The Panther Advocate - Plainfield Public Schools

Plainfield Public
Schools
Inside this issue:
Holiday
News
216
Student
1723
Interviews
Teacher
Interviews
Student
Editorials
2427
2840
Special points
of interest:
 Find out who won
hall decorating on
page 7
 Bonfire on page 5
 Holiday trivia on
pages 15 and 16
 Real life Barbie on
page 36
 Grammar lesson on
pages 38 and 39
 “This or that” page
on back
Plainfield High School Student Newspaper
The Panther Advocate
December 2012
SPORTS NEWS
Page 2
Not So Thanksgiving
Commentary by: Colby Cyrus
Photographs by: Jessica D’Auria and Michelle Pfeifer
When I went to sleep the night before Thanksgiving,
all I keep thinking about was the game in the morning. With
lack of sleep and the butterflies already there, I started to get
ready for the biggest game of my life. When I left my house
all I kept thinking about was I was about to play my last
game with the friends I played with my whole life. When I
arrived at the school, there was a certain feeling going around
the locker room. We all started to get ready and tape up, just
like a normal game. Then when everyone was ready, we started to walk down to the field. As we were walking down, so
Panthers lining up for a play
was Griswold. When we finally arrived down at the lower
gym everyone seemed focused and ready to play. Then as a team we took the field and did the normal pre-game. With
all the players on both sides of the field all geared up ready to pounce on each other, you can imagine the intensity was
high. After pre-game both teams went to their respective locker rooms. In the locker the players were all waiting on an
epic speech from the one of the coaches, but instead we had a guest speaker. The speech he delivered was unorthodox,
but it seemed to be affective and the team looked pumped. Now that all the distractions were done, the team could finally
focus on the game.
When the Panthers took the field, we saw many familiar faces that were there to cheer
“ “ Mostly everyus on and it felt fantastic. With the entire stadium packed I knew it was game time and the
field was buzzing from the anticipation for the game. Then the captains took the middle of the
thing, because
field and Griswold elected to receive and the game had begun. So the Panther kickoff team
took the field ready to crack some skulls. The look in the players eyes were of anger and focus I'm not just
because everyone knew the magnitude of this bitter rivalry. The game started with Griswold
leaving a sport
driving down the field, but the Panthers were showing some resilience by making it difficult
for the Wolverines to score, but eventually they did score making the score: 7-0 Griswold earI'm leaving a
ly in the first quarter. On the Panthers first offensive series, the offense sputtered causing the
ball to be given back to the Wolverines. The score quickly became 14-0 Griswold, but the
family.”
Panthers have been down before and were not going to just let the Wolverines walk all over
them. So the next possession the Panthers scored on a long touchdown pass from quarterback
- Allen Griffin
Stephen Jankowski to Jordan Federer making the game 14-7. With the momentum in Plainfield’s favor the defense took the field in search of a stop. A stop is just what they got because
the Panthers middle linebacker and captain, Colby Cyrus
caught an interception and things were looking up just
before the half. Then the panthers were driving down the
field but an untimely turnover stopped the Panther’s momentum. The score at half was 14-7, Griswold.
At halftime the team seemed to ready for a second half surge and everyone seemed to have one common goal: victory. As both teams took the field for the
second half the nerves have calmed and both sides knew
what they had to do. As you might already know the second half didn’t go the Panthers way. It is simple: the
Wolverines executed and we did not. The final score of
the game was 41-22 Griswold. Even though the score
might say otherwise the game was hard fought and pretQuarterback Stephen Jankowski alluding Griswold defenders
ty even throughout, Griswold made a few more plays
than we did.
Continued on next page
SPORTS NEWS CONTINUED
Page 3
This game was more than a loss for the seniors: it was the last time we all will take the field together and for
most of us the last time we will ever play the game of football. Even though the scoreboard wasn’t in our favor on
Thanksgiving, the 2012 football team had a successful season with a record of 5-5. That record might not signify great
success but that record is far better than previous years. The Plainfield football program improved greatly over the years
and the future looks promising with some good young talent on the roster. Even though the seniors on the team will never take the field again as a Plainfield Panther they will forever be part of the program and tradition that comes with the
football program. I asked fellow senior football player and friend Allen Griffin what he would miss the most about football and he answered,“ Mostly everything, because I'm not just leaving a sport I'm leaving a family.” To leave you on
this, as a team we had the times of our life's and we thank everyone for their support and this team will not be forgotten
anytime soon. God Bless.
2012 Plainfield football schedule and results:
Plainfield’s Schedule:
Scores of games:
Bacon
28-20 Plainfield
St. Benard
43-6 Plainfield
Waterford
35-21 Waterford
North Providence (RI)
28-8 Plainfield
Woodstock Academy
38-7 Plainfield
New London
41-0 New London
Killingly
29-8 Plainfield
Stonington
54-12 Stonington
Jonathon Law
60-27 Jonathon Law
Griswold
41-22 Griswold
Date
Varsity Boys Indoor Track
Opponent
Where
Time/Results
Away
10:00 a.m.
Saturday 1/5
Jack Long ECC Coaches
INT
Shoreline Coaches Invite
Away
To Be Announced
Saturday 1/12
Rhody Classin
Away
10:00 a.m.
Friday 1/18
Yale Invite
Away
1:00 p.m.
Saturday 1/19
East Coast Chamionship
Away
9:00 a.m.
Saturday 2/2
ECC Tournament
Away
4:00 p.m.
Thursday 2/7
Class S State Meet
Away
4:00 p.m.
Saturday 2/16
State Open
Away
12:00 p.m.
Saturday 3/2
New Englands
Away
11:00 a.m.
Friday 3/8
Nike Indoor National
Away
TBA
Saturday 12/29
WINTER SPORTS SCHEDULES
Page 4
Girls Varsity Basketball Schedule
Date
Thursday 12/5
Saturday 12/8
Tuesday 12/11
Friday 12/12
Opponent
Killingly
Woodstock Academy
Ledyard
Wheeler
Where
Away
Home
Away
Away
Time/Results
W 67-26
W 47-31
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m..
Tuesday 12/18
Friday 12/21
Saturday 12/29
Wednesday 1/2
Friday 1/4
Tuesday 1/8
Friday 1/11
Tuesday 1/15
Thursday 1/17
Tuesday 1/22
Friday 1/25
Tuesday 1/20
Friday 2/1
Tuesday 2/5
Friday 2/8
Monday 2/11
Lyman
St. Bernard
Morgan
Fitch
Montville
Stonington
East Lyme
Tourtellotte
Griswold
Bacon Academy
Wheeler
Lyman Memorial
St. Bernard
Tourtellotte
Griswold
Waterford
Home
Away
Away
Home
Away
Home
Away
Home
Home
Home
Home
Away
Home
Away
Away
Away
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
Boys Varsity Basketball Schedule
Date
Wednesday 12/12
Friday 12/14
Tuesday 12/18
Friday 12/21
Friday 12/28
Wednesday 1/2
Friday 1/4
Tuesday 1/8
Friday 1/11
Tuesday 1/15
Friday 1/18
Tuesday 1/22
Friday 1/25
Tuesday 1/29
Friday 2/1
Tuesday 2/5
Thursday 2/7
Saturday 2/9
Tuesday 2/12
Friday 2/15
Opponent
Killingly
Wheeler
Lyman Memorial
St. Bernard
Canton
Fitch
Montville
Stonington
East Lyme
Tourtellotte
Griswold
Bacon Academy
Wheeler
Lyman memorial
St. Bernard
Tourtellotte
Ellis Tech
Griswold
Woodstock Academy
Ledyard
Where
Home
Home
Away
Home
Home
Away
Home
Away
Home
Away
Away
Away
Away
Home
Away
Home
Home
Home
Away
Home
Time
W 58-54
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
SCHOOL NEWS
Page 5
Bumpin’ and Boomin’ Bonfire
Commentary by: Allen Griffin
Photographs by: Ibrahim Mohammed.
Who doesn’t like setting things on fire? On Tuesday, November 20, a horde of
students met at 5:30 p.m. at Plainfield High School to show the school their support. Directly after football practice, I joined my fellow students in a march down
to the Rams Field to ignite both passion in our hearts, and a literal fire.
Surrounded by police and led by the band, we marched through Central
Village. We arrived and quickly formed an excited crowd, lit by the lights of fire
trucks and police cruisers. Our attention, initially enraptured by the enormous pile
of pallets, was quickly shifted toward the bleachers as the nights festivities began.
Our first selectmen, Paul Sweet, began the proceedings with a wonderful speech
taking us through the long history between Plainfield and Griswold. Then our
own principal, Mr. Worth, took the stage and was taken aback by the support the
students and faculty both displayed.
Our class president, Jordan
Beauregard then took the stage. His speech A Griswold helmet burning on a stake.
was miraculous, and sounded like it could
have been pulled straight from a motivational speaker, or movie. After a stumble
down the stairs, Jordan passed the microphone to the senior football players of
2009, who fired the football team up with the tale of their final Thanksgiving
game. Then the senior cheerleaders, Skyla Young and Ariel Roy, took the stage
and gave a heartfelt speech toward the cheerleaders, football team, and the fans
alike. Finally, our senior class football players took the stage. To start things off
Chase Hyland, Mason DeLorge, and myself spoke on behalf of our team, before
The bonfire being a bonfire
the captains, Colby Cyrus and Chad Davis took over. After both the senior football players and cheerleaders were both called up to the bleachers, the lighting ceremony began.
We all gathered around the pit and lit torches, which unfortunately didn’t last very long while held in our hands.
The flares started to burn Mason and myself before we threw them into the pit! The bonfire, however, went up without a
hitch, and was a sight to see. The Griswold helmet melted fantastically, and the fire became almost unbearably hot.
Overall, the experience was enlightening and motivating. It was wonderful to see the overwhelming support the students,
faculty, and parents showed towards their town and sports teams.
Matt Brown on the walk down
The 2012 senior football team
SCHOOL NEWS
Page 6
Is it Ugly Enough?
Article and Photographs by: Samantha Lee
A lot of people had school spirit the week of Thanksgiving. Monday was decades day, Tuesday was ugly sweater day,
and Wednesday was black and orange day! There was a multitude of people that participated in ugly sweater day on
Tuesday! Which do you think won the official “Ugly Sweater” competition?
Emmalee Deojay
Mr. Clair and Dr. C
Sheanna Rankin and Lydia Nottage
Emily Barker and Meg Collelo
Jordyn Sanattere and Natalia Rickey
Joeseph Saros, Whitney Van Alst, Ashley Labrie, and Kali Trepanier
Nate Vernon, Chelsea Koziol, Mrs. Sumner, Emily Brennan, and Meagan Gudeahn
SCHOOL NEWS
Page 7
The Happenin’ Halls
Article and Photographs by: Ashlyn Hart
Hallway decorating has been a tradition at Plainfield High School for years. Every Thanksgiving eve I look forward to seeing the creativity of our peers showcased in our corridors. This year, I took the opportunity of interviewing a few students here to learn of their opinions on the competition and the overall display of the halls.
What theme do you think would look best in a hall?
George Lopez - Senior hallway.
Patrick Haggerty - Some type of haunted house.
Frank Gilleese - I think some of the themes should be from popular culture such as,
particular movies, music eras, maybe world cultures, or just have a student poll on
hall ideas.
Suzie Arpin - “The Wizard of Oz!” “Fight Club!”
Do you think the hall should be decorated all the way through or just partially?
George Lopez - All the way (Yolo).
Freshman’s Christmas themed hallway.
Patrick Haggerty - Partially. Quality over quantity.
Frank Gilleese - The hallway should be decorated all the way through, however that
would require more of the student class to help produce a fantastic hallway.
Who do you think should have won the competition?
George Lopez - Seniors obviously.
Patrick Haggerty - Seniors!
Frank Gilleese - The seniors definitely should have won. If they didn’t win; well
that’s ridiculous. Our hallway was awesome. The juniors’ was great, but seniors
should of won. Case closed.
Kevin Thoare fascinated by streamers in the
Suzie Arpin - Seniors, nobody else deserves to win.
sophomores' Candy Land hallway.
What one thing would make a hall awesome?
George Lopez - Spirit.
Patrick Haggerty - Realistic decorations.
Suzie Arpin - Music. Lights.
Frank Gilleese - I think that if everyone gets a say then it’s awesome.
1st Place: Seniors
2nd Place: Juniors
3rd Place: Freshmen
Frank Gilleese
Patrick Haggerty
Suzie Arpin
George Lopez
The junior hallway was “out of this
world” but of course, not as good as the
senior hall.
The Queen of Heart’s section in the senior hall.
Page 8
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Charities During Holiday Time!
co.monmouth.nj.us
Article by: Noah Fields
Have you noticed that during the holidays lots of different charities advertise or ask for your donation or support? How do you know which ones are legitimate and are worthy to donate to? Is there
a way to determine if a charity is helping the cause more than themselves? There are ways to make
smart choices when donating to one or various charities this holiday season. Here are some of those
ways:
1. Do a Google search.
There is so much information on the web so why not use it to your advantage. Go to google.com and search the name of
the charity and/or the charity’s leaders. You will see pretty quickly if you should be skeptical of their mission or proud of
it. By doing this you can also find out other information about the charity that you may want to know.
2. Use a site like GuideStar.
Guidestar.org is like a Google for charities. It is a great place to get a first-hand look at how big the budget is and how
much they spend on fundraising. Use this information with a grain of salt. It is good to know how much of your donation
will go to the programs you care about. But don’t get too hung up by “operating expenses” Different charities have different norms. Some are able to keep overhead down to 10%, while some might need it at 30%. But both could be doing
an amazingly effective job fulfilling their mission.
3. Find out what it costs them to raise $1.
It is good to know what it is costing them to fundraise. For example if it costs the charity $1.75 to raise $1 it is most
likely not an organization that you’d want to be making donations too. But it can pay to look a little closer. Setting up a
new operation can be expensive, especially when preparing for a capital campaign. The organization may be actually
laying a foundation to be a long-term player in its field.
4. Find out what percentage of the board and staff are giving to the nonprofit.
You wouldn’t buy an insurance from an insurance salesman that didn’t believe enough to purchase his own product. So
why would you invest in a charity that the people running it aren’t investing in? If the percentage is low, it could be just
the need for giving money in addition to time hasn’t been explained.
5. Try to forget the horror stories you’ve heard.
There have been reports of charities on the news for having an executive embezzle money or lead a profligate lifestyle.
But one bad apple doesn’t spoil the bunch. The very fact that it makes a big story shows that the occurrence is quite rare.
The overwhelming number of charities are run by good, well-meaning people. So learn from the bad stories, but don’t
get paranoid and weird about the charity you want to support.
6. Do a gut check.
Sometimes we can just sense that something’s off even after you’ve done all the homework. Listen to that nudge. If you
can’t make it go away, it may be wise for you to look for another charity.
7. Talk to your friends.
This probably should be first. But your friends may have heard of the charity or know people you can check with. And in
our social media saturated world, you can cast a much wider net with your questions.
Again, do some research and decide to give to something that makes you happy and don’t give to it just because it is the
charity you ran into or the charity that found you first. Lastly, determine if you want to give a lot to one or two charities
you prefer or spread the wealth across a couple of charities, Remember: it is not the amount but the thought that matters.
One local charity to donate to that makes a difference is Project Pin located at All
Hallows Church in Moosup. In case you did not know every $1 that is donated to
Project Pin they can go and buy $7 of food. If you wish to make a donation to Project
Pin you can contact them at 860-564-5591.
Page 9
HOLIDAY NEWS
Turkey Talk
Article and Photographs by: Ashlyn Hart
The beginning of the holiday season sparks different emotions in everyone. I decided to take the opportunity of this
holiday season to interview a few random people in the hallway and in my classes. Thanksgiving, most known for its
turkey-induced comas, super shoppers, pumpkin pie and football, marks the beginning of nonstop Christmas carols
and holiday cheer. Whether you’re a turkey lover or vegetarian, you cannot deny the timelessness of sitting around a
table staring at a feast. Boo-yah!
katedolan.com
When you hear the word “Thanksgiving,” what is the first image that comes to
mind?
Morgan Griffin - Indians.
Shawna Barr- When I hear the word Thanksgiving I think of piles of food.
Ariel Roy - A turkey.
Cally Hencey - That little thing with the fruit in it!
What is your favorite part of Thanksgiving?
Morgan Griffin - Food.
Shawna Barr - My favorite part of Thanksgiving is pumpkin pie.
Ariel Roy - Food and family.
Cally Hencey - Family time.
Are you a Black Friday shopper, and if so, where?
Morgan Griffin - No, I’m too afraid.
Shawna Barr - I am not a black Friday shopper, but I wish that I was.
Ariel Roy - No.
Cally Hencey - Yes, to the mall.
Where do you plan on spending the holiday?
Morgan Griffin - Under a rock.
Shawna Barr - I plan on spending the holiday at home with all of my family because we
host it every year.
Ariel Roy - Home.
Cally Hencey – Anywhere with my family.
What is your favorite food to eat on Thanksgiving?
Morgan Griffin - Mashed Potatoes.
Shawna Barr - My favorite food to eat on Thanksgiving is pumpkin pie and ice cream
on top.
Ariel Roy - Turkey, pumpkin pie.
Cally Hencey - Mashed potatoes!
This is a cornucopia, despite
rumors claiming that it originated from the “Hunger
Games.”
POLL TIME!
Do you know what a
cornucopia is?
YES
NO
21
12
Do you break the wishbone?
YES
NO
17
16
Turkey or stuffing?
TURKEY
23
STUFFING
10
Black Friday, yay or nay?
Morgan Griffin
Ariel Roy
Cally Hencey
YAY
NAY
16
17
SCHOOL NEWS
Page 10
A Year in America
Interviews and Article by: Kali Trepanier and David Pollard
Kali: On November 15, you might’ve seen a few students that seemed like they didn’t belong here at Plainfield High
School. Maybe that’s because they were from France, Ecuador, Bolivia, Quebec, Brazil, and Germany. They live in
Massachusetts and Connecticut and came to Plainfield for the Internet Youth Exchange Weekend. The exchange students
all spent the night at Rotary members’ houses and then shadowed them for the school day. I had Marilia Passos, from
Brazil, and Justine, from Quebec, spend the night at my house. We had a typical girl’s night. We listened to music from
America, Brazil, and from Quebec. It was interesting to see the differences in the music and the cultures. We also looked
at pictures from their hometowns. On Friday, after the exchange students followed kids from Plainfield for the day, we
had “The Amazing Race.” All the exchange and Rotary students had to walk and answer trivia questions. We then all
went over to Mitch Felker’s house and had tacos, goodies, and gathered round a campfire. A few of the Rotary members
including Sarah Burdick, Halie Meier, and myself slept over at Alexandra Tomas’s house with the exchange girls. The
boys slept over at Mitch’s. After the sleepover, we all woke up and ate some delicious breakfast. After we ate breakfast
we all went and played laser tag and other arcade games and went bowling All of this made the rotary and exchange
student closer together as friends. Myself, being a part of Rotary, and David Pollard, a outsider looking in, decided to
interview some of the these exchange students, including Darien Falconi, Stephane Todesohini, and Sabrina Kaibara,
and ask them what they thought about Plainfield, and America.
David: As a student who is not involved in the Rotary Club, seeing all the new faces around school was pretty exciting. I
think it was very lucky that Plainfield was able to host this exchange weekend. After talking to multiple exchange students, I learned a lot about the differences and similarities between our country and theirs. The students were all pretty cool
and were generally fun to talk to. I’ve gotten the chance to give
an outsider perspective on the exchange weekend and the whole
Rotary program. I think it is great and I think our school should
have this event every year.
Hey, Where are you guys from?
Darien- I’m from Ecuador.
Sabrina- I’m from Brazil.
Stephane- France.
Is America a lot different than your home town, or no?
Darien- It’s a lot different.
The Amazing Race
Sabrina- It’s different.
Stephane- It is not that different, it is very similar to what I lived
in before. There’s not fast foods and chain restaurants.
If you guys were still in your countries what would you guys
be doing?
Darien- College.
Sabrina- I would be in high school.
Stephane- I would be a freshman in college.
Is your school there different than yours here?
Darien- Way smaller, the one I go to here has about 2,500 students, but my school in Ecuador had about 200.
Sabrina- A lot smaller.
Mar, Sabrina, Stephane, and Darien. Josh Millette being
Stephane- My school is about the same.
Josh Millette in the background.
What do you guys do for fun here? Is it different than your
home country.
Darien- I hangout with my friends but it’s a lot different than where I’m from.
Continued on next page.
Sabrina- Hangout with friends.
Stephane- I play on the football team so I am friends with all my teammates and it’s the
same as France.
SCHOOL NEWS CONTINUED
Page 11
How are people compared to the people in your home country?
Darien- People here aren't mean at all.
Sabrina- They are a lot colder here.
Stephane- It depends on who it is, most people are just like France.
Is it hard to understand us? Do we have accents?
Darien- At first it was, but now it’s easier.
Sabrina- Yes.
Stephane- All of you have different accents, none of you sound the same.
Do you guys do any sports?
Darien- Soccer.
-Sabrina- Nothing.
Stephane Football, like American football.
What kind of music do you like?
Darien- All kinds.
Sabrina- Mostly everything.
Stephane- All kinds, I have some American music on my computer that most Ameri- Jake Bath and Jenny Trapp
cans don't even know.
How are the classes compared to your home country?
Darien- Easier.
Sabrina- So much easier.
Stephane- Easier and a lot shorter.
How do you feel about the weather here?
Darien- Lost two days of school because of the storm.
Sabrina- Its crazy.
Stephane- Its all over the place, it will go from horrible to sunny.
Do people have crazy cell phones and tech stuff?
Darien- Yes, but people don't walk around with them because its dangerous.
Sabrina- Not really.
Stephane- Yeah, just like here.
Twister with Exchange Students!
Who do you miss the most?
Darien- Parents.
Sabrina- Parents and my siblings. And my doggy.
Stephane- Family.
Do you want to go back or stay here?
Darien- Stay here, go back, but not stay there.
Sabrina- I’d stay here.
Stephane- I’d go back and get all my friends and bring them
here and have them meet all my new friends.
How do you think this will benefit you in the future?
Darien- Learning the language.
Sabrina- The language.
Stephane- Definitely learning English.
Can you say goodbye in your own language for us?
Darien- Adios.
The rotary weekend girls’ sleepover!
Sabrina- Chou.
Kali Trepanier, Sarah Burdick, Halie Meier, Jenny
Stephane- Au revoir.
Trapp, Marilia Passos, Justine, Sabrina Kaibara, and
Emma on top. Nathalia Roda and Ally Thomas
Page 12
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Black Friday Overview
Commentary by: Kylie Hart
Christmas is a wonderful holiday: spending time with family, drinking hot
techdeville.com/2012
chocolate by a nice warm fire, and coming down the stairs at the crack of
dawn to unwrap your presents. All is calm now, but remember back to the day
after Thanksgiving. Yup, you know what I’m talking about, Black Friday. The
Friday when shoppers get no sleep, and wait in hour long lines. But it is all
worth it because you are getting a good deal for your Christmas shopping. I
have decided to see what is so great about shopping on Black Friday, by going
shopping with the rush of people I will be able to get the full experience.
9:28 p.m.
It is Thursday night and we are in the car on our way to the stores, some of theses stores are Target, Wal-Mart
and Kohl's. Six people, one car, late at night out shopping. My little sister yells from the back seat, “who’s ready to shop
till we drop ladies!” I fall asleep in the car on the way to Target in Lisbon listening to Taylor Swift’s new album RED.
9:55 p.m.
We arrive at Target. First off we head into the clothing department, we don't see much that peaks our interest so
we move on to the shoe section. There was not much left of the shoe section, lets just put it that way. We move on to
electronics where we will buy a blue, iPod Touch, fifth generation. The only problem is that the line for electronics is so
long it winds down to the back corner of the store. We hop into line and wait in
it for an hour while looking at magazines we took when we passed by that section in line. At Target we bought a mixture of electronics gloves and nail
polish.
Around 11:00 p.m.
This is when we went to the rush of Wal-Mart. At Wal-Mart we went
straight to the electronics section. In electronics we were hoping to find my
sister laptop that she would be receiving for Christmas. We searched and saw
many other laptops but not the ASUS 14” screen for $300 that she wanted.
We poked around and ended
siouxfallsbusinessjournal.argusleader.com
up getting three watches for
www.usatoday.com
less than $15 each. We were
unable to leave Wal-Mart
without fueling up for Kohl's by stopping at Dunkin’ Donuts. We each
got a coffee and a bagel, personally, I got the small iced coffee with half
the ice with extra cream and extra sugar.
12:20 p.m.
We headed of to Kohl's which opened at midnight, so most of
the opening rush was over, but it still was crazy busy. Our team split up,
I went with my sister and her friend to go find a soft blanket she saw was
on sale for $9 when it normally was $40, what a great deal?! We went to
shoes and my sister found a pair of hot pink a nice blue pair of running shoes. We hopped into line that went all the way
down and then to the back of the store. We ended up waiting in line for over an hour before we were able to check out!
2:10 p.m.
We get home and I passed out on the couch to get a few
winks before we head off for round two of shopping at the Emerald square mall.
After taking the Black Friday issue into my own hands I have discovered that it is a very enjoyable yet tiring experience. I think I
will even go again next year to get those great deals for my
Christmas shopping.
www.geekscape.net
Page 13
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday
Commentary by: Darien Sharkey
www.designmodo.com
www.blogs.thenews.com
Everyone is likely aware of Black Friday, right? It’s the day after
Thanksgiving, basically, it marks the start of the Christmas shopping season. This year, it was November 23. Major retailers opened unusually early,
around midnight, and had exquisite sales. This day isn’t an official holiday,
but it sure does seem like it; a lot of people take the day off just to go shopping. Even non-retailers give their employees the day off. It has routinely
been the busiest shopping day of the year since 2005. Black Friday indicates the point at which retailers begin to turn a profit or are “in the black.”
This eventful day is known for aggressive crowds and throngs of people
trampling other shoppers.
Major retailers had a lot of great deals! Wal-Mart had many barAdvertising will surely grab your attention
gains such as the iPad for $399 with the gift of a $75 gift card to Wal-Mart.
Everything from new television’s to clothes were ridiculously inexpensive. That’s the problem though, there is total
madness; people fight to get the finest buys. In Tallahassee, Florida,
two Black Friday shoppers were shot. Witnesses at the scene stated
that “two couples were arguing and one of the men started shooting,”
it is believed to have started because of a dispute over a parking
space. Also, in San Antonio, Texas, a man pulled a gun out on a linecutter at Sears. Have we really come to violence just to get a head
start on our Christmas shopping?
Not only is there Black Friday, but the following Monday is
known as Cyber Monday, which is probably a bit safer. Cyber Monday started in 2005; retailers decided “Well, why not?” It was estimated that this year would be the biggest online shopping day of the
year. Americans were expected to spend $1.5 billion!
However, there weren’t many shoppers this year. Black Friwashingtonpost.com
day sales declined since last year. This year a total of $11.8 million
was spent, which is a 1.8% decline from last year. Does this show that
Black Friday is slowly becoming insignificant? Not exactly, more people decided to shop online. International Business
Machines, Digital Analytics Benchmark reported that the percentage of consumers using mobile devices to visit retailers
websites is up to 28%, compared with 18% in 2011. Does this show that the internet is becoming more reliable every
year? Online shoppers spent over $1 billion on Friday; as a result, 57.3 million Americans decided to surf the internet in place of hopping in their vehicles.
The National Retail Federation says its survey results show spending
over the Black Friday weekend topped $59 billion. If you divide that number
by the four days that were spent shopping, that’s roughly $15 billion a day!
There are millions of opinions as to whether or not Black Friday is
important; it’s up to you to decide. Is online shopping going to take over going to the mall? We’ll just have to wait and see the results of Black Friday
2013. Happy Holiday shopping!
Information taken from: www.techcrunch.com, www.business.time.com
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Page 14
Holiday Hoopla
Article by: Michelle Pfeifer
Even though we all know Christmas is not about the presents, you will look like pretty bad if you don’t get anyone anything. Plus it feels fantastic making someone else happy. It can be pretty hard finding gifts, especially when you want to
get something they like, not a gift that’s going to be returned the next day. With so many people to please and with most
of us having a small amount of cash, I decided to come up with some gift ideas to make your life a little bit easier. Who
wants to worry about buying presents the day before Christmas when you could be drinking hot chocolate and watching
Christmas movies?
L.L Bean Backpack
$29.95
LLbean.com
uControl Cloud Force RC
Helicopter
$39.99
Brookstone.com
Fireworks Light Show
$18.99
Gifts.com
Ipod Nano
$149
Walmart.com
Lemon Ball Leather Baseball
$39.95
Redenvelope.com
Twilight Woods Gift Set
$32.50
Bathandbodyworks.com
TY Beanie Boos
$5.98
Amazon.com
Ridged Glass Guitar Pick
$20.00
Uncommongoods.com
Bootie Slippers
$12.99
Kohls.com
* If none of these ideas work for you, just remember everyone loves Gift cards!*
Beanbag Chair
$31.99
Overstock.com
Portable Ping Pong Set
$39.95
Uncommongoods.com
Pineapple Panda Headphones
$11.39
Walmart.com
FUN PAGE
Page 15
Holiday Trivia
Created by: Noah Fields
It doesn't matter if you've been naughty or nice,
just take this quiz and check it twice.
ethunter1.blogspot.com
prettyfluffy.com
1. What is Santa Claus' name in Italy?
A. Pere Noel
B. Kanakaloka
C. Babbo Natale
D. Ded Moroz
2. Which holiday is known as the Festival of Lights?
A. Christmas
B. Winter solstice
C. St. Lucia Day
D. Hanukkah
3. Who sings "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer?"
A. Elmo & Patsy
B. Adam Sandler
C. Al Yankovic
D. Elvis
4. What is the name of The Grinch's dog?
A. Spot
B. Max
C. Crunch
D. Fluffy
5. Why can't Ralphie have a Red Ryder BB gun in "A Christmas Story?"
A. He'll shoot his eye out
B. Randy would be jealous
C. It's too expensive
D. He's getting a decoder ring instead
6. In "Christmas Vacation," what does Clark receive in place of his Christmas bonus?
A. A promotion
B. An invitation to the holiday party
C. A knitted sweater
D. Enrollment in the "Jelly of the Month" club
7. What year were electric tree lights introduced as an alternative to candles?
A. 1818
B. 1922
C. 1882
D. 1900
8. According to Dutch tradition, how does Sinterklaas deliver
gifts?
A. He delivers by horse-drawn carriage
B. He rides in a sleigh and flies to all the houses
C. He sends out a UPS truck on Christmas eve
D. He travels by ship on December 6
9. How many ghosts are there in "A Christmas Carol?"
A. 1
B. 2
Continued on next page
C. 3
D. 4
Page 16
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107719/
10. Instead of putting out cookies and milk for Santa, what do German children do?
A. Leave out shoes to be filled with candy
B. Leave a present under the tree for Santa
C. Put out carrots for the reindeer
D. Write a thank you note to Santa for the gifts
11. What is the first name of Scrooge?
A. Adolf
B. Ebenezer
C. Scrooge is his first name
D. Charles
12. In what year was Kwanzaa founded?
A. 1965
B. 1966
C. 1975
D. 1976
13. Who wrote "The Nutcracker?"
A. E.T.A. Hoffmann
B. J.R.R. Tolkein
C. Maurice Sendak
D. A.A. Milne
14. Which reindeer is not mentioned in the poem "The Night Before
Christmas?"
A. Cupid
B. Rudolph
C. Vixen
D. Blitzen
15. In “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” what does Hermey the elf want to be?
A. Lawyer
B. Doctor
C. Toy Maker
D. Dentist
16. Which was the last US state to declare an official holiday for Christmas?
A. Hawaii
B. Texas
C. Maine
D. Oklahoma
17. Celebration of the Jewish New Year is known as what?
A. Yom Kippur
B. Rosh Hashanah
C. Ramadan
D. Purim
B
4.
A
3.
D
2.
C
1.
FUN PAGE CONTINUED
12. B
8. D
16. D
11. B
7. C
10. A 14. B
6. D
9. D
5. A
15. D
13. A 17. B
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
Page 17
The Willard of Oz
Interview by: Corrie Cirelli
Photographs from: Facebook
Throughout the course of my four years, I’ve had the privilege to have a few classes with a lovely lady, Danielle Willard. Danielle is a senior here at Plainfield
High School, in case you’ve never had the chance to meet her. Danielle is a girl
who loves her dogs, has a great fashion sense and she’ll definitely make you
laugh. Read on to learn more about the Willard of Oz.
Do you have any siblings or pets?
No siblings, I have a cat named Kat and a little beagle named Piper.
Best high school memory?
Oh jeez, my best high school memory is when Tyler Bowerman and Suzie Arpin
got into a screaming match in Mr. Greene’s class over Harry Potter and Suzie was
crying.
What is your favorite kind of dog?
Corgis! A-duh!
Danielle being a model
Who is your all time favorite actor? Actress?
Paul Rudd, ooo baby! Rahida Jones, ooo baby!
What are some things that you’d change in our school?
I wish only teachers who really wanted to be teachers could teach here. I hate it when
teachers don’t really care and let their kids do whatever they want.
Who’s your favorite teacher? Why?
Mr. Greene because he’s just the bees knees.
What do you plan to do after high school?
Don’t ask me that.
If you could have any super power, what would it be and why?
Teleportation because I get car sick and I want to travel the world.
Biggest fears?
I am afraid of the feel of flour on my hands and hospitals.
If you were trapped in a cave with a wolf, what would be the one thing you want
and the one person you want with you?
I’d hug it and be its mom.
Favorite food?
Danielle and her homies
Fortune cookies and burritos...and everything ever.
What would your dream vacation be?
Ooo, probably Greece or Italy, somewhere like that where I could ride a donkey and there’d be
really good food.
What do you do in your spare time?
Well I like to go to Providence a lot, cause there’s a lot
to do there and I like to go on adventures with my dog.
Favorite artist from the 90s?
Oh Jesus! Holy crap! I really love the Spice Girls, but I
know there’s one better...
Advice to underclassmen?
Just do your homework and it’ll be over soon.
Danielle with her playful pups
The puppy queen
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
Page 18
Josh Main Is Far From Sane
Interview and pictures by: Lindsey McKenna
We all have those weird friends that have some interesting qualities and talents about themselves. I dug into senior Josh
Main’s life a little bit. He plays many instruments, doodles, and overall is a great friend. I heard that Joshie wanted to
be interviewed, so I volunteered right away because he’s extremely funny, and knows how to make a student cheer up if
he or she are down. Just remember, if he laughs around you then watch out, his laugh is contagious.
What’s your middle name?
Alan.
Do you have an innie or an outie bellybutton?
Both.
What was your inspiration (if any) for your cartoons and doodles?
I started doodling when I was younger, but ever since then it just grew as a
hobby.
Do you have a favorite doodle that you’ve drawn? If so, which one?
Yes I do have a favorite one, but no comment...
How many instruments do you play?
You’re really going to make me count? I play like nine or ten different instruJosh Main and his guitar.
ments. And yes, a ukulele counts.
Say something entertaining or random…
(Puts hands over mouth and giggles like a little girl)...Wait, should I say something or is it too late?
Favorite artist?
Breaking Benjamin.
Name three uses for a stapler without staples in it.
Well people with gauges could use them as earrings. Also, holiday season is coming up so you can use them on your
Christmas tree for decoration. And I guess you could use it as a weapon, or a paper weight.
Pepsi or coke?
Pepsi.
What cartoon character would you say is most like you?
There’s a lot of cartoon characters...well I guess umm, Catdog!
If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play
the lead role as you?
I’d choose Tom Hanks because he’s freakin’ awesome. (In a Forest Gump accent.)
If you were a salad, what kind of dressing would you have?
Italian dressing because I’m a zesty type of person. Mwah!
How often do you guys get gigs?
Not very often with this band. Eric and Adam played more at the coffee house
last year.
What kind of people do you dislike?
Mean people...that are mean. Yeah prolly.
How many close friends do you have?
Two.
On a scale of one to ten, how mellow are you right now?
I would have to say a good solid seven or eight.
Josh’s “Crazy Man” doodle.
How many people are in your band?
Three people all together. It’s Eric Wright, Adam Coutu, and me.
Use three words to describe yourself.
Spicy, saucy, and good-looking...wait does that count as two words?
What would your first reaction be if a gorilla in clown suit approached you while you were sleeping?
Did the gorilla wake me up? If yes, then I’d play with its nose.
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
Page 19
Haseeb
Article and Photographs by: Joshua Millette
It’s not often that one gets to sit face to face with such a
school-wide celebrity like Haseeb Murtaza. Haseeb is one of
my good friends and, I must say, he is an incredibly interesting individual whom one can learn a lot from. Mr. Murtaza is
a great person, so if you see him in the hallway, say hello and
find out how affable he is for yourself.
What’s up Haseeb, how are you doing today?
I’m doing amazing.
How’s your mustache doing?
It’s doing good, needs to grow harder.
What inspired you to grow that bad boy?
My daddy. He had a big mustache back in the day.
How do you feel about the superlatives you won (Worst
Driver and Most likely to be late to graduation)?
Haseeb’s mustache up close and personal.
They’re depressing. I’m not a bad driver. There are worse
drivers than me. On the other hand, I might be late to graduation.
If you could describe yourself with one word, what would it be?
Dependable
Do you like the lifestyle in Pakistan or here better?
I like it both waves. (ocean waves)
I know you love polar bears, but why?
They’re dying. They’re going extinct. We should save them. I want to buy one dude. They are
humongous. Something about them just makes me happy.
Where do you plan on going to college?
Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts.
What would you like to major in?
Aviation science.
What is your overall opinion on Plainfield High school?
I feel heartbroken because they kicked me out of homecoming while I was sitting down eating
pizza.
If your mustache had a mind of it’s own, what would it’s religious beliefs be?
(Rubbing his mustache) It would be free. It can grow as much as it can.
Who is your dream girl?
I don’t have one...
How much money would it take for you to skinny dip
in a pool of piranhas?
I can’t swim so I wouldn’t do it at all.
What is your favorite type of sandwich meat?
I like my turkey brown.
Name your mustache.
Captain Junior Murtaza.
“I like
my
turkey
brown.”
Haseeb getting his daily hydration in.
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
Page 20
Crazy Cletus
Interview and Photographs by: Hunter Goulas
I was sitting in class, wondering what I should write about for this issue, when Mr. Greene rattled of the names of people that needed to get interviewed. I had heard of the infamous Joe Walmsley and his laugh, so I volunteered to interview
him. After a few days of camping out in the gym, hunting the wild kid, I tracked him down and began to interrogate him.
Despite issues with Mr. Greene’s faulty camera, I managed to capture a few pictures of this indigenous creature in its
natural habitat.
When and where were you born?
August 1, 1994. I don't know exactly where it was, but I know it was in Connecticut.
Do you have a nickname? If so, what?
Yeah, Cletus.
Where did your nickname come from?
Big Jim (Tim Colli) started it.
Are you enjoying your senior year?
For the most part.
Who is your favorite teacher here?
Timmy Jordan.
Do you think you will miss Plainfield High School? Why or why not?
I’m gonna miss seeing my friends everyday, but I won’t miss everything else. I will really
miss the administration though.
Looking back now, is there anything you would do differently in your past four
years?
Countless things, but we’re not gonna get into that.
Joe doesn't even know what
What do you plan to do after high school? Why?
he’s doing
I’m joining the military, and I don’t know why. I just always wanted to join the army.
Is there any advice you would like to give to the freshmen and sophomores?
Take advantage of all the opportunities given to you, and show all the teachers respect.
If people only remember one thing about you, what do you want it to be?
(After a long pause) It would have to be my laugh.
What sports do you play, other than football?
I used to play baseball and basketball, but I haven’t played them in years.
Have you ever played football before?
I waited until my senior year to play my first year of football, if that answers your question.
What are your hobbies?
Um, my hobbies. They would have to be chillin’ with my friends, and beatin’ Big Jim at 2k13
every time.
Are you going to the bonfire?
Hell yeah I’m goin’ to the bonfire.
What is your favorite Christmas movie?
“Elf.” Will Ferrell is my boy.
What was the best Christmas present you have ever received?
My pedal bike, mad long ago.
What are your guiding philosophies in life?
LEDLIYL. It stands for: Live every day like it’s your last.
If you went to McDonald’s today, what would you get?
Four McDoubles, like always.
Have you ever been stalked?
If I have been, they were pretty good at it.
What is your favorite sport to watch on television?
Jacob Goulas and Joe Walmsley being models
NFL (National Football League), my New York Giants.
“Will
Ferrell is
my
boy.”
STUDENT INTERVIEW
Page 21
Life of the Lorange
Interview and Photographs by: Kylie Hart
Fellow classmates, if you have heard of the Plainfield girls basketball team, then you probably know of Adrienne
Lorange. Adrienne is a sophomore here at Plainfield High School. She is not just amazing at basketball, but she is
ranked number one in her class, acedemically. These reasons make her a prominent person to interview.
When were you born and how old are you?
I was born in Worchester, Massachusetts. I am 16.
Do you have your license yet?
No, but I wish I did.
Do you have any siblings?
Yes, five of them.
What are you looking forward to most your sophomore year?
The B-ball season.
How is it being ranked number one?
It’s cool.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
The ability to not need sleep, because sleep is a waste of time.
What are your top five things that you want for Christmas?
Adrienne and her peeps!
I want my five brothers and sisters to sleep past 5 AM.
If you could go back in time to any decade in the 1900s what would it be?
The 90s.
Do you have a favorite quote?
“If you can’t beat them, beat them anyways, because they will be expecting you to join
them so you
will have the element of surprise.”
What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas.
If you could make a television show what would it be about?
I don’t know. Everything I would want to watch is already on tv.
If you had one week to live what would you do?
Find a cure for whatever is killing me.
What is your favorite restaurant?
Friendly’s.
If you were trapped on a deserted island for a year
and you could bring one thing with you what would
it be?
A mansion stalked with everything I would need.
Did you do anything to prepare for this basketball season?
I was in the gym everyday.
How do you think the team will be this year?
I think we have the will and the skill this year.
If you worked at a circus what would your main act be?
Selling popcorn.
Thank you for the interview. See you around!
No problem, and see ya.
“If you
can’t beat
them, beat
them
anyways.”
Adrienne at her second home.
STUDENT INTERVIEW
Page 22
Cory’s Killin’ ‘Em
Interview and Photographs by: Tim Colli
When you first see Cory Anderson in the hallway, you might not know him. Passing him you might get scared because of
his fierce facial appearance, however, he is a nice man who doesn’t look to harm anyone. This is his second year here at
Plainfield; he has played sports in mostly every season for the Panthers. He’s 17 years old and gettin’ it, so give him a
shout.
Yo Cory, what’s good with it?
Chillin’ chillin’ son.
If you could teach any class what would it be?
Something interesting.
Who is your favorite teacher at Plainfield and why?
Between Mr. Arremony and Mr. Drap.
Who has influenced you the most in high school?
Big Jim dude hahaha.
What would you change about the school?
The classes and how boring they are!
You went to Killingly your freshman year, what was different?
The people were more friendly.
Who are your closest boys in the school?
Big Jim, Cletus, Chad, Mason, and Pingpong.
Cory, what do you do in your free time?
Play 2k with Jim and shoot hoops.
You’re a football player, how was the season?
Great! Not a bad season.
Do you have any plans for the winter?
Yeah to play basketball and build a race car.
Are there any young ladies you got your eye on?
There’s a few.
Was the food better at Plainfield or Killingly?
Killingly bro.
What are two things you really want people to know about you?
Sports and athleticism.
Is there something you want for Christmas really bad?
Yeah, a car!
What sport do you wish you did as a child but didn’t? Why?
Cross country
Which sport is your favorite to watch on TV?
College basketball.
So you’re a Miami Heat fan, in all honesty what four teams are
fighting for the finals? But why!?
For the West: Clippers and San Antonio, for the East: Heat and Celtics
always will come through.
Pancakes or waffles on an early morning breakfast date, what topping do you want?
Dude, waffles with strawberries and whipped cream. They’re bangin’!
When you graduate what do you want to be remembered as?
Cory “The Beast” Anderson.
Cory kickin’ it
Browsin’ on his newly purchased iPhone 4s
STUDENT INTERVIEW
Page 23
Zombie Infested Artwork
Interview and Photographs by: Jessica D’Auria
Have you ever really taken a look around our school? It is full of unique and unusual artwork. In Plainfield High School
there paintings around every corner. I encourage you to stop and take a look, you may see something… interesting that
you never would have noticed before. Below are the actual assignments and student interpretations of these amazing
pieces of art.
What was the assignment for the student who created this piece of art?
Mrs. Dobrocki: Draw/Paint II, mural with paint cloth and paper. It is a portrait
of Paul Klee, famous modern artist.
Joey Saros– Interpretation
What do you think the person in this picture is thinking?
Looks to be nothing.
What is their name?
Cross eyed Klee.
Where are they and why are they there?
Sitting in a chair, I'm not sure he knows why he’s there.
How does this picture make you feel?
Uneasy...
Would you hang it up in your living room?
Never!
What was the assignment for the student who created this piece of art?
Mrs. Dobrocki: Draw/Paint II, an original, playful composition by a student
who loves cats.
Ashley Labrie– Interpretation
What do you think the animals in this picture are thinking?
It’s been a long day!
What are their names?
Bat Cat and Robin Furball.
Where are they and why are they there?
They are in the cat cave for a peaceful nap after a long day of rat wrangling.
Would you give it to your mom for Christmas?
Heck yeah, any day.
What was the assignment for the student who created this piece of
art?
Mrs. Dobrocki: Draw/Paint II, in this class students who are ready and
would like to paint an original, themed mural are given the opportunity.
Whitney VanAlst– Interpretation
What do you think the people in this picture are thinking?
Probably a whole lot of nothing, drugs are on the mind.
Where are they and why are they there?
Circus, an illegal substance circus in Hollywood, a zombie infested Hollywood.
How does this picture make you feel?
A lil’ sketchy.
What are their names?
Tom, Rodeo Rodney, Cleante, Tough Tim and Voluptuous Vanessa.
Would you marry anyone in this picture?
Probably Voluptuous Vanessa.
Mural by: Dan Babbitt
Interpretation by: Joey
Mural by: Rebecca Perrault
Interpretation by: Ashley
Mural by: Autumn Kowalyshyn
Interpretation by: Whitney
TEACHER INTERVIEW
Page 24
Clair in the Clear
Interview and Photograph by: Samantha Lee
I’ve recently had the opportunity to interview a new addition to the school faculty this year, Mr. Clair. Mr. Clair is the
new Freshman Academy Integrated Science teacher. I asked him if I could interview him the upcoming Panther Advocate and he was all for it! His rat on the other hand wasn’t too fond of me. When Mr. Clair let me hold Dumbo, he decided to take a poop on me!
What is your full name?
Ryan Charles Clair.
Do you like teaching at Plainfield High School? Honestly, was
it your first choice?
I love teaching here at Plainfield. To be honest, I applied all
around, but I’m glad that I was chosen here.
What would you do if there was a zombie apocalypse?
Hm, I would go to a military base... Wait no, I’d go to the top of
the tallest building I could find.
Did you always want to be a science teacher?
Probably since I was a freshman in high school… what was I
thinking?! Haha, just kidding.
What type of things do you like doing in your spare time out of
school?
I enjoy hiking, camping, and geocaching.
What’s geocaching?
It’s like a scavenger hunt. But you get to use a GPS or a map on
your phone in a specific place looking for hidden objects, it’s pretty fun.
Mr. Clair and his pet rat Dumbo.
Are you married? Have any pets? Kids?
I am currently engaged to my fiancé Jennifer; I have a rat I bring to school everyday and home every night named Dumbo, and ten fish that stay at school. Nope, no kids.
Do you plan on participating in the second spirit week?
Yes I do, I didn’t dress up for decades day because I didn’t have anything that was really “decades day-ish.” I plan on
wearing an ugly sweater and black and orange.
How would you fight off a big toe hungry unicorn?
I would swim away, because unicorns can’t swim.
If you were on an island and all there was to eat was a dead 200 pound slug, would you eat it? How?
I would definitely eat it; I would cook it and bite it in tiny pieces. Protein!!!
If you and Morgan Freeman were at the mall, what store would you go to first?
Probably FYE (For Your Entertainment), so he could show me his favorite movies.
Have you ever finished a chapstick?
Now that I think about it, no. I actually haven’t.
Pen or pencil?
Pen.
How do you think the world is going to end?
Millions and millions of years from now, eventually the sun will just burn out.
Is this awkward?
No… Oh, that was a question? Still no.
TEACHER INTERVIEW
Page 25
LaRoche Switching Gears
Interview and Photograph by: Jessica D’Auria
Have you been in the sophomore hallway lately? Have you seen a new face and thought “who the heck is that?” Well, I
have answers! Mrs. LaRoche is the new accounting and business teacher here at Plainfield High School. She is the new
‘Mrs. Kelleher.’ I thought I would take a stop by her room and get to know her a bit…this is what I found out…
Welcome to PHS, in all honesty what was your opinion of this school before you started teaching?
I would say, I didn’t really have an opinion. I didn’t know enough. I knew that Griswold and Plainfield were rivals but
aside from sports I didn’t know the school system.
Has that opinion changed at all?
The more I learn, the more impressed I am with the school.
Where did you teach before this?
I was at Griswold for six years and before that I was at Woodstock for two.
Why did you leave?
I heard about the position here and I thought that it would be a good opportunity for me to grow as a teacher.
What was the hardest part about leaving?
The kids… MY kids, without a doubt. Half of the kids used to call me mom.
Who do you miss the most?
As far as a specific person, Mrs. Bromley. We taught in the same department and were freshmen advisors together, we
were inseparable.
Do you consider yourself a Panther yet or are you still a Wolverine?
I’m in transition, it hasn’t been enough time to fully switch gears.
Do you think some of your students feel differently about you because you came from Griswold?
Uhm, they joke around with me about it, but I don’t think they feel badly about me because of it.
Who are you rooting for on Thanksgiving?
I am Switzerland. I am going to stay neutral this year.
What is your favorite class to teach?
My all time favorite class to teach was entrepreneurship.
What are some things you like to do outside of school?
Be with my family and do things with my kids and husband.
What is your favorite holiday?
I would have to say my favorite holiday is Christmas…
actually that whole week. During winter break I have my
birthday, New Years, Christmas and my husband’s birthday.
Wrapping paper or gift bag?
Wrapping paper, you need the excitement.
If you could have any super power what would it be and
why?
I want the super power of being able to fly so I can go on
vacation a lot easier.
You can take one famous person out to dinner, who and
why?
That’s a tough one… I would take SpongeBob with my kids,
that would make them happy.
Tell me one interesting fact about yourself that most
people wouldn’t know.
I like reading mindless romance novels to unwind.
Mrs. LaRoche in front of her ‘LaRoche Kids’ wall
TEACHER INTERVIEW
Page 26
Rockin’ Rockwell
Interview and Photograph by: Allen Griffin
Every year Plainfield High School gets not only a slew of fresh minds and students, but new teachers as well. Each new
teacher brings new ideas and experiences to Plainfield High School and enriches the environment and atmosphere. This
year students were introduced to Mr. Rockwell. Mr. Rockwell commands attention in the computer lab with his booming
voice and engrossing stories about interning at one of Hollywood’s biggest studios, going to the Olympics, and working
at Google. I was tasked to visit him and get some more information on this new, elusive teacher.
Hello, what is your full name?
Stephen F. Rockwell
Is this your first year teaching?
No, I spent four years teaching computer science in Montgomery, Alabama.
Why did you move to Connecticut?
Family. My wife and I are originally from New London.
What subject do you teach?
I teach computer science here at Plainfield High. Basic programming, IT
(information technology), and web development.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
Watching the students grow and learn is what I enjoy the most.
How are you enjoying Plainfield High School?
It’s been great! Both the faculty and the students are wonderful. Though some of
them ask too many questions (laughs again).
Do you have any interests in sports?
I played football and baseball in high school, but those days are long gone. I catch
a game every now and then.
What types of jobs have you had before becoming a teacher?
In college I interned at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, which was fun. After
that I got a job working for Google in basic web development.
Did you meet any celebrities when you worked at Paramount?
Not any that I believe today’s kids would care about. I did have a few r un-ins with a very grumpy Clint Eastwood
(chuckles).
You left Google to become a teacher?
Yes, it was a personal decision. I realized I wasn’t happy with my job, so I up changed my entire life. Best decision I
have ever made!
How do you like your eggs cooked?
(Laughs) Uh, I like them over-easy I guess.
If you could have any exotic pet, what would it be?
I would love to own a sloth. Have you seen them? They are so relaxed, I could hang with one all day!
What is your favorite movie?
There is a documentary called “Grizzly Man” that is just fantastic. That guy is absolutely crazy.
You mentioned that you have been to the Olympics?
Yes, as a spectator of course! I brought my family to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It was incredibly surreal and fascinating!
If you could give every teenager some advice, what would it be?
Relax, don’t stress out. Life is what you make of it.
Who would win a fight Ronald McDonald or Colonel Sanders?
I would imagine Colonel Sanders; he has a size advantage and is a Colonel. But Ronald is a bit of a wildcard these days.
TEACHER INTERVIEW
Page 27
Welcome to the world Bronn!
Interview by: Kandis Guyton
Have you ever met Mr. Ewan? Last year I had him for college prep geometry. Mr. Ewan has a way to make geometry
very fun. This year as our journalism class was thinking of things to write about, I thought of Mr. Ewan. He recently had
a child! What better way to be in the paper. After getting the okay from Mr. Greene, I ran all the way to the senior hallway and rushed into his room. In the mix of things I realized he had a class, thus embarrassing myself. Even though I
rudely interrupted his class Mr. Ewan thankfully agreed to do a interview with me.
Congratulations on the new baby! In one word, how would you describe having a newborn?
Change.
How will you describe watching your wife go through labor?
Um… I would have regretted not being there and experiencing it with her.
How is the wife? What is her name?
Her name is Amelia. She is getting used to being a stay-at-home mom for the moment.
How did you meet your wife?
I actually used an online dating site.
Are you excited for the new baby?
Yeah. Basically I miss him when I'm here, and he can already recognize my voice. I held him
for the first hour of his life.
What is his or her name? how did you decide on the name?
Bronn Patrick Ewan. And three reasons: one, because it sounds good
with my name, two, it’s from Game of Thrones, three, my wife let me.
How fast can you change a diaper?
It’s not about the speed, it’s about the accuracy.
What is your full name?
David William Ewan.
What is something interesting about you?
I like archery and house painting… just not together.
How many schools have you worked for?
Five. Two in California and three in Connecticut.
How do you feel about the rule against hats?
All I can say is many of the schools I worked for had it and some didn't.
It’s no big deal, get over it.
What is your favorite season?
Fall, I like the smells and colors.
Do you enjoy frolicking in the snow?
No, because it’s turned into shoveling.
What is your dream car?
A paid off one… I like Toyotas.
When did you become interested in Live Action Role Play (larping)?
Truthfully, when I started working in Plainfield.
What is your larping name?
I can’t say, it’s a breach of privacy, but I am a “healer”…okay, my first name is Johnn.
Do you believe in Santa?
Yes, but only on leap years.
“I held
him for
the first
hour of
his life.”
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Page 28
What’s the Point of the Administration?
Commentary and Photographs by: Harley L’Etoile and Kandis Guyton
From 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, the students inside of Plainfield High School are under
the law of the principals. They are in charge of us all. We look at them as
bullies and the meanest people in the school. They are feared by many but
the fear is turned into respect. We have to respect them no matter what.
When I was thinking about this issue my mind turned to the principals. Mr.
Worth, Mr. Bitgood, and Mrs. Riley are the rulers. They get to say yes or no
to everything. When a student acts up in class or is caught skipping we go to
one of them. My question was: what is the point of their job? what do the
principles really do? I got a fellow writer to help me shadow the principals
during second block to see what it is that they truly do.
I, Kandis, got to shadow Mr. Bitgood. Have you ever felt like Mr.
Bitgood is in five places at once? No, he is not some mystical wizard that
can be everywhere, he does not walk at all; it is more like a slight jog. I got
more exercise, as I told him, stalking him than I have in a long time. Though
I was out of breath most of the time chasing him, I learned a lot. He doesn’t
The bandit and the biker
just walk the hallways to try to get a student in trouble, he is making sure
everyone is safe and where they are supposed to be. He has to oversee many
student activities. Mr. Bitgood has to make sure anyone coming into the school is not a risk to the students and faculty
in the school. Another thing he does is questioning. Mr. Bitgood doesn’t want to get us in trouble and put us in TAC.
He goes to all of the different “key witnesses” and questions them. He finds the true story, not matter how many people he has to talk tom and he handles things as he must. Mr. Bitgood is not the big bully he is made out to be. By the
end of the shadow, I highly respect him. He is like a parent, he wants to
keep everyone safe and he likes to give the benefit of the doubt to his students.
I, Harley, got the chance to shadow Mrs. Riley around for block
two, to find out what she really does as an administrator. She makes agendas for her meetings throughout the day, such as the Climate Survey meeting, which will be held in December. When students misbehave, they get
sent down to Mrs. Riley and depending on what they did, she will send
them to TAC or give them a warning. While, on the other hand, she receives calls that she needs to attend to, like most administrators do. When I
was shadowing her, she kept getting calls about the Climate Survey which
is happening all over Connecticut. It is a state mandate, and had to send a
lot of emails out to staff, such as the technology department, to have something taken off the school website. She told me that she also works with
Naviance online for students with Mrs. Halbrooks. When I was there, people such as staff members and students, kept coming down to talk to her.
Even they have a silly side
She said, while a student was down there, “Different students come down to
my office to have random chats, who are in trouble or who are getting bullied.”
Basically, I wanted to find out what’s the point in having administrators. When I left, I finally found out why
we have them and what they actually do when they are in their offices or when they are in meetings. Next time you are
in the hallway, or get sent to one of our three lovely principals, don’t look at them as the bad guys. They are only doing their jobs. They really do care about us. For a couple of hours, five days a week we are their responsibility. The
principles want what is best for us, and in the end want every student to succeed in life. What's the point of having an
administrator? To keep everyone in check, make sure things are running smoothly, and keep every person who walks
through the front doors safe.
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Page 29
What Do You See?
Interviews by: Andrayah Clarke
Have you ever been so deep into thought that you realized that your perception of something could be completely different than that of someone else? For example, colors. Your idea of the color red could be different
than your closest friend’s idea of the color red. Everyone sees pictures and things differently. So, I interviewed random people around our school to see the different views they have on situations happening in pictures.
Www.funzug.com
Michael Hattayer– It looks like a happy couple is out
sight seeing for the day.
Anysa McMahon– It looks like my family. Lol.
Chelsea Beausoleil– It looks like two elephants left
the zoo and went out on a date in the park.
Guardian.co.uk
Michael Hattayer– It looks like the man is going over
that really scary drop on every roller coaster.
Anysa McMahon- It looks he is giving birth.
Chelsea Beausoleil- He looks like he is running and
jumping off of a bridge.
Plus.google.com
Anysa McMahon- The first thing that comes to mind
when I see this picture is the girl was starring at her
crush and not paying attention lol.
Chelsea Beausoleil- She was spacing out and her little
brother was playing kickball.. Bad combination.
Mikejoos.blogspot.com
Michael Hattayer- They decided to break dance in
the middle of the race.
Anysa McMahon– I see this and think they’re stupid
for not using their breaks.
Chelsea Beausoleil- An animal ran into the middle
of the road and they all tried to hard to stop lol.
STUDENT EDITORIALS
Page 30
Real Life, Real Dreams
Commentary by: Harley L’Etoile
They say we are supposed to have a dream, right? What if we get our hopes up and then our dream doesn’t come
true? What happens next? Do we give up on all our dreams or do we keep trying until they come true? Even if we don’t
succeed, we shouldn’t give up. We all deserve to be happy, and deserve a change in our lives, having dreams will make
us feel we have something to live for.
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.” This was said by Henry David
Thoreau. He wasn't wrong; everyone who has a dream should try to make it happen. Some people just sit around waiting
for a miracle to make their dreams come true, while others are going out and acting on them.
What are your dreams?
Angelina Davenport: Move to California.
Tommy Cosman: Graduate.
Anysa McMahon:Own
my own nail salon.
Eric Gaugh: Join the Military.
Charles Kerns: Graduate.
Josh Thompson: Tommy.
Tommy Casey: Get Money.
Sam DelRusso: Become a Marine Biologist.
Raging Rondo Gets Rowdy
Article by: Tim Colli
What do you consider a teammate? But, someone that passes you
the ball, scores all your points, or has your back no matter what? Well, I probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com
think Rajon Rondo might do a lot of that for the Boston Celtics. On
Wednesday, November 28, he certainly showed what he would do for his
team. Every game Rondo continues to put numbers on the board whether
it’s assists points or other stats. However on that night, he put up physical
numbers. After Kris Humphries committed a hard foul on Rondo’s teammate Kevin Garnett, Rajon went after him. Kevin Garnett could not have
been on the ground two seconds before Rajon was in Humphries face.
Rajon Rondo continued to push Kris Humphries until he was on the
ground. Fists and elbows were thrown, while Rondo’s jersey was being
ripped off. As the refs and security were trying to break up the rumble,
The fight escalating between many players!
Brooklyn Nets small forward, Gerald Wallace, went after Kevin Garnett
and hit him a few times. Garnett being a pretty big guy practically tossed Wallace by his face and continued to get to
Rondo. Rajon Rondo, Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, and Kevin Garnett were all issued technical fouls. However,
Garnett was the only player out of the four, who was not ejected from the game. He finished the game with 16 points and
10 rebounds. Sadly the Celtics did end up losing home at the TD Garden, 95-83.
Kevin was fined $25,000 for “escalating the altercation” says the National Basketball Association. Gerald Wallace was fined also, but $35,000 for the same reason. Celtics all-star point guard Rajon Rondo was suspended the next
two games against the Portland Trailblazers and the Milwaukee Bucks. Rondo along with fans are upset his ten plus assist per game streak is over. The streak ended after 37 games, which is the second longest streak in NBA history. Rajon
is also tied with John Stockton who played for the Utah Jazz from 1984-2003. Coach Doc Rivers, along with Kevin Garnett, stated Rondo and KG are the closest on the team. They both seem to always be there for each other in practice
games and the off season. Rondo stated, “I was sticking up for my teammates. I didn't try to start a fight. I'm not trying to
be a bully. I just didn't think the play was fair that he made on Kevin Garnett, that's all.” However Doc said that, “His
team should be tough but not violent! Usually he goes after the refs. This was another guy, so its better.” Lastly, don’t
think Rajon Rondo will fight over every gruesome foul. But surely know that he certainly contributes a big part of the
Boston Celtics play.
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Page 31
Big Show, Small Crowd
Commentary by: Keenan MeBane
gala.de
Do you remember what you were doing the evening of November 18? Well, chances are you weren’t tuned into
the American Music Awards on American Broadcasting Channel. Though the program was packed wall-to-wall with
performances from the most relevant artists, surprise guests, that were obviously interjected into performances to cause
conversation, and categories stuffed with artists who possess fan bases big enough to
start their own countries, the AMA ratings were the lowest of recent years with two
point five million less viewers than last year. Critics credit this decline in views to the
incline of social media. However, the AMAs have been thriving, with the exception
of this year, causing the accusations to seem like a cover up for lack of promotion for
the playful award show. Also, there was no host present, so, there was an annoyance
in viewers with constant commercial breaks after a single performance. Though there
was an apparent absence of viewers, those who viewed the program tuned into an
entertaining spectacle of the biggest names in music.
The night could have easily started off with a bang, however, Usher was chosen to open the show. With this being said, Usher’s performance actually wasn’t mediocre, poorly performed, or terrible in any way. However, the medley of his latest
hits “Numb,” “Climax,” and “Can’t Stop, Wont Stop” proved to be boring, aside
from the fact that the titles and line up of the songs can be interpreted in an inapproNicki Minaj, Cyndi Lauper, and
priate way. After Usher’s struggle to simultaneously sing and dance, the performers
Taylor Swift posing together.
afterwards threw the dance influences out when it came to their performances. Carly
Rae Jepsen descended from the ceiling in an English style photo booth and lightly cooed her newest single “This Kiss”
and then her quadruple platinum hit “Call Me Maybe.” Directly as the curtains closed on her set, they opened to British
boy band The Wanted, whose band member, Nathan Sykes, whose talent was noticeably absent from the high pitched
chorus. However, he strongly delivered the song’s outro and highlighted the performance with his part. Nicki Minaj channeled her initial rap style with her performance
of “Freedom” which included a choir, artificial snow, and vocal power that contrasts
her usual light-voiced tunes. After, Minaj reemerged onto the stage to aid Justin
Bieber in his energetic “Beauty and a Beat” performance, which included the awkward, but shamless, delivery of Nicki’s line, “I gotta keep an eye out for Selena.” The
night closed out with a performance of Psy’s viral hit “Gangnam Style” and featured
an extremely surprising guest: MC Hammer. With a mash-up of the “Gangnam Style”
dance with MC Hammer’s old school choreography. The award’s closer proved to be
a conversation starter for days to come.
Every award show possesses big winners, and the American Music Awards
wasn't any different. Justin Bieber escaped the AMAs stealing a total of three awards
including Pop/Rock Male, and Pop/Rock Album. Due to Bieber’s recent break-up, he
was escorted by his mother, who shared a heartfelt moment with him as he accepted
MC Hammer and Psy after their
performance.
the biggest award of the night, Artist Of The Year. Another winner was Nicki Minaj,
who took away two of her four nominated awards, making her the second biggest
winner of the night. Other big award winners include: Carly Rae Jepsen for New Artist Of The Year, Usher’s third consecutive AMA win for Soul/R&B Artist, and Taylor Swift, who accepted her fifth consecutive win for Country Female
Artist with the usual, “Oh my God, I can’t believe this,” mentality she’s been pushing since her first win.
Though the ratings may have plunged from last year, the entertainment was more than sufficient to hold a viewer’s attention for the three hour time slot that the AMA’s occupied. With definite low points, such as the opening performance and lackluster sets that were noticeably placed in the program to occupy time, the American Music Awards still
proved to put on a high intensity spectacle that is sure to attain a great amount of viewers in 2013.
www.voxxi.com
Information taken from: articles.nydailynews.com & huffington post.com
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Page 32
Why TV Has Become Honey Boo Boo
Commentary By: Ibrahim Muhammad
TLC.com
I am sure that I'm not the only person to notice that there has been a steady
decline in the quality of television programming, particularly for our generation. Shows,
especially for younger children, that have any educational value are either long gone or
no longer watched. My siblings don’t want to watch Dora or Sesame Street, they want
to watch “Jersey Shore”, or “Keeping up with the Kardashians”, or “Here Comes Honey
Boo Boo” and while it may seem harmless to just let them watch some ridiculous people
on television and get a few good laughs, this behavior eventually becomes normal. We
TLC.com
may see it as ridiculous but characters like The Situation or Snooki soon become role
models. We want to be rich, we want to party, and eventually we want to be the
situation and Snooki. While all of us occasionally watch them and laugh since we know
how absurd they are behaving we grew up knowing what absurd meant, for younger
children their behavior is okay, it’s okay to be four and put on makeup and compete in
beauty pageants. Or live in New Jersey and do whatever it is that Snooki actually does.
For us they are a source of entertainment, but they are indoctrinating the younger
generation with sex, alcohol, partying, as things that are good, acceptable and due to the
success of the shows, applauded by society.
MTV.com
When television was introduced in the 50s the content (from what I hear) was
okay, generally wholesome, and partially government funded. The decadence really
started around the 70s when sex, entertainment, and profit started getting mixed into the
programming. This is where “Jersey Shore” and “Keeping Up With The Kardashians”
came from. The decadence has gotten so bad that even educational television has
become a joke. TLC stands for “The Learning Channel”, why is Honey Boo Boo on The
Learning Channel? The only shows left on The History Channel are about guns or
aliens, and wasn’t the purpose of Music Television to play music videos, what does
Snooki have to do with music videos? It has all become a business of being more
ridiculous than the next network to get viewers, and money. There is no way that TLC
can compete with “Jersey Shore”, unless they get even more ridiculous.
MTV.com
While most of our generation grew up with some more decent entertainment,
modern day reality television is really indoctrinating our youth. I'm sure 50 years ago,
not many people were on a quest to get “wasted” on the weekends, but now, it’s all just
good fun. Social and moral decay has been a key part in the twenty first century and one
must ask, why? It’s because our source of information and entertainment has become
corrupted. While it may seem silly, maybe even paranoid, there is no denying that they
are influencing our social culture in a big way. This creates a feed back loop in which
the next generation will have to try an be more ridiculous to keep up and this will all be
normal.
EONLINE.com
How can we solve this problem you may ask? The truth is that we really can’t.
It is now in the culture of our generation and certainly will be in those to come. I could
say that funding the Public Broadcasting Service, keeping Big Bird employed, would
solve the problem but it won’t. What TLC or MTV are selling is obviously more
entertaining, and incorporated into every aspect of our social culture. No one wants a
house with a white picket fence anymore. The American dream has become to own a
Bentley, live in L.A. and be on a reality television show. While we say “no that’s
ridiculous” but, deep down, the life looks appealing and it will more so to every
From top to bottom: Honey Boo
generation yet to come. We have just become drawn to the ridiculous, that’s how Kim
Boo’s mother, Honey Boo Boo,
Kardashian can get away with being Kim Kardashian , it’s also how Honey Boo Boo
Snooki, The Situation and the
can buy her make up and Mountain Dew, and the only reason that FOX News is still
Kardashian family.
operating. The days of wholesome television and informative news are long gone, now
it’s all about reality television.
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Page 33
Best Bond Film Yet
Article by: Katrina Roys
Action-packed and nerve-racking, James Bond films will always have you at the
edge of your seat wondering how Mr. Bond will get out of his next ridiculously impossible
situation. As soon as I found out that the newest Bond film was coming out in theaters,
there was no way I wasn’t going to go see one of my favorite movie character perform some
crazy stunts. “Skyfall”, the newest Bond film, came out on November 9 and did the opposite of its title for its box office debut. “Skyfall” took an estimated $89 million during its
first weekend at the United States box office. A new popular song by Adele called,
“Skyfall” is featured in it at the beginning which landed a big music role.
The film has James Bond coming back to recover a computer hard drive stolen
from a murdered Military Intelligence Section 6 (or also known as MI6) agent that contains
details of almost every undercover North Atlantic Treaty Organization agents in terrorist
organizations. Bond searches high and low for answers as usual with obstacles in between.
M is the Head of MI6 and is cold, blunt, played by the actress Judi Dench. She’s always
annoyed with the decisions Bond makes against her orders. Daniel Craig is the actor who
played Bond for the past three films. This year marks the 50th year since the first Bond film,
“Dr. No” having nine different actors. The most popular actors have been Sean Connery, Roger
Moore, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig. After “Skyfall”, Daniel Craig is now the highest paid
James Bond out of all nine. He earned $10.7 million for “Skyfall” passing Pierce Brosnan’s
$10.3 million from ‘Die Another Day’.
In an interview with Daniel Craig, he was asked if the ‘Twilight’ star Kristen Stewart
would be the right fit for a Bond movie. His response was, “ Would she make a good Bond girl?
No, she’s in ‘Twilight’.” He later apologized and admits that was a rude statement. But he soon
added, “No, I'm being nasty. It's only because the film (“Skyfall”) is coming out at the same
time (“Breaking Dawn - Part 2”), we're in direct competition. I'm sure she'd make a great Bond
girl.” Even though he is a little mouthy off screen, Daniel Craig is arguably the favorite Bond to
most and will continue making on-screen magic.
Information from: http://www.jamesbondwiki.com
Pictures from: http://www.startribune.com and http://www.firstpost.com/ and forbes.com
“Would she
make a good
Bond girl?
No, she's in
Twilight” Daniel Craig
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Page 34
The Horrible Hobbit
Commentary by: Hunter Oberdorf
When “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is released in December, people will run to the theaters to watch
an adventure story set in a fantasy world. However, for the animals involved, the neglect and abuse they endured was
real. Whistleblowers (people who tell the public or someone in authority about alleged dishonest or illegal activities)
reported that more than two dozen animals died during the production of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.” Concerns were raised repeatedly to the head wrangler and also the head of production about the unsafe housing conditions
for the animals.
Director, Peter Jackson, and the producers of the film are denying all
allegations of animal abuse on the set. Jackson makes attempts to deflect these
serious charges by speaking about the animals’ roles in the action sequences;
however these damaging and cruel accidents didn’t happen while the cameras
were rolling.
The hired animal wranglers reported that almost all claims of injury and
death were solely related to how the animals were housed and fed. When spoken
to about the situation, the wranglers said that the farm was unsuitable for any
animal because it was scattered with bluffs, sinkholes, and broken-down fencing.
One wrangler, named Chris Langridge, was hired as a horse trainer for
the film. He said he made an attempt to fill in some of the sinkholes created by
underground streams and even brought his own fencing to try to keep the horses
away from the dangerous areas. Langridge was one to report the first horse that
had died. It was a miniature pony. Langridge made a statement about the completely avoidable death “When I arrived in the morning the pony was still alive,
but his back was broken. He’d come off a bank at speed and crash-landed. He
was in a bad state.” The miniature pony, who was cast for use as a hobbit horse,
was euthanized.
all-things-andy-gavin.com
Then, Langridge reported that another horse got himself caught in some
fencing and tore his leg open. He survived, but Langridge had enough. He quit and wrote an email to the film’s unit production manager outlining their concerns. Langridge said he received a request for more information and responded to it,
however the producers never responded after that.
The wrangler hired after Langridge was Johnny Smythe. Smythe had reported shortly after Langridge’s departure that another horse was found dead in a stream after she
fell over a bluff. After that, Smythe said that the horses were
put in stables where a third horse died. No autopsy was done
on the horse and veterinary records declared that the horse
died of natural causes, but Smythe said that the horse was
bloated, which was a sign of digestive problems caused by
new feed.
Smythe also had to report that six goats and six sheep
died after falling into sinkholes, contracting worms, or getting
new feed. He also reported that the chickens were left out of
their enclosure and that a dozen were mauled to death by
dogs that were not restrained properly or trampled to death by
other animals. Smythe was then fired after arguing with his
screenrant.com
boss about the unruly treatment of the animals.
Continued on next page
STUDENT EDITORIAL CONTINUED
Page 35
Then a fourth wrangler, who chose to remain anonymous, reported that another horse named Molly got caught
on a fence, ripping her leg open, and causing her to suffer permanent injuries.
In all, here is the list of animals that were maimed and
killed:
-A horse named Shanghai was hobbled (legs tied together to prevent the horse from moving) and was left
on the ground for three hours. Afterward to hide his
rope burns for filming, his legs were covered with
makeup and hair. Hobbling is an outright violation of
the American Humane Association’s guidelines.
-Numerous chickens were mauled by dogs and trampled by the other animals when left unprotected.
-Several goats and sheep died after falling into sinkholes and from contracting worm infestations.
-One horse was killed and another was injured after
being placed in highly strung geldings, despite the
concerns that the geldings would be far too aggressive.
heavy.com
-One horse was killed after falling off an embankment in a severely crowded paddock (a small, usually enclosed
field near a stable or barn for pasturing or exercising animals.)
-When moved to stables, another horse died
after being fed large amounts of food that he wasn’t
used to. This horse had shown signs of colic, an extremely painful illness.
-One horse had the skin and muscles of her leg
torn away by wire fencing.
All these instances are cases of extreme negligence. Possibly, instead of very vainly defending himself, Peter Jackson should be giving a firm assurance
that this will never happen again. He is one of the masters of Computer Generated Imagery (CGI). In a movie
that features CGI dragons, ogres, etc, CGI animals
would have fit in perfectly. Peter Jackson could have
digitaljournal.com
made “The Hobbit” without any animal being subjected
to negligence and abuse, but he made the decision to do otherwise.
Information taken from: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/
http://dictionary.reference.com/
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Page 36
Plastic Pursuit
Commentary by: Keenan MeBane
ibtimes.co.i
At first glance, Valerie Lukyanova looks like she should reside in a 12 inch
pink house, or should be locked inside a display window at the mall. However, unlike
most manufactured goods, Valerie Lukyanova can bend, pose, talk, and even breathe.
Lukyanova is actually a 21-year-old Ukranian model who possesses a larger than life
persona. Yes, Miss Lukyanova is 100% human, however there are several debates on
whether or not her porcelain persona is a result of genetics or if she is actually composed of plastic. Though she is a self-functioning being, many people have been trying to control her image for better or for worse. She has become the manifestation of
many things for several different people. Some say that Valerie’s unrealistic appearance is contributed to an avalanche of self-worth and the poster child for a parent’s
most elaborate night terror. On the other hand, there are many females who say that
she personifies the meaning of perfection, and men whom find her the focal point of
their corrupt fantasies. This conversation has conjured up multiple opinions from different people. With all of the speculation, people are almost avoiding the facts to continue profusely spewing their guiltless opinions and forgetting one aspect of this recent phenomenon: Lukyanova herself.
Valerie sees herself as a perseverant model with a flourishing career. Critics
put her at the forefront of their worst judgment and proceed to attempt inflicting dam- Valerie Lukyanova showing off her
unrealistic appearance.
age to someone’s self confidence that has already been noticeably shattered. Though
is are a slew of media and average American citizens taking cheap shots at her, Valerie takes the hate that she continually receives with less than a grain of salt. Valerie says that the people who speak so rudely to her can’t comprehend the
tedious task of making herself look like a life-sized Christmas present. The whole world sees her and thinks that she is
indeed a product of manufactured plastic, however Valerie insists that her flooring look contributes to a bounteous
amount of multiple beauty products. Still, many people find her appearance to be such a drastic difference from the norm
that it has become a prominent question on whether or not she is lying
Bubblews.com
about the silicon to flesh ratio in her face. She has openly admitted
that her breasts are augmented, but she is persistent in informing anyone who asks or assumes that she has had facial procedures that
they’re mistaken. As for her needle-sized waist, Lukyanova tries to
convince spectators that her figure is a result of a diet that mostly consists of liquid. This explanation is seen as a blatant fabrication to most
of her speculators.
Though Valerie is more than elated with her look, what are
the effects that can stem from Lukyanova’s jaw dropping visage? Valerie’s inspiration for her face and figure can be traced back to Mattel’s most iconic product to date: the doll known as Barbie. With the
Barbie brand showing no signs of stopping anytime soon, little girls
still have this glamorous polymer toy listed in multiple variations on
their Christmas lists. With that being said, there is a risk of little girls
wanting to look and act like the miniature female already, but with a
life-sized model of their favorite play toy running rampant, will the
girls of the next generation dream to contort their bodies to fit into the
mold of perfection that their favorite doll has set for them? If this
turns out to be the case, hopefully boys will start to aspire to be like
Ken dolls and the world will finally be at peace.
Information by: www.starpulse.com
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Page 37
You Probably Don’t Care But...
Commentary by: Ibrahim Muhammad
A wise man once said “if there is something a mistress hates it’s a cheating man” this might explain what the
woman at the center of the General David Petraeus affair, Paula Broadwell is doing. Until just a few weeks ago, no one
knew the name Paula Broadwell; she was just the lady who wrote the biography of General Petraeus. But after weeks of
heavy media scrutiny she has become known as the mistress of the most celebrated general since Eisenhower. Since then
this affair has become an event that entangles two four star generals, an Federal Bureau of Investigation agent, Tampa
“socialite”, Jill Kelley, who threw parties for the military elite, and of course Broadwell herself.
The order of events is something straight out of a movie. What happened first was Tampa “socialite” Jill Kelley
received threatening emails about her potential romantic involvement with General David Petraeus. She got scared and
contacted an FBI agent, who had previously sent her a shirtless photo of himself. Now in modern times the auxiliary role
of the FBI is to find out who is cheating who, so, of course, when asked nicely, the FBI agent obliged and went and
searched for who sent the emails. It was revealed to be Paula Broadwell, who, when asked by the FBI, confessed to having an affair with Petraeus. The Agent then went through the emails of the General, and after finding evidence, went to
his local congressmen, who then took the information to Eric Cantor, the House of Representatives Majority leader. This
brought the affair into the national spotlight. It was later revealed that another four star General, John Allen, was also
sending flirtatious emails to Jill Kelley, who really seems to get around. All of this resulted in several destroyed reputations and the resignation of General Petraeus.
In my opinion, it is ridiculous that something about his personal life should interfere with his professional life.
He is one of the most revolutionary generals that we have had in recent years. He changed the way the war is fought
from primarily using soldiers, which was an idiotic idea anyway, to more of a spy agency operation, by using drones and
intelligence, not just relying on a tingly feeling Vice President Cheney got. So, why do we have to loose him? So what if
he was messing around with his biographer? That’s a Mrs. Petraeus problem, why should our war efforts suffer? But it’s
too late now.
the-reaction.blogspot.com
STUDENT EDITORIAL
Page 38
Why Grammar Is Important: This Month’s Lesson: Homonyms And They’re Correct Usage.
Article By: Keith Sheeley Jr.
Every day, when I come home from school after a long day of reviewing information which has been regurgitated from
previous school years, my head starts to spin. As soon as I have a minute of spare time in my busy life, I, like most of
you, spend my time browsing social media websites such as “Facebook” and “Twitter.” Immediately, my headache
worsens. Terrible grammar ensues. Generally, I am the type of person who does not partake in correcting others’ grammar, but now, the status quo has changed. Within this article there will be three different sections of commonly misused
homonyms that are present in the human vocabulary every day: You’re, your, they’re, their, there, too, two and to. I decided to write this article with all of you, who could be deemed as illiterate in mind. (All definitions are taken from
“Dictionary.com”)
LESSON IA,B: You’re and Your.
IA- Your:
Definition: one's used to indicate that one belonging to oneself or to any person.
Correct: Your jacket is up on the coat rack.
Incorrect uses: You’re jacket is up on the coat rack.
Youre
Your
Ur
IB- You’re:
Definition: contraction of you are.
Correct: You’re so funny!
Incorrect uses: Youre so funny!
Y’oure so funny!
Yo’ure so funny!
Your so funny!
Ure so funny!
LESSON IIA,B,C: To, Too and Two.
IIA: To:
Definition: used for expressing motion or direction toward a point, person, place, or thing approached
and reached, as opposed to from.
Correct: They came to the party a tad late.
Incorrect: They came too the party a tad late.
They came two the party a tad late.
IIB: Too:
Definition: in addition; also; furthermore; moreover.
Correct: You like music too?
Incorrect: You like music two?
You like music to?
IIC: Two:
Definition: a cardinal number.
Correct: There are two people absent.
Incorrect: There are too people absent.
There are to people absent.
Continued on next page.
STUDENT EDITORIAL CONTINUED
Page 39
LESSON IIIA,B,C: They’re, There, and Their
IIIA- Their:
Definition: a form of the possessive case of they
used as an attributive adjective, before a noun.
Correct: It’s their house!
Incorrect: It’s there house!
It’s they’re house!
IIIB- There:
Definition: in or at that place.
Correct: He is over there.
Incorrect: He is over their.
He is over they’re.
IIIC- They’re:
Definition: contraction of they are.
Correct: They’re a good group of friends!
Incorrect: There a good group of friends!
Their a good group of friends!
http://moso-technology.com/
FUN PAGE
Page 40
The Great Debates
Created by: Michelle Pfeifer
People have been debating which one is better, Coke or Pepsi, for years. I realized there were a lot
more similar things that can be argued over and put then in this page. Does what you choose define
the type of person you are? Circle which one you prefer and compare it to your friends.
Mac
Pepsi
Coke
Or
Reality Show
PC
Or
Sitcom
Or
Harry Potter
The Hunger Games
Vanilla
Chocolate
Or
Or
Or
Beach
Bungee Jumping
Or
Or
Wheat Bread
Mountains
Skydiving
Or
Adam Sandler
White Bread
Will Ferrell
Or
Or
Or
Summer
Or
Winter
Morning Person
Antarctica
Or
Night Person
Australia
Or
Sandals
Water
Or
Sneakers
Or
Gatorade
Glass ½ Full
½ Empty
Or
Pancakes
Party of two
Mustache
Or
Waffles
Or
Beard
Or
Big Party