Issue 3 - Berlin Public Schools

Transcription

RedcoatReview
The
Berlin High School
Volume VIII Issue III
SPRING 2012
I
Common Ground: Day of Silence
Be Heard Without Speaking
Olivia Jablonski, Staff Writer
Friday, April 13th was an eventful day. A day for
awareness, for attention, and most importantly for the
silence. Members from Common Ground, students,
and staff from all over Berlin High School took part
in the Day Of Silence. The terms of participation were
that they couldn’t speak for the whole school day to
raise awareness for the people that get bullied and
judged by their sexuality, race, and clearly by who
they truly are.
On the Day of Silence, participants day carried around
speaking cards for those curious non-participants
who wondered why they were silent. The card would
be given or shown to the person, explaining the purpose of being silent on that day. The participants also
walked around wearing plastered purple hearts on their
chests to represent their partaking in this eventful day.
A few days earlier, I came in for Common Ground's
quick meeting. I sat with one of the members, Riza
Brown, to get the scoop on what this event was all
about:
Q: What’s the purpose of Day Of Silence?
A: “It’s just a day of awareness, for persecution. To get
people noticing that we don’t live in a perfect world,
and other people should at least respect those who are
different from one another. Basically, staying silent for
those who are different should be paid more attention
to.
“We don’t want people ignoring someone who’s a different race, or that has a different sexuality. We just
want people to be able to look at us and be like, ‘Hey
this is what’s happening---this is what we should do
to respect others,’ which is why we are holding this
event.”
Q: How would you want this day/event to be memorable?
A: “We are hoping for sincere participation, to show
Pictured above is the big poster that was placed
in front of the auditorium. It was signed by the participants of the Day of Silence,
including people from Common Ground and the rest of the high school community.
Photo Credit: Olivia Jablonski
support with the silence, and get as many volunteers
as possible. We want as many people as possible to be
aware of what’s going on and why this is happening.”
By the end of the day, students and staff gathered
around in front of the auditorium, during the last 10
minutes of class, to break off the silence. But just before the silence broke off, lead group member of Common Ground, Jack Tomasack, shared a few words.
“Today was a really special day. To everyone who par-
ticipated in this event; it means a lot. It meant a lot to
me and especially the members of Common Ground.
Having people shut down for a day is a huge thing for
a cause like this. Since me nor Riza won’t be here next
year, hopefully we (BHS) can keep this event going
without us.”
Although Common Ground will miss its founders, we
hope their presence will make a mark on the 20122013 school year as well.
Q U IC K LO OK
-Techno-Nuts’ 2012
Quest For SuccessPg. 2
This year, the Berlin first robotics team participated in
the FIRST Robotics program once again. Their success,
however, came in a slightly different form than last year.
-The Hunger Games
Coverage Pg. 12
-Gloves, Helmets, and
Hockey Sticks
Pg. 10
The Avengers and Men in Black 3 might be the biggest
things in Hollywood right now, but another franchise
had a stranglehold on entertainment earlier this year.
It wasn’t easy, but they did it. The ice was the epicenter
of action as the Newington-Berlin Hockey team won the
State Championship.
-Dan Lerosa Returns
Pg.
5
-SURVEY: Social Networks Pg. 13
-nba: Linsanity Recap
-Mural Club’s Progress
Pg.
3
-Review: The 84th Oscars
Pg.
13
-coaching Is TeachingPg. 11
-Dissecting The Cupcake
Pg.
16
-The “City Of Dreams”
Pg.
17
-Tupac Still Alive?
Pg.
Pg.
9
18
II
News
Techno-Nuts Have Spirit
Daniyal N. Khan, News Editor
They have spirit, yes they do. Techno-Nuts have spirit,
how about you. The highlight of this year’s CT Regional FIRST Robotics Competition was not about
the robot, but rather the team spirit that made Berlin
FIRST Robotics stand out among 63 other teams from
around the country.
In a two-day event, the Techno-Nuts journeyed out to
Hartford’s Connecticut Convention Center on March
30th for the Northeast Utilities CT Regional FIRST
Robotics Competition which hosted teams from all
over the state and from New York, New Jersey, New
Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Texas. The first day
was for the qualifying round, where all the teams were
put in alliances of three to compete against each other
in hope of getting top seeds going into the doubleknockout tournament that would decide the champions.
Game Rules:
For the games, three teams are put into an alliance to
compete together. They must cooperate in an effort to
win matches. The court is divided by three bridges and
a divider beam.
The drive team of the Techno-Nuts, waiting in the
The goal of the game is to shoot the ball into one of Photo Credit: Berlin Techno-Nuts
the four hoops. The top basket is worth three points, pit before being allowed onto the sidelines of the game court. From there, the robot
the middle ones are two points a piece, while the bot- would be deployed and a match would begin.
tom hoop is worth just one point. A Match is 2 minutes
and 15 seconds long. The Hybrid period is the first 15 afterward, going on a four-game win streak as part of
seconds of the Match. The Tele-operated period is the the blue alliances. That wrapped up the first day of
remaining 2-minute period. Each period ends when the activities with seven games down the pipe and three
Arena timer displays zero seconds.
more to go on Saturday.
One-on-one defense is allowed, but double teaming
gets the offending alliance a foul which equals three
points for their opponents. Also, a technical foul gives
up nine points. Towards the end of each match, the robots have to balance onto the bridges with either their
own alliance’s machines or with the ones from the opposing team to earn 20 points. Balancing a robot by itself, otherwise, earns the alliance half as many points.
A triple-balance is also equal to 20 points during the
qualifying round, but 40 points during the elimination
tournament.
Once the qualifying round is over, the teams in the lead
with the most wins get to pick their two alliance partners. Then, the double-elimination tournament decides
the regional champions.
Starting on Friday, Berlin lost the first three matches as
part of the red alliances. But they picked up the pace
BOSSO VISITS DC
Recently, Mr. Bosso traveled down
to the nation’s capital with Mrs. Bosso to meet the President. He, along
with other Teachers of the Year from
around the country, were honored by
Barack Obama, who announce the
national finalists. A national committee then selects the National Teacher
of the Year.
Their luck, however, would run out on the second day
as they failed to record any further wins. The TechnoNuts ended up with a qualifying round record of 4-6. It
would unfortunately end their run in this year’s competition.
“You know what’s weird is that some teams ranked
lower than us were picked instead of us. We were just
unlucky today,” said McGee Middle School technology teacher, Mr. Griswold. “But we didn’t do half bad
for ourselves, considering how the robot performed
despite taking some of those hits.”
The “hits” he was talking about took place during
the first day of competition. First, a tough match-up
on the defensive end of the floor forced the TechnoNuts to give up a foul- that seemed like it could have
been a wrong call- and when it came time to balance
out the robot towards the end of the game, bad team
work caused their mechanical player to flip over on the
court. After the incident, their were mixed sentiments
among the team members in the bleachers and behind
the glass. Now, sure many robots flip over in all sorts
of ways during the event, but nobody wants it to be
theirs.
“We fixed it as best as we could. It’s just that you can’t
really do it to perfection because you can only use
what you have in the pit,” a drive team member commented on the efforts to get the robot back in shape.
Once out of the pit and back on the court, the TechnoNuts didn’t have much trouble, with the exception of
being able to win matches. Regardless, it was an enjoy-
Photo Credit: Berlin Techno-Nuts
The Best Team Spirit Award given to the
Techno-Nuts in this year’s competition.
able and certainly memorable experience for all. Sure,
not being picked to participate in the final round came
with disappointment, but that didn’t stop the team from
cheering on their favorite teams that did make it to the
double-knockout tournament.
That team spirit was what won over the judges and got
the Berlin Techno-Nuts the award for Most Spirit. It
definitely put a positive spin on a season that ended
with no championship, unlike last year. The TechnoNuts are now working to get more sponsorships for
next season.
For a visual review of the event, there will be an edition of the Redcoat Report soon available on the school
website. Watch it to find out more about the Berlin
Techno-Nuts’ quest for success at this year’s Connecticut Regional FIRST Robotics Competition.
UP NEXT
___________________
BHS Clubs News
III
News
Making a Difference on an
International Level
After an incredibly slow start at the beginning of the
year, the International Club has picked up the pace.
They have sponsored a child from Cameroon through
the Plan USA organization. As seen in the last edition
of the newspaper, his name is Aboubakar, a nine-yearold from the Touroua Council Area of Cameroon. With
the cost of sponsorship a modest one dollar a day, the
club collectively brainstormed ideas to raise the money
for supporting the child over the course of the next few
years or longer. After multiple club meetings and several talks with the administration, Señor Lewis decided
that selling a certain lollipop of Spanish origin would
be the way to go. They are called Chupa Chups, the
delicious treats that come in two ice-cream flavors of
Strawberry-Vanilla and Chocolate-Vanilla.
Mural Club’s President Speaks
Elizabeth Asal, Staff Writer
As the students of Berlin High School shuffle from
class to class, they are likely to notice the occasional
break in the white brick walls surrounding them--a
stretch of hallway displaying fantastically recreated
works of art and original paintings, all put in place by
the school’s own Mural Club.
“As president, I am trying to plan a mural in the custodial office, but nothing is final yet. Members have been
helping Mr. Holland in all of our art classes and study
halls to finish the tree mosaic in his room first. There,
we are grouting in the pieces of stone and glass, hoping
to finish by the end of this school year!”
Club President Shannon Mahoney, a junior, recently
agreed to sit down with the Redcoat Review to answer
some of it’s questions:
6. Which reproduction is your personal favorite?
1. How and why did you become involved in the Mural Club?
“They’re going fast. Have you tried one?” that’s what
Señor Lewis had to say about the fast-selling scrumptious treats.
“When I was a freshman, I looked into joining the
mural club, but was too nervous. Once I got to know
Mr. Holland a bit better, he actually asked me to paint
on the wall in the pottery room--The Two Hands--and
from there, he asked me to keep painting to eventually
start my own in the hallway. I wanted to get into painting because it was something I had never done before,
and it was one thing in the art field I always wanted to
try. I have been drawing my whole life, so I though I’d
try something new.”
All the money will be used to help support Aboubakar
annually at the cost of $365.
2. What is the purpose of the Mural Club and why
does it place its paintings on the walls of the school?
“To think that you can be living here while making a
difference in a completely different part of the world.
It is why International Club is so unique and fun to
be a part of,” one club member says of his experience
this year.
“The purpose of the Mural Club is to share artwork
and creativity with everyone around us. Teachers, students, or guests walk by the walls and brighten up to
see unique paintings decorating the boring halls. It’s
a lot of fun for the club members because it’s a new
challenge everyday, with new strategies and techniques you have to adjust to with every new painting.
I love the fact that the paintings are on the walls of the
school, so not just art students see them, but everyone
is able to enjoy the sights.”
Since their arrival at the high school, club members
have already sold most within just a couple of weeks.
Making a difference in the world; that has been the
club’s motto this school year. Instead of just providing students with the opportunities to explore different
cultures from around the globe, the International Club
has been all about trying to do its part of changing the
world for the better. In doing so, sponsorship of endangered animals has also been discussed at meetings.
That’s not all, though, as the club is still living up to its
promise of cultural explorations. Although, at a relatively smaller level this year, there have been several
instances where International Club has hosted unique
events focused on lifestyles from around the globe, including India’s pop culture and revered cuisine.
With more than a month still left in the school year, the
club hopes to further its exploration of Indian culture
by trying out the country’s most popular sport, cricket.
Also, with most of them gone, there might yet be a few
Chupa Chups out on the market, so to speak. Thus, if
you haven’t tried one, be sure that you do because they
are quite delectable.
International Club meets every Wednesday after
school in Room 205. For more information, see Mrs.
Grady or Señor Lewis in Room 205. Come join the
club and make a positive difference in the world!
CLUB
CORNER
___________________
All About BHS Clubs
3. What projects has the club taken on this year?
“This year, myself and a couple of helpers have taken
on The Great Wave by Hokusai, next to the ISS room.
I’m pretty sure we did some touches on the Japanese
Bridge in the beginning of the year, but that didn’t last
long. The Great Wave started in January, and was finished the first week of April.”
4. Could you describe the process of a mural being
painted from beginning to end?
“At first, the wall is cleaned out and dimensions are
decided. Then, the painting or professional art piece
is drawn on the wall with pencils. Once that is finished, a border is taped on so that paint will not leak
and smudge over the lines. After it, depending on the
painting, the first brush strokes are made. Usually,
the mural is painted from back to front to emphasize
depth, which also creates an easier way to cleanly finish a mural. For The Great Wave, the dark sky was first,
then came the wave. For the Japanese Footbridge, the
green grasses were painted first. Once the mural is finished, the tape is taken off and a border is added as a
finishing touch, with a color chosen to bring the whole
piece together.”
5. Does the club have any plans for upcoming projects, for the remainder of school or the next year?
“My personal favorite that I have done is The Great
Wave. After a lot of practice with painting and blending, as well as many other techniques, this mural was
a lot of fun that still presented new challenges for me.
I love the feedback from those who walk by everyday,
and it has taught me a lot about painting and the art
piece itself. In fact, The Great Wave is not originally
a painting, rather it was first a wood cut. Since then,
it has been transformed into drawings and paintings,
and is one of the most popular pieces of art today. The
final mural came out amazing and better than I ever
thought possible.
Looking at the entire school, including murals I have
never worked on, I love the two hands in the pottery
room. It is in a pretty small closed-in space, but a really amazing piece of art. Despite being a small piece
of a famous painting, the technique, style, and blending looks very professional. I did work on it, briefly
though, so I would not take credit for being the creator.
If you want to know who started the mural, I would ask
Mr. Holland because I honestly don’t know.”
The Redcoat Review would like to thank Shannon for
her wonderful answers to our questions, and congratulate the Mural Club and Mr. Holland for their impressive contributions to the school!
‘12 ELECTIONS DAWN
UPON US
With Mitt Romney running as the
presidential hopeful for the Republicans, and Barack Obama continuing
his bid for another term in the White
House, the Presidential Election season has officially begun. At the end of
the primaries, Romney has come out
as the clear winner, but will he go all
the way? Arguably the biggest factor
this year is the economy. Both parties have distinctly different plans for
America’s future. Who will win?
NEXT UP
___________________
Club Corner Continues
IV
News
Checking Up on Cricket
Club’s Progress
the band had never performed in front of judges. They
would need all the preparation they could get.
Several new clubs have opened doors this year at the
high school. One of them is Cricket Club, focusing on
the second most played sport around the world. With
no y-period anymore, it has been a roller coaster of a
ride for some extra-curricular clubs.
Cricket Club has made steady progress through its first
year. Boasting a dozen members at the least, the club
has brought to BHS a sport that otherwise doesn’t enjoy the spotlight in America. And it has been an enjoyable experience for everyone who has tried out the
game. Being a sports club, it is certainly unique as only
Bike Club can be categorized the same by comparison.
“I like the idea. Fun. New,” club member Jey Soucy
says.
Another student, Jaydeep Patel, says that the idea of
having a high school cricket club is, “Awesome!”
Those who have tried the sport say that it’s “fun, and I
want to play every day.”
The students’ experience has been synonymous with
the words: fun, exciting, and awesome.
“Good times,” says Jordan Kinney about his experience playing cricket. He further explains his reasons
for joining, “It is a cool club to meet friends.”
According to Ahmad Hassan, it is a different experience, especially for baseball players. Cricket is most
certainly a sport that differs greatly from the majority
of the major league sports played in America. The only
parallel can be drawn from baseball, yet the differences are still numerous.
Nonetheless, it’s not only the students who like playing cricket at BHS. When the club advisors, Mr. Ritz
and Mr. Scannell, were asked about their opinions
about cricket and the idea of having a club for it at the
high school, both had similar things to say. According
to them, the Cricket Club provides the students with
a unique and diverse opportunity to not only learn a
sport vastly different from anything they might be familiar with, but rather the club also helps its members
explore the cultures of many cricket-playing countries
around the world. This, in turn, further diversifies the
already colorful culture of Berlin High School.
With more than a month still left in the school year, the
Cricket Club continues to meet every week on Wednesdays after school in the media center. From there, they
go to a weather appropriate venue for playing the sport
of cricket. New members are always welcome. Keep
an ear out for any announcements about the club and
be sure to attend the meetings to discover something
completely different than anything you have ever tried.
For more information, see Mr. Ritz, Mr. Scannell, or
student adviser Daniyal N. Khan.
CLUB
CORNER
___________________
All About BHS Clubs
Photo Credit: Daniyal N. Khan
The logo for the club that has brought
a rather different sport to Berlin High
School.
Berlin’s Boston Bash at
Berklee
Ian Tamburini, Staff Writer
This past month the “Berlin High School Wednesday
Night Jazz Band” traveled up to Boston to compete
at a nationwide Jazz competition. It was the band’s
first appearance at the Berklee Jazz Festival. I got the
chance to meet with Will Cavedon, an acclaimed trumpet player in the Jazz Band to find out what he thought
about the competition. We met just outside the band
room during a Jazz Band rehearsal, and immediately
noticed how well and articulate the band was sounding
compared to years past. I could unmistakably hear the
sounds of lively songs like, “Baby Drives a Fast Car”
in the next room over, and couldn’t help but at least
tap my feet. Cavedon seemed to have an equal amount
of enthusiasm, and quite honestly seemed eager to get
back to his rehearsal and partake in the vivacious music.
Before we both got completely lost in the ambient
sound, I had to ask Cavedon about the competition,
especially since it was a first for the Berlin Band.
“I think that the entire band was a little bit nervous
going into it because we didn’t really know what to expect” he told me with eagerness, “but at the same time
we had prepared for so long that we were confident in
our ability to perform well.” If there was one thing this
band had compared to years past it was confidence. As
a member of the Jazz Band myself for the past three
years, I can say the group wasn’t well accustomed to
stage life. This performance, along with all the preparation, brought the Jazz Band’s assurance to a whole
new level. The bold, sharp sound alone exerted in the
nearby rehearsal was proof.
“We worked for a very long time and we rehearsed
at least once a week sometimes up to 4 times a week
and all rehearsals were over 2 hours long,” mentioned
Cavedon, emphasizing the rigorous amount of effort
needed. “We became very familiar with the music just
from rehearsing it for so many hours.”The amount of
sweat needed to pull off the performance was especially evident when Will Cavedon described the week
before Berklee. “We practiced 4 out of the 5 weekdays
for longer amounts of time,” he recollected, “It was a
very long, tiring week to say the least.” The Jazz Band
was almost unaccustomed to the work ethic needed to
succeed in the competition. In years past, performances
were always meant to please an audience of mostly the
community. This time however the stakes were higher;
The situation seemed to take a grave turn for the worse
days before the competition. The usual director, Mr.
Sinclair, was involved in an automobile accident, just
from being in the wrong place at the wrong time. His
injuries would prevent him from going with the band
to the competition. “We were all a bit devastated and
shocked because it was nothing we could have ever
expected,” emphasized Cavedon. It was truly the worst
thing that could have possibly happened for the band
at this point. The very man who brought the band to
its elite position would not be able to instruct them at
the competition. Fortunately, “Mr. Bowling was able
to step right up, and we are very comfortable with
him because he instructs the regular band every day.”
Thankfully, Mr. Bowling was able to keep the band
calm and still enthusiastic about Berklee.
“It may have hurt us a little bit because Mr. Bowling
wasn’t 100% familiar with the music because he had
never practiced it with us,” Cavedon reminded me. He
talked about how the band had to teach Mr. Bowling
parts of the music, only because Mr. Bowling wasn’t
extremely familiar with how Mr. Sinclair wanted certain songs to sound. But the enthusiasm never left, as
Cavedon stated, “I think that we performed to the best
of our abilities at Berklee.”
The Jazz Band didn’t forget what Mr. Sinclair had
ultimately wanted: an outstanding show. The band remembered this and as put by Cavedon, “overall I think
we were upset but didn’t let that cloud our desire to
do well.” He was right in saying, “I think in the end
we made Mr. Sinclair very proud.” Thanks to modern
technology, Mr. Sinclair was able to watch the Jazz
Band play through face-time on an iPad. Although it
was not as good as a live instruction, everyone was
pleased to see Mr. Sinclair’s fervent face and supportive attitude.
Throughout the nerve racking day, the Berlin Band
was exposed to many music groups and was able to
sit in on competitors’ performances as they were being judged.
“In my opinion all the bands played very well and were
well prepared and in my personal opinion I thought
we performed better than some of the bands there.”
He was referring particularly to the 2nd place winner
in the same category as Berlin. The uniform opinion
across Berlin was that the 2nd place winner may have
not completely deserved their victory, but he ensured
that, “I recognize that my opinion doesn’t matter that
much and that it ultimately comes down to the trained
judges.” Despite whatever the Band itself, or audience
felt, in the end, the judges have ultimate authority.
The criteria examined in each performance were,
“tone, quality of music and intonation,” but Cavedon
did want to include that, “that there may have been a
little bit of bias against us being a first year team.” The
problem any new band has going into a national competition like this is that they have not made a reputation
for themselves yet. “The judges may not have been as
lenient with us as they were maybe with other bands
that have proven their ability year after year,” opined
Cavedon.
Continued on next page, under Jazz.
V
News
Jazz
Continued from Pg. 4.
Hundreds of high school bands attended the Berklee
Jazz competition, so there was a diverse body of musicians and bands. This is taken into consideration with
judging. “The bands were broken up based on their
school size similar to in sports, with for example S and
SS.” However unlike sports where only one team can
win, the competition chose places 1 through 4 for each
class. “In each class the top 4 teams were recognized
and in our division there were 16 teams and we were
able to place in 11 out of 16.” There was much controversy over the band’s placement.
“In my opinion I think we should have placed a little
higher than 11th but at the same time I understand we
only watched 2/16 bands in the class so it was difficult
to compare ourselves to the others in our class.” Everyone from Berlin seems to feel this sentiment. “But in
my opinion I thought we did very well,” exclaimed Cavedon, never forgetting how far Berlin Jazz had come.
The musicians had the support of parents and even our
Principal, Mr. Kennedy, the whole time. The support
was well received by the Jazz Band, and made them
much more comfortable in front of the judges. In reference to the Berlin fans Cavedon stated, “I thought
they loved it. The applause I heard from our audience
was much louder than what I heard from other band’s
audiences. Also many parents came up to us after to
congratulate us saying we never sounded better.” And
no one forgot the hard work it took to get to the competition room, especially from the instructors. “Many
praised the work of Mr. Sinclair and the fact that Mr.
Bowling stepped in to compete our preparations.” The
mutual gratitude expressed by band members and supporters was evident at all times.
Being a senior, Cavedon offered this advice to the band
for the future; “I think the band can start rehearsals
earlier in the year. This year we started a little late. Possibly, if students received music maybe at the start of
the summer, they would have more time to work it up.”
Regardless, though he re-enforced that the band will be
ready for anything so long as they maintain the same
hard work and appreciate the instruction of their leaders, Mr. Sinclair, and Mr. Bowling.
Ultimately the entire Berklee experience was a huge
success for the “Berlin High School Wednesday Night
Jazz Band.” Having made vast improvements in the
past few months, the Band pulled off what Mr. Bowling considered the Jazz Band’s best performance in
years. Having never been exposed to the competitive
playing world before, the outcome with placing can
be considered irrelevant. The band knows that they
put their hearts into the show and had a blast doing
so. Through thick and thin, and despite emotional setbacks, the Jazz Band managed to play their absolute
best.
As our interview began wrapping up, the Jazz Band
could be heard working on new music for their next
show in May. Although it was being sight read, the
band didn’t sound half bad. Eager to take part in the
practice, we drew our interview to a close. There is no
telling where the Jazz Band could go from here. The
sky is truly the limit.
Dan Lerosa Returns to BHS
Thanks to the Class of 2012, Dan Lerosa returned to
Berlin High School this year, on March 15th to be precise, for another exciting and entertaining hypnotist
show. Once again, it was quite the fun time for everyone in attendance.
With a near-full auditorium, Lerosa did not disappoint.
After a series of “suggestibility” tests, he picked out
the volunteers and brought them onto the stage to begin his antics. From magazine cover poses to singing
to horse racing, he did it all.
With just a snap of the finger or even more seamlessly,
Lerosa put the students under his spell and the results
were hilarious. He would find all kinds of ways to connect with audience too.
One of the most memorable moments was when Lerosa had his volunteers sit with the audience members.
Then, he made the hypnotized students think of the
those people as either the most disgusting or the most
awesome they had ever been with. And the students’
responses were out of this world.
“What are you doing? That’s my butt; this area is off
limits,” one junior said during the segment. When
asked by Lerosa, he even pointed out where he had
supposedly been touched. It was simply drop-dead
funny.
When the spell was reversed, so to speak, one student’s
response was, “I wanna’ go on a date.”
The crowd at the 4th Annual Hypnotist
Show, where Dan Lerosa entertained the
audience with the help of his volunteers.
would like to see the community come out and support
the school and also have a great time. So, the plans
are big!”
The event was not only for the entertainment purposes,
but also served as a fundraiser for the senior class.
With the Class of 2012 graduating this year, it is quite
clear that Dan Lerosa will surely continue to be an annual staple of Berlin High School’s culture.
In the end, he had some inspirational words for his
fans.
“Remember this, as long as you believe it, you will
achieve it. So, be happy, be confident, and go in the
direction of your dreams. Now, that’s a good idea!”
Another hypnotized volunteer said about his female
audience partner, “She is beautiful.”
“We are going to the Cromwell Diner tonight,” was
yet another hilarious response that generated one of the
loudest reactions from the people in attendance.
Dan Lerosa even went to the “nightclub” with his volunteers as they partied across the auditorium. As the
show came to a close, the non-stop entertainment did
not.
But the tone changed. Lerosa started to have his volunteers envision their biggest goals as having come true.
And that gave the students a great feeling of accomplishment. It was what Dan said was his way of sending away the students on a high note.
“Tonight when they go to sleep, they will sleep peacefully and beautifully,” he went on to say about what
his volunteers would take away from the experience.
“And they are each going to have a dream about something they wanted to improve in their life. Whatever
that something is, by the suggestions I gave them, they
have a pretty good chance of making that happen.”
KEEP THE COURT
CLEAN!
As the weather warms up, something
that all seniors alike are itching to
do is go and sit in the senior court,
which was recently reopened. And
why wouldn’t they be? The weather is
beautiful; and it gets them out of stuffy
classrooms. But something that needs
to be reminded to the seniors this year
is that with privilege comes responsibility. In order to keep the senior court
open and in use, every senior who sits
in it must be thorough in cleaning up
after themselves, and acting respectfully as well. So it’s as simple as this,
keep the court clean!
“Thumbs up. Two thumbs up. I liked it!” this was his
opinion on the way this year’s show went.
Having come to the high school for four years now, he
hopes to continue coming back and improving upon
his success.
“Being here at Berlin High for the last four years has
been fantastic. And my goal next year is to fill the auditorium,” Lerosa explained his goals. “Next year, I
THE
REDCOAT REVIEW
___________________
Where An Opinion Can Be Written
News
Volleyball Fundraiser Enjoys
Unprecedented Success
is to raise money for the DeVivo Scholarship that goes
to a graduating senior,” Ms. Mitchell, one of the event
coordinators, explained. “We try to have some fun. It’s
kind of our equivalent of March Madness.”
On March 22nd, Berlin High School held an annual
Volleyball Tournament as a fundraiser benefiting the
DeVivo Scholarship for the graduating Class of 2012.
The student response was greater than expected by
some. With more than a handful of teams participating, the tournament took place over the course of a few
hours on the Thursday evening.
“This is the fourth year we have done this kind of event
in the building,” Ms. Cleary, the event organizer, said
of the tournament. “It works out nicely. The kids really
enjoy it.”
The tourney guaranteed two games at the least for each
team, following the double elimination format. The
games would be played in a traditional six-on-six configuration. Each match would be ten minutes in length,
and team ahead in scoring at the end of the period
would be declared the winner.
In the weeks leading up to the event, students put together teams of a minimum of eight players that mandatorily included one teacher, and two female athletes.
Each participant would pay $5.00 for the fundraiser
aspect of the event, and then be able to enjoy playing
volleyball with fellow students and faculty in just the
spirit of friendly competition.
“The scholarship is in the memory of Sandy DeVivo,
who was a former student at the high school. She was
really active with these kinds of activities. And when
she passed away, we decided to offer this scholarship,”
Ms. Mitchell continued. “Tonight, we would like to
thank all the teachers who participated. They did a
great job and we just had a lot of fun. It was a night to
get out and just have fun!”
Due to the success of this event, it has been decided
that a similar fundraiser will be held in June. Students
are already making teams; so make sure you don’t miss
out! It is a simple way to have fun while supporting a
good cause.
They had the custom jerseys, headbands, chants, and
even cheerleaders with banners motivating the team.
There were several other squads who also showed
team unity by wearing the same color shirts, but none
came close to the effort this team had put in to stick out
as uniquely noticeable.
After winning and losing the first couple of games,
Team Kennedy fell into the loss column of the tournament. That’s where Mr. Thurston’s team eliminated
them. That group would go on to defeat the Smokin’
Aces in the semi-finals. In the finals, though, because
of their respective win-loss records, both teams would
meet again.
This time around, the Smokin’ Aces would win it all as
the last team standing in what had been an exceptionally competitive yet friendly tournament.
The great thing about it all was that everyone was
playing not for any prize, but rather to raise money for
a scholarship. Whether losing or winning, they were
having fun. And they had a small crowd cheering on
their efforts, including other teachers like Mr. Russo.
When asked of their experience, one student said, “It
was a great time and we enjoyed it a lot.”
A member of Team Kennedy simply said, “We had a
lot of fun here. We had and great cheerleaders and it
was fun!”
“The point of it is to have fun, but also the purpose of it
papers. We will help you improve your ability in any
specific area of writing that is present on the Berlin
High School Writing Rubric, and we welcome any
and all writing in any stage of the writing process,”
(Writing Center website). Two social study teachers,
Mr. Ott and Mr. Peaslee, and two English teachers, Mr.
Ritz and Ms. Bafumi came together and established
the Writing Center. I had the pleasure of interviewing
Ms. Bafumi, who has been teaching English for a total of five years. I asked her how she feels when she
teaches. She told me with enthusiasm that she feels really good and it’s a really good feeling. “It’s more fun
than a night out!” she said. Classes she teaches include
American Literature, Senior Seminar, Junior Seminar,
Journalism, Mythology and Peer Tutoring. Ms. Bafumi
used to work at the UConn Writing Center where she
went to school. While she worked there she said “it influenced the school culture of writing.” I also asked her
the purpose of establishing a Writing Center at Berlin
High School.
“Writing is a process, she said passionately, “The culture of students and tutors think about writing differently. It helped tutors too.”
From my experience I know that not many people
come into the BHS Writing Center for help. I as well
know that Mr. Ott, Mr. Peaslee, Mr. Ritz and Ms. Bafumi would all like to see this change. I asked Ms. Bafumi for a more straight forward answer about what
she wishes to see.
The teams chose nicknames, such as Team Kennedy,
Smokin’ Aces, and Team Win. The teachers participating included Mr. Thurston, Mr. Kennedy, Mrs. Hurley,
Mr. Wilcocz, Ms. Palow, and Mr. Cleary- filling in for
another teacher who couldn’t be at the event.
Due to the large size of the tournament, especially with
several games going on simultaneously, the Redcoat
Review closely followed one team in particular, Team
Kennedy.
VI
Two of the teams from the fundraiser
compete in the first round of the tournament.
The Writing Center: Berlin
High School’s New Hot Spot?
Ashley Fort, Contributing Writer
When you are approaching the Writing Center you can
see the small room through the windows. On the windows and door there is a BHS Writing Center sign in
bold and all capital letters in order for it to stand out.
Then you walk into the Writing Center and the first
thing you notice are the shelves lining the walls with
papers for the tuttees to help them with their writing:
reducing wordiness, planning/brainstorming, introductions, thesis statements, conclusions and many more.
The computers and tables for the tutor and tutee to sit
at are the second thing you notice. As you sit down
you notice all the posters jumping out at you saying:
“READ” and “WRITING IS LEARNING”. A poster
that a tutor made says “BREAK THE ICE” which
gives ideas and hints to make the writing session not
awkward.
When students walk into the Writing Center for the
first time they are unsure of what they are getting
themselves into. The students may expect their tutor to
write their paper for them but that is not what we do.
For students who do not know about the Writing Center we have a very clear mission statement: “As a writing center it is our duty to work with you to improve
any writing you are currently working on. However,
our goal is to make better writers, rather than better
“I would like to see teachers using it. And I would like
to see students using it without the teacher telling them
that they should make an appointment.”
I strongly agree with this because students should want
to receive help on their own without a teacher urging
them to come visit the Writing Center. I asked her how
she, the advisors, and tutors could accomplish more
people coming into the WC. She revealed to me many
ideas that her and another tutor suggested for next year.
She wants to incorporate a lot of projects like podcasting, updating tweets on Twitter, and posting pictures of
the writing center on Facebook. A tutor suggested the
idea of creating videos and posting them on YouTube
so then teachers can access them and show it to the
class. An example she gave me was to create a video
on how to do MLA formatting.
In the beginning of the school year, the advisors and
tutors went on a field trip to UConn for a Writing
Center Workshop/Conference. There were several different schools there from all over Connecticut. Some
of the schools had successful Writing Centers, while
some were just starting, and there were some that
weren’t even up and running yet. I asked Ms. Bafumi
if she thought our Writing Center is good as others that
we saw at UConn. She said, “We were just as good.
E.O. Smith has more tutors and has more experience
than we did because their Writing Center has existed
for 4 years. However, Berlin High School had a good
presence and we were organized.”
The Writing Center at Berlin High School is a learning experience for both the tutor and tutee and it’s a
good way to meet or interact with new people. Visit the
Writing Center located in the library today!
FLIP FOR MORE NEWS
VII
News
A Closer Look At The Mural
Club
Mr. David Holland, Contributing Writer
A Note From The Editor
LET’S LOOK AT THE
BRIGHT SIDE
Among the many extra-curricular activities offered
at Berlin High School is the Mural Club. It has been
around for quite a while and the club’s impact on the
school is certainly evident as one walks accross the
halls, gazing in wonder at the beautiful paintings on
the wall. Instead of just looking from the outside in,
however, how about we dig in deeper and find out
more about this club.
BHS Junior Shannon Mahoney has been the student
leader of the Mural Club for two years now. She is responsible for a good majority of the painting done on
both last year’s mural (Monet’s Japanese Bridge) and
this year’s (Hokusai’s Great Wave).
The club’s advisor, Mr. Holland shared that
he feels her efforts should be recognized.
Outside of the club, students in both “Special Topics” and “Sculpture” classes have been working on a
class mosaic for over a year now. The subject matter
is an emulation of Klimt Gustav’s “Tree of Life,” also
known as the Tree of Knowledge. It is roughly sevenfeet in diameter, and made from stone and glass tile
that has been entirely donated by local community
members and businesses.
Photo Credit: Mr. Holland
Pictured above is the Class Mosaic that
two of Mr. Holland’s classes have been
working on for more than a year. They
hope to have it finished sometime this
school year. Any ideas on where it should
be put on display?
tend to be a combination of all three. Some of the core
projects include Altered Books, Stained Glass, Papercuts, and Jewelry work. This year, the class even did
Pumpkin Carving.
Mr. Holland shared, “We hope to finish the mosaic
this school year and have it put up somewhere inside
the [school] building. I was initially thinking about
the cafeteria, but I am certainly open to suggestions.”
Mr. Holland is surely happy with the progress of the
arts at the high school and how his Mural Club has
played a key role in it. One can already see such wonderful murals around the school, like Monet’s Japanese
Bridge. So, imagine how much more beauty would be
added to the stale walls once the current projects are
complete.
The second class involved seems to be a hidden gem
of a class many students don’t know exists. It’s called
“Mixed Media.” The class focuses on the projects that
don’t always fit into the traditional curriculum of drawing, painting and/or sculpture classes, as the projects
Even if you aren’t the artistic type, you have to admit
that these murals can brighten up one’s day. The Redcoat Review wishes the Mural Club, the Art Department and Mr. Holland the best of luck in completing
their incredibly creative projects.
With recent backlash on Berlin High
School in recent media, it’s much
overdue that we highlight some of the
great aspects and opportunities that
are available to Berlin High students.
For instance, an organization that has
been in recent news is BHB (Berlin
Helping Berlin). This is a group of students and teachers who walk, run, and
bike to raise awareness and money for
families seeking financial assistance in
the Berlin community. Recently, they
helped raise over two hundred dollars
for a local charity. Another great facet
of Berlin High School is the UPBEAT
Peer Leadership Program. Everyone
is well aware of the things that the
UPBEAT program has done for both
the high school and the community,
for example: tutoring the elementary
and middle school kids, and volunteering at the Hospital for Special
Care. The Redcoat Review is here to
reinforce that Berlin High School is
always making our headlines, in only
the most positive of ways.
REDCOAT REPORT
EXCLUSIVE
___________________
As a first for The Redcoat Review,
one feature has been taken out of the
paper and turned into a multimedia
exclusive. It is an interview with Mr.
Sullivan of the ISS at the school. In
it, he talks about the In-School Suspension program and how one can
be successful in life. The interview
is certainly a must-see, so make sure
that you check it out!
Photo Credit: Mr. Holland
On Left. Shannon Mahoney is hard at
work, painting Hokusai’s Great Wave.
Sports
VIII
Women’s Lacrosse: Determined to Break the Curse
Jennifer Straub, Contributing Writer
Recemtly, I had the privilege to sit down with Berlin
high school’s new varsity lacrosse coach, Laura Abbatemarco, and ask her some questions relating to the
2012 spring season.
Her friendly, down-to-earth personality already shows
promising results for the team, and not to mention her
familiarity with the sport lacrosse. Coach Abbatemarco is determined to make this a hard-working team that
works together. Coach Abbatemarco will be the third
new lacrosse coach of this team in only a 4 year period
of time. She wants to break that curse because it does
nothing but frustrate the girl’s on the team.
Being on the lacrosse team myself, I can honestly say
that conforming to new coaching rules and techniques
almost every year is not just frustrating, but untrustworthy as well. The whole team had lost respect and
trust for coaches in the past. However, Coach A insists
that with her as the coach, the curse will be broken.
Photo Credit: Jennifer Straub
Me: How did you come across this opportunity
to become Berlin High Schools women’s lacrosse
coach?
From left, Jennifer Straub, Bridget White, Morgan Budney, and Shayna Zuk of the
BHS Women’s Lacrosse team have high aspirations for success this year.
Coach A: I was at “Mean Girls” training with physical education teacher, Sheila King. She told me about
the position and I spoke to Athletic Director, Jim Day,
about it. He told me to apply which I did. He then
interviewed me and two other people before offering
me the position.
Me: What experiences do you have with the sport
lacrosse?
Me: Are you excited for the season? Why?
Coach A: I am very excited. Coaching is a combination of many things that I enjoy - being competitive,
playing sports, guiding others, teaching, training, and
watching young people grow. In addition, this is a relatively new sport/team to Berlin High so I am very excited to be a part of something that will hopefully grow
in strength over the years for girls. There are so many
opportunities for males, and I believe that females can
be just as competitive if not more if given the chance.
Me: What are your expectations and goals for the
team?
Coach A: I started playing in fourth grade in West
Hartford on a town league. There were so few players
at the time that we had to just scrimmage one another.
From there, I played in middle school and then high
school at Hall. I have always played goalie. My sister
was my biggest nemesis. She was amazing and caused
more bruises on my body than any other contender! I
played also in College at Allegheny College in Pennsylvania. I loved playing and being a part of a team. I
now have the joy of watching my son play for the first
time this year in West Hartford.
Me: Can you tell me what you are looking forward
to the most this season?
Coach A: I cannot think of just one thing I am looking
forward to. I would have to say it is all of it, the day
to day playing and practicing, the games, the pasta din-
Coach A: On a personal level, my primary goal is
to create consistency for future years. It is my understanding that the team has had too many changes
which hinders a team’s ability to unify and learn how
to work together that is necessary to be successful. For
the team, I want them to set personal goals for individual growth while learning to work together and rely
on one another so they can achieve great things on the
field. A team is all about working with one another’s
strengths and weaknesses, learning how to use that to
their advantage. My goal is to help that process for
both the varsity and JV teams.
Me: What qualities are you looking for in the athletes?
Coach A: Determination, drive, and the desire to improve. In addition, I stress kindness and being a good
“sport”. I would love it if we were known as “such
a nice group of players”. As a player and teammate,
I could not stand it when players were mean, yelled,
and brought down the team. I never understood that. I
always thought that sports were about having fun and
enjoying a good competitive event.
As the year comes to a close, the Women’s Lacrosse
has won the most games in their career, and has qualified for the State Tournament for the first time in team
history.
2012 SUMMER
OLYMPIC GAMES
Me: What do you plan to do to make this a good,
hardworking team?
Coach A: Lots of laughter, respect, building up their
moral. Coach Cyr and I both believe in conditioning,
lots and lots of conditioning while teaching skills and
the love of the game.
ners where the bonding occurs, but most importantly,
watching players grow into themselves and the sport.
That is what is great as a coach is to watch growth and
learning.
Photo Credit: Kas Colasanti
The Women’s Lacrosse team in action.
With the summer months on the horizon, the Games of the XXX Olympiad
are headed our way. This year, London will have the privilege of hosting
the modern Games a third time, more
than any other city in the world. The
Opening Ceremony of the London
2012 Olympic Games is on Friday,
July 27, 2012. Don’t miss it!
Sports
Insight into the Men’s Track
Team
Lawrence Betterini, Contributing Writer
Lawrence Betterini: What does the men’s track team
need to work on?
Michael Lisitano: We are very weak in jumping this
year and I believe there are no more than 10 jumpers
which is a very less than ideal number considering we
have to compete in four events. We really need our
few jumpers to exceed the less than impressive expectations we have for this section of the team.
L.B.: What are the expectations of the 2012 squad?
Photo Credit: BerlinWall.org
Above. The Berlin Track team competes
at a home meet.
Heat radiated and sweat poured from the face of track
star Michael Lisitano as I sat with him to talk about the
BHS Men’s Track Team. Practice continued to run like
clockwork in the background. Distance runners circled
endlessly, sprinters weaved in and out of corners and
throwers practiced repetitions of hurling the discus and
javelin. Heat beamed from the sun as the fatigued look
on the faces of the team members showed the effort
that each one exerts on a daily basis. Lisitano, a third
year pole vaulting veteran has described his experience
on the team as enjoyable, full of many people he has
met through track, and an overall awesome experience.
“My favorite part of track is my event, the pole vault.
I enjoy it so much that I could do it all practice if coach
let me” said Lisitano. Heart and determination like
this that make a team of athletes, and it is clear that
every event had a natural leader who trains diligently
year round for the possibility to perform well on the
track and in the field come spring time. Our athlete solidified the idea of each group having a leader when he
said that while he expects seasoned Seniors Will Cavadon and Connor Hilbie to be captains, every event still
has someone to look to for guidance.
“I think every group has its own leader, for example,
Nick Strain for the throwing crew, Will [Cavadon] for
distance, Matt Kall for sprinting, and either Fazli Bozal
or myself for jumping.” Lisitano radiated excitement
as he broke down the ins and outs of the track team and
it was very clear how adamant he was about the sport.
At this point, his exhaustion had worn off and the sun
began to creep behind the horizon, and members of the
team began to migrate inside.
Lisitano says that given the opportunity, he would not
change anything about the track team because while
the team may be unorganized at times, the different
groups mesh well and all can achieve all tasks for the
day in a timely manner when they are all doing their
own thing.
When posed with the question about what he expects
the track team to achieve this year, he did not respond
as positively as he had been with other questions I had
asked him.
M.L.: Everyone on the team has a different opinion
on how we will do but I have been told that we may
not even win 70% of our meets this year. As for me,
I believe it is a pretty poor chance that we even break
.500 by the end of the season. However, nobody really
knows what to expect until after the first race.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see that Men’s Track team
turn in a poor outing for the 2012 season. The squad
only won two meets and tied once last year, and they
lost a majority of their senior field stars in Jimmy Nolan, Sean Sullivan and Zach Giaccone who all excelled
at the high jump and pole vault. With the gaping holes
which can’t be ignored in the jumping events this year,
along with a weaker sprinting squad, Berlin fans may
be in for a rough year on the track. While the performance may not be too strong, the team is guaranteed to
once again form a bond that only teammates can have.
Lisitano made it a point for me to understand just how
much this team means for to each other.
“Each set of events are closer together, for example,
the throwing crew becomes very close by the end of
the season, as well as the distance, sprinting and jumping groups which all become very close. If the team
loses, everybody feels the loss and this shows how
much we care about each other” said Lisitano.
While the track team may not perform to the standards
that everyone may like, it is clear that Michael Lisitano
feels close to the team. This junior pole vaulter will be
vying for a varsity spot this year as he tries to bring a
dynamic to the track team that can really be used. This
spring will be quite the experience for all members of
the team, and both myself and Michael Lisitano feel
that it will be a good one for everyone involved.
As our conversation ended, Lisitano returned back to
the pit where he wrapped up the early season practice.
A slight breeze whistled over the track as I walked
across, embracing the feeling which must surround
each and every member of the track team. While the
sun had been setting on the day, just beginning is the
track team’s season.
NBA: Linsanity Recap
Dan Stafstrom, Sports Editor
Born and raised in Palo Alto, California Jeremy Lin
always had a love for the game of basketball. His road
to stardom has been witnessed my millions, but how he
got to where is now, is another story all together.
After leading his local high school to a basketball state
title in 2006, Lin did not receive any academic scholarships to play at the collegiate level. Lin, who also
excelled in the classroom, had dreams of playing for
Stanford University located in his hometown state of
California. With high aspirations, unfortunately, Lin’s
basketball background and résumé did not impress the
likes of many Pac-10 schools. He would be considered
IX
as a walk-on. The only teams that offered him positions on their basketball teams were the prestigious Ivy
League schools Brown and Harvard.
Off to the east coast Lin went. Although expectations
weren’t high, Lin attended Harvard without an academic scholarship. Without raw talent, Lin was not expected to be a star in college, let alone an NBA player.
With the physical attributes and mental aspect down,
Lin was able to create a solid career at Harvard averaging 16.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.4 steals
and 1.1 blocks, and was a unanimous selection for the
All-Ivy League First Team his senior season. Again,
after Lin had exceeded expectations and flourished
when everyone thought he would fail, most believed
the NBA was one goal that was truly unrealistic. Even
after a superb performance against highly regarded
UConn, legendary coach Jim Calhoun is quoted saying
"I've seen a lot of teams come through here, and he
could play for any of them. He's got great, great composure on the court. He knows how to play” about Lin.
By the time the 2010 NBA draft arrived and had gone,
Jeremy Lin began to send guess himself. He had not
been drafted and did not have a job with any NBA
teams. His savior came on July 21, 2010. On this
date Lin was signed by the Golden State Warriors, a
team who needed fill-in guard play. Lin rarely contributed and was eventually released by Golden State and
Houston as well. Down on his luck, Lin felt like all he
needed was one chance. He felt like he had everything
to offer, but he just needed that single opportunity.
With 8 wins and 15 losses, an injured Carmelo Anthony, and no answers the Knicks were reeling. In desperate need for a win, Jeremy Lin entered a game versus
the New Jersey Nets on February 4th in a backup role.
The Knicks won, and Lin dropped 25 accompanied
with seven dimes. People were impressed but it was
just one game, right? Wrong.
Riding Lin, the Knicks put together a seven game win
streak that included Lin’s first career double-double, a
thirty-eight point explosion against Kobe and the Lakers, and a game winning three pointer at the buzzer
against the Raptors.
In a few short weeks, Linsanity had been born. Jeremy Lin, a kid with all odds against him, had proved
everyone wrong and solidified a starting position in the
NBA. After his amazing outburst, many fans have decided that Linsanity is dead. Even when his magical
run seemed to have ended, Lin continues to average
almost fifteen points, six assists, three boards, and two
steals. Any NBA would love numbers such as these
out of a starting point guard. With everything said and
done, for now, Jeremy Lin is an NBA starter and he’s
here to stay.
BERLIN
SPORTS
___________________
Play a sport at the high school? Want
to get the word out about your team’s
hard work? Then, write for The Redcoat Review. We are always looking
for first-hand contributions from the
guys and girls on the field, court, and
track.
Sports
Gloves, Helmets and Hockey
Sticks
Ashley Friday, Contributing Writer
Gloves, helmets, and hockey sticks covered the ice.
The Newington-Berlin Hockey team just won the
Division III State Championship and they could not
be happier. Brandon Ralph, a senior and captain, has
waited for this moment for four years. Although he
has not played for the Newington-Berlin team all four
years, hockey has always been a part of his life. He
started out his freshman year playing with Northwest
Catholic and transferred to Berlin sophomore year.
Ironically enough, the last game of his high school career he would be playing for Newington-Berlin against
Northwest Catholic.
The Newington-Berlin team could not have asked for
a better season. They won 22 games in a row, and only
lost two games the entire season. The very last victory
happened to be the state championship, which made
the season that much sweeter. Ralph went into his final
game with 16 goals and 30 assists, and added one more
to each category by the end of the game. Regardless of
the teams hard work and dedication this season, they
knew they could not allow history to repeat itself. Ever
since Newington-Berlin joined together, they have not
made it past the quarterfinals. The boys hoped to make
this year different, and they did.
Although this game was the biggest game of their high
school careers, Ralph said they tried to think about it as
just any other game and not get too nervous. “We had
a great week of practices and had guest speakers talk
to us about championship games which gave us the
motivation we needed,” Ralph said about their preparation for the game. Head coach, Dave Harackiewicz,
brought a sports phycologist and head coach of the CT
Whale and former NHL player, Ken Gernander, to talk
to his team about playing in a championship game and
advice on how to stay focused. Because of all this support and preparation Ralph said the team went into the
game feeling excited and ready to play.
The state championship game was played at Ingalls
Rink, Yale’s hockey rink, and the arena was packed.
Berlin and Newington’s student section joined together and created a white out to support their team.
Everyone wore white, some went overboard and even
wore a white unitard to show their dedication to the
players. Family and friends were also there supporting the team. Northwest Catholic’s student cheering
section was dressed in black and green, their school
colors. Although they had students, friends and family
cheering on their team, it was clear who had more fans.
The Newington-Berlin side of the rink was crowded
and energetic, constantly cheering their team on.
Ralph credits the team’s loyal fans in boosting team
moral and giving them the motivation they need. “We
pride ourselves in having a large fan base and we try
our best to show up for them,” said Ralph. The team
definitely showed up for their fans, delivering them an
incredible show. Ralph thanks not only his fans and
teammates, but the coaches and all of the families who
dedicate their time to help the boys as much as possible. “Without them we would not have gotten to where
we did. We can’t do it alone.”
The game was intense, a goal was not scored until the
end of the first quarter. That goal was scored by Ralph,
who said it was a necessary step in the right direction.
“Our team needed to put ourselves a head, give ourselves an advantage and I think the goal helped that,”
said Ralph. The second goal was scored by Brendon
Richard, a junior who will definitely continue to play
a big role next season. Richard had 31 goals and 23
assists this season, which definitely helped propel the
team to their ultimate victory. The final score of the
game was 2-1, and when the final seconds came to an
end the team went crazy with joy! “It was a feeling of
relief and pride, knowing we had accomplished our
season long goal,” Ralph said about what it felt like
knowing they had won.
Although Ralph and Richard scored the goals which
led their team to victory, they, according to Ralph,
were not the ones who deserved all the credit. “Our
goalie, Drew O’Leary, would definitely be my pick
for MVP of that game. He made some incredible
saves and we could not have won without him.”
O’Leary had 21 saves that game and will return next
year to hopefully deliver the same results. O’Leary
and Richard are two outstanding players who will be
returning next year and Ralph said that they along
with Hunter Blaze, Jeff Rossman and Jeff Smolicz
will step up and fill the shoes of the departing seniors.
As for the team next year, if the team works hard every day, from day one and keep their minds focused
they will get the same results next year according to
Ralph. His advice for the team is to “Stay focused on
your goal, don’t get frustrated over a loss and never
give up.”
Throughout the interview Ralph could not stop smiling when talking about his teammates, their incredible season and perfect finish. He hopes to continue
to play hockey in college and always make it a part
of his life. “I can’t imagine my life without hockey.”
Coach is the Real Weapon
Behind Berlin Girls’ Tennis
Kelly Byrnes, Contributing Writer
It was technically still winter on Monday, March 19th.
However, the spectacle on the tennis courts outside of
Berlin High School would prove otherwise. The sun
beamed down on the burgundy red and dark green
concrete of the six courts. A light, refreshing breeze
pushed the air along as few clouds slowly drifted in the
sky. The 2012 spring sports season was officially underway. Under the direction of coach Diane Cleary, the
Berlin High School girls tennis team gathered in the
center of the courts to begin the first week of practice.
Cleary, a special education teacher at Berlin High, is
entering her fifth year as head coach, and has had an
excellent turnout in each season. The 2011 season, in
particular, has been the best one to date. The lady Redcoats swept the Central Connecticut Conference South
title, made a postseason run to the state semifinals, and
also had six of the ten varsity players qualify for individual state opens, which take place at Yale. As a new
season begins, the team strives to equal the success of
last spring, and then some. Like all sports teams, the
X
players yearn to be state champions. But what exactly
does Coach Cleary have in mind? I sat down with her
to find out.
Playing tennis since she was in middle school, Cleary
has plenty to offer to her team. Her strongest piece of
advice, however, applies to her players off the court.
“[Having] a team made up of mature, strong, intelligent women is my ultimate goal. The tennis is a sidebar. Winning and losing is not as important to me as
having you be mature, intelligent women.” On the
court, however, Cleary says that the ingredient to become a better tennis player is just time and effort. “You
have to be willing to put time in in order to improve”,
adding that tennis is a sport that can be played in all
four seasons of the year and players have to want to
get better.
Many people assume that tennis is an individual sport,
and each individual player is left to fend for themselves. Cleary couldn’t disagree more. She emphasizes
the importance of being part of a team in more ways
than one. “Not one person is a main contributor. It’s a
team concept. We win as a team, we lose as a team.”
At the high school level, a varsity match consists of
seven individual matches: four singles and three doubles matches. The school with four or more victories
out of the seven, wins the match as a whole. With last
year’s team scraping up a 16-2 record, the players have
a reputation to live up to and feel the need to do better.
Again, Cleary disagrees. When asked what a perfect
season looks like, she said, “Seeing that everybody’s
improved from the first practice to the last match. If
we improve from the previous season in skill level and
communication as a team would be a perfect season
for me.”
Having had such a strong performance last spring, one
might think that losing four varsity players to graduation would be a setback. Cleary was asked to describe
the team’s strengths and weaknesses and paused a few
moments searching for the answer. “I have twelve
returning players, that’s definitely a strength.” As for
Berlin’s weaknesses? “Things to work on are who
plays where and with whom. It’s not a weakness, but
it’s something we’ve got to figure out.” Still, Cleary
sees this as no cause for concern for the team’s performance this upcoming season. “I’m very confident.
There are six returning from the top ten and a bunch of
JV girls ready to play varsity. I’m very confident we’re
going to do well.”
The success of a team often determines the happiness
of coach. However, Cleary is different from all the rest.
“My favorite part [of being a coach] is to watch how
my team improves over the season and how they work
so hard to get there. I love that, to watch that growth
and improvement.” How does Cleary work her team
to reach that level of improvement? “Playing better
people elevates your level of play. I always try to push
them up to that next level. The best way to improve is
playing people better than you.”
With a few weeks to polish up their form before the
season begins, the Berlin girls tennis team looks promising under Cleary’s coaching and guidance. With
only four complete seasons under her belt, each one
better than the last, Cleary is capable of claiming a
state championship, which could happen this spring.
One thing’s for sure, however. Having a squad experience growth and maturity over the course of the season
makes Coach Cleary happy with any outcome.
XI
Sports
BHS Softball: Through The
Eyes Of Kelly Walsh
Chelsea Longo, Contributing Writer
Sports at the high school level are always intense, but
playing on a Berlin High sports team is more than just
competition. Berlin High School provides the students
with great athletic programs and sports like softball.
Softball is fun for the girls, but also high demanding
for a good record.
Kelly Walsh, a senior on the BHS varsity softball team,
says this is her last season playing softball ever. She
loves the girls and says they have great chemistry this
year since they have been playing together for so long.
Walsh has been playing for about nine years, including
four years of travel ball. She played on the CT Tigers
and CT Shock, each for two years. She claimed this to
be the competitive level, along with high school. Competition plays a big role in softball, but as the season
goes on the girls’ bonds get stronger.
“We have a good shot at winning the conference this
year,” says Walsh. The 2012 season is just starting and
she is not only thinking about having fun but winning
too. Being the best team in the conference means a lot
to the high school and most students. Everybody wants
to win, but winning at Berlin High is expected from
most sports teams.
This is Walsh’s fourth season with Berlin High
School’s softball team and coach, Jason Pires. The
girls are close, but Walsh also added, “You are very
close with the coaches because you spend a lot more
time on little things, than in other sports.” Walsh also
plays volleyball for BHS and says she is much closer
with the softball coaches than any others.
The girls are very close with the coaches, but each other too. Walsh declared most of her friends are on the
softball team which makes them so unified and easy to
get along with. “The girls have a lot of team spirit and
are always cheering me on,” Walsh stated as what she
likes best about the Berlin High team. The seniors on
the team are Walsh’s friends, it is easy to get along and
work together. The problem is that the younger girls,
freshman, don’t communicate well with Walsh and her
friends because of the age difference and being new
to the team. Walsh says that the JV team has attitudes
and don’t always get along with varsity, but the upper
classmen put them in place.
Walsh enjoys the girls and coaches, but playing is another ordeal. Walsh used to be a pitcher, but now she
has moved onto mostly the outfield, and sometimes
third base.
batting or fielding techniques to stretching on the BHS
softball team.
During her interview, Walsh seemed very excited for
the season to start, especially because it was the day
of the first tryout. The girls and coaches wait all the
way till the spring for the season to come, all so antsy.
When it finally comes it seems like it’s over within a
day. After all the long and tough practices to boring to
rough games, the season ends. It is a sad time especially since it’s the seniors last year. It’s Walsh’s last
year ever and she’s ready to make the best of it and
play her heart out.
Not only is the team all for winning, but they get along
so well. The girls are best of friends and even with the
coaches. Joining a team at Berlin High is like joining
a new family because in the end you never want the
season to end, no matter what sport.
The softball team has tons of fun together, but still
striving for a win due to their coaches’ motivation.
Competition plays a huge role but friendship is bigger
on the Berlin High softball team. The girls and coaches
will never lose their bonds or games.
Coaching is Teaching
Tena Vernale, Contributing Writer
After school on Tuesday March 20, 2012, Mr. Yanosy
was outside of Berlin High School on his way to go
watch the girls’ lacrosse team’s practice at Sage Park.
I ran outside before he could leave to ask him a few
questions on what it was like to be the women’s’ soccer
team here at BHS. It was beautiful outside; not a cloud
was in the sky. I was trying to catch up to him before
he left, and he noticed someone was behind him by the
sound of my loud flip flops smacking the ground.
I was able to talk to Mr. Yanosy for a few minutes before he was about to leave the building.
Q: Did you play soccer as a child?
A: “Yes I did. I started playing soccer when I was six
years old and stopped when I graduated from Central
Connecticut State University. When I was in high
school, I was the only freshman on the varsity soccer team, and I thought that was awesome. I was very
proud of myself,” Coach Yanosy said with a smile on
his face.
Q: Did you always want to be a coach?
A: “Yes I have always to be a coach for any sport,
and I’m glad soccer was one of them. It was the next
logical step after my playing career,” said Yanosy. “I’m
also happy that I got to become a physical education
teacher here at Berlin High School.”
Q: Have you ever coached any other sports besides
soccer?
A: “Yes. Before I came to Berlin High, I coached girls’
soccer and boys’ wrestling at McGee Middle School.
Then, I came to BHS and coached freshmen and junior
varsity basketball. Now I have been coaching the girls’
freshmen, junior varsity, and varsity soccer team here
for eleven years, and still counting,” Mr. Yanosy said.
Q: What do you like about being a coach?
A: “Well I enjoy sports very much so I love coaching.
I also like the competition and the preparation. Each
year, the competition is different depending on what
we have as a team so it’s always something to look
forward to when it comes to soccer season.”
Q: What difficulties do you come across being a coach?
A: “One major difficulty is that when it comes to our
games, it is all on the girls,” Coach Yanosy was trying to explain. “The girls and I work very hard in our
practices because I can not do or barely show them
anything during a game. In a practice, I can go out on
the field and show them the right and wrongs. But during a game, I can only stand behind the side line and
yell and try to help the best way I can.”
Q: What awards or titles have you or your teams won
throughout your career?
A: “In 2009, I received Coach of the Year. Throughout
my years of coaching, we have one four conference
titles, which was awesome” Yanosy said with a huge
grin.
Q: What is some advice you can give to people who
would like to play soccer, or maybe be looking into
coaching?
A: “If you want to try soccer, I say go for it. It’s an awesome sport, just like all the others. And to those who
are looking into being in the coaching field, I think you
should try it. It’s an amazing feeling knowing that you
are the one that is helping the athletes improve their
skills,” Coach Yanosy explained.
I ended the conversation so that Mr. Yanosy was not
too late to watch the girls’ lacrosse practice, and the
last thing that he stated was, “coaching is teaching, and
teaching is coaching.”
“The only thing I don’t like is that when nothing comes
to you in the field, it feels like you didn’t really play
a part of the game,” said Walsh. She likes being involved, but in softball it doesn’t always happen. She is
always involved during practice though.
Every day the team starts off with warming up, and
stretching.
“Mrs. Labbadia, a daughter’s mother on the team,
started us with these dynamic warm ups, and now
comes to practice almost every day to guide us;” Walsh
also said, “If she is not there the captains lead the team
too.” The girls have plenty of coaches for all sorts of
Photo Credit: BHS Sports
The Redcoat Soccer team in action during one of their exciting, action-packed games
against Scalise.
XII
Arts & Entertainment
The All-American Rejects:
Kids In The Street
Photo Credit: Ian Tamburini
The cover art of the new album, Kids in
the Street, by The All-American Rejects.
Just when you thought they would never come back,
this time they're bringing along a whole new record,
'Kids In The Street', which comes out on March 26th.
What can you expect from this new album? Well the
band has experimented a lot with their sound, and lead
singer Tyson Ritter says that the record will sound
nothing like the band's last previous album, 'When The
World Comes Down.'
According to Audio Ink Radio, Tyson Ritler has explained himself experiencing so many things that he
never thought he would, in the last three years between
the band's last record and this one. "I went from the
floor to standing up, and I think the whole record re-
The Perfect Book to Satiate
Your Hunger for Intensity
Emily Deutsch, Staff Writer
Photo Credit: Emily Deutsch
The logo for the Hunger Games, as
drawn by a student.
When The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins first
came out in 2008, my mother wanted me to read it.
At the time, it looked like a book that contained an
underlying evil. Four years later I found out that I was
completely correct about my suspicion, and that I love
the book and the whole trilogy.
The main character, Katniss Everdeen, lives with her
sister Prim and her mother in a futuristic dystopian nation called Panem. There are 12 districts surrounding
a lazy, but controlling, Capitol that is completely de-
flects that thematically," he says. "It's about a guy losing his way and finding it through reflection and selfrealization."
Their most recent song release; "Beekeeper's Daughter”, I thought had a different sound than their previous albums. The video reminded me of a musical; it
was interesting in a way as Ritter had his dancers performing around him and throughout the whole video.
Towards the end of the video, that very scene where
Ritter is singing his head off on top of a float with the
paraded crowd around him reminded me of a movie
scene from ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.’ Ferris hops
onto a float and sings his head off and he’s just having
a good time, similar to what Ritter does. Overall it's a
happy, upbeat feel-good song that easily gets stuck in
your head after awhile.
“Someday’s Gone” was released with a video and it
is also the opening track on ‘Kids In The Street’. The
song automatically takes me back to the sound from
their first self-titled album. You can just tell that they
never left and they created this whole nostalgic sound
to look back on once they release this record. The title
track, “Kids In The Street” was released on March 13th
as the album’s second single. The band will be filming a video that will be coming out sometime in late
March.
What more can you expect out of the All-American
Rejects? One thing for sure is that you will not be disappointed with this album if you were a true Rejects
fan or not. “If you really want to know what ‘Kids In
The Street’ sounds like, it sounds like The All-American Rejects finally got their s**t together and wrote
a record that was finally going to keep them around.”
pendent on these 12 districts. Each district supplies the
Capitol with one specific item. Katniss lives in District 12, where they mine coal that powers the Capitol’s
trains. Each district is ringed with a high electric chain
linked fence, but the one around District 12 rarely ever
had electricity. So, Katniss and her hunting partner
Gale Hawthorne always ingeniously slip through a
hidden gap in the fence and into the woods, beyond
District 12, in order to make sure their families don’t
starve to death. People were barely getting by in District 12, as usual, until the day of the Reaping.
The Reaping is when one boy and one girl from each
district, a total of 24 children, are chosen to compete
in the Hunger Games, a gruesome event that happens
every year to remind all of the citizens of Panem that
the Capitol had absolute power over them. As I read,
this reminded me of Rome and the Colosseum where
people were forced to fight to the death. These Gladiator Games were a distraction to the rest of the people
in Rome from the fact their empire was falling apart at
the seams. The people of Rome were always hungry
so they would provide people to fight and when they
watched the Games, they received both entertainment
and “panem” or bread. In the book, the objective of the
Hunger Games is for all 24 children, between the ages
of 12 and 18, to fight to the death until there is one Victor. The Victor wins extra supplies and food for his or
herself and for everyone in the district, which is where
the name “The Hunger Games” is derived from.
The plot thickens when readers learn that Prim, Katniss’ sister, has been chosen as a Tribute for the Hunger
Games.
Continued on Pg. 13, under Games.
The Hunger Games: Movie
Review
Emma Morelli, Staff Writer
Photo Credit: Ian Tamburini
The theatrical release poster of The Hunger Games, featuring Jennifer Lawrence.
The Hunger Games starts off with a little girl’s nightmare, but the film that follows is anything but. It is
true to the books in all the places that readers wanted
it to be and gripping enough to be enjoyed by all. The
Hunger Games is truly worthy of the hype that it is
receiving.
In the novel, the main characters are part of a postWorld War III society. In this society there are twelve
districts and one capitol. As a punishment for the districts’ rebellion against the Capitol, the Capitol randomly picks one boy and one girl from each district to
enter an arena and fight to the death. This competition
is taped and broadcasted through the entire country as
mandatory viewing. The main characters Peeta and
Katniss are too of the unlucky contestants.
As readers will know, there are few lines of dialog
while Katniss and Peeta are in the Arena. However,
this movie does an excellent job of taking these chapters of silent hiding and action and turning them into
grippingly powerful and condensed scenes. This
means, that essentially The Hunger Games is chock
full of action at every turn. The scenes that were added
for movie suspense are actually additions that enhance
the overall experience. Instead of just the Arena, the
viewer will see the Game Keepers who plan the games
in their box setting out the traps for the contestants.
You will also see clips of Katniss’ family and her
friend Gale at home watching.
I have read all of the books, but it wasn’t until the movie that I realized how much of the book is just Katniss’
thoughts with very little dialog. I was grateful that
these long stretches were shrunk down so that the film
continues to flow and captivate. I was also impressed
with how this film adaptation adds new features that
only enhance the viewer’s experience. I felt the acting
was done well and the scenery was impeccable. I urge
all to see this movie whether you have read or not because once you see it you will be automatically hooked
into Katniss’ world.
THE
HUNGER GAMES
___________________
Now Playing
XIII
Social Network Survey
The Oscars At a Glance
The Shins Are Back!
In a survey of 24 students at BHS on their usage of
social network sites, the results are predictable, but
interesting nonetheless. Clearly the most popular site
is Facbook, with most of those surveyed using it regularly. With Twitter the surpring aspect is that it seems
to be either all or nothing. Students either use it many
times a day, or not at all. Google+ is clearly not as
popular as the other two. Many people do not have an
account, which is hardly surprising because until recently it was only open to people ages eighteen and up.
All in all, this survey, small as it is, still proves that social networks are still an important part of students life.
Best Picture
The Artist
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Meryl Streep
The Iron Lady
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Jean Dujardin
The Artist
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Octavia Spencer
The Help
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Christopher Plummer
Beginners
Best Animated Film
Rango
Best Director
Michel Hazanavicius
The Artist
Best Documentary
Undefeated
It has been 5 years since ‘Wincing The Night Away'
made its phenomenal release in 2007, but lead singer
James Mercer decides to make a comeback with the
Shins new upcoming album, ‘Port of Morrow’ which
was released on March 20th.
Dan Fasciano, Staff Writer
Age of Social Network User
Emma Morelli, Staff Writer
Photo Credit: FilmFestivalToday.com
This year’s host, Billy Crystal, with one
of the golden statues symbolic of the
Academy Awards.
Full of glamour and class, The Oscars are truly a sacred night of movie history. People all over the world
sit and watch the remarkable people and dream up
speeches of their own for the day that they hope to
walk up on that stage. This years Oscars lived up to all
of its expectations.
Twitter Usage
Google+ Usage
They had released a single back in January, "Simple
Song," a pleasant return to the band's humble, deceiving simple arrangements that brings back one-of-akind eclectic sound from their previous albums.
Photo Credit: StereoGum.com
The cover art of The Shins’ new album,
Port of Morrow.
Social Networks Used
Facebook Usage
Despite a certain showy publicity stunt involving
a dictator, this was a seemingly flawless night. The
host of the night was Billy Crystal for the ninth time.
He was funny without trying too hard and made the
awards show go fast and smooth. All in all it was a
very successful night with all of the favorites winning
the top prizes. The only surprise was Meryl Streep.
As shocking as it is that a woman on her seventeenth
Oscar Nomination would be an upset, the favorite for
this category was Viola Davis. Nominated for her role
in The Help, Davis was the winner of the SAG and
Golden Globe for Best Actress. The clear favorite, it
was a shock that Davis did not win, a shock even to
Meryl Streep herself it seemed. After composing herself, Streep gave a very touching speech in which she
thanked her husband and her friends- old and new, living and deceased. Streep ended with how much she
appreciated this award and was aware that it would be
her last time on the stage. However, with seventeen
nominations and three wins, I have a hard time believing we will not see another speech from the greatest
actress of our time.
Here's a track list of 'Port of Morrow':
1. The Rifle's Spiral
2. Simple Song
3. It's Only Life
4. No Way Down
5. September
6. Bait and Switch
7. Fall of '82
8. For A Fool
9. 40 Mark Strasse
10. Port Of Morrow
The Shins also filmed their recent music video, "Bait
and Switch" and it is honestly any other Shins track
you would expect from them. The song has its perky
high guitar rift, driven with its pop-rock sound that you
won't be disappointed with! The band took their time
last year to record the album in Los Angeles and in
their native home Portland, Oregon. 'Port of Morrow'
was produced by Greg Kurstin who recently worked
with Foster the People on their debut album, 'Torches'
and with Kelly Clarkson on her fifth album 'Stronger'.
If you haven't listened or checked out The Shins before,
I highly recommend you do. Their sound is completely
upbeat, catchy, and progressive as they keep making
more and more new music. Get ‘Port of Morrow’ now!
Games
Continued from Pg. 12.
Not wanting her sister to die, Katniss sacrifices herself
in place of her sister. Now forced into the initial stages
of the Games, Katniss meets Peeta Mellark, the other
tribute from her district, and the two develop a bond
that keeps them alive longer in the arena.
Follow the journey of Katniss and Peeta into the Capitol and onto the floors of the arena. This is only the
beginning of a long and treacherous ride that involves
hunger, love, life, death, and that is star-crossed to end
in certain tragedy. Read the rest of the book, and series, to find out what happens to the girl on fire and the
boy with the bread and remember, may the odds be
ever in your favor.
XIV
Review: The Front Bottoms
Show
Photo Credit: Olivia Jablonski
The Front Bottom’s Brian Sella performs
at the Webster Theater in early April.
The Front Bottoms sound reveals huge inspiration. It is
also a classic model for how real modern music should
be. They are just the type of band that knows exactly
how to have fun and be creative with their music as
much as they can. Their taste is raw, original, and from
the heart.
The Front Bottoms performed April 9th at the Webster Theatre with Say Anything, along with other local
guest bands Kevin Devine & The Goddamn Band and
Fake Problems.
As I took in their performances, I thought it was such
a thrilling experience getting the feel for their unconventional indie-folk sound.
As The Bottoms were performing one of their songs,
“Flashlight,” that’s when Kevin Devine and his other
mates of The Goddamn Band hopped on stage to sing
along with The Bottoms. I thought this was really entertaining because they all seemingly were having a
good time, especially when Kevin was using his pair
of shoes to clap along to the rhythm as they performed.
Kevin Devine and Brian Sella’s bands have very
similar taste to their indie-duo sound. Most songs
The Bottoms performed were from their album, such
as “Maps” and “Swimming Pool.” According to Alter
The Press, Sella sings anthems of post-adolescence
that may raise a few eyebrows but in turn paint a portrait of his reality.
When he performed “Maps”, I was listening carefully
to the opening lyrics: ‘Please fall asleep in my room so
I can take pictures of you and hang them in my room...’
It automatically meant to me that he has this awkward
obsession with this girl he’s falling for.
When the band performs, they want you to follow their
perspective; they want you to relate.
The Front Bottoms originated out of Bergen County,
New Jersey and were formed by Brian Sella, lead vocalist and guitarist, along with drummer Matthew Uychich. Their self-titled album is now out in stores, and
if you’re into that whole indie-punk scene, I recommend you checking these guys out because you won’t
be disappointed with their sound!
The Twitter Takeover
Kelly Byrnes, Contributing Writer
Remember the time when Berlin High students staged
a sit-in to protest teacher lay-offs? Or when the Red
Sea filled an entire section of the opposing team’s gym
at the men’s basketball game? Both events involved an
overwhelming amount of organization, something that
most people agree is rare to find in your average teenager. So how did all these students plan such events?
The social media site Twitter is responsible for that.
Students are enamored with the site that allows you to
follow both celebrities and friends, tweet general messages and ideas, and hashtag the latest trending topic.
But what exactly is the fascination with the social media site? Berlin High School students weigh in.
Senior Megan Pitkin, who admitted to using Twitter
on a daily basis, said that it is an efficient way to receive constant updates, in all aspects of her life. “I feel
more connected with everything--with sports, with the
news, with my friends.” She also compared it to another popular social media site, Facebook. “In terms
of simplicity, it’s better than Facebook,” Pitkin said.
Senior Will Cavedon, who does not have a Twitter account, does not plan on giving in and creating one anytime soon. “I think it’s stupid...It’s a waste of time,” he
said. Many Twitter users, Berlin High School students
included, have been reluctant to join at first, agreeing
with Cavedon. However, nearly all say that with time,
tweeting becomes an addiction.
Emily Carroll, a senior at Berlin High, and a daily
Twitter user, says that the website is different from
Facebook. She believes it offers easier access to not
only what her friends are up to, but world news as well.
Carroll, who follows newscasters and news accounts
such as NBC, said, “It’s how I get the news everyday
besides the newspaper. I use [Twitter] to keep up with
what is going on in the world.”
Pitkin disagrees, saying the benefits of Twitter are
endless. “You learn breaking news even faster. This is
especially beneficial to those who it directly affects.
And I personally like being able to stay in touch with
family too because we’re always so busy and a quick
tweet to one another just saying ‘Hi’ is a good way to
keep in touch.”
When asked what makes Twitter so appealing to today’s youth, Pitkin said, “We’ve grown up with social
media and we also easily get bored with old toys like
Facebook and Myspace. So once Twitter came along,
it was easy, new, and celebrities were on it. What’s not
to like?”
For Berlin High School students, Twitter provides
an easier way to get in touch with each other. Rather
than sending a text message to a handful of people, or
posting a Facebook status that only one’s friends can
see. This ranges from worldwide issues, to the random
thoughts that everybody sometimes needs to get off
their chest. Members of the student body also use Twitter to promote school functions and sporting events,
which overall leads to more student involvement.
The world of social media is constantly evolving,
and teenagers today evolve along with it. Twitter has
become a household name recently and its climb in
popularity does not seem to be slowing down any time
soon. It’s difficult to say whether Twitter may remain
a staple for receiving news and live updates for years
to come, or if it will eventually be dethroned by the
latest trend in social media. One thing’s for sure, current students at Berlin High will be able to recall the
benefits of Twitter and look back at the site that had
everybody #winning.
Teenagers today are bombarded with social media and
modern technology, which can have its respective negatives and positives. For example, increasing reports
of cyber bullying is stirring up criticism about social
media websites.
THE REDCOAT REVIEW
NEEDS NEW MEMBERS
___________________
APPLY NOW
The Redcoat Review will have an informational meeting regarding new staff members on Wednesday
June 6th, in Room 208 after school at 2:15pm. For more information, see Ms. Bafumi in Room 208.
Student Voices
Nintendo 3DS vs. Playstation Faster than the Speed of…
Vita
Internet?
Dan Fasciano, Staff Writer
Ian Tamburini, Staff Writer
With the seventh generation of video games ending,
the days of the Nintendo DS, the Playstation Portable and their various offshoots are nearing their end.
While the seventh generation consoles are still “plugging along,” the handheld generation is rapidly being
innovated. With the less than stellar release of the Nintendo 3DS, the eighth generation began with a rocky
start. After a few months of underwhelming sales
it received a price drop. Now, the next contender is
about to enter the ring. Sony has just released its new
handheld gaming device, the Playstation Vita. Now
that it has been released, you have a choice to make.
Both Sony and Nintendo want your money, but which
one is better worth your hard earned cash? In the end,
it really depends on personal preference based on the
games you like to play.
The unfathomably vast internet has become a necessity
for most teenagers and BHS students. Just about every
one of us uses the internet well more than once a day.
If you are anything like me, the internet has become
almost an addiction. Many students in the high school
do agree that the internet plays a huge role in both their
social and academic lives. Undeniably this generation
is becoming exceedingly reliant on the internet, but is
that same dependence a commendable, or erroneous?
Nintendo has always been a believer in innovation;
the company has been since the release of the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Just as the Wii
brought brand new motion controls into gaming, the
3DS has brought more new technology to the playing field. While it still features two screens, like its
predecessors, the top screen now has natural 3D that
does not require glasses. While this may sound cheap,
the 3D effect is very good. It even has three cameras:
one on the inside and two on the outside that allow a
user to take 3D photos and videos. While its launched
titles were nothing special, the 3DS now boasts of a
very strong library of diverse games such as Legends
of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Street Fighter IV 3D,
Mario Kart 7, and Resident Evil Revelations. The cost
is also a positive; the 3DS is now only $169, which
proves to be a great incentive to choose it over the Vita.
Sony generally takes a more adult approach to game
design. Their games often are intended for more mature audiences, in stark contrast to Nintendo’s family
friendly philosophy. Hence, the Vita’s launch lineup
features games such as Uncharted Waters: Golden
Abyss. However, this is not to say that Sony does not
have its fair share of games such as Little Big Planet
and Hot Shots Golf. The Vita also has several interesting features that make it a contender with the 3DS. For
one, it now has a touch screen, which has never previously been used in a Sony device. The Vita has two
cameras, a gyro sensor, and dual analog sticks. There
are different versions of the Vita as well. There is a
WiFi version which can allow two players to use the
same wireless internet connection for game play, and
a 3G version that uses a service that many cell phones
use for connecting to the internet.
As mentioned earlier, it all comes down to the library
of games. Both Sony and Nintendo’s most recent offerings to the handheld devices are both amazing pieces of technology, yet it really depends on how developers choose to utilize them. Both the Vita and the 3DS
have great features which developers are going to use
in their games. There is a little bit ofsomething for everyone in each of these systems, with both companies
trying to get gamers from all different tastes. The next
few months will be pivotal in seeing whether or not
the Vita will be able to get a foothold due to the recent
rising sales of the 3DS. The technological advantages
of both systems are undeniable. Graphics keep getting
better; so the systems are more alike than they appear.
XV
made it much easier and quicker to access all sorts
of information, which makes me more inquisitive as
I try to satisfy my hunger for knowledge,” John said.
Students agree that the internet has become a near essential part of life.
While it is great to see technology advancing, has the
internet’s impact been at all bad? After all it has, and is
still changing culture so much. Again, people no longer have to meet face to face to communicate freely or
to do a school project. And with sites like Facebook
and twitter, it is so easy to know about a person with
just a few clicks.
Brought online initially in 1969, the internet was
merely a connection of 4 major computers at US colleges. It was built to provide communication networks
that would function even if some sites were stricken
by nuclear attacks. Having been originally government
funded, the internet’s use was restricted to research
education, and government affairs. Commercial use
was prohibited.
Photo Credit: Reddit.com / Ian Tamburini
Logo for the popular site, “Reddit.”
Photo Credit: Firefox.com / Ian Tamburini
Logo for popular internet browser,
Firefox.
The only users were computer experts, engineers, scientists, and librarians. In the modern era, it’s hard to
imagine there was a time like this. (Howe)
Now, the internet’s biggest user base is with people
under the age of 25; mostly students. In BHS most
students use it for leisure purposes like social media,
videos, or even to watch their favorite shows. When
asked what he uses the internet for primarily, Nick
Seguljic, a junior at BHS, told us, “mainly for watching my favorite shows and school work.” Most of us
can probably relate.
Although the wonders of the internet can impede
productive work, it ultimately proves itself useful, especially for gathering sources and information. With
websites like Wikipedia, access to knowledge is essentially instantaneous. “The internet has affected me very
positively in terms of academics, and it is because the
internet is such a great source of information,” Nick
said.
John Parillo, another junior at BHS, says that, “Most
of my time spent on the internet is allocated to social
networking. I use it mainly as a means of communicating with my friends.” Tools like Facebook and Skype
have made free, open communication effortless. It’s
almost as if we never have to leave our computer desks
to socialize with friends. Most group projects can now
be done over these programs instead of face to face.
“It has impacted my life immensely, in ways I cannot
even define. I use it to find information, communicate
with friends, and for entertainment purposes. It has
Internet can be a distraction to school work. Aside
from the obvious social media sites, YouTube is an
easy way to fritter away precious minutes, that you
could have spent studying. Users of sites like Reddit
claim that they waste hours, daily, on the site. Fans of
Reddit refer to it as “the front page of the internet,”
because it provides links to the most popular pictures,
videos or articles from any give day. Undoubtedly the
internet and its services are addicting. My personal favorite website to waste time on is Imgur, a website that
gathers the most popular pictures from different parts
of the internet, and includes them in one large gallery.
I cannot count, nor do I want to know the number of
hours I have spent on that site browsing random photos
gathered from across the brinks of the internet.
Although the wonders of the internet can impede
productive work, it ultimately proves itself useful, especially for gathering sources and information. With
websites like Wikipedia, access to knowledge is essentially instantaneous. “The internet has affected me very
positively in terms of academics, and it is because the
internet is such a great source of information,” Nick
said.
Why then, are we so reliant on the internet? What attracts so many people to use it? It is obviously a wonderful service, which has unimaginable uses. But what
sincerely makes us so interested in the internet?
Society, now more than ever runs at a fast pace, where
just about anything can happen instantly. As humans
we like fast results. Whether it’s a dieting plan, or a
salary, people want their results or reward fast. And
there is nothing wrong with this. It is just that the internet satisfies all of our needs at this fast rate we love
so much. We are so dependent on it because it mirrors
and complements our natural tendencies. Our society
thrives off of instant gratification, which the internet
provides. As a result the internet will certainly grow
and develop even as times change.
XVI
Student Voices
Dissecting The Cupcake
M.C. Cirullo, Staff Writer
In the culinary world today, cupcakes are
all the rage. For a good reason, too- cupcakes are fun, incredibly versatile, and surprisingly easy. All you need for a beautiful
batch of cupcakes that will be the highlight
of every party or family gathering is creativity.
The Cake
The actual cake is the main part of the cupcake. No
matter how fancy the decorations are, it’s the cake
that either makes or breaks the whole dessert. There
are a wide variety of recipes for cupcakes on the Internet and in cookbooks. Making the cakes from scratch
allows for more options of flavors and higher quality
cupcakes. Also, the added effort will impress the consumers.
For those of you not particularly skilled in the kitchen
or just pressed for time, I would recommend using a
mix. Mixes save insurmountable amounts of time in
preparation and clean-up. Their requirement of only
2-4 additional ingredients also reduces possibilities for
error, which makes producing a near-perfect cupcake
every time unbelievably easy.
Another advantage to mixes is that they don’t limit
you. They come in a large assortment of flavors from
standard white cake to strawberry. Dressing up the mix
is also a snap- just throw a handful of sprinkles into the
batter to create your own fun-fetti cupcakes!
The Frosting
As important as the cake is, the frosting is usually the
first thing that people see. Like cake, frosting can be
store-bought or made at home. Making the frosting
yourself is relatively simple and gives you more options and the freedom to make the frosting to the desired consistency (for decorating purposes). However,
for the same reasons as the cake, the store bought frosting is a simpler and faster choice.
Frosting can be very basic or very elaborate, depending on your desire for detail. Usually, the frosting can
simply be spread on with an offset spatula and be left
at that. In order to create some visual interest, all you
need is a pastry bag and a star and writing tip. An extensive assortment of designs can be made with just
a star tip and with a writing tip you can write letters
or draw simple pictures. This can be easily done with
either home-made or canned frosting after it’s been
spooned into a pastry bag.
Photo Credit: M.C. Cirullo
Simple decorations made with a star tip.
The Decorations
First and foremost in decorations is the liners the cupcakes are baked in. Maybe liners aren’t the first thing
that springs to mind when decorations are mentioned,
but being that they come in such a dazzling array of
designs and colors they can easily add some flare to
the cupcakes. I prefer to coordinate the colors and patterns of the liners with that of the frosting in order to
fit a sort of theme, but this isn’t always necessary. The
liners can contrast or compliment the frosting, it’s all
up to the designer and how he/she wants the cupcake to
be presented. Some bakers don’t even use liners but I
usually do, for the artistic aspect of it as well as reducing the mess left in the pans.
As for the decorations that adorn the frosting, if any,
there are countless to choose from. Sprinkles are a favorite decoration of mine. They are cheap, easy and
widely available, not to mention varied. They can be
themed and used to match the liners or they can just
be the generic multi- or solid- colored nonpareils or
jimmies. There are also sprinkles that are made into
interesting shapes to fit special occasions or themes.
In addition to sprinkles there are colored sugars which
can be any color of the rainbow and beyond or a combination thereof. For a very professional look, royal
icing can be used to make fancy designs. Royal icing
hardens very quickly after being exposed to air, so piping out a simple picture onto wax paper can create a
design to be pulled off and placed onto the cupcake.
You don’t have to be artistic to do this, just print out a
coloring book picture from the internet, place it under
wax paper and trace over it with the icing. Sprinkles,
colored sugar and royal icing can be used independently or combined; each way will produce a very alluring
cupcake that will be the talk of the party.
Where do I start?
Very simple frosting just spread over the
top.
Pretty much all of the ingredients and tools listed
above can be found at your local grocer, for example,
stop and shop. However, if you want to use high-end,
top quality baking supplies, look for them in stores like
Stonewall Kitchen, Williams-Sonoma or Chef’s Emporium. Fancy and expensive baking supplies aren’t
really necessary as you can easily get by with generic
name-brand items. For all of my baking exploits I prefer to use Pillsbury. Their mixes always turn out delicious products and their canned frostings are tasty and
a near perfect texture. What’s good about Pillsbury,
also, is that their boxed mixes and other premade prod-
ucts do not carry many allergy warnings. Allergies to
nuts and peanuts are all too common so it’s wise to be
safe about what’s in your ingredients. Even if the only
warning on the box reads, “made in a facility that processes nuts” you wouldn’t want to take that risk with
somebody who may have a severe allergy that you may
not know of. Pillsbury bears no such allergy warnings
and so is safe to use for people you don’t know or who
have nut/peanut allergies. Another reason I choose
Pillsbury is that it is very inexpensive. A box of cake
mix is priced at about $1.30 and their frosting is a tad
less. A whole batch of cupcakes can be made for under $5.00, which is especially fantastic considering the
country’s current economic state.
Grocery stores often carry some basic decorating tools
and supplies such as sprinkles and cupcake liners, but
their selections are often limited and rather dull. Culinary supply stores such as those previously mentioned
and even craft stores like Michaels and Joann’s carry
a broad spectrum of decorating supplies ranging from
colored sugar of every hue to pastry bags to flashy cupcake liners.
No matter where you go, all of what you need for a
good batch of cupcakes is right at your fingertips.
My point- cupcakes aren’t that hard; in
fact, they are very easy. I see people lament their fears of working in the kitchen too often. For any event where you
are expected to bring a desert, or even
if you just want to have something sweet
for yourself, cupcakes are an excellent
choice. They are simple and fun crowd
pleasers, and they don’t have to be time
consuming- even if you’re on a budget.
Cupcakes make any occasion a snap.
More complicated designs and flavors.
NEXT UP
___________________
Student Voices
Continue
XVII
Student Voices
Breaking Dawn is Breaking
Stereotypes
I remember when the Twilight Saga by Stephanie
Meyer first appeared on the bookshelves. My friends
kept recommending the books to me and I finally gave
in. The setting, the characters, and the overall plot immediately captured my attention. When Hollywood
decided to make Twilight into a movie, readers of
the series all over the world couldn’t wait to watch.
I can remember walking into the movie theatre with
my mom, my best friend, and her mother with great
anticipation because we were about to see ‘Twilight.’
My friend and I were obsessed with the books and
couldn’t wait to see if the movie was anything like
the books. We had already picked our favorite characters and wanted to see how they would be portrayed
in the movie and if they captured how they looked in
our imaginations. However, it was horrible and disappointing compared to the book. In general, the movie
was excellent because of the special effects, but side by
side with the book, it was rather painful to watch. Embellishments that the mind creates when reading the
story far exceed what Hollywood creates. However,
one would not be able to critique these movies without
having read the entire series.
Last November, Hollywood released the fourth of five
movies: Breaking Dawn Part I. As with all the other
movies, great interest and anticipation greeted this
new release. The reason for this big welcome could
be the previous movies, or the fact that the followers
of Stephanie Meyer are now movie-goers, or that the
“hot topic” for TV shows nowadays is vampires and
the fantasy/science fiction world. Either way, there is
a split among people who have watched this movie.
People either love it or hate it for a variety of reasons.
Generally, public opinion, whether on politics, budgets, or movies, usually varies and is extremely biased.
In some cases, the word on Breaking Dawn Part I is
definitely not positive. Linda Holmes, a writer for National Public Radio, begins a negative review with, “if
you were to run into the ghost of Sigmund Freud on
your way out of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn
Part I, my guess he’d tell you he found the symbolism a little on the nose.” She continues her rampage by
basically indicating that the movie is verifiably unbelievable and bordering on the absurd. She does this by
comparing a teen movie’s script with one of the most
notable psychologists of all times, Dr. Freud. One may
assume that there could not be a greater insult. But,
there is. Holmes continues her review by stating, “in
fact to put it in the dry, scholarly language that the father of psychoanalysis might use, Breaking Dawn is
where the Twilight series goes straight-up cuckoopants.”
Nevertheless, there are opposing views on this movie.
Ashley Fort, a student expert of the Twilight series, enjoyed the movie immensely “because [she] read all the
books and was really excited to see it.” Fort believes
the actors accurately displayed the emotions necessary
to capture the plot realistically. Fort describes the movie beginning with the marriage of the two main characters, Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, and culminating
in a pregnancy during the honeymoon. The movie ends
“with [Bella] turning into a vampire.” Her favorite part
in the movie was the beginning where Bella and Edward were married, and she expects Breaking Dawn
Part II to be similar to the book, where Stephanie Meyer focuses on Bella as a vampire and her experiences
as a changed vampire. Additionally, Manohla Dargis,
a writer for The New York Times, describes Breaking
Dawn Part I as, “the latest and best of the movies about
a girl, her vampire, and their impossible, ridiculously
appealing-yes, I surrendered-love story.”
Photo Credit: Holly Robillard
The theatrical release poster of Twilight:
Breaking Dawn Part 1.
People worldwide are waiting in anticipation for the
second half of Breaking Dawn whether they want to
praise, pick apart or just enjoy the movie altogether.
Whether you can involve yourself in the characters’
lives or just sit back and laugh at the absurdity of the
plot, one thing is for certain – the type of vampire that
Stephanie Meyer invented is unique. Perhaps this is a
common element that will bind the opposing opinions.
Forks, Washington, a place that is never sunny, is the
perfect environment for the Cullen vampire way of
life. The Cullen family vows not to feed from humans,
only animals, they have a pact with their mortal enemies the werewolves, and their eyes are golden instead
of the traditional blood-red, symbolizing their unique
desire to reject their natural instincts and connect with
humans instead of killing them. They are the prime example of breaking the stereotype of vampires.
Living
in the “City
Dreams”
of
Lauren Aresco, Staff Writer
On March 20, 2012, 25 year old Emily Adamkiewicz,
freelance makeup artist in NYC, walked down 5th Ave
on the way to an event. Over the phone, the honking
of taxis and the noise of construction nearly drowned
out Emily’s voice. Emily was on her way to and event
in Bryant Park, where her and other celebrity makeup
artist were doing free L’Oreal makeovers.
I was able to talk to Emily for a little while before she
arrived at Bryant Park about how it really is to live in
the “City of Dreams.”
Q: How long have you been living in New York city?
A: I came to the city after high school so I can go to
college here. Ever since I was little I had a dream to
live in New York City and be a makeup artist.
Q: What school did you attend?
A: I went to school at Make-up Designory and I loved
it. It’s all about cosmetology and it was so much fun.
I met a ton of people who have the same passion for
makeup as I do. Anyone who lives in the city will meet
so many people, that’s one of the great things about
living here.
Q: Working in the city sounds difficult especially as a
freelance makeup artist, how do you find jobs?
A: To find jobs in the city you have to be really friendly
and put yourself out there. When you go out on nights
you have to talk to a lot of people and find out what
they do, see if they have any connections and give
them your card. That’s the easiest and most effective
way. Over the years I have made a lot of connections
with people so I keep getting jobs to do. Sometimes I
do private makeup, like for a music video or makeup
workshops like the event at Bryant Park I am on my
way to now.
Q: Was it hard to find an apartment in the city? What
about roommates?
A: The challenge with finding an apartment is that they
are so expensive for a little space so anyone would
have to have roommates to be able to afford the rent in
the city. I have two roommates, one is a cousin and the
other one is a long time friend. We have a very small
three bedroom apartment with a very small kitchen and
living room but its big enough for us three.
Q: There is always a lot of commotion in the city, how
do you deal with that? Does it get difficult at times?
A: The most difficult part about all the commotion is
on the weekends during the summer when everyone is
visiting the city. When there are a lot of people around
it makes the subways and taxis full so getting from
place to place is difficult. Knowing the roads and being in walking distance of almost everything is really
helpful because then you don’t need to catch a cab or
ride the subways.
Q: How do you usually get around the city?
A: I am a big fan of the subways because once you
get used to the trains and where they are going, I get
places in half the time I would if I took a cab. They are
cheaper and faster in the end.
Q: A lot of celebritys are in the city all the time, have
you ever had the change to do any celebrities makeup?
A: I have seen a ton of celebritys around the city and I
haven’t done anyone “movie star” famous yet but I do
some aspiring actors or singers. Some of my friends
who are also makeup artists do a lot more serious stuff
then I have got to. Like one of my friends wrote a book
called “The Makeup Artist Handbook” and I got to be
a bald cap model for the book. It was so much fun I
would love to write a beauty book someday.
Q: Would you say moving into the city is a smart move
or not for some people?
A: I would definitely recommend living in the city for
everyone. It’s a new world and a whole new experience that I think everyone should try at some point in
their lifetime. New York City is place where people
can meet a ton of different people and find who they
truly are. New York is basically a no judgment zone,
it’s where people can be and do things they never
thought imaginable. It does get expensive to live here
sometimes but getting a good job will take care of that.
There is so much to do here it’s impossible to get bored
and you meet friends that you will stay friends with
forever. I 100% recommend living in New York City.
As I ended the phone call with Emily I could hear that
she reached Bryant Park because there was music and
a lot of talking in the background.
Student Voices
155: A Team Of Dedication
The faint clinking of metal can barely be heard over
the loud discussions of a problem pertaining to the robot. As I walk into the Technology Education room in
McGee Middle School, I see a group of mentors standing around the practice robot that the team is currently
building. Drivers can now practice on a robot similar
to the actual robot. As I look around, I find it amazing
that many of these mentors’ kids are grown and have
left the Berlin School system, yet they still come on a
regular basis to help build the robot.
I approach one of our youngest mentors, Steve Reitsma, a Clarkson University alumnus who graduated
with a major in mechanical engineering. He currently
works as a manufacturing engineer for Pratt and Whitney. The job assignment changes every six months and
he works on a new manufacturing processes that are
non-conventional. Reitsma’s current task is attempting to optimize a CNC or computer numeric control.
He became involved with FIRST Robotics in 2006
when he joined the Robocats Team 177, and continued his membership through 2007. When I asked Reitsma why he wanted to become a mentor, he smiled
and said, “Clarkson University has a robotics team and
I could not stay away”. He describes robotics as an
“addiction”. He chose to mentor for the Berlin team
because it is the “closest team to my apartment and
is sponsored by Pratt and Whitney”. Additionally, the
Clarkson team was paired with the Berlin team last
year and enjoys it “because everybody here is pretty
cool” and it is a “well established team”. He shows up
every evening and Saturday for every meeting because
he is very dedicated to the team. With conviction, he
states, “If I tell the team that I’m going to be there, I’m
going to be there”! Reitsma likes to “pay it forward”
as well because he gets to help high school and middle
school students do what he loves do to.
space shuttle. The reason Mukon originally became a
mentor for the Berlin team was because his son joined
twelve years ago. Even though his son is no longer
on the team, he still mentors for Berlin. When I asked
Mukon why, he got up and left. A student ran into a
problem while working on the robot and needed some
assistance in fixing it. When he came back, he apologized ad told me he enjoys working with the kids on
the team. Attempting humor, he said that he enjoys
mentoring for the team because “it gives me something
to do “ and “ I like to think [the team] needs me”. He
continued to say, “one of the students told me that I
couldn’t leave.”
in fact carried away by a helicopter. If there was never
an ambulance, but no helicopter was reported to have
landed at the local hospital shortly after his death,
where did the injured body of Mr. Shakur disappear to?
Can we trust eye witness accounts of that night? All of
these questions have constantly been prodded and examined by enthusiasts who wish to discover that their
life long idol is still with us. With many subliminal
messages referencing the Italian philosopher Niccolo
Machiavelli, who was a financial and political advisor
to the Medici family during the Italian renaissance, is it
possible that Tupac had faked his death, as thought of
by the philosopher to fool ones enemies?
I find their dedication to the Berlin Robotics team extremely compelling. That they are willing to give up
so much of their personal time to work with kids on
this project is an example of pure dedication to their
life’s work. But this type of dedication does not apply
to only these two men. There are at least eleven men
who are in the engineering field that arrive every night
at 6:00 and work until 8:00 and then arrive back on Saturday for a grueling four-hour work session. However
it is not only men who contribute their time and talent
to this effort. Again every night six women show up to
put the finishing touches on the robot. They create the
fabric bumpers, the team flag, design the team t-shirt
and uniforms for the drivers, make snacks and lunch
for the troops, and design spirit activities and props to
be used during competitions. One more task is necessary to ready the team for the regional competition,
and that is the creation of a spreadsheet of enormous
proportions. This spreadsheet is a compilation of every part of the robot. Screws, nuts, bolts, aluminum
tubing, wheels, orange belting, sprockets, plywood,
flanges, pneumatic components, and more are cataloged along with their price and weight. In order to
accomplish the very high goals of the team, it is necessary that every single person have this dedication to
the team.
As for Ryan Kliszewski, a junior at Berlin High
School, he agrees with Tamburini that Tupac is most
likely not alive, but he has had a lasting legacy on the
music industry and will always be remembered as one
of the best rappers to ever take the stage. “I believe that
Tupac Shakur is in fact passed away. The man realized
the lifestyle he chose as a rapper would lead to an early
death due to gang encounters and national political
tension; his “West Side” affiliation resulted in strong
hatred between the opposing “East Side” movement,
led by rapper named The Notorious B.I.G.”
Tupac Still Alive?
Lawrence Betterini, Staff Writer
Tupac Amaru Shakur, a rapper, an inspiring dreamer,
and the center of a conspiracy theory that has never
failed to entertain the masses on the idea of the possibility of his death. Many consider Tupac Shakur to
be the best rapper of all time. Regardless, this fearless
businessman can be ranked amongst the greats, including the Notorious B.I.G., Nas and Jay-Z. Deceased in
1996, Tupac Shakur left behind a lasting legacy, and
planted many subliminal messages within his music to
suggest that he will return from the “dead” in 2014, in
fulfillment of the “7 Year Theory.” Many claims have
been made at the possibility of this great, west side
rapper still living, some say in Cuba. There has been
much footage released by random people who claim
have seen the rapper, and even TMZ has sparked interest in the possibility of Tupac being alive.
Photo Credit: Emily Deutsch
A finished robot, bagged and tagged,
ready to compete in the Hartford Regional.
After talking with Reitsma, I walked over to Mike
Mukon, a toolmaker for General Machine, hoping
he would be able to tear himself away from the robot. Fortunately, he did. I found out that he did not
go to college, but he works for GM making tools for a
XVIII
As for Berlin High School junior Ian Tamburini, he
feels that, “There is always the possibility that Tupac is
alive. But I think he is currently resting in peace.” Ian
also says that through his music, this rapper has taught
tolerance and appreciation for life in his music, and Ian
feels that he is a better person because of it.
According to Cracked.com, it was claimed that on the
night of his death, Tupac was rushed to the emergency
room via ambulance; however, eyewitness reports
claim that there was never an ambulance, and he was
Kliszewski did question why the truth behind Shakur’s
death has not been revealed, as Suge Knight, who was
a passenger in the car Shakur was shot down in, is still
alive. Due to the very quick closing of the unsolved
case of Shakur’s death, many feel that the police and
U.S. government made it a point to exterminate the
career of the rapper who brought a bad image to the
forefront of pop culture and they never put the effort
forward to solve the case. While highly unlikely, this
is just another conspiracy theory as to what can be the
true story behind the disappearance of Tupac.
Throughout the years since his death, there have been
numerous allegations that Tupac can still be living in
secrecy. Some of the most gripping evidence, such as a
coroners report which has Tupac listed much taller and
bigger than he was known to be, and the release of several albums after his death is not enough to convince
most people that Tupac can still be alive. Upon his
death, a coroner’s report listed Tupac as sixty pounds
over what he was believed to be and over two inches
taller than listed only a year ago when he was arrested
for criminal acts. Why would the police release a false
photo of someone believed to be dead by the masses?
Allegations have been made that a little known rapper,
Blac Haze, can actually be Tupac in disguise. However, this can be neither proven or disproven due to the
fact that nobody has ever seen him. Blac Haze has never made a public appearance, but it is quite clear that
he has a much similar style to that of Tupac Shakur.
“Tupac Shakur was an incredibly charming man with
a lot of character. It is commonly misconstrued that
he was a bad and uneducated man simply because he
was a rapper,” says Kliszewski. Regardless of his current situation, Tupac Amaru Shakur has never failed
to inspire those who listen to him to be the best that
they can be. While it is a very interesting topic, I feel
that the masses should move on, as this great artist and
influential human being has passed onto another life,
and we will see him again one day, where we shall all
learn the truth about the death of Mr. Tupac Shakur.
The numerous albums that Tupac has released and his
ability to inspire those from all walks of life through
music even today is testimony to the legacy left by this
“Living” legend.
XIX
Student Voices
Timing Food Right
Adam Berger, Staff Writer
What if you knew that you can enjoy all the foods
you currently indulge in and not get fat? That sounds
almost too good to be true. However, with knowing
how to time what you eat right, you can eat various
junk food (french fries, candy ect.) and not worry
about getting fat. Now, this all must be done within
reason, even with timing food right, you still can not
be stuffing down four supersized McDonald’s fries in
one sitting. You can, however, enjoy one. There are
two instances where the body becomes almost like a
vacuum, absorbs all the nutrients you eat, and it uses
them instead of storing the energy. These two times are
the first thing when you wake up in the morning, and
after an intensive work out.
In the morning, your body has been fasting for an
extremely long amount of time (hopefully, at least 8
hours) while you slept. So now, when you wake up
your body is starving for nutrients to be fed into it. At
this time, I would not recommend binging on junk,
however, this is one of the only times where you can
eat fruit. Yes, even fruit is a junk food, its high fructose
content causes insulin spikes and quick digestion creates a perfect environment for fat storage. But when
you awaken, your body is so absorptive that the fruit
will actually be beneficial; the carbohydrates will give
you a boost to start your day. Along with a lean protein source, this would be the foundation of a perfect
breakfast. I recommend eating pineapple in the morning because it contains digestive enzymes to further
help process the foods you consume.
Simplifying the Scholarship
Application Process
Holly Robillard, Opinion Editor
This time of year, seniors typically dedicate themselves to applying for as much financial aid as possible. Of course, this includes scholarships. From those
that are generic to those that are career specific or require unique qualifications, weeding through and applying to scholarships can be a nightmare. Fortunately,
there are a few techniques that can save you hours of
time and hassle.
Step 1: Get Organized
Before you begin your search, establish an organization system. The best way to do this is to gather a few
folders and label each with a different month. This
way, when you find a scholarship that appeals to you,
you can place it in the folder with the corresponding
deadline month. Once you have gathered a collection
in each folder, make sure to organize them so that the
earliest deadline is on top.
Additionally, consider keeping a folder for important
resources including transcripts, teacher recommendation, and SAT scores. This way, you can easily pull the
paperwork when it is needed. Remember, keep multiple extra copies; you may need at least a couple if
you plan to devote yourself to scholarships for a day.
Step 2: Search
Most students start their search online. The following
Photo Credit: 101WeightLoss.com
Healthy eating with good timing can do
wonders for your health.
Now, here is the good news. After you work out, your
body is like when you wake up, and almost acts as
a sponge sucking up all the nutrients you put into it.
There is something in the bodybuilding world known
as ‘The Anabolic Window.’ It is a short period of time
after you work out intensely that turns your body into
an absorbption machine. The reason why is because
after you have broken down your muscle tissue in the
gym while simultaneously burning through your glycogen stores, the body needs desperately to gain nutrients for restoring the glycogen and provide the amino
acids necessary to build back up your muscles. This
window of opportunity is only open for about a half
hour. Therefore, during this time you need to ingest
food that digests quickly, so the nutrients can get into
the blood stream as fast as possible. Whey is the fast
digesting protein derived from milk and is a very smart
supplement to invest in for post-workout. However,
the whey will not provide you with the quick digesting
carbs and sugars to restore glycogen. This is the time
where you can feel free to indulge in a fast-digesting
carb-rich food, and a fast-digesting sugar. So, french
fries here would be acceptable, and will not be stored
as fat due to the nutrients being used in your body
cells. Dextrose is a simple sugar found in many sweet
candies. Your body does not need to break down dextrose, and is therefore immediately absorbed into the
body. Wonka Pixie Stix and Gobstoppers are examples
of dextrose rich candies that are perfect for immediate consumption after your workouts, and are a much
cheaper alternative to expensive sports supplements
which many times contain the same ingredients.
So overall, diet and exercise does not need to be torture. You are still able to enjoy the foods you like to
eat; it’s just all about timing food right. After your
workouts is the best time to feel guiltless about eating simple carbs and dextrose sugar. But remember,
you can not go overboard with the eating, so keep the
amount between fifty and one hundred grams. This
may seem like a big variation and it is, the reason being that you the individual must experiment with the
dosages to see what your body responds to best. The
dose that may work for you may not for someone else.
So, as far as dosages go, you will have to figure that out
for yourself. However, the sources of nutrients here are
all researched, proven, and should be the sources that
you use for your fitness goals.
is a list of helpful sites that will give you the largest
variety of scholarships:
•www.scholarships.com
•www.fastweb.com
•www.scholarshipexperts.com
•www.cappex.com
•www.zinch.com
If you happen to find a scholarship on a different website, make sure you check the following criteria to validate that it is reliable:
•The scholarship should come from a company or a
foundation.
•At the bottom of the web page, there should be a contact phone number, address, and possibly a specific
contact name.
•The website should have been updated in the last year
at least once.
•It should NOT ask you to include a payment to apply
for the scholarship.
Another great resource is the Guidance Department’s
blue scholarship bin. It is located immediately when
you walk in through the student entrance. You will find
it straight ahead, right outside of Mrs. Pires’s office.
If you have any specific questions about a scholarship,
feel free to ask any counselor.
Step 3: Do Not Get Discouraged
Getting scholarships is extremely difficult. You should
not expect to get every one that you apply for. How-
Photo Credit: Holly Robillard
Scholarships are great, but picking out
the best ones for you could be a tricky
process. Beware of scams!
ever, this does not give you an excuse to not apply.
Everyone have an equal opportunity to be awarded
a cash grant. If you do not have much time to apply,
consider narrowing your list to local scholarships; it is
more likely that you earn one of these over one that has
a national application pool. However, do not out rule a
scholarship just because it has an essay requirement. If
you do so, you will severely limit yourself and be less
likely to earn anything.
If you need a pick me up while writing a scholarship
essay remember this one thing: college is expensive
and every little bit helps!
THE REDCOAT REVIEW
Thanks For Reading
ADVERTISEMENTS
CSL
General
Implant
Dentistry
&
Francis P. Camp, D.M.D.
Ralph K. Sambor, D.M.D.
Stephen V. Lupini, D.M.D.
Central Connecticut Dental Group
359 Farmington Ave. . Plainville, CT 06062
www.centralctdental.com
Hours
by Appointment
_________________
Phone
860 747-5761
Fax
860 747-6964
XX

Issue 3 - Berlin Public Schools

Transcription

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