Hornet Highlights - North Reading High School

North Reading High School’s
Hornet Highlights
Volume 9, Issue 3
Spring 2012
An informational newsletter showcasing all of
the great things happening at NRHS!
Principal’s Message
Dear Parents and Guardians:
It is my pleasure to present to you the third edition of the North
Reading High School Parents’ Association newsletter for the 2011-2012
school year. I wish to hi-light some important events that have already occurred and announce to you some important upcoming events.
The Student Leadership Academy and Student Mentoring Program, introduced at North Reading High School in 2007 and supported
by our Parents’ Association, continues to be a positive influence on the
climate of our school. Many activities for these two groups are
planned for the spring and summer as preparations begin for helping
our incoming freshmen students, the Class of 2016, transition into high
school life. Earlier this month, current students were provided the opportunity to make application to become part of the Student Leadership Academy and Mentoring program. Many thanks are due to the
nearly seventy-five students and their four faculty advisors for the
wonderful work that they have been doing with this important programs.
Preparations have been on-going to best prepare our students
for this spring’s MCAS examinations. Students in grade ten were
tested in English Language Arts in March and will be tested in Mathematics on May 15 & 16. Students in grade nine will be participating in
the Biology examination on June 5 & 6. Historically, our students have
performed very well on the MCAS examinations, and I have every confidence that our students are well prepared for this year’s exams.
On April 24th, the students of Masquers and SADD (Students
Against Destructive Decisions) and their faculty advisors, Ms. Kane and
Ms. Brown respectively, will present a “Mock Accident” to the students
of our junior and senior classes. Along with officials of our local police
and fire departments, the students and their advisors have been working diligently over the last several months to plan the events. The
“Mock Accident” will simulate students involved in a serious automobile accident as the result of drinking alcohol and driving. The “Jaws
of Life” will be used by emergency services personnel to extract a student from a damaged vehicle. All other post-accident events will be
simulated as well in an effort to present the most realistic portrayal of
the consequences of drinking alcohol and driving an automobile.
-continued on pg 2
Inside this issue:
Notes from the
Main Office
1-2
Guidance News
3-7
School News
8-16
Guidance
News
Pages 3-7
Good info!
Principal’s Message con’t
First presented to students in 2010, the “Mock Accident” is a powerful program that seeks to educate students to make good and responsible decisions.
It is nice to see our spring sports teams practicing outside…it has been a long winter.
Spring has finally arrived, and with it comes the realization that our senior students are nearing
the end of their time at North Reading High School. The Class of 2012 has distinguished itself in
many ways. They have been a wonderful class of students, who have done a great deal to better
their school and their community. Within this newsletter is a current list of the college and university acceptances for the students in the class of 2012. This is an impressive list--one that I believe speaks to the talents of the students in the class of 2012.
As our senior students prepare to enter the final stretch of their high school experience, I
wish to extend to them my sincerest congratulations on all that they have accomplished thus far
and my best wishes for continued success. Stay focused on your school work, give careful thought
to all of your decisions, and enjoy your final weeks as a high school student.
Sincerely,
Jon C. Bernard, Principal
Upcoming Events
Friday, April 27
 Junior Prom at Hillview Country Club

Grand March
7:00 -11:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
Monday, June 4

Grand March at Ipswich River Park
5:30 - 6:15 p.m.

Senior Prom at Black Swan Country Club, Georgetown
7:00 - 11:00 p.m.
Friday, June 8
 Graduation—Arthur Kenney Field at NRHS
Page 2
6:15 p.m.
Hornet Happenings
Guidance News
Tips for Succeeding in High School
The Guidance Department would like to share the following tips for being successful in high
school.
One of the easiest ways to be successful in school is to do all of your homework. Homework completion often comprises a part of your grade. If you complete all of your
homework, it can really bring up your grade. If you do not complete your homework,
your grade can suffer. Homework is given for a reason. It is used to reinforce concepts
you recently learned in class.
Pass in all assignments and make sure they are on time. Do not let work pile up; this just
causes stress. Remember if you do not pass in an assignment, it often becomes a zero.
Zeros have a severely negative impact on your grades.
Keep good attendance. Be in school every day unless you are not feeling well or there is a
family emergency. Missing school makes it very difficult to keep up in your classes.
This is especially true in subjects like math and foreign language, which tend to be especially cumulative in nature.
Learn to ask for help. Use your teachers, counselor, parents and your peers when you need
help. Whether it is something you do not understand in class or a problem that has
come up in your life, learn to ask people for help. You should plan to attend extra help
with your teachers whenever you need it. If you are stressed or overwhelmed, talk to
your counselor or someone else you trust.
Be on time and prepared for class every day. This is good preparation for the future. You
must be on time and prepared for your job every day!
Use an assignment notebook. An assignment notebook will help you stay organized. It will
provide you with a single place you can check what assignments you have due and the
due dates.
“Unplug” when studying for tests and quizzes. When preparing for test and quizzes shut off
your phone, computer and music. Do not let text messages, I.M.’s or Facebook distract
you while studying. If you are constantly interrupted while studying, you are not going
to get a lot out of it. You may feel like you have studied for hours, but because of the
interruptions, it is probably a lot less.
Be healthy. Try to get at least eight hours of sleep. You need this much sleep to be functioning at full potential and to fight off colds, the flu, etc.
Get involved. Getting involved with activities in and out of school helps you remain focused,
develop interests and meet new people. It also provides “resume material” for colleges, jobs, scholarships, etc. Studies show that students who are involved in activities
are more successful in school.
Do your best. It is all anyone can ask of you.
Page 3
Hornet Happenings
What do Colleges Look for in Applicants?
What do colleges look for in applicants? This question often comes up this time of year. Juniors
are usually the ones asking the question as they begin the college search/application process.
However, it is also important for our other underclassmen to have an understanding of how colleges will be evaluating them in a couple of years. Every year, several different organizations survey college admission offices in search of the answer to the above question. While the answers
change slightly from year to year, you can bet that colleges will always be looking for the following:
1.
Strong grades in college preparatory courses. Grades should show an upward trend
over the years. However, slightly lower grades (e.g. B’s) in a rigorous program are
preferred to all A’s in less challenging coursework.
2.
A high school curriculum that challenges the student. Students should demonstrate a willingness to challenge themselves. A good rule of thumb is to take your
courses at the highest level where you can consistently earn B’s and above.
3.
Solid scores on standardized tests (SAT, ACT).
4.
A well-written essay that provides insight into the student’s unique personality,
values and goals.
5.
Letters of recommendation from teachers and a guidance counselor that offer
evidence of integrity, a strong work ethic and other positive character traits.
6.
Passionate involvement in a few activities, demonstrating leadership and initiative. Depth, not breadth, of experience is important.
7.
Community Service. This demonstrates a concern for others.
8.
Work or out-of-school experiences that illustrate responsibility, dedication and
development of interests. Work or other meaningful use of free time demonstrates
maturity.
9.
Supplementary recommendations by adults who have had significant direct contact with the student. Letters from coaches or supervisors in long-term work or volunteer activities are valuable; however, recommendations from casual acquaintances or family friends are rarely given much weight. Supplementary recommendations are not necessary.
10. Anything special that makes the student stand out from the rest of the applicants.
This includes honors, awards, evidence of an unusual talent or experience, or anything else that makes the student unique.
Volume 9, Issue 3
Page 4
Guidance News
SAT Reasoning Test, SAT Subject Tests and ACT Exam Dates
(Spring 2012)
SAT
Late Registration
Offered?
Regular Registration
Deadline
(a late fee applies)
May 5, 2012
Yes
April 6th
April 20th
June 2, 2012
Yes
May 8th
May 22nd
SAT Test Dates
Subject Tests
Deadline
Late Registration
ACT Test Dates
Regular Registration Deadline
Deadline
April 14, 2012
March 9th
March 23rd
June 9, 2012
May 4th
May 18th
How to Register
Students can register for tests using one of two methods:
Online registration - www.collegeboard.com for SAT Reasoning Test and SAT Subject Tests
www.actstudent.org for ACT
Mail-in registration – Mail-in registration forms are available in the Guidance Office
Page 5
Hornet Happenings
Guidance con’t
Advanced Placement Exam Schedule
Date
Time
Exam
Monday, May 7
7:30 a.m.
AP Chemistry
Monday, May 7
7:30 a.m.
AP Environmental Science
Monday, May 7
11:45 a.m.
AP Psychology
Tuesday, May 8
7:30 a.m.
AP Spanish
Wednesday, May 9
7:30 a.m.
AP Calculus BC
Thursday, May 10
7:30 a.m.
AP English Literature
Friday, May 11
7:30 a.m.
AP United States History
Monday, May 14
7:30 a.m.
AP Biology
Monday, May 14
11:45 a.m.
AP Physics B
Tuesday, May 15
7:30 a.m.
AP United States Government
Wednesday, May 16
7:30 a.m.
AP English Language
Thursday, May 17
7:30 a.m.
AP United States World
Wednesday, May 23
11:45 a.m.
AP Environmental Science*
*This is the late administration date for the AP Environmental Science exam. It is for those students who are taking the AP Chemistry exam on May 7, 2012.
Looking for NRHS Information?
hs.north-reading.k12.ma.us
Volume
Volume 9,
9, Issue
Issue 3
3
Page
Page 6
6
Class of 2012 College Acceptances
University of Alabama
Assumption College
Babson College
Bentley University
Boston College
Bridgewater State University
Campbell University
Carnegie Mellon University
Case Western Reserve University
Clemson University
Coastal Carolina University
Colby College
Colby-Sawyer College
Colgate University
University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Connecticut
Cornell University
Curry College
Dean College
Drexel University
Elon University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - AZ
Emerson College
Emmanuel College
Endicott College
Fairfield University
Fitchburg State University
Framingham State University
Franklin Pierce University
The George Washington University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Gordon College
University of Hartford
Harvard University
High Point University
Hofstra University
Iona College
Ithaca College
James Madison University
Johnson & Wales University
Keene State College
Lasell College
Le Moyne College
Lyndon State College
Lynn University
Manhattanville College
Marymount Manhattan College
Page 7
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
University of Massachusetts, Lowell
Merrimack College
Nazareth College
New England College
University of New England
University of New Hampshire
University of New Haven
Newbury College
Nichols College
Northeastern University
Norwich University
Oregon State University
Pace University, New York City
Point Park University
Providence College
Purdue University
Quinnipiac University
Regis College
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rhode Island College
University of Rhode Island
Rivier College
University of Rochester
Roger Williams University
Sacred Heart University
Saint Anselm College
Salem State University
Salve Regina University
Simmons College
Southern New Hampshire University
Springfield College
State University of New York - Plattsburgh
Stonehill College
Suffolk University
University of Vermont
Villanova University
Virginia Commonwealth University School of
the Arts
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Western New England University
Westfield State University
Wheaton College MA
Wheelock College
University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point
Hornet Happenings
School News
Students Help Bring Back the 4th of July Fireworks to North Reading
Throughout the frigid month February most NRHS students focus on their plans for Valentine’s Day. Surely no one could blame them for focusing on the current holiday. There were, however, a group of students looking further into the future. They were focusing on the 4 th of July
holiday, which seems so far away. Most people have fond memories of that summer time holiday
where red, white, and blue are worn with pride. A day when people share a fun day of outdoor
fun culminating in an exciting fireworks display that thrills young and old alike. For some years
now North Reading, due to budget cuts, was forced to cancel its traditional 4 th of July fireworks
display for the town. The event was held at Ipswich River Park and open to all of North Reading’s
residents.
A committee of concerned citizens known as “NR Bring back the 4th of July” have made it
their mission to restore the event. Their goal is to raise enough private funds to reinstate the fireworks display. The committee conceived of an idea to sell t-shirts that would raise funds and
awareness of this endeavor. Under the advisement of NRHS teacher Jane Whitney, a private citizen on that committee, they solicited the help of Brett Kunze, Graphic Design teacher at North
Reading High School. Together they planned to involve NRHS students in a contest to design the
shirt. This would challenge the students to create designs that would be aesthetically pleasing
enough to motivate viewers to purchase a t-shirt. Fifty Graphic Design students created entries for
the contest. Their designs were as varied as the individual students themselves. Some designs
were in red, white, and blue and displayed traditional patriotic schemes, while others chose to do
less conventional arrangements. There were so many great entries into the contest that it was a
difficult decision to pick the winner.
The committee awarded cash prizes to the first, second, and third place winners. The first
place design will be used on the t-shirts, and the 2nd and third place entries will likely be turned
into posters for the cause. The first place winner was junior student Frankie Romeo. His design is
a very sharp looking stylistic American flag waving proudly reinforced with stars and stripes to
unify the design on a white shirt. The second place design was created by senior student Brian
Conway. The red t-shirt design features a fireworks display; the fireworks are composed of stars
exploding overhead to the delight of the crowd below. The third place winner was designed by
Joshua Shear. On a blue t-shirt if features a graphically stylistic Uncle Sam. His iconic “I want
you” stance implores the viewer to support the goal to bring back the 4 th of July.
The cooperative project was a great “real world” learning experience for all involved. No
doubt that the winners will get a thrill and a great sense of accomplishment out of seeing their
work displayed around town. T-shirts will soon be on sale around town, so please purchase one
and help bring back the 4th of July to North Reading!
T-shirts will be sold at a cost of $10.00 each and you may contact Jane Whitney at
[email protected] if you’d like to place an order.
Volume
Volume 9,
9, Issue
Issue 3
3
Page
Page 8
8
March Madness Comes Back to NRHS
On March 7, NRHS hosted its second annual 3-on-3 Basketball
Tournament. Nine teams showed up that afternoon to prove themselves on the floor, but at the end of the day only one group of three
could call themselves champions. Like last year, the tournament was
double elimination and teams could be constructed of any combination of students and teachers. During the first few rounds, the gymnasium was whipped into a
frenzy with four games going on at once. The three-point line was not introduced until the last
couple rounds. Perhaps no team benefited from the addition of the three-point line more than the
tournament’s bubble team made up of Brandon Bartlett, Christopher Schipelliti, and Ryan Finch.
This team hit a number of big threes to stay in the mix, two of which were done the old fashioned
way- banking them off the glass.
The championship round came down to a showdown between the team of Daniel Fitzgerald,
Thomas Hogan, and Mr. Mark Bisognano and the “Texas Longhorns,” a team composed of Christopher Cappozzoli, Michael O’Brien, and Carl Lipani. The two teams met up in an earlier round of
the tournament with Fitzgerald, Hogan, and Bisognano rolling to an easy victory. This meant the
Longhorns would have to beat Bisognano’s team twice in the championship round in order to be
crowned the victors. The Texas Trio fought hard during the first championship game to force a definitive second game. The final score from game one satiated the Longhorns, and just increased
the hunger to win for Team Bisognano. Shots that rimmed out during the first championship game
for Fitzgerald, Hogan, and Bisognano found nothing but the bottom of the net during the final. As
their confidence grew, so did their lead. In the end, the team assembled by Mr. Mark Bisognano
walked away with the gold, which for this tournament came in the form of three I-tunes gift
cards.
A tip of the hat goes to all participants of the tournament. All proceeds from the event
went to the boys’ lacrosse team at NRHS. Will Mr. Bisognano become the first back-to-back-toback 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament Champion? We will have to wait until next March to find out.
Engineering Energy Efficiency Project
Starting in mid-April, Ms.Weathers’ Honors Physics classes will be participating in a project
called Engineering Energy Efficiency (EEE) within their Physics curriculum. This project is designed by The Concord Consortium and funded by the National Science Foundation. In small
groups, students will be designing and building an energy-efficient scale model house with the aid
of computer simulations and probeware measurement. They will investigate how
environmental factors such as wind, solar angle, and temperature affect the energy efficient designs used to build houses today. The EEE project will integrate
physics concepts, engineering principles, simulations, and hands-on projects to actively engage students in learning about heat transfer, energy and power within
thermal systems.
For more information, please visit www.concord.org
Page 9
Hornet Happenings
Academic Decathlon
On Saturday, February 4th North Reading High School’s Academic Decathlon
team hosted the 25th annual Ray Landry Academic Decathlon Invitational. The event is
named in honor of former North Reading English teacher and Academic Decathlon
coach, Ray Landry, who still runs the scoring room on the day of the competition.
Twelve schools from all over the state brought teams who took tests in Math, Science,
Economics, Social Science, Language and Literature, Music, and Art, most relating to
this year’s theme: The Age of Empire. Team scores for each test were determined by taking the top
five scorers for that school. North Reading had eleven competitors: seniors Alex Bean , Elisabeth
Chee, Colleen Finnegan, and Sara Green; juniors Franconia Burg, Kyle Hastings, Julie Landy, and
Bryce Raymond; and sophomores Chris Chee, Ned Madden, and Rory Stimpson. Each North Reading
competitor was one of the team’s top five scorers on at least one of the tests, and North Reading finished fourth overall, narrowly missing qualifying for the state tournament. In addition, several students won awards for their individual performances. Colleen Finnegan won the silver medal for
Mathematics and an honorable mention for Science, Elisabeth Chee won an honorable mention for the
Super Quiz on Social Science, and Kyle Hastings won an honorable mention in Economics. Alex Bean
won an individual award for every test except one, bringing home a silver medal in Science, a bronze
medal in Economics, and honorable mentions in Mathematics, Art, Music, and Language and Literature. He won the plaque for being the team’s highest scorer overall. Next year’s topic will revolve
around theme of Russia, with tests covering Russian history, the Space Race, and the novel Dr. Zhivago
among others. All North Reading students are welcomed and encouraged to join the team.
World of Sciences Club is Having a Busy Year
by Jenna Crawford
February and March have characteristically been the two heaviest months for Olympiad,
and this year was no different. But, along with all the preparations that come with the annual Science
Olympiad competition in mid-March, the club has had their hands full with other events and competitions. The most recent North Shore Science League competition was held at Danvers High School, February 14th, in which our members took on different challenges in organic chemistry, disease epidemia,
and even science in the media. What was unique about this NSSL meet was that our team of eight was
almost entirely composed of freshmen, either new to the high school level events, or new to competing as a whole. It was great that we could form a team of just ninth grade students and spread them
out across various events, because in a couple of years, they will be running the show. Most recently,
the club sent five members on March 5th to compete in the Science Bowl at UMASS Lowell, which was
comprised of around thirty teams answering jeopardy style questions. This round robin competition
tested our knowledge on chemistry, biology, energy,
earth science, math, and astronomy. Our team was
up against six different returning teams, two of
which finished first and second in the state last
year. Although frustrating to finish with a record of
1-5, we are now better aware of the rules of the
tournament, the types of questions asked, and the
strategies used by some of the top teams. We are,
as a whole, very enthusiastic about returning next
year with, hopefully, another team. Our involvement with the NSSL and Science Bowl was only
made possible by our numbers. Almost doubling
from last year, we now have upwards of twenty-five
actively participating members, which allow us to
get involved in a lot more.
Volume 9, Issue 3
Page 10
Goodwill Earns Power Block a Well-Deserved Pizza Party
The Interact Club at North Reading High School sponsored a fundraiser for Pennies for Patients- an organization that, since 1994, has raised millions
of dollars in pennies and other spare change by more than 10 million elementary,
middle, and high school students throughout the country. The funds, collected during a three-week period, benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Interact organized the fundraiser by having Power Block teachers collect money from the students.
Mr. McAuliffe, a Business Education teacher at the high school, saw the opportunity to
have his Power Block students step up and challenged them to raise more money than any other class.
The prize for raising the most money would be a pizza party for the Power Block that donated the
most in the three week period. That goal, combined with generosity, drove what would ultimately be
an impressive $186 donation by the class.
“It was great seeing the amount of money that the kids were bringing in. For a high
school student to bring in $5, $10 sometimes $15… I thought was very generous,” said Mr. McAuliffe.
“We got many donations--sizeable donations from students like Scot Leslie and Colin McAuley on almost a daily basis. And it was all to raise money for kids with cancer. It was really telling.”
Kids would pony up leftover change after lunch, some even forgoing that extra cookie
or bag of chips. Mr. McAuliffe would make it a big deal in class when students would make a sizeable
donation. “We definitely had fun with it. I think you need to in order to have students buy in to
something like this on an elevated scale.”
Working with interact members Dennis Rollfs and Meri Moise, Mr. McAuliffe would try
to get updates to see where his class stood with other Power Blocks. “I knew we had to be near the
top, but we kept donating to make sure there was no doubt. The pizza party was a huge incentive,”
said McAuliffe.
The numbers were finally tallied after the three week window and McAuliffe’s class
raised an impressive $186 out of $400 raised. Time for pizza! “Winning the pizza party was great, and
you don’t want to go light on the number of pizzas when you have eighteen high school students-predominantly boys--at lunch time. I was estimating three to four slices per student.” McAuliffe,
however, did not want to deplete the Interact Club funds. “I knew the money for the pizza would
have to come from either Interact or Pennies for Patients, so I decided to see if a local business would
be able to help out with the cost of pizza.
That’s where sophomore student Alyson Enos and good timing factored into the equation. McAuliffe had been talking up his class’ accomplishment and Alyson, a student in his Microsoft
Publisher class, had asked where they were planning on getting the pizza from. Mr. McAuliffe quickly
found out that Alyson’s father Michael was owner of Café Capri on Route 28 in Reading, and would
probably be happy to help. McAuliffe called Mr. Enos and placed an order for seven pizzas mentioning
that they were for his class but didn’t discuss price. When he went in to pick up the pizzas, he was in
for a nice surprise. “I showed up to get the pizzas and the woman working offered to help me bring
them out to my car. When I asked to square up and pay for the pizzas she replied that there was a
note on them saying “NO CHARGE.” I wanted to immediately thank Mr. Enos and offer him something,
but he was not in.
Mr. McAuliffe brought the pizzas back and the feeding frenzy began. It was great to
see the students reward for raising all of that money. Alyson happened to be walking by and the class
was able to thank her. Unfortunately, she was a minute too late and the only thing left were seven
empty Café Capri boxes and the delicious smell of hints bacon, pineapple, cheese and sauce.
On behalf of Mr. McAuliffe’s Power Block and North Reading High School a very big
thank you to Mr. Michael Enos and Café Capri in Reading. The pizza was amazing and
highly recommended by every student!
Page 11
Hornet Happenings
Closing the Textbooks in Spanish Class
Mrs. St. Arnaud's classes have had the opportunity to close their textbooks and discover Spanish
through a guest speaker and practice speaking and writing in Spanish on iPads. On March 23rd, Diana
Zalaquett met with over 40 Spanish 4 and 5 students to tell them about her native country, Peru.
Diana is a student at Northeastern University and is a regular at NRHS as she teaches Zumba classes,
and helps with the Track team. Diana brought several traditional Peruvian dishes including Papa a la
Huancaina, Causa Rellena, Choclo cocido con queso fresco y Alfajores rellenos de dulce de leche.
While the students sampled and snacked, Diana played music, showed YouTube Videos, and gave an
hour long presentation, in Spanish. Students also had the opportunity to try on traditional clothing
and play traditional musical instruments. "It is important to expose the students to native speakers
from a variety of countries", said Mrs. St. Arnaud. "The students really enjoy using their knowledge of
Spanish to listen to a presentation and ask questions in Spanish, instead of doing teacher-generated
activities. Having someone come and give an energetic presentation is a treat for all of us - especially
when they bring delicious food!"
Mrs. St. Arnaud is part of a pilot program to see how
the North Reading Public Schools could incorporate iPads
into classroom teaching. She has attended several trainings
and has enjoyed collaborating with other teachers in the
district. Spanish 2 students made comic strips to practice
vocabulary and grammar related to daily routines. They
took pictures and used props to create comics using the app
"Comic Book!" Each comic strip was very creative as students took pictures of themselves acting their routines out,
with props, and then adding the dialog bubbles. Spanish 4
students have had the opportunity to create presentations
using Keynote and save their drafts on the notes page. Students also had the opportunity to create postcards, as if
they had gone on a trip to the Caribbean, using the app "Photocard." This app not only allows students
to write and create personalized postcards, but they can also record sound.
"The iPads have been a lot of fun to play with this year and I am looking forward to year 2 of
the pilot program", said St. Arnaud. "Having a guest speaker come is always a highlight of the year as
well." It is important to close the textbooks, put away the whiteboard markers and use the latest
technology to practice Spanish - or do it the old fashion way and sit back with some traditional food
and enjoy an engaging presentation in the target language...and ask questions too!
Senior Internship—Joe Moubhij
Joe is one of ten students participating in the 2011-2012 Senior Internship program. Under the supervision of Massimiliano Versace, Director of the
Boston University Neuromorphics Lab, Joe Moubhij is finishing his senior internship.
Joe is very interested in electrical engineering, computer engineering, and neuroscience.
At the Neuromorphics Lab, Joe has created a virtual environment that assesses learning. This environment will be populated by a neural system that mimics
the human brain, known as “Artificial Intelligence” (AI) that the lab scientist created. The lab monitors the Artificial Intelligence to see what it is learning and
what it recognizes. Some of the many tasks Joe has been asked to do include:

Research features of the Java graphics engine

Present working models of the features found
Volume 9, Issue 3
Page 12
Joe Moubhij
con’t

Find objects to put in the virtual environment

Program and Develop the objects to be included in the virtual environment using C++
and Java
Joe is currently working with N.A.S.A. and Hewlett Packard; two new projects for the lab. After all this hands-on experience, Joe is looking forward to continuing this career path in the Electrical
Engineering Program at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. He was asked to continue his work
this summer as a paid intern.
Medea
After the full production of the Greek tragedy Medea this fall, Masquers club was able to bring back the new, shortened version of the play for the
Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guild One-Act Festival. Mrs. Kane, director, obtained permission to do a cutting of the show and took the time to painstakingly
edit the full version down to forty minutes, as in compliance with the One Act Competition rule. One hundred and eight schools performed across the state of Massachusetts in the Preliminary Round of competition Saturday March 3rd. From each
host location three schools moved on to the Semi-Final Round. From there two schools would move on
to States and then three would move on to Nationals. It is an extremely exciting opportunity for all
the students and performers involved.
For North Reading High School, the competition began at Holliston High School Saturday March
3rd, competing with seven other schools from across the state including Bellingham High School, Wakefield High School, Oxford High School, Holliston High School, Somerville High School, Pioneer Valley
Performing Arts Charter School, and Framingham High School for the three spots that would move on.
The day started early, and North Reading performed fourth in the competition. It was a very enjoyable
day of watching and supporting other products and learning more about the competition and acting
experience. The day concludes with awards to which North Reading was able to secure one of these
spots along with several awards including: Best Actress (Janelle Yull, Junior), Best Ensemble (Sarah
Lilley, Junior; Abby Bachur, Freshman; Montana Robertson, Freshman; Ginette Andre, Sophomore,
Steph Lento, Junior), Best Lighting (Sara Green, Senior), and Best Supporting Actress (Leanne McNall,
Senior).
Semi-finals were scheduled for the very next week on Saturday March 10th and Masquers’ assigned location was Westford Academy. North Reading High School volunteered to go first in the competition that morning in order to help another school, in spirit of Drama Fest. Six schools performed
their shows in the hopes of securing one of the two spots that would make it on to Finals in Boston;
these schools included Chelmsford High School, Boston Arts Academy, Leominster High School, Westford Academy, and Everett High School. The two schools that moved were Chemsford High School with
Patrick Barlow’s comedy 39 Steps and Westford Academy with Eugene O’Neils drama The Hairy Ape.
This was a great experience for all of the schools and Masquers is very grateful to have participated in
such a fun day. The individual awards won in this round were: Best Actress (Janelle Yull, Junior), Best
Sound Design (Emily Penta, Senior), Best Costumes (Adam Sperry, Senior), and Best Supporting Actress
(Sarah Lilley, Junior).
One-Act Festival is a great experience for all involved and Masquers would like to thank all of
the parents and administrators who came and helped make this an exceptional experience for all.
Page 13
Hornet Happenings
LifeSmarts Competition
On March 8, 2012, North Reading High
School participated in its thirteenth LifeSmarts competition. LifeSmarts is a fun, educational program that encourages high school students to learn about consumer
issues they face today and the new challenges that they
will face in the future. The Federal Reserve Bank in Boston is the official sponsor of the LifeSmarts Competition
for Massachusetts. The National Consumers League is the
national sponsor. LifeSmarts complements the curriculum
at North Reading High School.
This competition covers five areas: personal finance, health and safety, the environment, technology,
and consumer rights and responsibilities. Over 200 students registered and took the on-line test to qualify. The
top ten students participated in the state competition.
Green Team Members: Zoe Peach, Captain, Samantha Haley, Keanna Lamont, Hanna Lesch,
and Mae Sorenson. Gold Team Members: Austin Dugas, Captain, Jeremy Cangiano, Kurt Jenney, Evan
Rakusin, and Jake Snow. Both LifeSmarts Teams are coached by Business Education Teachers, Lillian
Diezemann and Nicole Pierce.
Massachusetts held an online pre-competition assessment before the in-person event on March
8. Both teams had to complete a 200 question online test that would be part of the team score at the
state competition. Each question had a point scale. The faster you answered the question correctly,
the more points you were awarded. Both the Green and Gold Teams scored in the top ten.
On March 8, 2012, only the top twelve schools were
invited to the state competition at the Federal Reserve Bank
in Boston. The competition started off with teams participating in an opening match which consisted of team and individual questions. The style of this competition was much like
“Jeopardy”. Each team member had a buzzer. The second
part was a topic/activity session which students worked on
coming up with an answer to a given scenario. Both scores
from the opening match and the topic/activity session would
be added to the 200 question online test score. Only the top
eight teams would advance to the quarter finals. The Gold
Team came in third and the Green Team came in sixth. The next round was the elimination round. If
a team lost, they were finished. Unfortunately, the Gold Team was eliminated by Palmer High School.
The Green Team went on to the semi-finals but lost to Milton High School. In the end the Milton High
School defeated Palmer High School. Milton High School will advance to the National LifeSmarts Competition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the end of April.
We would like to thank Mr. Jon Bernard, Principal, for providing each team member with a North Reading Team shirt and
transportation to the competition. We would also like to
thank Deb Bloomberg, Sharon St. Louis, and Lillian Seay from
the Public and Community Affair Department of the Federal
Reserve Bank of Boston.
Volume 9, Issue 3
Page 14
Update: Social Host Liability
The focus of this article is on the Civil Law (law suits for damages) rather than on Criminal Responsibility. The information contained reviews the current law and what revisions may be
coming in the foreseeable future.
As discussed in detail in the Newsletter on Bullying, a civil suit judgment in favor of the
plaintiff for monetary damages, may be enforced for up 20 years under Massachusetts Law. Note
that a judgment in Massachusetts can be enforced in any state.
What is the current law? At the present time, there is no Statutory Law (a law passed by
the legislature) in Massachusetts regarding Social Host Liability. Therefore, we must look to Common Law (rules/law developed from court cases) to find the current law.
A recent case decided by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, Mark JULIANO & others v.
Peter SIMPSON & another, SJC–10843, February 21, 2012, is an excellent source of the history of
the law, the current law and what to anticipate in the future regarding Social Host Liability.
The background of the Juliano v. Simpson as stated in the case was that sixteen-year old Rachel
Juliano suffered serious injuries when the automobile in which she was a passenger struck a utility
pole. She and the driver of the automobile, nineteen year old Christian Dunbar, had just left a
party hosted by the defendant, nineteen year old Jessica A. Simpson, where Dunbar consumed
alcoholic beverages he had obtained earlier that evening and brought to Jessica’s house. Jessica’s
father, Peter Simpson was not at home at the time of the party, leaving Jessica in sole control of
the premises.
Originally, Juliano and her parents, the Plaintiffs, sued only Dunbar (the driver) and Peter
Simpson. Jessica Simpson was added as a defendant later. The plaintiffs relied on Massachusetts
General Law Chapter 138, Section 34, which prescribes the “furnishing” of alcohol to a person under the ages of twenty-one to be a crime. Furnishing is defined as “knowingly or intentionally
supplying (giving) alcoholic beverages on premises or property owned or controlled by the person
charged. In Massachusetts, the fact that a statute makes such behavior a criminal offense, does
not create civil liability. (In some states, behavior that is a criminal offense also creates civil liability). So, the Massachusetts statute Ch. 138, Section 34, (a criminal statute) does not apply to
this civil case. There is currently no statute defining civil liability for social hosts. The matter
has been before the legislature but they have not as yet passed a statute. Therefore the Common
Law (case law) must be followed in such cases.
The case against Peter Simpson (the father) was dismissed because he was not home. Jessica remained a defendant.
Page 15
Hornet Happenings
North Reading
High School
Phone: 978-664-7800
Fax: 978-664-7826
http://hs.north-reading.k12.ma.us
Hornet
Highlights
Keeping you informed!
North Reading High School’s Mission Statement
Core Values and Beliefs
At the core of North Reading High School is the common belief that effective citizenship and leadership in the twenty-first century begins with a commitment to life-long learning that is fostered in an environment that includes all
students. We are a dynamic community of students, teachers, parents, and
administrators with shared beliefs and values committed to developing capable,
knowledgeable twenty-first century citizens. It is our mutual responsibility to be
actively involved in a learning process that fosters higher-order thinking, problem solving, risk-taking, and innovation combined with academic rigor. We
believe that an environment of collaboration, mutual respect, caring, and trust
is the foundation for establishing a commitment to life-long learning. We believe
that students learn best when they are connected to their community and can
share in the obligations and duties of citizenship. North Reading High School
embraces its opportunity to reach beyond its walls and is dedicated to preparing
its students to be successful contributors to their local and global communities
in the twenty-first century.