EDITION 10 is finally done.indd

Saga
Volume XLI
Edition 10
January 30, 2008
C S P A
G o l d
The Student Newspaper of East Lyme High School
M e d a l i s t
East Lyme, Connecticut
If You Can’t R o w, Row, R ow you r B oat
Take the
Heat...
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N
Search for
New Principal
Iron Chef sandwich competition
displays East Lyme’s finest chefs
by Andrea Chrunyk
Carrying a Diet Coke and a
chilled water bottle, history
teacher Chris Sandford ran to
the culinary room in hopes for a
free lunch. However, this lunch
was not a product of the ELHS
cafeteria, instead it was being
made fresh by students competing
in the first annual East Lyme High
School Iron Chef competition.
The idea came from first year
culinary teacher Ms. Melanie
Sandoval for her two Culinary II
classes. She was inspired by the
show “Iron Chef America,” and
tried to apply it to her classroom.
Featured on the Food Network,
teams of chefs compete to create
the best dish using the same
ingredients as each other in a
certain time limit. “I thought that
this is a good capstone project
to use all the skills they learned
during the semester that is also
fun and competitive,” explained
Ms. Sandoval.
The class started out with
everyone standing at their stations,
nervously waiting for their turn
to pick out the ingredients for a
recipe they made up on the spot.
Each student went up one by
one to pick out the ingredients,
and soon smells of bacon and
toasted bread wafted through the
air. (Chef continued on page 5)
page 4
T
H
School Swap
I
page 6
S
V.Ferdon/Saga
Seniors Mike Swenson, John Morton, Colter Begin and Jeff Foster make their way down the
pool in their boat constructed in Mr. Tucker’s Engineering class. They faced stiff competition,
and finished second in their heat to Ms. Dean, Ms. Moger and Ms. Cassidy in the lane next
to them. Read more about the annual boat race on page 9.
Car Raiders
by Brendan Welch
Sometimes you’re not judged by your good looks or charm, but on the contents
of your car...
Senior Ben Fontneau and The Shaggin’ Wagon
At long last, it was my first look inside Ben Fontneau’s infamous ’93 Ford Taurus
station wagon. I had gone through rigorous mental preparation, but the enormity of
the moment was undeniable. It was finally time to see the Shaggin’ Wagon.
“What can I say? It’s the best car in the parking lot,” Ben claims.
I first went for the glove compartment, wondering what surprises the Wagon
had in store for me. Nothing could have readied me for the two white and very
unexpected masks that fell out: medical masks. “Just in case there’s an epidemic or
something,” Fontneau says.
Ben is well-protected from that pesky Ebola virus, but what about the elements?
Well, also occupying the glove compartment were a portable fire extinguisher and
a trusty “emergency survival pack,” complete with blankets and medicine. The
Shaggin’ Wagon’s arsenal extended to the back seat, where I found a first-aid kit
and a warm lumberjack hat. (See Car Raiders page 7)
E
New Track
Record
page 8
D
I
T
Movie
Review
page 10
I
O
N
Growing up
too fast?
page 10
The Viking Saga
Opinion
O u r
T w o
“It’s a once in a lifetime experience!”
I pleaded with my parents, “when will
I ever be as excited or able to see the
candidates during the primary season of
an open election ever again?”
After promising my parents that I would
not get into an accident and that I would
be home before dark, I went off to bed
early in anticipation of my big road trip
to New Hampshire the next day. I just
could not shake off the faintest glint of
doubt… would I really be able to see
these candidates? Can you really just
walk up and listen to the future president
of the United States speak?
As I soon found out, the answer is yes! Despite
a rocky, early morning start, my partner John
Kleinhans and I were able to see three presidential
candidates in an experience that I will indeed
remember for the rest of my life.
The biggest surprise was the accessibility of
it all. The United States is debatably the most
powerful country in the world, and there we were,
two high school kids strolling right into the meat
of national politics. Could we really
just meander into the auditorium of
Pinkerton Academy, without being
frisked, walking through a metal
detector, or being hassled by a
security officer, and stand within
20 feet of the future president of
the United States, quite possibly
the most powerful executive officer on the globe?
The whole concept boggles my mind! After picking my jaw up
from off the ground as I stood in the midst of Mitt Romney, I began
to recall the days I spent in Washington D.C. this summer. Without
a second thought, I freely roamed the halls of the Cannon building
and other congressional offices bumping into Senators Clinton,
Kerry, Lieberman and Kennedy, lawmakers at work. I did not have
any special access, a press pass, badge or fancy pin; I was simply my
American self.
As we listened to Mike Huckabee talk about Chuck Norris, and Chuck Norris
talk about Chuck Norris, I realized what a profound governmental system we
have our country. As John mentioned, any American, or any person in the
world for that matter, has the right to sit in on national legislation hearings or
presidential campaign speeches. History in the making is open to the public,
free of charge!
While John hummed “hail to the king,” Senator John McCain saunters
on out to board his campaign bus, nodding and smiling to his “friends of
New Hampshire.” As I reached out to shake his hand, I could not help but
think, regardless of how quick some students and faculty members may be to
criticize, how truly fortunate we are to live in a country where we can freely
witness and participate in our government.
Lucky for John, he got to listen to me worship America for the whole ride
home, and lucky for me, I was home before dark.
January 30, 2008
C e n
Sitting in Block A Journalism, my co-editor
Stef and I came up with a plan to take a road trip
to New Hampshire. At the time of the primaries,
New Hampshire was a prime location to see
democracy in action. It was where we could see
real person-to-person politics take place. Since
we have both followed the race, we thought it
would be a great idea to see some of the front
runners in person. But the question was, how do
we get into these events? It came to our surprise
that we did not even need to RSVP. After about a
15 minute Google search, I had all the locations
John Kleinhans
of the candidates for the weekend. So the plan
News Editor
was set, we would embark on a journey to New
Hampshire that Saturday morning.
The three-and-a-half
hour drive was eventful, but we made it. I have never
seen Stef’s eyes so big as when we arrived at the Mitt
Romney event. As we walked in, I thought she was
going to have a heart attack. Just as we entered we
heard “and here’s your future president, Governor
Mitt Romney” Felitto’s mouth dropped to the ground
as she realized that her icon was all of 15 feet away.
It was pretty impressive, we saw a world leader,
regardless if he wins the presidency. The event was
crazy, however, every detail was completely
choreographed. There were finger-painted signs
reading “Kids for Mitt,” “NH Loves Mitt,” that
were likely made by Romney’s staffers, as we
learned about in our AP Government class.
Thanks Mr. Sandford! The Romney event was
great but I really wanted to see the other two
candidates Mike Huckabee and John McCain.
Huckabee’s event was located in the
Londonderry Middle School cafeteria, a room
with the capacity of about 150 people, but was
packed to about 400 people. The event claimed
not to be political, instead it was a charity event
*all pictures from ccinsiders.com
to support local non-profits, with special guests
Mike Huckabee and Chuck Norris. Apart from
waiting about 45 minutes for both guests to come, it was pretty momentous
seeing Huckabee and Chuck. When Governor Huckabee walked out he got a
received minor recognition, but when Chuck came out, with his good-looking
wife, they got chants of “Chuck, Chuck, Chuck.” I was not impressed with
Huckabee and was ready to head to McCain’s event.
John McCain, former POW, former congressman, current senator, is basically
the man. Felitto, my dad and I headed an hour from Huckabee’s event to get
to McCain’s. When we got to the town hall meeting, we were met with an
extreme amount of protestors. They clogged up the entire town hall forcing the
fire marshal to cut off entry for everyone else. So we grabbed a bite to eat and
decided the trip was done. Then, as we were leaving, we saw that John McCain
was leaving aswell, so we stood there and watched him come outside. It was a
great experience being only arms-length away from Senator McCain.
Overall, this was a life changing experience that has propelled me to pursue
a political career in the future.
Page 2
The Viking Saga
t s
Opinion
a r e
January 30, 2008
F r e e :
of school bus.
It is in the dark corners of the immense
yellow automobile that students learn about
authority and class structure. Everyone knows
that the back seats are saved for those greatest
in age, and those not aware learn so the hard
way. Students learn of territory,
Did You
Know?
and the importance of “shotty”ing their beloved seat on the first
day of school or being a permanent
bus nomad who struggles to find a
partner to sit with as the bus doors
close.
After sitting through AP Statistics counting
down the seconds until 2:10 with the classic
last-block-of-the-day mentality, I exit the
school to a sight that makes me cringe on a
daily basis: buses half-filled with students,
engines roaring, encircling an extremely long
chain of parent drivers.
As a girl who walked a quarter-mile to the
bus stop every year up until junior year, I feel
I must address this issue. There is absolutely
no reason why parents should chauffeur
their child home from school when there is
a bus covering that exact route. The fumes
exerted by their mini-vans and SUVs are
hurting our precious air due to their child’s
apparent inability to walk home from the
street corner.
This act is not only unnecessary nurturing,
but it is deprivation of valuable life lessons;
lessons that can only be learned in the back
Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” is by
far the most prevalent theme in the back-seat
struggle. Everyone goes about their normal
routine, immersed in their own conversation
or iPod until a weakness is sensed within the
group. Two people arguing about last night’s
football game or someone purposely kicking
the back of seat in front of them. For me, it
was my very bad case of poison ivy, though
no longer contagious, that set off the alarm.
I was instantly pushed out of my normal
seat into the aisle, only to be buried under
countless backpacks in retaliation for putting
my classmates’ health at risk.
It is instances like these that make you
a stronger person. Taking the bus, having to
walk in the rain with 15 pounds of books on
your back prepares you for the hardship of
life. So you know what guys? Stick up for
yourselves. Take the bus. And walk home.
A Letter to the Editors
In Response to Editor’s Presidential Picks in the January 16th Edition”
The Mighty Vikings
were Feminists...
Before the year 1000, the word “she”
did not exist in the English language.
The singular female reference was the
word “heo”, which also was the plural
of all genders. The word “she” appeared
only in the 12th century, about 400 years
after English began to take form. “She”
probably derived from the Old English
feminine “seo,” the Viking word for
feminine reference.
T h e S a g a S t af f :
Stefanie Felitto &
Valerie Ferdon
Editors-in-Chief
John Kleinhans
News Editor
Mollie Teeter
Features Editor
Dear Saga Staff,
I flipped the Saga to the page containing your article on Super Tuesday, expecting to find
some interesting and diverse information on the candidates in the upcoming election. I was,
however, quite shocked to see that not one, not two, but three out of only four blurbs in the
entire article were on Republicans. The remaining slot was filled by John Edwards, who is one
of the more conservative democrats. I’d also like to point out that you conveniently omitted
the two leading candidates on the Democratic side (and arguably the leaders in the national
polls for the entire election): Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. While you obviously have
your own political bias, I highly doubt that not one person on your staff supports either of these
Democratic candidates...
Kyle Weiss
Sports and
Back Page Editor
Page 3
Alex Addabbo
Kevin Anthony
Hannah Barner
Kit Brown
Andrea Chrunyk
Ryann Foulke
Matthew Heath
Rachel Hutchins
Kate Eberle
Entertainment
Editor
Jeff Beale
Advisor
Ariel Nicolosi
Featured Illustrator
-senior Andrew Hill
Featured Writers:
Ellie Kleinhans
Amy Li
Emily Newton
Ramona Ostrowski
Alexa Tabares
Brendan Welch
The Viking Saga
Your Pick: Design
Expo or
2 Hour Exam
Design Classes display their work at the
annual Design Expo
by Rachel Hutchins
At 7:30 throughout the week of midterms
most of us were at school working
diligently on our exams, while the design
students are snoozing away. They were
exempt from their exam because of their
hard work and dedication to the annual
Design Expo.
This year, the expo was held on January
9, 2008 in the cafeteria. “It is a great way for
kids to learn about themselves and display
their talents and skills,” commented Linda
Foote, who teaches Designing You and
Your Space.
Mrs. Newton agreed, “It is a great way
to showcase the beautiful, creative work
of our talented students.”
A lot of work goes in to the students’
display. Each student makes two pieces
for the class: a pattern piece, as well as
either a “square a day” or recycle project.
A “square a day” is a quilting project, and
a recycle project is where the students
turn an old garment into a new garment
or accessory. For each project, the student
also must make a poster displaying the
minutiae of their project, such as fiber
content, the skills used to make the
garment, the total cost to make the piece
and the estimated cost to buy it.
“It helps the students reflect on what
they have learned,” Foote remarks.
For the “Designing You and Your Space”
class, students must make posters that
display the room they designed in class.
They use a computer program to make
floor plans and then choose furniture and
accessories for their room. Each student
has a critique form on which visitors
and fellow students to the expo assess
the projects.
“It is the way a lot of schools are assessing
now,” Foote explains. Holding an expo is
a better way to assess the students than a
written exam. The students also seem to
enjoy having an expo over an exam.
“I liked seeing what people from other
classes did as well as the “Designing You
and Your Space” projects,” commented
sophomore Nicole Hubbs.
News
January 30, 2008
were spotless. It was time for the judges to
(Chef continued from front page)
It was then that Ms. Sandoval unleashed deliberate. Each student came up one at a
the Secret Ingredient: radishes. Most were time to present their sandwich to the judges.
During the Block C competition. Sarah
not thrilled about having to incorporate the
Saunders
won
radishes into their
“Most Safe and
recipe.
Senior
Sanitary,” Bobby
Erica
Marks
White won both
said, “I was very
“Most Unique” and
shocked because
the coveted “Iron
they are disgusting
Chef” title for the
and I had no idea
Block C class, as
how to fit it into
well as a chance
my sandwich.”
to compete against
All of the
the Block G class.
students managed,
Submitted/Sandoval
The winners from
and the radishes did
Judges Mr. Sandford, Mr. Hine and Mr. Roberts
the
Block G class
not detract from a
sample sandwiches from the Culinary 2 competition
were Matt Lacerte
single sandwich.
for “Most Unique”,
Marks eventually
“Most Safe and Sanitary” went
came up with a clever way of
to Sarah Dahm, and the “Iron
using the radishes. “I minced
Chef” title went to Wade Berry.
them and then put it into my
Berry and White faced each
ranch dressing,” she said.
other in the final competition,
As the judges wandered around
which was held at lunch on
talking to the students about
Friday, January 11th.
their sandwiches, Sandford
The competition was tough
declared he would give full
with the secret ingredient being
credit to anyone who named
bamboo shoots. A befuddled
their sandwich “The Sandford.”
Berry stared at the sauces after
Xie’s creation, entitled “The
hearing the ingredient and
Sandfordo” contained a special
Submitted/Sandoval
muttered to himself, “I don’t
ingredient of her own, “Death
A few of the finished
know what to do.”
Hot Sauce.”
products
In the end, he figured it out
__Xie’s explanation for this
strange ingredient: “I put it on because and made a classic sandwich with cold meats
I heard Mr. Sandford was coming and and mayonnaise. White, the winner of the
competition, made a breakfast burrito. Ms.
wanted revenge.”
Mr. Sandford lucked out, however, because Sandoval said that one of the contributing
he decided after seeing the other judges eat it reasons to why White won was his use of
and knowing the student personally that he bamboo shoots. Iron Chef Champion White
stated, “I did enjoy doing it, it shows what
should sit that round out.
By the end of the 45 minute time limit, the you can do with restricted time.”
sandwiches had been made and the kitchens
Read All About It: What’s going on around the world?
by Amy Li
Sticky School Day: “I was home with a the adhesive product freed his hands and the boy
contagious viral infection”or, “My alarm clock
did not go off and I overslept” What excuses have
you used for missing school? 10- year- old Diego
Palacios from Monterrey, Mexico used the excuse
of being glued to his bed. After Christmas break,
the 10- year -old was still too caught up in the
holiday spirit to return to school. Remembering
that his mother had bought him very strong glue,
he glued his hand to the metal headboard. For
two hours, the boy watched cartoons while his
mother and the paramedics struggled to unglue
him. “Luckily” for him, a spray that dissolved
Page 4
made it to school a few hours later.
Now Hiring: Take a walk around the East Lyme
High School Library, and you will notice that
the staff is one member short. Former Assistant
Librarian Pamela Fairlie left to pursue a Master’s
degree in Library Science at Simmons College.
As a result, the ELHS library is looking for a
new replacement with a technology background
and a love for books and kids. Luckily, various
applicants interested in the position have sent in
their applications. So hopefully the library will
be hiring a new addition soon.
The Viking Saga
News
January 30, 2008
The Principal Issue
Who will take Mr. Roberts’ place?
by Ellie Kleinhans and Ramona Ostrowski
The announcement of East Lyme High
School Principal Lawrence Roberts’
impending retirement caused universal
surprise within the school community.
However, now that the shock is beginning
to subside, it is time to look into the future.
The question everyone is asking—who will
succeed Mr. Roberts?
“It’s unfortunate to see Mr. Roberts go.
Hopefully the person filling his shoes will
be just as good,” said junior class president
Mark Sheehan. With the advertisement of
the position first appearing in the Hartford
Courant on January 6th, the search for Mr.
Roberts’ successor has begun.
In addition to posting the opening in the
paper, Assistant Superintendent Paul Freeman
said that they sent out application packets
to various middle schools and high schools
around Connecticut to spark interest. All
applicants will be sending in all paperwork
by February 29th.
By this time a combination of 20 to
30 community and high school faculty
members, along with student representatives
and parents, from both Salem and East
Lyme, will make up a committee to review
the applicants.
They will then make recommendations
to the East Lyme Superintendent Dr. Paul
Smotas, who will recommend between one
and four candidates for the Board of Education
to evaluate the prospects. Mr. Freeman called
it a “series of filters windowing down.”
“The interview team was very intense...
but the questions were even more intense at
the meeting with the Board of Ed,” said Mr.
Roberts about his experience five years ago.
In addition to the interviews, site visits are
a part of the search for a new principal. This
is where either Mr. Freeman or Director of
Special Services, Steve Buck, go to the school
where the applicant currently works. “We
want to watch the candidate at their school
and see how they interact with their faculty,”
said Mr. Freeman.
In the meantime, those involved with the
process are formalizing the interviewing
schedule. “We hope to have a final candidate
by the middle of April,” said Mr. Freeman.
Director of Counseling, Marcia Goldriech,
added that the new principal will ideally start
on July 1st, Mr. Roberts’ last day.
Despite rumors, there are no confirmed
candidates for the job. “This is an open
search, we are looking for the best person for
the job, regardless where they are from,” said
Mr. Freeman.
Since ELHS has recently been awarded a
prestigious silver medal from U.S. News and
World Report, ELHS history teacher Marcie
Cunningham said, “This is a school that a lot
of people are going to be interested in being
the principal of.”
Although the interest should be high,
administrators are a “designated shortage
area” as Mr. Roberts described it. While
he explained that ten years ago somewhere
between 75 and 100 people would apply for
this job, Mr. Freeman only expects about 30
qualified applicants this year.
“This has to be looked at as a wonderful
opportunity for somebody. We are one of the
top 500 schools in the country. We have great
kids and great faculty,” said Mr. Roberts, who
will surely be missed upon his retirement.
Committee Meetings
Location: ELHS Media Center
March 17 - Initial Committee
Meeting from 5:30-7:00
March 18, 19, 20 - Two 60-minute
Interviews per day
6:00-7:00 Interview
7:00-7:30 Break
7:30-8:30 Interview
8:30-9:00 Debrief, March 20 only
Committee Members
1 Facilitator
2 ELHS Seniors
5 ELHS Teachers
2 ELHS Parents
1 Community Member
1 East Lyme Administrator
1 Salem Adminstrator
Specific names to be determined
ELHS Principal Proposed Interview Timeline
(Revised 01/02/08)
February 29
Applications Due to
Central Office
March 3-7
Paper Screening
March 10
Final Paper Screening
Meeting at Central Office
April 2
ELHS Faculty Debriefing
in Media Center
March 25-27
Site Visits
March 17-20
Committee Meetings
See sidebar
April 9-11
Candidate Meetings with
Superintendent
April 8
AdStaff Interviews
April 1
ELHS Faculty Social in
Media Center
Page 5
April 28
Board Of Education
Candidate Review
The Viking Saga
Features
January 30, 2008
Kickin’ it with the Big Dogs
My visit to uniform-clad St. Bernard’s
by Alex Addabbo
When I was sent to St. Bernard’s with the
task of researching the uniforms, I expected
to walk in and immediately be lost in a mob of
students in identical outfits. That is the classic
perception of a school with uniforms, right?
As it turns out, I was pleasantly surprised.
My first observation was that the majority
of the female
students,
as
well as some
of the males,
were wearing
clogs – a staple
at East Lyme
High. I noticed
this on my way
to the Assistant
P r i n c i p a l ’s
office to be
picked up by
the
student
that I would
spend the day
with,
junior
Orie strikes a pose in
Orie Plasse.
his St. B’s get-up
During
English class, Orie and a few of his classmates
explained their uniform policy. The guys are
to wear long grey pants, a uniform shirt, a
solid colored belt and dress shoes. They have
a choice of a long-sleeved uniform shirt or
polo, but if they choose the long-sleeved shirt
they must wear a tie and every button must be
securely fastened.
The boys do not have much room to show
any personal style, as there are strict rules that
accompany their uniforms. They cannot wear
sneakers, their undershirts have to be a solid
color, their shirts have to be tucked in, and
they cannot roll their sleeves up. Junior Jeff
Delutia and the rest of his male-dominated
lunch table say they get in trouble most often
for “untucked shirts.”
In addition to the uniforms, their faces
have to be clean shaven and their hair cannot
touch their collar or be past their ears.
The boys’ general consensus on the uniform
policy: “they suck.” In fact, when asked what
he thinks of his uniform, junior Jeff Amarello
answers, “I just look forward to going home
and changing out of it.”
The girl’s uniform consists of a skirt, solid
colored socks or tights and a uniform top. It
may not sound like it, but they have many
more choices than the guys when it comes to
picking out their outfits in the morning. There
are three different skirts (two of them are
grey with different numbers of pleats and one
is plaid) and two different tops (a short and
long-sleeved polo) that they may pair with a
maroon uniform sweater.
The school allows them to paint their nails
any color, pierce their ears, wear
whatever jewelry they want, and
dye their hair (any natural color),
which is not typical of most private
schools. They have the option of
wearing their own socks, tights, or
a combination of the two, but they
have to be solid-colored. One thing
that the girls cannot do is wear a
camisole that sticks out under their
uniform shirt, but this rule is broken
on a regular basis.
Although some teachers are more
is my first year wearing them, so I love it.”
When asked how she thinks kids at ELHS
would react to uniforms, she says, “I think
they’d like it.”
It seems that the uniforms help the female
Last year, I got a detention
for wearing polka dotted
tights. On the detention slip it
said, ‘Reason for Detention:
Inappropriate Socks.’
-St. Bernard’s sophomore Zoe Hartman
population get more sleep, but do they
help solve the clique problem that is so
characteristic of high school? Adults seem to
think so. Mary Beth Baillargeon is a teacher
as well as a parent at St. Bernard’s. She says,
“I like the uniforms because it takes the
pressure off of being judged on wearing the
right clothes instead of what’s inside.”
Students, however, have a much different
opinion. Junior Sam Fernandez says that
w e a r i n g
uniforms does
not
prevent
cliques from
forming.
“Kids
from
lax than others regarding the uniform
separate sports
policy, there are consequences for
sit together,
breaking the rules. Each time a
kids
from
teacher catches a student violating
separate towns
the uniform policy, the student
sit together,”
receives a 45-minute after-school
he explains.
detention that duplicates if they
Students also
do not serve it by a certain date.
told me that
Sophomore Zoe Hartman says, “Last
you can tell
year, I got a detention for wearing
who the nerds
polka dotted tights. On the detention
are because
slip it said, ‘Reason for Detention:
they wear their
Michaela stands with a new friend,
decked out in her uniform attire
Inappropriate Socks’.”
pants higher
Even with the extra choices that the girls than everyone else.
have over the boys, most of the girls find
My final opinion on the matter – the whole
having a uniform a major timesaver. Many uniform thing does not sound so bad, but
of those who come from public schools it also does not sound like the magic bullet
actually enjoy wearing a uniform to school. for dress code issues. Baillargeon says that
Sophomore Tara O’Conner said, “I take a uniforms are hard to enforce because the
shower the night before and it takes me ten “kids will always try to push the limit.”
minutes to get ready.”
According to Orie, whether you wear your
Senior Michaela Fortunato says, “These own clothes or a uniform does not really
kids have been wearing uniforms for their make a difference. “It does not matter – I
whole lives, so they’re sick of them. This look good,” he adds with a smile.
Page 6
The Viking Saga
Features
pairs of sunglasses and especially the two
(Car Raiders continued from front page)
Folks, if you feel like braving the wilderness small wind-up robot toys. “Yeah, I had a war
with anyone, make it Ben Fontneau. I was of wind-up robots versus wind-up dinosaurs,”
Sangster says. I am
mighty impressed
sure it was an epic
with what the wagon
showdown; one for
had to offer, and I
the ages. Part truck,
still had the trunk to
part
battlefield...
go through. Inside
This was a most
was a poncho that
a s t o u n d i n g
could be converted
automobile.
into a blanket,
My eyes gazed
accompanied
by
greedily through the
a large bag full of
pickup. On the floor
what Ben referred to
I found an awesome
as “survival food.”
stuffed
moose
His most important
B. Welch/Saga
named Moosey, a
protective
gear,
Ben’s Shaggin’ Wagon resting in the junior lot
bottle of mouthwash,
however, was the
can of Axe in his front door. “Gotta stay fresh, a Viagra pen (“It’s the only pen I’ve ever had
that I didn’t lose,” says Sangster), and a shoe
you know what I’m sayin’?” Ben says.
I sure do know what he’s saying, and that was coated with red spray paint.
A remnant of the Spirit Week festivities,
after my tour through his mysterious golden
beast of a car, I also know that Ben Fontneau the red shoe currently doubles for Sangster
definitely has reason to be braggin’ about that as a cup holder. “There’s not a single thing in
this car that doesn’t move, so the shoe is the
Shaggin’ Wagon.
only thing I can use,” he said.
Junior Matt Sangster and Pablo
The remarkable discoveries seemed to
On the outside, Matt Sangster’s personal
vehicle, which he affectionately refers to as never end. I opened the glove compartment,
“Pablo,” is exactly what you would expect and pulled out a giant pink box. Sangster
from a used ’91 Ford F-150 that cost $300. excitedly snatched it from my hands. “Oh!
While Sangster makes it clear that he would So that’s where I put my Cinderella fruit
not change a thing about his beloved truck, snacks!” he said.
Sifting around the floor, my eyes caught
the rusty, dented exterior would give anyone
their fair share of doubt. On the inside, a shiny metallic gleam. I reached for the
however, Pablo is a treasure that money light and wrapped my fingers around a pair
of handcuffs.
could never buy.
I thought it better not to ask.
I marveled at the Tickle-Me Elmo, the
Stay tuned for more Saga raids!
two beautiful silver rolls of duct tape, the five
Wake Up
East
Lyme!
Ways to help you get out of bed
in the morning
by Matt Heath
In the words of stand-up comedian Jim
Gaffigan, “Sometimes I have to negotiate
with myself to get out of bed in the morning.
‘Now listen me, I’ll get up but I’m not taking
a shower.’”
The truth is that in the middle of the school
year, nobody wants to get out of bed in the
morning. The fact that it is freezing outside
does not help either. Here are five ways to
help you beat the morning blues.
1. Put your alarm clock on the side of the
room opposite from your bed. This will force
you to get out of bed to end the dreaded
beeping sound.
2. Sleep naked. If you do this, you will need
to get dressed before a family member walks
into your room to make sure you are up.
3. Use a helicopter alarm clock. These nifty
trinkets take off when the alarm sounds. If
chasing an alarm clock in flight doesn’t get
you up, I don’t know what will. Plus, who
doesn’t want to see time fly?
4. Drink a lot of water before you go to
sleep. This way, your bladder will serve as
motivation to jump out of bed. This was
proven to work by Bart Simpson when he
tried to sneak an early peak of his Christmas
presents. Warning: you may wet the bed
5. Wear scrubs to bed. This way, when you
wake up, getting changed is optional. Plus,
you get the pleasure of pretending that you
are a doctor when you get to school.
Page 7
January 30, 2008
The Happiest Day of Her
Life…Eventually
Melanie Sandoval’s wedding is a success
by Emily Newton
The days before a wedding are meant for
the bride and groom to talk to each other, to
start planning out their lives, and to put the
final touches on the wedding. Thoughts about
cold feet are quickly washed away by the
anticipation of getting married. And of course,
both the bride and groom look forward to the
honeymoon that kick-starts the marriage.
Unfortunately, to Culinary teacher Melanie
Sandoval (previous Ms. Conklin), these
luxuries were not available to her.
Just a few days prior to her big day, her
fiancé Jonathon was caught in a snow storm
in Chicago. There were no flights leaving
the night before the rehearsal dinner, and the
six back up flights that Ms. Sandoval booked
along the way had all been cancelled.
Not one to stress out easily, Ms. Sandoval
went to the rehearsal without her fiancé, and
went on like usual. “I had to practice with
Jonathon’s brother,” laughs Ms. Sandoval.
Nevertheless, about halfway through the dinner,
“he came running in the door for the rehearsal,”
she exclaims, like a knight in shining armor.
Although not off to the perfect start, both
bride and groom made sure that everything
was set for the big day. Food, arguably one of
the most important staples of a wedding, was
catered by Ms. Sandoval. She and her future
husband did all the prep work themselves. Ms.
Sandoval explains that “the groomsmen and
best man made the vegetable platters” for the
big day.
On the day of the wedding, things went just
as planned. The bride and groom were at the
church by 8:00 am, and with the help of her
bridesmaids and mother, Ms. Sandoval got
ready. “My mom helped me put my dress on,”
she says. Ms. Sandoval was walked down the
aisle escorted by her father, and the ceremony
was followed by a reception in New Haven.
The night was full of laughs and memories,
and in the end, the Sandovals set out for New
Mexico. After arriving, “we took a road trip
cross country,” Ms. Sandoval says. They
went to once-in-a-lifetime places, like Dallas,
Arkansas, (although, Ms. Sandoval says, “I
was asleep during that one”) and Memphis. It
was a honeymoon to remember.
Although the Sandoval wedding was not
one that started, or even ended traditionally, it
will be one that will be remembered forever by
those who were involved.
The Viking Saga
Sports
January 30, 2008
Breaking the Record,
Breaking the Barrier
Senior John Quatroche breaks more
than a track record
by Kit Brown
s ECC and other area teams crowded
into the New Haven Fieldhouse
for the Jack Long Invitational on
December 21, John Quatroche,
ELHS senior 600-meter dash runner leaned
over to his teammate just before the race and
said, “I’m going to break that record!”
A
K.Brown/Saga
The record breaker, John “Q”
In exactly 1:27.47 seconds later he did.
“I did better than I expected,” John said of
the race, in which he beat a school record set
in 2000 by more than 10 milliseconds. The
original record, held by Kenneth Anderson,
was set at 1:27.60. The nearest sprinter, from
Waterford, was more than 40 milliseconds
behind John. As if that is not enough, John
went on to break the record not just one more
time, but twice. At a meet on December 28,
he shattered his own record with a time of
1:27.30. Shortly thereafter, at the January 12
meet at URI, John beat his record again with
1:27.04.
John is certainly deserving of this
accomplishment. “He’s always positive and
cheering everyone on,” says senior Lauren
Bennett, captain of the girls’ track team.
She continues, “John’s really dedicated
and hardworking.”
Dedication and hard work are saying
the least. In addition to eating healthy and
training intensely, John runs an average of
five to seven miles per day. He set the goal
for himself to break the record last year, and
his devotion has obviously paid off.
Besides adhering to a strict training
regimen, John has another major obstacle: he
is hearing-impaired.
“When I was younger, [being deaf] was harder
for me. Now it’s easier because of my cochlear
implants,” he explains. During his freshman
year of track, John had to remove his cochlear
implants so they would not get damaged.
A cochlear implant, which is different from
a hearing aid, is an expensive, surgicallyimplanted device that stimulates auditory
nerves, rather than just amplifying sound.
Removing it did not allow him to tell if
runners were near him, leading him to develop
specific techniques while racing, especially at
the beginning when he could not hear the gun
firing. John’s techniques included observing
the gun for smoke, sensing vibrations
from the gunshot, or watching for other
runners staggered ahead of him to begin.
He does not, however, see the fact he is
hearing-impaired as a barrier: “To me, it
wasn’t too hard. I could concentrate with
no noise.”
Fortunately, technology has advanced
during the past few years, and cochlear
implants that can withstand running and
other forms of physical activities have been
developed. However, this does not mean
that John can be unprepared or careless.
He must always have batteries available,
and has to make sure the cochlear implant
does not fall off. To avoid accidents, he
usually takes off one of the implants before
the race.
“He really tries his best,” says boys’
assistant track coach Sam Harfenist. “It’s
taken him a lot of time to get to this point.
You really have to keep up endurance for
those three laps,” he adds.
When asked why he enjoys running, John
answered, “It’s fun to be competitive.” He
says he likes to challenge himself against the
best runners and to beat his own times. He
also likes that it keeps him in shape.
John is not entirely sure of his postgraduation plans. He may attend the American
School for the Deaf in West Hartford for a
year. “It would give me experience at being
more independent,” he explains. He also
plans to study sign language more in-depth.
No matter his situation, John remains
optimistic. He is eagerly awaiting his new
track record to appear on the plaque in the
gym lobby. Teacher of the deaf Judy Staub
jokes, “They’re not changing it until the
end of the season because he might break
it again!”
Page 8
English teacher
Jeff Beale.
Pefect form!
K.Brown/Saga
The last man
standing.
Hitman Brian Kim
K.Brown/Saga
‘If you can dodge
a wrench...’
‘...You can dodge a ball’
by Ramona Ostrowski
Welcome to the South Gym on January 11,
the final day of the dodge ball tournament.
Many teams comprised of students and
faculty had faced off throughout the week,
but it all came down to this lunch period.
On an intensity scale of 1 to 10, junior
Mark Sheehan gave this game a 13.
The final round was a best two-out-ofthree match. The first team was comprised
solely of sophomore boys including Jacob
Grills, Jesse Delucca, Mike Babcock and
Brian Dagle. Their opponents were also
sophomore boys, except for English teacher
Jeff Beale and Spanish teacher Kelly
Burton.
Both teams stepped it up for the second
game. It came down to Jesse DeLucca and
Cody Aylward locked in a fierce battle.
Both boys threw hard and dodged quickly
as the crowd of students watching gasped
and cheered. Finally, Jesse threw a bullet at
Cody, who caught the ball against his chest.
Silence. Then the crowd exploded with
shouts and applause.
“I didn’t know I caught it until everyone
yelled ‘Oh my God!’” Cody said after his
big moment. It was exciting, but there was
still one more game to play the game that
would determine the champion.
In the end, Mike Babcock shot an undodgeable ball at Steve Gray and got him
out. His team mobbed him in celebration,
and chaos descended in the gym.
The medical knockout tournament has been
a junior class fundraiser for two years now,
and there are plans to continue this tradition in
upcoming years.
The Viking Saga
Sports
January 30, 2008
Same Tradition, New Location
the instructors. Andy Walker, a teacher at
Bacon Academy, also stated that the new
location would be easier for the staff to
accommodate business hours.
Traveling down the busy street of Cross Road
Sophomore Andrew Arnold first started
in Waterford, a driver will eventually come
going to America’s Game in January of 2006.
upon a flat rectangular-shaped
A former member of their 15- yearbuilding with a deteriorating
old baseball travel team, he said
sign reading “America’s Game”
that the staff is really dependable
tacked up near the roof. The
and knows how to teach the
problem is, this indoor baseball
fundamentals of baseball.
school is covered with trash,
“I first started when it opened.
overgrown weeds, and has not
...It was spacious and easy to
seen baseball players in months.
practice at during the winter,”
The reason: new location.
said sophomore Alec Christian
On January 18, America’s
who was also a member of the
Game reopened in Old Lyme
travel team.
in hopes of revitalizing its
America’s Game hosts a
business and the very customers
variety of individualized and
it teaches.
group programs for players of
With a staff of four that
all ages interested in baseball or
holds over 60 years of
softball instruction, ranging from
professional
playing
and
camps and clinics to strength and
coaching experience combined,
conditioning. The new building
Google image
America’s Game combines
also contains a Pro Shop, where all
The old location in Waterford, Old Lyme is cozier and more efficient.
the tradition of baseball with
kinds of baseball equipment can
state-of-the-art facilities and instruction. offers include AAU teams, now for both be purchased. Open year-round, the facility
Members of the staff include Major League baseball and softball players. The previous gives baseball and softball players a place to
pitcher Pete Walker, former professional facility was closed in Waterford due to rising hone their skills during the off-season with
player and coach Andy Walker, and former costs on the building’s lease. He said that the any combination of hitting, fielding, pitching
professional player Todd Donovan. The new, smaller building will be more efficient and catching.
new indoor baseball facility features four and allow players to get more attention from
America’s Game reopens in Old Lyme
by Kevin Anthony
google images
batting cages, three pro mounds, a virtual
pitching machine and 5,000 square feet of
artificial turf.
“We are looking to offer more for the kids
and we are venturing into more travel team
offers,” said Andy Walker. New travel team
0
‘
e
c
8
a
R
t
a
o
B
google images
Valhalla
S.Felitto/Saga
K.Weiss/Saga
Mike Boucher and Dan Forget move swiftly
through the water in their Superman boat,
equipped with the crest and a cape. Originally
one of Tucker’s picks for best design, the boys’
boat was victorious in its heat, making it to the
finish line without crumbling.
The infamous reincarnated rat wheel sinks
early on in the race, not even reaching the
checkpoint at the far end of the pool. It was
built by Matt Lacerte and Mike McClellan,
and McClellan was the brave soul who
tested its durability in the race.
S. Felitto/Saga
Page 9
The Viking Saga
Entertainment
The Cautionary Whale
January 30, 2008
Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll
Juno scores laughs and starts a conversation
by Andrea Chrunyk
Spring Awakening channels teen frustration into potent new musical
by Ryann Foulke
It is no surprise that in this day and age a movie about
teenage pregnancy can be not only endearing, but also make
light of the situation. What might have been considered
taboo 30 years ago has now led to great success for the
film Juno. In fact, Juno is the by far one of the best films of
the decade.
Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page) is a 16-year-old girl who,
after a night gone too far with best friend Paulie Bleeker
(Michael Cera), finds herself pregnant. At first, she
cannot believe that this is happening; when she
angrily shakes her third positive pregnancy test, an
irritated store manager (Rainn Wilson) tells her
that it is not an etch-a-sketch and that, “this is
one doodle that can’t be undid, home skillet.”
Jokes and slang, like the quote from Wilson,
are found throughout the screenplay, written by
first-timer Diablo Cody. The quick banter between
the characters, especially Juno and Bleeker, is
hilarious as well as superbly written.
Cody’s words would mean nothing, however,
if they were put into the wrong hands. Page is
perfectly cast in the role of Juno, a sarcastic girl
just trying to get through her tough situation. It is
very hard to play such an annoying person, yet still
have her extremely likeable, which is exactly what she
does. It is impossible not to root for Juno, even if she does
put down everyone in her path, because Page portrays her
as someone who speaks her mind and does not apologize
for it. Her role in Juno has earned Page her first Academy
Award nomination for Best Actress.
This quirky comedy is sure to make anyone laugh, as well
as reconsider their feelings toward pregnant teenagers. While
the film in no way promotes teenage pregnancy, it sheds a
new comedic light on the usually serious subject. Juno is
even in on the joke, saying that the kids at school, “call
www.impawards.com
me the cautionary whale.”
It all begins with a simple question, one that we have heard a lot about
in the past few weeks: “Where do babies come from?” A teenage girl
named Wendla asks her mother, who could not bring herself to tell her
daughter the answer. Wendla takes it upon herself to find out.
Winner of 8 Tony Awards including the esteemed Best Musical Award,
Spring Awakening has been a highly controversial success since 2006
when it opened in Eugene O’Neill Theater on Broadway to the cheers
and praises of theater goers.
The rock-musical written by Julliard’s Duncan Sheik is based on
a 100-year-old play of the same name written by Frank Wedekind, a
scandalous German playwright from the late 19th century known for
his sexual writings. The controversy stems from, the nudity on stage,
the sexual acts committed three feet from audiences noses and the
obscene language.
Wendla, the main character, falls in love with Melchior, an old classmate
of hers. Melchior was the school’s finest student but he was not satisfied,
he felt the education system was a sham and that it was not teaching
important aspects of life like love and sex. He and Wendla decide to
discover this for themselves, under an oak tree.
The acting and singing was stunning, as it should be for this caliber
of a performance. An unusual aspect of the musical is that one man and
one woman play all of the adult characters, to show that the story is about
the teenagers and their struggles growing up in a society where pleasure
is unacceptable.
The music is arresting, with its raw emotion and powerful singers
it is rightly titled a rock-musical. “Totally F*****,” the climax of the
musical, is the epitome of anger and unrest, with the entire cast on stage
singing and dancing as if no one was watching and with such energy
that you can feel the angst in
every move they make.
Spring Awakening deals
with topics prevalent in
today’s society with such
conviction and truth it will
bring you to tears.
The American
Nightmare
Tweens are becoming teens
too quickly
by Rachel Hutchins
Who can’t admit that sex,
drugs and alcohol are a part
of American culture? Themes
such as these are promoted
through our media. These
ideals trickle down through
the layers of society to the
kids who view them as “the
norm” and base their opinions
on what they see.
The popular TV show
Gossip Girl often shows Nate,
the handsome lacrosse player,
smoking pot and talking with his
perverted friend Chuck about sex.
Preteens do not ignore this image.
Everyone has TV, movie or bookcharacter role models. If they
start admiring an idol too old for
their years, teens will be acting as
if they are all grown up.
Everywhere we look, young
kids are beginning to look and
act twice their age. We all
know of Jamie Lynn Spears’
www.bmi.com
scandalous pregnancy. Allegedly,
Nickelodeon will do a special on
how teen pregnancy is not okay,
but isn’t telling 8-year-olds about
sex and pregnancy just as bad?
The magazines are not helping
either. Spears will reportedly be
paid $1 million to do a photo shoot
of her and the baby upon its birth.
This could make some girls think,
“Teen pregnancy is glamorous…
I want to be glamorous too.”
Teen pregnancy is the main
subject of the new movie Juno.
Juno’s pregnancy helps her
grow up and mature, but is this
Page 10
the message we want to send
to teens? A lot of the morals
provided in the media are not
correctly teaching kids how to
view these serious issues.
According to the Kaiser
Family Foundation, 6% of
girls and 8% of boys lost their
virginity before age 14 (2002).
Additionally, one-fifth of high
school students say that they
did not use a contraceptive the
last time they had sex. If we
have been taught the risks, why
are we still taking a gamble?
The Viking Saga
Entertainment
January 30, 2008
The Future is Now
Music for the Melancholy
Futurama is back and is now feature length
by Matt Heath
“We’re back on the air… That’s
right, flying through the air in our
mighty space ship,” says Professor
Hubert Farnsworth, the most elderly
character in the recent movie
adaptation of the television show
Futurama, titled Futurama: Bender ’s
Big Score.
Futurama has come a long way
since its cancellation in 2003.
Because of the show’s high DVD
sales and the popularity of its reruns
on Cartoon Network’s “Adult Swim,”
20th Century FOX agreed to let the
creators of Futurama make four
movies.
The first movie, Bender ’s Big
Score, which came out in December,
is an all-new epic story about how evil
nudist aliens discover that the secret
to time travel is on the behind of
Futurama’s main character, Fry. The
aliens use this to help them take over
earth. Bender ’s Big Score includes
comedy, action and drama; it is by far
the best movie of the 31st century.
The movie has guest voices,
including Sarah Silverman as Fry’s
ex-girlfriend Michelle, Mark Hamill
as the Chanukah Zombie, Coolio
as Kwanzabot, and even Al Gore
as himself.
The next movie to be released
will be Futurama: The Beast with a
Billion Backs, which already has a
sneak peek available on YouTube. The
other two movies, Bender ’s Game and
The Wild Green Yonder are going to
end the entire series of the show when
they are released at the end of 2008
and the beginning of 2009.
Fans of the show will not have
to worry, though; Futurama is
now being aired weeknights on
Comedy Central.
www.microsiervos.com
Futurama characters Turanga Leela, Bender and
Fry in Futurama: Bender’s Big Score
Concerts to get rid of the winter blues
by Hannah Barner
Consumed with boredom? Need an
escape from your winter woes? Change
up your routine and check out these
upcoming concerts!
2/17 - Citizen Cope, 9:30 p.m. Toad’s
Place in New Haven
2/18 - Matchbox Twenty w/ Alanis
Morissette , 7p.m. Mohegan Sun
Arena in Uncasville
2/21 - The Pink Floyd Experience,
8 p.m. Garde Arts Center in
New London
2/24 - Wilco, 8 p.m. Shubert Theater in
New Haven
2/28 - Toby Keith, 7:30 p.m. Mohegan
Sun Arena in Uncasville
2/28 - Bruce Springsteen and The E
Street Band, 8p.m. The XL Center in
Hartford
3/25 - Drive-By Truckers w/ The
Felice Brothers, Toad’s Place in
New Haven
3/ 26 - Van Halen, 7 p.m. Mohegan
Sun Area in Uncasville
Don’t feel like going to a big concert?
Stop by Muddy Waters Café or the
Bean and Leaf Café in New London.
Each mixes live music playing almost
every day of the week with a warm and
welcoming environment.
The Junk
Drawer
by Kate Eberle
He has a slightly awkward bowl-cut
hairstyle, stares wide-eyed into the
audience, and tells jokes so simple that
5-year-olds could understand. No, he’s
not your local paste-eating kindergartner,
but hilarious comedian Demetri Martin.
Martin’s comedy is remarkably simple,
mostly made up of random observations and
general wonderings. For example, one of his most
popular jokes: “I was in a department store,
riding the escalator, and I tripped. I fell
down the stairs for an hour and a half.”
Martin’s one-liners are actually clean,
unlike many comedians these days; his
jokes offer refreshing proof that comedy
does not have to equal vulgarity. Sadly,
Martin doesn’t have any performances
scheduled for any time soon, but his CD,
These Are Jokes, was released in 2006 and
can be found almost anywhere CDs are sold. If
you are in need of a good laugh, These Are
Jokes should be your next purchase.
www.ecx.images-amazon.com
Page 11
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January 30, 2008
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