAQC, the Insect and Animal Quarantine Center.
Dr. Melrez, a PhD graduate from Harvard University and President of the IAQC, found the new
species exotic and rare. He claims that he has never actually seen anything like this. After a week of intense
lab work, Dr. Melrez and scientists of the IAQC identified this species as a member of the Indocentricphilia
family. Indocentricphilia category of the insect world are a series of dill-worms with microscopic, sharp
faces that allow penetration into the human body’s epidermis or other diets of theirs, like pumpkins. A total
of one-hundred seventy two cases have been reported to several hospitals in India, Mexico, and the United
States, of the recent illnesses due to these parasites. The patients are undergoing intense procedures in order
to recover from the serious viral infection.
The virus is known to breed and multiply under the first several layers of the human epidermis and
slowly bury into deeper layers of the skin. When they have access to arteries and veins the infection spreads
into the blood stream, feeding off red blood cells and the deterioration of vitamins and nutrients. Melrez
claims that the insects are able to infect up to three teaspoons of blood, on average, per hour, therefore depleting necessary nutrients and cutting off supplies to the rest of the body.
Steven’s personal and local supermarket, where he had purchased the infested pumpkin, is doing
all in their ability to remove the possible infected goods. Carthy is taking extensive measures for his store.
He has recently hired two temporary sanitary specialists to put an abatement, or end, to the crisis and also
closed the market down for the weekend. “I would’ve never guessed this event could happen,” says Carthy.
“The event is unfortunate, but I’m taking the customers into consideration and restoring the business back to
health.”
It is important for all consumers to beware. Dr. Melrez is warning the general public to inspect all
their produce before consuming. “If it has any unusual, tiny pin holes, or an off-colored appearance — avoid
it at all costs and report it to the merchant.” During this season especially, take caution to what you put into
your meals and what you purchase. “Let’s be safe and well for the holiday season,” says Carthy.
“Let’s be safe
and well for
the holiday
season”
-Stewart
Carthy
CLUB NEWS
Page 15
“….For the Love of the Catch.”
Article by: Nate “The Pirate” Duval
Eastern Connecticut is home for random areas of water with some of the best fish to catch. In 2009, three other men and
myself created a group dedicated to the love of the outdoors and fishing. Ladies and Gentlemen…The Plainfield High School
Fishing and Outdoors Club.
Jordan Benoit and Chris Richard are life savers. Besides seeing both of them at the fire department, all three of us love
to fish. Once spring fishing season is open, we go to ponds deep in the woods or places that have not been discovered by anybody
before. In early 2009, Special Education teacher Mr. Kelley, brought up an idea to Jordan and Chris about starting a club that
should be related to the love of fishing and the fresh breeze of the outdoors. I was told to be along with the group, and on a Tuesday afternoon in a November fall, Kelley, along with Plainfield Alternative School teacher Mr. Denler welcomed twelve teenagers to the “Plainfield High School Fishing and Outdoors Club.”
After people thought the club was a joke, we thought the group
was going to be one of those clubs that don’t last a full year. Random people started showing up from the posters spread along the walls of the
school. People loved the idea. So every other Wednesday the group met up
and discussed future plans to local bait shops or an end of the year trip. The
last meeting finally came and by then Mr. Kelley wrote a letter to the state
of Rhode Island, seeing if we could fish at Carbuncle Pond in Coventry
without licenses. It was a success. Leaving school early to fish in another
state until the sun sets is any New Englander’s dream.
2010 was the breakthough year for the PHS F/O Club. Chris was
elected President, Jordan Vice President, and I was Secretary. Many people
showed up and I sent a letter to Rhode Island to allow us to go back to Carbuncle at the end of the year. Once again, Rhode Island allowed us to fish
without licenses, while the State of Connecticut laughed at us. I planned out topics for the group to discuss and the fishing club
was rolling once again. Mr. Kelley and Mr. Denler found a place in Dayville that could embroider pieces of clothing and thought
it was a good idea to be identified when we go out of school as a group known as “PHS Fishing.”
The end of the 2010-2011 season came to a close with another sunny, crisp spring day at Carbuncle, with Denler cooking hamburgers and hot dogs throughout the day. It didn’t matter who caught what, as long as we had a good day.
As we look upon the 2011-2012 season, we have a long list of checkpoints we need to cover; fundraisers, weekend trips
to fishing spots or Cabelas or Bass Pro Shops and another successful trip to Carbuncle in Rhode Island. Rumors of an ice fishing
trip are up in the air. Last year I attempted to contact Bob Stanley of the Norwich Bulletin and came up unsuccessful, though this
year, I’m determined to catch the eyes of Eastern Connecticut readers with the PHS Fishing/Outdoors Club. The estimated time
that the club will be back is Tuesday December 6, 2011. This club isn’t just to make friends, it’s for the love of the catch.
MEETINGS EVERY OTHER TUESDAY: 2:00-3:15p.m...ish
FIRST MEETING: TUESDAY DECEMBER 6, 2011
Mr. Kelley’s Room 1106
TOPICS WILL INCLUDE AS OF FOLLOWED:

Future Trips

Fundraisers

Weather
Conditions

Clothing
Embroidery

Open Topics
CLUB NEWS
Page 16
Plainfield Panther Partnerships
Article by: Malorie Arsenault
Photographs by: Google Images
Plainfield High School offers many clubs for the students attending to involve themselves in. Although there are various
clubs, many are not discovered. There is a list of clubs listed on the school website, but there is no information on these clubs
other than whom the leaders are. Because of this, I have gathered some more information on some clubs offered here throughout PHS. With this, you should know that the late bus is offered after school Monday through Thursday, allowing all, who are
interested, to attend their preferred club.
Photography Club: Meets every Thursday.
Photography club is run by Mr. Decelles. There is no limit on the
amount of students allowed within the group, and no deadline for entering the
club. The most preferred students are the ones most dedicated. This is because
projects take time, and in order for the club to run properly, Mr. Decelles needs
students who will consistently go to meetings to help finish the projects. One
project, you can see in the freshman wing, is a photo collage. In this club, you
will also hand color black and white photos and use pinhole cameras made out of
Quaker Oats tins, by loading the film inside and developing pictures through a
wet process. With this process you will be using chemicals in a dark room. Another event the photography club involves themselves in is the school play. They use high-tech portrait and studio lighting
equipment in order to take the headshots of each role in the play. Overall, the photography club members involve themselves
in many projects and activities around the building. If you, too, would like to leave your name in a beautiful photography art
project, get involved.
Drama: Practices vary with roles (See Mr. Stevenson).
The leaders of drama club are Mr. Stevenson and Mr. Mariano. Every
year, drama members involve themselves within a musical. This musical is a
year round production. Casting the show occurs by the end of November to the
beginning of December. Lead role rehearsals start before winter break. Full
rehearsals start in January and continue until the actual airing of the show (the
first weekend in May). Playing a part in the play can be done in various ways.
This includes: performing onstage, ensemble, lead roles, chorus, set crew
(moving stage pieces), ushers, construction, painting, hair, makeup, building
and finding props, as well as technical, audio, and lighting roles. There is always a way to get involved, whether it be on the actual stage, or behind the
scenes. The onstage acting requires a bigger commitment, of course. Ensemble has a practice every Wednesday. Set crew and
lighting crew members do not prepare there selves until the few days before the actual musical performance. If you want to be
a part of a show some may never forget, get yourself involved onstage or behind. The choice is yours!
Fishing Club: Tuesdays 2:15-3:15.
This club’s president is Chris Richard, the vice president is Jordan Benoit, and the
secretary is Nate Duval. Fishing club outings are always a fun time to Carbuncle, in Rhode
Island, but have been also to the fish hatchery in our very own town. Fortunately, a fishing
license is not needed, and your very own fishing hats are provided. Each member is assigned
food for cookouts at their fishing outings, and the club is trying to raise money for their transportation to their trips. A total of 12 students are now members of this fishing club. Join in on
the fun and get your fish on!
CLUB NEWS CONT.
Page 17
Natural Helpers: Meetings vary (refer to morning news).
Mrs. Noble is the leader of a group here at PHS we like to call Natural Helpers.
Unlike all the other clubs here at Plainfield High School, natural helpers is a group you
must be nominated into. The people elected are said to be those who can help around the
school, as well as students individually if they have a personal problem they would like to
talk about. At the beginning of each school year we welcome new freshman into our
group. At our first meeting we go through various training activities in which we also introduce ourselves to the newcomers. All year round we involve ourselves in activities such
as helping teachers at assemblies, and running the new student breakfasts. If you would
like to make a difference, play your part and make your good attitude count!
Art and Garden: Meets Wednesdays in the spring in Fall from 2-3.
Art and garden club started last spring with Ms. Dobrocki’s freshmen advisory group. In the
first couple club meetings, students are very busy weeding and preparing the gardens for planting new
flowers. Perennial flowers were donated by Mrs. Slaboda, a paraprofessional in Ms. Dobrocki’s class.
Other perennial donations came from Hart’s Green House. The mulch was a donation through Ms.
Dobrocki’s husband, and sculptures have been asked to be donated by Mrs. Sumner. Club members
are taking an interest in expanding the garden in the upcoming spring season, and seeking a donation
of a bench for the garden. Would you like to spruce up our school’s landscape? Help today by joining
garden club.
Pottery Club: Wednesday from 2-3:30 in the Art room
3222.
Do you enjoy pottery? How about creating pottery bowls for the Soup and Bread
Benefit Supper? Pottery club is run by Mrs. Sumner. It is full of dedicated students who put
their name out into the community by making their very own artistic pottery bowls. Those
who attend the Soup and Bread Benefit will be able to pick out their favorite, handmade,
wheel thrown, pottery bowl at the cost of a ten dollar donation. These donations go to our
local soup kitchens to help feed the hungry. If you are interested in helping hunger, please
join the pottery club today and do your part.
Astronomy Club: Meetings are the first and third Wednesdays of every month
from 2-3:30.
The leader of Astronomy club is Mr. Belcher. Right now, the number of
members stands at four. Mr. Belcher would love to see more members, at least five to
ten, in order to involve the club in outside projects. One project he would like to see
his club get involved in is Globe at Night. This involves monitoring light pollution by
taking readings at night. The readings they would get would be compared to other
group participant readings. In December, it is possible that a field trip to the planetarium could take place; this is not possible without more members. Outside of trips and
projects, videos of planets in other solar systems, and videos sent from a professional
astronomist will be watched.
CLUB NEWS CONT.
Page 18
Yearbook Club: Wednesdays from 2-2:30.
The yearbook club is run by Mrs. Maher. There is no maximum number of students allowed to
involve themselves. A benefit to yearbook club is that you can do a lot of your work at home. This club is
an exceptional choice for anyone who likes graphic designs, and enjoys getting himself or herself involved in the community. Yearbook club has already started, but accepts new members all year round. A
huge benefit for those involved is a free yearbook, if all commitments and deadlines are reached. If you
want to take part in creating a life-long memory for your graduating class, join in today!
Student Council: Tuesdays from 2-3.
The president of the Student Council Advisor club is Jessica D’Auria the vice president is Chelsea
Kozoil. This group welcomes anyone and everyone. Many students are under the impression that you have to
be nominated in order to be considered part of this group, but in all actuality, that is false. Student council
involves themselves in improving school climate as far as pep rallies and spirit week. Community service is
also involved as far as raising funds for the homeless shelters. Also, yearly, they try to attend a statewide leadership conference. If you are interested in involving yourself in the community, in and outside of the school, get yourself involved in
student council today!
Anime Club: Fridays from 2-3.
This club is run by Mr. Farrish. It consists of students who are very similar in their liking of anime.
Anime movies are watched, as well as activities played. One activity includes the Magic to Gather activity.
This is a card game that students play if they are not up to watching anime. If you are interested or have any
further questions, please contact Mr. Farrish for further information.
Plainfield High School is not just a homestead for education and sports. Here, we keep in mind the students that do not enjoy classes or
for whatever reason, do not participate in sports. We keep in mind that education and sports is not for everyone, therefore clubs are
offered for all personalities. Anyone involved in sports or other academic activities are also able to participate; thanks to the lenient
scheduling of the clubs offered. If you are interested in getting to know new people, getting your name out in the community, or even
finding yourself to see what your forte is, join in today. If you have any questions, please see the club directors for further information.
“Paws-N-Klaws” Pampered Paws
Advertisement by: Malorie Arsenault
The majority of holiday celebrators throw himself or herself knee deep in decorating. Whether it be decorating his or her
homestead to decorating his or her baked goods. The festive feeling is what we aim for at this time of year. With this festive atmosphere, we tend to sharpen up our appearances as well. Family get-togethers call for cleanliness all around. While on a roll, minds do
get jumbled and forgetful. What we cannot forget, however, is that our dogs and cats need loving around the holidays too! To help with
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branch, your dog or cat can enjoy an hour or two at their own personal salon. Paws-N-Klaws is located in Brooklyn, Connecticut as
well as Sterling, CT and travel between Connecticut and Rhode Island. You can reach the
groomers at 860-460-7917 or 860-465-5699. Catch a glance at their work before sending
your dog or cat off at www.pawsnklaws.com! They service all your dog and cat needs. Help
your dog and cat feel special on the holidays!
TELEVISION NEWS
Season Finale:
December 21-22
Page 19
Do YOU Have the X Factor?
Commentary by: Emily Hogue
Top Ten!
mov“The X Factor” is a television show where contestants compete vocally to win a five million dollar recording contract. The
winner also gets to star in their very own Pepsi commercial, which will air during Super Bowl XLVI on NBC. The producer of the
show is the famous Simon Cowell, along with his company SYCOtv, also known for producing “American Idol” and “Britain’s Got
Talent.” “The X Factor” features people from all ages, starting at 12 and ranging all the way to 59. Contestants can choose to be a
solo act, or even perform in a group. The judges are Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, L.A. Reid, and Nicole Scherzinger. As time goes
on in the competition, they are each assigned a category to work with. Cowell mentors the girls, Abdul mentors the groups, Reid
mentors the boys, and Scherzinger mentors the over 30s.
Everyone knows how harsh Simon Cowell is. He works with the girls and pushes them to be the best category there is. In
one episode, the judges were supposed to choose a celebrity guest to come and help them with their groups. Cowell is so conceited,
his celebrity guest ended up being himself. He’s also known for being considered rude and inconsiderate. To a bad auditionee, he
said, “You couldn’t win this competition even if you were the only one in it!” Even though he’s trying his best, he only has three
people left in his group, so hopefully he can step up his game.
Then on the complete other end of the spectrum, we have Paula Abdul. She is known for her
sweet words of advice and gentle comments as she tries to see the best in every contestant. He or she can
be the most off key singer and have no sign of hope, but Abdul will find something nice to say about him
or her. As she coaches the groups, she deals with many struggles. It’s tough because she has to deal with
[to a bad
more people than any of the other judges. She might have mental breakdowns at some points in the show,
but she definitely pulls through.
auditionee] “You
L.A. Reid felt very lucky when he got the phone call that he was going to be coaching the boy
couldn’t win this
group. He told “PARADE Magazine” “I feel really good about the contestants and the guys in my category.” Reid could be compared to the “Randy Jackson” of the clan. He’s not exactly rude, but he will tell competition even if
the contestants the truth after they finish singing. Sometimes he can go a little far, though, such as when
you were the only
he told an auditionee, “You were getting on my nerves when you were talking, but when you started
singing, I wanted to slit my wrists.”
one in it!”
And last but not least, we have Nicole Scherzinger. While judging on “The X Factor”, she is
also a singer in the group called the Pussycat Dolls, who are currently in the process of releasing an al- Simon Cowell
bum. She told “The HOLLYWOOD Reporter” “In addition to my duties as a judge, the mentoring is a
full-time job. I want to make sure that when I put my album out, I have the time to devote to promoting
it." She is definitely doing a great job, and she loves the over 30s group. She said, “For most of them,
they are feeling like it's their last chance." She has faith in them, and it pushes her group to work harder.
Finalists are in large font. Eliminated contestants are in small
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_X_Factor_(U.S.)
SCHOOL NEWS
Page 20
Alternative Title
Article and Photograph by: Amanda Crowe
November 7, 2011
I suppose many of you have heard about Plainfield Academy for Student Success (P.A.S.S.), or the alternative school as it's
more commonly referred to. There have been good rumors and bad; well, one hears many things, whether the truth is among them is
unclear. Some have even dared to say that the option shouldn’t even exist because it is an easy way out for lazy students. This isn’t
just a gonzo piece that I am writing for journalistic purposes, attending the school is my personal choice.
My reasons for choosing to transfer over there include but are not limited to: avoiding students here that I strongly dislike, a
more centralized learning environment/individualized approach in classes, and a slightly more simplistic educational system. The
most appealing part of the alternative option was the fact that there are less than 30 total students and four teachers, with the school
day beginning at 8:00 a.m. and concluding at 1:55 p.m.
The thought process that preceded my preference to attend school there started with last year’s occurrences. I had an awful
year, it was completely dreadful. You can assume that I am just being a whiny baby about whatever it was that drove me to transfer,
but you know what they say about assumptions…
Now, I started this year with high expectations, only to have those poorly shot down. I tried my best to keep my head held
high in the hallways, but things unfortunately didn’t improve. I sought help in the likes of our social worker, Ms. Ericson. She gave
me several options, some of which didn’t sound like what I wanted at all. When the suggestion of P.A.S.S. arose, the gears in my
mind started working, stirring the settling spider webs within them. I decided to test my luck and apply to this so-called “alternative
school”.
When weeks passed with no reply, my hopes of escape slowly decreased. But one day, I was called down to Mr. Bitgood’s
office to meet with someone. Ms. Ericson told me that it was good news. As we entered his office, I saw a man that I’d never seen
before. I was enthralled as I shook the man’s hand expectedly. He said that his name was Mr. Denler, or Bernie, and he was from the
alternative school. My eyes lit up as he told me the news, I’d been accepted, and I was set to start on November 15.
Once my mind had been set to leave, there was definitely no changing it. Whenever my friends and teachers ask me why
I've decided to transfer, I can never give a concrete reason. The question makes my stomach flip and my blood boil, like it's a trick
question or something. I suppose my true, down to the bone reason for transferring, is because of the immense social anxiety that
entails the normal high school setting. There's constant pressure to be something you're not, expectations to be perfect, when we all
know that isn't happening. I just can't continue handling that every day.
November 15, 2011
I was picked up from my house at 7:16 a.m. My quiet, new route to my strange school was interrupted at 7:40 a.m. as we
passed by good ol' Plainfield High School. Thoughts of longing pervaded my serene mind; however, the feeling washed away just as
quickly as it had appeared. Shortly thereafter, the then silent bus
ride turned into the most diverse bus rid I've had in my eleven
years of schooling. There were so many different types of students,
some I had seen before and wondered where they'd disappeared to,
and other I'd never even known existed.
The arrival at the school brought new surroundings and an
outlook on the area of placement that I'd never had before. There
were even more students that I hadn't expected to see. Although the
school itself had less than 30 students enrolled, it felt like there
were millions. I was immediately overwhelmed by the people and
the change of environment as I entered the doors, which had been
held open for me by someone previously involved in my life.
No sooner than I walked in was I introduced to my teachers and a student, Hillary Florence, to show me around. There were
four rooms: the main room, the lounge room, the kitchen room,
and the computer room.
Continued on the next page...
The student lounge at the P.A.S.S. Program
SCHOOL NEWS
Page 21
Continued from previous page...
Initial reaction to P.A.S.S.: I am not going to like this at all.
We began the day with current events at 8:15 a.m., where we were to read the newspaper and write a 10% summary on the
article we chose. I wrote about a passage regarding charity, and how they're falling short with Thanksgiving fast approaching.
From there, I proceeded onto Social Studies where I had nothing to do because the class was finishing a project they had started before I transferred in. The teacher had me read a short passage on the Korean War and come up with four questions related to the information. That brings us to Algebra I (even though I'd already taken it and Geometry), where we were given a packet and told to
complete the first page. After we went over the answers, we continued on to the second page. I finished before the others and proceeded onward.
Then we had lunch at 10:30, I didn't originally order lunch so I ate the clementine that I had conveniently put in my bag
before school. Another student, Dylan, decided that he didn't want his lunch so he gave it to me; spicy chicken sliders with sweet &
sour sauce, and man, were they good. They were much better than I would have expected. Students that had money were allowed to
go over to Better Valu at this point with a teacher escort to buy whatever they wanted. After lunch, we had time to chat and whatnot,
and then everyone joined us in the main room where we had organization and were told what we had to do and such. Now I'm sitting
in the computer room with nothing to do other than type up my account of the day thus far.
My initial reaction compared to my current feelings towards being are completely paradoxical. I now love it here and can't
wait to really jump in.
As for all of the rumors that have been conveyed towards this place? They're false. Yes, it's totally different from PHS structurally and educationally wise.
I love the freedom we're allowed, as well as the way things are set in place and the eclectic group of students that I have the
privilege of learning with. It's entertaining and the administration is much more lenient than expected, and regardless of the immense
differences between P.A.S.S. and PHS, I do not have any future plans to transfer back.
The end result? I am now happier than I have been for as far back as I can remember. And that's the way it is.
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Baby Daddy?
Article by: Abigail DiMartino
http://www.bing.com/images/
search?
17-year-old heart throb Justin Bieber is claimed to be a daddy? Yes, he is. 20-year-old
Mariah Veater claims that Justin is her four-month-old son’s father. Mariah said that Justin
hooked up with her after a concert back stage back in October. To keep in mind, Justin Bieber is
still dating Disney Channel star Selena Gomez, and was dating her during the “back stage hookup.” “Both Selena and I have had to get used to this stuff, it’s part of being in the industry,” quoted Justin Bieber. He also told magazines that Selena was handling the situation very well and not
letting things bother her.
Mariah filled a paternity suit and said she is seeking
170,000 dollars in child support from Justin. Justin said that
http://www.cleanimagesearch.com/media/
he is willing to take a paternity test to prove that he is not the action/gi/search
dad. Mariah’s ex boyfriend, John Taranova, said that the
whole thing is a scam. John said that Mariah also claimed
that John was the father of the same child, but he denied. A
funny part of this situation was that I read in an article that
Mariah was still a virgin. So right there tells you that this is
all fake and she is just in it for the money from child support.
Mariah is due for court in December for facing assault charges. I believe that Justin is innocent and it’s just some crazy
fan trying to get publicity and money for herself. The ironic
thing is that Mariah doesn’t realize that if this situation is
true, Mariah can be pressed with big charges for it because Justin is under age. So in the end, it
http://www.bing.com/images/search?
will all just back fire on her. Who’s the smart one now?
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Page 22
There is No Excuse For Abuse
Commentary by: Michaela Chilcote
Did you know that one in three girls and one in five boys are sexually abused by an adult at some time in their childhood? Usually if it is sexual
nolongerquivering.com
abuse, there is a family member that is involved. Most cases go unreported
because of the child who is being abused is too afraid to speak up about it.
There are numerous types of abuse. The main kinds of abuse are: neglect,
physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological maltreatment, and medical neglect. The number of child deaths per day due to child abuse and neglect has
risen from 3.13 in 1998 to 5+ in 2010.
Another reason that children are being abused isn’t because anybody
is laying a hand on them, but because of their birth conditions. One out of ten
babies are born by mothers who are abusing drugs. Drinking and smoking
heavily during pregnancy also endangers the health of unborn children. Abusing drugs while pregnant can harm your baby very severely. This also causes
a problem for when the child is older, because drug and alcohol abuse in the
family makes child abuse about twice as likely. No child deserves to be
abused no matter what. I feel that everybody should be able to feel comfortable in his or her own homes; no one should have to worry about coming home
and being abused.
Something that I do not understand is how a man named Michael
Pearl and his wife published a book about how physically harming your child
Michael Pearl
will help them learn about authority. In the book he mentions the different implements you can use to teach your child a lesson.
They consisted of a light switch for when they are around six months old, and then when they are a little older he says that using
belts and willow springs is a good method. I feel that this book is probably sending the wrong message to parents. It is pretty much
saying that it is okay to hit your child because it shows them that you are in charge. The book is titled “To Train Up a Child”, and
Michael Pearl says, “My contribution to the traditional approach is to encourage parent to place more emphasis on training before the
need to discipline arises.”
This book has brought up some issues ever since the death of a little girl named Hanna. She was found face down in her
backyard naked and starved. Her foster parents had been making her sleep outside in a barn or in a closet. They deprived her of food
for days at a time and often beat her with a whip. Her death was caused by hypothermia and malnutrition. Her foster mother praised
the Pearls’ book and had also given a copy of it to her friend. The instrument that Hanna’s parents beat her with was the 15-inch
plastic tube recommended by the Pearls in their book. Michael’s exact words were, “it’s too light to cause damage to the muscle or
the bone.”
He does not believe that his book had anything to do with Hanna’s death, but many think otherwise. Her foster parents
took his advice provided in the book and used that instrument, that he recommended, to beat Hanna. I think that his book definitely
had something to do with the way her foster parents treated her. No one should be allowed to harm their kid at all, and if they do they
should get punished for it. A child’s future can be ruined by any type of abuse, whether it is mental or physical. Whatever type of
abuse it is, it is not okay.
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Page 23
Backpacks Banned Because…?
Commentary and Photographs by: Rich Orsini
Here at Plainfield High, there are rules to be followed. Most understand
them, some do not understand them. One of the many rules that are not understood is
that no backpacks are allowed in between classes, which means you cannot walk
around school wearing your backpack all day. I looked deeper into this, and opened
up the handbook and found this listed under the dress code: “Student’s attire should
not be disruptive to the educational process. Hats, long coats, oversized jackets, bulky
sweatshirts, sling bags and backpacks must be placed in lockers during the school
day.” Backpacks ehh? So backpacks aren’t allowed, which most of us don’t understand why, but we’ll get to that after. Sling bags aren’t allowed either. Sling bags are
those bags that girls wear to carry their books, and personal belongings. It is worn
over the shoulder and is more bulky than most backpacks. If we can’t wear backpacks, why are girls allowed to wear sling bags, which have the same usage as backpacks, and are more bulky? It just doesn’t make sense to me, whatsoever.
Nicole Yon
Suitcase? Really?
Absolute ridiculousness
Backpacks are equivalent to these “sling bags” in every way possible. Backpacks aren’t close to as bulky as sling bags, and get in the way more than a backpack
does. If the school is going to enforce these rules on us, they
can at least tell us why they do so. Student’s most likely will
not do something unless they are explained why they are being
told to do so. I have been told to take off my backpack multiple times, almost every time I had asked nicely, why I had to
take it off. When I asked that, they would reply “because it’s
the rule, now put your bag away.” Do they really expect us to
understand a rule when we don’t know why, or don’t understand why we have to do it? It really grinds my gears when
teachers or administrators do that type of thing. I had a feeling
that others feel the same way I did, so I asked a few others
their opinions on this issue:
Emily Hogue
How it should be
Hailee Parenteau: “I think we should be able to wear
backpacks because they help me carry my tons of binders and
books.”
Derek Kirslis: “One of the most moronic things since the prohibition of alcohol. Not only is this
exploitable, but also unfair; women can lug around purses that can contain more than twice the volume
of a backpack….” Kirslis also stated there should be a one-month trial for the use of backpacks, so administration will see that there will be fewer students late to class.
Sam Mason: “I feel that it’s ridiculous that boys cannot have backpacks because most of the
girls in this school have purses big enough to be considered a carry on for a plane.”
The administration should keep this in mind. Maybe if they actually tried something different,
things would go right for a change. I don’t mean to offend the administration, but sometimes it would be
helpful to take other opinions on issues that happen around the school.
“One of the
most moronic
things since
the prohibition
of alcohol.”
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Page 24
For Real? Or Just Obsessed With Fame?
Commentary by: Abigail DiMartino
Kim was sitting courtside at the Izod Center watching the New Jersey Nets play basketball on October 31, 2010. She noticed Kris Humphries running down the court to shot a basket and said he was “cute.” “Only 72 days
Kim demanded to meet him and thought it was love at first sight. The two dated for six months, and then
suddenly got married on August 20, in Montecito, California. Only 72 days after their marriage, Kim filed
after their
for a divorce on October 31, 2011. Ironically enough, Kim filed for a divorce the same day they met each
other, only a year later. Are you surprised? They were only married 72 days, which is two months and 12
marriage, Kim
days. The young couple was only dating for a six month period. Kim’s side of the story is that it was Kris’
parents that made this divorce occur. She claimed that Kris’ parents hated Kim and her family. She also
filed for a
claims that she fell in love “too quickly” and it was just too fast. She told magazines that “I married for love.
I can’t believe I even have to defend this.” On her blog, she said, “I would not have spent so much time on divorce.”
something for just a TV show!” Kris’ side of the story on the other hand said that he was still committed to
this marriage and wanted to make things work with Kim. But in the end, Kim still filed the divorce. Kim
was recently caught at Kris’ home in Minneapolis, Minnesota, announcing the divorce. It was a Sunday evening on November 7.
Magazines claimed that she “snuck into” Kris’ home. TMZ said that Kim and Kris happened to squeeze four hours of their time to
have a meeting with Pastor Joel Johnson, who was the minister who confirmed them and their marriage back on August 20.
On October 21, 1980, in Beverly Hills, California, Kim Kardashian was born. She was the second child out of four. Her
father was Robert Kardashian and mother Kris Kardashian. In 1991, Kris Kardashian divorced Robert, leaving Kim and her other
three siblings, Rob, Khloe and Kourtney lonely. In 2003, Kim’s father Robert past away of cancer in the esophagus. Soon she married 1976 Olympic start Bruce Jenner. Bruce also had two children that he had with another wife, named Kendall and Kylie. Kim
was a model, actress, entrepreneur and socialite. In 2006, Kim and her two sisters, Khloe and Kourtney, opened up a boutique shop
in Calabasas, California called D.A.S.H. Not many people know, but in 2000, Kim married music producer Damon Thomas. The
couple was married for 4 years, until Kim filed for divorce. She claimed that Damon would “hit” and “verbally abuse” her. Damon
claimed that Kim was “obsessed with fame.”
Kim’s “Fairytale Wedding” aired on October 9 and 10. 10.5 million people took four hours out of their time to watch
Kim’s “Fairytale Wedding.” There were approximately 400 people that attended the wedding. Kim said she wanted to donate all
the money from the gifts she received to the dream foundation. Kim’s wedding budget was outrageous. She had a 20.5 carat Lorraine Schwartz ring, which was about three-million-dollars, a 2.5 million dollar 65 carat headpiece, 28 carat earrings, and 15 carat
wedding bands. Kim also earned money from this wedding too. “People” magazine paid Kim 1.5 million dollars for her photos of
the wedding. 100,000 dollars from “OK!” magazine for Kim’s bridal shower coverage and 30,000 dollars from “US Weekly” for
photos from Kim and Kris’s trip to Italy. Overall, her wedding cost about ten million dollars. All of this money they were getting
from local magazines was outrageous. They were just getting money left and right from magazines just for footage and pictures of
their wedding.
My opinion on this wedding is that it was mostly for publicity and money. How could you spend so much time, effort,
and money into a wedding and file for a divorce two months later? They were only dating for six months before they got married.
That tells people that they didn’t know each other as well as they think they did. Many different stories were going around about
how the wedding was fake and just for publicity. I believe that
both of them were in it for the money and publicity. Kim stated
that Kris’s parents did not like Kim and her family. But if Kris’s
family didn’t like the Kardashians, then they shouldn’t have
agreed for Kris to marry Kim. They probably used that excuse to
cover the whole divorce. Kris says that he wants to make things
work with Kim, but that could also be a lie. Kris could just say
that to make people think they are going to get back together.
Most marriages end in a divorce, but usually not after 72 days.
You should know what you are getting yourself into when you
start dating. Next comes marriage, which is a big commitment.
You have to be committed and wanting to make things work
when they are going wrong. Kim and Kris did not go to counselhttp:powatch.ew.com
ing to help their marriage, so they weren’t too committed. Many
different stories are going around all saying different things, and
anyone of them you hear could be the truth or just another lie.
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Page 25
In My Life, You’re a Part of Me
Commentary by: Nathaniel Duval
Roland Lewis was born on July 7, 1928. He was full of life and did everything to the fullest. A man full of pranks and wit, Roland was a man everyone could
love. Every Sunday, Roland sat down in front of his black and white television and
watched his favorite football team play, the New York Giants. Upon leaving high
school, Roland would join the United States Navy, with no intent of attending college. After being discharged he took up a job at the American Thread Company
located in Willimantic, Connecticut where he worked basically all his life. He also
worked part time at the former A&P Supermarket in Central Village, CT. At the age
of 22, Roland would meet the woman whom he would spend the rest of his life
with.
www.scripophily.com
In life, people say that somewhere in the world, they have a twin. Sometimes they find this person, sometimes they don’t. This twin
could change your life and be with you through thick and thin. For some people, they may never find him/her. My twin is located at
Sacred Heart Cemetery in Wauregan, Connecticut. He died on July 24, 1994, almost two months before I was brought into this
world. This is neither a sob story nor a dedication; this is a story of someone just like me. Yes, you may cry, I don’t blame you. This
is 100 percent true, nothing at all here is fabricated. This is about my Uncle Roland, whom I never had a chance to see. He was a
split image of me, whom I could never see in a mirror. This is the story of a typical man, who was my twin and a part of my family.
This is Roland’s story.
Roland married my Aunt Beatrice on August 19, 1950, at Sacred Heart Church in Wauregan, Connecticut. The couple went
everywhere together. Every week when my sister was young, Roland and Bea would buy her dresses. When she got older, they used
to buy her chocolate bars. Both of them had two children, Larry, who is a musician in Florida, and Linda, who works here at Plainfield High School as a paraprofessional. Roland was a part time coach of Little League Baseball. He used to watch his grandson, Eric
(Linda’s son) play Little League until American Legion ball. He used to sit in the woods near his house to watch him play at the old
Plainfield High School ball field. Both Roland and Bea were not too fond of having their picture taken, and to this day, it is impossible to get a picture of Bea at a party or family get togethers. Roland loved Bea’s cooking, but every Friday evening for dinner, Roland always asked for the same meal, Cream of Wheat. Cream of Wheat is a soupy, runny mixture just like oatmeal. They were married for 44 years.
Roland was always someone who would love to bust your chops about everything. Numerous sarcastic remarks were always put into play during a conversation with Roland. The pranks were better than ever as well. One particular prank Roland pulled
was with my cousin, Steve, with a liverwurst sandwich. Steve was sleeping before a concert the family was going to attend. Roland
just recently indulged on a liverwurst sandwich. Roland noticed Steve and proceeded to bend down and exposed gas near Steve’s
face. Roland had a different side as well. He always wanted to have a good time and experience life to the fullest. During Larry’s
wedding, Roland’s favorite song came on, “Proud Mary.” He immediately went onto the dance floor and danced to it. For the whole
wedding his smile did not fade away.
Roland always wondered what I was going to look like and how I was going to be when I was born. He was proud another
male was going to be raised in the family. Our family is outnumbered with females, so another male in the family made Roland so
happy. Roland started experiencing a sharp pain on his skin, soon there were rashes all over and it got worse; he was diagnosed with
Herpes Zoster, also known as Shingles. Shingles is a disease that causes rashes which fluid-filled blisters show on the skin and eventually lead to extreme pain. The vaccination for Shingles was discovered in 2005. My mother was not able to see Roland in this condition due the fact that she was pregnant with me and Shingles could possibly kill the fetus. He also had a heart condition that
brought his fun and games to a sudden halt. Roland was slowly brought to his death bed where he perished July 24, 1994 at Hartford
Hospital, at the bright age of 67.
Continued on the next page...
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Page 26
Continued from previous page...
After I was brought into this world, my mother, cousin Linda and aunt Bea would always tell me stories about Roland’s life
and all the different pranks he pulled on my family members. Roland was one of those people that would sarcastically joke with you
and brighten up your day at the same time. He was a phenomenal figure to anyone who talked to him, a grandfather in some ways. You
always looked up to Roland no matter what he did. Roland’s spirit will live on in my heart for the rest of my days here. I will always
think about his jokes whenever I’m down or even when I’m happy. If he were still living today, Roland would be proud of me no matter what I accomplished, and finally see what I really look like. We’d be the best of friends and always be with each other, no matter
what cause. Although I can’t see him right now, I’ll wait until the time is right, when I lived my life to the fullest, just like he did, and I
will see him this side or the other.
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Google+ vs. Facebook
Commentary by: Rich Orsini
Facebook has been a popular social networking site since February of 2004. It was founded by Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook. The site has well over 800 million users since July of
2011, and will continue to rise over the years. Facebook started off only limited to Harvard students, but eventually escalated to the public, everyone that is 13 years and older. Facebook allows
you to add your friends to your profile, having a limited amount of 5,000 friends. The site was
made for people to keep in contact easily with their friends, and family members. In early 2010
Facebook announced “Facebook Mobile” which allows you to receive messages, wall posts, and
other Facebook updates. It also allows you to set your status on the go, which people find very
convenient. Ever since the beginning of Facebook, it has been improving to make it more interesting, and easier to use. By adding voice and video chat in April of 2011, it allows you to chat with
your friends more easily, and make it a more entertaining way to do so. Over the years Facebook
has been working to make the site better, and more fun to use, while you can still chat and keep up
with your friends and family members. The number of Facebook users by August 2008, was over 100 million, which these numbers
escalated tremendously every year.
There is a new website that is supposedly trying to blow away the Facebook world. It is said
that Google+ may be the fastest growing site in history. Some people may think that Google+ is just a
rip-off version of Facebook, which I agree. Google+ has some of the same features as Facebook does.
For example, Facebook invented the “Like” button, which applies to statuses, pictures, and just recently, comments on pictures, posts and other things.
Google+ has something similar to the “Like’’ button,
called the “+1” button.
Google+ started as just an invite only website.
You could get invited from your friends, by email. One
of the pros of Google+ is that you can divide your
friends into certain groups. For example, if you had
family members on your profile, you could put them in
the category named “family” so it is a little bit easier to
access them if you wanted to chat or catch up with
them. One of the cons, in my opinion, is that you can’t
directly write on someone's profile, or send them a personal message. The good thing about Facebook,
is that you could do that if you wanted to. Facebook has the Instant Messaging, personal messaging,
and you could write on people’s walls. There are good things and bad things about both, but Google+
still can’t, and probably won’t top the Facebook world.
“The number
of Facebook
users by
August 2008,
was over 100
million.”
MUSIC NEWS
Page 27
He’s Coming for You!
Commentary by: Sydney Ball
By a show of hands, how many people have heard the song “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People? Most people know
the song by its upbeat rhythm, but have you ever really listened to the lyrics? If you have actually listened then you should know that
the song is about an isolated boy who plans a school shooting. Most people might
find this song to be inappropriate due to the surreal lyrics.
The writer of the song, who is also the front man in the band, wrote the
song to “raise awareness” of gun violence in young adults. Jeffery Berg, a psychiatrist, said, "I was so engrossed with the cheery melody of its chorus that it took me a
few listens to discover that the lyrics suggest dark, Columbine revenge."
The song seems to be based off of a mall shooting in Nebraska, the shooters
name was Robert Hawkons, and the boy in the song is also named Robert. Another
part in the song suggests that “Robert” stole his dad’s gun out of his closet. In the
Nebraska mall shooting, Robert Hawkons had also stolen his dad’s gun. The band’s
publicist says that this was a completely fabricated song, and the names and situations were just a coincidence. So the next time this song plays on the radio, listen
closely to the lyrics. They may surprise you!
www.justaonegirlrevolution.com
Lyrics to “Pumped Up Kicks
Robert's got a quick hand.
He's looking 'round the room, he won't tell you his plan.
He's got a rolled cigarette, hanging out his mouth he's a cowboy kid.
Yeah, he found a six shooter gun.
In his dad's closet with a box of fun things, I don't even know what.
But he's coming for you, yeah, he's coming for you.
Chorus:
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks,
you'd better run, better run, outrun my gun.
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks,
you'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet.
http://cortney1650.blogspot.com/
Daddy works a long day.
He's coming home late, yeah, he's coming home late.
And he's bringing me a surprise. His dinner's in the kitchen and it's packed in ice.
I've waited for a long time.
Yet the slide of my hand is now a quick pulled trigger, I reason with my cigarette,
And say your hair's on fire, you must have lost your wits, yeah.
Chorus:
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks,
you'd better run, better run, outrun my gun.
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks,
you'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet.
Spirit Week
Page 29
SCHOOL NEWS
Over Populated Flip-flop Uniforms
Article by: Haley Ames and Megan Gudeahn
There is a new committee being formed in Plainfield High School to get rid of the problems
we’ve all been having. They meet every Tuesday after school in room 2201. They are called Adults
Changing School Organizations, also known as ACSO. Although our school has more important things
to worry about, too many students have been getting hurt from tripping up the stairs and being trampled. One student was severely injured from wearing slippers and running up the stairs. She’s a new
student at PHS and doesn’t want her name released. She did tell us “I was completely humiliated, even
though I don’t think anyone saw, I still felt as if someone was there laughing at me.” She was staying
after school to study with a teacher. She unexpectedly tripped and fell onto her knees. She tumbled
Google.com
down the stairs in pure agony. She wasn’t able to stand and screamed for help. When the girl was found
in the main stairwell, her knee was cut open and bleeding. The school is being blamed for this situation
and banning all slipper wear, including flip flops. They feel that if students are not wearing proper footwear they will be in danger.
All students that aren’t wearing proper footwear, will be sent to the office to call home. If they are not capable of getting the right
shoes, they will be sent to TAC for the remainder of the day. The committee has not released any new information and won’t give
away names.
Another problem that has been brought to ACSO’s attention is, the new closing of
other schools. Some towns are loosing profits and funding which causes schools to be shut
down. If this does occur, students from other schools will be sent to Plainfield, making the
student population larger and school day longer so each student gets enough amount of time to
understand the subject. The teachers and staff aren’t too thrilled about this situation but it may
occur. If this does happen, the committee is expecting the students to react responsibly, and
behave as If they normally would. If other schools are closing it is Plainfield's obligation to
Google.com
take in the students and help other communities. This could also benefit not only the schools
funding but the CAPT testing scores as well as testing scores in general. This could also benefit our sports, with more students it can
bring our school more skill and a higher chance to succeed. Taking in other students can also help our fundraising and can benefit us
by getting more money for class trips. Although this would affect our school’s schedule it will also help us in the long run.
The third problem here at PHS is the improper clothing students have been wearing. This will soon be stopped by school uniforms. Young ladies will have to wear ether a
skirt that is two inches past the knee and high socks with appropriate shoes, or khaki, black
or navy pants. The appropriate shirts include: button up shirts with a collar, no more then
three buttons. The shirts also apply to the gentlemen. No hoodies, or sweatshirts with zippers and must wear pants or shorts past the knee. Belts are required for all baggy clothing.
Backpacks are to stay in lockers and may never come into a class room. The only time they
can be removed from the locker is after 1:55pm.
Any students neglecting these rules will be punished with a verbal warning and a call home for
the first offense. Second offense will be one full
day of TAC and a call home. Third offense will
be a call home and talk of expulsion. To avoid
any incontinences, follow the simple rules and
new dress code. A notice will be sent home to all
parents and their children in December.
Google.com
Google.com
MEDICAL NEWS
Page 30
Healing Haiti
Interview by: Suzie Arpin
Dr. Anthony G. Alessi of Norwich, CT is a board-certified neurologist and medical director of the Stroke Center at the William W.
Backus Hospital. He is a professor in neurology at the University of Connecticut and the neurological consultant for a number of
athletic programs ranging from the New York Yankees to the WNBA team of the Connecticut Sun. A columnist for the Norwich Bulletin, a host of a weekly radio show on WTIC, and a charitable author, he has already published two books:“Healthy Sports: A Doctor’s Lessons for a Winning Lifestyle” and “Lift Up Your Hearts: Healing Haiti, Land of Hardship”. He is passionate about the restoration of Haiti, and I was fortunate enough to get an interview with him about his
most recent trip there.
Just this past Friday, Dr. Alessi returned from his eleventh trip to the povertystricken country of Haiti, where the already destitute people have been dealt a series of
significant blows in the past few years. There
are currently 450,000 people (that’s 5% of the
population) who have been diagnosed with
cholera, a bacteria infection of the small intestines which causes excessive diarrhea, vomiting, and a number of other problems. These
Anthony G. Alessi, M.D. and I
symptoms eventually lead to dehydration,
which soon leads to death. In a third-world country like Haiti, the idea of such a sickness
may be deemed a death sentence. Because of efforts made by people such as Dr. Alessi,
there is hope for these people.
“I was in Cité Soleil last week,” he started, “which some people describe [as] the
worst ghetto in the world.” He went on to describe some of the conditions, which are almost
unimaginable. “It’s literally just shacks on top of garbage,” he says. “I never knew poverty like that existed. I mean, you hear about
it, you read about it, you watch the evening news and you see these people, but you really can’t believe it until you actually see it.”
“It’s easy to get negative there,” he says. “We don’t have a lot of technology. A lot depends on your ability to perform
and treat patients with just what you have.”
“I never knew pov- physical diagnosis
One of his favorite things about these trips is being able to get back to medicine the way [he]
erty like that existed. was taught it. “You really have to understand your limitations,” he explained. “You have to focus on
the things you can do for that patient.”
I mean, you hear
“The treatment for breast cancer is to go home and die. There’s no radiation. If somebody has
about it, you read renal failure… in this country, we have dialysis. There’s no dialysis in Haiti.” My mother, Cindy Arpin,
about it, you watch a friend and colleague of Dr. Alessi’s, traveled with him to Haiti in January of this year. She also told
the evening news me first hand stories of watching people die from problems that could be readily treated here in the
states.
and you see these “The more people that we can include into the world community, the better off we’ll be.”
Haiti is said to be the poorest country in the western hemisphere, having never been a real part
people, but you realof trade, tourism, etc. As Dr. Alessi says, “We should all be trying to reach out to those who are disconly can’t believe it
nected.” With that in mind, people have been trying to include Haiti in the “global community”. Differuntil you actually ent approaches have been taken to reach this goal, and people all over the world have stepped up to
help. Dr. Alessi has played a part in the evolusee it.”
tion of Haiti over the past few years, along with
dosomething.org
his close friend, Father Rick Frechette.
Over the past few years, Dr. Alessi has worked with Father Rick, a
native of West Hartford who currently lives in Haiti and has been able to
make astonishing changes to the conditions down there. After years of ministering to the spiritual needs of the poor and needy, he then got his medical
degree in order to minister to the physical needs as well. Since then, he has
overseen St. Damien’s hospital in Haiti, which has aided and rescued thousands of people living in the impoverished and unsanitary state of this country. At St. Luke’s, another facility within St. Damien’s, nearly 20,000 people
have been already been treated.
St. Damien’s also houses a large orphanage where children have
their physical and spiritual needs met. The kids are not available for adoption
due to the high incidence of human trafficking. Instead, many grow up here,
Cité Soleil “It’s literally just shacks on top of
become educated, and give back to their community. This, in addition to the
garbage.”
generous efforts made by people like Dr. Alessi, brings hope to a nation in
need.
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Page 31
Usually Unknown, Always Remembered
Commentary By: Nicole Yon
“The characteristic of genuine heroism is its persistency. All men have wandering impulses, fits and starts of generosity. But when you have resolved to be great, abide by yourself, and do not weakly try to reconcile yourself with the
world. The heroic cannot be the common, nor the common the heroic.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Veterans Day gives Americans the opportunity to celebrate the bravery and sacrifice of all United States veterans.
Many individuals confuse this holiday with Memorial Day, though they are two separate days. Memorial Day honors service members who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries that happened during battle. Deceased veterans
are also remembered on Veterans Day but the day is set aside to thank and honor living veterans who served honorably in
the military as well as in wartime or peacetime. People who have given their lives have this day in dedication to them and
all that they did for our country. For families, friends, aunts, uncles, and whoever else lost someone during their time in war.
There are two different flags that mean different things, one flag each blue star represents a service member in active duty.
A gold star is displayed if a service member is killed in action or dies in service. If several stars are displayed by one family
the gold star takes the honor of being placed at the top. The gold star should be slightly smaller than the blue star to create a
blue border surrounding the gold star. These flags are displayed of a service banner and is done during times of war or all
year round if the family finds it necessary. Once again, families display these banners at home.
Every year more and more soldiers pass away and leave families torn and incomplete.
President Obama as of last year made a memorial that is celebrated each year now at the Arlington
Cemetery in Washington D.C. to honor these lives of all ages. The ceremony consists of the raising
of a new American Flag on the pole that is in the cemetery, the
gathering and remembrance of the Tomb of the Unknown
“No matter
Soldier and lighting of candles of each family member to honor
their loved ones they have lost. This is a two day ceremony and
the situation
is a truly touching time and touch experience. Even though this
ceremony remains in Washington D.C. there is others in everythey lost their
one's town and communities. There can be church services, relives to, they
membrance dinners at local halls and more.
In our town of Plainfield, there was a gathering at the
will always be
American Legion to honor those lost lives. The get together
consisted of a lunch/dinner, music, and ceremony to honor vetremembered.”
erans. There are ceremonies around the state, and world that are
held to honor loved ones. After knowing the ceremonies and
gatherings that I found out about, I took the time to interview
http:\\www.flickriver.com
my own dad, Dwayne Yon. Retired veteran of
22 years, Navy, Seabees and Marines. He fought in Panama and was deployed for
three years over in Iraq. I asked how he felt about the remembrance of veterans
who fought for our country. He began to tell me, “A lot of people seem to not notice veterans because they are not in active duty. Many individuals only take the
time to acknowledge those who you see in uniform or who are serving currently
and sometimes that isn't right, but you cant expect to get credit and recognized by
everyone. But to know that there is a specific day for recognition; it’s nice.”
Many veterans go unnoticed, so to some this day is a moment to take
recognition to yourself and others for all that everyone has done for our country.
http:\\www.fli
Many people sacrifice their lives to protect our home of the free and the brave, and
ckriver.com
we all need to take in for that. The next time Veterans Day comes around, be sure
to stop for a moment and shake the hands of a veteran and thank them for all that
they have done.
Page 32
MOVIE REVIEW
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: SCARY OR FUNNY?
Commentary by: Rachel Hodges
We all know the typical storyline of a horror movie: a group of people go out for a
weekend getaway and they just happen to be vacationing in the wrong spot where a killer is
on the loose murdering everyone in sight. There are also the different types of horror movies
that add the Halloween theme to it where the storyline is based on vampires, zombies or
ghosts. Some of those huge hit Halloween themed movies are the “Paranormal Activity” entities.
These films are about this one family that is haunted and possessed by demons all
because of a certain person in the family. All these movies are connected to each other. The
first movie is about Katie, and her boyfriend Micah, who are haunted by a demon in their
suburban home while they’re sleeping. Extremely curious, Micah buys a camera to record the
suspicious occurrences within their home. The second movie is about Katie’s sister, Kristi;
her family are victims of a break-in, in which nothing was stolen from their home. Attempt- http://www.imdb.com/media/
ing to prevent the incident from happening again, the family installs security cameras into
their home to notice that bizarre events are occurring, and after research, they come to conclusion that their home might be haunted
by demons. The third film, is based on Katie’s and Kristi’s childhood as sisters growing up in the year 1988, explaining how the
paranormal events began. If you were to watch the first film you might just think that it’s just another horror movie meant to scare
people but it’s not, these films have a storyline and there is a reason behind the haunting of this family.
Every year that these movies are made, they become more popular. The more movies that are made, the more that is spent
on them and the more box office money they earn. But the rates remain the same. “Paranormal Activity” released on October 16,
2009, spent an estimated budget of 15 thousand dollars. The opening weekend of the film, the movie earned 77,873 dollars (USA). It
earned 193,355,800 dollars worldwide. Earning a rate of 6.5 out of ten. “Paranormal Activity 2” released on October 22, 2010, spent
an estimated amount of three million dollars. Opening weekend earned 40,678,424 dollars (USA). Worldwide it earned a title of
177,512,032 dollars. Earning a rate of 5.8 out of 10. “Paranormal Activity 3” released on October 21, 2011, spent an estimated
amount of five million dollars. Opening weekend earned the most amount of all three of the movies with 52,568,183 dollars (USA);
Earning a rate of 6.5 out of ten.
Movies are all about personal opinions. We base our opinions of movies based on storylines, quality, the actors, ratings and
endings. My personal opinion: these movies are terrible. The quality of these movies are sickening, literally. These movies are made
by handheld cameras which are the worst way to create movies; it’s annoying and it gives people motion sickness, gives them headaches, and makes them dizzy: some people I know cannot even watch movies that are made with handheld cameras because they get
sick easily. The directors of these movies try to make them scary but they fail at that attempt and make them more funny than scary.
When people talk about these movies they always say how scary it was. It’s amusing how
scared people get: they get scared to the point where they scream in the theaters. If you’re that
The top five rated horror
scared that you find it necessary to scream, then you fear too many things. Or I’ve seen so
films are:
many scary movies, I just know what to expect from them.
“Psycho” (1960) rate: 8.7
It’s really interesting how all of the movies are connected to each other, storylines
like that keep you drawn into them. But the creators of these movies think that the more pop“Alien” (1979) rate: 8.5
ular their movies are becoming the more they have to try harder to make the next movie even “The Shining” (1980) rate: 8.5
better than the last but these movies are just getting worse as they go on. I asked some stu“Diabolique” (1955) rate: 8.3
dents their opinions on these movies. “The first one was okay, some parts were scary and
some parts were funnier than scary,” said Abigail DiMartino. “They are hilarious! They get
“The Thing” (1982) rate: 8.1
pretty intense, especially the third one but the second one was more funny than scary,” said
Alyssa Hapgood.
The bottom five rated horror
Everyone has opinions, and movies are just another thing that people post their opinfilms are
ions on. We base our opinions on storylines, quality, the actors, ratings, and endings. Some
“Ax ’Em (1992) rate: 1.1
are bad, some are okay, some are great. Like these movies, some think they are great with
how scary they are, some think they are terrible from the quality. Then there are people like
“Dead at the Box Office” (2005) rate: 1.4
me and some others who find these movies funnier than scary and the point of the movie is
“Daniel the Wizard” (2004) rate: 1.5
not fully across. There are some people who judge movies just by the ratings the movie gets.
“Manos: The Hands of Fate” (1966) rate:
Movies are just another judgmental thing in this criticizing world we live in. Now you be the
1.5
judge, what do you think of the Paranormal Activity entities?
“Monster a- GoGo” (1965) rate: 1.5
*All information from imdb.com*
MOVIE NEWS
Page 33
“Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1”
Commentary by: Nicole Yon
“Twilight” is a series of four vampire themed fantasy romance
novels written and created from the mind of Stephanie Meyer. Its setting
takes place with a young teenage girl, Isabella “Bella” Swan (Kristen
Stewart) who moves to Forks, Washington and falls in love with a 104year old vampire, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). The series of books
are written through the eyes and perspective of Bella. Since the release of
the first novel, “Twilight”, in 2005, the books have gained immense popularity and commercial success around the world. The series is most popular among young adults. The four books have won multiple awards,
most notably the 2008 British Book Award for "Children's Book of the
Year" for “Breaking Dawn” while the series as a whole won the 2009
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has sold over 116 million copies world wide, with translations into at
least 38 different languages around the globe. The four “Twilight” books have consecutively set records as the biggest selling novels
of 2008 on the USA Today, Best-Selling Books list, and have spent over 235 weeks on the “New York Times” Best Seller List. Thus
far, the first three books have been made into a series of motion pictures by Summit Entertainment.
The film adaptation of “Twilight” was released in 2008 and the second, “The Twilight Saga: New
Moon”, was released on November 20, 2009. The third film, “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” was released June 30, 2010.
“Breaking Dawn” was released on August 2, 2008 at midnight release parties in over
4,000 bookstores throughout the United States. From its initial print run of 3.7 million copies, over 1.3
million were sold in the US and 20,000 in the United Kingdom in the first 24 hours of the book's release, setting a record in first-day sales performance for the Hachette Book Group USA. The book was
highly successful, selling over 6 million copies in 2008, and was the third best-selling novel of 2008
behind “Twilight” and “New Moon.” But the news talk is Stephanie Meyer ending book to the saga,
motion picture movie, “Breaking Dawn Part One.” A wedding, a heartbreak, a baby, and whatever else
may come along. When Bella faces an unexpected situation, she does what it takes to undergo the ultimate transformation and fight the final battle to save her love. The movie of this novel is going to be
split into two parts, and explains all of the tragic and drastic
changes that the characters face. “Breaking Dawn” received
mixed reviews from critics and is the most controversial book
in the series, as it explored more mature themes and concepts.
However, the novel was awarded the British Book Awards for "Children's Book of
the Year.” The book was translated in 38 languages with rights sold to over 50 countries. An
upcoming two part film adaptation of the novel is scheduled for release November 2011 and
November 2012 respectively. The motion picture of “Breaking Dawn” has a lot of scenes
that most young teen movies wouldn't quite contain. The rating is PG-13, but there is strong
parental discretion for the birth scene of Bella and Edward’s child. There was an interview
with “PARADE” magazine with Kristen Stewart about the making of this movie on this sure
to be shocking scene. "It’s PG-13, but it’s pretty graphic and bloody. If it is too much for
somebody who is younger, then discretion should definitely be used by parents. But it should
be impactful; it should be scary. You have a story about somebody who has been fighting for
what she believes in. Bella is going, ‘I’ll die for my baby; I’ll do anything for it.’ I hope it
doesn’t scare people, but on the other hand, I hope it does." Stephanie Meyer was asked what
she thinks about how far her books have come: “Twilight” has made people realize that
http://movies.yahoo.com
there’s a huge desire, a huge hunger, for more female-targeted projects. Other than that, I
think fans will look back and probably still hold on to the story. I can’t imagine that the fans that we see show up at Comic-Con in 10
years aren’t going to be fans. They’ll still definitely remember why they loved it."
Information: http://thetwilightsaga.com
“I hope it
doesn’t
scare
people, but
on the other
hand, I
hope it
does..."
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Page 34
Top Ten Pet Peeves
Commentary and Photograph by: Jenna Brown
Irritating, frustrating, and unpleasant are words that describe those small annoyances that get on our nerves. These annoyances are
known as pet peeves. Throughout my life I have acquired a countless number of pet peeves. Today I will share with you the top ten
that annoy me the most. Let’s begin with my number one pet peeve.
1) Liars.
I’m sorry, I thought your name was Pinocchio? I mean, your nose keeps
growing every time you talk, so I figured you were him. Being a pathological liar isn’t a good thing. In fact, it’s the worst you can be. So I do not
want to associate myself with you. Stay away.
2) Bad Hygiene.
The fact that my nose cringes when you walk past me isn’t a good thing.
You should know how to keep clean by now. Go to the store and buy
some deodorant or body spray. Trust me, you need it.
Nate, Haley, and Megan creepily staring at Earl
3) People who think they are perfect.
Your appearance is perfect. Your personality is perfect. Your academics are perfect. Everything about you is perfect, or so you think. Newsflash buddy, nobody is perfect. So stop putting yourself on a pedestal because you don’t belong there.
4) Obnoxious people who never shut up.
I don’t know if you realize it, but no one is listening to you. Making stupid comments and being really loud 24/7 isn’t going
to get you wanted attention. So save yourself now and be quiet.
5) People who stare.
Last I checked, I don’t have food on my face or snot running from my nose. So explain to me why you keep
staring? It’s rude and annoying so look somewhere else.
6) Slow drivers.
Some of us have places to go and people to see. I don’t have any time to waste. So if you are going to go on a slow stroll
through town, pull over, and move out of my way. If you don’t, my bug can squash your vehicle.
7) People who chew with their mouth open.
Stop shoving loads of food in your mouth. Put a reasonable amount in, chew slowly, and keep your mouth CLOSED. I do
not think anyone wants to see all of that mashed up garbage.
8)People who are sick and do not cover their mouths.
Coughing, sneezing, fevers, hot and cold flashes, sore throat. I do not want these symptoms. So if you are sick do me a
favor and COVER YOUR MOUTH.
9) Slow walkers.
I thought you learned the concept of walking back when you were two years old. Why is it so hard to pick up your feet
then? Stop walking less than a mile per hour and get a move on. If you don’t, then don’t get mad when I give you a flat tire.
10) People who mumble.
I’m sorry, what was that? What? I can’t hear you. What did you say? Maybe if you spoke up and stopped mumbling I
wouldn’t have to ask you a million times to repeat what you said. You have a voice for a reason. Use it.
SCHOOL NEWS
Page 35
Pep Rally Review
Article and Photographs by: Erin Desrosiers
The band was thunderously loud throughout the halls as the impatient kids followed like a pack of wolves.
The gym slowly filled with the colors of black and orange, and the cheering soon began. MC’s Hannah Gregiore and Arika Floodine took charge Friday, October 28, pumping the crowd up preparing for our Homecoming game against Stamford Academy:
So many senior boys think they are at the top of the school. They think they are the “big cheese”
“head honcho.” They think they are Mr. Cool. At the beginning of the pep rally three senior boys were chosen to sit on bags of ice to see how cool they really are. At the end of the pep rally the senior still sitting on
the ice is the real deal. I personally interviewed them all before and after the pep rally:
How do you feel at this moment?
Ethan Misale (before): Swag
Ethan Misale (after): Swag
(I think he had a brain freeze)
Gage Griffin (before): My bottom is
cold, kind of feels nice.
Gage Griffin (after): I DON’T LIKE IT
ANYMORE!
Ryan Fitzgerald (before): I’m freezing
Ryan Fitzgerald (after): I can’t feel.
The 2011 homecoming pep rally was pepped up with the
Plainfield High cheerleading squad with their marvelous routine that
blew many away. With their tucks, twirls and twists our cheerleading
squad is looking the best it ever has. Good Job ladies and Xavier, we
are proud.
The guest performer got the crowd going buck wild Friday afternoon. The famous Young Change took front and center as he spit his original lyrics. According to
Mr. Worth, Kyle Cordova shook up PHS as the gym was the loudest it’s ever been. As
the real Young Change’s biggest fan came forward I asked him how he liked YC’s performance that day:
“AMAZING, real talk” –Jake Still
Homecoming