Issue #7 - Plainfield Public Schools

Plainfield Public Schools
Issue #7
Layout Editor: Marco Kotwasinski
April 2011
The Panther Advocate
Inside this issue:
Student Interviews
6-9
Teacher’s Interview
10-12
Empty Bowl Event
13
Pennies for Japan
15
Forbidden Books
18
Baseball
22
PIMA
24
Special points of interest:

People are Vampires
Page 3

SAT: Are you prepared?
Page 4

Who is Ms. Ferri?
Page 12

Is NASCAR a sport?
Page 21

The Connecticut All State Music Festival
Page 19

Segregated Proms, still?
Page 19
And the winner is???? Turn to page 2 to find out!
Page 2
Plainfield’s Own Miss America aka PIMA 2011
Pictures by: Colleen Horta
Miss Plainfield 2011: Elle-Jordyn Goslin
Miss Congeniality:
Caitlin P. Collelo
1st Runner-up: Keziah Encarnacion
2nd Runner-up: Victoria Howard
Pain By Silence
Commentary by: Steve Tucker
Photograph by: Brandon Wisniewski
I was creeping slowly to the quiet room, better known as “TAC.” I went in, fearing what is
on the other side of the door. The room has a few people in it but it was like no one could talk. Not a
word was said. I sat in a desk waiting for someone to say something. I felt boxed in, nowhere to go.
I hear the first words come from the teacher, “sign in.” After that she hands me a paper. I read it
over and over again. The questions are why are you in here and how you could avoid it. I took five
minutes to answer the questions. I handed in the sheet. All the other kids had their heads towards
their work. They didn’t even look up. I could see the regret on their faces. I sat there in silence.
Sitting there with nothing to do, I am forced to do the worst thing in the world, READ. The
school paper gets thrown on my desk. I almost smile but I decided it would not be the best idea. I
look over the articles in the paper. There are a lot of good ones. I laugh at something funny. It was
only brief but I got the look from the teacher telling me to be quiet. She didn’t even have to say it.
The silence continued.
TAC:
Temporary
Alternative
Classroom
I feel trapped in a body with no voice. Sitting there, minutes felt like hours and an hour felt
like a lifetime. I tried to sleep but that got shot down before my head hit the desk. I felt like I was
glued to the floor. I don’t think I will ever be set free. I sit restrained in the noiseless room.
The silence is getting to me. I don’t think I can take it anymore. Stuck between two walls, I
can only look one way. No one has said anything the whole time I been here. It feels like I am the
only one. Thinking of what I did, wishing I never did it. I am about to go crazy. I am slowly losing
my mind. Feeling alone in the stillness of the room.
My heart skips a beat. I hear the bell and I am let free. Walking out of the classroom my
voice starts to come back. I yell just because I could. The smile never left my face for the rest of the
day. I know I never want to be in the quiet room again. I learned my lesson. I am silent no more.
Page 3
All You People Are Vampires
Commentary by: Brittney Deloge
Photographs by: Brittney Deloge and Ashlie Raynsford
On March 16, 2011, Plainfield High School’s Student Council held a blood drive
in the gymnasium. According to Mrs. Hoffman in the Guidance Office there is a total of
792 individuals in the student body, 347 students are at the prime age of 17,making them
eligible to give blood, but roughly only 40 people donated. This number included teachers
as well, so why such a sparse number ? Probably the fact that many individuals have a
nauseating fear of the sharp pointy objects referred to as needles, or are just blood hoarders. I share this fear, but decided to try to come to terms with it, being as I aspire to become a nurse.
When the day arrived for the American Red Cross to collect blood from adolescent teens and the contributing staff, I was the first to part ways with my sanguine fluid.
As I stepped into the closed off gymnasium, I was handed a dandy sticker that said “I
make a difference,” and was requested to read a binder full of important information reSteven Tucker fighting to stay alive.
garding the donation process. After this tedious event I was sent to a cubicle where a Russian woman asked me personal questions,
and pricked my poor index finger, checking my hemoglobin; 14.7, yeah! I was then
sent over to a cot where I met my vivacious phlebotomist, Brittina. I had my handy
posse, including Ashlie Raynsford and Aimee Koziol, at my side to help restrain me
from making a fool out of myself if things became too horrific. The first step in the
process was the least threatening; she took a swab of iodine solution and cleaned the
site of the chosen vein, which I must say tickled more than you would imagine. The
next part was the most nerve-wracking, but I had the fabulous Ashlie holding my
hand. It seemed that she was more nervous than I, for when the needle went into my
arm I didn’t even flinch, but she squeezed my hand like a crazy lady. I was given a
ball to play with for the extraction of my blood, and was super excited when Brittina
held up the bag to show me what was taken. High-five to not getting nauseous! After
I said my goodbyes to Brittina and my donated mixture of hemoglobin and plasma, I Bags of blood, keeping it cool in the coolers.
was carted over to a play-mat, where I was told to sit and stuff my face with food and
water for several minutes. Overall the experience was not nearly as bad as I made myself believe, and I would definitely do it again.
For those individuals who want to donate but are too
Amanda Flyte
Vanessa Deus
chicken, I encourage you to at least try. The staff of The
Red Cross are incredibly kind, and are in no way, voracious vampires.
Shawn Murphy
Brittina and I
Victoria Clohecy
Taylor Smith
Plainfield High School students just chillin’
out getting their blood extracted.
Page 4
The SAT: Are you Prepared?
Article by: Nathan Boutin
Pictures by: Jeremy Mack
Do you know the meaning of acerbity? What about pusillanimous? Sacrilegious? If the answer is no, you may want to study up
on your vocabulary for the SATs. The Scholastic Assessment Test, more commonly known as the SAT, is the test every highschooler dreads to take. It is the culmination of years of studying, combined into one large, four-hour-long test. But, the single
question remains: Why do we need to take the SAT?
The SATs and You
The SAT, when it comes down to the essentials, is required to get into any respectable college. Almost all colleges have some
sort of SAT score threshold that students should meet before they even apply. The only option you have without the SAT or
some ridiculous scholarship is community college.
In order to take the SAT, one must sign up. This can be done via internet on Collegeboard.com or by mail — a guidance counselor can provide you with the form. The fee is 47 dollars.
Currently, the SATs have two more testing times for this semester. While it is currently too late to sign up for the May 8 test
date, the June 4 test is still open for students who wish to take the SAT. The nearest testing center is in Killingly, but other centers in Connecticut are available.
SAT Preparation
Preparation is an essential part of taking the SAT. In order to succeed, one must be adequately prepared for anything the test
can throw at them. General test-taking advice, such as getting enough rest and eating your wheaties, applies.
The PSAT is a good choice to get you prepared for the SAT, or that’s what your guidance counselor wants you to think. Honestly, the PSAT didn’t really help me out in terms of assessing my current status, or with the type of questions that would be
asked. I think the PSAT is fundamentally flawed, perhaps, and does not replicate the real SAT. This is just my opinion, though,
and I encourage all of those who wish to do well on their SAT to take the PSAT.
In addition, the Acumen SAT course is a valid option to get vital practice for the SAT. Consult your guidance counselor for
more information on the course.
How are Plainfield teachers assisting students with the SATs?
Most teachers include some sort of SAT practice in their lesson plans. Mrs. Wagner, the English teacher that epitomizes amazing, has her junior students answer one SAT question before the start of class. The question relates to the English portion of the
test, and focuses on improving grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary.
Mrs. Rice, too, includes math orientated SAT practice with her tests. Typically, in my experience, students are handed a paper
full of SAT math questions with a test. This paper is part of the test, so it encourages students to study SAT questions.
Ask your teacher how they help students prepare for the SAT. If they don’t do anything, encourage them to include practice in
their lesson plan—it could be more beneficial then you realize.
Brad Kleber: I didn’t actually study for
the SATs, but I got a 1500!
Arika Floodine: I
bought two SAT
books for math and
writing.
Hailey Griffin: I go on
Collegeboard.com and
do the question of the
day
Jacob Shabenas: I studied for the
SATs by licking popsicles.
Page 5
What Our School Needs: Take Two
Survey by Eneriko Photographs by Eneriko and Brandon Wisniewski
Gabby Laskarzewski - A pet panther.
Denise Vergato - More IMacs.
Xavier Laporte - Less tormenting and bullying.
Brandon Wisniewski - More Hugging!
Carter Jackson - President GAUNT!
Kiana Swinson - For teachers to not feel that everything is inappropriate.
Matthew Fontenault - Good snacks.
Murph - More people like MURPH!
Alex Stenner - Swimming
Pool.
Billy Petrowsky - More money.
Brittney Fournier - A
vegetable garden.
Michaela DeBenedictis - More hunks like Keith Lundgren.
Anonymous - Mr. Marr for President!
Mackenzie Goebel - More dissection.
Mr. Drapcho - More
electives and teachers for
them.
Aaron Laporte - Escalators
and lots of Red Bull.
Beckay Demuth - Ziplines.
George Funk - Trampoline
room.
Keith Lundgren something.
Mr. Kettle - More
maintenance and custodial help.
Courtney Cournoyer - More foreign exchange boys.
Page 6
Amazing Artist Ashley
Interview and photographs by: Rose Labrie
Ashley Dumaine is an athlete, an artist and a pretty amazing girl. Many of you
have seen the main stairwell’s new panther; most say it is a beautiful piece of art.
Well, Ashley Dumaine painted that panther. But who is she? Some know her from
track, cross country, or even as the junior class vice president.
How long have you been painting?
Since about 6th grade.
Describe how you feel after you paint something.
I’m happy if the painting comes out great, but mad if there’s something wrong
with it.
How long did it take to paint the panther?
About a week.
What will be your next project?
I’m still thinking about what to do next.
What is your inspiration?
If I happen to see something like a photograph, I may want to paint it.
Besides the art classes at the school, do you take any outside of school?
No, but I do sometimes paint at home.
What was your longest project? How long did it take?
Probably the panther. Most other pieces range from 8 to 16 hours.
What is your favorite color(s)?
Royal blue and emerald green.
What grade are you in?
11th.
Where do you reside?
I live on the outskirts of Plainfield near Danielson.
How many pets do you have, if you have any?
I have two cats. I have an orange Maine Coon named Bolt and a grey tabby kitten
named Daisy.
Are you in any clubs or sport?
I am currently doing outdoor track as a sprinter. I also do indoor track and cross
country. I’m on the National Honor Society and junior class vice president.
Who is your favorite teacher?
That’s tough to say. They’re all so nice. I’d have to say Mrs. O’Brien, Mr. DiGiacomo or Mrs. Wagner because they are awesome.
What other activities are you good at?
I’m good at academics. Any class is pretty
easy and I’m a pretty good sprinter. I’m too
clumsy for other sports.
Any plans for college, yet?
Maybe UConn if I get a free ride for being
valedictorian. If I can find the money. I’d consider going to RPI or maybe even MIT.
Page 7
Thorn’s Hammer
Interview and photographs by: Steven Tucker
You walk into the tech wing. You see the kid in the corner of class. He is using the CAD program
to design a paintball gun in order to prepare for college at Pennsylvania Gunsmith’s School . He
is usually listening to his music or talking about video games. After school, he works on his paintball gun and then fights for his life on the paintball field. He is living life to the fullest.
“Guns don’t
kill people.
People kill
people.”
Why are you into guns?
I don’t know I have always been interested in them since as long as I can remember.
Do you scare little kids? Why?
Unfortunately yes, when people hear I have a large interest in firearms they just assume I’m a bad
person.
What do you do in your spare time?
Random things mostly, other than that I like to design new types of firearms and I like to hang out
with my girlfriend when I can.
Are you looking for the rose to your thorn?
If you mean a girlfriend, I already have one.
Do you think your smile is creepy? Why?
Apparently mostly everyone else does. Everybody else just thinks I’m creepy.
What are you doing after high school?
I’m becoming a gunsmith
What kind of gun are you making in school?
First of all I’m not making it, I’m designing it. It is a magazine fed paintball gun and looks similar
to an M14. I am a military simulation style player for paintball and the hopper just looks stupid
and gets annoying.
How many hours have you spend making it?
I have been working on it since the beginning of first semester.
Do you have a car?
Yes, a 1965 Ford Mustang.
Does a gunsmith make a lot of money?
Yes you could easily make anywhere’s up to a couple 100,000 depending on what you do.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Owning my own gun company and also owning several ammunition plants.
If you ran for president, what would be your slogan?
Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.
Can you describe the feeling when you are in a paintball game?
It’s just amazing when you feel the adrenaline pumping, when you charge up the hill and rush the
enemy position and take their flag.
Do you have any other hobbies other than gun making?
I play paintball and work on my car.
Do you have a dream?
To become a very renowned gunsmith.
Does your family encourage your dream?
Sort of, my family doesn’t like guns but they are proud that I am doing something and going to
college for it.
Does knowing about guns help you in video games?
No, it just makes me angry when the games label them
wrong and people.
How many hours do you play video games?
3 or 4 a day.
Are you a night or morning person? Why?
Night, I find it more peaceful than during the day, because
people make it too stressful.
Do you have any tattoos?
Yes, it is Thor’s hammer Mjöllnir.
Page 8
Role Model Rollin’
Interview and photographs by: Brandon Wisniewski
Since I have been in Journalism II, I have been getting a lot of requests from students to interview them
for the paper. I take all requests into consideration
but I interview the students who I feel have something important to say. Billy Petrowsky got up in my
face and told me to do an interview with him so he
could be in the paper. He was furious and I was
scared so I had to follow through on it. Billy is a loud
and outgoing student here at Plainfield High School
and I feel that he is a great role model for the younger students here at P.H.S. In the end I wanted to
show all students at P.H.S. who Billy truly is and
how he feels about our school.
As an upper classman what advice would you give
to the freshmen this year?
Don’t ruin everything and make the teachers mad.
What are your plans for after high school?
To be successful in something.
Billy with Big Ginge in the hallway.
What is your greatest high school memory?
To much happens in four years to say one thing and I don't really remember much.
What are you going to miss the most about Plainfield High?
The graphic design room.
What is your opinion on the alternative school?
If you can’t handle normal high school, oh well. Deal with it!
How do you feel about marijuana? Do you think it should be legalized?
No comment.
What are your plans for summer vacation? How do you think it will feel to finally be a high school graduate?
Just work and have fun. It will feel amazing because I will be the only one in my family to do it, besides my mom.
How confident are you? What is your opinion on overconfident Plainfield students?
Very confident! Always have to be positive about yourself. They need to step down a level.
What do you enjoy doing outside of school?
Chill with my boys and hitting the basketball court.
What is your favorite type of music?
I like them beats yo cause you know we be rollin.
Do you drive? If so what type of car and how do rising gas prices affect you?
Yeah I drive. I drive whatever I can get my hands on. Gas prices are crap.
If you could do one last thing before you graduate what
would it be?
Ride dirt bikes in school.
Who have you looked up to the most in life?
I don’t know. I do my own thing and go with the flow.
What frustrates you the most about the town of Plainfield?
There's nothing to do ever!
Which teacher at P.H.S. do you feel you have learned the
most from. Why?
I don’t know, I learn from all teachers, isn’t that their job?
Does it feel good to be a senior? Why or why not?
Yeah it feels good to be a senior, you run this place.
Where do you see yourself ten years from now? Will you
be in touch with anyone that you talk to now?
I don’t know where I am going to be ten minutes from now. I
don’t want to lose my friends.
Describe P.H.S. in one sentence.
Whack to the tenth power.
Billy with Dan York.
Page 9
Chillin’ With Green
Interview and photographs by: Cynthia McIntosh
I went to interview Connor Green, because no one knows him. He is a
person who is not all about himself. So I figured the would be interesting to interview since he isn't all self-conceited.
How do you like Plainfield High School?
It’s alright I guess. Better than St. Bernards.
What is your favorite thing to do?
Baseball, hanging with John and watch the Bruins.
Why do you always wear sweats?
I’m not caught up in what everyone wears or what to look like, I am
what I am.
What is your favorite sport?
Baseball and watch hockey.
What is your favorite food?
Pizza and chicken wings.
What is your favorite movie?
My favorite is “Blackhawk Down.”
Do you like cheese?
No not at all. Makes me sick.
What is your favorite hockey player?
I would say Shawn Thornton.
Why don’t you wear contacts?
Because I can’t get the contacts in without blinking.
If you could have any superpower what would it be? Why do you
want this power?
I would have super strength because I’d never need any help moving
anything.
What do you think about the usage of steroids?
Steroids are cheating; it’s not fair.
What is your favorite subject? Why?
I would say accounting because I'm majoring in accounting in college.
Who is your favorite teacher? Why?
Um Mrs. Kelleher. She is like another mom.
What is your position in baseball?
I am a pitcher and an outfielder.
If you can meet anyone in the world who would it be and why?
Donald Trump. ‘Cause he is cool, rich, and has weird hair.
What is your favorite book? Why do you enjoy this book?
Harry Potter...only books I’ve actually read.
In these pictures are Cody Piche (left) and Connor Green (right)
Page 10
Page 10
Did Somebody Call the Doctor?
Interview and photographs by: Nathan Boutin
To most newer students at Plainfield High, the task of meeting new teachers can be a
daunting and frightening task. There’s one man, though, that is always blessed with a
smile. His attitude is very inviting,, and one feels the compelling urge to talk to him.
That man’s name is Jon C. Wu, or more formally known as Dr. Wu. If you’ve met him
before, you’d realize that he’s one of the most intelligent people you’ve ever met, and
simply a funny guy. If you haven’t, then allow me to introduce you to him.
Hello Dr. Wu, thank you for allowing me to conduct this interview. Let’s begin,
shall we?
Can you give me a brief overview of your higher education?
Oh, I went to college. I went to graduate school, and I majored in biochemistry. I got
my PHD in pharmacology. It’s a broad field that focuses on how drugs are discovered, tested and how they affect certain animals and humans.
What’s this about you discovering a new molecule?
Haha, I didn’t actually discover it. I was working on a molecule called bleomycin. It’s a
drug used to treat people with certain types of cancer.
What got you interested in the field of Science?
I remember when I was younger in high school I had an Earth Science class. The most
remarkable thing was that I could learn something in class, then go outside and recognize
what I’d learned.
When you were little, did you ever look up in the sky and say: “Someday, I’m going to
the moon.”
No, not really like that. I did think it would happen, though. People in those days thought
space travel would one day be affordable.
What’s the coolest thing about chemistry?
As I’ve always said, the coolest thing about chemistry is to be able to see it; to apply it.
Light, earth, air, water, fire; everything revolves around and can be explained in terms of
chemicals.
What’s your reaction when students ask you to blow stuff up? I am aware this is a
prominent issue in your classroom.
It depends on who’s asking. If they’re asking to just blow stuff up for the heck of it, then I
won’t. But, if there’s a reason behind it, then maybe. There’s a difference between entertainment and learning. Learning should be entertainment, but entertainment by itself is not
learning.
But do you like blowing stuff up?
Haha, of course I do!
What’s your wife’s name? Do you have any kids?
Her name is Evelyn. I have two children—15 and 12.
What do you do recreationally?
I like music and play guitar. I like to do outdoor activities and exercise. Generally, I’m a very outdoorsy person.
If you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Alaska. It’s a very beautiful place. I like to go to where people haven’t been; natural
places; places untouched by humans. I enjoy seeing things in nature.
You’re a funny guy. Where do you get your jokes/riddles from?
I make them up mostly. Actually, my son once made a little book filled with a bunch of
jokes. I’ve told some of them in class. Also, one night in college, my roommate and I
took to making up an entire genre of jokes. This started out with: How fast can a clam
run? ... At a scallop!
To whom would you credit your success?
My science teachers in high school. They were able to push me and give me the understanding and drive to succeed.
Do you think it is the teachers job to provide the “drive”? Or must the student possess the initiative?
Dr. Wu decided to blow something up, and The student definitely needs to have a force behind them. I think teachers should do
the grass caught on fire.
their best to get students interested, but the students themselves must want what they are
working for.
Page 11
Whoa, Baby!
Interviews by: Danielle Willard
It’s springtime in Connecticut, so you know what that means... The birds are laying eggs, the deer are having fawn, and the teachers
are having babies. Wait, what!? Here at Plainfield High School we have three expecting teachers, Mrs. Bastien, Mrs. Wagner and
Mrs. O’Brien. I had the chance to sit down with each of them and ask about the perks and detractions of being a mother-to-be.
When is your baby due?
Bastien– July 21st.
O’Brien– May 16th
Wagner– June 18th
Do you know the baby’s gender yet?
Bastien– Yes, it’s a girl.
O’Brien– A boy.
Wagner– I do not. It’s supposed to be a surprise.
Do you have any other children?
Bastien–-Yes, I have a three year old son.
O’Brien– Yes, I have a daughter who is five, and a son
who’s three.
Wagner– I’m a first time mother.
Do you think being a teacher and being around kids all
the time has helped you prepare for motherhood?
Bastien– It’s definitely given me a different perspective, but
yes definitely.
O’Brien– Well, I already have two kids so I’ve already been prepped!
Wagner– Well, not for an infant, these kids are grown up. But I do think it teaches you a little bit
of patience.
What is your favorite pregnant food?
Bastien– I love spicy food right now. For some reason jalapeños really make me happy.
O’Brien– Snickers bars. Yum.
Wagner– Chocolate and peanut butter ice cream.
What is the best and worst thing about being pregnant?
Bastien– The worst is being tired a lot… all of the time.
And being sick and not being able to take medicine. And
the best thing is being able to eat a lot more of what I love.
I usually limit myself but now I can say “Hey I’m pregnant!” so I eat whatever I want. Ha ha!
O’Brien– Worst is probably the discomfort, like hip discomfort. And being tired all the time. The best is that it’s just really cool having a baby moving inside of you.
Wagner– Best, going out for ice cream every week with Mrs. Bastien and not feeling guilty
about it. Worst, when you are with a child, you are not allowed to lift heavy things or paint.
This makes getting ready for the baby’s arrival a bit difficult. My husband is stuck doing all
the work.
Describe being pregnant in one word.
Bastien– Exciting.
O’Brien– It’s happiness. It’s excitement. It’s amazing. It’s a miracle! I can’t really do one
word.
Wagner– Weird. It’s just weird because you can’t wear your normal clothes and sleeping is
uncomfortable and you’re tired all the time. It’s not normally how I feel so it’s pretty weird!
Page 12
I Love Food
Interview by: Amanda Flyte Photographs by: Brittney Deloge
Until the end of April there will be a pretty cool cat hanging around Mrs. Salo’s wondrous classroom. Ms. Ferri is a student teacher
who majored in family and consumer science and is very excited about teaching. Even though she is only here for a short time, I figured you all should learn about this cute addition to our lovely school.
Where are you from?
Western Coventry, Rhode Island.
What college did you attend?
Framingham State in Massachusetts.
Why do you want to become a teacher?
I love kids! Because I love being in a classroom and I love education. I want to make a difference.
Do you like Plainfield?
I love it here, everyone is very friendly.
Would you want to teach here? Why?
Of Course. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. The atmosphere is wonderful.
And the students in my classes are so eager to learn.
What was your high school like?
Huge. Loud. (laughs) But a lot of fun.
Ms. Ferri with her totally awesome drawing of a grain structure.
What is your favorite food?
Oh my goodness, if I had to choose just one I’d have to say pizza. I just
love food in general.
What is your favorite color?
Yellow makes me happy, but I think black is my overall favorite color.
Who is your favorite superhero? Why?
Do my mom and dad count? ‘Cause they are super heroes. But Batman is
my actual favorite because he is cool. And because he doesn’t have any
actual powers.
How tall are you?
5’8”
What is you’re favorite smell?
Mrs. Salo’s classroom during third period.
Mrs. Salo and Ms. Ferri consulting the text book.
What is one thing you want to do before you die?
Teach! (laughs) Have my own classroom! And I absolutely want to work up
the courage to sky dive.
If you could go anywhere for vacation, where would you go?
I don’t know. I can’t just pick one place ‘cause I’ve never been any where. I
want to go everywhere. Vacation to me is leaving New England.
What makes you smile?
Animals and teaching. Oh, and chocolate.
What is your favorite movie?
All three “Back to The Futures”, and James Cameron’s “Avatar.”
Ms. Ferri just hanging around lookin’ super fly!
Page 13
Charita-bowl Contributions
Interview and Photographs by: Brittney Deloge
On Wednesday, April 6, The Pottery Club held its annual Empty Bowl event. They were
able to raise 3,000 dollars for the soup kitchens in our community. These proceeds were
possible due to the generosity of Mrs. Salo’s food classes, Mr. Melchior’s visual communication classes, Mrs. Bastien’s and Mrs. Wagner’s National Honor Society for donating
treats, the Plainfield Panther’s Music Organization for providing beverages and United
Natural Foods of Dayville for food donations. I took the time to sit down and ask Crystal
Sweeney, the Pottery Club president, for her views on the outcome of this charitable event.
Did the results meet your expectations?
They exceeded my expectations. I was surprised to see how much money we made. We actually doubled last year’s profits.
Could this event be improved in anyway next year, as far as set up
and organization?
One way this event could be more successful is if we advertised it more. I
believe if we actually took the time to spread the word more people would
have came to the event and more bowls would have been sold.
Do you think that having this event held the same day as the Plainfield
High and Central Schools’ musical concert helped to increase the
prophets made?
Yes, definitely. The hundreds of people that gathered to support their talented children was great business. Families seem to enjoy the opportunity
of having a nice meal and quality entertainment at the same time.
Do you think that there should be more than one Empty Bowl held
Crystal Sweeney representin’ Pottery Club.
each year?
I, without out a doubt, believe that if we were to hold more than one Empty Bowl a year we would see a definite increase in profit.
It of course takes a lot of hard work and money to put the event all together.
Any last remarks?
I want to thank all of the people who contributed to this event, including Mrs. Sumner and the Pottery Club for making this year’s
Empty Bowl Project such a success. We have doubled in donations from last year and we couldn't have done it without their support. Pottery Club is still held every Wednesday after school. All are welcome to join and contribute to next year’s Empty Bowl.
Also, there will be a Summer Pottery Club for six weeks during summer break.
Top Left: Matt Fontenault
Top Right: Victoria Howard
Bottom left: Keziah Encarnacion,
Bottom Right: Briana Di Saia
Page 14
‘Cause I’m A Liar
Commentary and Photograph by: Brittney Deloge
You think you're going to live your life alone in darkness and seclusion... yeah, I know you've been out there and tried to mix with
those animals and it just left you full of humiliated confusion. So you stagger back home and wait for nothing, but the solitary refinement of your room spits you back onto the streets, and now you're desperate and in need of human contact. And then you meet me
and your whole world changes because everything I say is everything you've ever wanted to hear. So you drop all you defenses, I'm
perfect in every way 'cause I make you feel so strong and so powerful inside. You feel so lucky But your ego obscures reality that
you never bothered to wonder why things are going so well, you want to know why? -Rollins Band “Liar”
Henry Rollins is the quintessential role model for this day and age. Although he struggles with his own personal demons and is tragically flawed, he still
finds the courage to be creative and carry on. He was a member of one of the most
influential hard-core punk bands, Black Flag, and is living proof that one is able to
be “hard core” without
Trendynation.blogspot.com
substance abuse. Henry
uses his celebrity to make
social and political issues
more alluring to the
younger generation, causPopmatters.com
ing adolescents to be
more aware of world-wide happenings as Augusta Supple, an internet blogger whom recently went to a Henry Rollins’ spoken word, has said:
“Henry Rollins is 50, grey of hair, long of tooth, and ready to ignite the
minds of young people.”
On February 13, 1961, in Washington D.C, one of most renowned
founders of the musical scene was born. Raised in Glover Park by his single
mother, Henry Rollins was taught to read before kindergarten, but his conduct made it difficult for him to succeed in public school. He was sent to
The Bullis School, an all-boy prep school, where he began writing short
Ashleigh Daigle, a Plainfield High School senior,
stories, and submerging himself in literature. Henry Rollins’ first band was
whom can be seen daydreaming about Henry Rollins
State of Alert, who only released one EP in 1980. During this point in his
life he supported himself by working at a Haagen-Dazs store. It was around above, says:“Black Flag rules, Henry Rollins rules, and he
is one hot, hot, hot, hot, hot, older gentleman.”
this same time that an acquaintance introduced him to the band Black Flag,
of which he became an instant fan. While attending one of their shows,
Rollins asked the band to sing their song entitled Clocked In, the lead singer responded by handing him the microphone and demanding that he sing it. It was this incident that led him to become the new front man of this hard-core punk band, known as Black Flag.
During his career in Black Flag, he toured constantly, and attracted a substantial fan base along the way. After producing
several albums, the band broke up due to creative differences, and in 1987 Henry began writing poetry and performing spoken
words. Soon after, in 1988, Henry Rollins’ new band Rollins Band, produced their first studio album. Throughout the 1990’s Henry
Rollins’ had his first mainstream success musically with Rollins Band, along with “Get in the Van: On the Road with Black Flag”, a
book composed of his journals,
winning a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Recording, winning Man of the Year in “Details Magazine”, and releasing his first set of
spoken word material. Henry Rollins has influenced many artists that you may be more familiar with, including Green Day, and The
Used. To this day, at age 50, Henry Rollins still actively tours with Rollins Band, and performs at spo“Keep your blood clean,
ken word events.
One brisk spring night on March 22, 2011, I travelled to The Iron Horse Music Hall in North your body lean, and
Hampton, Massachusetts to witness Henry in all of his glory. This spoken word tour was entitled “50”, your mind sharp.”
- Henry Rollins
for last month he hit half a century. At this event Rollins’ shared with some of his experiences with
Black Flag, which included being an eyewitness of a rotund man jumping off of the stage and landing
on a petite girl, causing her to lose an eye. He also gave us insight on his own life, shedding light on his battles with loneliness and
love. Although I was confined to “standing room only” and stuck behind my six foot tall cousin who refused to let me in front, the
aching feet and obscured view were worth the intellectual gain I feel I received.
If you are still wondering why this man is so important, remember, his Information taken from:
http://augustasupple.com/2011/03/50-tour-henryband Black Flag was a pioneer hard-core punk band that set the stage for many of the
rollins/
musicians we know of and love today.
http://www.notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2
007-Pu-Z/Rollins-Henry.html
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p5299
thedailyswarm.com
Page 15
Pennies for Japan: No Way Jose`
Commentary by: Colleen Horta
Information taken from:
www.scientificamerican.com
www.washingtonpost.com
On March 11, 2011, Japan was devastated by both an earthquake as well as a tsunami. This was the largest earthquake Japan has seen in over 1,000 years. The island of Honshu (the largest island of Japan) has moved approximately 10 feet closer to the
United States because of the magnitude of the quakes. The length of our days has also been shortened by 1.8 microseconds. Over
9,300 people were killed, and over 13,800 people are still missing. Nuclear power plants were damaged, and are now leaking dangerous chemicals into the air and atmosphere. Essentially, this was a disastrous series of events that has affected more than just the Japanese. The U.S. has supplied Japan with air, sea, and ground support. People on the west coast are taking precautions in case that the
nuclear chemicals reach our coastline.
However, it seems that people in our school just don’t care. During the week of March 21-25, the Tri-M Music Honor Society hosted a penny war to aid with relief efforts for Japan. When we had the penny war to aid Haiti, and raised $435. Even though
this collection didn’t last as long, we raised only $195, not even half of what we raised last time. Sadly, I don’t think that we can
blame this lack of support on the “poor economical times.”, because people have enough change to buy cookies for their entire lunch
table, but not enough to donate a single coin to a good cause.
As I went around the cafeteria to try and collect coins, I was told numerous times that people wouldn’t donate because they
didn’t want to support Japan. However, that didn’t dampen my determination to try and raise funds. I hit yet another brick wall.
Hardly anyone would donate, and would completely ignore me when I asked. Defeated, I sat back at the table and talked to the fellow Tri-M officers about what had happened. President Cassie Guerin said, “The capacity for ignorance people have amazes me. I
don’t understand how some can have such a strong opinion on a topic they have such limited knowledge of.” I couldn’t agree more.
Some people weren’t donating because they claim that they are “Nationalists” and would only support American relief aids.
(For those who don’t know what a Nationalist is, it is a person who unwavering supports their country, which includes their ally
countries.) It’s a relief to know that they would help if we got hit by a natural disaster, because Americans would be the only to do
so. I believe that not many countries would help if we needed aid, even though we help them. People believe that we should stop all
aid to other countries unless we receive support through them. On the contrary, I believe that fighting fire with fire won’t solve any
problems. By helping, we aren’t going to create anger between any other countries. Because the moment that we ban support and
relief to countries in need is the moment that we are completely shut out. Call it childish, call it not fair, but it’s true.
Much to my dismay, the discrimination against Japan isn’t just running through our school. I’ve read online blogs that state
how Japan deserved to have this disaster happen to them. Glenn Beck, the super-conservative best friend of Bill O’Reilly , said that,
“Whether you call it Gaia, or whether you call it Jesus, there’s a message being sent and that is, ‘Hey, you know that stuff we’re doing? Not really working out real well.’ Maybe we should stop doing some of it.” Basically, God sent a message to Japan saying to
stop their wrongdoings. Why is God sending horrific natural disasters that kill tens of thousands of people? I’m sorry, but no country deserves for their people to die in mass numbers because of a natural disaster, especially ones that haven’t been doing wrong in
the first place. One student even stated that, “They [Japan] are our enemies, they attacked us.” I hate to break it to everyone, but Japan is one of the United State’s allies. Not to mention that they are one of the biggest exporters of items that we use in everyday life.
The past hatred between Japan and the U.S. is just that…in the past. They are our allies, and if we truly want to be Nationalists, then we show our undoubted support for America. Supporting America means supporting our allies, at least in my opinion. I
guess my search for the logical, unbiased thoughts of intellectual people will have to continue past the walls of Plainfield High
School.
4fullinfo.com
Before
After
Page 16
Moosup Skate Park Goes Miniature
Article and Pictures by: Zachary Nadeau
April 1, 2011, before I went to work, I felt like having a nice afternoon at the skate
park. My hopes were soon lost when I drove up to the fenced-in park I had grown to call home.
The ramps were missing and the gate was chained and locked. The only thing left inside was the
boxes, stairs, and rail, along with old stickers and all my childhood memories. I turned off my
car and sat in silence for a moment, remembering all the good times I had here. The next thing
that came to my mind was to call everyone I knew and give them the bad news. The last person I
called was Seth Quigley who was already aware of the misfortune unfolding. He notified me that
the ramps were just being taken out but the park wasn’t being shut down. I sighed with relief.
The next day as I sat in my room doing homework my phone began to vibrate, it was
Seth. I answered the phone to find out that he was going to the skate park and wanted me to go.
The ramps are missing, as represented
Unfortunately I couldn’t. When he arrived it was still closed and the ramps were not back. He
by the oval.
decided to go to the house of the woman who had the keys to the park. She told him that she was
no longer watching over the park and that the park is not closing down, the ramps were just being removed.
The weekend came and went, and before I knew it I was back in school on Monday. As I put my backpack and hat in my
locker, my friend Mitch Buchan approached me. He told me that the skate park is getting new ramps, but unfortunately they were
going to be much smaller then the previous ones. The town decided that the old ramps were much too big for the confined space of
the skate park. I was glad to hear that the skate park was getting fixed up but I was still unaware of when it was opening, or if it even
was.
Several days later Mitchell approached me in the hallway and told me that the skate park was open, but the ramps were still
gone. The next day I decided to take a ride to the park. When I arrived Justin Roberts and Evan Desrosiers were there. They were
both bummed out and refused to comment for the newspaper.
Over the next few days I was trying to dig up what was really going on. After asking many people I started to believe that
the park was not going to be fixed up, and it would forever be left half empty.
Since 2009 there has been talk of making a brand new skate park in Plainfield. Where exactly is undecided and when it is
going to be built is a mystery but perhaps the actions in Moosup are a sign of getting rid of the old and building the new. We will all
have to watch and find out.
When Howard Isn’t Home
Article and Photograph by: Zachary Nadeau
Recently, I was invited by a few piano students to check out Mrs. Howard’s block two piano class. I arrived at school the
next day excited to see what goes on in piano, unfortunately I had to get through block one first. Another hour and a half lecture from
Dr. Wu and it was on to the next class. I stopped by Mr. Greene’s room to notify him that I would not be in class and that I was going to investigate the mysteries of piano class.
As I walked down the hall I could not help but ponder what I was about to walk into. I walked through the doors and a
calming silence came over the room. There was a substitute teacher, and everyone had still not arrived. My friend and I picked up
our guitars and started playing whatever we knew while we waited for class to start. The first to arrive was Jacob Ducharme, a quite
young man, who always has a smile on his face. Soon after Jacob came Beckay Demuth with Cassie Blanchette, chipper as always.
The class filled up quickly, and the bell rang. The substitute announced that Mrs. Howard wanted the class to practice their songs in
the piano room. Most of the class followed these directions except for a select few.
I felt that following the class through their normal schedule would be boring so I hung back with the rebels to see what goes
on when Mrs. Howard isn’t around. We proceeded to create a makeshift table from the music stands. Beckay took some Uno cards
out of her purse and a game began to shape. Cassie started up some music on her phone and it started getting intense. Beckay played
a reverse card; I then reversed it back to her. Next she placed a blue 4 and called Uno. Everybody took their turn and it was back to
me, I had to think of something to stump Beckay and block her win. My mind was in a pickle, yellow 7 or yellow 1. In the previous
hand someone had lost the game when they played a seven. I decided to play the 1, as soon
as the card hit the table I knew I made the wrong move. Beckay began to laugh as she
placed her final card. A little tear rolled down my cheek and I quit the game. After two
more intense games class was over. It was a very interesting day and I was excited to tell
this story. The next day I went back to Mrs. Howard’s class to take pictures of them in
action, however they were missing, after questioning a couple people I found out that they
managed to “practice piano” in the auditorium, when I walked in it was just as I suspected;
they were all playing Uno.
Mrs. Howard was not pleased with her class when she returned. She knew her
class was better than that and was upset that they did not practice piano. Mrs. Howard told
me that this piano class is the best one she has ever had, and that they have gotten through
the first book faster than any other previous class. In the end there was no punishment for
the class, but I’m sure they learned their lesson.
Page 17
There are Those People Who are Catfish in Life…
Movie Review by: Danielle Willard
In late 2007, a 90 minute documentary was filmed following the life and career of a 24-year-old photographer from Florida,
Nev Schulman. Ariel “Rel” Schulman, Nev’s brother, and their friend Henry Joost (the filmmakers) sensed a story unfolding between Nev and an 8-year-old artist named Abby from Michigan, who would
send Nev paintings she had done of his photography. To stay connected with
Thebuzzmedia.com
Abby’s mother, between waiting for packages, he became “friends” with her
on Facebook. They would message each other back and forth talking about
Abby’s painting and how talented she is. Nev soon became cyber-friends with
Abby’s whole family, including her brothers, father, cousins, family-friends,
and sister, Megan.
As the film continued, Nev and Megan’s relationship grew stronger.
They soon began instant messaging, texting, and talking on the phone constantly. Nev became part of the family, holding sort of a long-distance relationship
with Megan. Over 1,500 messages had been passed between them before the
lies started unfolding.
Nev began to realize that stories Megan and her family had been sharing with him weren’t always lining up to make sense.
Megan would send Nev songs that she “wrote”, that were actually somebody else’s work. Abby supposedly opened an art studio in
an abandoned building, yet the building was still abandoned. Rel, Henry, and Nev noticed these people’s lives seemed more and
more fabricated as the days rolled on. With “Abby’s art studio’s grand opening” just around the corner, the three men decided to
travel to Michigan to be there for the event to try to figure out the lies they’ve been being fed. What happens then may shock you…
Catfish was a movie that makes you think twice about the people you meet on Facebook, and how deceiving looks can be.
There are people in life designed to keep us on our toes and keep us guessing.
“And there are those people who are catfish in life. And they keep you on your toes. They keep you guessing, they keep you thinking, they keep you fresh. And I thank god for the catfish because we would be droll, boring and dull if we didn't have
somebody nipping at our fin.”
The Apple Generation
Article by: Marco Kotwasinski
The newest fascination for mankind is here! Apple’s unbelievable touch screen!
The newest iPods and iPhones are technically so highly developed that they are
working as small super computers. You may be interested- but you were warned.
Because there lies a danger deep within these technical wonders…
The newest toy. Everybody wants it, everybody knows it. Right now the
newest ones are the iPod & iPhone 4, and the new Mac that holds the whole Pc in
a screen. The iPods and iPhones are also transportable music player. The App
store gives you the possibility to download thousands of different things to play
with. You could use it all the time, in case you want to spend the days sitting in
http://www.beantownboogiedo front of a small screen, eyes pressed to it, playing and playing and touching it. Of
course it will shut off if you play with it all night, and walking in schools with
wn.com/
headphones plugged in. And some apps even upgrade! So many amazing things
demand an amazing price. The iPod demands $225 up to $375, the iPhone lies between $700800, and the newest Mac costs up to $2400. The newly included camera allows you to use
FaceTime™. That makes possible to see each other over a long distance. Even if it is a great
device, the iPod needs the wireless internet. Without it, it’s just half as practical as with. In
“iPhone and
modern business you need to have your computer around, all the time. Thanks to being so
small, you may take your toys nearly anywhere. School is not a good idea, though. TechnoloiPod are the
gy evolves quickly. Maybe soon enough we will have floating touch screens! Who knows
newest toys!” what will be. But I know that Apple will come up with something new to make us look like
the cool guy with the newest toy. Or just like a weirdo playing with a little screen.
Page 18
Forbidden Fruit Tastes the Sweetest; What about Forbidden Books?
http://www.google.com/images
http://blogs.davenportlibrary.com/te
Commentary by: Cassie Guerin
http://blogs.davenportlibrary.com
http://www.google.com/images?h
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&sa
My whole school career I have been encouraged to read all
the time. Fortunately I love to read, however, I read what I want.
Many schools struggle with getting students to read, especially about
topics that are uninteresting to them. So my question is why are books
that gain interest from young readers being banned? It seems counterproductive to me. I understand the need to censor what material young
(and by young I mean elementary level) students are reading, but by
sheltering them from real topics and controversial issues, we are sheltering them from a way to educate themselves in an enjoyable way. By
banning books we are nurturing an age of ignorance.
Many books have been banned because of sexual content.
Newsflash people: teenage sexuality isn’t a myth. It is a common
theme in many bestseller books, and is something that younger
generations need to be taught about. Although it may seem that by eradicating all references to it teenagers will be less likely to get themselves into trouble. However, I believe
the opposite is true. By keeping the topic “forbidden” it is much
more tempting for them to go out and “educate” themselves and
make life-altering mistakes. I believe that if the end goal is to keep
younger people out of trouble then they need to be informed of the
topic, and what better way than through something they voluntarily
do. The “Twilight” series is one of the top ten challenged
books/series because of its theme of teen sexuality as well as supernatural content. This is a bit contradictory because the main couple
practices chastity until they are married. Another series that has
been challenged is the “ttyl” series because of its graphic descriptions of
http://www.google.com/images?hl teen sexuality, drug use, and profanity. The reasons it is challenged are the
same as why the series is so popular. These themes entice teens because they can relate to the problems of the plot. As an avid reader, I
can easily say that books are much less interesting when you hold no connection with the
book.
A very controversial topic both in literature and society is the debate for gay rights.
Many books have been placed on the most challenged list because of their homosexual content. One such book is the popular children’s book “And Tango Makes Three.” This book is
based off of the touching tale of two male penguins in the Central Park Zoo that adopted and
raised an egg. I am dumbfounded by the lengths people are willing
to go to censor what their children are reading and to shelter them
from the real world. I asked Mrs. Wagner for her opinion on banning
books and she said, “ Books are usually only banned because they go
http://www.google.com/images?
against certain groups like religion or race. There are lessons to be learned
and how can you learn if you ban books, especially in English classes?
However, I do think that the books should be approved by the Board of Education.”
Another top reason for banning books is the recurring theme of
racism. Again, this isn’t a made up problem, but a very serious theme that
haunts our country even today. Many American classics have been challenged due to their racial content. One such book is Mark Twain’s
“Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Recently this book was edited and basically rewritten so it would be more acceptable in today’s society. Personally, I believe this is downright wrong. These pieces of literature are parts of
history in themselves and no one can rewrite history. Mrs. Wagner said, “Huck Finn is a piece of classic Literature. When you take out the ‘n-word’ it loses its purpose and meaning because of the time
period.” To take Mark Twain’s remarkable tale of a teenage boy’s adventures and do a complete overhaul of the content and vernacular is literary sacrilege. It would be the equivalent of painting over
Michelangelo’s timeless works because of the nudity. These books have become American classics
due to their content, therefore it seems oxymoronic to challenge and edit them for the very same content.
Page 19
All Excited For All State
Article By: Cassie Guerin Photographs By: Nate Etchells
Thursday morning at 7:30 a.m. five Plainfield High School students loaded onto a bus and headed to
one of the most prestigious high school music festivals: the Connecticut All State Music Festival. This year,
seniors Carter Jackson, Patrick Slattery, Chelsea Merritt, Taylor Perry and myself participated in the All State
Festival at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. There were over 250 high school students in the
chorus alone. For the soprano and alto sections combined, we were the top 100 scoring students out of over
2,400 students that auditioned all over the state. We arrived at the convention center around 9:00 a.m. and
prepared ourselves for a grueling two days of rehearsal by stopping at Starbucks. We met up with our Griswold friends that had also made it and headed to the opening meeting.
After we were welcomed to the festival the band, orchestra, jazz band, and chorus split up and headed to their respective rehearsal rooms where we spent our days. Our director was Dr. Paul Head, the choral
director at the University of Delaware. The first day alone we practiced for about nine hours with lunch and dinner provided by the
Marriott staff. After our tiring day of rehearsal we were treated to an exclusive concert by the
USAF cover band “Afterburner.” They performed many top hits from the 80s such as “Sweet
Child O’ Mine” and “Barracuda.” The students were so pumped that they all mobbed the stage
and even started break dancing (that is until the chaperones decided to end our fun.) There were
conga lines and fist-pumping circles all around the room and students screaming at the top of
their lungs. After the encore of “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” by Pat Benatar was finished, we
were split up and given our room keys for our hotel rooms then we had free time around the hotel. The next day we were in store for 11 hours of rehearsal. We worked tirelessly until the Jazz
Band’s concert that night at 8:30. Again, after the concert we were given free time. I spent my
time with my friends from Griswold both nights, and I don’t think I could have asked for a better
time.
Finally, the day of the concert came. After spending a collective rehearsal time of over 20 hours,
we were ready to perform. We sang “Sing a Mighty Song”, “Domine Ad Adjuvandum Me Festina”, “Ave
Verum Corpus”, “Nachtens”, “Sure On This Shining Night”, “Stars I Shall Find”, and ended with a powerful spiritual “My God is a Rock”. We received a standing ovation and gave an encore of the end of “My
God is a Rock.” The concert was amazing and I have never been part of something so spectacular. In all
honesty, this experience changed my life. I made such good friends with the Griswold students and shared
something very special with them, and hundreds of other students I have never met before and probably
will never meet again. Dr. Head is an amazing individual that instills passion for music in every person he
comes in contact with. The music we performed and the feelings it created has been imprinted on my being for the rest of my life, and it is an experience I could never replace.
A New Era, Old Events
Commentary by: Rose Labrie
You may have heard of Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. Rosa Parks refused to give her seat up for a white passenger on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama on
December 1, 1955. Martin Luther King Jr. made a commitment to fight for racial equality. He gave his “I Have A Dream Speech” on August 28, 1963. Are those events of segregation still going on today, though? You would probably say no since here at Plainfield
blacksnob.com/snob_blog/tag/hot-topics High we are segregated into cliques with the same interests as each other rather than race.
Some southern states here in the United States still have segregated proms. The parents donate money for two separate
proms just so their children will have a taste of what they had to go through when they were kids, maybe; the reason is still unclear. The only information that we have on why they insist two proms is that the white parents are still insisting that the students have two. Schools in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, South Carolina,
and Georgia all have segregated proms. Imagine your black friends, and your white friends, not spending
prom, a memorable night, together. Two separate nights, two separate laughs but a whole class not being
able to spend it with the other race.
In Georgia’s Montgomery County, a news article came out on May 21, 2009. The white prom was
held on that Friday and the black prom was held on the Saturday following. This prom is held in a group of
towns and about two– thirds of the population is white. Since 1971, where most proms where integrated in
the north, the south had segregated every prom. The actor, Morgan Freeman, tried to encourage nonsegregated proms in his hometown high school, Charleston High School, in Mississippi. The students loved
the idea, but the parents of the white students quickly denied the offer.
deadline.com
Page 20
Dreams Come True
Article by: Amanda Flyte
the247news.info
www.autoweek.com
It’s the first race of the year, the biggest race of the season. Every NASCAR driver dreams of winning the Daytona 500. Richard “the King” Petty won it
seven times. Dale “the Intimidator” Earnhardt Sr. didn’t win the Great American
Race until his 20th try in 1998. Only seven drivers have won the Daytona 500 as
their first Sprint Cup win: Tiny Lund (1963), Mario Andretti (1967), Pete Hamilton
(1970), Derrike Cope (1990), Sterling Marlin (1994), Michael Waltrip (2001) and
Trevor Bayne (2011). All these men had spent years racing in the series, and had
numerous starts in the Daytona 500. All of those seven men, except one. Trevor
Bayne had only raced in one NASCAR Sprint Cup race before the green flag waved
on February 20, just one. The only other driver who won his first Cup race on his
second start was Jamie McMurray, who won the 2010 Daytona 500. Trevor is a
rookie and because of that, a lack of sponsoring has Bayne only signed to start in 17 races this season. But when he crossed the finish
line first at the Daytona 500, everything changed.
As expected at Daytona, all 43 drivers were racing their hardest, and with 43 people racing hard there were tons of cautions,
sixteen to be exact, which is a record at Daytona International Speedway. More records were broken at the year’s Daytona 500.
There were seventy-four lead changes and twenty-two different leaders. But those were not the only records to break. The day before, on February 19, Bayne celebrated his 20th birthday, making him the youngest driver to win The Great American Race.
As soon as the race began I knew something was different. The drivers were
pairing up with each other, drafting, something I’ve never seen before. According to
about.com drafting is defined as follows: “When a car travels through the air it leaves
a gap behind it. Another car driving in this gap doesn't have as much air resistance
pushing on its nose and can then travel faster or use less fuel to travel the same
speed.” So basically, all the big drivers, all the ones that constantly win, were pairing
up together. Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart were paired, Kevin Harvick and Matt
Kenseth, Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton. Bayne, being a rookie, had no partner. Until
Jeff Gordon stepped up and said, “Hey, draft with me.” Because Bayne is a rookie,
Gordon literally had to teach Bayne how to draft, step-by-step. With the help of Gordon and a few other drivers, Bayne managed to stay in the top twenty throughout the mediagallery.usatoday.com
250 laps and the sixteen cautions.
On lap 29, Michael Waltrip (15) nudged the back of David Reutimann (00) which sparked the first big crash. It involved
fourteen cars including Jimmie Johnson (48), Jeff Gordon (24), Mark Martin (5), Greg Biffle (16), and Matt Kenseth (17), which
basically took these big contenders out of the running for the win. When down to five laps to go, there was a bunched up straight
away which caused another big crash, taking out the likes of Regan Smith (78) and Ryan Newman (39), who was in the lead. Once
the caution was over, the field was set for a green-white-checkered, which means that they get the green flag to start racing again for
one lap, they get the white flag for the last lap and then the checkered flag that signals that the race has been won. The green flag
waved and the top five consisted of David Ragan (6), Trevor Bayne (21), Kurt Bush (18), Tony Stewart (14) and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
(88). But when the leaders reached the backstretch, Martin Truex Jr. (56) and Dale Jr. crashed into the wall as they tried to draft together. Ahead of them Robby Gordon (7) crashed and again the caution was brought out, meaning that they were going to try another
green-white-checkered run. Ragan and Bayne were still in the first two spots, but on the restart, Ragan took the lead before they
crossed the start line, which is against the rules. He got black flagged and had to go to the back of the cars on the lead lap, ruing his
chances of winning. Bayne got a last minute push from Bobby Labonte and crossed the finish line just before Carl Edwards (99).
Bayne was so shocked with his win that he parked his car on the infield, got out and his crew brought him to their shoulders.
Once he got back into his car he had to go to Victory Lane, but being a rookie he had no idea where it was! He almost drove past it
but a NASCAR official pointed him the way. This curly-haired fellow from Knoxville, Tennessee certainly did not expect to win and
was extremely flustered that he did. It was incredibly adorable! I hope nothing but
spectacular achievements come in his
bright future because
this talented young
man definitely deserves it!
latphoto.co.uk
Page 21
They’re Not Rednecks, They’re Athletes!
By: Brandon Wisniewski
Sports are part of America, they are
true American past times. Many wonder what truly defines a sport and
Children’s Toys
what can be considered a sport in
Men’s/Women’s/Children’s America. People are now arguing that
certain hobbies, past times, or activiClothing
ties are sports. Some people say that
Accessories such as key chains, paintball and hunting can be classified
bedding, stickers, wallets, and as sports; there are many that oppose
this. Side to that people have been
much more.
arguing whether or not NASCAR is a
sport. I strongly believe that NASCAR
Television cartoon show
is a sport and I wanted to show many
“NASCAR Racers”
of people the facts that support the
en.wikipedia.org
idea that it is.
NASCAR Marketing:
Quote from Mr.
Jordan:
“It’s competition
that’s different
from stick and
ball sports. Racers experience
constant mental
and physical demands at high
speeds.”
blogs.courant.com
phoenix.fanster.com
Let’s start off with the definition of a sport as a noun. The dictionary definition of a sport
is an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, and fishing. So the definition of a
sport from the dictionary clearly says racing. Yet the argument is that racing a car is different from
racing on foot, such as track and field related sport events. Although NASCAR may seem like its
just driving a car, there are many things that come into play. It is certainly of competitive nature,
race car drivers do whatever it may take to win the race. So since it is competitive it fits the definition of a sport. A race car driver must have perfect control of the car that is where skill is needed. Finally NASCAR requires extreme physical
prowess, because it is endurance. Race car temperatures reach over 120 degrees, so the drivers
must have good endurance to withstand the heat
and sweating so much.
Aside to the argument that the definition
of a sport fits racing, think about how NASCAR
allleftturns.com
is a million dollar business. People attend races at
many different tracks, they sell items that they
would sell at other sporting events, and they sell tickets like other sporting events. NASCAR is on
television like other sports, it is on the news, and they have commentators. Now why would something so similar to other televised sports not be a sport? Well many people like to poke fun at NASCAR and say it is a redneck sport; well drivers make millions of dollars off of the sport. So if only
rednecks support the sport than how do the drivers make so much money? Redneck is just a stereotype, people all over the United States love NASCAR like any other sport.
So NASCAR definitely fits the definition of a sport because it is racing. It says it right in the name.
NASCAR stands for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, so racing is the key part
of this. So not only is NASCAR a sport but all car racing related sports are as well. So in the end people can
argue as much as they want, but the facts are strong.
Who can argue that NASCAR does not fit the dictionary definition of a sport? In the end race car drivers are
athletes and NASCAR is not a redneck sport, it is well
renowned all across the United States. Also at P.H.S.
we have a teacher who races cars, that is Mr. Jordan. Is
Mr. Jordan an out of shape redneck? Also many have
forgotten but not too long ago our own town of Plainfield almost had their own race track built, I guess that
would make our town a redneck town.
thesportsunion.com
Information taken from: http://dictionary.reference.com/ and http://www.nascar.com/
Page 22
Swing The Bat And Run Home!
Interviews and photographs by: Marco Kotwasinski
Spring’s coming and the weather’s getting sunny and warm. Now’s also the time for sports to come
and students to go out and have fun. One of those things to enjoy is baseball! The sport starts regularly in spring and ends at the end of the school year. I asked some of the members of the Plainfield
High School baseball team what their predictions for the season are and what their favorite team is.
RED SOX
VS.
NY YANKEES
Barry Maily
4/19 Waterford 3:45
4/28 Killingly 3:45
5/6 Lyman Memorial 3:45
5/11 Tourtellotte 3:45
Position: Pitcher/Third Base
Favorite Team (professional): San Francisco Giants
Prediction (this season): “We are hoping to win our division and
to make the state tournament.”
Connor Flanagan Position: Center Field
Favorite Team: New York Yankees
Prediction: “I think we are doing good. We have a lot of
returning guys.”
Nathan Bedard Position: Second Base
Favorite Team: Boston Red Sox
Prediction: “We have a good team with hardworking players so
we should be pretty good.”
Dylan Yaworski Position: Short Stop
Favorite Team: Boston Red Sox
Prediction: “To win the small division.”
Dustin Yaworski Position: Right Field
Favorite Team: New York Yankees
Prediction: “We are going to make the state tournament and plan
at least to win one game.”
Page 23
Nothing Soft About Softball
Interview and photographs by: Jeremy Mack
The Plainfield High School girls’ softball team played brilliantly last year finishing with a record of 14-8. This year’s team looks to improve and be a fierce
contender in the ECC small division. Although the first game of the season was
an unfortunate loss to Griswold, the outlook of the season seems prosperous.
But who knows best other than coach of the team himself, Jim Langlois.
How do you feel about the recent loss to Griswold?
It’s tough, I mean she pitched well. We ran into tough luck. we hit the ball really hard and right at people and they made every play.
How do you feel about losing Sarah Cousins & Emily Couture?
Emily and Sarah are a couple of leaders, their offense was a big loss, but you know I think this group of seniors has done a
great job trying to fill that void.
Is there any particular area the team needs to improve on?
Well you need to improve in every area every game. I think the kids would agree with that. You never want to stay stagnant
we are looking to improve in all areas of the game all the time.
How do you think the softball team will do this year?
I am pretty excited, I like how we match up with people. I like how the seven seniors have taken a major leadership role. so
I’m pretty excited I’m very very pleased with everything up to this point.
Do you think the team could potentially win it all?
I think we have a chance to win the small division but to win the entire ECC you never know it’s going to be tough to win
the entire ECC with Waterford being the class L state champion and returning most of their players but if we could win our
division it would be a great step in the right direction..
What would you estimate this season’s record to be?
I don’t try and do that. We take it one game at a time and I don’t like to look pass anybody I don’t want to go into what the
end of the seasons record is going to be.
4/18 Waterford 11:00
4/27 Griswold 4:00
5/7 Lyman Memorial 3:00
5/12 Tourtellotte 4:00
Senior softball superstar
Nicole Silveira
Plainfield’s Own Miss America aka PIMA 2011
Article and photographs by: Colleen Horta
On Saturday, April 9, 2011, Plainfield High School hosted the 55th annual Miss Plainfield pageant, also
known as PIMA, sponsored by the Rotary Club. Twenty-nine senior girls had entered the pageant, which
is the highest number of contestants the Rotary Club has ever seen. The girls were judged on costumes
(The theme was “Famous Pairs”), as well as their gowns and interviews, which happened at a previous
Costume Winners
1st Place:
Mr. & Mrs. Potato
Head
(Erin Attella &
Lindsay Lehtonen)
2nd Place:
Woody and Buzz
(Alexis Donahue
& Briana Di Saia)
3rd Place:
Spongebob & Patrick
(Chelsea Lincoln &
Caitlin P. Collelo)