Everyone is welcome to help!

February 2016
Everyone is welcome to help!
For the past two years Mohonasen teachers and students have volunteered after
school every Tuesday at City Mission. City Mission provides service to those in our
community who are poor or homeless. Everyone is welcome to come, as long as
they have filled out a permission slip, and gotten it to the nurse the Monday before.
Students can get these permission slips from Ms. Blinn, Ms. Aulita, or Ms. (Faith) Perry.
One of the chaperones, Ms. Aulita, agreed to an interview with Arrowhead to talk
about her recent trips to City Mission and what she hopes students will take home
from these experiences helping others.
Q: What are students
expected to do once they are
at the City Mission?
•A: Anything that
they are told to do.
Generally it is sorting
clothes, shoes, and
handbags. We sort
them in piles that are
in good enough condition or by brand
name so that they can
be sold or that can be
given to people who
have experienced a
hardship like a fire
or they are finding
that they can’t afford
clothes. Items that are not in good
condition are then recycled to make
fabric.
is there and it
is for our own
community.
And if they
have the time
and the energy
they should
benefit someone else.
Q: Have you had
any positive
experiences at
City Mission?
What your peers say…
“If you are new, you buddy up with
someone who is been there before or
a senior. So a freshmen or a middle
schooler will usually partner with a
senior.”
-Karlee Degener (senior)
“There are people who will tell you what
to do but it is very self-explanatory.”
-Grace Lange (senior)
“I like working there. It is good for the
A: We laugh
community and you can write it down on
a lot there.
your college applications.”
It is interest-Jenna Frank (senior)
ing to watch
students that appear to be
disengaged at school really embrace
Gary Spadaro, one of our former
the opportunity to do a job with other
board members, helps runs the
students.
place. There are people who used
to use the services of the City Mission, who are now called Ambassadors. They direct us on where they
need us, whether that is sorting
A: No.
coats, or unpacking bins of clothes.
It’s really a neat program because
people from all walks of life are
involved.
•A: The people that run the sorting
-Gianna Goodwin
facility are from the community.
Q: How long is the trip?
Q: Are there other schools that work with
Mohonasen at City Mission?
Q: Why would you encourage students to
volunteer?
Q: Does anyone in the community work
alongside the Mohon students?
•A: We are back at school for the 4
o’clock bus. We arrive in time so
the kids can board the late bus.
•A: I think it is good to do something for somebody else. The need
2
The Arrowhead Arrowhead 2016
EDITORIAL
Underlying Struggles
You never know until suddenly you do
Presentation season is among us,
and it is no secret that students these
days hate presenting of any kind. I mean,
why wouldn’t they? It takes a great deal
of courage to be able to get up in front of
your teachers and your peers, and to deliver something with confidence. For most
people, that is a scary thought. For those of
us graduating this year, presentations seem
to be the unwanted constant that refuses to
leave our lives. Just like the overwhelming
responsibility of figuring out our futures,
presentations keep popping up out of nowhere when we least expect them.
Whether it is something quick for a
language class, a presentation for Economics, or the infamously dreaded Participation in Government presentation, it affects
each and every person involved. Although
some may love a challenge or be intrigued
by it all, for the majority of people, it is
as much nerve wracking as it is stressful.
Imagine growing up with an all-consuming
fear of public speaking, a fear that festered
with time due to an unbearable speech
impediment acquired during childhood.
Imagine waking up every morning as a
child, terrified to speak for fear of ridicule,
ostracization, and judgment. Can anyone
imagine what that does to a person? To
their self-esteem? Their confidence? If you
are thinking the effects were negative you
are correct.
For years
I was sad,
and due
to bullying, I was
constantly
wishing I
could be
anyone,
anyone else, because
then that would mean I would not have to
live this way any longer.
5% of children ages 2 through 5 will
develop a speech impediment, the most common one being a stutter. Not all impediments
acquired during childhood are permanent.
In fact, most phase out with age; however,
I am not one of those people. Living with
this frustration is an ongoing struggle. It
is certainly not just something a kid has to
complain about, although complaints are
commonly made about it. It is a linguistic
deformity that affects several aspects of a person’s, not to mention a child’s, life. Being one
of those people has never, not once, not even
for a day, been easy. A life filled with anxiety,
self-blame, and mortification can, and in my
case has, affected a person’s self-concept, selfesteem, personality, and personal relationships. The number one fear of all who suffer
from a speech impediment is public speaking. One might say “just do it, just get it over
with and then you will be alright”, and while
that is good advice, it is never that simple.
The anticipation is the absolute worst for
me. I cannot think, breathe,
or focus on anything other
than the obvious if I know
there will be a time where I
will have to speak. It directly
affects each and every part
of my day and has interfered
with both my education and
social life at times.
Some may think the fear
of presenting is just one of
those rites of passage, since it is a common fear
among many, but I wonder how many of these
teachers, peers, or adults actually know what it
is like to have and experience such a debilitating characteristic. It is exhausting to always
concern yourself with public opinion and
public appearance, but when you are forced to
grow up worrying about how you sound on an
irregular basis, it is bound to occur.
Presentations are not just about overcoming a lifelong terror of mine, they are about
finally saying to myself, “enough is enough,
it’s time to prove to yourself that you can do
this.” However, that is much easier said than
done. Public speaking is more than just a fear. I
have grown up with the mentality of avoiding
humiliation at all costs, including situations
where I would need to put myself out there,
socialize just a little outside of my comfort
zone, or do something I had never done before.
Even the littlest things became massive hurdles
to overcome, such as introducing myself in
any way, ordering my own food, participating in class, or even interacting with people.
Accumulating all these unnecessary fears was
not only irritating, but also demeaning. That
kind of relentless commotion takes its toll and
leaves a mark of never-ending shame.
Surely I am not the only person with an
embarrassing impediment such as my own,
but during “presentation season”, it seems
a rather important topic to address. Many
people make judgments or false claims before
they know the true facts about a person regarding their situation. So if you do not know,
do not understand, or feel the need to make a
comment, just ask instead.
This is my story. This is who I am. It’s time
people heard the truth, as messy and complicated
as it is.
It takes a great deal of
courage to be able to get up
in front of your teachers and
your peers, and to deliver
something with confidence.
The Arrowhead 2015•2016
Editor......................................................................................................... McKenzie Burns
Reporters .............................................................Amanda Bogatka, Morgan Costanzo,
Gianna Goodwin, Paul Sacchetti, Rachel Treers
Artwork........................................................................................................Emily Campbell
Photographer...................................................................................................Faith Brown
Advisor............................................................................................................Mrs. Halliday
The Arrowhead Policy – It is the policy of The Arrowhead that all letters-to-the-editor
must be signed for verification with the author. However, The Arrowhead will withhold
the writer’s name upon request. The Arrowhead reserves the right to edit all submitted
manuscripts. Students may place letters or articles in the Arrowhead mailbox located in
the guidance office. Opinions expressed on the editorial pages are those of the students
and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the administration or the advisor.
-Amanda Bogatka
Arrowhead 2016
Student Spotlight:
Foreign Exchange:
Impressions of Our Part
of America
The United States: land of the free, home
of the brave. It’s right there in our national
anthem. With such a bold claim, millions
of people dream of coming to America to
experience the ‘good ‘ole American wayof-life.’ Luckily for us at Mohonasen, there
is a foreign exchange program that helps
turn some of these dreams into a reality. We
sat down with Margarida Figueiredo, Elena
Zanasi, Michaela Ondrakova, and Linda
Marie Ranau to hear about what it’s like to
experience America for the first time.
Q: Where are you from?
•M.F.: “Portugal.”
•E.Z.: “Italy.”
•M.O.: “I’m from the Czech Republic.”
•L.R.: “Germany.”
Q: What was your first impression of
America?
•M.F.: “I was excited! I was like ‘oh
my gosh this is just like the movies!’
Everything is so big here, and I remember looking out the window (of
the plane) and thinking it was just
like on T.V.”
•E.Z.: “I was excited, too. It’s really different, though, school and
everything is different. There’s lots
of people here, like you can really
be yourself here. You can wear flip
flops, dye your hair fun colors, and
stuff and that’s all weird for Italians.”
•M.O.: “I was kind of disappointed,
to be honest. I expected there to be
more stuff to do every day. The first
week I was here I was home and did
nothing, but that’s changed as the
year’s gone on. At first, I felt imprisoned.”
•L.R.: “Everything is so different, I
was a little disappointed. You can’t
do anything if you don’t have a car.”
Q: What’s the thing you miss most
about being home?
•M.F.: “I miss walking everywhere
The Arrowhead 3
and seeing my friends. I miss the
food, too. Oh, and the weather!
It’s really cold here.”
•E.Z.: “I miss the food! But I miss
having fun and freedom. I feel
restricted to the rules here, like
everything is illegal! I miss my
family and friends, too.”
•M.O.: “I miss the city
and the magic of it. Here,
there is nothing to see. I
miss the transportation,
too. Trains, buses, trams
that allowed me to go
anywhere. I miss having independence and
freedom.”
•L.R.: “I miss freedom
and having the ability to Left to right: Michaela Ondrakova, Margarida Figueiredo, Linda Marie Ranau, Elena Zanasi
go everywhere. I miss my
Saturdays, and there’s no homefriends and I really miss
work, we study hard. We read
my pet!”
dozens of pages to study. Here it’s
Q: What’s the best thing you’ve done
cool because the teachers like you
here so far?
and are willing to help you, in Italy
•M.F.: “Semi-formal. It reminded me
they hate you. I like having sports
of home.”
and activities in school here, and
•E.Z.: “Going to Dunkin Donuts,
how you can choose your subit’s good there. And semiformal,
jects.”
because I love parties and it was
•M.O.: “At home we have 45 minlegal. I liked the cruise in the New
ute periods, and you’re at school
York City trip, too.”
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There’s more
•M.O.: “I liked the New York trip
subjects here. At home, there’s 30
and Northport, it was the best so
people in one class and we don’t
far. I felt close to home in Northchange classes, so we get closer to
port.”
everyone. Here, it’s always some•L.R.: “The New York trip and New
one else. The grades are different
Jersey.”
than at home, too. We use a 1-5
Q: How is the schooling here different
scale, not the 100 that you use. We
from the schooling at home?
have specialty high schools, as
•M.F.: “I was confused at first,
well, where you go for what you
because at home we have Monday
want to do.”
the same classes, Tuesday the same
•L.R.: “We have 13 years instead
classes, Wednesday the same classof 12. At home, it’s every day the
es, like that, and not the letter days.
same classes, and we don’t have
There’s a lot of school spirit here,
school sports. We’re only in school
we don’t have that much at home.
until about 1:20, so it’s much
I’m used to the hours being 45 or
shorter. We don’t have as much
60 minutes, but here it’s so precise,
homework as you do here, but it’s
we change classes at, like 43 and 11
so much harder.”
and it’s kind of weird. The teacher
Thanks ladies, we wish you the
relationships are closer here, but
best
in this adventure and all the
there’s a ton of homework.”
others
that life brings you!
•E.Z.: “Well at home, we don’t have
-McKenzie Burns
a locker, and we go to school on
4
The Arrowhead The Infamous PIG Project:
Tips for Success
All of Mr. Martin’s Participation in
Government (PIG) classes are required to
perform research on an Influential American and
give a formal eight to ten minute presentation
on their chosen person. This person must be
American, deceased, and they must have had
a significant role in the development of our
country. This task seems simple enough but,
when students at Mohonasen were asked how
they felt about the assignment, there was a
universal feeling of nervousness. These nerves
are to be expected when there’s a presentation
involved in an assignment but with the help
from some tips and tricks, this PIG presentation
can become much less nerve racking.
The first step in the PIG presentation is
choosing a person to research. This is arguably
the hardest or most important decision you’ll
make for this presentation, so make it count.
Make sure to choose someone you find
interesting. If you can think of anyone, try to
find someone who you could connect with.
This could mean finding someone you share the
same view as, someone who’s active in the same
things as you or someone your hero looks up
to. Choosing the right person can cut down on
stress a great deal, because this will make the
research more enjoyable, making you less likely
to skimp out on the research.
MUSIC NEWS:
Research is the next aspect of your
presentation. Many students think this is the
easiest part of the assignment, but that doesn’t
mean it’s not important. If you can become an
expert on your person, you will be able to talk
freely about him or her. Mr. Martin holds this
in high regard, and ties it into the presentation
by only allowing students a limited number of
note cards with a limited amount of information
on them. Note cards should not be used for
reciting information but rather, they should be
used as a way to staying on track through your
presentation. The easiest way to do this is to
number your note cards as they pertain to your
slides. At the top of your cards you should use
“buzz” words to jog your memory or push you
in a direction you want to talk about during a
particular slide. Sometimes a picture on your note
cards could help you recollect specific information
that’s key for the audience to understand what
you’re talking about.
The ability to connect with your audience is
another skill that’s necessary for giving a great
presentation. Why give a presentation if no one
takes anything away from it? If the audience is
engaged in your presentation, then you have
made it interesting and effective. The ways
you can grab your audience from the start is
the aesthetics of your presentation. Your slides
should be well organized and easy to follow,
there should be pictures that comment on the
present topic and, it should use contrasting color
schemes. Your personal image is also part of your
presentation. You should dress for success; this
• Good For You: Selena Gomez
• Bad Blood: Taylor Swift ft.
Kendrick Lamar
• Heartbeat Song: Kelly
Clarkson
• Can’t Feel My Face: The
Weekend
• Cool for the Summer: Demi Lovato
• Elastic Heart: Sia
• Ex’s & Oh’s: Elle King
• Fight Song: Rachel Platten
• Focus: Ariana Grande
• Four Five Seconds: Rihanna &
Kanye West & Paul McCartney
• Fun: Pitbull ft. Chris Brown
means no hoodies and ripped jeans. You don’t
have to wear a suit, but make an effort to look nice
by wearing a collared shirt and dress pants. Clothes
aren’t everything; you must also be conscious of
your presence. Think of how you present yourself
to your audience. How do you carry yourself?
How confident are you? This presence starts from
confidence. Being an expert on your person is the
easiest way to gain this confidence. If you have
a reserve of knowledge on your person, you’ll be
able to confidently convey your argument.
When making an argument, you have to have
a claim. This could be anything, like your opinion.
Mr. Martin does not care what your claim is, as
long as it’s backed up with significant research. He
doesn’t want students to be afraid of expressing
how they feel and why. When he was asked
what he wants students to take away from the
assignment he said “Students have a voice and
it should be heard.” Stating your opinion and
defending it is an effective way to connect with
the audience and make your presentation more
convincing. Giving an underlying story will help
your argument flow and sell your audience on your
claim. When you can back up your argument with
research and a confident approach you will have a
rock solid presentation.
These tips will help alleviate stress on
presentation day. They will allow you to relax and
give your presentation with a clear mind. This will
increase your chances of scoring a good grade.
By Paul Sacchetti
Top Songs of 2015
• 679: Fetty Wap ft. Remy Boyz
• Cheerleader: OMI
Arrowhead 2016
• Marvin Gaye: Charlie Puth ft.
Meghan Trainor
• Talking Body: Tove Lo
• Hello: Adele
• One Last Time: Ariana
Grande
• Hey Mama: David Guetta ft.
Nicki Minaj
• Perfect: One Direction
• Time Of Our Lives: Pitbull ft.
Ne-Yo
• Photograph: Ed Sheeran
• Hotline Bling: Drake
• Same Old Love: Selena
Gomez
• Lean On: Major Lazer & DJ
Snake ft. MØ
• Like I’m Gonna Lose You:
Meghan Trainor ft. John
Legend
• See You Again: Wiz Khalifa
ft. Charlie Puth
• Shut Up and Dance: Walk The
Moon
• Love Me Like You Do: Ellie
Goulding
• Sorry: Justin Bieber
• Love Yourself: Justin Bieber
• Sugar: Maroon 5
• Stitches: Shawn Mendes
• The Hills: The Weekend
• Want To Want Me: Jason
Derulo
• Watch Me: Silentó
• What Do You Mean: Justin
Bieber
• Where Are U Now: Skrillex &
Diplo ft. Justin Bieber
• Wildest Dreams: Taylor Swift
• You Know You Like It: DJ
Snake & Aluna George
Emily Campbell
Arrowhead 2016
Investigative Series:
Academic Crimes
The Student’s Perspective
The headlines of today’s world
consist of talk about how humans have
grown into a morally corrupt species,
and how this corruption is because
of things like guns, refugees, and gay
marriage. With the 2016 presidential election
less than a year away, American news not
only highlights the corruption, but also how
each candidate proposes to fix it. Despite this
talk of ‘re-moralizing’ our society, not a single
candidate is concerned with the corruption
where it really matters; at its source, here in
our schools. The corruption in the real world
is known as cheating here in our little high
school, and it happens more often than
one would like to know about. Cheating,
as defined by the Merriam-Webster Online
Dictionary, is “to violate rule dishonestly,”
typically in hopes of gaining an advantage over
others. In a survey of over 250 students here
at Mohonasen High School, 88% admitted to
cheating on an academic assignment at one
point in their educational career; a remarkably
high number which begs one question: why?
Many of the students polled were surprised
to learn that cheating includes things like
copying homework and asking a friend for
an answer on a quiz. “Why does it matter
if I copy homework?” one student asked,
“I’m still getting it done.” From this, there
are two obvious conclusions to be drawn.
Either students are unaware they are cheating
(which is sometimes the case in issues such
as plagiarism), or they are unaware of the
greater effect that cheating on an individual
assignment will have. Samantha Purcell, a
senior at Mohonasen, understands the student
mindset. “(Cheating) on homework I get.
Once or twice isn’t that big of a deal and
doesn’t really deserve a penalty, but people
should realize they need to study for tests.”
Purcell makes a point which many students
seem to agree with: copying homework is
okay in moderation. No one is perfect, so it’s
understandable that every student is going to
copy a homework assignment at least once.
But it’s the people who copy an assignment
every week that are the real issue. These
students don’t fully grasp the consequences
of their actions. Homework is assigned to
ensure extra practice and that students can
understand and apply the material. If the time
isn’t taken to work though the material and
Whatever the reason,
cheating is still an
alarmingly large issue
in high school, one that
desperately needs a fix.
apply
the knowledge, there is no guarantee that the
student has learned the material. Sure, the
grade went in the grade book, but at what
cost?
Victoria Banks, also a senior at Mohonasen,
views cheating in a different light. “If you’re
not smart enough, you’re seen as not good
enough,” she says. Other students agree,
claiming that the pressure to achieve academic
success is high, and that teacher expectations
of students are skyrocketing. “There is a lack
of confidence in our abilities,” claims junior
Nafis Wright, “It’s bringing us all down.”
Education reforms are abundant in our state,
and with the dreaded Common Core
curriculum lurking over every student’s
head, it is questionable as to how
true the previous statements are.
Is it that pressure and expectations
are too high? Or is it that workload
and difficulty are increasing and our
students are having trouble rising to
the challenge?
Cheating issues
The Arrowhead 5
Another student tags the idea of group
testing onto Calkins’ suggestion. This would
entail students working in groups, ranging
from two or three to an entire class, to
complete an exam. This form of testing is
typically seen in colleges and universities, and
appears promising. However, in high schools
it seems to be less so, for college-level exams
are much more difficult to study for, as well as
more difficult and time consuming than high
school exams. Although a good suggestion
in theory, it may be a while before we see
Ms. Derochie handing out a group test to her
English 9’s.
Cheating being a prevalent issue, the
morality of our society’s youth can be called
into question. If cheating in a high school
setting equates to shoplifting in the real
world, how many shoplifters are we raising?
How many of those students who cheat
in high school will commit an act of fraud
sometime later in life? Stop shaking your
head, because the stretch isn’t that far. Out of
the people polled to obtain the data previously
mentioned, roughly 40% were seniors,
If cheating in a high
school setting equates
to shoplifting in the
real world, how many
shoplifters are we
raising?
Whatever the reason, cheating is
still an alarmingly large issue in high school,
one that desperately needs a fix. Freshman
Lena Calkins proposes that teachers “stop
giving zeros for homework that isn’t done.”
This solution makes more sense than one
might think, for it will stop students from
copying homework just to get the grade. If
homework consisted entirely of ungraded
assignments, the incentive would no longer
be a five-point grade. Instead, students would
have to emerge from the tunnel vision they
are currently caught in and look into the
future. On the unit test or final exam, those
who completed the homework assignments
will be better prepared and score higher than
those who did not complete said assignments.
Calkins’ proposal also promises to fix cheating
issues in testing environments; better prepared
students will feel confident going into
exams, and will not feel the need to look at a
“smarter” neighbor’s answers.
students who will be headed off to college
in a few short months. They are one step
away from the real world with the mindset
that cheating, copying, and sneaking behind
authority’s back is okay. Is this what we want
entering our society as the next generation of
adults? Even more alarming is the fact that,
of the remaining 60% of polled students,
45% were freshman. Despite their young
age, these students have already established
that cheating is an okay act to commit. How
is it that we have raised our children into this
mindset? Is this really how high schoolers
should be thinking? Such low standards of
morality in America’s youth reflect poorly
on our entire society, and only threaten to
continue decreasing unless we act now. How
should we act? Now that’s up to you.
-McKenzie Burns
6
The Arrowhead Arrowhead 2016
Semi-Formal
2015!
• Tuesday, November 24th at Water’s Edge Lighthouse
Arrowhead 2016
Are concussions a
problem in the NFL
and NHL?
With the recent release of
blockbuster hit, Concussion, Noah
Vice provides a closer look into
the latest controversial topic in
American sports.
Many teams have lost athletes
due to big hits during the game.
Athletes have recovered from
bad injuries and can still make it
back in time for games during
the season. However big hits to
the head can cause a concussion
which is a head trauma injury.
Concussions in sports are
devastating and they come up the
most in the NFL and the NHL.
A concussion is when someone’s
head shakes and the brain moves.
This happens a lot during every NFL
SONG LYRIC
Fill-in-theBlank: ANSWERS
1. SONG: THE HILLS
Artist: The Weeknd
Missing Lyric: “tryna keep it up
don’t seem so simple”
2. SONG: 679
Artist: Fetty Wap ft. Montana
Bucks
Missing Lyric: “Wonder when
she’ll be mine”
SONG
LYRIC Fill-inthe-Blank
Think you know your
music? Test that
theory by seeing if
you know the lyrics to
these songs!
1. I’mma let you know
and keep it simple
________ so simple
2. I’m like, yeah, she’s
fine
________ mine
The Arrowhead 3. If I didn’t have you
there would be
nothing left
The shell of a man
who could never be
his best
________ sun
6. I know you know
that I made those
mistakes maybe once
or twice
And by once or twice
I mean
________ times
4. I’m in California
dreaming about who
we used to be
When we were
younger and free
________ our feet
7. I said, “No one has to
know what we do, “
His hands are in my
hair, his clothes are in
my room
________ sound
5. Ever since I left
the city, You got
a reputation for
yourself now
________ left out
8. Excuse me if I seem
a little unimpressed
with this
________ with this
season. Many great athletes have been
forced to sit out multiple seasons or
even retire because of concussions.
According to Bleacher Report,
concussions are getting just as bad as
steroids in sports. Earlier in June, 49ers
offensive tackle Anthony Davis made
a statement saying that he wanted
to take time off from playing football
to let his brain and body heal. Nick
Kypreos played professional hockey
in the NHL and played for more than
5. SONG: HOTLINE BLING
Artist: Drake
Missing Lyric: “Everybody knows
and I feel left out”
6. SONG: SORRY
Artist: Justin Bieber
Missing Lyric: “Maybe a couple a
hundred times”
3. SONG: DRAG ME DOWN
Artist: One Direction
Missing Lyric: “If I didn’t have
you, I’d never see the sun”
7. SONG: WILDEST DREAMS
Artist: Taylor Swift
Missing Lyric: “And his voice is a
familiar sound”
4. SONG: HELLO
Artist: Adele
Missing Lyric: “I’ve forgotten
how it felt before the world fell
at our feet”
8. SONG: HERE
Artist: Alessia Cara
Missing Lyric: “An anti-social
pessimist but usually I don’t
mess with this”
-Amanda Bogatka
7
-Amanda Bogatka
10 years. His career was ended by
post-concussion syndrome and he
was forced to retire. Another NHL
player whose career was ended by a
concussion was Jeff Beukeboom with
a hit to the face by Matt Johnson who
played for the Kings.
According to ESPN, many officials
are trying to make changes to the NFL
and NHL by looking for big hits during
games. Most officials call flags for
plays that have hits like head butts and
people who spear. They warn athletes
to play with a smart mindset and
think about their careers, as these hits
can cause them to possibly end very
early. Traumatic brain injuries can even
cause death. People who still play with
concussion increase their chances of
being even more brain damaged. Many
athletic trainers in high school search
for big hits in games and take athletes
out of the game even if they don’t
have concussions. It is really important
that everyone who plays highly physical
contact sports be aware of concussions.
If people are not aware of concussions
it can cause many players to not play
the game they love if they do not take it
seriously.
By: Noah Vice
8
The Arrowhead Arrowhead 2016
ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT: Chris DeNoviov and Joseph Galusha
Chris DeNovio on Mohon Bowling
The Impact of Wrestling Upon the Life of
Christian DeNovio is a Mohonasen High School senior who is hoping the
Joseph Galusha
Wrestling was a sport invented by the Greeks in
the early ages of the world, but was not added to an
Olympic games until the late 1890s, 1896 to be exact.
The sport of wrestling is one of the most enduring,
laboring, and condition necessary sports to exist in the
world of high school sports. From the practice mat to
the match, one must practice their moves and then
use those same moves to subdue an opponent for a
match. The conditioning of the wrestlers also plays a
huge role in their standings amongst those of the same
weight class. Senior Joseph Galusha is one of the better
wrestlers to come through the hallways of Mohonasen High School and hopes to be
the best by the end.
The journey of Joseph Galusha to where he is now as a great senior wrestler for
the Mohonasen Warriors starts back in Draper Middle School when he was in seventh
grade. “I began wrestling in middle school on the modified wrestling team with Coach
Jones” said Joe, as he explained where it all started for him. He had family that had
wrestled before, so he figured he might as well try it when he had the opportunity in
middle school.
When asked about his high school career as a varsity wrestler at the 182 weight
class, Joe explained his placement at some of the tournaments he participated in
during this time. “I’ve placed first in most of my tournaments, because once I get into
my zone, I can’t be stopped unless my opponent happens to just naturally know more
moves (than I do) and how to use them.”
The tournaments are the best part of Joe’s wrestling season. “Going to Bristol,
Connecticut was one of the highlights of my year” said Joseph as we talked about
his wrestling career. Joey dished on what some of his personal strengths are, that he
loves wrestling and hates losing with a passion. The fact that losing makes him mad
motivates him to win every match possible.
Last season, Joey only lost only one or two matches throughout the season; he
was the closest he has ever been to an undefeated season. Maybe this year will be the
year for Joseph to take the title and have his undefeated senior season.
Joey talked about some of the team strengths, “We have every weight class filled
this year and we have tons of replacements for every spot. We’re hoping that every
wrestler will be a valuable part of the team and will help us accomplish our goals of
winning.”
Joseph explained how even though he participates in football and baseball
(sometimes), football is number one for him while wrestling remains a close second.
At the end of our interview we had a quick laugh...I decided to state that I would
beat him at least once this year. We all know how this will turn out...
-Bryan Smith
An Interview with Senior
Cheerleader, Sam Mauceri
Sam Mauceri is a great representation of an
athlete at Mohonasen. I sat down to ask her a few
questions about what she does while school isn’t in
session. She is a senior this year and participates in
Cheerleading. This sport occurs during the fall and
winter season, and she takes part in both. Sam cheers
at a varsity level and has since her sophomore year.
In total she has cheered for 5 years, including school
and All Star Cheer, which she did for a year. Some of
her accomplishments are winning the cheerleading
nationals this past season, and having our football team
win their homecoming game, which she cheered for.
A personal strength of Sam’s is that she is extremely
Varsity Bowling Team will go undefeated this
2015-2016 bowling season. DeNovio is a very
accomplished bowler who will hopefully help lead
the Mohonasen bowling team to a Sectional victory
this year.
DeNovio has been bowling since he was nine
years old. He made the high school bowling team
when he was in tenth grade. Mohonasen has
a very good bowling team, so it was quite an
accomplishment for DeNovio to make the team
in 10th grade. Throughout DeNovio’s bowling
career, he has had many accomplishments. DeNovio has had two perfect
games and one 800 series. For DeNovio to be only 17 years old and have these
accomplishments proves how good of a bowler he is.
DeNovio is hoping to bowl yet another 300 game this year and to “win
sectionals so my senior class and I can put our mark on Mohonasen bowling
history.” When it comes to DeNovio’s personal strengths for bowling, he has
many. When things don’t go his way in the match or he’s just having a bad
day, DeNovio is very good at keeping calm and bringing himself back on track.
“When you’re doing badly, getting angry and frustrated can only hurt you; you
got to keep your calm and cheer on your team.”
Bowling is a game about consistency. You must shoot the same exact shot
every time you bowl to be competitive at a high level. DeNovio is very consistent.
Through a ten shot game, DeNovio will shoot the same shot eight of those ten
times, which is very good. DeNovio is very excited to start the new bowling
season. “Our bowling team has a lot of experience and a lot of great bowlers
this year, we should be able to do very well and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
His 9 years of practice and hard work surely shows as you watch DeNovio on the
lanes.
Along with bowling, DeNovio also plays varsity football and tennis. In his
free time, DeNovio likes to play pickup football games and video games with his
friends. “After playing competitively, it’s always fun to play with your friends and
just have fun. It’s a nice way to stay active in the off-season or when there is no
practice. Playing video games gives me the chance to relax and have some down
time.”
After Mohonasen, DeNovio hopes to go to college to become a sports
announcer. He would like to eventually be like Bob Costas or Phil Simms.
In college, he also would like to continue bowling, either for the school or
just recreationally. DeNovio has not decided on a school yet but his top two
choices are SUNY Oswego and Syracuse University, two great schools for his
major. DeNovio is very passionate about bowling and sports. He has bowled
for years and practices every chance he gets. He also loves playing pickup
games with his friends so he can stay active and play the sports he loves. He
will eventually go to college to become a sports announcer and get a job
surrounding his passion. DeNovio has excelled both academically and athletically,
which is why he’s this week’s athlete of the week.
-Kyle Thomas
determined. She always
puts her team first and
works very hard to achieve
her goals. Sam feels that
a team strength is that, as a whole, the group of girls
is really talented and gets along very well. “We are so
close in and out of cheer. We have made many lifelong
friendships through the love of cheerleading”, said
Sam during her interview. Although she works very
hard at what she does, Sam has had some setbacks in
her sport; last year she had to take some time off of
cheer due to a shoulder injury. Even though it was very
painful and scary; she was able to make a full recovery
and came back to practices in no time.
Sam’s goals in the sport are to get her standing tuck
by the end of the year. This is an extremely hard skill
to master, but Sam’s talent and positivity will help her
to achieve this. Her long term goal after high school is
to go to college for criminal psychology. Overall Sam
Mauceri makes a great candidate for athlete of the
week.
-Jenna LaCasse