The Panther Advocate - Plainfield Public Schools

Issue #8
May 2011
Plainfield
Public
Schools
Layout Editor: Eneriko Ferraj
The Panther Advocate
“Stay With Me” for the City of Angels Review
Review by: Eneriko | Photographs by: Marco Kotwasinski
Inside this issue:
“City of Angels”
1-3
Holocaust Awareness Day
4-5
Interviews
7-12
Track
14
Bunnies
17
Bin Laden
18
Critic Page
24
Special points of interest:
•
“Me, Myself, and Miss
Irene”
Page 5
•
“Comer, Beber y Ser
Feliz”
Page 13
•
“Fuel Efficient Fun”
Page 19
•
“Mortal Kombat Kills
Expectations”
Page 23
During the first week of May, something
extraordinary happened here at Plainfield High
School, and that was our school play, “City of Angels.” On a scale of 1 to 10, I officially gave it a 9.5.
“City of Angels” was a great play in my opinion. I
thought it was brilliant: from the 1940s Hollywood
noire, to the awe-inspiring singing of some of the
best Plainfield has to offer. I personally would like
to note that both Taylor Perry’s and Chelsea Merritt’s powerful vocals were astonishing and will not
be matched for many years to come.
“City of Angels” was just spectacular and I
personally liked it better than last year’s
“Footloose.” The actors were outstanding; I enjoyed having the opportunity to get to see it. Noah Fields had the lead role in the play as Stone, a
good detective in search of a women's false disappearance. Jordan Beauregard was also the other
lead role in the play as Stine, who wrote the fictional screenplay and world in which Stone’s story
takes place. My favorite scene throughout the entire musical was definitely when Sean Mitchell
and Dylan Beaudoin were mugging Stone in slow motion; the fight was very well done and it definitely took a lot of practice I presume, especially on Noah Field’s part, since he had to stage getting
mugged by them. They did a extraordinary job acting, and really gave you a feel of how two goons
would be like in real life.
Another scene I enjoyed was
the scene when Buddy Fiddler (played
by Andre Miller) was telling Stine how
his screenplay just wasn’t good enough
and did a whole musical on it, it was
very catchy and humorous at times,
along with many more other scenes.
“City of Angels” was a more
complex play than any we have ever
had before here at PHS. Student and
usher for the play, Amanda Flyte, said,
“For a very complicated play, they did
an incredible job.” And I totally agree:
you had to really pay attention to the
play to understand what was going on
but once you did, it was very compelling and just felt so alive and the band
and the cast both delivered in way never delivered before. This has been Eneriko and that’s about it.
Page 2
Photographs by: Marco Kotwasinski
Page 3
Behind the Scenes of “City of Angels”
Article and Photographs by: Cassie Guerin
Not many people know how much work truly goes into putting on a musical,
especially one as complex as “City of Angels.” The cast had auditions in December, and
started rehearsals when we came back from winter break in January. However, due to the
cumulative two weeks of snow days, we lost a
Mrs. Howard and the pit
lot of rehearsal time. We utilized many members of our faculty including Mr. Stevenson,
Mr. Mariano, Mrs. Noble and Mrs. Rossman
for the on-stage performing aspects. Chris
Guerin, co-owner of Danceworks Dance Centre
(and my mom), came in and did the choreography as she has for the past two years. The cast
was so large we had multiple rehearsals occurring at the same time three days a week.
Zach Shabenas, Whitney Vanalst, Olivia
Marandola, Skyla Young, and Tanner
Nason hanging out backstage.
For the jazz quintet we also
brought in another outside resource, Mrs. Diane Pollard, who is very active in the
Bradley Playhouse in Putnam. The woodshop classes began building our sets before
we even started rehearsals. Art students came in and helped paint the sets after they
were built. Mrs. Lussier, Mrs. Titus, and Mrs. Desrosiers helped out with costuming,
a gigantic task because this play is both in black and white as well as Technicolor.
Mrs. Turenne has been running the business part of the show including selling tickArt student Ashlie Raynsford painting the set.
ets. One of the last things to come into
play is the technical aspect of the show; the sound and lighting. Brett Wertz, PHS
alumnae, ran the booth. He spent his day from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday figuring out lighting and sound cues. This show uses many voiceovers, pre-recorded
songs, and sound effects simultaneously with scenes that need to be balanced with the
mic levels.
Mrs. Howard was in charge of the
pit, a group of twelve musicians; three students and nine professionals mostly from the
United States Coast Guard Band. Monday,
nd
Cast members backstage during dress rehearsal May 2 was our first rehearsal pulling all the
scattered aspects of this show together. We
doing their homework.
started rehearsal at six and worked our way
through Act I until nearly ten o’clock that
night. The next day we started again at six and plowed through Act II finishing a little earlier
than ten o’clock at night. Wednesday, May 4th was our first time running the show with the
entire cast getting their hair and makeup done. Mrs. Wagner, Mrs. Oberdorf and two students put makeup on the entire cast. We also had professional hairstylists from Waves come
in and do our hair. Everyone in the cast was excited once we got our hair and makeup done
Andre Miller and I getting our hair done
and couldn’t wait to get on the stage for the prologue, an
by hairstylists from Waves.
(Photograph by: Jenna Marchenkoff)
intense scat done by the Angel City 5. The feeling that
overcomes your body once you are onstage and in costume is indescribable. It unifies the cast and makes all the hard work put in from literally every
corner of the school worth it. It’s amazing how much
Mr. Stevenson and Mrs. Howard
work was put in from many different groups of students
and faculty, especially Mr. Stevenson and Mr. Mariano.
After opening night, Mr. Stevenson reflected on
our performance, “We were really, really happy with the
opening night production. All of the students’ hard work
really came together and made the first performance a
special one.” The final product that we put on in our auditorium is the result of months upon months of hard
Zach Shabenas, Tanner Nason, and work and it showed in our end result. For all four of our
shows, we sold a total of 881 tickets.
Nate Vernon.
Page 4
The ‘Caust of Freedom
Article by: Nathan Boutin | Photographs by: Britney Deloge
“That’s when the angels came.” The Polish woman’s voice
echoed in the attentive auditorium. “American angels saved me.” This
is what she had called them; angels of liberation, the ones that saved
her and countless others from unrelenting oppression and a grim fate.
After just infusing her heart and soul into relaying her experiences, she
found the one saving grace to end her story.
Holocaust Awareness Day was held at Plainfield High
School, on Friday, April 29, 2011. This event was created in order to
educate students and faculty about the tragedy by providing first-hand
accounts of survivors, and those with similarly eerie tales about the
Holocaust. Jordan Beauregard, a distinguished sophomore, organized
the event in coalition with Mr. Hart to provide P.H.S, with a better
understanding of what had happened only three-fourths of a century
ago. “I spoke with them [holocaust survivors] in November,” Jordan
From left to right: Rabbi Philip Lazowski, Ray Gawendo, Miss
said, opening the event, “I wanted to bring the stories I’ve heard to
Irene, Rosa Goldblatt, and Gertrude Klein Gompers.
Plainfield.”
Broken up into four periods coinciding with the block schedule, a myriad of guest speakers spoke of their experiences and shared the courageous stories of former family members. Testimony
given was heart-wrenching, and every detail was omnipresent in its sorrow.
Miss Irene, the second speaker and survivor of a concentration camp, brought tears to the audience. Her accounts were
shocking. They told of laboring in unfathomably demeaning conditions and inhumane slaughter. Most memorably, she painted a
movie-like scene in which she, as a little girl, was torn away from her father. With watery crystals forming in her eyes, she told us
how she remembers the moment when her hand disconnected with that of her fathers. “I promised my sister I wouldn’t cry today,”
she told the audience afterward, “but I’ll have to tell her I did.” Miss Irene added, though, that the greatest day of her life was when
the American’s came to liberate them from Nazi control, and referred back to those angels.
During the second session, Ray Gawendo, a ninety-six-year-old survivor of the Klooga camp in Estonia, graced the stage.
An old photograph of her was shown as a child. She embraced a doll, looking pure and innocent, untouched by her future. In her
speech, she explained a monstrous upheaval in the concentration camp – people were being lined up and shot by the dozens. “I wake
up from sleep,” Ray added during the Q&A session, “where am I? Germans are shooting; I can hear them.” Her voice began to decline into a disheartening mumble, “I’m in a concentration camp!”
Four other speakers gave speeches for H.A.D. They were Rosa Goldblatt, whose father was a Holocaust survivor; Gertrude
Klein Gompers, author of “Prisms of Light, Reflections of Shattered Glass: Our Flight from the Holocaust”; Rabbi Philip Lazowski;
and Zvi Bielski, son of Polish resistance leader Zus Bielski.
Even in recognition of these fantastic speakers, H.A.D was not just
about the Holocaust. Many of the guests had valuable life experiences to share with the crowd. Gertrude Klein Gompers told us:
“We were fools that fell for the downfall of human morality.”
Mrs. Gompers also added that “The nature of man is to not trust
anyone… by God learn from this.” Ray Gawendo had this wisdom
to share: “Freedom is life, you have to cherish that!” and later she
added, “You should help more, it’s simple to help people.”
As the day drew to a close, the guest speakers were presented with awards for their courage of speaking about such a sensitive topic. The trio of Britny Fowler, Jordan, and Mr. Hart handed the awards out while the students filed out of the auditorium. In
the end, students were left with a lasting impact. Bearing witness
to first account testimony gave students the realism and understanding that so many had craved prior to H.A.D. The organization
done by all involved in the event was astounding; Plainfield owes
them a great deal. Perhaps in the next school year, something as
Britny Fowler, Mr. Hart, and Jordan Beauregard accepting awards of grand and moving as Holocaust Awareness Day could be organized—it’s just a matter of initiative.
appreciation.
Page 5
Me, Myself, and Miss Irene
Interview by: Eneriko | Photograph by: Marco Kotwasinski
During Plainfield High School’s Holocaust Awareness Day, we heard some very prominent and exhilarating stories of survivors
and children of survivors from the mass genocide, and each was unique in his or her own separate way. As I was watching the
very first speaker conclude, a second guest speaker named Irene stood up to give us her tale. I couldn’t help but to notice that I
knew her, in fact, I’ve known her for a few years now but I never had the slightest idea that she was a living Holocaust survivor.
I felt truly honored. After her powerful and emotional speech was done, I stood up and applauded her and I knew at that moment that I wanted to do a separate interview on her for “The Panther Advocate.” As I went to her home, ready to do a one on
one interview, thoughts were flying through the back of my mind as to what I would ask her, and as to what else I could learn
from her.
Hello there Irene! I just wanted to say thank you for coming to our
school and I wanted to know how it felt for you to speak in front of
such a large audience?
It didn’t bother me, I’ve done it before.
What country are you originally from?
Poland, for seven years and then prison camps for almost three years.
Have you visited anywhere else in Europe?
Yes, I went back to Poland once for my church mission.
What are your feelings towards the Nazis?
There are a lot of nice German people but I don’t want to ever see a Nazi
ever again.
Miss Irene next to Jordan Beauregard and Mr. Worth.
After the Holocaust was over, and you came to America, what did you
do then?
I was in refugee camps here from 1949 till 1951 and after that I went to night school.
What did you do for a living after night school?
I nursed some people in Norwich, mostly elderly people.
Do you currently work?
I’m retired completely. I worked until I was 68.
How’s America in your opinion?
Most wonderful country in the world. It’s Heaven.
So what do you do in your spare time now? Any hobbies?
I do a lot of knitting in the winter and in the summer work on my garden and take care of my home. I’m also very active and
read a lot.
During any other speeches given that day, were there any others that you felt personally close to? And if so, then whom?
The Rabbi, he is a wonderful man. I was so surprised that he was also from Poland. I almost passed out.
Have you ever done any other Holocaust speeches for other audiences?
Oh yes, Griswold, Plainfield, St Bernard, and Preston School’s 7th and 8th grades.
Do you have any pets?
No pets, but my neighbor has so many cats and they’re always in my garden. And they’re a lot of work.
One last question before I conclude our interview, what did you think of Plainfield High School?
I’ve never seen so many polite ladies and gentlemen, and everyone was so polite and dressed nice and I was very proud of all the
students, and we got to tell all the younger generations what happened in Germany so that it doesn’t happen ever again.
American Angels at Auschwitz
Commentary by: Cassie Guerin | Photographs by: Scott Guerin
I sat in the plush auditorium chairs Friday and felt like I had been transported
back to a colder and harsher world. A world where your religion, skin color, and even eye
color could earn you a spot in the gas chambers. A world that’s status quo was threatened
by the Nazi Regime and their maniacal leader,
Adolf Hitler.
As I listened to the first survivor, Miss
Irene tell her heart wrenching story of being a
child thrust into concentration camps because her
family was hiding her Jewish best friend, I was
deeply moved. She described in gruesome detail
how the members of the Nazi party brutally murdered mothers and their babies. Her story sent
chills down my spine and I could barely believe
that humans could be capable of such cruelty. Miss Irene shared her feelings of her saviors,
her “American Angels.” At one point in particular she talked about how she had been injured by a bomb, but it was okay because it was an American bomb. One sentence in particular stuck with me about how much people take for granted right now in America. Miss Irene stated that to her, coming to America was like
going to Heaven. I could barely fathom the amount of perseverance to live these millions of
people needed to contain.
Many holocaust survivors met their spouses during their internment. One of the
children of survivors talked about her parents. Her mother refused to discuss the details of
her imprisonment, opting to close the doors
to her past. Her father, however, slowly
opened up about his experiences. I found it
fascinating how closely knit everyone’s lives
are. Her family owned the very land that our
high school rests on today. Another survivor,
Ray Gowenda, described how she was able
to survive after the Nazi soldiers began to
massacre the inhabitants of her concentration
camp. At one point after being shot in the
leg, she had to pretend to be dead while more and more bodies were dumped on top
of her. The sheer amount of determination needed to stay alive is unfathomable to me.
As she described the nightmares she still has, her still composure she attempted to
maintain faltered, and everyone could see the crack in her resolute façade. She was a broken woman; forced to experience something
no human being should ever have had to go through. That alone made her admirable and inspirational. The most important thing I
took from the Holocaust Awareness Day is that all of the survivors felt that there was no reason to concentrate on the past and try to
Page 7
Senior Spotlight: Alexis Donahue
Interview and photographs
by: Marco Kotwasinski
There is this girl. She is different. You can see that from a far distance. Who is she? Not a
typical American, that's for sure. To find out more read about her in this interview.
I present: Alexis Donahue!
“Obama is a
boss and he
definitely
killed
Osama.”
Como estas? I hope you had a good morning.
I did, Marco. I hope you had a good morning.
Did you enjoy PIMA? Why did you choose Woody and Buzz?
Yeah, I enjoyed PIMA because I could hang with all the girls and Briana chose the pair, not
me because we have an inside joke.
What is your favorite part about Plainfield High/ Plainfield?
I enjoy the corn fields and the smell of manure in the summer.
Thoughts about Obama, Osama?
Obama is a boss and he definitely did kill Osama.
Tu parles français. Souhaites-tu perfectionner cette langue? (You speak French.
Would you like to perfect the language?)
Oui, je voudrais perfectionner cette langue avec plaisir.
Do you enjoy travelling? Have you ever been outside the U.S.?
Well, I have never travelled farther then Washington D.C. BUT this summer I’m going to
Morocco which is in Africa for a month to visit my family.
What do you think people notice first when they see you?
I suppose they notice my beautiful baby blues. According to Victoria Howard.
What is your favorite color? Sparkly or not?
I had many favorite colors in my life but at the moment my favorite color is green. I hate
glitter! And sparkly colors.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
I see myself still in college studying to become an orthodontist and in a lot of debt.
Why do you think people from outside should come to Connecticut? Anything special
about this state everyone should know?
Personally, the only reason why I would come to CT is to go to the casinos.
What is your major?
I plan to major in biology because you have to major in a science to become an orthodontist.
Why an orthodontist?
Well, I want to be an orthodontist because I personally didn’t have confidence in myself
before I got braces. I hope to give other people confidence by improving their appearance.
Flowery spring, better than summer or whats your
Alexis with Victoria Howard.
favorite season and why?
Summer is definitely better than spring because it’s
nice outside and I just love being out of school and
having free time. That’s why summer is the best season
ever!
I guess that’s it. Have a nice day!
Thanks Marco!
Alexis with Victoria Howard and Peter Maher.
Page 8
Kelsey Roo Who, Where Are You?
Interview and Photographs by: Brittney Deloge
I’m sure if you’ve ever had the pleasure of having this young lass in
your class, it was deemed as quite memorable. Often seen harassing
teachers, reading books, and pouncing through the halls of Plainfield High School, Kelsey Rolfe is one cool cat. Being as she was an
early graduate, she is no longer filling our days with her humor and
enthusiasm. I felt it as my mission to travel to her abode, snuggle
with her cat, and penetrate her mind for the questions that we all
need answers to.
Are you ready for this interview baby boo?
Yeah, I guess so.
Why did you decide to graduate early?
Mr. Falkenbury told me I had enough credits to graduate early, so I said
yes. And now I get to sit home, make money and eat; it’s the best.
What is your most memorable moment at Plainfield High School
Kelsey and her cat, Willow, with their
and why?
clashing enthusiasms.
Creepin’ on all of the teachers. Well no, all of my memories at P.H.S.
are memorable, I don’t have just one.
What was your favorite class and why?
Shakespeare was my favorite class because I got to sit in front of Mr. Greene and watch him teach. He has pleasant stubble.
What did you have the most abomination towards, in regards to
P.H.S.?
The food, it’s ‘scusting.
What do you miss the most, why?
I miss pottery class the most; I like pottery.
How do you spend your time now that you are out of school?
Work, babysit, my cat, and volunteer with cats.
What are your future plans?
I’m gonna be a vet.
Why is your cat so delightful?
‘Cuz I birthed her, she’s my child.
Do you have any sweet skills?
I can do 3 push-ups. Eye of the tiger baby, eye of the tiger.
What’s your favorite color?
I like every color except poop brown and barf green, I like brown eyes
though.
Kelsey and her brother Jake.
What’s your favorite book?
The “Harry Potter” series, and “The Lovely Bones.” I have a lot of favorites.
Who is your favorite sibling?
My dog Jake.
What’s your favorite scent?
Patchouli incents.
What’s your favorite food?
Sushi with guacamole and peaches on the side.
What are your favorite television shows?
“Jersey Shore” and “Regular Show.”
Any last words?
I love you Brittney, you’re pretty. You have to put that in ‘cuz that’s what I said.
Hi, my name is Willow, and yes, I am always
this cute.
Page 9
Senior Spotlight:Victoria Howard
Interview and photographs by: Marco Kotwasinski
I decided that spring is here and therefore we need positive students to be in this newspaper to refresh this lame state. Victoria Howard is one of these people that make you smile
because she is naturally happy and friendly. I met up with her and she greets me warmly.
“I spilled a cup
of water all
over the judges’
table.”
Good morning, Victoria. How is your world today?
Good morning, Marco! I’m doing well!
What is your dream job?
Oh gosh. I’d really like working for the History Channel or a huge magazine like “Time.”
Did you enjoy your four years at Plainfield High?
Of course, because I’ve met lots of friends who I hope to keep in contact with next year
when we go different places.
The best memory you have experienced?
There has been a lot but the trip we took to Boston with Mr. Hanover’s class was especially
great.
What do you do after school?
I work at Baker’s Dozen in Plainfield, I go to the gym, hang out with friends, you know the
usual.
What are your thoughts about PIMA?
It was so much fun, everyone should consider doing it! You really do get closer to girls,
you either haven’t talked much to recently or gotten to know at all right before graduation.
Favorite/ least favorite part of the contest?
I was really nervous about the tea where you first meet the judges, and I actually ended up
spilling a cup of water all over their table which was very embarrassing! The best part is
definitely getting to spend time with all the girls.
What college are you going to?
Next year I’m attending Suffolk University in Boston.
What’s your major and what do you want to be later in life?
Well right now, I’m enrolled in the business school and I’m planning to do both international business and a language. Who knows, though? I feel like I’m really young so I have
no idea what I want to do for a job.
What is your favorite hobby?
I really like jogging and bike riding, I also like going out to eat, and shopping of course!
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Living in Boston, owning a nice house/ apartment, travelling a lot, and being very happy
with what I have accomplished.
The last word is yours.
Bye!
Victoria with Alexis Donahue.
Victoria with Peter Maher.
Page 10
Ruha in Jail? What!
Interview by: Amanda Flyte
Photographs by: Marco Kotwasinski and Amanda Flyte
I have been friends with Ruha Murtaza and her alluring Pakistanian accent since I
moved up here in eighth grade. When I heard rumors about her going to a French
jail, I decided to get the real story out there, so you don’t think she’s a felon that
went to an actual jail.
So were you excited about going to France?
Well, I wasn't at first because I was supposed to go last year, but I got excited as I
was packing and when I got to the airport.
What happened when you got there?
When I landed in France at the airport, we checked in and they said I can’t enter
the country because I don’t have a visa. I was shocked when I heard that because
the Embassy said that I should be good since I have a green card and I was going
with the school. Even at the airport here in America they didn’t say anything to me
about getting a Visa. I think EF Tours is really bad at planning tours because they
had a whole year to figure this out and the sad part to me is that the Visa is like
$50, I spent $2500 on the trip. If they told me earlier that I needed the Visa, I
would have spent the $50 and gotten it.
What is EF Tours?
It stands for Education First. They are a company that plans tours everywhere in the world. It’s a
huge company, but I think they are awful.
How long were you in confinement?
I was there for two days.
What was it like in the building you were confined to?
The building was okay, not something I would prefer, and it wasn’t very clean. The sheets were
kind of dirty and the people in the building were much nicer than the people at the airport. I was
really scared, but I didn't cry which was weird because I cry for every little thing.
Were you terribly upset about everything?
Yes, I was really upset and I am still mad at EF Tours for making such a big error.
Would you go back to Paris if you got the chance?
Uh, maybe, but I would get an American Passport first.
What did you end up doing for your April vacation, since
you didn’t get to stay in Paris?
I went shopping with Crystal Sweeney, I went to the movies,
and I went to Coldstone for ice cream and milkshakes. I was
just happy to
be home.
Ruha and some of the cool cats in our school, Amanda Flyte,
Brittney Deloge and Chris Kennawi
Page 11
Tanner Time
Interview and Photographs by: Steven Tucker
Walking down the hallway. Towering over most of seniors. Heading to the tech wing for most of his day. Eyes glued to the screen. his
hands move like lighting. He designs houses in seconds. He may not talk much, but can make art with his designs. He puts his soul into
his work. His computer skills are far beyond your comprehension.
What do you plan to do after high school?
I plan to go to college at Quinebaug Valley Community College
for electrical and mechanical engineering.
What classes are you taking now?
Computer assisted drafting, mechanical drafting, architectural drafting, and study hall.
Who is your favorite teacher? Why?
I’d have to say Mr. Parkinson because he’s very easy going.
What do you do in your spare time?
I make a variety of videos, download music and build miscellaneous devices.
Are you living life to the fullest? Why or why not?
No, because I’m still living in this damn state.
What is the coolest thing you made at your house?
A 6½ feet potato howitzer. (Cannon)
You are known for going to random places during class. Can you explain?
Yeah, I’ve been signing out random places for the destination on a hall pass I found in the hallway. I started doing this to see if the teachers signing it would notice; it works most of the time, other times they notice but just sign me
out anyway. So far I’ve been to Guam, Bosnia, Switzerland, Afghanistan, Belgium, Israel, Pangea, and Hell.
Which one is your favorite?
I would definitely have to say Hell; it’s a wonderful place in comparison to my life.
Have you gone a whole day without talking?
I usually don’t when I’m not around anyone, and often times when I am.
Do you have a job?
No, but I’m working on it.
What’s something you like to do and not many people know about?
I like to play Airsoft.
Why did your parents give you your name?
They wanted to name me something unique.
How many hours a day do you watch TV?
petandwildlife.com
I would have to say about one or two.
What shows do you watch?
“NCIS”, “Criminal Minds”, “House”, and “Deadliest Warrior.”
What would you do if you had a million dollars?
I would donate it to an Alzheimer’s treatment facility.
If you could be an animal, what animal would you want to be? Why?
I would choose a wolf; wolves are very intimidating, yet misunderstood creatures.
What would you wish for, if a magic shoe gave you three wishes?
Three million dollars, the ability to fly, and the ability to speak any language.
Do you speak any other languages?
I’m currently working on German.
Are you afraid of anything?
The only time an individual should fear something is if they have something to lose.
If you were running for president, what would be your slogan?
Vote for Tanner, the logical party.
What do you want Plainfield Public Schools to remember you by?
The quiet one. People call me that anyway.
“It’s a wonderful
place in
comparison to
my life.”
Page 12
Junior Spotlight: Tori Guevera
Interview and photographs by: Marco Kotwasinski
Senior Spotlights are old and lame. Let's interview interesting juniors! Tori Guevera asked
me to interview her and I thought it would make a great interview because Tori is a wonderful person you need to get to know. Giving me a big smile, she is ready to get started.
I" am really bold,
very adventurous
and I'm Cuban."
http://www.bing.com/images/search
?q=Nordlichter&view
Have you had a great day?
I had the most amazing day ever, I can't wait to go
home to eat the gummy bears I don't have.
What's your favorite and least favorite subject?
I like math and life science. I don't dislike any subject.
Any plans for the future?
I'm thinking about joining the Marines and considering to work in the medical field.
Best song ever?
Miss May I: “Forgive and Forget.”
Describe yourself in one sentence.
Tori with Mr. Schiffner.
I am really bold, very adventurous and I'm Cuban.
Favorite quote? Why does it inspire you?
"Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay it's not the end."
It inspires me because it is self explanatory.
Did you join any extracurricular activities? Clubs?
I played volleyball for two years but I never joined clubs, even though I thought about it
because it's nice to be involved.
What are you passionate about?
I could lie down in an open grass field with a book forever. It has to be a really good book
though.
What is the best time of the year for you and why?
Spring. It is almost like a new beginning when everything comes to life.
What are your goals in life?
I need to travel around the world. The Northern Lights in Alaska are my primary goal to
see.
When is the last time you cut your hair?
In third or fourth grade.
What is that little mark on your left hand?
It is a burn that I did in 2009 and it resembles a unique memory from when I went down to
Florida visiting my family. It is a heart and the number 27.
Tori's hair is two feet
Hablas español?
and two inches long!
Si, yo hablo español y yo comprendo mucho.
What is your religious belief?
I believe more towards what the Egyptians believe. I don't believe
in a God, but I do believe in an afterlife.
Thanks for your time Tori!
URRGH!
Page 13
Comer, Beber y Ser Feliz
Article by: Zachary Nadeau | Photographs by: Jeremy Mack
Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, is a Mexican holiday celebrated in Mexico and throughout
the United States The holiday celebrates the victory at Puebla when the Mexican forces defeated the French military in 1862. The holiday is usually celebrated with music, dancing, and a
lot of eating. This is how Plainfield High School celebrates it.
“¡Me gusta la
fiesta!”
~
Nick Shinkewicz
On snap, I forgot the cookies! On the morning of May 5, 2011, I woke up, just like
every other morning, carefree and drowsy-eyed. I was just about to leave for school when I
remembered it was Thursday: Cinco de Mayo. I was supposed to make cookies for Mr. Depasquale’s third block, Spanish I class. I felt bad for forgetting, mostly because my cookies are
amazing and everyone would be missing out, but also because I had broken a promise, something I would usually never do. I did the only thing I could, I packed up some plates, forks,
spoons, and cups. I figured if I couldn’t bring cookies I would do my best to help cater such a
big event.
I arrived at school and went straight to Mr. D’s class to apologize for forgetting my
baked goods. He said it was fine and he seemed glad that I had brought extra plates and cups.
Now I just had to survive two blocks of classes and I would be at the fiesta.
Finally, third block. I arrived in Mr. D’s room before the crowd, but it was no use: by
the time the food was set up the room was packed. Students were flooding in like turkey vultures to a dead deer. The counter top was lined with brownies, chicken quesadillas, taco salad,
chips, salsa, and everything else you could imagine. I saw a friendly face from across the
room: Shawn Murphy, who was ecstatic to be there. I asked him what he thought of all the
food, and in two words he summed it up, “it’s awesome!” The food was quickly disappearing
but more vultures flocked in. Malorie Arsenault sat at a desk waiting for the crowd to disperse,
“It’s (the room) filled with little piggies,” she told me as she observed the scavengers suck up
the remaining bits of taco salad.
I had no chance of getting anything to eat; I just sat back and observed Mr. D’s handy
work with the blender. He quickly went through two bottles of margarita mix (non alcoholic of
course). The sardines were finally squirming their way out of the can and back into the hallway, relieving some pressure of the bulging classroom walls. Everyone was grabbing a drink
as they made their way out. Just as Mr. D was finishing the second to last bottle of margarita
mix, he ran out of ice. I was told to run to Mrs. Salo’s class and get some. As soon as I entered
the class Mrs. Salo was doing the usual hustle and bustle, and Zach Savage was nice enough to
help me grab a large bowl and fill it with ice. When I returned to Mr. D’s class with the frozen
gold, I was in shock; it appeared that as soon as one person had left five more came in. There
were even more people in the class now. I was amazed that there was still food to be taken.
The scavengers would take whatever they could get.
After ten more minutes the food was gone and the only people left were the third
block students of Mr. D’s Spanish I class. I somehow managed to scrounge up some chips and
bean dip, which was delicious although I did not get much. I was glad it was time for lunch; I
could actually go eat.
After lunch, a few late arrivals stopped by only to be disappointed by the lack of food.
Others came back for seconds; they too were let down when they realized there was no more
munchies. I was glad that the chaos was over and we could finally relax, or not. One of the
professional custodians came into the class with a broom and dust bin and Mr. D volunteered
us to clean. I did the best I could but it seemed the mess was never ending. I quickly retired
and sat down.
By the time third block was ending I was glad that I survived the cramped room and
vicious animals. The bell rang and I exited the class. I was ready to take a nap, but wait, one
more block! Hopefully I can make it.
Page 14
You Look Like a Bald-Headed Baby
Article and Photographs by: Zachary Nadeau
“Oh god, I don’t want to go to track!” it seems like I hear this every day since the outdoors
track season started. I decided to go to a practice and see what it’s like first hand. While I
was at the practice I had the opportunity to talk to some amazing athletes: Christopher
Messier, Richie Goslin, Jared Forrestal, Haley Beausoleil, Michael“Muzzy” Muzljakovich,
Mason Delorge, and the incredibly talented Kerri Ruffo. The team is made up of a lot of
friendly people, and they all seemed to be having fun. Maybe track isn’t so bad.
I pulled into the football field parking lot with my notebook and pen in hand. As I
strolled onto the field I suddenly realized how big the track team was. I felt like I had
walked into the middle of a flash mob. As I approached the crowd I realized it was divided
into a couple groups. One group lead by Mr. Grant was planning there attack on Monteville, for the next days track meet, while the other was getting a pep talk from Coach
Bowne.
I was about three quarters across the field when I heard my name and noticed a tall young
Track stars showing off their moves...
man with curly hair waving at me: it was Chris Messier. He informed me that there are
many different things to do in track; he participates in the mile and 800. He seemed chipper and proud of himself
“Park and as he boasted of his best times: five minutes and 22 seconds for the mile and two minutes and 20 seconds for the
Bowne are 800. He was proud of his accomplishments but was worried about the upcoming track meet the next day. He was
very hand- sure that the boy’s team could not with the medium division. “The boy’s team has a lot of competition…they won’t
win the medium division… they won against New London, but lost against Windham and Bacon and tied Killingsome, and ly, so they’re out of the running.”
the best
Richie Goslin approached boasting of his best time in the 800: two minutes and 15 seconds. He encouraged me to
coaches
try track next season and said it was a lot of fun, and more people should do it. I started to think, maybe track isn’t
really that bad.
anyone
could ever I was told that Mason Delorge was a beast so of course I had to ask him a few questions. Mason told me that he
does the 100, 200, and *4x1 (*with Chad Davis, Josh Randeau, and Zach Moon.) His personal best for the 100 was
ask for!”
11.3 seconds, for the 200: 23.5 seconds, and for the 4x1: 45.9 seconds.
The track team is made up of many talented athletes. The next great athlete I had a chance to talk to was Haley
~ “Muzzy” Beausoleil the current record holder in javelin with 86 feet. She also has good person records in the 200 (28.7 seconds), 100 (13.7 seconds), and pole-vault (eight feet six inches). According to Haley, the girl’s team is doing well
with year and she thinks they will go pretty far. “ECC, maybe states.”
I noticed the shot and disk group in the distance; I had to go check them out. As I went closer to the group I noticed a tall
man sitting on the ground: it was Muzzy. He was relaxing in the shading watching his teammates practice. As we began to talk he
told me he was injured and that he probably wouldn’t be competing against Montville the next day. Before Muzzy was injured he
was doing quite well in shot and disk. His PR for shot was “42 something” and for disk it was “114 something.” Muzzy is number one in shot and a very good athlete in general.
Half way through my interview with Muzzy, a young man named
John Dirocco stopped by. He said that he hoped to qualify for states; he would
have to throw 41 feet for shot. Another goal of his was to throw 125 feet in
disk. His current PR’s are 118 in disk and 36.6 in shot. As I watched the team
practice I started to realize how hard the sport was. The balls for shot put are
relatively heavy and the disks aren’t very light either. It takes a lot or hard
work and practice to do what these athletes do.
On my way back to my car I stopped by the track field, where I
bumped into Chris Messier once again. He introduced me to Kerri Ruffo and
we began to talk. She participates in the mile, two mile and 800. Her best time
for the mile is five minutes and 22 seconds, for the two mile her best time is 12
minutes and three seconds, and for the 800 her best time is two minutes and 35
seconds. She is in ECC all star and qualified for nationals.
This year has been a very good year for the track team. The boys have
done well all though not as well as the undefeated girls.
As I proceeded to my car I began to consider all the interviews I had
today, I came to the conclusion that track seems like a really good experience
and an exhilarating time; the team is like a giant family. Everyone on the team
is friendly and gets along and they all have fun doing what they love. The team
encourages more people to try out next year; they’re sure it will be an enjoyaMuzzy and Haley Beausoleil
ble experience.
Page 15
Exposing Ourselves to Ultra-Violent Rays
Commentary and Photographs by: Brittney Deloge
In 1906, a medical group called Heraeus developed the first indoor Ultra Violet tanning lamp. At first, these implements were used
to aid patients with diseases such as rickets, to develop more calcium and stronger bones. Years later in 1970, the German scientist
Friedrich Wolff produced artificial indoor tanning UV light to explore how athletes would react to more sunlight. One side effect he
discovered was golden, glowing skin. He then created the first indoor tanning bed. Now-a-days, thirty million Americans make use
of Wollf’s controversial, infamous device.
I’ve noticed that many individuals have partaken in self-braising by means of tanning beds. A majority of people say they
do this because they are concerned about their appearance. According to Vanderbilt.edu, the stereotypical good-looking person is
usually a thin female or a tremendously built male with nice hair and bronze skin. They also state that this is why many teens are
making use of tanning equipment.
A Plainfield High School student, Katelyn Adams said “I used to tan all of my freshman
year because I felt as if I looked better when I was tan, and many of my friends went tanning as
well. However, over the years I stopped going as much due to the consequences, and now I only
do so a very minimal amount.”
I am not singling out any of my classmates, for I myself have gone tanning to get rid of
my pesky, uneven complexion. However, the thing that remains a mystery to me, is whether or
not we are all aware of how harmful ultra violet rays are to our bodies.
For starters, let’s begin by exploring what tanning actually does to our bodies. When we
are lying stark naked in those toasty, warm, glassed beds, Ultra Violet A rays are penetrating our
skin, causing the melanin granules to become oxidized, and tanned . Where does the orange pigment we often see come from? The infamous pumpkin hue is due to the excessive amounts of
tanning products and the exposure to Ultra Violet Rays. Radiation from the UVA rays are a skin
cancer causing agent towards humans. The categories of skin cancer brought on from the infamous equipment are as follows: melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
Melanoma, which is considered
the most dangerous type of skin
cancer and is often fatal, is a malignant tumor of melanocytes (
Katelyn Adams
melanocytes are the cells that
produce melanin). According to the American Cancer Society, seventy-five percent of all skin cancers are basal cell carcinomas, making it the most common type of skin cancer. Basal cell carcinoma
damages DNA and its repair system, and also leads to mutations in
tumor-suppressing genes. Squamous cell carcinoma is the second
most common type of skin cancer and occurs within the organs. In
consonance with information from SkinCancer.org, individuals who
expose themselves to Ultra violet rays are two and a half (seventyfour percent) times more likely to develop any of these skin cancers.
With such a high risk of developing a life threatening ailment, why
debateitout.com
on earth would so many teenagers and adults openly give themselves in to the violent ways of ultra violet rays.
Not only can an individual develop skin cancer, but they can also come across various kinds of eye damage.
Excessive expose to UV rays can cause pterygium (tissue growth on the white of the eye), macula degeneration (damage to the retina), and also increases ones chances of procuring cataracts (clouding of eye lens). It seems senseless to do something in attempts to
achieve the so-called epitome of physical beauty if it can lead to vision distortion and loss.
There are less detrimental ways to get the perfect olive skin tone without the costs of indoor tanning. If you feel that you are
cursed with a cadaverous complexion, try inexpensive self-tanning lotions or spray tans, both will give you the desired results without damaging your health.
Information taken from:
http://www.911skin.com/uvbubarays.html
http://dermatology.about.com/cs/bcc/a/bcc.htm
http://tanningbedsnow.com/history/indoortanning.asp
Page 16
Just Petting the Rabbits, George
Article and Photographs by: Steven Tucker
This is about the battle it takes to show rabbits. For those
people who don't know, showing rabbits is like showing
dogs. They are judged and the best one wins. It is not as
easy as you think. It is a lot of work but it is all worth it
when you get to pet the bunnies. I should know, I do it all
the time: you just can’t help it. Here is a breakdown of
what I did on Sunday April 3, 2011.
4:00 AM I get up and hit the snooze, go back to bed.
Hercules, a Blue Rex breed.
4:09 AM I have to get up, still half asleep, throw something on and get my coat.
4:20 AM I walk to the shed, to get the holders for the
rabbits. I have eight holders today but I can have up to eleven.
Firecracker, a Black Tan breed.
Most of the holders have three spots for the rabbits but I have a few four holders for my small breed. I know what rabbits are going
because you have to send it to the rabbit club you are showing at. Each club has to have a rabbit show. My show is at UConn in August.
4:30 AM I start with the bigger bunnies, Rex and Silver Marten, first because they are a lot nicer than my small breed, Tan. I put the
first rabbit in the holder and I know it is going to be a long day. I have 12 Rexes and nine Silver Martens and eight Tans. The Tans
are the hardest because they attack you. They even bark at you when you are next to their cage. You need them like this so they will
run. The last holder is for sellers. I can’t keep them all so I sell them at shows. It is also good to have some one to go against. The
money goes towards to the rabbit food. It cost me $600 dollars a month to feed them.
5:00 AM I start putting the holders in the van. It is like a big puzzle. This isn’t my first time so it didn’t take my long.
5:20 AM I made a coffee to go, turn on the GPS and I am off to Massachusetts.
6:00 AM Fighting to stay awake. No one is driving this time in the morning. It is my turn to drive. I take turns with my grandmother,
she is fast asleep. I take a big sip of coffee and on my way.
6:45 AM I finally made it. My quick burst of happiness is ended when I meet the bitter cold of the morning. I start unloading. Only
the coldness is keeping me awake.
7:00 AM All of my rabbit are inside the building. This show is at a fair ground, in an old metal building with no heat. I go out to the
food van to get some food. I didn’t eat before because if you don’t buy from the vender, they will not come and we will have no food
or coffee. I order a bacon, egg, and a cheese sandwich. Waiting outside in the wind, I am frozen.
7:20 AM to 6:00 PM The rabbits are starting to be shown. I start with the Rexes. This breed has 16 varieties. I have black, blue, broken, and otter. I bring my Black Rexes to the showing table, the varieties go in alphabetical order. The judge takes each rabbit out.
They look mostly at the body type and fur of the rabbit. Then they are placed. The best of all of the varieties go against each other for
best of breed. This is the same with the Silver Martens, I have black and blue but there is chocolate and sable. My tans are a different
story. They are a running breed; they are judged on the running up and down the table and on the marking on the rabbit. I have black
and chocolate but there is lilac and blue. With this breed, they are shown from lightest to darkest. Lilacs are shown first, then blues,
followed by chocolates and finally blacks.
6:00 PM The show is almost over. The last thing is best in show. This is where the
best of each breed of rabbit goes against each other for the best rabbit. This is the highest honor in rabbit showing. I have won it with each of my breeds.
6:10 PM Time for the long trip home. Packing the van is harder on the way home because you are in a rush. I do it as fast as I can. I get to sleep on the way back, it is nice.
You are standing all day; there is little time to sit down.
7:40 PM At last, I am home. I have to put all the rabbits back in to their cages. I then
feed them. It is ok that it is this late to feed them because rabbits eat in the middle of
the night.
8:00 PM Take a shower and go to bed.
Grandma Tucker with the best Silver Marten.
Page 17
Max and Chrysalis
Article and Photographs by: Danielle Willard
On May 11, 2011, children and teachers from Killingly Intermediate School came to
visit us here at Plainfield High School to learn
about Max and Company, and to teach us about
their own program called Chrysalis. Mrs. Collins and Mrs. Kelly were the women in charge
KIS student telling about his typical of the day’s events and had both put together
day in the Chrysalis program.
small slideshows depicting their programs and
what each are about. After the presentations,
PHS and KIS both had speakers, who are involved in their programs,
explain what their goals were and what they did on a typical day.
K.I.S students involved in the Chrysalis program and Mrs.
Kelley.
Seniors Dylan Yaworski, Nicole Silveira, Stacey Plantier,
and Keziah Encarnacion, all shared their experiences participating in Max’s daily life.
From KIS, Justin, Brittany, Christian, and Jeffrey
also shared their experiences and what they do on a typical
day. The movie “Cars” was then shown to keep everybody
entertained and all of the students ate lunch together afterwards. All guests, students and teachers alike, were very
attentive and respectful while everybody spoke and overall
had a great time at the presentation.
Members of Max and Company.
If You’ve Got a Hunchback, Throw Some Glitter On It and Go Out Dancing.
Article by: Danielle Willard
Watch out “Jersey Shore”! A new Jersey drama is taking the world by storm. “Jerseylicious” is a hit on Style Network
surrounding the life and career of the employees of Jersey’s famous salon, The Gatsby. The new season just kicked off
May 18th and viewers can expect more crazylicious, superlicious, and “Jerseylicious” drama.
The Gatsby Salon in central Jersey is famous for their over-the-top make-up artists and teased-high hairdos.
Owner Gayle and her daughter Christy recently renovated and
re-opened the salon to a fresh, new look and decided to compliment it with fresh, new employees who know a thing or
two about the flashy and bold ways of Jersey style.
Up and coming make-up artist, Olivia, is giving it all
she’s got trying to impress Gayle and get the lead make-up
artist position. Her happy-go-lucky personality and lovable
attitude make Olivia a salon favorite among the other workers.
Unfortunately, there’s only one girl who’s not fond of Olivia’s
work… Tracy. Tracy is the biggest bad girl of Jersey and
spoiledpretty.blogspot.com
Olivia’s arch enemy. She’s the self-proclaimed “queen of
teasing” and a hairstylist at the Gatsby. Gigi, another hairstyl- L to R: Tracy, Frankie, Gigi, Briella, Gayle, Anthony, Christy, Olivia, Alexa, Filippo.
ist at the salon, is the sweet and lovable mediator and everybody’s friend. Her, and boyfriend Frankie have been on and
off for years bringing a bit of romance to the show.
Alexa, A.K.A the Glam Fairy, has her own salon, The Glam Factory, which is competing for the top spot with
the Gatsby. The flirty intern Fillipo, Alexa’s helper Briella, rowdy make-up artist Doria, and hairstylist Anthony also
join the cast for the 3rd season adding more craziness to the mix.
If you’re looking for a lesson in fabulous style and the wild drama only a Jersey girl could handle, tune in every Sunday at 8 o’clock on Style Network to catch the 3rd season of “Jerseylicious.”
Page 18
What’s Up Obama?
Commentary by: Colleen Horta
A lot of events are occurring not only in the United States but around the entire world. Connecticut’s average for gas prices
is $4.26 for regular grade, while the average for the U.S. is $3.96, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Libya is
still facing huge amounts of turmoil as Colonel Gadhafi continues to reign and abuse his power. Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S.
forces on April 29, 2011, and conspiracy theories are already floating around. However, it seems that most people hear about the
problems occurring, and then find that complaining will change things. Then they claim that President Obama is just sitting back in
his office, laughing at how he is ruining America, and then calling his cousin Osama to plot the next terrorist attack (before Osama
died, of course). What people don’t realize is that even if you don’t approve of President Obama, there is proof that he isn’t just sitting in his officer doing nothing. He is actually trying to work through the main problems we are facing; he just can’t fix everything
overnight. Therefore, here are some of his opinions on popular topics floating around.
Libya: From what I’ve experienced, people think that Obama should take complete control
of Libya, or just send forces in to instill fear in the people to get them to stop retaliating.
However, as nice as it would be to help everyone in crisis, if we were to do so, there wouldn’t be a country competent enough to fix their own problems ever again. Citizens aren’t the
only ones who can follow the maxim “Learn from your mistakes.” Sometimes we simply
have to let countries fix their own problems, or they will never be able to flourish. However,
Obama isn’t turning his vision away from the problem. He has stated to member of Congress
that, “The United States, the United Kingdom, France and Arab states agree that a ceasefire
must be implemented immediately. That means all attacks against civilians must stop. These
terms are not subject to negotiation. If Gadhafi does not comply with the resolution, the international community will impose consequences and the resolution will be enforced through military action." If people have realized this, Obama isn’t a President that chooses violence to solve everything. He is a man of patience and planning, and uses words
more than aggression. The situation in Libya might not be solved tomorrow, but when it is, Libya will be a stronger nation.
http://media.sacbee.com/
Gas Prices: Even though there was a slight decrease in the price of gas after Osama was killed, it’s still higher than ever, and Connecticut is still more than .25 cents above the national average. The public is inclined to blame Obama for the increasing prices, but
they are more inclined to blame the oil companies. Currently, what the gas stations are doing is buying the oil for a lower price, and
then jacking the price up (including adding taxes) for consumers. This is called price-gouging, and companies get away with this
when they do it to supplies in high demand. Even with the increase in car-pooling, people eventually need to stop and get gas. So
they’ll pay the price, regardless of how high it is. Even though this act isn’t technically illegal, it still enrages the public. According
to the Washington Post, “Senate Democrats are likely to hold a vote on ending tax breaks for the oil industry and diverting the resultant savings to deficit reduction.” Basically, they are using the Robin Hood technique: Steal from the rich to give to the poor. Obama
has threatened to open the American oil reserves if prices don’t decrease, as well as getting research teams to work on new components for gas that doesn’t use up the fossil fuels. This is the same as the situation in Libya: Obama can’t just snap his fingers and fix
everything. Personally, I think that until after Osama’s death isn’t an everyday highlight, gas prices will fluctuate in a way that will
be impossible to decipher if oil companies are lowering their prices, or if they are just using Osama as a temporary fix.
www.fmsur.net/
Osama bin Laden: On April 29th, 2011, the leader of Al Qaeda was killed by U.S. forces. A report by
CBS News stated that “The military operation took mere minutes. U.S. helicopters ferrying elite counterterrorism troops into the compound identified by the CIA as bin Laden's hideout -- and back out again in
less than 40 minutes. Bin Laden was shot in the head, officials said, after he and his bodyguards resisted
the assault.” As Obama announced this in his address soon after, people cheered and celebrated the
death. However, conspiracy theories are already rising to the surface. “The U.S. official who disclosed
the burial at sea said it would have been difficult to find a country willing to accept the remains. President Obama said the remains had been handled in accordance with Islamic custom, which requires
speedy burial.” The public finds it a little sketchy that the one person they wanted to see dead the most
was thrown into the ocean. Usually, when the U.S. kills someone important, they keep the body for further examination, and as proof that they were actually killed. Also, Islamic custom actually states that
Muslims are to be buried at the place where they were killed. Not to mention that the U.S. military has
killed hundreds of Muslims before, so why only follow their customs for one person? Others believe that
Osama was killed as part of Obama’s plan to solidify his re-election. In my opinion, since his body was
indeed thrown into the ocean, any further evidence that surfaces will most likely be fabricated. Currently, Obama said that we need
to be on heightened alert in case of retaliation by Al Qaeda. Also he has stated that the war on terror isn’t over, and that Osama’s
death doesn’t signal the complete pulling out of troops from the Middle East. So as of right now, Osama’s death doesn’t really
change anything.
Page 19
Fuel Efficient Fun
Article by: Brandon Wisniewski
Gas prices are rising and people are finding ways to heal the financial pain. Scooters are now one of the most fuel efficient forms of
transportation in the United States and they have been all over the world for a long time. Although motorcycles get close or even
better gas prices there are more advantages to having a scooter. With gas prices rising more people are investing in a scooter for
the warmer seasons of the year. People are finding many different ways of transportation and scooters are one of the best.
There are several theories of why gas prices are rising, yet no
one truly has “the exact” answer. The truth is, it does not matter why
they are rising because no matter what we do they will continue to rise.
Many people have turned to scooters because they are fuel efficient. Yet
scooters are also a lot of fun when the summer comes around. Scooters
are perfectly legal in just about all states, but the laws involving scooters
differ state to state. In Connecticut any 49cc scooter does not have to be
registered to drive it on the road. The 49cc stands for 49 cubic centimeters. This means that the scooter can not reach as fast of a speed as a
scooter that is 150cc’s. According the Connecticut DMV website any
scooter that is higher than 49cc’s must be registered and insured. A
scooter that is 49cc averages at thirty to thirty five miles per. hour yet it
varies by brand, make, model, and of course modification. Many people
have learned how to make their basic 49cc scooters faster, yet the truth
is that there is no use to. Scooters are not legal on the highway, so there
use is only good for in town transportation. So if you can go thirty mph
or faster then you can get where you need to. Whether it is school, work,
or to a friends house scooters are a good source of transportation.
http://www.mojoscooters.com/scooters/images/
There are two different types of scooters that can be bought for
transportation purposes: electric and gas powered. Each has its advantages and each serve the same purpose. Yet gas powered scooters can usually travel a longer distance than an electric scooter. Gas powered scooters can travel up to an average of sixty to a hundred miles on a gallon of gas. Most gas powered scooters only have about two gallon tank but they get anywhere from sixty to a hundred miles per. gallon. Electric scooters must have the battery charged so the driver is limited to what they can do if their scooter is
running low on energy. With a gas powered scooter you can pull into a gas station and fill up for a cheap four dollars. With an electric scooter you have to be more cautious as to how far you are driving. Even though both scooters have their differences, they both
act as good cheap transportation. The cost of buying a scooter can be a bit high, but people all around have been finding ways to get
their hands on one. The average scooter can be bought for around eight hundred dollars, yet some can reach over two thousand dollars in price. The truth is it doesn't truly matter how much you spend because if you are looking for a cheap form of transportation, be
cheap! Many people can find a cheap scooter for a few hundred dollars on Craigslist, so it is easy to find one.
As gas prices are rising, scooters are becoming a huge trend amongst all types of people. Young people especially are buying scooters for transportation; teenagers
are commonly seen all over driving
scooters. Although scooters may seem
feminine or stupid there are some models that look very manly. Some models
such as the Honda Ruckus look similar
to a motorcycle. Yet other models look
like the new age scooter. One of the
most known names for scooter is a Vespa. Vespa’s are known as one of the first
scooters made; they are a foreign brand
whos name is iconic. Although some
models look better than others in the end
they all work similarly and they are all
fun. The best thing about having a scooter is that they are fun. What is better
than riding around on a scooter in the
http://www.pjchmiel.com/photo/friends/ironclad1.jpg
middle of summer with the fresh warm
air blowing in your face? There really
isn't much that can beat that, so scooters are fun to ride and good for cheap transportation. In the end, scooters are becoming a big
trend in America mostly amongst teens and they will only become more popular as gas prices rise.
Page 20
V Double O
Article By: Brandon Wisniewski
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://i.ytimg.com/vi
Music today has changed from what it originally used to be. There are now so
many different genres, styles, and aspects involved with music that people can find
something that they love to listen to. Rap has become extremely popular amongst
many young people today. There are several big name artists out there who are
well known around the country. Yet there are artists who are undiscovered that are
making their name known with the use of the internet. One of those artists is known
as V Double O or VOO. He is on the rise and becoming an internet sensation and
has already reached millions of hits on YouTube.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://i.ytimg.com/vi
V Double O is currently an unsigned artist but he is well known for his fast rapping skills. He writes all of his own songs
and has created several remixes of well known songs. He is not from the United States but he is from the United Kingdom. He currently resides in London, England. He is destined to go places with his music for his talent is truly endless. Although all of his viewers claim that he is deserving of a record deal he cannot find one. The United Kingdom is not the same as the United States when it comes down to making it in the music business. V Double O has uploaded over one hundred and thirty five videos of
him rapping on YouTube. A lot of his videos actually feature him rapping for the
camera to prove that he is not editing his music at all. Some viewers believe that he
speeds up his music yet he proved to YouTube viewers that he raps all of it naturally.
The self-proclaimed fastest rapper in the United Kingdom and possibly in
the world has faced many struggles with challengers on the internet. People have
claimed that V Double O is not the fastest rapper in the world, yet some agree that he
is. V Double O has to compete with many known fast rappers such as Twista and
Tech N9ne. Of course there are many other quick rappers that claim to be the fastest.
Yet V Double O is also known for his good lyrics and clean sound in his raps. He
doesn't care about being the best or fastest rapper alive, he cares about producing his
music. Like most artists he expresses himself through his music while making his
raps fun and enjoyable to listen to. Although he is unsigned and truly unknown by
many people, he is constantly being discovered by many people on the internet.
V Double O now has two different mix tapes of his own that can be downloaded off of his YouTube page. They are titled “Victory or Obliteration” and “VOO
Season.” Both consists of V Double O’s
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http
own written raps and remixes and each
shows his talent as not only a fast rapper
but also as a song writer. On “Victory or Obliteration” there is about fifty tracks and it
consists of two disks. His newest mix tape “VOO Season” consists of newer songs that
are possibly even faster. Some of his fastest raps are “Funfair”, “GAMPHACE”, “I’m A
Beast”, and “So Cold.” He has many other songs that he sings in and raps fast as well.
Although he is unsigned he is a lyrical genius who creates songs with good rhythm. He
has a lot of good flow and can stay with a beat even at an extremely fast pace.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://userserve-
In the end, V Double O may not make it
big in the United Kingdom. Yet there is still a
chance that he could find a record deal in the
United States. He is constantly responding to
fans on YouTube, Twitter, Myspace, and Facebook. He always takes requests from fans for
possible remixes or songs. He responds to fans
all the time and he cares a lot about the people who support him. Hopefully this young
man can find his way in the music business. Regardless his talent is shown through his
videos and he is working hard on his music career. Although he is a fast rapping
YouTube sensation, he is still an average guy just trying to reach his dream. In the words
of V Double O put your V’s in the sky!
Information taken from: www.YouTube.com
Page 21
What The Bug?
Review by: Amanda Flyte
Two years ago, a small group of theatre majors from the University of Michigan posted a musical
they wrote and performed on YouTube, so they could share it with their friends. What they did not expect
was to literally stumble into internet stardom. “A Very Potter Musical” is an awesome parody of the
“Harry Potter” series, in which Harry plays a mean guitar, Ron never stops eating, Dumbledore is obWizardinglife.com
sessed with Zac Efron, Voldemort tap-dances and Malfoy is not only played by a girl, but also wears diapers. The first part, of the first act, recently reached over a million views on YouTube and not because
Darren Criss, who played Harry himself, is now the one and only Blaine Anderson on Fox’s hit show, “Glee.” The group took on the
name Team Starkid because in Act 1 Part 4 of “Potter Musical” Malfoy is trying to make fun of Harry and she says: “Starkid Potter,
Moonshoes Potter, Rocketship Potter!”
A year later, due to popular demand, they released “A Very Potter Sequel.” Since
AVPS was sponsored by Red Vines, every time Ron ate something, it was Red Vines and each
Chaosandcartroutime he took a bite, he had to look into the camera and say “Red Vines!” The epic sequel takes
place a year before the first and includes Firenz our centaur friend, the wearwolf Lupin robot,
and the very muscly guy who play Voldemort, as Dolores Jane Umbridge.
Earlier this year, Team Starkid moved away from Ann Arbor, Michigan and into Chicago, they change Team Starkid to Starkid Productions and became an official theatre company.
Their debut play, which they wrote the screenplay for, wrote the music for and made the puppets
for, is entitled “Starship.”
“Starship” is a far cry from Harry Potter but it is just as amazing. It takes place on a
distant planet inhabited with giant bugs. The main character, Bug, is a red bug who basically grew up inside of a crashed starship,
dreaming of nothing but to become a Starship Ranger like in the videos on the starship. His best friend Roach is constantly telling
him “the needs of the many bugs outweigh the needs of the.” When the Overqueen assigns Bug a job in the hatchery he thinks he is
going to be stuck in there forever, living the mundane life of a giant Bug, but hey, at least he was assigned as nourishment for the
Overqueen! What he never expects is to stumble into the adventure of his life, right in
the hatchery! You see, another popular job in the hive is a Mammal Wrangler. These
Avenues.org
guys run around the planet and wrangle mammals to bring back to the hatchery for Bug
to plant eggs in their chest, where they stay warm until they are ready to hatch.
But, just moments before Bug’s first day of work, a new starship lands on the
planet and the not-so-bright February, a lovely and young Starship Ranger, steps out.
She’s there to see if the planet is ready for colonizing humans, but somehow manages
to get herself wrangled by the Mammal Wranglers! Now, since bugs and humans are
two different species, they have two different languages, and the Mammal Wranglers
cannot understand the “hoo-man’s” pleads as they cover her in goo and bring her to the
hatchery, where Bug has just started his job, oblivious to the fact that he is about to
meet a real, live Starship Ranger!
Meanwhile, back at the Starship Command center, a special task force is being
Lasplash.com
put together to go down and find February. Taz, Specks, Krayonder, Tootsie Noodles and
Commander Up were handpicked by Jr., the son of the founder of the Galactic League, to
go on this mission. But before Jr. can send the troops down to the planet, he has one last
surprise for them. They are going to be equipped with the most advanced piece of technology that the Starship Ranger has to offer, Mega-Girl, a super, awesome robot that has
been specially programmed not to harm humans.
So, armed with Zappers the team infiltrated the planet of the giant bugs. Hilarity
ensues from the moment they step out of their starship as they battle the malicious Pincer,
come to trust a bug, find out who the real bad guy is and fall in love. The play is packed
with hilarious characters, witty comments, and action-packed fun.
Accompanying all that amazing-ness are nine brand new catchy songs, all of which were written by the incredibly talented
Darren Criss. There is the memorable “I Wanna Be”, the silly love song, “The Way I Do”, and the rebellious, “Status Quo.” The album reached #4 on the iTunes Top Album chart, passing the collection of songs that the Warblers sang on “Glee”, which are all the
song that Darren has sung on “Glee” last November. It also went to #1 on Billboard Top Cast Albums chart.
This theatre group is going to go far and I highly suggest you check out any of their musicals which can be found on
YouTube under the screen name “starkidpotter.” The masterminds behind Starkid Productions have so much talent and that results in
such an enjoyable show, it is definitely worth your time to watch whatever they put out.
Faked Out by Barbizon
Commentary by: Colleen Horta
Towards the end of April, Representative Susan Michele was passing out scholarships sponsored by Barbizon. They were offering a $100,000 scholarship if you filled out
your name, phone number, age, grade, email, and high school. The scholarship can be used
at any United States college or university, and you can hold the money for up to three years
before you lose the chance to spend it. Barbizon itself is an international modeling and acting company as well as a school.
Being a senior, I remember this scholarship offer last year. However, I also remember how sketchy it seemed. A few of my friends had received phone calls from Barbiwww.barbizonmodeling.com
zon. They were offered a chance to go to the school to take a few classes for a substantial
fee. One close friend was offered an acting opportunity, though she had never submitted
her information to the company. With this knowledge, I decided to do an investigation into this.
Turns out, there have been multiple accusations about Barbizon scamming people. They would promise people that they
could “make it” in the modeling world with the help of expensive classes. They would guarantee that once you take the classes,
you’ll have enough experience to be able to go out and land high-end jobs. Along with paying for the classes, you must also pay for
transportation, hotel fees, and pretty much everything associated with the trip. The downside? If you don’t end up in the modeling or
acting world, or if Barbizon doesn’t end up signing you, you don’t get the money back. One family had paid over $12,000 when all
was said and done, and their daughters didn’t get anything out of it, besides for a few “self-confidence” classes. Dateline had also
sent a purposely bad actress to the classes, and Barbizon gave her a perfect score on her initial audition and try-out, and promised her
a huge future…if she paid for the classes.
After learning all this, I decided to ask the representative, Susan Michele, about not only what Barbizon was, but what her
opinion on the scams was. Here is what she said:
What exactly is Barbizon?
“Barbizon is one of the oldest modeling and acting schools. We help girls discover their inner star, and reaching their full potential.”
Do you have any opinions on the scam accusations?
Quizzical look: “I’ve never really heard all that much about what people said, but I can assure you that we are legit, and we are number one when it comes to modeling and acting schools. Basically, if a company sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. And in this career path,
you are going to hear and read about accusations left and right, and it’s up to
you to choose what to listen to. If your gut says, ‘Don’t do it’, then don’t do
it. We don’t make unreasonable promises, and we are definitely realistic.”
I had also asked her about how Barbizon was able to raise $100,000
every year to give to a student, not to mention that each student can choose
to hold the money for up to three years. She looked at me for a few seconds,
and was sketchy
in her response.
She told me that
“Since I don’t
know all of the
information, I’m
Ad on the Barbizon website for the scholarship.
not at liberty to
answer a question like that.” She seemed hesitant, and that answer is
what set off warning bells. What representative doesn’t know where their
school gets one-hundred thousand dollars? I could understand if it was a
local scholarship of $500 or if the money was a donation, but this is a big
deal. I think that knowing this would be a big deal. Where do I think the
money is from? It’s from the money they scam out of naive girls that
think they can make it simply because someone said so.
Ultimately, I don’t think that this scam will ever be uncovered.
I’m not saying that their entire school is fake, considering that their website has a list of graduates, which includes David Archuleta, but I do
think that they scam people to get money. Or they don’t properly inform
David Archuleta’s diploma. If you ask me, it doesn’t seem all
people
of what they are getting themselves into, and are indeed making
that legit. The photo is blurry, but the Barbizon logo is focused.
“unreasonable
promises.”
And the –insert name here- sections don’t look like they were
printed on the same layer as the rest of the paper.
Page 23
Mortal Kombat Kills Expectations
Review by: Jeremy Mack
http://upodcasting.com
Warning: this
game is so epic it is
banned in
Australia
“Mortal Kombat”, a video
game originally released for
arcades in 1992, has set the
standard for button mashing
fighters in the gaming industry. Only months after it
reached arcades everywhere, “Mortal Kombat”
compiled a cult like fan base
seeking new and futuristic
ways of finishing off their
foes. On April 19, 2011, the
most recent game, Mortal
Kombat 9, filled
GameStop’s globally. As
expected, the sales were
tremendous, in the first
week alone, 421,898 were
sold. The following week
the total number of sales
reached an impressive
545,481 worldwide!
This game features 26
playable characters, with 2
more promised to be added
later as downloadable content. Each character has two
costumes, two fatalities and
the infamous babalities. The
new babalities are a feature
that consumes the normal
fatality stage of combat.
When this is activated, instead of killing your foe,
you transform them into a
baby instead. This is just
ridiculous, but somewhat
entertaining. The fighting
system is, as usual, well
organized and easily playa-
ble and the online capabilities give a new meaning to
the competitive concept, as
players are able to challenge
the best the world has to
offer, with the “king of the
hill feature.” This allows a
player to keep fighting until
he or she loses a match. The
victor of the match will become the new king and tally
up points as he defeats foe
after foe.
All things considered,
this is the best “Mortal
Kombat” I have experienced; I do not expect any
future version to supersede
it in quality or playability.
Info taken from themortalkombat.com
Playable Characters
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Scorpian
Sub-Zero
Liu Kang
Kung Lao
Sindel
Ermac
Reptile
Kitana
Johnny Cage
Jade
Mileena
Night Wolf
Cyrax
Noob Saibot
Smoke
Sektor
Sonya Blade
Jax
Kano
Kurtis Stryker
Shang Tsung
Baraka
Kabal
•
•
•
•
•
Raiden
Kratos (ps3)
Cyber Sub-Zero
Sheeva
Quan Chi
The Following Characters
are confirmed characters
that will be downloadable in
the near future
•
•
Top Selling Games of All Time
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Wii Sports has sold 76.76 million copies.
Super Mario Bro’s has sold 40.24 million copies.
Tetris has sold 35 million copies sold .
Mario Kart Wii has sold 27 million copies.
Wii Fit has sold22.61 million copies sold.
New Super Mario Bro. Wii sold 21..94 million copies.
Super Mario World sold 20.60 million copies.
Wii Fit Plus has sold 18.49 million copies sold.
Super Mario Bros 3 has sold 18 million copies sold.
Pokemon Diamond and Pearl has sold 17.39 million.
This information was taken from top5lists.net
Kenshi
Scarlet
Rumored downloadable characters:
•
•
•
•
•
Rain
Tanya
Frost
Mavado
Fujin
http://mortalkombat.neoseeker.com
Everyone’s a Critic
Article by: Rose Labrie
Issue number 7 of “The Panther Advocate” came out the Friday before April vacation school year. We asked for reviews
from some of the classes. Issue 7 included a little bit of everything: pregnant teachers, interviews, TAC, PIMA, and a lot
more. Several say that it was one of our best issues this year, but some of our reviewers believed it was too much. The following are anonymous reviews and we loved hearing them. Thanks for the feedback!
“The ‘Whoa Baby’ article I thought was really
interesting. It was good to get an insight on
what is going on with the pregnant. Overall I
think the newspaper was good, but it could use
some moe interesting articles some articles in
this didn’t seem very appealing. I skipped over
a lot because they weren’t something I wanted
to read and I’m sure many people Feel the
same way. There were a couple interesting
ones though.”
“’Forbidden Fruit Tastes the sweetest; what
about Forbidden Books’
I agree with how ridiculous it is that some of
the books mentioned are banned or considered
a ‘challenged’ book series. Some of the books,
like “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
and “The Catcher in the Rye” are very good,
classic books. They have been around for
years and most people enjoy them; I think the
political correctness is going too far. In other
news, “Twilight” sucks, so let’s, not even start
on that.
Good article overall. The diction was pretty
good too.”
“To many interviews, most of the information/
questions have no purpose.
‘Did Somebody Call the Doctor?’, was very
entertaining + informational. ‘When Howard
Isn’t Home’, was interesting. It shows how
Plainfield is relaxing.”
“I think overall the school’s newspaper was
very interesting. I liked how there were more
interviews on teachers because I like hearing
what the teachers in our school have to say
about certain things.”
“The Apple Generation— I feel this article could
be more informative. Though, the writer included
prices the did not talk about the products much.
The begining of the article is very good though.”
“’Whoa Baby!’ by Danielle Willard…This was an
interesting interview that I enjoyed reading. I liked
how it was on a relevant topic at the school rather
than a random story. The intro was funny and the
article was entertaining to read. The only thing that
should have been changed in this interview is that
there should have been more questions. However,
this article was nicely organized and fun to read.”
“In this paper, I thought their was a lot of humor
to be found in it. I really liked the S.A.T. article.
It gave insight on the all important test and added a laugh with Jacob’s comment. ‘I studied for
the SATs by licking popsicles.’ Haha, that really
made me laugh. Also page 5 with all the ‘School
Needs’ had some things to laugh at.”
“The pictures for ‘Amazing Artist Ashley’ are
good and it’s nice to see the picture of her actually
working. There should be lines between articles if
there are two or more on a page. It would have
been better to have an article on PIMA instead of
just pictures for people who didn’t go.”
“The baseball team is looking good.”
“NASCAR drivers are not athletes. Sure, is it
tough to drive at up to 250mph, but wheres the
athleticism in pushing a pedal down and steering a
wheel? I’m confused….”