September 2008 final.indd - Cranston Public Schools

The
September 2008
Cranston High School West
Vol. XLV No. 1
Check out The West Wind and West Watch online at http://cpsed.net/chsw/studentcenter/westwind.htm
A new track, A new start
By: Tess Povar
Staff Reporter
When driving by
Cranston High
School
West,
many people may have noticed the
new and improved, bright red track.
In the beginning of July, workers
were in the process of building the
new facility for Cranston West. This
270,000 to 300,000 dollar project
is now accessible for both Cranston West and Cranston High School
East, gym classes, walking, track
meets, and other school-related and
community events.
However, the city needed
to come up with the money to invest
in the new track.
“In order to fund this project the city
needed bond, city money, and needed to convince the mayor that this
development needed to be done”,
said Mike
Traficante, Athletics Director of Cranston Public Schools.
The new track serves seve
See TRACK, pg. 5
Photo by: Scott Dressler
The building process started in early July, and the newly constructed Cranston West track has more running lanes for interscholastic
competition and for community use as well.
Knowlton returns as principal Guidance schedules one class
By:Mike Rosa
News Editor
After receiving a vote of
confidence that he would return as principal at Cranston
High School West, Mr. Steven
Knowlton received a letter on
June 12 from Cranston Public
School District chairman Mr.
Michael A. Traficante that he
would not be retained.
The two-year principal at Cranston West quickly
filed a law suit against the
school district, which, on a
scheduled board meeting on
June 24, reversed its decision
and rewarded Knowlton with
a three-year extension.
“Two weeks prior [to
this decision] I met with the
Superintendent and members
of the central office that gave
me a very positive review
of my performance,” said
Knowlton, who has yet to
sign his new contract.
Knowlton was originally told he would receive
a three-year extension, the
maximum extension offered
to Cranston administrators.
See KNOWLTON, pg.5
By: Rachel
Palmisciano
Editor-in-Chief
The guidance
department was
restructured this year. A new
method is in place and it assigned one counselor to each
grade. This idea was discussed
amongst the department because
some felt that they were all over
the place.
Guidance counselor for
the senior class, Ms. Bouchard
said, “You’d be working with seniors one minute, then freshmen
the next.”
North Kingston has an
excellent guidance program, and
their structure is similar to the
new one in place now. Bouchard explained that now it is easier
for her to access her students, it
is easier for CACTC counselors
to access their students as well.
Having students in every grade also got confusing in
terms of graduation requirements, since they differ between
every grade. Mr. Flaxington,
who is new to West this year, is
the guidance counselor for the
freshmen class.
Flaxington
spent ten years as a guidance
counselor at Western Hills be-
Pgs. 6-7
Pg. 9
See GUIDANCE, pg. 4
Ms. Bouchard
Read about Cranston West student
Chris Lussier pitching the first pitch
at McCoy Stadium.
Pg. 11
Learn a little bit about all the new
teachers here at school this year.
See what all the hype is about with this
hit series, Twilight.
fore making the jump to high
school.
Having known most
of the freshmen since their first
years at middle school, he feels
that he can help them adjust to
high school.
See how the freshman are dealing with
high school.
Pg. 8
2
EDITORIAL/OPINION
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The West Wind
Attention all class Presidents!
The West Wind encourages you to drop off a
Prez Box, neatly written or typed, to room B1-1
by the 10th of each month. Prez Box serves as a
means to keep all West students, no matter what
grade, informed on the happenings of their class
and school. Your contributions are appreciated.
September 2008
Photo by: Natalie Patalano
The boy’s varsity soccer team holds their City Cup trophy after their victory.
9/11
By: Michael Rosa
TheWestWind
d
The world seemed to end
On that 9/11 day
When the planes came crashing
To take the towers away.
Published Monthly
by The West Wind staff
of Cranston High School West
Cranston, RI 02920
http://cpsed.net/chsw/studentcenter/westwind.htm
Panic and fear
Was in everyone’s eyes,
As the air filled with smoke
And clouded the skies.
Published 8 times a year, The West Wind is a public forum, with its student editorial
board making all decisions concerning its contents. Unsigned editorials express the
views of the majority of the editorial board. Letters to the editor are welcome and
will be published as space allows. Letters must be signed, although the staff may
withhold the name on request. The West Wind reserves the right to edit all letters
at the editors’ discretion. Opinions in letters are not necessarily those of the staff,
nor should any opinion expressed in a public forum be construed as the opinion or
policy of the faculty or administration, unless so attributed. Questions, concerns, or
letters to the editor should be directed to B1-1.
Sirens were blaring,
People rushing about
To get to the site
When the towers gave out.
Thousands were buried
In soot and debris,
A tough job lay ahead
To overcome this great tragedy.
Editor-in-Chief--------------------------------------------------------------------------Rachel Palmisciano
News Editor----------------------------------------------------------------------------Michael Rosa
The silence was deafening
To everyone’s ears,
For the men, women, and children
Will be remembered in tears.
Sports Editor---------------------------------------------------------------------------Nick Sczerbinski
Feature Editor/Business Manager---------------------------------------------------Kelsey DeJesus
Entertainment Editor--------------------------------------------------------------------Tara Decosta
Photo Editor-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Natalie Patalano
Staff Reporters--------------------------------------------------------------------------Tess Povar, Ethan Smith, Brian Ahern, Brittany Geremia, Andrew DeCataldo
Edmund Saritelli
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September 2008
O P I NIO N
The West Wind
g
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Reporter
e
h
v
c
a
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o
T
R
How do you feel about schedule changes and conflicts?
Has it affected you?
Arthur Fidas, freshman- “It is hard for
some people because they get mad
about the schedule
changes, but it’s really good because
they could get
into better classes
that they actually
want. Over all it the
changes are more
good than bad.”
Laura
Johnson,
junior- “Personally, my biology
class had about 30
kids in it and they
made us split into
two classes. That
caused both my
career prep and
gym to change.”
Danielle McLewin,
sophomore“I
haven’t had any issues with my schedule. A lot of students
were switched in and
out of my classes and
caused confusion for
the teachers. I think
that people should
have more time to
change their schedules.”
Danielle Lefebvre,
senior- “I have not
had any schedule
changes this year and
most of my classes
are really small. My
career prep class, because it is a minor,
has had kids switching in and out of it.”
Senior Section
Now is the time to be working on getting together your materials for college applications. Here are some things you should
be doing now and in the near future:
3
Talk
How do you feel about working under the new contract situation?
Mrs. Ilesha Senna,
math- “Not that it
doesn’t affect me, but
we have our old contract that we’re working under and it isn’t
that bad. I’m worried our new contract
won’t be as good as it
is now.”
Ms. Paula Titon,
history- “I think it’s
reasonable
under
current conditions
with the Caroulo
Act because it’s being appealed and the
school committee
doesn’t have money.
They also don’t have
a plan until they
know what money
they’re
working
with.”
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Mrs. Elaine Desjardins, English -“Honestly, I trust both
administration and
the union leaders to
come to an agreement suitable for all
parties involved. In
the meantime, I will
do my job and enjoy
it.”
Mr. David Barr, science- “It doesn’t really bother me, because
we are working under the old contract,
which may be better
in some ways than a
new one would. Considering the financial
state of Cranston ,
we might have to pay
more in health care.”
Welcome Class of
2012!
-The Rosa Family
- Ask teacher for recommendations, don’t wait until the last
minute, teachers have other students who are asking too.
- Be thinking about your college essay, compare the topics
your colleges ask you to write about, so you don’t have to
write multiple ones. Keep in mind any CommonApp school
allows you a topic of your choice.
- If you have already taken the SATs, don’t forget to go to
collegeboard.com and add the schools you wish to receive
your scores. Four schools you pick will be free, it’s around $9
per school after that.
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- The last days to sign up for the November and December
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Jim Ricci
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www.riflorist.com
Bobby Bach, Owner
235 Wilbur Ave.
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-The Palmisciano
Family
4
NEWS
September 2008
The West Wind
A sneak peek into the jungle
Homecoming preview 2008
By: Stephanie Nardone
Contributing Reporter
With summer coming to an end
and fall beginning it can only mean one
thing for the students at Cranston High
School West—football season.
With that, anticipation for the
homecoming weekend is high. The peprally is held on Oct. 24 and the game is
the day after. Post game is an unforgettable event —the jungle themed danced
hosted in the cafeteria on the night following the game at 7:30.
With a unanimous vote for
this year’s jungle theme; seniors Austin and Shane Milan who are homecoming committee heads for the 2008
season announced the theme. Once
again, Dining Hall East will be the
site of the dance. This year, students
will be dancing beneath the depths
of a jungle—or so it will seem. “This
hasn’t been like anything that’s been
done,” Shane Milan said, “It’s original, so the seniors will have something
new.”
This year’s homecoming weekend is predicted to be the best one yet according to advisor Barbara Simonelli and
new comer Tania Gozzi’s enthusiasm.
This fall season will be Simonelli’s second year on the homecoming committee
while Gozzi replaces Marissa Giardina
who is now a teacher at Cranston High
School East. “It’s an advisor position
that’s really busy for a short period of
time,” says Gozzi.
Surely, her busy schedule won’t
stop her from getting to work with and
Mike Saccoccio, and Nick White.
“The hosts will be energetic and
get the crowd ready for the game and the
dance,” Shane Milan said.
This group of four may be new
to performing but they’re hoping to receive laughter from the students.
“I’m souped, we’re going to
have
a
lot of surprises,” Aktchian said.
A look at what’s to come
Along with the hosts, many students
perform, including That Falcon Band,
and the cheerleaders. Also during the
Friday October 24:
pep-rally, all fall sports are introduced
Pep rally- last two periods while athletes run across the field to
their name being called.
of the school day
“The amount of school spirit and
how it’s executed is excellent” Gozzi
said, “And we should be proud of it.”
The advisor’s are confident and certain
Saturday October 25:
it will be a successful homecoming
weekend.
Football game-1:00 pm
Junior Jenna Caprarelli expects
Homecoming dance-7:30 pm the weekend to be a lot of fun. And
junior Jenna Ceraldi adds, “I like the
jungle theme!”
The combined effort from the Milan
twins as new heads, Miss Gozzi and
know the upper classmen better.
Miss Simonelli’s passion and the spirit of
Gozzi and Simonelli look for- the students will set a tone for the coming
ward to working side by side. “We work weekend ahead.
well together and she’ll be an excellent
“This is my last year and
addition in the fun factor,” Simonelli I’m hoping it’s the best.” Senior and
said.
cheerleader, Katie Champagne said. “I
The pep-rally will be hosted by can’t wait to perform for my last homeseniors Adam Aktchian, Matt Chianesi, coming weekend as a student.”
TRACK
continued from pg. 1
eral new purposes for students and
athletes at Cranston West, according
to cross country captain and senior
Keri Marnane.
“It is a great asset to our school and
helps both my teammates and myself in our training to become the
best runners we can be,” Marnane
said.
Bobby Allen, who is on the
boys’ cross country team, said the
track is put together well, and is much
better to run on. He thinks it will help
the team when they have home meets
because that will provide drive to not
File photo by: Kristen Orabone
A file photo taken of the Westernettes, they
will be performing at Peprally along with
the rest of That Falcon Band.
lose on their own turf.
So, how is it working out for
new athletes and students in Cranston?
Lagasse explains that this
new track will greatly influence the
upcoming outdoor track season because it is better for track team’s
legs; this new track will be much better for many teams. It should reduce
injuries due to the new, soft surface.
Also, the new markings on the track
provide a more functional track, and
it allows more options, explains Lagasse.
Marnane has noticed a considerable difference when running on
the track.
File photo by: Kristen Orabone
Above is a picture from last year’s Peprally showing students decked out in red
and gray enjoying the afternoon fesativities.
GUIDANCE
continued from pg. 1
“I’ve had the experience of
talking with them numerous
times [in the past],” Flaxington
noted.
Assistant Principal, Ms.
Burke, was one of the first people
to suggest a change in the system.
“It’s something to explore;
what’s going to be the best thing
for our kids and their families,”
Burke said.
At the end of this year
there will be an evaluation, and
the group is open to any changes that may need to be made.
An important goal is that
the counselors obtain a closer
relationship with the class they
advise. Eventually they may
be able to go on college related field trips together, and
cheer for their class at Way Out
Games.
“We want to work with
kids, that’s what we’re here for,”
Burke said.
Most of the seniors have
already met in groups with
Bouchard to discuss the college
process. That had not happened
at this time last year. It will also
be more convenient for counselors to meet with their students in
small groups, if they would like
to.
Photo by: Scott Dressler
Now, track meets can take place at Cranston West, as well as other events.
NEWS
5
Real Rhode Islanders smile for a great cause
September 2008
The West Wind
By: Tess Povar
Staff Reporter
The Real Rhode Islander calendar has now been published for
Ocean State communities to enjoy.
The main priority of these 15 month
calendars is to benefit the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The two versions, both male and
female, have now been released to the
public and are being sold for $20.
Both the male and female
version each feature 15 of the selected Real Rhode Islanders. Each
month has its own location, or sponsor, where the male or female is being
photographed.
The 30 honored in the 1st annual edition were chosen based upon
them living in the Ocean State, portraying success, having a positive impact on the community, and is beautiful inside and out.
Stacey Caputi originated
the idea of these calendars. She is
a Rhode Island native, and owns a
marketing and advertising agency.
Caputi produced the Real Rhode Islander calendar because she wanted
to do something good for a cause that
would also be useful and creative.
The Gloria Gemma Breast
Cancer Foundation was established in
2004 in memory of the Gloria Gemma, who lost her fight against breast
cancer. The foundation has promised
that 100% of the net proceeds will
remain right here in our local community. One hundred percent of the
net proceeds for this calendar remain
right here in the local community.
This calendar would have not
been possible without the 20 sponsors, especially the main sponsor,
Tim Hortons. Each of the males and
females were then involved in a photo
shoot where they incorporated each of
the sponsor’s locations.
Cranston West English teacher,
Mr. Jay Jones was selected and feels like
this experience has been an honor because it has a great cause attached to it
Photos courtesy of The Real Rhode Islander
Above is a picture of the cover of the calender, available now in B1-1
Below is a picture of Cranston West teacher, Mr. Jones, and Mallory Palumbo. Both are featured in the calender.
and is contributing in a positive way.
As well as an English and
media teacher, Jones is also a wrestling
coach at Rhode Island College, and a
football coach at Bryant University. “I
think I was selected due to the amount
KNOWLTON
Continued from pg. 1
Soon afterward, Knowlton filed
suit against the school committee. On June
24, the school committee awarded Knowlton a three-year contract extension after
being notified it was facing a Superior
Court lawsuit.
.
“I was totally shocked and confused about the whole situation,” Knowlton expressed. “It was a surprise to me.”
The school committee cited three
reasons for the original decision not to extend his contract: the “inappropriate handling” of a cross-country coach hiring, the
designation of Cranston West as a lowperforming school under the state’s testing
regimen, and a desire to hire a low-cost replacement for him.
None of these reasons held back
former and present teachers of Cranston
West and Knowlton’s previous school,
Coventry High School, from showing their
support for Knowlton at the school board
of time and dedication to the programs
in which I am involved in. Those programs have a positive impact on the
community, and they provide for a
positive experience to young media
students and student-athletes.”
meeting. Before the vote, several people
delivered positive speeches in favor of
Knowlton, with most ending in applause.
“I appreciate the positive changes
in our school. He has made this a clean,
safe learning environment,” expressed
Math Department Chair, Carolyn Lannon.
“Mr. Knowlton values education and encourages all teachers to strive for excellence. He is informed about state mandates
and works to ensure that the entire school
community realizes their importance.”
Knowlton praised Cranston West
for its accomplishments, and was excited
to return to the school
“I think for a school this size, and
this many kids, I am very proud of what
they do with their attitudes and all the
things they represent,” he said. However,
the school committee voted 4-3 in midJune to not extend this contract.
“Apparently there was a majority
of the school committee at the time that
for reasons they had indicated after their
vote, that they chose to vote against my renewal,” Knowlton said.
Each of the selected 30 had
to be involved in something that was
positive and helped the community in
some way.
Cranston West alum Giovanni
Calise, also appears in the calendar.
Calise feels wonderful and privileged
to be able to be in this calendar, and
feels great that his accomplishments
are being rewarded. “This calendar not
only gives people awareness of good
people in the community, but it encourages others to be as influential as they
should be,” Calise said.
Each candidate was nominated
by their peers, followed up by an interview process in which they were then
chosen to be a part of this project. They
asked each of the candidates what they
have done for the community in which
they live, their current social and work
status, the types of projects and activities they have been involved in over the
years, etc.
Mallory Palumbo was featured
in the female edition. Palumbo is a
23-year-old animal rights activist who
was nominated by the photographer of
this project. She is a Johnson and Wales
graduate and has been in Rhode Island
for five years. “This is a great way to
help out and to have people get aware
of foundations such as the Gloria Gemma Foundation, and I am very grateful
to be a part of something like this,” she
said.
Most of the participants have
recently lost, known someone who suffered or are cancer survivors. This project is a way for them to give back and
contribute to a cause in which they all
strongly believe in.
Caputi said there are already
a lot of nominations for the 2010 calendar that they have already started to
plan. She gets half a dozen nominations
a day, and thinks that people are really
blown away by these calendars. They
printed 20,000 copies and 5,000 have
been sold.
The calendar features 15 special coupon offers provided by Real Rhode Islander sponsors. The coupons valued at
more than $500 in savings. The calendar will launch for breast cancer awareness month October 2008.
2008-2009 Yearbook
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6
Human-Interest
The West Wind
September 2008
A look at some of the fr
Ms. Borrelli-Math Department
Miss Borrelli currently
teaches Math at all grade levels,
more specifically Geometry, Algebra I, and AAT. Miss Borrelli attended Rhode Island College. Miss
Borrelli has previously taught at
Scituate High School and at Cranston East. Miss Borrelli said,
“With the cohesiveness between
all parties, dedicated students and
phenomenal school pride, Cranston West embodies the essence of
a remarkable high school.”
Mr. Boyajian- Technology/Special
Education Departments
Mr. Boyajian teaches Technology Education and Special Education. He attended Rhode Island
College for undergraduate school
and most of grad school. He finished grad school with nine credits
at Providence College. Mr. Boyajian has taught at Cranston East,
Park View, and Warwick Veterans
Memorial High School.
The only thing that Mr.
Boyajian sees as room for improvement at West compared to his previous schools is that the facility layout of Cranston West is very open
which is not as accessible for the
students as it would be on a closed
campus. Mr. Boyajian is also the
Head Coach of the Boys’ hockey
team at West and he is also the head
coach of the girls’ tennis team at
East as well as assistant baseball at
East as well.
Ms. Slaughter- Language Department
Ms. Slaughter teaches
Spanish for all of Mrs. King’s students. She attended Wellesley College, which is an all girls school.
Ms. Slaughter taught for one year
in Massachusetts and for five in
North Smithfield. In comparison
to her former schools Ms. Slaughter believes that Cranston West is
much larger in size. She also said,
“The faculty and student population is huge. I still haven’t met everyone yet, but so far everyone has
been really helpful and welcoming.
The kids seem really motivated and
surprisingly have a great retention
[understanding] of the material.”
Ms. Izbicki-Language Department
New world language
teacher, Monica Izbicki, teaches
Spanish I and II. Izbicki is an
alum of Rhode Island College,
with former jobs teaching at Sutton High School and Dartmouth
High School. When asked how
she likes West, Izbicki said, “I like
it. It’s a big school, a lot of interaction.” She enjoys her classes
at West. “For the most part, the
students are very good.” explains
Izbicki. She looks forward to being “able to communicate with the
students and have a good year, really.”
Ms. Lemoi- Math Department
The Cranston West math
department welcomes Ms. Lemoi.
Ms. Lemoi has just begun her first
year as a teacher. Ms. Lemoi attended West Warwick High School
and recently received her teaching
degree from Rhode Island College.
Ms. Alexion- History Department
A new history/social
studies teacher here at West and
she graduated from University
of Rhode Island. She previously
taught sixth grade social studies at
Park View and in regards to Cranston West High School “she has
been having a good experience so
far and the people are nice”. She
is a big football fan and mummified chickens last year.
Mrs. Snow- Math Department
Is a veteran of the Cranston Public School Department,
is one of the 30 new staff members here at Cranston High School
West. Before entering Cranston
West, Mrs. Snow had three years
of experience at Western Hills
Middle School. She previously
taught at the middle school level
in both Barrington and Bristol/
Warren school districts. Prior to
her teaching days, she attended
Gordon College in Massachusetts,
and was even a First Defense Contractor for the United States Navy.
Mrs. Snow teaches two different
math courses this year, Algebra 1
part 2 and Basic Integrated Math .
When asked how high school students differed from middle school
students, Mrs. Snow replied “Students here are much more calm.”
Mrs. Snow is enjoying Cranston
West and enjoying all of her classes.
Mrs. Carlson-Clark—Guidance
department
Mrs. Carlson-Clark received
her degrees from both Providence
College and Rhode Island College in the field of education. She
has been a guidance counselor at
Hugh B. Bain Middle School for
the past 5 years, and has also spent
time teaching at Western Hills in
years prior. She mentioned, “I’m
impressed by the enthusiasm and
school spirit that I see; it has been
very rewarding, and I’m looking
forward to remaining here for a
long time.”
Some of the new teachers at Cranston West, (from left to right), Mr. Lonardo, Ms. Bor
Lemoi, Ms. Copeman, Ms. Cicione, Mr. Perentin, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Boyajian, Ms. Gui
Editors note: If there are any new teachers who were not included in this layout, it would
can be featured in the next issue if you wish.
Mrs. Copeman- Art Department
Is another new teacher at
West who started as an art teacher for 13 years at the elementary
level in Cranston after graduating
from Rhode Island College. According to Mrs. Copeman “there is
no real comparison from previous
engagements considering moving from the elementary to high
school level”. She was married
last year and lives in Waltham,
Mass, but went to high school at
Cranston East.
Mr. Perentin- English DepartmentIs an English
teacher here at West. He is a URI
graduate and this is his 4th year
in the Cranston school system.
He was a teacher at west 3 years
ago, then went to Cranston East
for two years, and then came back
to Cranston West for this year. Mr.
Perentin says he is very glad to be
back here and is looking forward
to a great year.
September 2008
Human-Interest
The West Wind
7
resh faces here at West
Mr. Iannone- Science Department
Iannone is a science teacher for the first time at Cranston
West. He attended Johnston High
School before going to Rhode Island College to receive his degree
in education. West is the first and
only school he has taught at. “I
like the faculty, students, everything [at West].”
Mrs. Guilmette- Science Department
A familiar face to many
students here at Cranston High
School West , is Mrs. Guilmette.
This school year Mrs. Guilmette
is teaching biology. Prior to teaching, Mrs. Guilmette attended the
University of Rhode Island. Her
previous years at Western Hills
Middle School have prepared her
for many of her classes this year,
this is because Mrs. Guilmette’s
classes are filled with many of her
previous students.
Ms. DiPaolo-Special Education
Department
Ms. DiPaolo taught as
a Special Education teacher at
Burriville High School prior to
Cranston West. Ms. DiPaolo attended Johnston High School. Ms.
DiPaolo received her undergraduate degree at Rhode Island College and then moved onto Roger
Williams University for graduate
school. Ms. DiPaolo describes
the Cranston West community as,
“friendly and easy to talk to.”
Ms. McCombe- English Department
An additional fresh face
here at Cranston High School
West, is Ms. McCombe. After
attending both the University of
Rhode Island and the University
of Wisconsin, Ms. McCombe decided to become a teacher in the
Cranston Public School District.
Before making her move to Cranston West, Ms. McCombe taught
at both Park View Middle School
and Cranston High School East.
This school year, Ms. McCombe
is teaching English for grades 11
and 12. When asked how Cranston
West differed from Cranston East,
Ms. McCombe described both
schools as very different, but she
felt that it was too soon to make
any large conclusions. Overall,
Ms. McCombe is looking forward
to her time here at Cranston West.
Photo by: Natalie Patalano
rrelli, Ms. Lucas, Ms. Catauro, Mr. Carpenter, Ms. Snow, Ms. Hanley, Mr. Ianone, Ms.
ilmette, and Mr. Smith gather for a photo in the main foyer.
be appreciated if you could let Mr. Jones or a member of the newspaper staff aware so you
Ms. Managarelli- Science Department
Managarelli is a new science teacher this year at Cranston
West, and teaches mostly physics
first. She is a graduate from West
herself, and moved onto Rhode
Island College, Mississippi State
and Boston University for her degrees in education. Before coming
to West, she taught at Park View
Middle School. She stated “I
love it here, they staff is nice and
friendly.”
Mrs. Lucas—English Department
Mrs. Lucas received her
degree from Rhode Island College as an English major. She has
formerly taught at Western Hills,
and in comparison to the middle
school, she stated, “traveling is
definitely an adjustment.” She
also feels that, partly due to the
students’ maturity level, teaching
at Cranston West is a whole different experience entirely.
Ms. Medeiros-English Department
Miss Medeiros is a ninth,
tenth, and eleventh grade English
Teacher. She attended Rhode Island College to become a teacher.
Before she came to West, Miss
Medeiros taught for three years at
the NEL/CPS Construction Career
Academy. Miss Medeiros said that
West and the Charter School both
have teachers who truly care about
the education of the students. She
says that this, in the eyes of the
educator is the most important.
Ms. DiGrado- English Department
Ms. DiGrado is a graduate
of LaSalle Academy. She received
her undergraduate degree at Adelphi University in New York, and
she completed her graduate education at Rhode Island College. Prior
to teaching at Cranston West, Ms.
DiGrado was an elementary school
teacher in Providence. After receiving her degree to become a reading teacher, Ms. DiGrado came to
Cranston West to teach reading.
Mr. Gravelin- Language Department
Is a French 1 teacher at
Cranston West. He graduated from
URI with a Bachelor’s and Master’s
degree. Mr. Gravelin retired from
teaching a few years back but continued to work part time with East
Greenwich High School . He had
served there for many years as the
foreign language department head.
He still manages the EG high school
France exchange program where he
helps accompany kids to France
. Mr. Gravelin says he is enjoying
his experience here so far, as he attempts to adjust to a school 3 times
larger than his previous one.
Mr.Carpenter-History Department
During his fourteen years
of teaching, Carpenter has always
taught U.S. history and civics.
His first seven years, he taught
in Providence and the following
seven years teaching before coming to Cranston West, he taught at
Bain Middle School, in Cranston.
He attended Rhode Island College for his undergraduate, the
University of Rhode Island for his
masters and Providence College
for another masters’ which is currently unfulfilled. “Most students
here really care about their education…they’re very, very gracious
and polite, I’m so glad to be teaching here,” says Carpenter. He is
also married to a history teacher at
West, Mrs. Carpenter.
8
FEATURE
The West Wind
September 2008
West welcomes a new set of freshmen
By: Tara DeCosta
Entertainment Editor
The school year started
off with the regular routine for everyone besides the freshmen.
The high school experience was new for
the class of 2012 on Tuesday, August 26.
Transitioning from middle school to Cranston High School West is a big step. To top
off not trying to get lost in the facility, the
freshmen as well as the upperclassmen,
dealt with schedule mix ups.
Cranston West may seem to be
hard at first, but there are many teachers,
faculty members and students that are
pleased to help out. Freshmen are welcome
to seek freshmen mentors for help with any
issues, whether they’re school related or
not.
Koye Idowu, freshman transfer
from Bishop Hendricken High School,
says that he does enjoy high school way
better than middle school, except that the
hallways are more crowded.
Mr. James Flaxington, freshmen
guidance counselor, stated that no students
seem to be concerned with the adjustment
of being in a new building or getting lost.
“I’ve been surprised how quick
and well they (the freshmen) are adjusting
actually. I’ve worked with 300 students
from the present freshmen class for the
past three years at Western Hills, and even
the 40 or 50 new students from other districts are doing fine.”
The guidance office has been crazy for the
past few weeks trying to get students situated in the right classes, and more than half
of the freshmen schedules were altered. Of
course at any point during the school year,
students are able to make an appointment
with Mr. Flaxington or any other guidance
counselor for any conflicts or concerns
with anything.
Freshmen Ryan Faria made various comments about the freshmen barbecue, which was the first time they got to
really see around their second home for
the next four years. Faria made it clear
that “without the cookout, I’d be lost. I
was showed around the school and knew
where my homeroom and classes were on
the first day.”
Photo by: Natalie Patalano
Many teachers have said that The freshman football team shows their Falcon pride and huddles for a team picthey have high expectations for this class ture.
and are pleased to be able to work with
them.
Chalk Talk: Mr. Gregg Donabed
By: Natalie Patalano
Staff Reporter
There he sat at his desk,
smirking in genial disposition through small brown glasses perched
at the bridge of his nose, in the same room
he and I had met more than two years ago.
After a dozen years into his trade, Gregg
Donabed, my worldly and witty sophomore
English teacher, engaged in conversation
that I hoped would honor his character as
both a person and my mentor. With continual influence on both his past and present
students, Mr. Donabed is a staple at West for
many reasons aside from his teaching…
NP: Why do you enjoy being a teacher?
GD: July and August, ha ha. Working with
young people. I get to use my strengths
with literature and composition, and once
again, young people. I have tons of students with lasting impressions; I can’t
possibly name them all. I like to be on the
go, that’s another reason I like to teach.
NP: What types of students would you
recommend to become teachers?
GD: Hm… Amiable, outgoing, and dedi-
cated to learning their content area.
NP: What’s your favorite book?
GD: Well, obviously I enjoy reading. My
favorite book? No, that’s too difficult. The
one I keep going back to, though, is Ulysses
by James Joyce. I love it. I could pick it up,
start at any place and just get lost in it for
hours. It’s really a great work. I try to write
too, pick up the pen again. Mostly poetry.
NP: Do you share your writing with anyone else?
GD: I was in a poetry seminar last spring,
I really enjoyed it. It helped my writing. I
send off my work to my buddies in England too, but they’re very critical. School’s
also very demanding.
NP: What kind of music do you like?
GD: Eclectic, a wide range. Lately, a lot
of Green Day. I used to be really into Lifehouse and Coldplay. I love jazz too. I need
something new to put on the iPod. Can’t
live without it, my iPod.
NP: So, you’ve worked at Spain Restaurant for a number of years?
GD: When I first started teaching I did a
few different things, one of which was being involved in the restaurant business. I
was employed by Spain of Narragansett
and Cranston. I still work there occasionally in the summertime, just to make some
money, but I get rather tired of it by
the end of the season and want to come
back to school.
NP: And you frequent the golf course
as well?
GD: Yeah, yes. Not as much as I used
to, though I’m still a golfing enthusiast. I’ve kind of plateaued. I used to
play in a league, but it’s too demanding
now, I don’t have the freedom to play
when I want to. I relax though, practice
my golf swing.
NP: What’s your favorite soccer team?
GD: My favorite is Benfica, of Portugal.
Second favorite: Manchester United, and
my third favorite? Ha ha, Cranston High
School West Falcons, boys and girls
teams!
NP: And you’re a member of the Cranston
Portuguese Club?
GD: Yes, along with another Portuguese club
in West Warwick. I enjoy going there. I love
to watch the soccer games; the Internationals, European leagues. It’s much more fun to
watch a soccer game with a bunch of people,
my friends. I stop by in the afternoons, hang
out, have a coffee, and do some schoolwork.
It’s a great place to pass the time.
NP: You’ve mentioned a few times you
like to visit Portugal?
GD: I try to get away. I have family in Portugal, very good friends in England, also. I’ve
been to England at least a dozen times, Portugal about 7 or 8. On the Portuguese side, I
have a fairly decent size family, grandparents,
cousins. I’d like to go to Armenia as well, visit
the capital, maybe next year. I love to travel.
NP: You love to travel, so have you visited
any other countries?
GD: Mostly western Europe, yes. I’ve had
an extended stay in Italy, south of France
for a couple weeks.
NP: What’s your favorite country that you
have visited?
GD: Oh, that’s tough… Portugal. I enjoy
visiting there the most.
NP: If there were anything you could
change about your travels or the countries
you’ve visited in comparison to America,
what would it be?
GD: Change about the countries? Hm…
No borders. Come and go as you please.
Free travel!
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September 2008
ENTERTAINMENT
The West Wind
9
Why so many have been bitten by Twilight
By Rachel Palmisciano
Editor-in-Chief
Edward Cullen. It is a name synonymous with the bestselling saga containing the books, Twilight, New Moon,
Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. The name
itself summons up an image of perfection,
someone too lovely to exist in our own
meek world. In fact, his intense appeal
is derived from his need to attract “prey,”
which happens to be humans. Yes, this
series is largely about beautiful vampires,
the Cullen family containing some of the
main characters.
The Cullens are unique in the
vampire world because, not only are they
an abnormally large group- the family
contains seven members; but they also
do not hunt humans. Instead they quench
their, ah-hem, thirst with animals. Each
member is unique and as the series progresses it goes more in depth about how
they acquired this lifestyle, and what their
lives had been like before.
Bella Swan is the narrator. She is
new to the town of Forks, a town in Washington State that gets the most rain. Her
scent is particularly appealing to Edward
and that is how the two first become acquainted. The two fall for each other and
the story evolves from there.
Edward is insanely strong and he
is constantly in fear of accidentally hurting the fragile human Bella. He battles
with himself over whether or not to omit
Photo provided by Google
Some actors who will be playing the character in the soon-to-be major motion
picture of Twilight, pose in a slightly scary manner.
himself from her life, so he will not accidentally hurt her in any way. Although
this will be attempted, he finds that it is
impossible. He justifies staying stagnant
by telling himself that he will be her protector, keeping an eye out for the clumsy
girl, yet falling more in love with her as
time goes on.
However; Edward is not the only
vampire out there, and not all vampires restrain their instincts like the Cullens. The
reader will meet some dangerous characters, and many life-threatening experiences will loom up.
Jacob Black is another character who
may not jeopardize Bella’s safety, but
may greatly aggravate someone else, with
good reason too. Many find Jacob charming, with his warm, sunny persona and all
around goodness.
Of course there will be dilemmas,
Edward will live for all eternity and Bella
will relentlessly age, he cannot go into
the sun because he sparkles, and you cannot forget that he lusts for Bella’s blood.
But what else can one expect when in
love with someone who is not entirely
human? Who, if torn into pieces, limb
by limb, can reconstruct themselves so
that they are as good as new? Who can-
not sleep, has a heart that stopped working
decades ago and has venom involuntarily
pool in their mouth at the smell of blood?
Once the reader gets past the major
differences between the two characters, they
will find themselves rooting for the two of
them to be together, to make it past all that
stands between them. The difficulties they
face and all the challenges that stand in their
way make the books page turners. But since
Bella is human, like most of us probably are,
there are aspects of the story which are relatable and those are what tie the readers in.
One avid fan, Kimberly Enos
said, “You just get so into it. I also like
how all my friends are reading it, so we
have so much to share.” It is in fact a
hugely popular saga; many people have
read it or are currently reading it and are
always enthusiastic to discuss the story.
The books themselves can be spotted frequently, and are read by a large spectrum
of age groups.
Jenny DeBiasio explained, “You
escape your own reality, because you get
so wrapped up in their lives.” And it is
indeed a nice break from the sometimes
monotonous days that make up the school
year.
The first book leaves you wanting to know more, to find out how this
will all play out in the end. And after that
there is not second thought as to whether
or not you will continue reading them. It
blurs the lines between myth and reality,
and will leave the reader desperately hoping that an Edward-like vampire is meandering through the hallways here…
Paramore, Jack’s Mannequin, Phantom Planet, and Paper Route
Prior to Paramore’s performance,
the popular band Jack’s ManneBy: Tara DeCosta
Entertainment Editor
The stage lit up, literally,
when Paramore came on stage.
Various shades of blue, purple
and white lights shone upon the
lead singer, Hayley Williams, as
she went wild on stage and rocked
her heart out. Dressed casually in
a basic t-shirt and jeans, Williams
looked stunning and down to earth.
Everyone in the crowd was screaming at the top of their lungs to welcome the band they had waited all
night to hear.
During the bands’ performance they played hits such as
“Pressure, That’s What You Get,
Misery Business, My Heart, Crush
Crush Crush, and Fences” were
played; all songs that are on their
two albums “All We Know is Falling” and “Riot.”
I think by far the best song
of the night was “My Heart.” The
group did an amazing performance
and each note played seemed flawless. This song isn’t as familiar to
fans as oppose the “Misery Business,” or “That’s What You Get,”
and it was better to hear a song that
wasn’t overplayed by the media.
The event took place on
August 17 at the Providence Piers.
It was WBRU’s third Summer
Concert Series Show and it featured Paramore, with Jack’s Mannequin, Phantom Planet, and Paper
Route.
quin made the ladies sweat. Andrew McMahon, who is the wellknown lead singer, appeared drop
dead gorgeous as usual on the
stage. Even though Paramore is a
more mainstream band than Jack’s,
Jack’s definitely stole the spotlight
from them that night.
Jack’s gave an awesome
playlist of songs from their 2005 album “Everything in Transit” and a
little bit of new stuff from their latest album, “The Glass Passenger”.
Even some the songs were brand
new to me, I thought that the lyrics were incredible and I received
great vibes from fans that appeared
to have already heard the new album.
Before the show started getting good, the opening act was an
unfamiliar alternative band from
Nashville, Tennessee, Paper Route,
who played a few songs from their
new album. The crowd didn’t seem
to react to Paper Routes’ jams, or
the following groups’ Phantom
Planet. With an exception of when
Phantom Planet played their single
“California,” which is the theme
song for the hit television series
The OC.
The best performances of the night
were clearly Paramore and Jack’s
Mannequin. Both bands gave Rhode
Island great live shows and hopefully will come back to Providence
Piers next summer for WBRU’s annual tour.
Photo provided by: Brittany Geremia
Above: Paramore performs at the Providence Piers. Below: Hayley Williams lights
up the stage with her signature bright haircolor.
10
ENTERTAINMENT
The West Wind
September 2008
The Dark Knight lights up the box office
By: Kelsey DeJesus
Feature Editor
The Batman series
strikes again as a summer
time box office hit. The Dark Knight, a sequel to Batman Begins hit theatres world
wide this summer.
The “A” list cast is made up of
Christian Bale as Batman. Heath Ledger
as The Joker, and Aaron Eckhart plays
District Attorney, Harvey Dent. Morgan
Freeman returns as Lucius Fox, Batman’s
best friend, Maggie Gyllenhaal plays Rachel Dawes, Batman and Dent’s love interest, and Michael Caine plays Alfred,
Batman’s butler.
Bale did an excellent job in his
role as Batman. As the film progressed I
felt as though I was right in the film, and
that Batman was a real figure. I also saw
human qualities in Batman when he has
to make decisions about revealing his true
identity.
Ledger was so realistic in The
Dark Knight. I will never forget the look
on his face in the opening sequence of this
film. The way Ledger articulated himself
throughout the film made him seem like a
true psychopathic killer, not just an actor
playing one.
The Dark Knight was set to be filmed in
Chicago. Parts of the movie were also shot
in Liverpool, England.
The producer, Charles Roven
settled on Chicago because that is where
Batman Begins was shot. Shooting in such
a large city created thousands of jobs for
the people of Chicago. Filming here also
generated close to $45 million dollars to
the business community.
The Joker’s first introduction into the film
was shot with an IMAX camera, along
with four other sequences.
The costume design for The Joker
was more complex than for the rest of the
cast. The Joker is a character who cares
very little about his appearance to the
world. Ledger’s clown mask was made up
of three pieces of silicon. The makeup was
done on top of the silicon and then placed
on his face.
Bale’s Batsuit was made up of
over 200 total parts. The costume was
made out of nylon, metallic pieces, rubber, and other materials.
I recommend this movie to anyone who
follows The Batman series. Even if you
don’t you will definitely enjoy this action
packed movie.
Photo provided by Google
A scene showing the late Heath Ledger holding up a joker card, as he acts out a
scene as The Joker, who is a main character, from the movie.
Maroon 5, Counting Crows, and Sara Bareilles rock out
Photos provided by Google
(Above) The album cover for Maroon 5, with lead singer Adam Levine at the front
and center.
(Below) A picture of the band, Counting Crows, who also performed at the concert, along with Sara Bareilles.
the Counting Crows had the people join
with emotion. The light show and backBy: Brittany Geremia
drop was excellent for the theme and the
Staff Reporter
atmosphere.
Atomic blue lights waved in the
As the first drum stick air, as the background of the rushing city
hit, and the guitar play- shook about. The crowd went wild when
er strung his cords, the they played “Mr. Jones.” Although they
amphitheater shook with thousands of did play for an hour, there was an encore
fans in awe of Maroon 5’s lead singer, while exiting the stage. In return to that,
Adam Levine. Maroon
the Counting
5 opened with their
Crows returned
Popular Songs at the Concert
hit “This Love.” Their
to play their fisound was exquisite,
nal song.
Maroon 5
and their energy kept
Also sharThis Love
the crowd going. They
ing the stage
Sunday Morning
acted as if they were
that
night
If I Never See Your Face Again
invincible, with every
was solo artMakes Me Wonder
beat at the palm of their
ist, Sara BaWake
Up Call
hands. Throughout Mareilles. Thankroon 5’s performance the
fully, her voice
Sara Bareilles
light show was excelsounded great.
Love Song
lent. There was a variety
Although most
Little Voice
of designs and colors
artists
these
exploring the eyes of
days have their
Counting Crows
the audience, with every
“radio sound”
Mr. Jones
song they performed.
and their “live
The band played hit
sound”, Basongs such as “Sunday
reilles
was
Morning”, “If I Never See Your Face quite identical to her smooth sound on the
Again”, “Makes Me Wonder”, “Wake radio. She sang her popular single, “Love
Up Call”, and many more. Maroon 5’s Song” while playing the piano. She also
smooth sound and upbeat rhythm kept sang new songs from her album “Little
the crowd cheering, and crying over their Voice.” Although the performance was
arrangement of music. Also playing with short, her stunning voice and energy kept
Maroon 5 that night was the Counting the crowd connected.
Crows, and Sara Bareilles. Although that
The night was a success for Sara
night, Maroon 5 definitely stole the spot- Bareilles, Counting Crows, and most of
light.
all Maroon 5. Excitement filled the air
Sharing the stage with Maroon throughout every moment of the night.
5 were the Counting Crows. The crowd The crew worked amazing as to keeping
cheered, and over their loud rumbling the show together, and the employees of
voices, Counting Crows started their first the Comcast center also did a great job
song. The crowd seemed to love them. Al- of keeping people in line. The night was
though some songs were a bit unclear to a thrill to remember, a great moment of
understand, the excitement of just seeing summer 08’.
SPORTS
September 2008
The West Wind
11
West student pitches at Pawsox game Sports Shorts
Chris Lussier throws out first pitch at McCoy Stadium
By: Nick Sczerbinski
Sports Editor
Cranston High School West senior Chris Lussier said that he usually
isn’t nervous. However, at the last game
of the Pawtucket Red Sox regular season,
the few nerves that he has were definitely
running high.
“I felt a little nervous and then I
calmed down and just pitched the ball,”
said Lussier.
Lussier was given the opportunity to throw out the first pitch at a Pawtucket Red Sox game near the end of the
regular season. He was selected by Joe
Corso, the coach of the Cranston Western
Little League Challenger Division team
that Lussier is a part of.
The CWLL Challenger Division
is a part of the baseball division of Special Olympics Rhode Island. SORI helps
“Even though Special Olympics is a
competition, everyone cheers for each
other no matter what team they are
on.”
- Chris Lussier on Special Olympics
kids with mental or physical disabilities
and gives them the opportunity to show off
their skills and talents. Lussier said that,
“Even though the Special Olympics are
a competition, everyone cheers for each
other no matter what team they are on.”
Lussier is a member of the golf
team and he is a catcher on the Special
Olympics baseball team. One player from
Lussier’s team was given the opportunity,
along with many other teams, to throw out
the first pitch at before a Paw Sox game.
Lussier was the player selected from his
team. Despite being selected, Lussier
does not see himself as better than his
teammates. “My team is very good and
I give them credit to what they have to go
through on a regular basis,” said Lussier.
Lussier’s dad was at McCoy
Stadium to support him and he wanted to
see his son succeed.
“He [his dad] looked happy, but I
know that he was probably thinking ‘Just
get it to the plate Chris,’” said Lussier.
Lussier gives all the credit of his
success to SORI.
“One of the best things about
Special Olympics is that no one makes
fun of anyone for anything and everyone
is friends with everyone else,” he said.
“Special Olympics Rhode Island
is a great organization and I am extremely
proud to be a part of it.”
Football off to slow start
Girls’ tennis,
soccer start
season strong
Ethan Smith
Staff Reporter
title.
“The team has been
working very hard since
captain practices in July,”
Dulieu said. “The support, respect, and friendship have brought us far
this season”.
Michelle Hersey, Rachel Snead,
and Leanne Soprano have helped key the
Lady Falcons’ early success.
Girls’ Cross Country
Jared DiBiase knows the Cranston High School West football team
can have a big season. In fact, the senior
captain expects it. But after opening the
season with a 16-14 victory over Tolman,
the Falcons dropped their home-opener to
East Providence and subsequent game to
St. Ray’s to drop their record of 1-2.
“We have a very talented team,”
DiBiase said. “But we are not playing together. Once we start playing as a team
and with emotion, we will be one of the
top teams.”
If Cranston West, however, wants to be mentioned in the same sentence as other top teams
in the state, it will have to
rely on its senior leadership to make a run deep into the playoffs.
Along with DiBiase, and fellow captains
Sam Lapatin and Matt Simonelli, John
Coleman, Tom Capalli, and Blaine Waterman will be counted on to guide the Falcons.
Lapatin said, “It is the responsibility for the captains and seniors to lead
by example in order for the team to succeed.
Girls’ Tennis
The Lady Falcons’ early success
is no surprise to senior captain Lauren
Dulieu. Cranston West is 7-2 through the
first nine matches of the season, and the
team does expect to compete for a state
Current team records
The Lady Falcons look and hope
to be dominant as usual
this year according to senior captain Keri Marnane. “We are looking
forward to the season
and we are especially
impressed with the freshman. The team looked very good at the
Injury Fund race and we are excited for
the dual meets”. With the reigning coach
of the year Sheila Lagasse and sophomore
Alyssa Dequattro the Lady Falcons should
keep up their winning ways.
Boys’ Cross Country
“The boys’ cross country team
expects to keep up the
good work,” said senior
captain Matt hew Casey.
“The team is looking very
strong this year. We had
good performances at
Injury Fund, and we are
looking forward to the dual meets for the
next couple of weeks.” The team will also
look to sophomore runners Zach Fraielli
and Bobby Allen for strong performances
as well.
Girls’ Soccer
After dropping the state title
game to Bay View Academy last season,
the Lady Falcons are determined to make
it back to the finals.
That might be tough,
though, as Cranston West
lost a lot of players to
graduation. But senior
captain Sydney Kahan
is confident the team will
not miss a beat.
“Even though we lost a lot of
talent at the end of the season, I think we
gained even more this year,” Kahan said.
“I think we have a very good chance of
getting to where we were last year, but this
time winning it all.”
Senior captain Steph Estacio
along with fellow seniors Cristen Rekrut
and Brianna Lennon will be counted on to
lead this year’s team.
Boys’ Soccer
After a slow start to the season,
Cranston West looks to
rebound and finish the
season strong.
“We are a team that has
a lot of skill, and once we
all work together we will
be successful,” senior
captain Matthew Chianesi said.
The Falcons will look toward senior captain John Petipas, as well as, Nick
Medici, Matt Larson, and Kevin Patrizio
to help turn the season around.
Girls’ Cross Country
Record: 7-2
3rd place in division
Boys’ Cross Country
Record: 4-6
7th place in division
Football
Overall Record: 2-3
League Record: 0-3
8th place in division
Boys’ Soccer
Record: 3-7-2
6th place in division
Girls’ Soccer
Overall Record: 7-0-5
League Record: 6-0-5
1st place in division
Girls’ Tennis
Record: 9-2-0
1st place in division
Girls’ Volleyball
The girls’ volleyball
team is starting the season
off great this year with a
6-1 record with wins over
Tolman, Johnston, Warwick Vets, Mount Saint
Charles, Mount Pleasant,
and North Smithfield. The Lady Falcons
are led by captains Molly Durigan and
Nicole Fontes. “The season is going very
well and hopefully we can continue to
play well for the rest of the season,” Durigan said.
Girls’ Volleyball
Overall Record: 9-2-0
League Record: 9-1-0
2nd place in division
12
SPORTS
The West Wind
September 2008
Athlete Alley: Steph Estacio
Senior captain looks to lead team to states
By: Nick Sczerbinski
Sports Editor
Stephanie Estacio
was ready to celebrate her
sweet sixteen last November,
but things did not work out
as planned. Even though it
was her birthday, Estacio’s
full attention was focused
on the State Championship
game against Bay View
Academy. The Falcons lost
that game and Estacio said
that her birthday was ruined.
This year however
Estacio has vowed to take
the Falcons back to the finals
hopefully with a better result.
Estacio and fellow
captain Sydney Kahn have
led the team to a record of
3-0-3 through the first six
games of the season. Estacio
has led a strong defensive effort at sweeper, holding opponents to four goals in six
games. Her soccer family
background may be the reason for her skills
on the field.
Estacio began playing soccer 12 years ago for
CLCF and Nova SC. She
said that other members of
her family were involved
with soccer and that made
her anxious to play at such
a young age. Currently Estacio plays for Blackwatch
Premier RI and South County Soccer as well as Cranston
West. Last year, as a junior,
Estacio received secondteam all-division honors.
Estacio knows that
in order to succeed individually as a captain this year she
will have to take on a lot of
responsibility.
“I feel honored that
I am a captain this year, and
I feel that I can handle the
responsibilities that come
with being a leader,” Estacio
said.
Teammates of Estacio definitely have faith that
she will be able to lead the
team to a successful season.
“Steph is the vocal leader on
the field,” said fellow senior
Cristen Rekrut. “Since she is
the sweeper, she is the voice
of the team and is always
analyzing the game during
halftime. She will tell you
if you are doing something
wrong and then tell you how
to fix it.”
Rekrut also said
that Estacio is a great role
model for younger who are
looking to improve their
game.
Head coach Charles
Pearson agreed with Rekrut.
“Steph takes charge
as sweeper and she is our
on-field general, she directs
the field and ultimately controls the game as a whole,”
Pearson said.
When November
rolls around, expect to see
Estacio and the rest of the
girls’ soccer team in contention for the title Estacio has
Photo by Natalie Patalano
made it her mission this year
to get back to the title game
Senior Captain Steph Estacio is ready to kick the Lady Falcons into the playand make her seventeenth
offs.
birthday better than her last.
Clean Sweep for varsity soccer at City Cup
By: Nick Sczerbinski
Sports Editor
Nino Rizzo sprinted out of the
net, screaming in excitement, and jumped
into the arms of Matt Chianesi.
The celebration was on.
The Cranston High School West
boys’ soccer team shocked Cranston High
School East, 3-1, in the annual City Cup
match, completing an unbeaten day for
the Falcons.
“This win is one step closer to
playoffs, and it is one of our goals from
the beginning of the season to win City
Cup,” said Rizzo, the senior goalkeeper
who had 19 saves in the victory.
Chianesi, who was named the
team’s most valuable player, scored
two goals including the go-ahead goal
early in the second half. Sophomore
Kevin Patrizio sealed the victory with
a goal late in the game, giving the
Falcons a third consecutive City Cup
title.
Not to be outdone, the girls’ varsity team captured a 3-1 victory over the
Lady Bolts. The Lady Falcons also took
the junior varsity game by the same 3-1
score. The only game that did not end as
a Cranston West victory was a 1-1 tie in
the boys’ junior varsity game as the annual alumni game also went Cranston
West’s way by the score of 3-1.
The Falcons jumped out to
an early lead when Chianesi took a rip
from just outside the 18-yard marker that
slipped under the arm of Cranston East
goalkeeper, Andrew Fonseca, putting the
Falcons ahead.
Cranston East got the equalizer off the foot of Justin DiMaio, but the
game was not even for long.
Early in the second half, Cranston West had a free kick from 20 yards out
and just to the right of the goal. Chianesi
set the ball with a three-man wall of white
shirts in front of him.
Chianesi chipped the
ball up over the wall,
and curved it into the far
corner out of the reach
of Fonseca for the game
winner.
Minutes later,
Patrizio won a battle for
a loose ball and looped
a deep shot from almost
midfield just over the
outstretched arms of
Fonseca. Patrizio’s goal
locked up the win for
the Falcons closing out
what was an outstanding day for Cranston
West Soccer.
Lady Falcons
– 3 Lady Bolts – 1
The Cranston
Photo by Natalie Patalano
West Lady Falcons
The boys’ varsity soccer team celebrates after their City Cup victory, 3-1 over Cranston East on
took the field looking
October 5.
to start off the varsity
The Lady Falcons also stepped it
portion of City Cup on
up
on
the
defensive side of the ball as they
a successful note.
held
the
Bolts
to just 7 shots all game.
Things did not look good at the
The
Lady
Falcons got a big instart when Cranston East got on the board
surance
goal
by
Rekrut
who chipped in a
first. The Lady Falcons, however, did not
pass
from
Sam
Nolte
up
and off the cross
falter after allowing the early tally.
bar
for
her
second
point
of the game, icAriana Stanton provided some
ing
the
cake
for
the
Falcons.
firepower off the bench as she was subbed
Rekrut, with her two-point perin and quickly got involved. Stanton reformance
was named Cranston West’s
ceived a pass from Cristen Rekrut and
most
valuable
player and a lot of her sucput a nicely placed shot past the sprawlcess
had
to
do
with her experience.
ing Cranston East goalkeeper to knot the
“This
year is really the first year
game at 1 a piece.
that
I
feel
comfortable
playing a lot and I
The tide had turned and it was
have
worked
so
hard
for
this moment and
all Lady Falcons from then on.
it
fi
nally
happened,”
Rekrut
said during
The game-winning goal was a
the
post-game
celebration.
classic highlight reel goal. Brittany FurAn extremely chilly night at
ney made a great run to the net and got
Cranston
Stadium was made bearable for
her head on the perfectly placed cross by
all
Falcons
in attendance who watched
Stephanie Estacio. The goalie dove toPhoto by Natalie Patalano
Cranston
West
take home the City Cup
wards the opposite corner and the Falcons
Junior Allison Hartman in mid-kick
once again.
had the lead.
at the girls’ game.