Inklings October 10, 2014 Issue 3 Founded in 1933 inklingsnews.com
PHOTO DRAMATIZATION BY MEGAN ROOT ’15
Many
people,
including
BOE, questioned the decision to proceed with these STEMthe district should integrate the
integrating the arts back into the curriculum. Landon, a prior “all students should enjoy the opportunity to study and be engaged with the humanities, math, science, music, art and the
Elliott Landon, Superintendent explained at the Dec. 2 meeting that the goal will be to integrate the arts back into the STEM curriculum. He noted, “It should until you integrate the arts, and we aren’t there yet.” When asked why we aren’t “there yet,” Landon could not be reached to comment.
FULL STEAM AHEAD On Dec. 2, 2013 a STEM-based curriculum for the Westport public middle schools was implemented. STEM is a series of courses focused on the application of science, technology, engineering and math. Many people felt these changes were at the expense of drama and music.
Westport debates the ‘A’ in STEAM arts programs and engineering curriculum Jackie Sussman ’17
T
he
Westport
Board
implement a STEM-based
schools on Dec. 2, 2013 in the in STEM areas.
technology,
engineering
and
discussing the proposed STEM program over three meetings, decided to institute a design and engineering course that would meet once a week in sixth and seventh grades and twice a week in eighth grade. To make room in the
administration cut the eighth grade drama/presentation skills class and sixth grade general
BOE, the new STEM program was not intended to deemphasize the arts in any way; rather, their was “centered on increasing cross-disciplinary linkages between engineering and design and the arts...enhancing both
shares
Landon’s
that students’ development is enhanced by the comprehensive said. med student at Duke University and national -award-winning violinist, said, “There’s no one than the other. I actually consider me to decide.”
class that is new to the Staples curriculum this year, said,
and our entire community.” Ryan Mather, a current senior at the Rhode Island School
the arts they won’t be able to make
a
curriculum.
well-rounded
curriculum.
Soni, whose interests are more STEM-oriented, recognizes the
other.”
Whitney, the BOE has decided to “build upon STEM and explore integration with the arts.” The administration is scheduled to present its recommendations
2014-2015 school year, Westport administrators also agree that
10, 2014 meeting.
Mather said, “is challenging the idea that these disciplines are mutually exclusive and creating which resulted in cutting artrelated programming, including
Westport,
New concussion legislation signed at Staples by Governor Malloy Katelyn DeAgro ’16 & Quinn Hughes ’16 Governor Dannel Malloy signed the new concussion legislation on Sept. 29 at the
the signing, including Malloy, Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe, Sen. Danté Bartolomeo, Rep. Diana Urban, Executive Connecticut
athletes. The drive to pass HB 5113,
Interscholastic
Elliott Landon and the Westport Coyne. The Westport moms pushed in youth sports to the next
High
School
athletes
Inside
Opinions Features A&E Sports
7 12 19 24
who
2010 law, implementing several changes in hopes to treat concussions more seriously and
the Legislature’s Children’s Committee. The bill expands upon a
parent or legal guardian within 24 hours. Previously, according to participating in any intramural or interscholastic athletic activity.” up a plan that details the required steps young athletes must take and extracurricular activities. In
The bill expands upon a 2010 law, implementing several changes in hopes to treat concussions more seriously and more effectively.
concussion or head injury; • proper medical treatment; • concussion, including a warning
this plan there must be written materials, online concussion training guides or in-person training, and it must include: • a statement recognizing
treating concussions.
Students dive into the workforce
Page 17
receiving a concussion. • the steps and procedures injured player is reintegrated into an athlete and a student. •
Malloy, these changes will, “set brain injuries to heal.”
NEW FOODS FEATURED IN THE CAFETERIA
Page 9
WESTPORT CELEBRATES RESTAURANT WEEK
Page 19
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Inklings
October 10, 2014 | News
In Brief Wider variety of lunch choices attracts students Staples SAT Exam Oct 11
Amina Abdul-Kareem ’15 & Grant Sirlin ’16 unches are supposed to
L
students
use
their
Ludlowe, Danbury and Weston high schools to take the exam.
Elliott Landon, the decision to
30
“I always skip lunch to study will not be a test site, but many
Consoli said.
students. “With so many students, and with so many individual
and haven’t thoroughly studied. One last review always helps,” Gilli Rozynek ’16 said. However, skipping lunch
provide something healthy and
those students who have sports
part. “Many things are becoming whole wheat, and although I wish
by the Early Decision deadline.
our students,” Landon said.
still here, it is healthier to not
Staples Fall “Parlor” Choral Concert
believers. “It’s essential that athletes get a pre-game snack so
Oct. 15 Starting at 7:30 p.m. and ending at 8:30 p.m., the Staples High School Chorus, Chorale, Choir
at the highest level,” Wick said.
ing songs under the theme “Old and New.” The groups will sing songs exclusively pre-1600 and post-2000.
students. The newest additions to the smoothies and new meats to add to personalized sandwiches.
said. Some students are so excited about the changes that they wish they could have access to Principal John Dodig believes
machine with boxed sandwiches, now that would be something,” Dodig said. PHOTOS BY CAROLINE LANE ’16
were added, Olivia Consoli ’16,
PSAT
like that,” Kenji Goto ‘16 said.
Oct. 18
OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW Options are now offered in the cafeteria from companies including Boar’s Head, which has won awards from Cooking Light magazine, and Naked, which prides itself in sustainable practices and natural ingredients.
juniors on this date. Students will use this practice exam to Oct. 10 and the price will be $65.
ACT Exam Oct. 25
Staples High School will not be a test site, and many students exam.
machine was invented in Greece to dispense holy water.
Ninety-eight percent of schools have vending machines.
There is a live-crab vending machine in China and a pecan-pie machine in Texas.
Staples Players presents “Hello Dolly!” Nov. 14-17 Staples Players travels back to they embark on the adventure
all-time, and now makes its way to the Staples stage. GRAPHIC BY MEGAN ROOT ’15
Vending machines go unused and unnoticed Aileen Coyne ’16 Tucked away in the back
“I bought chips once like three
the hallway leading into the
I was really surprised that it worked.” For the students who are aware that the vending machines
Staples student body. Despite many
turns many away. They are
students’
“I don’t use them because time,” Minahil Salam ’16 said.
hooked up to prepaid accounts. her choice not to use the vending
machines. The vending
machines
Public Schools, there is no set
students’ routes to class. were centralized in the school Max Wimer ’15 said.
as needed. Even with the consistent
hour availability, between the
disregard the vending machines
are always broken, students continue to be reluctant to use the vending machines.
October 10, 2014 | News
S
or the Foxtrot, she “likes to keep students seem to share this love
couple thousand students
throughout the school day. Yet the school does not become completely silent and deserted into the evening, there are some surprising activities going on. Every Tuesday around 7 p.m. the bridge on the second students sitting about, studying and socializing. In their place is Way to Fitness and Fun.” The Continuing Education classes
dance. Whether she’s teaching
“I love, love, love to dance, something Westport
structured. resident
and
with the culture,” Ballesteros said.
The
these courses that go on each week, some students are not
new
Jorgensen said. Ed classes that begin this month also revolve around exploring something new in a relaxed include Gluten Free Baking, Yoga and Intro to Drawing and academic-oriented courses as well, including Basic Conversational Spanish taught by Staples Spanish teacher Horatio Ballesteros. Ballesteros says the course is not nearly as advanced as the Spanish courses he teaches at school. Instead,
Continuing Education at Staples
Despite the abundance of these courses that go on each week, some students are not aware of their presence. speak the language, or they have a relative at home. There are so many cases,” Ballesteros said. dance
class,
conversational
Ferguson ’18, said he did not know these courses were held, and in Staples too. Yet, “It makes sense. Our school is so big,” Ferguson said. Other students like Shane
to
M
co” oc r o
“It’s weird that adults are learning in the same classrooms that we are,” Rabacs said. Regardless, students seem to
Quincy Cuthbertson ’17 said. “In a relaxed environment we would
o “D
and dance instructor, said her class revolves around learning
culture, geography, and travel destinations,” Ballesteros said.
Spanish also revolves around exploring something new. “The course isn’t graded. The whole
“T ra ve l
Jenny Lupoff ’15
3
Inklings
gO
“ Bu
ng
or S
elling
O ur
on Ebay”
wn Terrar
iu
m ”
“Cr eat
eY
o
yi
bedi ence”
PHOTO BY GRETA BJORNSON ’15
DANCE CLASS Members of the “Dance Your Way to Fitness and Fun” course, Sonia Stoloff, Margaret Larkner and Peggy Jorgensen follow instructor Sandra Adamczyk’s lead as they dance to “Long Train Running” by the Doobie Brothers. The course is open to all ages and levels, and meets weekly.
World Briefs U.S. Midterm Elections
ISIS
The mid-term elections, which will take place on Nov.
Islamic State, is a radical Islamist group with a declared mission to create an Islamic State, a nation with Islamic law and government, according to BBC News.
the Presidential elections and are a sign that the United States is on the road to the 2016 presidential elections. People have associated the mid-term elections as the
estimates at least 13,000 square miles are under ISIS control, meaning about eight million
about nothing,” according to The Washington Post. In an interview with The New York Times, Congressional elections at the
Sharia law. The United Nations recently released a report detailing the human rights abuses perpetrated by ISIS, including child abduction, rape and the execution
start I was happy with my job. streets. But then I started to get
President Barack Obama recently outlined the U.S. plan to
aid.
Diego stated, “Modest economic growth, divided government, a midterm election in a president’s However, there will still be big competition. Using the past to predict have shown that Republicans Senate and the House, according to The Washington Post. It is elections, seven more seats will be occupied by Republicans in the Senate and 10 more seats will be occupied by Republicans in the House, also according to The Washington Post.
estimated the Ebola hemorrhagic has killed over 3,400 people and now the largest Ebola outbreak in history is concentrated in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Staple s
Alix Sommers ’16 & Megan Root ’15
Ebola
SIDEBAR BY CLAUDIA LANDOWNE ’15
Scho h g ol i H
Geographic, the disease has spread so rapidly in part because the medical resources to deal with the crisis. Doctors Without Borders more
treatment
centers
and
House press release, the U.S. has committed 4,000 troops and yet to arrive. The U.N. is in the “emergency health mission,” headed by Westport resident outbreak. Globally, concern is growing other countries through traveling doctors and citizens. The U.S.
reported in Spain on Oct. 6, when
a priest who was in quarantine
large-scale outbreaks in the U.S. or Europe. Nevertheless, President Barack Obama says he is considering extra screening at
BBC News. On Oct. 6, in a CNN interview, President Obama this a top national security priority. This is not just a matter
4
October 10, 2014 | News
Inklings
Tech-infatuated parents put kids to shame Lulu Stracher ’16 ccording to stereotypes, Millennials are entitled, lazy and social mediaobsessed. They get more work done on Facebook than assignments and are more
humiliation when it comes to their parents being online. Facebook all the time about embarrass me,” Daisy Laska ’16 said.
doesn’t writhe in pain watching his parents trying to zoom in on about technology than I do. He is constantly trying out the latest was released- and is rather good
with computers in general. I use internet, and gaming, and that’s pretty much it,” Pogue said. While many see parents
them.
average student as a drawback,
parents are still getting used to technology. But, social media is great because I can keep in contact with them when I need
parents are more connected than
Emily Eldh ’16 said.
more plugged in than they used online vary. Dylan Diamond ’17, new studies have shown that students’ parents, Baby Boomers and Generation X, are just as or more tech-obsessed than their children are. Ninety-two
his parents do. “I use technology more programming, but my parents
percent check their kids’ activity parents snapchatting, tweeting overwhelmed with how much access their parents really have to their lives. “My mom has a snapchat, so put in my story. I don’t want her to have access to what I’m doing ’17 said. Other students are
and emailing. They rely less on it than I do, but it’s still important to them,” Diamond said. While many students are technology than their parents, Kelly Pogue ’15 is a rare Pogue, is a tech correspondent Sunday Morning and has written over 100 books about consumer electronics. Kelly is one who
PHOTO DRAMATIZATION BY ELIZA GOLDBERG ’17
TECH TIME Seventy-one percent of parents say the internet, cell phones and iPods make their lives easier, and 94 percent of parents are online, according to Pew Research.
Inklinations:
“My dad texts really slowly, and I had to teach him how to text...he doesn’t know how to do anything but text.” —Brittany Braswell ’15
“I don’t think they did much with technology before I was born, but as far as I can remeber they’ve been good.” —Max Kaplan ’17
“My mom is, but my stepdad isn’t. I think it’s because my mom works with him...and she helps him.” —Maddy Sell ’18
Neighbors have mixed reactions to the new YMCA Jackie Cope ’15
28, a ribbon was cut, but the new Y’s doors remained closed. Its waste-water treatment is approved by the state, but it was awaiting approved, the Y remains closed.
The building, which takes up 54,000 privacy than downtown, but also has some
“I think it’s nice they’re getting a new facility, but I don’t think it is completely necessary.” —Mehar Kirmani ’15 “The changes to the Y are pretty useless, to be honest. I think it’s nice they’re
GRAPHIC BY MEGAN ROOT ’15
completely necessary,” Mehar Kirmani ’15, who lives close to the new Y, said. Sydney Sussman ’15 can see both
was dug up in order to put in new pipes, causing massive potholes. Paving her road
Sussman noted. But now that construction is over, and the ribbon has been cut, Sussman is more enthusiastic. “It is actually so convenient that it is a
the waste-water treatment is approved, lights were put in, and the road was also expanded in order to combat excessive
October 10, 2014 | News
Seniors scramble to make early deadlines
I
5
Inklings
Out of the Darkness Walk shines light on suicide prevention Katelyn Deagro ’16
Justine Seligson ’15 sheets to guidance no less than
sun was shining brightly in the sky. Many people were still at camp or on vacation. The a whole other dimension. However, Lexy Iannacone ’15 was spending her summer
deadline. This year, guidance September 15. For students with an October 15 deadline, this gives them just one day to get their materials together.
Darkness Walk on October 11 at the Sherwood Island Park. The education programs to prevent suicide nation-wide.
September 15,” Brown assured. one, not two but all my schools is crazy,” she said. Iannacone is
accept transcript requests.”
total schools she’s applying to all have deadlines earlier than November 15. Guidance counselor Thomas Brown advises students to apply in a school, especially given
“Students want to hear the
Decision. “While it’s not a golden ticket, it can give you a little bump in acceptance,” Brown said. Iannacone explained that she is applying early everywhere so that she can get the process over with sooner.
not have to wait until March,”
on,” she said. With schools like Wellesley Georgia having deadlines as soon as October 15, prospective in quite the time crunch. This means applications bite into the Iannacone’s case. There is also the practical issue in that students need to hand
met amazing and inspirational people,” Max Rothstein ’17 said. Suicide claims more than 39,000 lives every year in the United States alone, according Statistics Fatal Injury Report. With an attempt made every minute, suicide hits everyone age or ethnicity.
students apply, the sooner we With USC on average receiving more than 20,000 applications each year, Scrivens to review between October and December is necessary. such early deadlines, Scrivens reminded applicants that the on completing applications on time and in good quality. Brown echoed a similar message. “Take a deep breath, use your counselor and stay organized,” he said.
Photo of seniors handing in transcript request froms
PHOTO BY JENNY LUPOFF ’15
SINGLE FILE SENIORS Jackie Abrams ’15 and Sydney Robison ’15 take advantage of the two-hour time slot between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to see Ms. Ketley about their transcript request forms.
GRAPHIC BY JESSICA GROSS ’15
and time to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness and suicide so people will access interventions that have been proven to reduce suicidal ideation and behavior,” Christine Moutier,
in suicide prevention research and education in schools, communities, workplace and money donated goes to expenses supporting the research, while the lean 17.9 percent goes toward
suicide and developing ways to
genetic, behavioral and biological
educational programs teach the warning signs and illnesses that may lead to suicidal thoughts
dollar research study examining
prediction, an understudied area
community walk, the campus walk and the overnight walk. The community walk is what is occurring on October 11 raise awareness and money. “I’m walking because it’s a great cause. When suicide is the year, we need to take notice and to try and stop it,” said Max Rothstein.
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Inklings
October 10, 2014 | Advertisement
Opinions
October 10, 2014
7
GRAPHIC BY OLIVIA CROSBY ’15
Learning should be simple
W
e want to learn. And we want to be taught. But being smothered by new initiatives can become detrimental to our learning process.
Inklings EDITORIAL
In 2010, Westport 2025 was implemented into our curriculum to strengthen students’ critical-thinking, creative, communication and problemsolving skills. In 2013, the school
Inklings
district added STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) to the middle school curriculum at the expense of some art classes. Yet, on Nov. 10, the administration will present replacing STEM with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics). Westport 2025 instructs teachers to promote critical changes. But students already have to think critically in any class they take. We don’t need Westport 2025 to tell s to do so. We don’t need the initiative to tell our teachers to help us think creatively and globally and with communication in mind. We all
do that anyway. Westport schools cut back on the arts when STEM was implemented last year and now we’re phasing the arts back in with the move to STEAM. We’re confused. What’s the difference, in regards to arts, between what we had before STEM and what is being presented as STEAM? From what we can tell, money, time, energy, effort and resources could have been saved if we didn’t
Editors-in-Chief Zoe Brown Bailey Ethier
News Editors Greta Bjornson Sophia Hampton Deanna Hartog Megan Root
Silver Crown Award for Inklingsnews.com from Columbia Scholastic Press Association 2013
Managing Editors Alexandra Benjamin Caroline Cohen
Silver Crown Award for Newspaper Columbia Scholastic Press Association 2013
Web Managing Editors Nicole DeBlasi Cadence Neenan
Pacemaker from National Scholastic Press Association 2013
Breaking News Managing Editors Andrea Frost Taylor Harrington
All the opinions, news and features in this paper are those of Staples High School students. Inklings, a curricular and extracurricular publication, has a circulation of 1,800 and is uncensored. All letters to the editor must be signed. The editorial board reserves the right not to publish letters and to edit all submissions as it mines all editorial opinions, which are authored faithfully by the Editors-in-Chief. Inklings reserves the right to not publish advertisements that promote products that could be harmful to student health. The paper is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association and supports the Student Press Law Center.
Directors of Social Media Mat Jacowleff Larissa Lieberson Associate Managing Editors Gabrielle Feinsmith Claire Lewin Photo Coordinator Justine Seligson Creative Directors Claudia Landowne Katie Settos
So tell us, why? Why were these changes made? If these initiatives have had a positive impact on our students and our school system, we haven’t heard about it. But
Opinions Editors Emma Berry Quinn Hughes Emma Lederer Izzy Ullmann Features Editors Claudia Chen Jackie Cope Jane Levy Margaux MacColl A&E Editors Jessica Gross Sarah Sommer Renee Weisz Emily Wolfe Sports Editors Claire Dinshaw Dylan Donahue Adam Kaplan Fritz Schemel
we’d like to. Because right now,
effects. That’s not to say that education initiatives, such as STEM and Westport 2025, are all bad. Maybe STEM helped a kid realize his or her interest in engineering early so he or she could pick relevant courses throughout high school. Maybe Westport 2025 made a student realize that the lessons he or she is learning really do connect to the real world. But in a successful school district like Westport’s, where a majority of students are motivated to learn, these initiatives aren’t necessarily necessary. Web News Editors Kaila Finn Daniela Karpenos Web Opinions Editors Julie Bender Michael Mathis Web Features Editors Rachel Treisman Jane Schutte Web A&E Editors Zach McCarthy Blake Rubin Web Sports Editors Talia Hendel Jimmy Ray Stagg Business Manager Kacey Hertan Assistant Business Managers Chase Gornbein Jacquelyn Sussman Web Multimedia Editor Adam Kaufman Graphics Editor Olivia Crosby
Spend money, time, energy, effort and resources on improving what we already have rather than creating more and more new programs. Don’t just do things for the sake of doing them. And talk to us. We have opinions that we want to share with you before you make decisions that impact us, like the addition of these initiatives. We have opinions that we want to share with you after you make these decisions, as we are the ones who experience the changes Consider taking a step back. Let our teachers teach. Let our students learn. It’s as simple as that. Advisers Mary Elizabeth Fulco Rebecca Marsick Cody Thomas 70 North Ave. Westport, CT 06880 Phone: (203) 341–1994 Inklingsweb@gmail.com Decisions of Inklings and Westport Public Schools are made without regard to race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, disability or any other discriminating basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law.
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Inklings
October 10, 2014 | Opinions
Fantasy football throws students in a spiral Did my invitation get lost in the mail?
Avid users need a reality check Michael Mathis ’15 alking through the lunchroom during Period 3 free is really a cultural experience more than anything. When I’m sick of learning about equations and Taft, I can walk through the lunchroom and hear the conversations “Well we got Manning, and he always pulls it out in the third quarter!” “No, I traded Jackson. Now my team is stacked, bro!” I have no words. Only thoughts, like, why? I mean, what are we doing? We are a spry group of folks, youthful and powerful. So how is it that according to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, teenagers have suddenly become 20 percent of all fantasy sports users. Look, I have been an active sports fan my whole life. I’ve sat in the rows of Shea Stadium and Citi Field; I’ve wooted and hooted when the beloved blue-and-orange
W
aged 14-18 can range anywhere from 1,800 to 3,200 calories for boys and girls (Eatright.org). That is approximately 700 more than the recommended average for adults (2,500 for men, 2,000 for women). With access to more calories and a higher metabolism, we are gaining all that energy without slipping into the slovenly 40-year-old-given-up mode. Sweat across the forehead can come from actual physical activity, not just because our imaginary starting linebacker was fake-
Jenna McNicholas ’15 While a majority of senior girls spent painting phrases such as “Can’t Touch Th15” and “K15s My Class” onto their cars, ironing their senior girl shirts and test-blowing their whistles, boys across town were doing something entirely different. These groups of boys sat behind
I may be a girl, but that certainly doesn’t mean I’m not down for a good bag of Doritos and some NFL player banter.
accident. So, there’s no need to feel like
for an autograph or six. But I never felt like I “owned” them. Yet, fantasy sports allow this feeling of entitlement. “Aw man, I just got my main man, David Wright! Suck it!” a and a backwards hat said. I mean, David Wright is a real person. He has a family and kids and, no, he’s probably not your “main man.” I’m sure he’s got his own group of friends. Don’t insert yourself into his life just because you paid a league fee. If you really want to get close to this guy, maybe write a detailed letter or get a cardboard cutout of him. In addition, why talk about these sports all day when there’s no time like the present to get involved. According to Daphne Oz, a health specialist and former host of ABC’s “The Chew,” the teenage metabolic rate is at its fastest in the adolescent years. After age 20, the rate declines at about two percent per decade. Also, a healthy caloric intake for those
GRAPHIC BY OLIVIA CROSBY ’15
you need celebrities to make your life complete. I struggle with that everyday when I read a People’s Magazine. But one day, when you look in the mirror for a good long while, you’ll be able to think to yourself , “I can do this,” and not “What have I done?”
It’s not that girls aren’t allowed to be in fantasy football leagues… It’s just that I never got an invitation (maybe it got lost in the mail), and I’m not one to pull a Regina George and show up at Cady’s house when I’m clearly not invited. I may be a girl, but that certainly doesn’t mean I’m not down for a good bag of Doritos and some NFL player banter (if
and an ample supply of Doritos and Red Bull, staring intently at their laptop screens while speaking didactically with appropriate jargon about a controversial and popular topic: Fantasy Football. Now, let’s take a look at my use of pronouns- it was solely the “boys” that were lounging around and participating in the fantasy draft, not the “girls”. But why does fantasy football have to be a boy activity?
that’s what you call it). I’ll admit, I’m not the most knowledgeable when it comes to strength of schedule or knowing if a receiver is good only because his quarterback is, but I’m a tiger, and if there’s a competition going on between boys in our school, I see no reason why I shouldn’t be a part of it. I encourage girls to attempt to join the bandwagon and use their knowledge, even if it is limited, and break through the gender stereotypes that we believe to be in place when it comes to this competitive league. I mean, who knows? Maybe I could have a hidden talent when it comes to choosing a player who will earn the most “points.” I know it’s too late to join now, but I expect an invitation sitting on my doorstep next year.
The addiction that can’t be kicked Cooper Boardman ’17 To the average person, the terms “Yeezy” and “Foamposite” sound like gibberish; but to some students, it makes perfect sense. We go by “Sneakerheads,” and I can admit I’m one of them. Hours are spent poring over sneaker blogs, groups, and pictures, desperate for the newest shoe to appear on eBay. And every Saturday morning, I wake up at the ungodly hour of 7:59 a.m. to prepare for the newest shoe release at 8:00 o’clock a.m. Yes, teenage boys actually have their eyes wide open before 8 a.m. on a weekend- for sneakers. The most common question asked of us is “Why?” Why would anyone in their right mind ever care so much about something that goes on your feet? Many guys invest in sneakers because each pair has its own story. Sneakerheads buy signature shoes from their favorite basketball players, like Michael Jordan or LeBron James. Some kicks are centered around events, such as Black History Month or Christmas. Others are simply for a good cause, like pink ones for Breast Cancer Awareness. I can understand why some think it’s strange. But really,
it’s no different than someone trading and collecting baseball cards or sports memorabilia, except people who collect cards; don’t have the perk of getting to wear them each day.
Yes, teenage boys actually have their eyes wide open before 8 a.m. to prepare for the newest shoe release at eight. Sneaker collecting is a culture, and only Fellow Sneakerhead, Gabe Leitner ’17 explained he can strike up a conversation with anyone who is invested with sneakers, because sneaker collecting is a culture. That culture offers many interesting lessons, especially in history. Sneaker brands have always been tied in to prominent historical events. For example, in the 1992 Olympics, the USA Men’s National Basketball Team
SHOWING OFF HIS KICKS Avid shoe buyer and seller, Cooper Boardman ’17, displays his most
valuable kicks including Yeezys, and Air Jordans. covered the Reebok logo sewn into their gold medal jackets on the podium because many of those players had contracts with Nike. At the time, it produced a huge controversy, with headlines
PHOTO BY JULIA ETHIER ’17
splayed across U.S. papers such as “Cover-up Discloses Nike Won Shoe War Barcelona 1992.” It’s normally girls pining for new shoes and clothes, but now that guys are sharing in
their enthusiasm it’s possible the obsession with kicks could make its way to t-shirts or pants. Only time will tell, but for now Sneakerheads will stick to what they know best-- kicks.
October 10, 2014 | Opinions
Inklings
In with the new food, out Sophia Hampton ’15
T
here are two things as a high school student I have come to value above most other things: food and sleep. for the other, it’s an altogether unfortunate situation. But here I am, a senior girl, waking up 20 minutes earlier to pack myself a lunch because I can’t rely on the cafeteria for a nutritious meal anymore. Sure I could eat from the salad bar Monday through Friday, but eating the same thing each day is neither healthy nor desirable. On the surface, the Staples cafeteria seems like it has made vast improvements towards health. They added sushi, Naked fruit juice and many more gluten free options such as Udi’s bread. However, one salad bar and a few plastic containers of soggy vegetable mixes are not appealing enough incentives for students to choose health over the endless supply of Doritos, mac and cheese, french fries, quesadillas and cookies.
...here I am, a senior girl, waking up 20 minutes earlier to pack myself a lunch because I can’t rely on the cafeteria for a nutritious meal anymore. In addition, many options that students perceive as healthy are not. In fact, The Mighty Mango Naked juice has more in common with Mountain Dew than it does an actual mango. In drinks have around 30 grams of sugar, 30 grams of carbs and no protein. The inclusion of sushi is another example of food that is not as nutritious as it seems. A simple cucumber roll has over 10 ingredients
sweeteners and food coloring, according to its packaging. This roll also has 960 mg of sodium, almost half of the daily allowance recommended by the FDA. It also has 12 grams of sugar, more than the amount of sugar in a Rice Krispie Treat and Fruit Roll Up combined, not to mention there are 0 grams of protein. This $5 carton of empty calories is money that could be better spent on improving what the cafeteria already serves, such as the fruits and vegetables we are “required” to have with our lunches. The quality of our fruits and vegetables is lacking and as a result, apples and bananas often get passed up for french fries and pizza. Currently, much of the fruit served in the cafeteria is not organic. The Environmental Working Group publishes a list of the most pesticide-ridden nonorganic fruits and vegetables sold in the US every year, and apples top the list. We could and should be buying organic fruit from local farms in Connecticut. This not only supports local farmers, but it’s better for the environment, it’s better for us and it tastes better, too. I’m not saying there needs to be a new menu in the cafeteria. I’m saying we should value quality over quantity. Spending money to add variety is not valuable if the food isn’t nutritious to begin with. The fruits and vegetables are one example, but much of the meat in the cafeteria is conventionally processed, which for any student who has taken junior health and seen “Food, Inc.” knows, that means there are numerous added hormones and chemicals in every bite. Another idea would be to upgrade the canola oil at the salad bar for olive oil, which is superior in health value and taste. A school cafeteria should be a model of health for students, however the Staples cafeteria, though better than most, could stand to improve. Instead of spending money on items that do little for our health, like sugary juices and mediocre sushi, the school should spend its money and time improving what’s already there. In the mean time, I will continue waking up earlier.
V.S.
NEW FOOD
Cucumber roll Calories: 135 Cost: $5.95 Health fact: More sugar than a Rice Krispy Treat
Naked drink Calories: 160 Cost: $2.95 Health fact: Has similar sugar content to a bottle of soda
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OLD FOOD
Chicken noodle soup Calories: 83 Cost: $2.00 Health fact: Clears congestion and provides the body
Apple juice Calories: 140 Cost: $1.25 Health fact: A great source of antioxidants, helping heart health
PHOTOS BY IZZY ULLMANN ‘17 AND DAMIA FRIES ‘16
Social freedom detoured by late birthday Rachel Treisman ’15 No one likes being late to the
birthday party. While there’s no denying having a late birthday can be a disadvantage. And I don’t mean late as in a few months after my friends - I mean the very end of the school year. I usually love celebrating my birthday in the sunny springtime, but I was less than enthused when all of my lucky older friends got their permits while I was still hitching rides with my parents. And that’s just the beginning. ABC News says that the most common birthday in America is Oct. 5, with almost one million people celebrating
their special day. Fall birthdays are statistically more common than spring ones, meaning those of us spring chickens have to wait a little longer to enjoy our adult privileges. Cough cough, safely seeing R-rated movies in the theater. It also means many of our classmates are actually way older than us, their fall birthdays enabling them to stay back rather than be the youngest members of the grade below. No wonder it sometimes feels like I’m way more naive than the rest of my friends. Another difference between me and my friends is the amount of freedom we have behind the wheel. While we all have our licenses, the majority of my peers
aren’t, say, my sister or my mom. According to the Connecticut Department of
PHOTO BY RACHEL TREISMAN ’15 GRAPHIC BY CLAUDIA LANDOWNE ‘15
can legally drive non-family members around town without worrying while I am forbidden from having passengers that
months after obtaining a driver’s license, teenagers can only drive with a parent or licensed driving instructor. Worst of all, until a driver turns 18, he or she can’t drive between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. I can’t wait to watch all of my friends stay out late from the safety of my empty house. It’s like being a freshman all over again, except the question, “Can you drive me…?” is preceded by a friend’s name instead of the word “mom.” And what grinds my gears the most is that having an early birthday is actually
advantageous. The age cutoff for many sports enables young children with late birthdays to play alongside older kids with early birthdays, giving the older and more physically mature athletes a leg up -- pun intended. Plus, having a birthday at the end of the school year means trying to plan a celebration in between AP exams, Memorial It’s a lot easier to make plans in the dead of winter than during the end-of-the-school-year frenzy. Having a later birthday means waiting longer to drive, vote and legally order “As Seen on TV” products. But on the bright side, I’m sure we’ll all have a good laugh about this when we’re 50.
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October 10, 2014 | Opinions
Halloween candy fails to substitute birthday cake Renee Weisz ’ 17
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DRAWING BY OLIVIA CROSBY ’15
hen I was younger, I always thought my birthday made me the luckiest kid on the block. This was the very same block where all my neighbors gave me double candy and treats. Oh, and I got an extra sugar rush from the cake and ice cream I ate at home with my family (thank goodness for my eight-year-old metabolism). If you haven’t already guessed, my “boo-day” is Halloween. In elementary school, the entire month of October felt like one extended birthday celebration all dedicated to moí. October meant pumpkin picking, Halloween decorating, haunted houses, baking those really good Pillsbury pumpkin cookies, school costume parades and a myriad of other activities leading up to my special day. Prepping for this highly anticipated date was extensive. I would spend hours grueling over the perfect pun for my party invitations, always Halloween themed, of course. Every year for my birthday mani-pedi, I painted my nails bright orange with a black spider web in the corner reminder of the festivities to arrived, everyone who passed me in the halls commented how awesome it was that my birthday is on Halloween. But as the years passed, my Halloween birthday became more of a trick than a treat. To be honest, I don’t even think my
AD
of a Halloween baby. People assume I’ve seen “Halloween” and many other horror movies, when truthfully, I’ve never seen a horror movie, and I don’t think I want to. Up until sixth grade, I didn’t even like chocolate, the most common ingredient in Halloween candies. Halloween was not always an excuse for eating unlimited amounts of candy and wearing outrageous costumes. According
But as the years passed, my Halloween birthday became more of a trick than a treat. to History.com, it originated from a mournful Celtic ritual providing a bridge between the living and the dead. Ugh, who
wants to be born on a day about the dead? The realization of my birthday misfortune started with the stress of group costumes in middle school. Then in high school, it transformed into this frenzy of which party to attend: my own or someone else’s? Which friends should I make plans with? And then my worst nightmare: what if everyone forgot it was my birthday? wait, hold up. Isn’t Halloween supposed to be my birthday, a celebration of my entrance into this world? However, as I got olderI came to understand that Oct. 31 is a holiday that all other teenagers celebrate with their own parties, on my birthday. Birthdays are special to every child no matter where they fall. Yet, sharing a birthday with a holiday has taught me early on that as we grow up, our birthdays stray from the idealistic, momentous occasion we envision as little kids. There will be homework or real work as an adult and other events that about-me” aspect of a birthday. Maybe the day is not made special by the birthday cake and presents, and in my case the additional pound of candy, but by the true friends there to celebrate. Although my birthday may not be all I once imagined, my go-to fun fact will always be, “I’m born on Halloween!” At at the end of the day, things could be worse. Did I mention my brother’s birthday is Valentine’s Day?
PHOTOS BY JOE BLAIKIE ’17
Pumpkin spice poisons classic fall foods Cadence Neenan ’15 It
started
at
Starbucks.
essentially every other major coffee chain, poisoning otherwise perfectly good coffee with its it to the major supermarkets, cookies and baked goods of the like. But when it hit Oreos, I knew we had let it go too far.
Pumpkin spice has become a travesty, a crime so ingrained in even the simplest of basic household essentials. Thomas Breads has begun making pumpkin spice bagels given us pumpkin spice Hershey’s Kisses, there are pumpkin spice marshmallows from Kraft, pumpkin spice Pringles and even pumpkin spice butter produced by Country Crock.
I’m just out here trying to enjoy fall – trying to enjoy the dawn of sweater weather, the era of apple picking, the season for sports I know absolutely nothing about, but suddenly I’m positively surrounded by companies broadcasting their and beverages. Even Buzzfeed, today’s most valued and respected news source, wrote an article about the products that might exist in a
future pumpkin-spice-dominated world: toothpaste, Doritos, Gatorade, Pepto-Bismol. The scary part? These don’t seem too impossible for a future dominated by a generation who treats a PSL (pumpkin spice latte) like mother’s milk. We aren’t even sure what pumpkin spice really
spice that we have tossed in for good measure? Cumin? Cayenne peppers? Who knows, really? All I know is that the harshly
involve something resembling pumpkin, but what is this vague
the war for our future. Join me in opposing pumpkin spice.
corporate America has labeled as “pumpkin spice” is shockingly not something I’m a huge fan of. So, dear reader, I ask you to join me. Join me in a noble
October 10, 2014 | Advertisment
Inklings
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Features
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October 10, 2014
Nelson swaps patroling streets for protecting SHS Francesca Truitt ’17
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fter Nelson Alicea’s extensive career of
retired his police badge for Wreckers logo wear. And after his experience in the criminal infested streets, he has no trouble successfully securing Staples’ campus. For 32 years Alicea worked as a detective for the Norwalk Police. Through his extensive career, he investigated homicides and serious accidents. He once investigated the case of a man who had been set woman had been dead, rotting in her bed, for two years and nine months. these things, and after a while, it’s like nothing. But if it’s your family it’s a whole different scenario,” Alicea said. Alicea’s favorite part about being a Norwalk detective wasn’t the thrills or the action-packed day. Rather, his favorite part was the people he encountered. “That’s what I enjoyed a lot when began, “meeting so many people from all walks of life.” But now, Alicea’s wild sleuthing days are behind him. Today, he works within the Staples community to navigate occasionally catching the sneaky kid trying to ditch last period.
Alicea also works the football games and makes sure everything goes according to plan. Alicea goes the extra mile when coordinating these events: he stays late with students waiting for parents and will wait with them. He won’t leave until everyone else has. “We used to do that when I worked in Norwalk; it’s just a habit,” Alicea said. “I don’t feel comfortable necessarily leaving a kid here before their parents pick them up. You don’t know what kind of hiccup can happen.” Elisabeth French ’15 recognizes Alicea’s importance to the Staples community. “He’s always there trying to protect us,” French said. “I know he’s there for the better of us.” Additionally, Alicea has a very likable personality that helps make students’ days better and helps make the parking ticket process less taxing. “He’s really friendly and nice. He’s someone that you can just joke around with,” Gwyneth Mulliken ’15 said. Even though Alicea misses his close-knit groups of guys
Westport Library hosts a variety of programs for students
he was happy to leave behind the taxing hours and chaos of investigation. “There is more to life than working as much as I did,” Alicea PHOTO BY CAROLINE O’KANE ’16 said. “That’s why I welcome this. There’s the beginning of the year STANDING GUARD: Ex-detective Nelson Alicea proudly points to the and the end of the year, just like Staples logo on his iconic car. While he used to investigate homicides, he now spends his days patroling and protecting Staples. you guys.”
Alternative fantasy leagues are for real at Staples Students stray from classic football to join golf and hockey fantasy leagues Jesse Greenspun ’16 For many Staples students, the start of fall marks the beginning of the fantasy football season. Hours of valuable homework time are spent painstakingly analyzing projections for upcoming games, checking injury reports and order to obliterate their virtual competition. But there is a select group of students who stray well outside
GRAPHIC BY JULIA SCHORR ’16
the realm of fantasy football and into the uncharted territory of alternative fantasy games, such as golf and hockey. Ben Popkin ’16 is one of the few fantasy football outcasts at Staples and believes that many students do not realize the potential of unconventional fantasy leagues. “Fantasy football gets quite a lot of hype around Staples, but fantasy golf is where the real fun is,” Popkin noted.
Not just for book lovers
Similarly to football, golf leagues offer the opportunity to draft a dream team of golfers in order to compete against friends and strangers. Instead of gaining points through rushing yards and touchdown passes, golfers earn points for their performance in each round of a tournament. The typical PGA tour event consists of four rounds, 18 holes each, and each player’s real-life cumulative score at the end of each round contributes to the
score of the fantasy team. Unlike fantasy football, the team with the lowest score wins at the end of the week. “Golf is a pretty slow moving sport, so playing fantasy golf makes it much more exciting and engaging to watch,” added Popkin. Jason Streiter ’17 is a self proclaimed fantasy hockey fanatic who hasn’t missed a season in over seven years. “Fantasy hockey is more fun than football because there are multiple games per week in which players can get points,” Streiter said. He also mentioned that playing fantasy hockey is a great way to bond with other hockey fans around the world, as there are not many at Staples. “Fantasy hockey has helped me to form a community of people with similar interests that I would not have found otherwise,” Streiter said. Not only are alternative fantasy games fun, they are just as lucrative to play as fantasy football. The average CBS Sports buy in for a 12 team fantasy football league is $99.99 for a of a CBS Sports fantasy hockey league. Avid fantasy football player Brendan Price ’16 said that “I would play other fantasy sports, I just don’t know that much about them.” However, he did note that he “tried fantasy basketball last year” and even won his league.
Ben Foster ’16 In its century-long tenure, The Westport Library, located downtown, attracts many students of all ages eager to read and learn. It has been the main source of activities and always provides a laid back workspace to produce work. “When students study at The Westport Library, it isn’t uncommon to see pizza being delivered, furniture being moved around, or lively conversations taking place. The modern workforce is based around teamwork and collaboration, so it is important that students be given a chance to collaborate while studying,” Jaina Lewis, Teen Director at the library said. Today, The Westport Library provides all ages with a very wide selection of activities. This month, there are events almost every day for children. For example, on the Oct. 23, there is a Minecraft gathering at the Library for the third through play together. The library offers a robotics club, available to Westport kids that are ages six to nine, as well. It’s a place where friends can geek out a few times a month and create some cool machines using lego mindstorms EV3 kits in a casual environment. Carly Kobylinski ’16 was library when she was younger, recalling, “I went and saw one of the Harry Potter movies, but that was a long time ago.” When asking students about these clubs, most had no idea they existed. “No way,” Mikaela Dedona ’15 emphatically responded when asked about it. Andres Marmelo ’16 takes full advantage of The Westport Library. When asked if he’s been there, he responded, “I’m a Westport resident. Of course, I go there.” Being the oldest of four tends to be a problem when Marmelo is trying to get school work done. So, he resolves this problem by taking his work over to the Westport Library. “It’s a good space for quiet study. Plus the school library is not open at night or during the weekend,” Marmelo said. The library proves to be a popular study spot. According to Lewis, during midterms and go to work there. from The Westport Library and the Westport Library has school students are a vital part of our library. Students serve as coaches in our Makerspace, help teach coding, and help plan large events,” Lewis said. Overall, between the multitude of programs and spots to study, The Westport Library is certainly a favorable Staples hangout.
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October 10, 2014 | Features
GRAPHIC BY ELIZA GOLDBERG ’17
Staples students put their cinematic talents into action Emily Olrik ’16 & Sarah Sommer ’16
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tripod teetered on the uneven dirt below, swaying slightly in the midnight breeze. The trees above supplied hardly any shelter against the rain, and Tova Byrne ’15 shivered violently in her light, damp jacket. Her knee stung - the recent slip she suffered while carrying equipment through the woods left the bottom of her favorite jeans ripped wide open and the skin there raw. For some people, this may sound like a pretty awful evening, if not a scene from a bizarre horror movie. However, for Byrne, along in the Staples community, it’s
simply a part of a long but gratifying process. “Everything you do [in but getting there is almost always a beautiful struggle,” Byrne said.
outlets for inspiration. “I generally get my inspiration from music. I tend to choose the theme or mood of my movie based on the music I’m currently listening to,” Emma Cataldo ’16 said. Cataldo recently produced Inspire” all based off of one song. “I used a song called “Welcome Home” by a band called Radical Face to show how young teens have dreams of becoming great
athletes and artists,” Cataldo said. She wanted to capture the “whimsical, happy and homey” feeling of the music and convey Byrne gets most of her inspiration from peoplewatching. “I am fascinated by people,” she said. “Everyone’s got a story to tell and layers to their own character.” Johnny Donovan ’17, however, prefers to take a more collaborative approach when that the best way to create a story is to start with any idea, good or bad, and tweak it until it becomes something that he and his group members want to create. This is a technique he has spent the past two years perfecting in narrative
classes offered at Staples. PSA and a person looking at her phone, and everything around her was moving really quickly as time is passing by, and then that turned into a story about a pen that fast forwards time,” he said. For Sam Kann ’16 the process of making her currently untitled movie began with a vision. “I had one shot in my head and I made a story around it,” she said. “I had the idea of someone walking in the middle of a road, closing their eyes and then having a close up shot of car lights and then the screen going black.” Jim Honeycutt, a media teacher at Staples, knows that it takes dedication, as well as natural talent, to make a
Honeycutt said. “Everybody can grab a camera and hit the record button, everybody can edit video, but to make a video that really works is a rare gift.” According to Honeycutt, there are generally only a small handful of Staples students at any given time who excel at However,
these
student
when developing and shooting along for the ride. “I don’t take any credit for any of these kids’ skills. All we do is we stand by the side to answer questions and encourage them, but the genius, their genius, comes from within,” Honeycutt said.
Boybands will never say bye bye bye Julia Greenspan ’16
that the music scene would be taken over by boy bands by the turn of the fourth millennium. At the rate that boy bands are evolving now, they may be right. brought to the world in 1959 when anti-rock-and-roll forces tried to tame the rockstars encouraging rebellion. The music industry introduced new innocent public people.
“This was a period of time that was called ‘teen heartthrob,’” media teacher Mike Zito said. “All the same looking guys were adored by girls in middle school who would put these boys’ pictures in their lockers.” Many of these boys were from bands like the Beatles and the Monkees, and these bands took the world by storm. Not much has changed since then. Gym teacher Nicole Ross said that in her middle school days the girls were just as crazy about bands like *NSYNC and
the Backstreet Boys. She and her friends would thumb through the pages of music magazines searching for the posters of their favorite boy band crushes and then hang them on the walls of their bedrooms. English teacher Mary Katherine Hinman also considered herself a complete boy band fanatic. When she was seven years-old, she and her cousin were obsessed with boy band Hanson and went to see them live in concert. “We still feel bad for dragging our dads into a sea of screaming elementary school girls,” Hinman said. The boy band fad now has even more traction as time goes on. Since fans are now able to watch their bands’ every move over social media and have their there’s more of a fan-member connection than ever before. Despite their ages, many Staples students, such as Kaela O’Kelly ’15, still consider themselves to be fanatics. O’Kelly, who is an avid One Direction fan, attended their concert this past summer, followed them on every social
GRAPHICS BY JULIA SCHORR ’16
media platform and waited hours in the heat just with lead singer Harry Styles. She considered this day to be “the best day of her life.” A former One Direction fan, Maialie Fitzpatrick ’16, has moved on from her f a n girl days but claims that girls fall in love with boy bands because of their appeal. “Girls think they’re older, cuter and funnier than any other guy in middle school or high school,” Fitzpatrick said. The next big boy band is already on a non-stop train to stardom. Australian boy band 5 Seconds of Summer are adored by many, including Elaine Wehmhoff ’16. “Their personality and expression on stage out-did anyone I have ever seen in concert before,” Wehmhoff said after seeing them live this summer.
“They were able to bounce ideas off of one another like no other single artist can do.” For over sixty years now, boy bands have been dominating the charts and stealing hearts. be sappy or clichè, others live for the experience. There’s a reason they still exist today and why they will never disappear. “They sell records, they sell shirts and they sell everything,” Zito said. “There’s a place for them in the world: they belong in the hearts of teenage girls.”
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Inklings
Superfans dominate Andrea Frost ’15
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At that moment, the crowd erupted and it looked as if a large snowstorm had suddenly hit the student section of the football stands, leaving a fresh blanket of white snow. However, it was not a blizzard bleachers, but a blizzard of students decked out in their favorite white Wreckers’ apparel, cheering their hearts out for their favorite football team. These students, who are seen not only in the stands of
October 10, 2014 | Features
showdown. “Walking out of the locker-room with all the fans going crazy in the stands really gets all the guys pumped up,” Melnick said. However, it is not just the players that get excited by all the enthusiasm, but the fans as well. Students love painting their faces blue, attending the games and cheering on their simply contagious. “Being a Superfan is one of my favorite experiences at Staples,” Kratky said. “Nothing compares to cheering your head off at a Friday night football game in a sea of white in the stands.” Whether it is cheering at a football, soccer
“They’re the best fans in the FCIAC,” -Michael Reid ’15
bleachers of the gym and on the newly installed benches at Ginny Parker, are known as Staples Superfans. Superfans, whose blood pumps blue and white, love to support their teams by bringing spirit to each game and riling up the crowd in order to encourage the players on the “Superfans’ jobs are to be the loudest and best fans a team can have, out of any school we play, no matter what sport it is,” Sam Kratky ’15 said. Every year, the Superfans are organized through a group on Facebook, a place where all grades come together to support the Wreckers. While the group is usually run by a few senior boys, athletes post in the group to encourage fans to come to their games. This year the spirit and dedication was taken to a whole ’15, one of the admins of the Facebook group, organized for their white apparel, of course, for the game’s white out - to see the Wreckers make their grand entrance onto the turf. Thrush posted in the group encouraging everyone to come, as it “will be an energy booster for the boys. They Football team captain, Jake Melnick ’15, said that it is truly an exhilarating feeling seeing all the kids there
proud to be Wreckers and have no problem showing their pride. This thriving superfan culture makes Staples’ athletes even prouder to represent such an energetic student body. “Every time we see the hill just packed with our fans it motivates us to play hard and win,” boys’ soccer captain Michael Reid ’15 said. “They’re the best fans in the FCIAC.”
Parents and teachers are super, too Zoe Brown ’15 They snap photos from the sidelines. They post Facebook statuses to congratulate the teams on wins. They change around their work schedule to go to games. They sport white and blue “Wreckers” t-shirts and sweatshirts. They cheer until their voices are sore, clap until their hands are red. And they support the teams with every bone in their body. parent and teacher Superfans. Parent Superfan and Co-President of the Staples Field hockey games and counting, she said. Fair’s favorite part of being a parent Superfan is the omnipresent adrenaline and encouraging cheers at every game. “It has taken us many years to effectively cheer: S-T-S-
T-A-Sand ag work a Ma attendi team. En her stu “I of the c Ot Giolitto sports“I with th Giolitto Gi stands emphas schoolw “T going o Be and tea that att “It to chee “You re Pa parent
October 10, 2014 | Features
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PHOTO BY JIMMY RAY STAGG ’16
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY ALEXANDRA HOOPER ’15
PHOTO BY ALISON MORRISON ’15
PHOTO BY SYDNEY NEWMAN ’15
SUPPORT FROM THE STANDS Sept. 12, losing 0-3. (Middle right) Riley Thrush ’17 and Kate Johnson ’17 cheer for their home team at the Pinkout game on Oct. 2. All the Superfans were found in the stands wearing pink to support
-T-A-P-L-E-S. STAPLES. (clap, clap) WRECKERS... gain,” Fair said. “I love it because we really have to at getting it right, especially with all the claps.” any teacher Superfans have more motives behind ing games, besides simply showing support for the
nglish teacher Mary Katherine Hinman loves seeing udents in a new setting. really enjoy seeing students I have excelling outside classroom,” Hinman said. ther teacher Superfans, like English teacher Brendan o, revel in the spirit and enthusiasm of the fellow -game-goers. like to be a part of it. I think it’s fun to socialize he students in that aspect and to show your support,” o said iolitto also believes that teachers’ spirit in the translates to a positive classroom environment. He sized that it’s a way for teachers to put aside the work and show support in other ways. The students see that your care more than just what’s on in the classroom,” Giolitto said. esides enhancing the classroom environment, parent acher Superfans emphasize the sense of community tending Staples sports games create within the town. t’s great to be in the stands and see the whole town out er on the teams,” parent Superfan Craig Wynne said. eally feel like part of the community.” arent Superfan Maureen Coogan’s favorite part of the Superfan culture is the camaraderie it creates.
“Sitting together and biting our nails when it’s too close for comfort, I just love the whole experience,” Coogan said.
Superfans are everywhere Taylor Harrington ’15 With players’ numbers painted on their cheeks, and feathered boas, whistles and beads wrapped around their necks, a sea of students, known as the Staples Superfans, cheer at the top of their lungs from on top of bleachers. Having a Superfans group may seem natural to Staples students. Starting in ninth grade, fans know the drill and are added to the Facebook group. Some schools near Staples, though, are just starting to grow a strong student fan base and some aspire to one day have fans that outnumber and outshout Staples fans. “Staples football crowd has me jealous. The #bombsquad will be like that before you know it,” Matt Gurman ’15 from Weston High School recently tweeted. According to Weston football player Spencer Turkel ’15, Weston High School created the Bomb Squad this year. They followed the Staples Superfans practice of running the group through Facebook and Twitter, so that a group of fans will be at every game. encouraging to look up and see the Bomb Squad cheering,
Some schools’ fan groups might already be competition for Staples Superfans. Allie Moore ’16, always decked out in Greenwich red at the games, said, “Greenwich has a mass of students who and noisemakers.” Moore also said that the key to a great student section is that fans have to get progressively louder if the opposing team’s bleachers are also getting rowdy. home and my ears were ringing,” Moore said. Although Moore may claim her school has the most spirit, Trumbull fans have been crowned “the most feared fans in the FCIAC;” at least that’s what they have written on their t-shirts, according to Trumbull student Dani McGillicuddy ’15. “We are called the Black Hole. If you don’t wear black, the games, a few seniors will go up and down the stairs and make sure everyone is yelling,” McGillicuddy said. Even though these all sound like dedicated groups of Superfans Facebook group, said there’s no competition. “We love our teams - all of them. We’re not just devoted to football. We’re at both boys’ and girls’ soccer, girls’ volleyball, we’ve made an appearance at water polo and we’ll be at lacrosse and baseball games in the spring,” Thrush said. “There is no better fan base in the FCIAC, maybe even the state, than the Staples Superfans.”
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October 10, 2014 | Features
Branch out into autumn
Students fall in love with fall Chase Gornbein ’16
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here, some students are captivated by the rich tasting pumpkin latte, the crunching sound of leaves beneath their toes and the capricious changing colors of leaves. Meanwhile, there are other students who long for sunbathing on the beach, the refreshing taste of an iced coffee,
Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner,” DiDonato said. Other students love the autumn season for its aesthetic appeal. The swift change in the colors of leaves is a sight that most students, including Elisabeth French ’15, adore to see. “My favorite part of fall is when the leaves change colors.
amounts of sunlight. For Mikayla DiDonato ’17, fall marks the beginning of a new school year and much, much more. “Fall is my favorite of all of the seasons because it is the start to a new school year. There are exciting football games, the air is fresh and crisp, leaves are changing their green color to bright orange and reds, cozy knit sweaters and boots can
sight to see,” French said. Not only do the leaves change, but the weather begins to cool off. The air begins to thin out and it’s not as humid anymore. According to Mackenzie Wood ’16, this “is the best part about fall.” The crisp air also marks the beginning of “sweater weather” for most students. “I love feeling warm and cozy during the school day, and
fall allows me to wear sweaters because it isn’t too hot out” Wood said. However, there are some students that long for the warm weather to return, and for days with more sunlight. “It’s not even pants season yet, and I miss summer,” Jonas Piekara ’16 said. Piekara is a prime example of a Staples student who is not a fan of autumn. “I hate fall. It’s a drag p.m. and not being able to see anything” Piekara said. autumn season unbearable, others cherish every second of it. With Halloween around the corner, it looks like the fall season is here to stay. So enjoy the fresh air and brisk breezes because they won’t last long. Winter will be here before you know it.
Caroline Lane ’16
As Staples students pack away their swimsuits and say goodbye to hot summer days, it’s time to enjoy the acres of apples ripe for picking. T h e r e ’s nothing like the excitement of pulling up to an orchard and smelling the fresh scent of apples dangling from the trees and pumpkins stacked up to the sky. The smell of apple cider doughnuts is in the air, and the sun is shining brightly through the clouds. It’s a fall favorite for Staples students and faculty: it’s hard to it. “I love the idea of picking my fresh fruit right off a tree,” Chris Garrity, a school librarian said. Some people love to go with all their friends each year, like Erin Munley ’16. “It’s such a great way to take advantage of fall with my friends,” she said. “We all love going together.” Other people will tell you it’s a great thing to do with your family. Minahil Salam ’16 would agree. “It’s a cute little family event,” Salam said, as a smile spread across her face. Addy Fowle ’15 loves to go apple picking every year with her family. Each year gets better than the last. “My favorite memory was when we went with my cousin and she fell off the tractor when she saw something off the back of the truck,” Fowle said laughing. “She was ok in the end so it’s become a memory that we can all laugh about.”
PHOTO BY JULIE BENDER ’15
Whether you go with family or friends, the golden delicious will be just as delicious. Not only do people have the choice between pals and parents, but also their pick of where to grab their Granny
PHOTO BY JULIE BENDER ’15
Smiths. There are multiple options around go apple picking. A fan favorite of many is Silverman’s Orchard in Easton, Connecticut. In early August, Ginger Gold’s are ready to be picked and the season ends in mid October with Sun Crisp Apples. Emma Tangel ’16 has been going there for a long time. “I like how Silvermans sells apple cider in little cups that are really cute, it adds to the whole experience,” Tangel said. The views are beautiful, the apples are delicious and the fun is endless at Silverman’s. Some students prefer to trek out to Blue Jay Orchards in Bethel, Connecticut, which is It’s similar to Silverman’s in many ways, and people rave about Blue Jay Orchard’s country store. They offer apple cider doughnuts, apple cider, cookies, loaves of bread and so much more. Ryan Angerthal ’16 absolutely loves going to the Blue Jay Orchard store. “They have a ton of great stuff to buy in the store like jelly and blueberry bread,” Angerthal said. Apple picking is a great way to enjoy the fall whether it’s with friends or family. The time for apple picking is ripe.
All-Star Driving races past DMV to claim student drivers’ favor Julie Bender ’15 The moment that a child is a glorious milestone. Many they stepped behind the wheel with no one in the passenger’s seat immediately made them feel a sense of independence. After patiently sitting
Despite the claims that it more challenging than taking it near to his driver’s ed classes. through a driving school. “In my “There is literally a turn on is much easier to pass the test mind it’s sort of like donating the test where if you’re turning through a driving school, Alla huge amount to a college. It’s right, you can’t see the oncoming Star still says that they are not a not really cheating, but everyone cars, and once you go to make license factory. On their website knows how you got in,” Banbury the turn, the sidewalk is broken, it says, “When you enroll in our said. so your car always bumps and class, you aren’t signing up for Banbury is not alone. in doing so you can so easily hit a license. You’re signing up for McDevitt agrees that the test at the curb and immediately fail,” the DMV is more challenging. Anabelle Porio ’15, who took her driving.” But the differences in the He took his test at the Bridgeport test at the Bridgeport DMV, said. tests are substantial. According DMV where he was unaware to Jack Cassell ’16, of the roads, and felt If yo our u to the test at ook y the that it was a lot t d u o r t o iver k yo If y st a e t ’ All-Star busier s u s s s ’ r a t Star r , did est at A drive did you p than l , lyo V
instruction at a driver’s education school, there’s still a huge obstacle between a student and freedom: the dreaded license test. They are forced to choose between taking the test through a driving school or making the trip to a DMV. James Banbury ’16 ke ta believes that taking u the drivers test at yo d? E d i a DMV is much d r’s re ve he Dri W
DM
Amato said. Although some people think that each test should consist of the same criteria, Cassell still thinks that it’s fair because every student had the W opportunity to take it h yo er through a driving ur e dr did school.
u pa
ss
iv
Yes (38%) No (9%) N/A (53%) All-Star (42%) DMV (4%) Other (42%)
only consisted of driving and backing into a space. Whereas, according to Nic Amato ’16, the test at the Danbury DMV included driving, backing into a space, a three point turn and parallel parking. “The test wasn’t too bad, but I’m pretty sure it was harder than All-Star. Having witnessed some of the driving talent that earns a pass at All-Star, I can say
y er ou ’s ta te k st e ?
Yes (25%) No (4%) N/A (71%)
took their driver’s test at All-Star than they
All-Star (27%) DMV (45%) Other (28%)
All-Star passed. GRAPHIC BY CLAUDIA CHEN ’16
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Inklings
October 10, 2014 | Features
Staples teens cash in on workforce experience Brendan Massoud ’17
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ccording
to
the
U.S.
29 percent of all high school students ages 16 and above are employed in some fashion year-round. Following suit, Staples High School possesses quite a few students of its own who have joined the workforce. To many of these young employees, a job is simply a way to supply a typical teenager’s desire for pocket-money, but for others, it is an opportunity to learn new and interesting topics.
For Anna Bene ’15, a job at David’s Tea Shop in Westport sparked a passion for the tea industry. In just two short months, Bene has learned how to make tea, sell loose leaf tea and work the cash register. When asked if she had gained any random knowledge, Bene had this to say: “All rooibos tea comes from South Africa, because that is the only place rooibos bushes are capable of growing.” Others around Staples have held interest. Claire Grosgogeat ’16 recently began working at the
including Chocolate Macaron and Cotton Candy.
clothing store Oddz in downtown Westport, doing everything from working the register to making actual sales. For Grosgogeat, the fashion industry is more of a hobby, and less of a potential occupation. “I enjoy fashion, but I don’t plan on following it as a career path,” she said. While most 16 to 18-year old managed to work their way up a bit higher in the job hierarchy. One example is Ian Goodman ’15, who currently works at the restaurant 323, serving as the head busboy, head host and head runner for the entire restaurant. As the head of these three positions, Goodman is charged with the task of creating schedules for each of the workers in those positions. When asked why Goodman chose to pursue work in the restaurant business, he had a very practical response. “I do need money, and if I wanted to get a job in the direction of a possible career, it would be through an internship. I don’t have time for both.” While a typical, low-wage job may seem quite simple, it is important to remember that these students are not spared
Yik Yak graduates to college Molly Liebergall ’17 Upon speaking the words “Yik Yak,” current Staples students think of the single chaotic day last year, while Staples alumni think of the app’s casual comical every-day use. Droll—fraternity brothers and graduates of Furman University—for the college crowd. “Post your jokes, thoughts, observations, questions, etc. Just make sure that you are posting quality content,” reads the app’s description. College students use Yik Yak lightheartedly, with no intention of seriously hurting another student’s feelings. “Most people try and post something funny and relatable about life here, so they can get a lot of ups,” Staples graduate and Tulane freshman Grace Kosner ’14 said. Staples alumni who now attend college have not had issues with highly offensive ‘yaks,’ in part because their brains are more developed. According to The National Institute of Mental Health, “The brain doesn’t look like that of an adult until the
GRAPHIC BY CHANNING SMITH ’17
High school students are still maturing mentally, so they are more susceptible to what Rider University’s Professor of Psychology John Suler effect.” He explains that online anonymity causes people to feel less inclined to act like themselves, therefore leading to hurtful comments they would never say in person. “Yaks should not join a herd until they are mature enough, so no one under college age should be on Yik Yak,” one rule on Yik Yak’s website states. This disclaimer is closely followed by another target other yakkers.” Last year’s Staples student body did not heed these rules, but college students do not have trouble with the guidelines. “It’s used a lot like Twitter but funnier,” University of Michigan student and Staples graduate Jason Hoving ’13 said. “Because the school is so big, it’s hard to target and bully individual people,” he added. Individual callingout in college is much more positive than the individual calling-out in high school. “The only singling out I’ve seen is in the form of a compliment, like ‘Wow John Smith, you are the best looking guy ever,’” Staples alumnus and University of Wisconsin senior Will Sommer ’11 said. Yik Yak is especially popular at colleges with a large Greek Life. “Fraternities and sororities are singled out a ton, but that’s something that happens anyway, and is just part of the competition inherent in Greek Life,” Sommer ’11 said. “Since no one is mentioned by name, it isn’t cruel,” Hoving ’13 added. Yak with the hope that it would only be used appropriately. “Herds of yaks are strongest when they work together and watch each others backs,” the rules state. So far, college students have mostly been focusing on the last part of the Yik Yak guidelines. Rule number six: “Ride the yak.”
PHOTOS BY DAVID KRAWITZ ’15
Ian Goodman ’15 has worked at 323 since August.
from thrilling experiences. Bene explained, “One day a woman
high-schoolers employed outside of the school day. “I think if a
bathroom and left. It turned out
or her schedule, it is a great way to learn about responsibility and how to manage money.” Goodman added onto this point, saying that having some kind of work during one’s high school years is a necessity. “I think everyone should have a job in preparation for the real world,” Goodman said. Regardless of occupation, Staples students in the workforce are sure to learn valuable life lessons and make a little extra cash on the side.
worth of merchandise from different stores and dumped all the tags in the trash.” Luckily, the police were able to track down the thief. A consistent question among those who are considering work is how it is possible to work a have enough time to keep up with academics. Guidance counselor P.J. Washenko had an opinion on
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Inklings
October 10, 2014 | Advertisement
A&E
19 Westport stomachs growl for Restaurant Week meals and deals October 10, 2014
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Kaila Finn ’16
cqua’s crispy chicken Milanese, the Spotted Horse’s Maine mussels and Pink Sumo’s Sashimi creations are just a taste of the variety of dishes featured this year during Westport’s Restaurant Week, Sept. 29 to Oct. 12. Produced by the WestportWeston Chamber of Commerce, Restaurant Week allows Westport residents to try cuisine from different restaurants throughout town by offering specialized menus and deals. Oftentimes, the two-week long celebration is a chance for restaurants to create a unique, interesting menu with seasonal ingredients. Tarry Lodge’s Service Director, Melinda Skiham, said that Restaurant Week is “giving people a taste of something that normally wouldn’t be on their radar,” adding that Tarry Lodge will probably serve a lunch of one of their thin-crust pizzas and distinguishing salads. Restaurant Week isn’t just for adults; Staples students are excited to hit Westport’s food scene as well, especially because teens know all too well the value of these restaurants’ bargains. Many Staples students noted being most excited for Matsu.
“Restaurant Week is giving people a taste of something that normally wouldn’t be on their radar.” —Melinda Skiham, Service Director of Tarry Lodge
Katie Lee Sullivan ’16 raved, “Matsu is a great restaurant because it has such a good variety of Japanese food that can appeal to most everyone.” Another fan, Alex Suppan ’16, said, “I love Matsu! It’s a fantastic sushi restaurant, but
when I’m not in the mood it still has so many other options. One of my favorites is their hibachi chicken!” Rowing mates Mary McGee ’17 and Emily MacDonald ’16 explained that the rowing team loves Matsu. They said, “Our entire diet is sushi. After rowing we only eat at Matsu.” While Matsu has been a part of Restaurant Week for years, there are also new, trendy dining options like Spotted Horse and The Red Hen at The Westport Inn. These restaurants’ menus are mostly featuring revamped classic dishes like meatloaf and roast chicken deconstructed and doctored-up. There are other classics that have participated in Restaurant Week for some time including DaPietro’s, Tavern on Main, Rizzuto’s and Mumbai Times. Staples student Vig Namasivyam ’16 is looking forward to eating at Mumbai Times, one of the Indian eateries in town. Namasivyam said, “While the food isn’t of the highest quality, Mumbai Times still provides an authentic, homey
environment that makes this place worth eating at. I would be happy to go there during Restaurant Week.” Rizzuto’s also often still gets a lot of student support during Restaurant Week, like Ellis Laifer ’15 who noted “Rizzutos’ exquisite menu.”
WESTPORT DEVOURS RESTAURANT WEEK Local eateries such as those shown showcase new and popular dishes. (From top left to bottom right: Spotted Horse interior, Pink Sumo sign, Aqua exterior and Aqua interior)
“It brings people in. You get new customers, great promotions and new faces.” —Lelo Arslanagic, Manager of Acqua
These classic restaurants still have a place on the food scene, like Acqua, who has participated in Restaurant Week for most of it’s years since opening in 1997 It’s still gleaning new customers. Restaurant manager Lelo Arslanagic summarized what many are excited for saying, “It brings people in. You get new customers, great promotions, and new faces.”
PHOTOS BY ALEX SPADACENTA ’16
Staples screams for ice cream despite temperatures dropping
GRAPHIC BY ELIZA GOLDBERG ’17
Kit Epstein ’17 Although summer is seen as the most logical season to eat frozen treats, there’s always been debate over what time of year is best for eating tons of ice cream. Blistering hot July and August days are the perfect time to devour Joey’s ice cream down at Compo, get three scoops of Cookie Monster at Saugatuck Sweets or slurp down a refreshing
milkshake from Sunny Daes. But soon enough, Fall rolls around. Leaves start to change, schools starts up again and the most of us. Some students at Staples believe that ice cream should only be a summer food. “I think it’s too cold of a food for Winter,” Britt Hood ’15 said.
The choice to not eat ice cream in the Winter is understandable, considering temperatures drop below freezing once December hits. Many believe that Winter should be full of puffy jackets and warm soup, not a bowl of ice cream. Yet, there are still those hardcore ice-cream eaters who continue to stock up on pints of Ben and Jerry’s even as the
temperature drops into the 50s. “I don’t understand people who stop eating ice cream as soon as summer ends,” Katherine Coogan ’17 said. Coogan is an ice cream fanatic, and claims that she continues to eat the frozen treat in the dead of winter. “I would eat ice cream in negative degrees,” she explained. Incidentally, she’s not the
only Staples student who feels this way. “If you love something, you have to stick with it,” Jessica Spector ’15 said. Spector is a devoted Sunny Daes customer who claims that the employees let her scoop her own ice cream. “During the summer, I had ice cream every single day and I can’t give that up yet,” Spector confessed.
Inklings
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October 10, 2014 | A&E
New trend of almond milk causes Staples to go nuts Ale Benjamin ’15 ot milk? In many childhoods, this phrase popped up endlessly on cheesy television commercials and the back of every milk carton parked next to a brimming bowl of cereal. But now the question has changed, as more and more students have started to ask, “Got almond milk?” Almond milk is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a beverage usually made almost
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exclusively of ground almonds and water, according to sites for almond milk brands like Silk. Puzzling as it is to picture, the simple combination results in a creamy white beverage that looks very similar to cow’s milk. Almond milk has been around for many years, but only recently has it become a popular health-kick item around the halls of Staples.
Mikayla
DiDonato
’17
milk through several healthyeating themed instagrams, such as @nourish_yourself and @funfreshandhealthy. “I started drinking almond milk because I wanted to use less animal byproducts because I learned about the mistreatment of animals, such as cows, in factories where the milk is extracted,” Didonato said. According to ASPCA, more than nine million dairy farm cows are given hormones and unnatural diets, and are raised in harmful conditions. Since her discoveries, Didonato has worked to incorporate the nutritious beverage into smoothies, oatmeal and healthy baked goods. Almond milk is not only appealing because it’s dairy-free but also because it contains a wide range of important vitamins and minerals, and is low in calories and fat.
the classic Oreo companion for this nutty novelty are endless. Aside from nutritional inclinations, lactose intolerance, which currently affects about 25 percent of Americans, is a major incentive. “I feel better after drinking [almond milk] than if I were to drink regular milk, just because the dairy hurts my stomach,” Olivia Rubin ’17 said. As students have demanded this non-dairy delight, retail has answered. Two of the most common coffee destinations in Westport—Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts—have recently started offering almond milk as an alternative coffee additive. Dunkin Donuts announced the arrival of this new product in select
locations nationwide on their website Sept. 3. Students like Nikhita Shankar ’15 have welcomed this change. “I like almond milk with my coffee because there’s a higher nutritional value, and it makes my coffee sweeter without adding sugar,” Shankar said. Rubin, however, isn’t sold on the coffee option. “I tried [almond milk] in has a different, thinner texture that I don’t think works as well,” she said. Incorporating almond
requires some experimentation, and above all investigation. Didonato stresses that amidst the new hype, it is still important to be knowledgeable about the beverage’s ingredients. “People should know that not all almond milk is healthy because there still are many types that contain unhealthy ingredients and sugars,” Didonato said. “It’s important to focus on reading ingredients and only buying the brands that contain very little of them that you can recognize.”
almond milk typically contains around 40 calories and three grams of fat, compared to about of fat in cow’s milk, according to FitDay and Livestrong. “Almond milk has a lot of vitamin E and calcium. It also normally doesn’t contain a ton of unnatural ingredients that are foreign to your body like many other milks do,” Didonato said. The reasons for abandoning GRAPHICS BY OLIVIA CROSBY ’15
Hooked on crocheting Becky Hoving ’16 Experienced photographer, electric bass player, “Neutral Milk Hotel” fan, music enthusiast, avid cellist, sister, friend. At any moment in time, Lila Weiser ’17 can assume any number or combination of these titles. However, she has one more title up her handmade-sweater sleeve: devoted crochetier. Similar to knitting, crocheting is the process of creating fabric from yarn, and evolved from traditional practices in Iran, South America and China.
GRAPHIC BY JESSICA GROSS ’15 AND EMILY WOLFE ’15
Cinnamon and cider sips add spice to fall Eliza Goldberg ’17 As daily temperatures start to sink lower and lower, many students turn to hot fall-inspired drinks to help them keep warm. Widespread fan-favorites are Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte and Dunkin Donuts’ apple cider and lattes. The pumpkin spice latte is the quintessential fall drink
“I love pumpkin spice lattes because I know, when they come, it’s [time for] fall.”
—Hallie Spear ’18
that many students look forward to as the summer days begin to dwindle. Swirls of cinnamon, clove with real pumpkin pie spice, creamy milk and a hint of espresso. Those who aren’t a fan of coffee can order the latte without the espresso— also known as a “pumpkin steamer.” Hallie Spear ’18 is a huge fan of the classic pumpkin spice latte. “I love pumpkin spice lattes because I know, when they come, it’s [time for] fall,” Spear said. Anna Bene ’16 is a lover of pumpkin spice lattes as well, but also has a few other favorite fall drinks. “You can never go wrong with a pumpkin spice latte, but
ever since I started working at David’s Tea, I’ve been obsessed with their pumpkin chai and maple sugar tea lattes,” Bene said. Fall-inspired lattes aren’t up student’s mugs in Autumn, though. Terry Lust ’17 enjoys apple cider during the crisp fall days. “I like them because they’re in season, and are the best quality in fall,” Lust explained. No matter what seasonal drink is on your “to buy” list in fall, there is one common trait that’s shared among all of them— their timeliness. In the words of Margot Mather ’17, “fall drinks are great for the season because they get you into the fall spirit all while warming you up.”
“It’s really nice to make something for yourself. And it’s even more rewarding to make a scarf for someone else.” —Lila Weiser ’17 The type of crocheting your favorite pair of knit shorts from Free People might actually be into style in the early 19th century. Unlike its two-needled cousin, crocheting involves a single crochet hook and has only one stitch active at a time. The activation of only one stitch at once makes it an easier spin-off of knitting. “I could never knit,” Weiser said, while explaining the difference between the two Crocheting, on the other
hand, seems to be more of Weiser’s forte. “I picked it up because my great grandmother used to crochet a lot,” Weiser said. “When I was a little girl, she taught me how so I would be able to make myself scarves and things.” Nearly 10 years since Weiser and crochet hook, she has made over 150 scarves and dozens of blankets. She has even ventured as far as making animal-shaped door knob covers to keep them from getting cold when her family lost power during Superstorm Sandy. Lately, Weiser has been considering starting to sell her scarves to classmates and friends. It’s clear to see, though, that she is hardly in it for the money. “Frankly, I would be ever bought one of my scarves,” Weiser said. “I’ve always loved Among her collection of handmade scarves sit some of her most prized pieces, ranging from hat and glove sets. “I’ve also made a monogrammed pillowcase that was really cool,” she said. “And once, I crocheted a scarf that looked like a pencil, which was I’ve made.” Weiser has spent hundreds of hours throughout her childhood sitting with yarn and hook in hand, which might make some wonder, “Why?” The answer: passion. “It’s really nice to make something for yourself,” she said. “And it’s even more rewarding to make a scarf for someone else.”
October 10, 2014 | A&E
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Inklings
Crunching leaves inspire the baking of tasty treats Comforting hot-spiced apple cider Blake Rubin ’16
Warm cinnamon apples with vanilla ice cream Recipe credit to Rachel Ray
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his contrast of warm apples and cold ice cream is a goto fall dessert. In just a few simple steps, this dessert will wow guests. Kitchen Materials: Skillet Spoon Knife Ingredients: 4 large green apples 2 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons brown sugar ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 whole clove 1 pint vanilla ice cream 1 container of whipped cream Freshly grated nutmeg Instruction: Preheat a medium skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Peel and quarter the apples, making sure to remove the stem as well as any seeds. First add butter to the skillet, then apples. Saute for seven or eight minutes until golden brown in color. Add sugar, cinnamon and cloves, and stir. Remove from heat. Let sit for two minutes to cool. Spoon the sauteed apples into dessert dishes and top with desired combination of ice cream, whipped cream and grated nutmeg garnish.
Recipe credit to Benay Rubin Pour this savory spiced drink in a decorative mug and have it at a dinner party, or enjoy sipping it in the presence of a roaring to make, but the smell will linger throughout your household even Kitchen Materials: Large pot Strainer Spatula (to use as a stirrer) Knife Heat proof pitcher Ingredients: 7 ½ cups of apple cider
1-4 cinnamon sticks (depending how much spice you prefer) 5 whole cloves 1 orange peel 1 vanilla bean (cut length-wise) Sweetened whipped cream Instructions: Combine apple cider, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, cloves and orange peels in a pot over medium heat. Let pot sit for seven minutes (or until hot), stirring the mixture every minute. Strain the mixture into a heatproof pitcher. Pour cider into individual mugs. Top it off with a swirl of sweetened whip cream.
Cranberry and apple-stuffed acorn squash Recipe credit to About Food A side dish this delicious is sure to brighten any Thanksgiving Day table. The vibrant colors of the cranberries, apples and squash look and taste delicious. This side dish will add a savory spark to any entrée. Kitchen Materials: Baking Dish Medium size bowl Peeler Knife Spoon
PHOTOS BY BLAKE RUBIN ’16
Ingredients: 1 acorn squash (about the size of a melon) 1 cup of boiling water 1 apple peeled, and cut into ¼ inch pieces ¼ cup of dried cranberries 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 1 tablespoon of melted butter
Instructions: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash in half. With spoon, scoop out pulp and seeds. In a large baking dish, place acorn faced down in center. Pour boiling water over the squash, evenly. Place dish in the oven for 35 minutes. Combine apples, cranberries, cinnamon, and butter into a bowl. Mix the ingredients. After 35 minutes, take squash out of the oven. Flip over halves. Place half of the mixture from the bowl in the center of one of the halfs. Repeat step 11 for the other half Place stuffed squash back into the oven for 30 minutes. Plate and enjoy!
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Inklings
Epstein “graciously” accepts the challenge to start his own company
Kacey Hertan ’16 he detailed drawings, intricate jewelry and innovative pottery shown in Staples’ halls during annual art shows demonstrate the high school’s ample amount of artistic talent. But one student, Harry Epstein ’15, whose friend Nick Burchill ’15 described as a “model of excellence,” took his talent to the next level in Dec. 2013. After, as Epstein described, ‘dabbling’ in fashion and art for years, Epstein was inspired to start his own clothing company, Gracious Manufacturing, also known as Gracious Mfg. The name stemmed from a conversation with friends where the word ‘gracious’ was used. Epstein, who had never heard ‘gracious’ used in context, was prompted to look up the
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“The word stuck with me, and I wanted to pair it with something that gave it a memorable sound. That thing was the word manufacturing, which abbreviated, is Mfg.,” Epstein said. Although Epstein doesn’t manufacture his products himself, the name lends itself to the catchy company slogan “manufacturing ideas.” Currently, the only other is the creative director Aidan Kaye, an 18-year-old artist from New York City. “Gracious is a really unique company with original ideas that has the potential to be very successful,” Kaye said. Kaye, in Epstein’s words, BLOOM summer design. Kaye will now be designing the
ENTREPRENEURIAL EPSTIEN Harry Epstien ’15 poses wearing pieces from his own clothing line, Gracious Mfg.
majority of the products and crafting an image for Gracious Mfg. through photoshoots, ad design and social media that, through his involvement, he will be able to transform Gracious Mfg. into a trendsetting company. Epstein says the hardest part of running the company has been getting the word out. He relies heavily on Instagram, @graciousmfg, for publicizing products. “This form of advertisement
is so natural because Instagram is so easily accessible,” Harley Kowalsky wrote in her article “Instagram’s Recent Takeover” which featured Gracious Mfg’s advertising through the app. Epstein also told Kowalsky that Instagram publicizes the company to people with whom he is not personally acquainted. In addition to Instagram, Epstein uses his connections through friends at Staples to help with publicity. The recently launched program “Gracious College Agents” gives college
students apparell for free to wear around campus. Henri Rizack ’14 is currently a Gracious College Agent at Tulane University. Epstein has also gained recent exposure through Michael Keitt’s music video. The Norwalk rapper, who goes by the name Scottie French, wore Gracious Mfg.’s SYJ “Ganesha” t-shirt in his music video AiR. “I planned [to give] Gracious Mfg. a little exposure [in my music video] since me and Harry work together on promoting our passions,” Keitt said.
PHOTOS BY LOGAN MURPHY ’15
Epstein is already planning and looking forward to the future of the company. His goal is to see his products in many stores. Thus far, Gracious Mfg. was in one store, Sneaker Rehab in Norwalk; however, it closed its physical location in May. Possible cut-and-sew products and a collaboration with Burchill’s Instagram Pureography are also in the future vision of Gracious Mfg. “Gracious Mfg. is such a great company ran by the youth for the youth,” Keitt summarized.
To layer or not to layer, that is the question this fall
Alison Morrison ’15 In the 50s, poodle skirts and leather jackets were hip. In the 80s, brightly colored exercise suits a la Jane Fonda were bangin’. And in the early 2000s, Uggs and Juicy sweats were sweet. These days trends like crop tops and short shorts rule the summer store windows, but with the weather taking a turn for the chillier, all eyes are on the lookout for fall fashion. inspiration from magazines like People StyleWatch and pictures of their celebrity style icons out and about. “A lot of my inspiration comes from one of my favorite celebrities, Kylie Jenner,” Lily Kalman ’18 said in a Facebook interview. PHOTOS BY JESSICA GROSS ‘15 AND EMILY WOLFE ’15
inspiration from well-known celebrities, guys are little more
low-key. “I probably get most of my inspiration just based on what I see at some of my favorite stores. Things that employees suggest or just new items…” Jack Bowman ’15 said in a Facebook interview. This season, the trends revolve around versatile pieces that can be layered. Both Esquire and Elle magazines show layering with styles like dark-wash jeans, comfy sweatshirts, ankle boots and hooded jackets for women, and button-downs or sweaters and vests for men. “My personal favorite fall trend is sweaters. I have a lot, but I can’t wear them half the year, so I’m excited for that,” Bowman said. Sweaters work for both genders, being available in styles from stripes to cashmere to sweater vests. “My favorite fashion trend
right now is stripes because you can dress it up or down and pair it with anything,” Kalman said. Bold trends are also making a comeback. Elle advertises a bold patterned sweater to complement jeans and a fall colored jacket. “This season 60s silhouettes are very in, as well as bold fabrics. Prada, Valentino and Louis Vuitton, just to name a few, have collections focused around bold prints and bright colors,” Rachel Doran ’15 said. Doran is known for her style and has made her own clothes for years. inspiration based on trends she sees and likes. Stores around the Westport area make it very easy to access these types of clothes. JCrew, Melville and the like are able to provide ample options for all kinds of fall weather.
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Inklings
October 10, 2014 | Advertisement
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October 10, 2014 PHOTO BY TREVOR RIVKIN ’16
Fitton the football phenom Jimmy Ray Stagg ’16
A
t 6’5”, it’s pretty hard to miss Ryan Fitton ’17 rising above stray heads in the hallway. However, he’s more than just an imposing presence. He alone holds bragging rights for one impressive title. Fitton is the starting punter for the Staples Wreckers varsity football team, a job he earned freshman year and has continued into his sophomore season. “I never really thought I would be [a good enough punter] to start on varsity, but I guess I didn’t do too bad of a job when they tried me out,” Fitton said. and “absolutely deserves” his starting spot, according to teammate Nick Roehm ’17. Roehm and Fitton have played together since eight grade, and both represented Connecticut at the Football University program in Ohio. “He’s passionate about the game, competitive, and his [own] harshest critic” Roehm said. Coach Marce Petroccio also praised
Fitton’s “tremendous poise,” pointing out his ability to perform under pressure as a freshman on varsity. But Fitton not only performed under pressure, he thrived under it. In a game against Norwalk High last season, Fitton perspective, through all of the 2013 NFL season, the highest average punt yardage was 48.9 yards. 10 yards shy of Fitton’s. Fitton is not only a punter, but also a rising offensive player. Filling in for injured captain Jake Melnick ’15, Fitton two games of the Wreckers’ season, making him the team’s leading receiver as a wide receiver, Fitton normally plays split-end or tight-end. Looking toward the future, Fitton has nothing but good things in store, according to Petroccio. “He’ll grow into a starting tight-end for us,” Petroccio said. “And if he continues to work hard, he’ll have the opportunity to be a scholarship athlete.”
Filling the gap of seniors is Talia Hendel ’16 Last year, the Staples girls’ volleyball team was just short of unbeatable. With a solid senior class both in skills and in numbers, the team was almost undefeated. But, just like every other season, the seniors graduate and teams are forced to reform their game plans to accommodate the new rosters. In losing such a strong senior class, the volleyball team has had to adjust more than usual. In the 2013 season, the Greenwich Cardinals were the only team that managed to defeat the Wreckers-once in the regular Wreckers were able to get revenge during defeated the Cardinals and went on to be runners-up in the State tournament where they lost to Cheshire. Now, with a record of 5-7, the team is hoping their new seniors will be able to class. “Losing our seniors from last year has affected us a little bit as a program, because they were such amazing players. But this year’s seniors are ready and excited to get out there and maintain our program’s status,” varsity player Maya Lawande ’16 said. from last year, but Lawande feels that this is not necessarily a bad thing. “We have 18 girls on the roster, which is a lot, and we all have had playing time so far in the last year, but I think it is one of our biggest advantages. While it is still fairly early in the season, the team hopes that they will not
only be able to meet, but also exceed the expectations that Coach Jonathan Shepro said are “always very high for every team at Staples.” there are still 10 seniors, they didn’t get a team is very different. Every game is a battle and we are getting contributions from everyone… I think this season is all about learning and gaining experience not just in how to play but in how to work together to achieve a goal,” Shepro said. a record as last year’s, but Shepro is not really fantastic. We are working hard and trying to get better. I think we will continue to improve as the season goes on.” Captain Kaela O’Kelly ’15 recognizes that the team has lost some valuable players, such as All-State hitter Amelia Brackett, talented setter Ariana Sherman, and several others. However, she sees a lot of strengths with the current players, “[We have] a very deep team where everyone can pretty much do everything. We hustle over every inch of the court and are able to communicate well,” O’Kelly said. Whether the team achieves their goal of making and going as far as possible in both FCIACS and the State tournament this season, O’Kelly feels they are working their hardest and having fun. “All out, all game, all season is our motto. We’re having fun and doing what we love while striving to be the best we can be and help each other to be the best we can be. We love to play volleyball; the wins are just a bonus,” O’Kelly said.
PHOTO BY DANIELA KARPENOS ’15
PREPARING FOR THE SERVE Shannon Cardoza ’15, a defensive specialist, serves the ball as her team practices in order to try and improve their third place standing in the FCIAC Central.
SIZE MATTERS Ryan Fitton ’17 towers over the opposition with his 6’ 5” and 215 lb. frame in the Sept. 27 game against Westhill. During this game he had a 52 yard punt.
October 10, 2014 | Sports
25
Inklings
Farewell, Captain Andrew Vester ’17 ourteen-time All-Star. Five-time World-Series champion. Winner of the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger
F
year career, these are some of Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter’s achievements. Known to many baseball member of the 3,000 hit club and is universally respected by fans of all teams. Now, it’s time to say farewell. “I think he’s had a great career,” Nathan Panzer ’16 said. “He’s the best shortstop to ever play the game.” for Yankees fans. With Jeter’s retirement, the time of the “Core four players, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettite World-Series titles, and were the main players on the Yankees during Staples’ students’ them are retired. “I’ve watched these players for years,” Madison Malin ’17 said, “and it’s tough seeing them leave.” With Jeter’s retirement, Major League Baseball will not only lose one of the best players in history, but also one of the most respected.
PHOTO BY ADAM KAPLAN ’16
have presented Jeter with gifts, ranging from a pair of cowboy boots from the Houston Astros, to a paddleboard from the Los Angeles Angels, to a custom that baseball would be a far different place than it is today had the Yankees not drafted Jeter. Among these fans is Mitch Payne ’17, who believes that professional baseball players would have less respect from fans because there was no one like Jeter to show that some of the best players in history played without steroids. While students may or may not like Jeter, most students respect him. Panzer respects Jeter for his hard work, but for something else. “I respect him because he’s done so much for the sport, as well as given the sport a good, classy image,” O’Neill said. And while some students have recognized Jeter as the hero, or as the villain for the over 2,000 games that he has played, most students can agree on one thing. “Jeter’s a great player and a great guy,” Jackson Delgado ’18 said. “And it’ll be sad to see him go.”
PHOTO BY CAROLINE COHEN ’15
THE FANTASY GURU ultimate football machine.
Bailey Ethier ’15 your time researching. You read every article from every source and looked at every stat. You came up with the perfect plan, and then executed it to perfection. Running backs Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson of the Baltimore Ravens and the Minnesota Vikings were going to carry your team to victory. And you counted on Washington Redskins quarterback Robert
released, a grand jury indicted Peterson on charges of reckless or negligent injury to a child and game of the season. On top of that, Rice was cut from the Ravens and received an was placed on the NFL’s Exempt/ Commissioner’s Permission list and must “remain away from
OH CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN In his 20 year career Derek Jeter amassed 3,400 hits and 14 All-Star game. His baseball cards will forever immortalize his illustrious career
could be out for the rest of the season with a dislocated ankle. While your fantasy football team may still be winless, there’s plenty of time to turn it around. All you have to do is follow these three steps to attain a championship. Buy Low, Sell High Fantasy football is often
likened to the sports version of Dungeons and Dragons. Wrong. Fantasy football is not the sports equivalent to some silly game. Fantasy football is the equivalent to Wall Street. Stock brokers make money by buying stocks when their price goes down and selling stocks
team that possesses a great run defense, you have to at least consider playing Foster over Charles. For example, Foster is worth a start over Charles if
same applies in fantasy football. If you own an inconsistent wide receiver, trade him following a
more so when determining what defense to start in your lineup. No one would argue that the San Diego Chargers’ defense is better than the San Francisco 49ers’ defense. However, if the Chargers are playing the Oakland Raiders and the 49ers are playing the Denver Broncos, it’s worth giving San Diego a shot. Don’t Rely On Monday Night If your starting tight end is questionable to play on Monday night, you’re better off playing it safe and starting your backup tight end who is backup playing who is playing on Sunday. If your starter is unable to play on Monday night, you won’t be able to sub in anyone else (unless you have another player of that position playing on Monday night). And aren’t some points better than no points? If these tips help you bounce back from a slow start, you’re welcome. But if they don’t, it’s your fault for drafting a terrible fantasy team.
game. Or if another owner’s tight end has had a few bad weeks in a row, trade for him then and give up less than you would’ve had you done the trade following a 25 point outburst. If some dude from Canada was able to trade a paperclip for a pen and then for a doorknob, and so on until he traded a movie role for a house, you can trade and work your way up from New England Patriots wide receiver Aaron Dobson to a fantasy stud such as Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Play the Match ups If I were to say Houston Foster is better than Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles, I would be utterly wrong. But if Foster is playing a team with a sub par run defense, while Charles is up against a
the Jacksonville Jaguars while Charles’ Chiefs face-off against the Seattle Seahawks.
PHOTO BY CLAIRE DINSHAW ’17
Jen Gouchoe ’16 Most preschoolers would dread taking off their beloved life jackets and jumping into the deep end of the pool. For Mia Bullock ’16, this was no problem. Bullock went to preschool at the YMCA, which inspired her to pursue swimming. “At that time, I grew a fondness of the sport, and decided I wanted to join the swim team,” said Bullock ’16. She was 8-years old when she began swimming competitively, and she “hasn’t stopped since,” said Bullock. It was clear even at a young age that she was a standout among her fellow swimmers. After getting her start at the YMCA, she has swum with numerous swim teams such as the Westport Water Rats, the Wilton Wahoos and the Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club. She currently swims with the New Canaan Caimans along with the Staples varsity team.
“Mia is very talented and can be a huge asset to any team she is on,” Mike Ferraro, Bullock’s coach on the New Canaan team, said. “I have seen Mia do things in the water that I have never seen other swimmers do and do it with an ease about her.” Bullock said that her “strong work ethic” and “competitive spirit” have helped her over the years to become a better swimmer. All her hard work is evident; she has broken many records including the 100 the 200 IM in short course meters and in short course yards. “She is a swimmer we can rely on to get those points for us,” Staples varsity team captain Malin Hovstadius ’15 said, praising Bullock’s record breaking times and also acknowledging how Bullock, “has a good attitude, and many of the girls look up to her abilities.” Although swimming is
a tough sport that requires endurance, strength and determination, Bullock has endured many years of training, which has led her to this path of success. “Mia will be a highly recruited collegiate athlete and will have many options because of her academics and swimming ability,” Ferraro said. Bullock plans on swimming in college, and she hopes to make Olympic trials. Even if she doesn’t make a career out of swimming,” she said, “I will apply all the lessons I have learned in the pool to the career I choose.” Whatever challenges or struggles she may face, Bullock’s intense passion for the sport will help her reach her goals and pursue swimming even further. “I continue to amaze myself throughout the years and my swimming, surpassing my goals and achieving things I only dreamed of,” said Bullock.
SWIMMING FOR SUCCESS Mia Bullock ’16 prepares to dive off her block in the Oct. 2 meet against Greenwich. Bullock won every race she competed in that day.
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Inklings
October 10, 2014 | Sports
collide with
leap and row to
on Halloween
programs Thomas Nealon ’17
Will Dumke ’16
W
hile the Staples football team has fought through some scary weather, this year’s game
Out of the 90 clubs and 25 sports teams Staples has to offer, it would seem nearly impossible that students would not be able
spooky as it falls on Halloween.
interest them. However, many individuals have chosen to take their athletic talents to other competitive programs. Students who participate in activities like fencing, parkour and rowing have been forced to partake in other athletic programs. Natalie Chun ’17 is a very serious fencer who competes at the highest levels of competition in the U.S. Last year, Chun was ranked in the top 50 nationally in her division, Sabre. She participated in national championships over the summer,
the intensity of football and the celebration of Halloween collide players and even the coaches are preparing differently for this extraordinary event. Some students plan on dressing up for the games and not in their usual Wreckers gear. Wreckers fan Daniel Brill ’16 is one of the many students who is excited for the Halloween game. going all out,” Brill said. “I will dress up in some sort of costume, come support the team and then go celebrate after.” for even more celebration than an ordinary football game for it combines the school spirit of Staples with the haunting excitement of Halloween. Even the coaches have high hopes for the event. “Oh, it’s going to be tremendous,” Coach Marce Petroccio said. “I will be dressed up as a football coach.” forward to the event. Connor Adrian ’16 is one of the many Wreckers who is excited for the game. excited to play on Halloween,” Adrian said. “We hope our superfans show up to support us, whether they’re in costumes or not.” fun and trickery for all who come to watch the game. “As long as the kids do all the right things and are respectful it should be great,” Petroccio said. “It should be a lot of fun.”
Emma Berry ’15 When someone says “the varsity team” it’s not unusual to picture big, strong upperclassman athletes that set examples and goals for underclassmen beginning their journeys through Staples sports. However, when someone says “girls’ varsity soccer” that stereotypical image becomes entirely irrelevant. girls’ soccer team is coming in with a record number of seven sophomores on varsity. In addition, many of these girls were placed on the varsity team as freshmen. According to head coach kids being starters this year means we have two very strong years to come with them and the team.” off the season with a powerful front as a nearly undefeated
PHOTO BY TREVOR RIVKIN ’16
MANNING THE SIDELINES Assistant coaches Jesse McCray and Jack McFarland watch as Staples takes on Westhill at Homecoming.
Anders Hovstadius ’17 have to really love what you do Coach McFarland has also been an assistant coach for the Marce Petroccio, better known as Coach P among Staples involved and for an athlete or Staples football program since Students, has led the Wreckers coach there is a price to pay for 1995. In 2004 he was named the Assistant Coach of the Year football team to many wins; success,” McCray said. by the Connecticut High School however, he may not have been able to win all these years without coaching he feels that he has Coaches Association. McFarland preaches an the help of Staples’ incredible grown close bonds to his fellow assistant coaches. Despite coaches. “I’ve known Coach P important value to his players. being relatively unknown as since I was 18, Coach McFarland football coaches, these men have for over 20 years. We’ve seen set and also pride in your school/ contributed to both the Wreckers, [each others’] kids born, [and] community,” he said. Staples alumni Mac Devito and the game of football for many been to weddings. It is like an was the starting quarterback for years. the 1997 FCIAC championship Line coach Jesse McCray, team. As a collegiate athlete who stands over six feet tall, has “We’ve seen [each coached football and track for 27 others] kids born, been University Owls from 1998 to years. McCray played football 2001 and was voted captain at Western Connecticut State to weddings. It is like during his senior year. University during Petroccio’s After coaching for several tenure as an assistant coach an extended family.” teams in the North East, Devito there. -Jesse McCray returned to the Wreckers in As a defensive linemen at 2008 to become the quarterback Western Connecticut University coach, secondary coach and McCray won the Brian Blanchard extended family,” said McCray. While McCray has excelled passing game coordinator. Award for Academic and Athletic Despite each of their Excellence. McCray later assumed receivers coach Jack McFarland achievements separately, these received numerous coaches have all come together to the position assistant coach at has Danbury High School, where accomplishments on the baseball help lead Wreckers football. he helped the football and boys’ diamond for the Wreckers. McFarland returns for his to our success and help us a lot. track team win an FCIAC title. 17th year with the Wreckers, We have one of the best coaching after leading the varsity Baseball staffs in the state, personally [speaking], and they all bring a Connecticut Post Coach of the great vibe to the team,” punter and wide receiver Ryan Fitton ’17 Field and Cross Country Coaches four years. With his time coaching said. Association Girls Connecticut Wrecker’s baseball, his program Petroccio concluded by McCray accounts his success has had several players earn All- describing his coaching staff. “It’s like one big Italian family.” to a philosophy he holds. “You State recognition.
team. Now 12 games into the season the team continues to dominate competition week after week with 10 wins, one tie and only one loss. Even with one year or less spent on varsity the girls are making large contributions to the team and work well with the upperclassmen to win game after game. Beattie shares that the sophomores “have had something to do with every single goal we’ve scored this year.” Coming onto a varsity team as a freshman may seem
goals set for the rest of the season. “It is a realistic game for us to challenge the top teams,” Beattie said. “We’ve got a few tough games coming up, but I feel with this group we can actually go on and challenge for some proper
honors.” promising potential for the rest of the season. “I’m hoping we advance into states and FCIACSs because that would be really big for us,” Eve Korus ’17 said.
PHOTO BY BECKY HOVVING ’17
’17, a right mid player who has had a passion for the game it was [intimidating], but all the upperclassmen were really nice and said hi to me in the halls, which made me feel really welcomed.” With the current stats going as they are, the team has high
SOPHMORE STARS Staples Varsity soccer has been overrun with sophomores (Top row left to right: Morgan McWhirter, Tia Zajec, Charlotte Rossi, Lydia Shaw. Bottom Row: Kit Epstien, Ivy Prince, Eve Korus.
to six times a week, and fences in major tournaments virtually every weekend. Staples does offer a fencing club but not a team, much to are a few fencers who were a part of [the club] last year, but most of them fence recreationally, and their practices aren’t very advanced,” Chun said. Due to the lack of competition the club had to offer, she took her talents to the more competitive Candlewood Fencing Center in Danbury Connecticut. “High level fencers do seem to get recruited more often because there are less fencers than other sports and colleges want unique students,” Chun said. Sebi Alderucci ’17 was also forced to participate in an athletic program outside of Staples. Alderucci is a parkourist. Parkour is a sport where an athlete moves rapidly through an area, surmounting obstacles by running, jumping and climbing. Parkour isn’t offered as a club at Staples, so even Alderucci, who doesn’t participate in competitive outside of Staples. Alderucci may try to start a parkour club at Staples if there is enough student interest. “Parkour is usually casual, so we would do it for fun,” Alderucci said. Similarly, Camila MeyerBosse ’17 rows not for Staples but for Saugatuck Rowing Club a week. Meyer-Bosse and her team has competed in several regattas including last year’s Club Nationals. Many students who attend Staples partake in rowing programs; however, Staples doesn’t offer this sport. “Staples does not have a rowing team, the boats and oars alone are too expensive for a school sports,” Meyer-Bosse said. Most schools, including Staples, don’t offer rowing to students to save money. Rowing is sport that is in high demand by prestigious colleges, so rowers tend to be heavily recruited. Meyer Bosse from rowing outside of Staples. It’s opened me up to people and friendships outside of school, but it has given me an edge for the recruiting process as well.”
Inklings
October 10, 2014 | Sports
From
27
PHOTO BY CAROLINE O’KANE ‘16
Football: a 3-2 record through the opening stages of the season, with seven games to play. After a disappointing 3-0 loss in High School on Sept. 12, Staples had to overcome adversity in the opening portion of the season. “We still played very hard against them and never let up,” linemen Jackson Ward ’16 said. Staples is currently 2-1 in the FCIAC, setting them up for a possible FCIAC Championship match up on Dec. 12 or 13.
to football, Inklings follows fall sports
Boys’ Soccer: had to overcome adversity in the opening stages of the season, after an injury to tricaptain Andrew Puchala ’15. Head coach Dan Woog cited the emergence of Josh Berman ’17, who scored a game-tying goal in a Sept. 16 match against Danbury, and Kenji Goto ’16 as key contributors after the injury. they are very quick learners,” Woog said. Staples will look to improve upon their current 4-2-2 record this afternoon
PHOTO BY LIANA SONENCLAR ’14
ultimately capture a championship. “[Our goal is to] win the last game of the season. It’s the state championship, and our goal is to win that match,” Woog said.
Cross Country:
By Fritz Shemel ’17
W
ith half of the fall season in the books, we look back on the success of some of our fall teams.
country teams have ran out of the gate with boys’ team is currently undefeated with a record of 15-0, while the girls’ team holds a 14-1 record.
Girls’ Volleyball: Following a highly successful 2013 campaign in which the team was the runner-up in the Class LL State Championship, the Staples girls’ volleyball team is hoping to advance, once again, to FCIACs and the State Championship on Nov. 15. After losing star player Amelia Brackett ’14, the team has encountered many changes this year. “We’re still trying to adjust and get our dynamic down, but it’s been a really fun season for our team so far,” Kendall Rochin ’15 said. With title hopes hanging in the balance at a record of 5-7 as of Oct. 2, the team enters a crucial end of the season stretch tonight at Bridgeport
has made a huge impact this year. “[We] have done a lot of off-season training and it seems to really be paying off, Brian MacCordy ’17 said. “Everyday people are consistently in putting in the work.” Both teams will continue their season tomorrow at the Wickham Park Invitational in Manchester, Connecticut, and then at the FCIAC Championships Oct. 16.
Girls’ Soccer: Girls’ soccer boasts an impressive 7-11 record with just four games remaining in the regular season.
Field Hockey: team has the potential to go deep into the season as championship contenders. knowing the potential we have to go far,” captain Elizabeth Bennewitz ’15 said. games to go in the regular season before starting postseason play. A championship is the ultimate goal. possible,” Bennewitz added.
Top Left: Injured Kyle Hackett ’15 leads the football team during the national anthem before the game against Stamford, which resulted in a 37-34 loss on Oct. 2. Top Right: Jamie Tanzer ’15 and Elizabeth did not qualify for FCIACs, but they hope to this year. Middle: Kendall Rochlin ’15 serves up a shot for her teammates during practice. After struggling with a 5-7 record. Bottom: (left to right) Zak Ahmad ’17, Jake Berman ’15, Oliver Hickson ’15, James Lewis ’16 and Luis Cruz ’15 are some of the strongest runners for the the top 15 in the 2.98 mile boys’ race on Sept. 23. PHOTO BY CAROLINE O’KANE ‘16
PHOTO BY DANIELA KARPENOS ‘15
Every game we give it our all,” captain Lauren Garcia ’15 said. from an 8-8 regular season in 2013. “We all worked hard last year but we had some bad luck with a few games, but Hopefully this year we redeem ourselves, and I believe we can,” Garcia added. With an array of new talent, the girls’ soccer team is prone for success going into a playoff stretch.
SPORTS
The Wreckers
Inside
An update on Staples’ fall sports
Assistant football coaches run the show
page 27
page 26
PHOTO BY CAROLINE O’KANE ‘16
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY STAPLES SOCCER
InBrief Girls’ Swim and Dive It’s a big week for the girls’ swimming and diving teams as they travel to two FCIAC opponents. First on Wednesday 10/15, they travel to the Darien YMCA to take on the Darien
SOCCER
on Friday 10/17, at Barlow Mountain School, they take on
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY THE WALSH FAMILY
p.m.
PHOTO BY CAROLINE O’KANE ‘16
Cross Country On Saturday 10/11, both Staples boys’ and girls’ cross country teams will go the Wickham Park Invitational 10/16 they will compete in the FCIAC championships at Waveny Park in New Canaan.
Girls’ Soccer
FAMILIES PHOTO BY CAROLINE O’KANE ‘16
girls’ soccer team will host the
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY STAPLES SOCCER
hoping to be in top form as the FCIAC and state tournament are approaching.
Field Hockey At Ginny Parker Field on Brian McMahon High School as the Lady Wreckers aim to host FCIAC contender Darien at
HERE
Boys’ Water polo
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY STAPLES SOCCER
PHOTO BY CAROLINE O’KANE ‘16
On Wednesday 10/15, the boys’ water polo team will take on Darien followed by a clash with the Hopkins School on 10/17. Both games will take place
Girls’ Volleyball
TO STAY
SOCCER SIBLINGS RUN STAPLES Brothers and sisters unite to maintain the tradition of Staples Soccer (Top Row: Graham Gudis, Greg Gudis Top Middle: Alli Walsh, Maggie Walsh Bottom Middle: Will Birch, Harry Birch Bottom: Sterling Price, Brandon Price).
Adam Kaufman ’15 ith an incredible 12 state championships and 27 FCIAC titles, the Staples boys’ varsity soccer team is one of the most storied programs in all of Connecticut.
individually, but he is motivated to be part of championship teams just like his brother. Graham’s older brother Greg Gudis ’11, a four-year varsity player and captain of the 2010 FCIAC champion team, said that both he and Graham were very
to themselves as a family, but there are actually many players with Staples’ soccer alumni in their family trees. “Growing up watching my brother play Staples soccer and win championships gave me a head start in understanding what Staples soccer was all about,” Graham Gudis ’16 said .Gudis is quick to point out that his brother’s three FCIAC titles from 2007 to 2010 don’t pressure him
Greg said, they “both hate to lose, and both give everything 110 percent.” Led by head coach Dan Woog, an immense contributor to the program since 1970, Staples soccer has been known for its strong tradition and commitment to excellence. Woog said that the younger brothers tend to come into ninth grade with a deeper knowledge of Staples soccer than his peers. As a coach, Woog
W
does his best to ensure that he evaluates younger siblings as “different people, with different personalities, strengths and weaknesses,” and that he treats them as true individuals on the Goalie Brenden Price ’16 said he enjoyed sharing the pitch with his brother, forward Sterling Price ’14, because “it gave us a little friendly competition,” Sterling said. “Watching my brother play for Staples has been an incredible sight, and being on the same team last year was an enlightening experience.” Sterling believes that together, the duo of brothers is able to emulate the goals of the Staples soccer program by giving their
Maggie Walsh ’15 and her sister Alli Walsh ’09 also have fond memories of each other on not be more proud of Maggie, everything she has accomplished and all that she has to look forward to in her soccer career.” Maggie said their family, which includes her brother and former Wrecker keeper Connor Walsh ’11, loves to reminisce as a group about past accomplishes. Many of the siblings heaped praise upon each other, but Harry Birch ’13, a member of the 2010 FCIAC championship team, made sure to stay true to sibling rivalry by saying that his brother, Will Birch ’18, is “still not as good as me, but is a decent goalie.”
will play Bassick on 10/14 in the Staples gym as they make a run towards an FCIAC tournament FCIAC power Darien will take on the Lady Wreckers in the Staples gym. Both matches will
Boys’ Soccer
makes a push towards FCIAC Greenwich comes to town and the Wreckers will take on the defending FCIAC champions
Football On Saturday 10/18, the Wreckers football teams travels to Danbury to take on the Hatters in their second straight road FCIAC
For continual updates check inklingsnews.com