Is the Cafeteria Overcrowded? - Pg. 2 || VHS: A New Way of Learning - Pg. 7 || The Typical Forum Meeting - Pg. 10 || Cross Country & Football - Pg. 12
THE FORUM
November 2006
“THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF SIMSBURY HIGH SCHOOL”
Future Changes in the Library Policy
Lindsay McCahill ‘10
Imagine you have a study hall, and your homework’s all done, or you have a free period and just want to finish some work? Where’s the first place most students would choose to go? The school library. Unfortunately, due to the lack of an updated system for entering and exiting, the library may not be the best choice. The SHS media center is open to all students, classes, and teachers requiring access to resources, and the mission of the media center program is to “enable students to become independent, information-literate, life-long learners.” However, can those goals be achieved without a proper and efficient way for students to conveniently check in and out? The new library policy will allow students to enter and exit the library without having to give their student ID’s to a librarian and then to remember to get them back as they hurry off to their next classes. This improved system will allow students simply to scan their ID’s upon entering the media center and then to scan them again as they leave. The arrangement was due to begin at the start of the first semester, but there was a delay, as the school was unable to obtain the machinery that was required. This policy has been rescheduled to take effect before the second semester begins. This change is a huge improvement for the Simsbury High School media center, because it allows faculty to digitally check to see where students are at all times. The school staff will have the ability to locate any student, should the circumstances call for it. As the school gets bigger and its population expands, the ability to track students is a main priority of the Simsbury High School faculty. Ms. Homrok, an assistant principal at SHS, commented that “this new library policy is definitely more efficient for the stuquired for the library policy begin to arrive, all that will change. It is also known that high school students in surrounding areas are using their student ID’s outside of the media center. For example, students in nearby schools may use them to buy lunches in the cafeteria or to purchase dance tickets. It is a possibility that Simsbury High School students will also be using their ID’s to perform such tasks in the not-so-distant future. As Simsbury High School makes the transition to the digital age in its library check-in policy, perhaps ID scanners will become more and more common throughout the entire school. One thing’s for sure, though – when the new scanners are installed at the library, both students and teachers alike should find the process much simpler and more convenient.
You might notice a few changes as you enter the library over the upcoming months
dents. It will make entering the library less time-consuming for the media center staff and the students.” It has been mentioned that students may feel as though they have no purpose in even owning an ID, since they have only been used for entry into dances so far. However, as soon as the new systems re-
Letter from the Editors Thanksgiving has come and gone, as students eagerly look forward to the December vacation. The political races, along with their incessant TV and radio advertisements, have passed as well. And, as the weather grows colder, fall sports seasons also come to a close. The Forum has you covered once again, with articles on the boys and girls cross country teams, recent political elections, and even a perspective on Thanksgiving from the eyes of Simsbury students. Political issues such as the war in Iraq are examined from different angles. We even feature a review of Borat, the controversial film sensation that has swept the nation. We encourage you to open our latest issue and discover what interests you, from sports to politics to school news. The staff of The Forum wishes you all a happy belated Thanksgiving and a joyous holiday season. Andrew Blutt and Casey Brennan Editors-in-Chief
HIGHLIGHTS IN THIS ISSUE:
2006 Midterm Elections Turkey Trot
Pg. 3 Pg. 5
Cell Phones in Schools Senior Lounge
Pg. 6 Pg. 9
SCHOOL COMMENTARY2
The Cramped Space That Is Our Cafeteria
Karonica Davidson ‘10
able seats forces them to eat their lunches in the amphitheater. Eating there has several negative characteristics that definitely should be analyzed. First of all, the seats in the amphitheater are not set up as a typical lunch setting. Students cannot face their friends to talk, causing difficulty in engaging in quality conversations. If lunch is about socializing and getting to know your peers, how does the amphitheater allow students to achieve those goals? Secondly, students who purchase their meals from the cafeteria tend to feel extremely rushed. After waiting in line for such a long time, they need to walk through the cafeteria, out into the hall, until they finally arrive at the amphitheater. It could seem improbable to you, but a lot of time is wasted by going through these steps. Wasted time means shoving food in your mouth--trying to finish lunch before the bell suddenly rings. The fact that countless students are constantly being rushed at lunch adds to the high amount of stress in their lives. Not only do they have to worry about homework, tests, and grades, but they also have to deal with the stress of finishing their lunches on time. Students need relaxation to balance out the load of work received during class. Lunch is a time to take advantage of slowing down for a while, something that is vital for all students to have an enjoyable experience at school.
Many might say that the cafeteria is a decent size for the amount of students at Simsbury High School. However, I beg to differ. Think about the following before arriving at your opinion. Last year, during the final months of construction, our school’s cafeteria was expanded. Yet, still, some students have trouble finding a table. The lack of avail-
Possible New Driver’s License Age?
Rumor has it that the age at which a Connecticut teen could get his or her full driver’s license is about to rise to 18. Considering what other states around us have done, as well the results they’ve received, I would find the change completely believable. Affecting only those born in 1992 or later, such a law would severely impact future generations. Surrounding states, such as New Jersey and Massachusetts, have already raised the minimum age needed to get a full license to 18. Supporters of this change claim that being that much older really enhances one’s decision-making skills. In addition, new drivers would receive more experience with a learner’s permit before they can get a full license. I agree with the fact that such a law does give a teen more time to get used to the road, as a teenager’s driving skills would become more developed than those of a 16-year-old just taking the wheel after six months. Additionally, I would also agree that teenagers are, as a whole, more mature at age 18 than they are at age 16. At only the age of 16, people get killed by car crashes every day, either as passengers or drivers. With so much energy coming from the driver and the “need for speed” that everyone seems to have, it’s no wonder that accidents occur all the time.
Ethan Girard ‘10
believing that there just isn’t enough sound evidence to back up such a drastic change in the law. Maybe in a couple of years, Connecticut lawmakers will realize the benefits of increasing the age needed to obtain a full license However, with such a change, high schools would be negatively affected in a couple of ways. One downside to such a law is that it would affect schools that rent parking spaces to young drivers. This law would probably leave student parking spaces mostly unused for most of the year, since the majority of the senior class turns 18 in the second semester. Therefore, in addition to affecting daily life for nearly all high school students, the new law would harshly cut down on any profits that schools make from selling parking spaces, thus harming any programs that use those funds. Nevertheless, New Jersey, one of the first states to increase the age needed to obtain a full license to 18, has had the least amount of teen deaths to car crashes. As other states follow that trend, they continue to decrease the amount of deaths to car accidents, while Connecticut continues follow the same path. Why? If it’s so much safer to raise the age to 18, why hasn’t our state followed suit and joined our neighbors? With so few downsides, what could we possibly lose?
While driving at such speeds, a younger driver has trouble realizing any potential danger, due to the fact the brain doesn’t fully develop the section that understands possible hazards until a person reaches about age 25. At 16, a person is still almost ten years away from the full development of that portion of the brain. So, as a 16 year old, one is almost guaranteed to be going faster and acting less
carefully than as an 18 year old. This basic biological difference between 16-year-olds and 18-year-olds is one major reason why the rumor about the new drivers’ law could become more than just a rumor. Among the few reasons that this rumor may never become law is that legislation has been suggested for years but has never actually been put into action. Perhaps our legislature doesn’t quite believe that it’s necessary to make the change yet,
Politics
2006 Midterm Elections: Democrats Gain Power
Ian Rapoport ‘09
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Senator Joseph Lieberman
Governor Jodi Rell
For the past several years, the Republican Party has held the majority of the seats in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. But, after the November 7 midterm elections, their power in Congress has greatly decreased. The Democrat party is now in the Republicans’ position, having a majority in both houses of Congress. The Democrats did better than anyone could have expected possible. To gain majority in the House of Representatives, the party needed to gain 16 seats - they gained 28. The Senate elections were not so lopsided as a whole, as the Democrats gained just the 6 they needed to win. The Democrats won the Senate due to very close wins in Montana and Virginia, with Jon Tester of Montana and James Webb of Virginia prevailing. How did such a huge shift in power occur? Many believe that it stems from the public’s view of Republican President George W. Bush. Bush’s approval rating is now 43% and has been as low as 31% during 2006. Others attribute the Democrats rise in power to rising oil prices. Another issue that could have led to the shift is the war in Iraq. Many people have opposed the war and do not like the way that the Republicans have handled it. One can speculate, but it is impossible to pinpoint one reason why such a shift in power has occurred. In Connecticut, a significant Senate race took place between the current Senator Joe Lieberman, who ran as an Independent, and Ned Lamont, the Democratic nominee. Lieberman, who has been Senator for 18 years, has recently been criticized for making decisions that supported the Republican Party rather than the Democrats who voted him into the Senate. Lieberman’s popularity dropped to such a low point that he actually lost the Democratic primary election to Lamont earlier this year. However, Lieberman ran as an Independent for the general election and was re-elected. Lieberman, though, has asked to be viewed as an “independently-minded Democrat” rather than just as an Independent.
Democrats also now have the majority of governors in the country. Republican Governor Jodi Rell of Connecticut was re-elected in a landslide victory, though, avoiding dissatisfaction with Republican incumbents. On a more local note, Democrat Linda Schofield defeated Republican Rob Heagney in the election for state representative for the 16th house district. Heagney, the incumbent representative from Simsbury, fell victim to the general mindset of dissatisfaction with Republicans. A very important local issue on the ballot was whether Simsbury should purchase 336 acres of land from The Ethel Walker School. There was a great push to save the land from being turned into a residential development, not only to preserve the
town’s beauty but also to protect the Stratton Brook Aquifer located on the property, a source that supplies over 60% of the town’s water supply. The Trust for Public Land has committed to raising $2.75 million toward the purchase. In the end, the town voted to buy the land. Susanna Jones, head of the Ethel Walker School, said, “We are grateful to our Simsbury neighbors who supported this measure.” Overall, the 2006 Midterm elections were exciting, with very close and significant races taking place both locally and across the nation. The United States saw a shift of power in the legislature from Republicans to Democrats. We do not know how things will play out over the next two years, but change is imminent.
Dear Editor, The article entitled “Retired Robin Hoods Take From the Kids and Give to the Rich” from the previous issue is completely unfair. The author seems to completely disregard the fact that retired senior citizens no longer have a source of income after a lifetime of work and are therefore dependent on the Social Security we pay in order to survive. Although Social Security may mean having to give up a few extra dollars, a sacrifice that may seem unfair to someone new to working long hours and expecting more payment, we must keep in mind that the money is going towards helping people who have worked all their lives to build the society we know today. In addition, the actions of the presidents criticized in this article, most prominently the policies of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who led the United States out of the Great Depression with his radical financial modifications and “New Deal” and brought the country through World War II before dying in office after an unequalled four terms, have definitely helped more than hurt in the long run.
Letter to the Editor
It is alarming that the article complains about “the progress we’ve made in modern medicine”, which means that “the elderly are living longer so we have to pay them longer.” Yes, it certainly is unfortunate that we’ve made significant breakthroughs that allow people to enjoy life with their friends and loved ones longer... I find it rather sad that the generation gap has now apparently become so wide that teenagers today are wishing the older generation would die off to save them money. Certainly there are teenage workers who would like to be paid more--who wouldn’t? However, considering that retired citizens today have struggled through their own teenage years and beyond to provide a future for us, the least we can do is support them through their retirement and thank them for what they’ve done to allow us to live the comfortable lives we do today. Most Sincerely, Emma Doyle, Class of ‘10
Politics
A Nation at War - Or Are We?
Emma Doyle ‘10
been done yet? In times of war, the government is allowed to take actions it normally can’t in peace to help end the conflict, and international agreements such as the Geneva Conventions, which address the treatment of prisoners of war, come into effect. However, Congress has avoided a debate about declaring war, which would force Americans to recognize a definite enemy and to consider radical options such as instigating a draft or calling for immediate removal of troops from Iraq. Instead, we continue to press on towards an undefined goal. Why are we still fighting our overblown “armed response?” That has not yet been made clear. Perhaps it’s because we haven’t declared official war in over sixty years and wish to maintain our reputation. The last time war was officially declared by the United States was by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt during World War II. Although the United States did not have (and still does not have) an official method for declaring war, Roosevelt’s document headed “Declaration of War” was approved by Congress a day after Pearl Harbor, and the United States was officially considered at war with Japan and its allies. Ever since Japan signed a peace treaty with the United States on September 2, 1945, we have legally remained in a state of peace—even the Vietnam War, the most recent large-scale conflict in which the U.S. military was involved before Iraq, was not legally a war, although it went on for over a decade. However, the war in Iraq has been sold to the American public as a true, legal war, and many are under the impression that we are in the midst of a global conflict. Though Iraq is undoubtedly very serious and has provoked worldwide concern and, in some cases, respons-
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President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signs a declaration of war against Japan on December 8, 1941
In addition to “The War in Iraq,” the American occupation of Iraq has been called the “Global War on Terrorism,” “The Iraqi Freedom War,” and even “World War III” by the public. Want to know the truth? It’s not a war at all. Although we may think of it as one, the war in Iraq has never been legally declared a war and still remains classified as an armed response, in this case to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Five years after 9/11, we still remain in a state of “armed response,” but one that has caused over 50,000 military and civilian deaths and shows no signs of ending. The United States has two choices: to declare official war in hopes of ending the conflict, or to pull out of Iraq permanently. The question is, why hasn’t anything
es from other countries, the fact that some are calling it “World War III” is more than a little discomforting. Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said, “This is not a criminal action…this is war” after the devastating terrorist attacks of 9/11, and his words are now a rallying cry for many pro-war politicians. In all legal senses, though, he’s wrong, and literally he may be as well—we have evidence that the events of 9/11 were caused by a terrorist group not solely based in one country, in which case our reaction should definitely be a response to a “criminal action.” Instead, we’ve invaded Iraq and toppled its government instead of taking action against the terrorists directly responsible for the tragedy. The idea of declaring war also raises an issue—who are we really fighting against? If the president writes up his own document entitled “Declaration of War,” who will be the ones we’re declaring war against? Terrorism is too vague in this instance—there are terrorists all over the world with many different ideas and methods, and we’re not fighting them all. If the war in Iraq is to continue, we need to confront that blank space in the page and make a final decision about continuing to fight this conflict before it joins the United States’ other prolonged “armed response” as a lost cause and a waste of lives. Sources: 1. http://iraqbodycount.org 2. http://washingtontimes.com 3. Google Images
A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Words
Alyssa Ascare ‘08
ing point where all members of the United States can once again feel a sense of national unity, pride, and success? The movie Flags of Our Fathers describes the events that take place after the famous picture of the raising of the American flag by six American soldiers at Mount Suribachi at Iwo Jima. The image evoked a sense of national patriotism among Americans. Within a short period of time, the image became a symbol for victory and success. It raised people’s morale, helped to get citizens to buy government war bonds to help fund the war, and most importantly, it reunited a nation. There has been much debate about the war in Iraq. Some believe that our country did the right thing when we decided to invade the Middle East; however, many others think that the entire thing has been a huge mistake. Before our country completely gives up hope, we must remember that there are still soldiers fighting for America. We have family and friends fighting for our country; we cannot let them down for they have not let us down. I wonder if a single image will change the war around for us like it did for us during World War II. I wonder if an event, something as simple as the raising of the American flag in a war-torn country, will help to mend our hearts and extinguish our fears of defeat. We have seen that an image can bring out the best and most honorable qualities in humanity. I don’t see why this cannot happen again and help us to get through this difficult time and more importantly, help our soldiers. America is a strong and resilient country. I think it is possible for one moment, one image to help to define and shape American success and support for our troops.
To say the least, no matter whose side you’re on, our nation is weary of war. People are wondering when our troops will be able to return home. Will they return when victory is reached or when defeat is inescapable? Will there be a certain moment, event, action, or picture that will help create a turning point for the American people? A turn-
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Spreading Thanksgiving Joy to Those in Need
Una Neal ‘08
Every year in November, we all hear announcements made on the intercom about the Turkey Trot, but few know about the history of this annual event. The Farmington Valley Turkey Trot was started by Jack Bannan in 1993, and is part of a larger organization known as Foodshare. Jack Bannan is credited not only for actively helping out his community year-round, but also for helping lead a collection of turkeys around Thanksgiving. Foodshare is a well-known project, concerned with collecting food for those in need in and around Hartford. They collect over 11 tons of food every day and give it to shelters. This organization not only generously helps the homeless, but also helps the environment at the same time. Working with a group called the Food and Hospitality Industry, Foodshare collects food that is not sold in stores but is still consumable. These efforts help reduce the amount of good food that ends up in landfills. The Turkey Trot has become a very popular and well-known contributor to Foodshare. Specializing in gathering turkeys and non-perishable foods, the event successfully collects hundreds of birds for Thanksgiving every year. There are many organizations around Connecticut that work with the Turkey Trot to help feed the homeless. The Lions Club and Simsbury Police, for example, have taken part in giving to the people who really need cheer around the holidays. Just like these two organizations, our school system has also made important contributions to Foodshare. From November 1st to the 15th, Simsbury students were encouraged to bring in food and donate money to help with the cause. Junior Nabila Khan appreciates the project and its goals. “I admire the Turkey Trot project and what it does to help out the homeless,” commented Nabila. The Turkey Trot’s success over the years has not only fed the homeless around the holidays, but has also helped raise awareness for Connecticut’s less fortunate. This food drive has brought communities together to help everyone have a plentiful Thanksgiving holiday. With the help of people like the inspirational Jack Bannan, the Turkey Trot has and continues to feed, inspire, and unite people around Connecticut. For more information, go to www. foodshare.org, call (860) 286-9999, or contact Mr. Provost, an active contributor to the Turkey Trot and former Simsbury High School English teacher.
We Must Act Now
Rachel Mestel ‘07
United Kingdom Treasury, studies the economics of climate change. The review seeks to reveal the challenges that economies around the world will face as climate changes increase in the future. If global warming is ignored, Stern believes that an economic catastrophe, comparable to that of the Great Depression in the 1930’s, will ensue. In order to prevent a great disaster from occurring, Stern suggests that about $200 billion be immediately spent on the problem of climate change. He also recommends extending the “cap and trade” system of Europe through which carbon emissions are limited to a certain level. This policy would decrease the rate at which the average temperature of the earth increases and would give us more time to fix what we have already done. If we do not attempt to prevent global warming from destroying our planet now, we will pay for it in the future. Once the temperature of the earth reaches a certain point, we will not be able to turn back. The world will have to pay about $9 trillion to repair the global economy; melting glaciers will reduce water supplies for about 17% of the world’s population; declining crop yields, especially in Africa, will cause starvation; and rising sea levels will affect millions of people each year. Stern also predicts floods and droughts will make large areas of the Earth uninhabitable and will create a migration of about 200 million refugees. One specific area that is in danger is the Sahara Desert. With an increase in the planet’s temperature, the desert will spread out, causing inhabitants to move farther north and east. The large migration into neighboring countries will cause overcrowding and social turmoil. Global warming is occurring now, and we cannot just sit around and deny the truth. We must take action to save our planet.
Could this be us someday??? Image Courtesy of Kate Ravilious (www.ecotourismblog.com)
Many of you have probably heard something about the global warming issue. For those of you who are not familiar with this theory, it involves the increase in the Earth’s average temperature caused by the greenhouse effect. However, there is more to it than that. The Stern Review, started by Sir Nicholas Stern, an economist with the
Can You Hear Me Now?: Cell Phones in Schools
Hillary Borrino ‘10
they are used. For an example of how phones are helpful, let’s look at the parents’ favorite use. Many students stay after school every day for various clubs, activities, or extra help. The buses have all left before 2:30 (except the late bus, of course, which incidentally does not stop in some areas like mine), whereas many activities run until an hour past. Let’s say that we have twenty clubs and five people in each (which is a woeful underestimation, but this is hypothetical). If half of those people arranged their rides beforehand and six clubs were meeting on the same day, that’s still fifteen people waiting in line at the office for the phones. Would you want to be at the end of this line, waiting while your own activity began? I think not. You might instead want to use the handy cell phone in your backpack, make a thirty-second call, and saunter off to your club. Forgot your lunch? Just call home for it. Forgot your project? Again, you can call home for the forgotten article. An office phone serves the same purpose, but let’s suggest that this is first period. You know anybody at home is off to work by 8:45, and you forgot the key part to your quarter project. No, this is emphatically NOT recommended (do try to avoid such situations), but a cell phone might save that World Civ grade. As you can see, cell phones have quite a bit of practical uses (aside from the convenience of calling your friends, family, significant other, pizza, etc.) What about the negatives of cell phones? Well, some of the problems of cell phones are evidenced by the simple rule prohibiting cell phones from being on outside the cafeteria during school. Which, actually, is understandable; teachers have a hard enough time gaining the attention of twenty children in one small room without their having the ability to chat with friends outside of class. What’s the problem with cell phones being on during school? • They’re disruptive. Have you ever
FEATURES
6
Of course, you’ve heard about the “Mosquito Buzz,” pun unintended. I’m talking about the new, high-pitched, uber migraine-inducing ringtone that people are talking about. No? You haven’t? I doubt that. However, as a refresher - there’s a new “mosquito” ringtone that only people under the age of forty can hear. Does this sound like science fiction to you? It sure did to me! Then I went online and found a sample. Hearing is believing; I can’t hear the 17959hz tone, but the 15102hz tone is perfectly audible, and sounds a little bit like static to the ear. To listen for yourself, go to http://saunderslog. com/2006/06/12/the-mosquito-ring-tone-thisadult-can-hear-it/, the web site hosting the tones that I listened to (there are four versions in all). No, this new ringtone is not the subject of my article. Rather, the coincidence of its arrival with my planned topic made it a good introduction to the true thesis: should cell phones be in school? Though Simsbury High School allows the use of cell phones in the cafeteria and after school, the debate still continues. I know this seems like a trick question to both teachers and students, but honestly, it isn’t. Cell phones are like any technology, from the Internet to automobiles to government-issued missiles: they can be put to both helpful and destructive uses, depending on how you use them, what they’re used for, and at what times
heard a cell phone ring in dead silence? If you haven’t (and I think you’re in the minority), the silence doesn’t last much longer. Heads turn, and pencils go down. • They’re annoying. Now, I like music; I like ringtones; I like the idea of cell phones in general. However, picture this: you’ve spent the entire day rushing from one classroom to another, planning assignments, trying to comprehend what on earth the teacher is saying then, when you think you’re done, at the end of the day, exhausted, a cell phone starts ringing. Fall Out Boy is playing acoustically in a high, reedy sound, about as aggravating as being poked. Repeatedly. On the back of the head. Seeing the number of cell phones ringing in class. I don’t think this rule is being enforced. These are all serious troubles, but an issue you might not think about is the possibility of: • Cheating. Two students, for example, were allegedly caught “texting” during a test, meaning that they were sending the answers to each other over their cell phones. Notes might be saved on phones, or phones might be used to call friends during a test, say, from the bathroom. The last two examples are hypothetical, but you can see my point. The mosquito tone could, obviously, further enable cheating, allowing students to call each other during the test without the teachers’ knowledge. The hands-free headsets for driving might, ironically, enable one to receive answers via phone without ever looking up from their paper, except to open the inaudibly ringing phone in his or her pocket. Though Simsbury High School seems to have come up with a solution to the issue of cell phones in school, there are still issues that need to be addressed. Given the many positives and negatives that cell phones provide to the school experience, the debate over cell phones in school has and still continues to be discussed, both in Simsbury and across the nation.
A Satirical Look at the Pressures of College Prep
Jessica Dolman ‘08
STRESSING, MASS – After much deliberation, the officials of Stressing Public Schools have produced a brilliant new education program designed to prepare students for applying to college. Initial reviews have been optimistic, and many self-proclaimed education experts have endorsed the idea. The plan begins by administering an Infant Aptitude Test to two-month-old students. The test simply asks questions concerning algebra and literature. Students entering kindergarten will then be placed in AP classes in finger painting and play-doh, and will be given the option to visit with a career counselor, much to the delight of parents. “Colleges are on the lookout for strength in extracurricular activities” says Principal Margaret Overachiever, so as the students progress through elementary school, they will be put through a light extracurricular course that involves running for national office and climbing Mount Everest. Those who are unable to keep up with the program thus far will be beaten senseless and shot. Friendly competition will be encouraged throughout high school, and the faculty is expected to host routine “weenie roasts,” at which the student with the lowest GPA is bound naked to a spit and poked by fellow classmates with hot prongs. In order to preserve this safe and productive learning environment, the occasional opinionated student will be sent to reform camp, where he or she will undergo a series of brainwashings free of charge to the parents. The completed program is expected to give Stressing students “an edge” over kids from other schools when the time for college applications approach. “All we want is the best for our kids,” says Ms. Overachiever, “which means finding the most effective means of producing well-rounded students who will win scholarships from Harvard and Yale.” The long-awaited program will be put into effect next month.
FEATURES
Sami Sikorski ‘09 & Rachelle Robinson ‘09
Almost everyone who experiences an eating disorder does so during his or her teenage or adolescent years. They usually develop in people with unusually low selfesteem. It is proven 95% of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25. In addition, 50% of girls between the ages of 11 and 13 see themselves as overweight. Similarly, 80% of 13-year-olds have attempted to lose weight. Common eating disorders include binge eating, bulimia, and anorexia. One widespread disorder that is rarely recognized is binge eating. People with this eating disorder frequently eat large amounts of food and feel a loss of control over their eating. This disorder is different from bulimia, because people who binge usually do not purge after they eat. Many people do have times when they eat a lot, but such cases do not mean that a person has binge eating disorder. It is normal for teenagers, especially boys, to eat a lot at points. Binge eating disorder usually involves frequent times during which a person eats large amounts of food shamefully or in secret, with the inability to control what or how much he or she eats. Occasionally, some also engage in strenuous exercise so they do not gain weight after binge eating. Some health issues that are linked to binge eating are diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, gallbladder disease, heart disease, and certain types of cancer. Another common eating disorder is bulimia. Bulimia consists of a cycle of binging and purging. When purging, one tries to rid his or her body of the food obtained during binging by making himself or herself throw up in an unnatural way and/or taking laxatives. Some signs of people with bulimia are that they use diet pills and go to the bathroom for long periods after they eat. One can also tell if someone has been throwing up. They have swelling of their cheeks or jaw area, cuts or calluses on the back of their hands and knuckles, and have some teeth that look clear. Bulimics also act depressed and do not see friends or participate in activities very often. Bulimia can dehydrate those affected, giving them irregular heartbeats, causing ulcers, and creating abrasions on their knuckles. One of the most well known eating disorders is anorexia. People with anorexia starve themselves. Some common starvation techniques are excessive exercise, intake of
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Eating Disorders 101
laxatives, and simply not eating. People with this eating disorder believe that they are fat even when they are extremely thin. Many people with anorexia refuse to eat in public. They are usually weak, have brittle skin and shortness of breath, obsess about calorie intake and are constantly anxious. People with anorexia also have low body weight, wear baggy clothes, act moody or depressed, and weigh themselves many times a day. Many medical risks come from anorexia, some of which are shrunken bones, mineral loss, low body temperature, irregular heartbeat, and permanent failure of normal growth. It is proven that one percent of teenage girls in the United States have anorexia nervosa and up to 10 percent may die because of it. Many teenagers have an eating disorder, and most people do not even notice. Eating disorders are major health problems among American adolescents, so please look out for and help anyone you know who may seem to be suffering from one. Information courtesy of the Simsbury High School Health Department (Please see Ms. Sparks-Bakota for further information)
Virtual High School: A Modern Way of Learning
Trevor Condren ‘08
assigned. Weeks are run differently in VHS than in regular school; a normal week in VHS is Wednesday to Tuesday. On the VHS website, teachers will give out assignments with their due dates, and then the students can go on whenever they want to complete the assignment. Also, on each teacher’s website, there is a discussion board where students can ask questions and talk about the homework. Most available classes are one semester long, with a few two-semester classes. Ms. Rountree is also involved with VHS. She is currently teaching a class on The Golden Age of Classical Greece. In her class, she teaches about the history, art, philosophy and literature from this time period. She teaches the class by leading discussions as if she was in front of all the students in the class. She also has students interact with each other on the discussion board for a grade. Ms. Rountree also gives weekly quizzes and reading assignments, but readings and papers comprise most of her students’ work. She assigns multiple papers over the course of a semester, which she sends back to the students with feedback so that the students can improve. Students who are interested in taking an online class can visit govhs.org to see a list of the 150 available courses and can go to guidance to sign up for the class. However, there are only 25 spaces per class, so there is a possibility that one may not be able to get into a certain class for next semester. Classes range from academic level to Advanced Placement and cover many subjects. Students can take any of the four core subjects (science, math, English or social studies) or a different class that one may find interesting. There is a class on almost anything one can think of, including criminology, pop music, and mythology, and all classes provide credits for graduating high school and entering college. Virtual High School is now a new way for students to take classes and learn more about subjects in which they may be interested. Any student wanting to learn about subjects not covered at Simsbury High School is urged to check out the VHS website and discover all the available opportunities.
Virtual High School, also known as VHS, is now being used here at Simsbury High School. Simsbury’s VHS program is run by Ms. LaClair, who is the site manager for Simsbury High School. As site manager, Ms. Laclair looks at grades and makes sure that all Simsbury students are keeping up with their work and that their grades aren’t slipping. She also helps to distribute any books that students may need to take their classes. VHS is a worldwide way of schooling - students can sign up for classes that are run completely online. Each class can enroll up to 25 students who may be from Europe, Asia, or anywhere else in the world. Teachers run the classes online by creating a VHS website using a program known as “Blackboard.” Students then access the web site when they want to and do whatever work is
Next-Gen Game Consoles Boast Power and Innovation
Greg Hebert ‘07
By the time you’re reading this, it’s already happened: the hysteria, the dissolution of the hype, and even several shootings will have faded from memory, only to be seen again as Christmas comes even closer. I’m referring to, of course, the launch of the latest next-gen video game consoles, namely Nintendo’s Wii and Sony’s PlayStation 3. Considering the fact that they’ve been in the news for months prior to their release, just about everybody knows about the more famous aspects of each (such as the PS3’s ridiculous price tag and the Wii’s overall weirdness). But unless you’ve been crazy or lucky enough to actually get your hands on one, you’re likely not to know all of the specifics. This article is for the rest of us who want to give more consideration to what we want to get trampled over while trying to buy later. There’s really no contest when considering the hardware capabilities of each. The PS3 has enough power to rival the most upto-date desktop on the market, containing an eight-core CPU dubbed the “Cell,” where the primary CPU is backed up by seven secondary processors. These specs essentially mean that the system can potentially blow away the competition in terms of graphics, enemy AI, and overall game quality. It also comes standard with a Blu-ray Disc drive, allowing Sony game discs to hold 25 GB worth of information (50 for dual-layered discs). By comparison, the Wii’s processor runs at 700 megahertz, less than that of the original Xbox. The Wii’s discs are also only capable of holding 8.5 GB of data, though this is still a big improvement over the GameCube’s 1.5 GB limit. You get what you pay for, of course. As of the PS3’s launch on November 17th, prices have tended to hover around $500 for a lowerquality system and have reached up to $700 for those with all the trimmings. Considering the system’s capabilities, though, the lower price isn’t quite as much of a joke as the Xbox 360’s “Core System” deal upon its release, which left out many necessary features (such as its multiplayer capabilities). The PS3’s game prices are also above average, leaping from the $50-$60 range and potentially approaching the $100 mark. By comparison, the Wii starts and stays at only two hundred and fifty bucks, with games at around fifty. Concerning the games themselves, both systems have their fair share of launch titles. PS3’s Resistance: Fall of Man has received good reviews all around, mostly because it looks better than almost anything on the market today. As the PS3 is backward-compatible with all previous Playstation titles, it also boasts an impressive starting library for fans who haven’t sold all their old games on eBay. The future also includes The Elder Scrolls IV, a lauded RPG for the Xbox 360, as well as the fourth installment of the Metal Gear Solid stealth-action series. The Wii’s launch line-up consists mostly of ports in addition to the much-awaited Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess, which may be what sells the system. More notable is not its backward-compatibility with GameCube titles, but its ability to play any previous Nintendo title through its Virtual Console feature, which will enable players to download everything from the NES and SNES for a fee and possibly through amassing points gained during normal play. Be warned, though: many consumers who bought the console on launch day were disappointed to encounter roadblocks when they attempted a download, due to a variety of problems Nin-
FEATURES
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tendo has yet to iron out. New features for both consoles include capabilities for limited forms of web browsing, with the PS3 undoubtedly offering more options. Likely of more interest to the gaming community is the Wii’s controller, with which many people may not yet be familiar. The Wii remote boasts an innovative design both in form and function. The controller is entirely motion-sensitive, reacting to the player’s actions in addition to button input. The Wii’s titles make full use of this capability, with games having the player go through the motions of their onscreen avatars: how one waves the remote in The Legend of Zelda determines how the protagonist swings his sword to attack enemies, and firstperson-shooter titles have the player aim their weapon at the point on the screen they wish to hit. Additionally, a “Nunchuk” accessory can be attached to the remote so that they can be used in tandem in certain games. While it’s been met with skepticism from many circles, the “Wii-mote” could potentially revolutionize how games are played in the future, as well as attract a more casual audience unused to normal controllers. Both consoles are also supported on widescreen television, with the PS3 boasting HDTV capabilities. Some consoles, including the PS3, have had bewildering problems with certain television systems, but such incidents are isolated. In the final equation, it’s obvious that the PS3 has a leg up on the Wii in terms of sheer gaming power. However, Nintendo carries a big name and has produced a variety of uniquely fun games during its run. It’s really too early to pass judgement on either system as of yet, and either will likely be considered a good buy in the long run.
FBLA Leadership Team Plans for Success
Cori Hopkins ‘08
The 2006-2007 FBLA Officers From Left to Right: Brandt Smallwood, Marium Afaq, Matt Blumenthal, Cori Hopkins, and Phil Bruno
The Simsbury High School chapter of FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) has started on the right foot this year. The newly selected officer team consists of President Cori Hopkins, Co-Vice Presidents Phil Bruno and Brandt Smallwood, Secretary Matt Blumenthal, and Treasurer Marium Afaq. This leadership team has been meeting every other week, with general FBLA meetings in between, in order to accomplish as much as possible for the year. They have attended the Fall Leadership Conference at the Grand Con-
necticut Hotel in Waterbury, Connecticut. There, the leadership team listened to different speakers talk about topics such as leadership and goal setting. By working with club advisor Mrs. D’Onofrio, the officers hope to accomplish many things. They hope to hold a career day with guest speakers from different careers in the business field. Additionally, one of FBLA’s biggest fundraisers, the March of Dimes “Pink and Blue Jeans for Babies,” occurred this past month. This fundraiser was created to raise awareness and money
for babies that are born with physical and mental disabilities. By purchasing a button for $5 and wearing pink clothes and blue jeans on Thursday, November 18, students and faculty showed support for this great cause. The Simsbury chapter of FBLA raised over $700 for the March of Dimes. FBLA also hopes to expand the School Store by purchasing new products such as clothing and spirit items. At the very beginning of the year, the leadership team came up with three main goals. The first goal for the year was to increase revenue; the main way of accomplishing this objective is to increase sales from the School Store. Another goal was to participate in different events throughout the year in hopes of obtaining a Silver Recognition at the Spring Leadership Conference. Finally, they hope to increase active participation from all members of FBLA. In the upcoming year, then, if all goes well, it looks like there will be many successes from the Simsbury chapter of FBLA. New members are always welcome at our meetings – they’re a great way for anyone to learn about business and become involved in an extracurricular activity.
FEATURES
Where is the Senior Lounge?
Casey Brennan ‘07
place where seniors could sit back, relax, and simply enjoy being on the top of the social totem pole. Since September, however, very little seems to have been done or even said about the senior lounge by the administration. While the NEASC visit consumed the attention of administrators, teachers, and even students, seniors began to wonder if their dream would ever become reality. The seniors’ bewilderment may be best expressed by a recent submission to The Forum Box that simply but emphatically asked, “Where is the sen[i]or lounge?”, an anonymous testament to the seniors’ still-present desire for a place of their own. As it turns out, the administration has been working behind the scenes with Student Council to prepare for a senior lounge since the school year began. Mr. Zalaski has already met with Student Council President Dave Dobkin to make some preliminary plans. According to Mr. Zalaski, the room slated for the senior lounge, which is located near the library on the first floor, is all set for furnishing. The main reason for the delay, Mr. Zalaski explained, was that the room needed to be used as a temporary storage area for boxes full of construction records. Now that construction is finished, though, the records have been moved, and the room has been emptied. He continued to add that the creation of the senior lounge was to begin in earnest as soon as possible after Thanksgiving break. “We’re literally all set to go,” he said. “We’re literally all set to go.” Mr. Zalaski plans to continue to meet with Dobkin, senior class co-presidents Mark Connolly and Arthur Werneck, and other senior members
A good place for all seniors to relax...
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Rumors regarding the possibility of a senior lounge have meandered through Simsbury High School ever since the administration announced plans for one at the senior class meeting back in September. Gradually, members of the Class of 2007 grew excited about the idea of a
Submit to The Forum!!!
Do you have something to say about this issue? Something you would like to comment on or don’t agree with? We encourage all students to submit any comments, responses to articles, opinions, or even shout-outs to our Forum Box located outside our library. If you would like to be identified, please include your name and year of graduation. All suitable items will be included in our next issue of The Forum on the Bathroom Wall.
of Student Council to finalize plans. Mr. Zalaski expects the lounge to be completed well before the start of the second semester. Meanwhile, senior members of Student Council have been brainstorming to decide what should go in the lounge. Some preliminaries ideas, according to Dobkin, include “a tv, Xbox, sofa, computer, bulletin board,” and even a fresh paint job. As Mr. Zalaski and Dobkin both explained, it’s completely up to this year’s seniors to decide what should go in the lounge. The administration is committed to giving entire control of the lounge to the seniors; unlike the library, there will be no sort of security policy – instead, the lounge will be self-monitored by seniors. However, legislative restrictions on what materials can be brought into the school building may hinder current plans. Any furniture in the school must meet certain legal standards for criteria such as fire retardation, among other things. As of last week, Mr. Zalaski and senior Student Council leaders planned on meeting with Head Custodian Mr. Hewey sometime this week to determine exactly what materials can and cannot be brought into the lounge. Overall, though, it looks as if any anxieties that seniors may have had about the disappearance of the senior lounge can be put to rest. With the full support of the administration, plans for a senior lounge will become reality over upcoming months. As Mr. Zalaski said, “I think it’s going to be exciting.” The Class of 2007 no doubt echoes that feeling.
Turkey Time
Well, the turkey’s been eaten, all of our relatives have gone home, we’ve stopped hearing stories about Pilgrims and Native Americans, and yes, unfortunately, we don’t have another long break until Christmas. Thanksgiving is over; another whole year until there is so much food that the table is completely buried. But before our jeans started to feel just a little bit tighter, I went around asking my classmates what they were thankful for. Some of the answers I got were very predictable. Many people, like Melissa Seghatoleslami, Drew Poole, and Taylor Renwick, were simply grateful for everyday things like their families, friends, and music, and how they help them out so much. They all have a good point: sometimes we should stop and remember the ordinary things that make our lives so full. After all, without them, where would we be? A few of my classmates were grateful for different everyday items. Some said that they were grateful for different foods, like muffins, cupcakes, ice cream, M&M’s, and chocolate cake. Jen Calzarette told me that she was thankful for fluffy pillows, and Molly Dafgek said that she was appreciative of puppies. And then there were the vacations from school. Some were just grateful for having study hall more often, while others, such as Sam Alfieri, were thankful for having so many more early
The FORUM
Editing Staff
Editors-in-ChiefAndrew Blutt ‘07 Casey Brennan ‘07 News- Rachel Mestel ‘07 Arts and Entertainment- Alyssa Markowitz ‘07 Features- Jackie Imse ‘07 Editorials/Commentary- Nabila Khan ‘08 Sports- Rahul Rao ‘07 Bathroom Wall- Jordan Shafer ‘08
Leah Shafer ‘10
closings on Wednesdays this year. Additionally, a few of the people that I interviewed told me that they were appreciative of snow days and the Thanksgiving and Christmas vacations. On the other hand, some of the answers I got to my question were completely unexpected. One person said that they were thankful for “…not being a starving child in Africa [and] not having any STDs.” Another one of my friends, Elena Warters, said that she was appreciative of the fact that George Bush only has two years left as president. And someone else told me that they were grateful for the fact that gravity pulls us downward. But I think the answers that really touched me the most were those of people that realized how well off many of us at SHS are. Melody Markel said that she was thankful that she has a roof over her head and that she doesn’t live in poverty. Others, like Ivy Pac and Kelsey Keegan, said that they were thankful for having a safe community and the opportunities that are offered to us on a daily basis. Grace Jasminski even went a step further to say that she was grateful for all the everyday things that we take for granted. All in all, I think that I’m thankful that I asked so many people the same question and got so many different answers. I hope that we all learn to appreciate how much we have in life, even when it’s not Thanksgiving.
Faculty Advisor:
Ms. Robbins
All opinions expressed in editorials, commentaries, and Bathroom Wall materials are solely the authors’ and are not those held by the The Forum or its affiliates.
HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY?
Submit editorials to Rm. B234, come to our meetings Monday Afternoons right after school, submit opinions to our Forum box (located outside the library) or email us at: SHSForumNewspaper@ gmail.com.
Trojan Logo on Cover: David Fagan ‘06 Alumnus
FEATURES
The Inner Workings of The Forum
Jordan Shafer ‘08
“The cast list for the winter musical.” Because no one who wants to will be able to figure that out. “A review of our football season!” Again, everybody who cares already knows. “An interview with Mr. Sullivan!” About what? We’ve already covered breathalyzers and security cameras. “We have to do something about the Turkey Trot. I promised we would,” Andrew ventures. Nobody volunteers to write about the Turkey Trot. Sadly, no one seems to care about this food drive. “Please,” says Andrew, “I promised we would.” At last, some poor junior gives in and agrees to write, mostly because he has no other ideas and doesn’t want to think of anything, but also because he feels bad for Andrew. Two or three people get up and leave just as an unrecognized student enters. He fills up paper towels and plastic cups with snacks, candy, and soda. He sits down and begins to input his own silly, non-school-approved ideas. “Oh yes, everyone, this is Joe,” says Ms. Robbins laughingly. “He’s enjoying his, um…detention,” as she looks at the feast spread in front of Joe. While Ms. Robbins introduces her detainee, more and more article ideas from writers and editors alike are being written on the board, and another five or six kids leave for athletic practices. “All right,” Casey says, “what about comics? We’ve been using that same little drawing of Nabila’s of the kid overloaded with homework in every issue since last winter’s.” The hands finally come up. Everyone wants to draw, it seems. After volunteering to complement everyone else’s finely crafted articles with cartoons, It’s been a long, tiring, mind-numbing Monday, as Mondays tend to be. But it’s finally over, and I can report to my newspaper meeting where creative thought is fostered and valued. The meeting is filled with about twenty teenagers, all eager to write. The first thing I do after entering good old room B234, an English room belonging to Ms. Robbins, is head for the table next to her desk. It’s filled with soda, snacks, and sweets: refreshments to seduce us, the tired teenagers, to come to this meeting. I pick up two plastic cups and fill one with Goldfish crackers and another with freshly-opened, extra fizzy, extra sweet Coca-Cola. I take my snacks and slump down in a desk, scattering my backpack, books, and coat on the floor as I greet my friends. Casey and Andrew, our esteemed editors-in-chief, are about to start the meeting. “First off,” Casey says in a slightly bored voice, his head tilted slightly to the side, “I want to congratulate you all on a wonderful first issue. Well done. The one problem we did have, however, was getting articles in on time. Guys, it is incredibly important that all articles are in time so that this publication comes out at least with some frequency. I want to have more than four issues this year, and I think you all do, too!” After Casey’s rant, the meeting can start. “Okay,” Andrew says as he begins to flail his arms around like someone doing the robot dance might, “article topics are due in exactly one week and we need to start brainstorming ideas now.” Casey and Andrew continue to ask for topics for a few minutes, their voices becoming more and more frantic and desperate as the lack of raised hands continues. Finally, the ideas start to flow. “A profile of our ballroom dancing club.” Again.
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five or six artists leave. There aren’t that many of us left. And that’s when it strikes me! My idea for the next issue: a creative piece poking fun at one of our own Forum meetings. I mean, who doesn’t want to know what happens behind the closed door of room B234 on a dreary Monday afternoon? My hand shoots up enthusiastically. Andrew calls on me and I tell him my idea. “Well, I don’t know” he says, “It would be funny to us, but I’m not sure that everyone else in the school will appreciate it.” But I’m confident. I assure him that it will be worthwhile and begin to brainstorm material. And now here it is: your very own insight into the creative genius that takes place during a Forum meeting. And, of course, it’s been sent to the editors a day late.
(Solution on Back Page)
Sudoku Fun!
Photobooth!
Congratulations to the Varsity Girls’ Field Hockey Team on Their Second Place Finish in the Class L Tournament
Photo Credit: Meaghan Griffin
Congratulations to the Boys’ Soccer Team on Their Class LL Championship!!!!!
Photo Credit: The McMath Family
The Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country Teams, Following Their Class L Championships
Photo Credit: Tom Crowley
Arts and Entertainment
Borat Crosses the Line, But Still a Hilarious Success
Trey Boggan ‘07
Very rarely does the combination of scatological humor, cultural satire and prejudiced jokes form a good comedy movie. However, Mr. Borat Sagdiyev (actor Sacha Baron Cohen) somehow makes it work in his film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. As the seemingly innocent foreigner from the nation of Kazakhstan begins his “cultural documentary for make benefit” of his glorious nation, so begin the endless laughs, looks of shock, awe, and sometimes even horror that this movie elicits. Borat (as I will now refer to the film, for brevity’s sake) begins in New York City and ends – where else – on the opposite coast, Los Angeles. Borat’s goal, after watching an episode of Baywatch on television in New York, shifts from filming his documentary to making Pamela Anderson (who resides in L.A.) his wife. Along the way, Borat meets Americans from all walks of life and interacts with each person (or group) he meets in very unique ways, making for some often unexpected results. Borat’s shtick consists of three main elements – prejudice (against Jewish people and the Roma race, commonly known as gypsies), ignorance (of American culture), and sexual humor, and almost every encounter involves one of these. In each encounter, Borat tries to learn about some aspect of American culture, but does so in a way that is very personally revealing. People take him seriously and often tell him their honest opinions, re-
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Borat! The Official Movie Poster Image Courtesy of Google Images
vealing many deep-seated sentiments of racism, bigotry, and politically incorrect views. However, not everyone Borat meets is shown in a negative light. While Borat’s questions and mannerisms reveal much that is wrong with American culture today, it also shows how hospitable, polite, and highly tolerant many Americans can be. When Borat proceeds to ask ridiculous questions to his subjects, such as “How fast would this car have to go to kill a gypsy?”, the car salesman gives him the benefit of the doubt, and responds with a very straightforward answer: “40 miles per hour should do.” This accommodating attitude is shown to an even greater degree in many of Borat’s other escapades and only as Borat continues to push it to the limit, do his subjects respond to him disap-
provingly. While Borat is certainly a political and cultural satire, let’s face it – it is also an outrageous, offensive, and daring comedy with the intent of making the audience wet themselves with laughter. Unfotunately, Baron Cohen often goes too far with some of his jokes. He audaciously steps over the line of harmless humor into the domain of crude, offensive, and even overtly racist remarks. However, the prejudice-based jokes do have a limit – when Borat does eventually come in contact with real Jewish people, he never once directly insults or berates them. In fact, Baron Cohen himself is a practicing Jew. While this does not justify every remark made in the movie, it does point out the fact that Baron Cohen himself has learned not to take some things too seriously, but rather to combat prejudice by minimizing it with humor. Borat can therefore be appreciated (or despised) on many different levels. It has immature humor to appeal to your screwball comedy fans, profound cultural satire to appeal to the thinking person, and all sorts of funny situational humor, often with precise comedic timing. Borat is certainly worth the 9 bucks, but do not go mentally unprepared. Leave all your notions of political correctness at the door when you see this movie, and you will learn to fully appreciate the film. Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5: too much anti-Semitic humor, but otherwise a brilliantly hilarious movie.
A Director’s Perspective on the Fall One-Acts Festival
Sarah Doran ‘10
Most of the school knows about the Fall One-Acts Festival, which was held on October 22nd. Afterwards, I got to interview the director of “Here She Is!”, Julie Rumbold, about her experiences as a director. Q: What did you think of your directing experience? A: I had an awesome time doing it. What the cast doesn’t know is that I’ve been taking director’s workshops since January of my junior year. We did 20 hours of work, reading through scripts, finding our scripts, [and] getting everyone casted. It was an amazing experience to do all this work and to get the final product. I loved it to no end! Q: What do you think was the most challenging thing about directing? A: Casting. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. Q: What do you think you would change now that it’s over? A: Well, there’s nothing that I really could change. I know now that I could have been a little more prepared in a few areas, but there really wasn’t much I wanted to change about it. I was really happy about the end product. We went through so much work. I’m proud of my whole cast. I could talk [for] a couple hours about how proud I am. [By going through] difficult times, I believe you get stronger in the end, and I think that made me a better director. Q: Would you do something like this in the future? A: In a heartbeat! I am probably planning on doing something with my friend, Jeff: another directing thing, like the One-Acts. We’re planning on it, but we don’t know yet. We’re hoping to do more directing soon. So, yeah, I would do it in a heartbeat. Q: Would you encourage other students to get involved in directing? A: Yes, I would encourage anyone to direct: any student who loves theater, loves acting, or loves technical things (lighting, sound, sets). Go for it! It’s a great experience! There were so many people who said they wanted to do it but weren’t sure about it. Go do it anyways. It’s so much fun working with the cast. I had a ball. I loved reading the scripts and learning about the scripts. I loved learning every single thing about backstage. I was just amazed at how much there is about theater [about which] I’ve never learned. I’m just happy I learned it. Go for it. Q: What did you have to go through to get to this point? A: We did the classes. We started in January (of junior year), and every three weeks we would come for two hours. We did ditto after ditto after ditto. [In] classes, he (the teacher) would explain what we were doing, would give us a packet, and we would work on them for a few hours. We had nine packets [in all], and we were working into the summer! We came in the summer twice! [Then], we worked on all our scripts. I read about 15 scripts to get ready for the play I picked. Some people went through about thirty of them. One kid went through about forty. All the problems we had were insane, but we loved it! It took forever. We got our audition sheets together. We casted everybody. We blocked the whole play. I came up with the lights. I did the sets. My stage manager (Emma Koeniger) and choreographer (Brittany LeBoeuf) had to help me out with that stuff. It’s a lot of work. If you want to do this in your future, get ready for some work. I had so much fun, though!
SPORTS
Boys’ Cross Country Cruises to Class L Title
Sean Slattery ‘09
The boys cross country team captured the Class L Championship at Wickham Park, a reward for a season of hard work. Simsbury had strong performances from seniors John Carpenter, Brian Keefe, Eric Fischer and juniors Jon Verrengia, Justin Mullen and Sean Callahan. Senior captain Bryan Crowley led the Trojans by finishing fifth overall with a time of 17:19. Jon Verrengia finished right behind Crowley in sixth place with a time of 17:23. John Carpenter followed, crossing the finish line in 17:35 for tenth place. Senior Brian Keefe ended his run just twenty-one seconds after Carpenter, which placed him eighteenth, making him the last Trojan in the top twenty. Justin Mullen ran hurt, but still managed a time of 18:09, well enough for twenty-sixth place. Sean Callahan finished fortieth at 18:40, and first year runner Eric Fischer followed two seconds later for forty-fourth place. Placing three runners in the top ten helped secure a victory. There was improvement in some of the runners since the last time the boys ran at Wickham. Callahan tied his previous time and Verrengia managed a one second improvement. Crowley and Keefe each reduced their times by eight and sixteen seconds respectively. The greatest improvement came from Carpenter, who cut his best time by thirty-three seconds. The team was coached by Mike Cohen, who ended Simsbury’s twelve year title drought. The win was made sweeter by the fact that the team lost by just two points to Conard the previous year. Before the season started, Cohen said, “This team has the potential to win a state championship.” The potential was there, but injuries played a major role in their season. The pounding of running took its toll on many of Coach Cohen’s runners. Senior Rohan Shertukde, Sean Callahan, Justin Mullen and soph-
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omore Mike Picard were afflicted with injuries. Despite those problems, the team was still able to finish thirteenth in the State Open out of twentyone teams. “You have to be good; you also have to be lucky,” said Cohen. The talent was there, but a few bad breaks kept the boys from reaching their full potential. Although they didn’t win it all in this year’s State Open, there will be just as great of an opportunity for success next year. Bryan Crowley, John Carpenter, Brian Keefe, Eric Fischer, and Rohan Shertukde are graduating, but there is plenty of talent to fill the holes. Jon Verrengia, Justin Mullen and Sean Callahan will be back and look to improve on their strong seasons. Coach Cohen will count on runners from the current sophomore and freshmen classes. He is optimistic about next season, noting, “We are looking to reload, not to rebuild.” We’ll have to wait and see next fall.
Update: Girls’ Cross Country Wins Class L Championship
Jesse Imse ‘10
For the second year in a row, the girls’ cross country team won the Class L Championship at Wickham Park in Manchester on October 30th. Captain Stacey Marion led the girls by placing 6th; close behind in 10th place was captain Jackie Imse, followed by senior Jessica Gilbert in 13th, freshman Kylie Brasel in 14th, and captain Maggie Glass in 25th. Additionally, freshman Jessica Soja finished 40th and junior Kristin Calzarette finished 69th. The varsity girls ran their hearts out to win the title. Jessica Gilbert, Kylie Brasel and Jessica Soja were new additions to the team this year and have done a great job consistently running on the varsity squad throughout the season. The team followed their victory in the Class L championships with a second place victory at the State Open, finishing ahead of rival Glastonbury, who finished third. They headed to Rhode Island to compete at the New England Championships in the second weekend of November.
After Rough Start, SHS Football Finishes Strong
Matt Galici ‘08
Evan Gross at Homecoming game vs. Hartford Public Photo Courtesy of Simsburygridiron. org
Sudoku Fun!
(Solution)
After a 0–3 start, the Trojans won four of their last seven to finish at 4–6 overall (3–2 in the CCC North) in Coach Grace’s final season. Simsbury’s first win came on Homecoming Saturday against Hartford Public. The Trojans used a steady running attack and stiff defense to defeat the Owls 14–11. After a good first win, Simsbury traveled south to take on perennial powerhouse Southington. On Friday night, October 13th, Simsbury fought hard, but came up short in Southington. The Blue Knights defeated the Trojans 48– 24 in a game where Southington’s pass-happy spread offense simply overwhelmed the Trojans. The Trojans, who were in the game for the first half, simply ran out of gas in the final two quarters. Although the result was a loss, Simsbury’s offense played well, scoring 24 points, a season high at that point. This loss made Simsbury hungry going into their third league game, against Manchester High School. On a cold, windy night, Simsbury traveled to Manchester to take on the Indians. Simsbury’s offense and defense completely overwhelmed the Indians. Because of the adverse conditions, the running game was emphasized. Simsbury’s offensive and defensive lines dominated the trenches en route to a 39–16 drubbing of the Indians. The Trojans’ consistent rushing game controlled the clock while the defense stuffed Manchester’s offense. The 39 points put up by the Trojans was a season high. The next week, the Trojans hosted the powerhouse New Britain High School. New Britain recovered the opening kickoff and subsequently scored 21 points in the first five minutes of the first quarter. New Britain never looked back and scored a 34-7 victory over the Trojans. New Britain’s strong and consistent running game was too much, and the Trojans could never dig themselves out of the early 21–point hole.
After falling to New Britain, our Trojans took on the Hornets of East Hartford. East Hartford controlled the first three quarters of the contest. The Hornets had built a 26–8 lead by the time the fourth quarter had rolled around. Although the Trojans’ odds were not good, they never gave up on this frigid Friday night. East Hartford incompletions coupled with turnovers let the Trojans back into the game. Two long touchdown passes brought the Trojans within a score of reach the Hornets. With under a minute left, Simsbury completed the comeback with their third touchdown of the quarter. After the defense held, Simsbury had an amazing 27–26 comeback victory in by far the most exciting game of the season. Coming off their amazing come–from– behind victory, the Trojans traveled to neighbor Bloomfield for their final away game of the season. After a strong opening half, the Trojans were nursing a 14–6 lead. Bloomfield’s offense, which had averaged 28 points per game, was held to only 6 for the majority of three quarters. Unfortunately for the Trojans, Bloomfield’s offense hit their stride, and Bloomfield won 33–14. On Senior Night, Simsbury hosted rival Glastonbury in Coach Grace’s final game of his career. A first half that was dominated by defense was broken open when three touchdowns were scored in the final five minutes of the half. Simsbury, who scored two of them, took a 14–7 halftime lead. During halftime, Simsbury honored their head coach of seventeen seasons with a framed jersey that has the name “Grace” and the number “1” on the back. Throughout the second half, Simsbury’s defense dominated, coming up with stop after stop. Fittingly, the defense provided the last big play of the game, an interception return for a touchdown. These points increased the lead to 20–7, the game’s final score. Appropriately, a couple members of the team dumped the water cooler on Coach Grace as the seconds ticked down. When it was all over, a 20–7 upset victory over rival Glastonbury was a perfect way for Coach Grace to end his career. The 2006 Trojans fought through early struggles and losses to finish strong. Even though the Trojans finished with a 4–6 record overall, they finished 3–2 in the CCC North division, third out of six teams. In conclusion, the football team ended strong, showing great promise for next season.