First day of school special by The Newtonite

Newtonite ◆ Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013 • Volume 92

Newton North High School, 457 Walnut St., Newtonville, Mass. 02460

Committee ends student club fees Connor Vasu Starting this school year, students will no longer have to pay to participate in clubs due to a June School Committee vote to eliminate the $125 student activity fee. In addition, the committee lowered the total amount of money a family could pay in fees from $1,800 to $1,200. Sports and drama fees remain unchanged. School Committee vice chair Matt Hills said the committee had reached the conclusion that the fee was not working as intended. “While almost all of the other fees were changed with little or no impact on student participation, the high school activity fee seemed to have a negative impact on participation,” Hills said. “The high school student activity fee was put in place three years ago during our severe budget pressures at the height of the recession,” he explained. Up Close, a club dedicated to discussing local issues, met with mayor Setti Warren and superintendent David Fleishman last spring and discussed the effectiveness of club fees. Senior Steven Kelly, a co-director of Up Close, said when the student by

Leah Budson

Battling for the ball: Sophomore Megan Lenihan and junior Maddie Irwin chase after the ball during a field hockey scrimmage Tuesday, August 26.

activity fee was implemented, no organization was created to ensure that the fees were paid. According to data from the 2011-2012 school year, the first year the fees were collected, only 14% of students paid the student activity fee. “While the club fees may have been a good idea on paper, they proved extremely hard to swallow for parents at North and the school committee voted accordingly,” said Kelly. According to science teacher Michael Hazeltine, this school’s club director, the fees significantly reduced student participation in clubs. “There was confusion about the fee that discouraged people from creating clubs too,” he said. With the decision to eliminate the fees, Hazeltine said that it is important students know the fees no longer exist. Senior Riley Heiman, the secretary general of the Model United Nations club, said, “Club fees were just another barrier that discouraged club participation, especially for newer members and freshmen,” and he now expects an increase in club participaton.

Teachers, students reflect on freshman transition Alex Feit Arriving from smaller middle schools into a large, confusing building with such high academic standards can often be a daunting task for the freshmen who enter this school each year. Not surprisingly, they often feel anxious about their prospects. “I am most nervous for the big tests and finals,” said freshman Emma Brown, who arrived from Day Middle School. Freshman Emily Catano said, “I’m most nervous about the switch from Bigelow Middle School to North, because I have heard that high school is so much different than middle school.” Never fear, said ninth grade liaison Jane Kenslea, who coordinates a support structure to help incoming freshmen transition effectively. “Thankfully, due to all the support and excellent preparation from the middle and high school guidance counselors, teachers, and administrators, the transition for most students usually goes very smoothly,” said Kenslea. Moreover, with specialized discussion forums geared towards easing the transition and new programs such as the Ninth Grade Collaborative Teaching Community, the Class of 2017 may find its arrival even more manageable than classes in years past, according to history teacher Gregory Drake, who regularly teaches underclassmen. by

Common Challenges

When freshmen begin their high school careers in September, many will come upon new

hurdles for which they had not accounted, said Drake. “I think one of the biggest challenges is adjusting to the academic expectations,” Drake said. “There’s much less structure to homework and there is more difficulty compared to middle school classes. “While there is much more freedom in this approach, this can also result in organizational problems.” Drake also said that students over the years have “required more personalized attention over work production,” such as completing homework assignments and studying for tests. Kenslea commented that she has noticed an increase in the numbers of freshmen experiencing transitional stress in the earlier months of high school. Adding to these challenges, guidance counselor Michele Kennedy believes that students may have a hard time figuring out how to define their own image in high school, especially in such a large and bustling atmosphere that was not available in previous years. Nevertheless, the administration is aware of these potential sources for pitfalls, and as a result, the process for bringing underclassmen into this school generally begins in eighth grade, according to Kenslea.

Academic, Social Solutions

During the spring, guidance counselors in the feeder middle schools of Bigelow and F.A. Day register students with their future homerooms and guidance counselors for the next four years. Concurrently, middle school

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and high school counselors make preparations for students that might have difficulty with the shift in academic standards and workload. Meanwhile, programs such as Step-Up Day, Student Orientation Sessions, Freshman Guidance Seminar, and Tiger Tours were created to provide students with a preview of the school building and the years to come, said Kenslea. When students finally arrive at North, those who need support from teachers and the administration will find that there is plenty to go around, Kenslea added. For each student, approximately 12 to 15 adult staff members, including the grade’s housemaster, administrative assistants, guidance counselors, teachers, coaches, and Kenslea, all help to provide assistance to freshmen on an as needed basis. Academic support is individualized for those students who might require it with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), Kenslea said. Additionally, a new program called the Ninth Grade Collaborative Teaching Community, spearheaded by Drake, also intends to provide a more individualized and efficient approach to student learning. A group of eight teachers across several disciplines will meet during G-block regarding shared students in Curriculum II classes. They will discuss academic difficulties among students and ◆ continued on page 8

Paulina Romero

Freshman Athletic Night: Sophomore Nate Hollenberg speaks to incoming freshmen about athletics.

Newtonite.com

opinion

2 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013

Take advantage of opportunities Look all around you. Look left and right. Look up, now down. Do you see that? Can you smell it? Can you feel it all around you? Yep, that’s what opportunity looks like, smells like, and feels like.

Newton North is a big school—in terms of both its physical size and what it has to offer. Everywhere you look, there are flyers and posters and tables of students begging you to join their club, promising pizza, candy, or maybe even some fun. Probably the most exhausted piece of advice you will receive at this school, especially during freshman year, is to get involved. Everyone (really, everyone) will encourage you to attend club meetings, try out a sport, find a passion. The advice might get so repetitive that you just wave your hands around until the person stops lecturing you, assure them that you understand, and promise to join something. But don’t let everyone’s advice wear you

out––don’t let its frequency dull its message. Getting involved could be one of the best decisions you make at this school. One of the beauties of joining a club or team is that you’re placed with kids who probably have similar interests to you. The Anime Club is filled with kids who like Anime, the Cartoon Club with kids who like cartooning, and the Science Team with kids who like science. Clubs bring together students with a particular interest—it’s like you’re being handed a friend group on a silver platter. So when all of your teachers, your guidance counselors, the principal, your older siblings, your younger siblings, your friends who you’re so close with you’re practically siblings, your parents, and every other person who you see in the halls tells you to get involved, don’t tune them out. Instead, internalize what they’re saying, and when a club catches your attention, go over and talk to club members. If the topic interests you, do not hesitate to sign up.

Leah Budson As a high school student, your life seems to revolve around, well, high school. With almost 33 hours of school and maybe 20 hours of homework per week, academics can seem all-consuming. However, there’s more to learn than what classrooms and books can teach you. These four years are indeed about pushing yourself in school, but they’re also about finding your passions, making mistakes, and enjoying the time you have before the “real world” hits. The key to surviving high school sounds simple, but can feel impossible: find a balance between academics, extracurriculars, and a social life.

As I’m sure you’ve heard in countless speeches by students and teachers, extracurriculars are possibly the best thing this school has to offer. Benjamin Franklin once said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” Being involved is what extracurriculars are about. In most clubs and programs, students are the ones running the meetings, the businesses, the shows. From the Newtonite to Theatre Ink to Forte, teachers are there to advise, but students are the ones participating and taking charge. But as important as classes and extracurriculars are, do not let them devour your life. These years are also for time

editorial

Julia Moss

Just like the movies: Some teachers tend to use clichés when addressing freshmen in the first days and weeks of the school year, but the message matters.

Balance extracurriculars, schoolwork, social life

Newtonite The Newtonite, founded in 1922, is the news source of Newton North High School, 457 Walnut St., Newtonville, Mass. 02460. Editors in chief — Leah Budson, Samantha Libraty Managing editors — Ryan Condon, Peter Diamond, Amanda Hills, Julia Oran News editors — Maxwell Kozlov, Connor Vasu Sports editors —Jacob Gurvis, Jonny Levenfeld Arts editors — Doug Abrams, Maddie Griswold Features editors — Alex Feit, Elena Schwartz Opinion editor — Jared Perlo Freelance editors — Nicky Kaufman, David Kwartler, Andrew Mannix Talk of the Tiger editor — Robin Donohoe Photography managers — Robin Donohoe, Cheyanne Jackson, Paulina Romero

Graphics managers — Julia Moss, Maria Trias Advertising manager — Adam Rabinowitz Business manager — Camille Bowman Technology manager — Alex Potter Chief cartoonist — Julia Moss Advisers — Tom Fabian, Derek Knapp, Amanda Mazzola News staff — Ned Martenis Features staff — Meriel Hennessy Sports staff — Isaiah Blakely, Kirk Stuart Arts staff — Maya Abou-Rizk Photography Staff —Judith Gibson-Okunieff Blogs staff — Doug Abrams, Nick Choi, Molly Dalzell, Peter Diamond, Jacob Gurvis, Jennifer Price, Paulina Romero, Sam Taylor

The Newtonite staff does all its reporting and photography to post content daily to its website, theNewtonite.com. They make all content choices. Sign up for the Newtonite’s weekly email newsletter on its website. In addition to the back to school special, the Newtonite will publish a print graduation special, as well as other specials throughout the year. To place an advertisement in the online or print version of the Newtonite or to contact us by phone, please call 617-559-6273. Readers can also reach us at thenewtonite@gmail.com.

Letters The Newtonite serves as a designated forum for student opinion. Readers are invited to submit guest articles and letters to the editor. Letters should be put in the Newtonite box in the main office or emailed to thenewtonite@gmail.com. The Newtonite reserves the right to edit all letters, which must have the writer’s name and a student’s class and homeroom.

outside of school, and although exploring Boston or going to a concert with your friends will not improve your grades, it’s important to give yourself time when you can stop worrying about school, relax, and enjoy your high school years.

column Some things simply cannot be learned in the classroom. High school is the time to learn what’s important to you, and figuring out who you are is easier to discover in honest conversations with your peers outside of school than in debates in English class. As nerdy as it may sound, do not be afraid to

discuss real topics with your friends. Never forget that your peers can teach you just as much as your teachers can. Learn what type of people you like to surround yourself with, which fights are worth having and which aren’t. For better or for worse, a lot of high school is about finding your social niche. It’s important to enjoy the limited free time available in high school, so make sure you don’t settle for a group of friends you dislike being around. Learn what you really enjoy doing, whether it’s serving the community, writing, swimming, exploring cities, or just being with the people you care about. Then make sure to set

some time aside for doing those things because they can be just as enriching as any classroom activity. That’s not to say that you should forget about schoolwork; moderation is key. Try hard in your classes, but if you turn in one homework assignment late in exchange for celebrating a friend’s birthday, don’t beat yourself up over it. If one test earns a grade worse than usual, that’s alright. An extra minus sign on your report card isn’t the end of the world. High school is about more than air-conditioned lectures; learning really does expand beyond the classroom, and you should seek an equilibrium between classwork, extracurriculars, and freetime.

Consider college quality, not prestige Jared Perlo We’re high schoolers. In Newton. At Newton North. A school in which 86 percent of students plan to enroll in some kind of college, according to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s latest statistics. In such a higher-educationdriven climate, there is a widespread perception that getting into college is the end goal, the end-all-be-all, the final destination. Once you get into college, the next four years and beyond are smooth sailing, right? Not really. In our sprint toward college, we lose sight of the fact that the college process only starts once we actually enroll. Yet being the unwise, narrowminded teenagers that perhaps we are, we flock towards prestigious colleges without stopping to think if the institutions are actually the right places for us. Let’s step back for a minute and remind ourselves that the point of college, after all, is to become involved in a field for the sake of learning and selfimprovement—not just to have a hallowed university’s name printed on a sheet of cardstock. What’s more, some of this country’s most recognized universities might not be worth pursuing at all. High schoolers can be obsessed with prestige, by

so it follows that most of what we know about colleges comes from public hype and word-ofmouth grapevines. Despite this lack of concrete information, the scramble to get into an elite, prestigious undergraduate university is heating up as parents and students alike look increasingly to elite schools as the only ticket to a stable job in a recovering economy.

column Yet this obsession with name recognition is silly and shortsighted. Sure, it’d look nice to have a big-time university printed on your resume, but Harvard economic professor Lawrence Katz found that doling out huge sums of money to attend a private university is oftentimes, according to The New York Times, “a waste of money” in lieu of attending “the flagship campus of a top-notch state university.” Recent studies have shown that this name-game is worth little more than show. Alan B. Krueger, a former economist at Princeton and Stacy Dale of Mathematica Policy Research released a study in 2011 that revealed “equally smart students had about the same earnings whether or not they went to toptier colleges.”

In essence, the success of a college education depends far more on the student than the name printed in gold leaf on alumni mailings. The Obama Administration is currently attempting to address this discrepency with a plan to rank colleges based on value, looking at aspects such as tuition, graduation rates, and earnings of graduates. Not surprisingly, prestige is not among the considerations for ranking. So calm down, Mr. Harvardis-the-only-thing-that-matters. UMass is a perfectly viable route to a successful academic and professional career. What’s more, about one in every three college students transfers at some point in his or her college career, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling. Thus the school you choose is not always perfect, and there is always a second chance at finding the right college for you. And then there are the ragsto-riches billionaires who have dropped out of college, from Steve Jobs and Bill Gates to Oprah Winfrey and Woody Allen, proving that college isn’t the only route to prosperity. In short, college isn’t merely a prestige-dictated stepping stone, but rather an opportunity to delve into the depths of learning.

news

Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 3

New faculty provide experience and enthusiasm Tricia Bache

Bryan Collier

Erin Dalbec

Background: Bache received a bachelor’s in art education for preK to grade 12. She also received a master’s in special education for moderate disabilities for grade 5 to grade 12. file photo Excited about . . . “being back at North and taking on a new role.” Fun Fact(s): Bache loves art, as well as snowboarding. She is the oldest of seven children.

Background: Collier received a bachelor’s in elementary special education. He also received a master’s in special education from the University of Michigan. file photo Excited about . . . “getting to know the students.” Fun Fact(s): Collier was his high school’s mascot. He also enjoys hiking.

Background: Dalbec earned a bachelor’s in communications from Worcester State and a master’s in media and philanthropy from Suffolk University. She also received a master’s in library science from file photo Simmons. Excited about . . . “meeting all of the students and developing new programs.” Fun fact(s): Dalbec plays the bass guitar in a band.

Jim Dellott

Amy Donovan

Scott Dunlop

Background: Dellott attended the Benjamin Franklin Institute, Fitchburg State University, and UMass Boston for his multiple degrees. Excited about . . . “continuing the work I’ve been doing over the last file photo three decades and working with an amazing team of incoming students.” Fun fact(s): Dellott likes genealogy, golf, boating, home maintenance, and video editing.

Background: Donovan earned a bachelor’s and master’s in education from UMass Lowell. Excited about . . . “getting to know my students. Everything feels open, file photo airy, and cheerful.” Fun fact(s): “I played college softball and professional woman’s football, and I’m a huge Patriots fan!”

Background: Dunlop earned his bachelor’s at the University of Southern Maine and most recently worked at Memorial Spaulding Elementary School. Excited about . . . “the creativity file photo and sense of adventure.” Fun Fact(s): Dunlop has worked for MTV, NBC Universal, E! Entertainment television, and National Geographic.

Eileen Gagarin

Erin Grant

Lauren Italiano

Background: Gagarin earned a bachelor’s in fine arts in ceramics and in art education from the Massachusetts College of Art, and a master’s in fine arts in ceramics from Tulane University. file photo Excited about . . . “getting to know the students and staff.” Fun Fact(s): Gagarin enjoys seeing live music, running, and traveling.

Background: Grant earned a bachelor’s in psychology from University of California Davis. She also received a master’s in school psychology from Saint Mary’s College of California. Grant was a school psyfile photo chologist for Sonoma County Public Schools in California. Excited about . . . “the new school and faces.” Fun Fact(s): Grant enjoys playing flag football.

Background: Italiano studied at the College of New Jersey, receiving a bachelor’s in elementary education, and at Florida State University, receiving a master’s in library science. Excited about . . . “a new challenge file photo and moving up to high school.” Fun Fact(s): Italiano enjoys running, cooking, and reading in her spare time. She is frequently asked if she is Italian, and she is.

Bradley Jensen

Jennifer Letourneau

Sheela Maupin

Background: Jensen earned his bachelor’s in English teaching at the University of New Hampshire and a master’s in urban education at Boston College. Excited about . . . “getting to call file photo myself a Tiger.” Fun Fact(s): Jensen likes singing, dancing, and running. He will be directing and choreographing Theatre Ink’s spring musical.

Background: Letourneau earned a bachelor’s in mathematics and a master’s in secondary education from Boston College. Excited about . . . “being a part of the energy generated by this school’s file photo students and staff.” Fun Fact(s): Letourneau enjoys reading, playing tennis, spending time with family and friends, and spending time in Boston.

Background: Maupin received a bachelor’s in English from the University of California at Berkeley and a master’s in teaching at San Jose State University. Excited about . . . “joining such a file photo dedicated faculty and getting to know the students at Newton North.” Fun fact(s): Maupin enjoys traveling both in the United States and abroad.

Arielle Miles

Arielle Rochelin

Amanda Samaha

Background: Miles graduated from McGill University, where she studied chemistry and Middle East studies. She became a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya. Miles received file photo her master’s in teaching at Northeastern University. Excited about . . . “working alongside such dedicated teachers and parents.” Fun Fact(s): Miles speaks six languages.

Background: Rochelin studied at Emory University, receiving a bachelor’s in international politics and African studies. She also earned a master’s from Harvard University. file photo Excited about . . . “the students.” Fun fact(s): Rochelin proclaims herself “a world traveler.” She was raised in Haiti and lived in West Africa.

Background: Samaha earned a bachelor’s in sociology at the University of New Hampshire and a master’s in education from the counseling program at the University of New Hampshire. file photo Excited about . . . “working at a school that celebrates diversity.” Fun Fact(s): Samaha enjoys spending time with her husband, two children, and chocolate labrador.

Cristina Schulze

Sam Shoutis

Ruth Talvacchia

Background: Schulze received degrees in her native Argentina, as well as degrees from Boston College and Boston University. She has taught in various colleges around New England. file photo Excited about . . . “the students at the school and collaborating with other departments.” Fun Fact(s): Schulze enjoys singing.

Background: Shoutis earned a bachelor’s in chemistry and a bachelor’s in mathematics from Middlebury College. He also was awarded a master’s of education from Harvard University. file photo Excited about . . . “learning with both the other members of the faculty and the students at Newton.” Fun Fact(s): Shoutis is from Wyoming.

Background: Talvacchia earned a bachelor’s in English and in theology. She has taught costume design for the past 10 years in Newton. Excited about . . . “the quality of the file photo staff and dedication of the students.” Fun Fact(s): Talvacchia has three sons who attend South. She loves to travel, sew, read, and spend time with her sons.

Malinda Tupper

Meghan Trupiano

Matthew Warford

Background: Tupper received a Ph.D. in material science and engineering from MIT and a bachelor’s and master’s from Northwestern. Excited about . . . “being back as a file photo full-fledged faculty member.” Fun Fact(s): Tupper enjoys hiking, camping and kayaking. She also enjoys skiing and snowboarding in the winter.

Background: Trupiano received a bachelor’s in mathematics and in secondary education. She taught at Timberland High School in Missouri. Excited about . . . “everything. I’m file photo ready to get in the classroom.” Fun Fact(s): Trupiano has an English bulldog named Gimli. She loves Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Doctor Who.

Background: Warford earned a master’s in social work from Smith College. He worked as a licensed independent clinical social worker at Boston Children’s Hospital last file photo year. Excited about . . . “meeting all of the students and working with all of the teachers.” Fun Fact(s): Warford likes photography and music.

Special education teacher

Math teacher

Automotive teacher

Art teacher

School psychologist

English teacher

Math teacher

Chemistry teacher

History teacher

Spanish teacher

Math teacher

Engineering teacher

Math teacher

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Librarian

TV Production teacher

Librarian

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Development coordinator

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Adjustment counselor

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4 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

arts

Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013

Students, alumni operate theatre company Peter Diamond and Julia Oran When the Theatre Ink curtains close for the last time before summer, a new set of curtains opens to provide a stage for alumni and students. Circuit Theatre, a summer theatre company, which featured a number of performers attending this school, is described on its website as “an ensemble of young theatre artists dedicated to creating high-voltage, community-enriching theatrical performances in the Greater Boston area.” It was founded by Skylar Fox ’11 in 2010. In the past four years, the company has grown from a small repertory company of alumni and current students from this school and South, who built upon their high school theatre foundations, to a staple in the Boston theatre community with participants from numerous high schools and colleges. by

Beginnings

Graham Techler ’12, a participant in Circuit’s first season who has continued to be involved, said, “Circuit started out as a way to keep the Theatre Ink good times going into the summer. It was because of Circuit that I had my first experience putting up a show in two weeks when I was 16. I’m definitely thankful for that practice now.” Techler added, “There are not a lot of companies like Circuit, and there are definitely not a lot of companies like Circuit that started while the founding members were in high school.” Jen Diamond ’10, who directed “Talk Radio” by Eric Bogosian in Circuit’s first season, also said, “I think Circuit is great, in that it’s one of the few places that has young theatre artists supporting other young theatre artists.” The first season, Diamond described, was “small and intimate.” The next summer, Circuit found a new temporary home in the Newton Cultural Center. In the third season, as Circuit gained a wider following and more publicity, Fox expanded the company from performing exclusively in Newton to presenting

Judith Gibson-Okunieff

Drama: Graham Techler ’12 (above) and senior Mackenzie Dreese and Linda Bard ’11 (below) perform in “The Valentine Trilogy.” shows, including “Passion Play” by Sarah Ruhl, in and around Boston. Circuit’s work was recognized when the Independent Reviewers of New England Awards nominated “Passion Play” in its 2012-13 ceremony in four categories: best supporting actor in a play (Justin Phillips ’11), best director of a play (Fox), best ensemble, and best production of a play in a small or fringe company.

Commitment to New Work

Fox called this past season “a huge success,” during which Circuit furthered its relationship with the city of Boston by producing the shows “The Amish Project” by Jessica Dickey, “Nicky Park Memorial Park” by Deepali Gupta, and “The Valentine Trilogy” by Nathan Allen in professional Boston theatre spaces. Circuit also expanded beyond its regular

local acting company; unlike previous years, many of Circuit’s performers came from Brown University, where Fox currently attends college. This summer’s season was also the first to feature a premiere, Gupta’s “Nicky Park Memorial Park,” a play that tells the story of a young woman’s childhood memories while watching an Independence Day concert. The show ran in the Boston Playwrights’ Theatre July 5 through July 7. Most recently, “The Valentine Trilogy,” another area premiere, ran in the Roberts Studio Theatre at the Boston Center for the Arts Aug. 2 through Aug. 17. Musicians from the show’s band also performed at the Out of the Box Music Festival July 18 on the Boston Common. “This season was really a sign of what’s to come,” said Diamond, who currently serves as Circuit’s director of new work. “Circuit is starting to gear toward new work,” a term used in theatre to describe plays performed as workshops and premieres. Senior Mackenzie Dreese, an actor for Circuit both this season and last, said, “The company produces really high voltage theatre for a really modern experimental audience. “I love the company because all the theatre they do is so different from what we do at North.” Dreese added, “The energy among actors and production team was like nothing else I’ve ever worked with before. Everyone was just completely putting all their time and energy into the show and they really wanted it to succeed.”

Looking Forward

Fox said he hopes Circuit continues “to be a professional company with young artists who care about doing exciting theatre while showing what they can do.” He added that in the future Circuit is “always looking to improve and grow. We want to expand our base of artists and have a wide variety in the audience.”

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blogs

Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013

One last summer treat before autumn arrives

By Paulina Romero With less than a month to go until summer ends and fall begins, our days to eat cold things are numbered, especially here with the New England weather. So, before you are pestered with assignments and school work, why not try this recipe for delicious, homemade ice cream that takes about 15 minutes to make? Not only is it tasty and fun, but by making your own ice cream instead of eating the store-bought kind, you can control the ingredients, and, in turn, the nutritional value. To make this ice cream, you will need: • • • • • • • •

One cup of half-and-half Two tablespoons of sugar One teaspoon of vanilla extract One or two quart-size Ziploc bags One gallon-size Ziploc bag Four cups of ice One-half cup of Kosher or rock salt Any add-ins such as nuts, chocolate, or cookies

First, put the half-and-half, sugar, and

vanilla in a quart-size Ziploc bag and seal it tightly. Make sure there is no extra air inside. If you are worried about spillage, place the bag inside another quart-size Ziploc bag and seal it tightly. Next, place the sealed, small bag inside the gallon-size bag and surround it with the ice and salt. Seal the large bag, making sure to get all the air out. Now, throw your bag around, shaking it until the mixture hardens and reaches a soft-serve consistency. The mushing and squishing should take between five and 10 minutes. Lastly, take out the small bag and mix in the toppings. You could add caramel, chocolate swirls, marshmallows, cookies, nuts, or even fresh fruit. This recipe is fun and easy, and you get a mini workout from shaking that bag. Remember that making your own food, even desserts, allows you to control whatever goes into your body. You can make this recipe as tasty and as healthy as you want! I promise that you will love this recipe so much, you will keep making it well into the winter, no matter how cold it gets outside.

Julia Moss

The Student Foodie: This blog follows seasonal trends in culinary arts and offers fun and creative recipes that are easy for anybody to make. Check out more blog posts at theNewtonite.com.

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 5

Julia Moss

Topics in American Education: This blog features criticisms and commentary on education at this school and in the United States as a whole. Check out more blog posts at theNewtonite.com.

Use summer as valuable time to balance study, relaxation Peter Diamond Welcome to September. July and August flew by quickly. Hopefully, you all feel prepared to dive head-first into the next school year. This past summer, I spent time considering the best way to use the vacation months we are granted as a time to reset my mind. Much of the time I felt conflicted as to whether relaxation and freedom from all things “school” was the best way to prepare, or whether I should dedicate at least a small portion of the summer toward something academic. I realized that, for me, a balance was best. Maybe it was just me, but it felt as though we were all especially itching for summer vacation to begin this past June. Perhaps it was the noticeable extension of the school year that the many snow days caused, or perhaps it was the fact that tensions and stress and stakes in our education seem to rise each year, but last year we were all pretty much burned out after 10 months of school. Because of this, I entered the vacation with a mindset that I would do absolutely nothing academic until September (besides some summer reading for various classes, which actually was quite fasciby

nating). My mother was quick to challenge this mindset, arguing that I, like many of my classmates, should take the freedom of summer as an opportunity to study to take the SATs as soon as possible at the beginning of my junior year. We argued for a little while, but she did present a decent counter-argument to the assertion that clearing our overstressed minds through a couple months of freedom from anything traditionally academic will best prepare us for the trials of the coming school year: the summer is, she suggested, a time we can use to complete certain stressful tasks, like studying for the SATs, so that we do not have to worry about them on top of our courses during the school year. Yet, these tasks can be as stressful as any you would do during the year. That’s where the idea of balance comes in. If you want academics to be a priority during the summer, I respect that decision. That said, I do not recommend making academics the priority, because, in my opinion, that’s what the school year is for. Like I said, I hope you all had relaxing summers. While I hope you had a couple months free of academic stress, I also hope you learned something new. I can’t see how you wouldn’t have.

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6 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Tuesday, Se

A Tour Of Newto SOA

Gym

Simulated Outdoor Area

Pool Nurse

Plowshares

Caf Main Office

Film Lecture Hall

Riley The Film Lecture Hall, A111, provides teachers with the option of a lecture-style class. History teacher Ty Vignone, who teaches Close Up here, explained that “it’s hard for a high school student to understand a lecture seminar hall. It’s good for students to get used to because that’s what college is all about.”

Tiger Drive

Gra

Tiger’s De Loft

The Tiger’s Loft, 117, a student-run restaurant Monday - Closed Tuesday - “Easy Loft” (One Item Only) Wednesday - 12:05 to 12:50 PM Thursday - 12:05 to 1:10 PM Friday - 11:30 to 12:15 PM

Equipped with computers with recording devices, the Langauge Lab, 215, allows world language teachers to communicate with students over headsets, to record students while they are speaking, and more. World language department head Nancy Marrinucci explained that the lab is “just a much more efficient way to get at some of the practice and assistance that we want to do, particularly around speaking. It’s an environment that’s conducive to the sorts of activities that a classroom is not.”

The food served in the Tiger’s Loft is made daily by the students in the Culinary Arts classes.

TV Production Barry

Fitness Center

The Fitness Center, A205, is open to all faculty and students 3-5 p.m. on school days.

Language Lab

World Languages

Library Learning Commons The Extra Help Room, 242, is available for students to drop in any time they have questions on schoolwork. “It’s useful because it’s a room that’s more focused and dedicated to just extra help and working,” said junior Julia Techler.

Adams

A part of this school for 92 years, the Newtonite, 273, recently became both a print and online publication. Follow @theNewtonite on Twitter to see the attendance list posted every morning and like us on Facebook to hear about what’s happening around the school. If you are interested in joining, check out page 12 for ways you can get involved!

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 7

ept. 3, 2013

on North Career & Tech. Ed.

feteria

Greengineering

The Career & Vocational Technical Education program offers opportunities to students eager to start careers in diverse fields from culinary arts to carpentry. During the graduation ceremony last year, a robot created by the engineering classes, named Barry H. Roboto, graduated as a member of the Class of 2013. Principal Jennifer Price gave Will Hefner ’13, the robot’s builder, permission for Roboto to graduate. Roboto can move around, play music, and wave its arms, said junior Sean Fitzpatrick, an engineering major who controlled the robot during the ceremony. “It received its diploma and fell off the stage,” he said.

Band

Theatre Entrance

Chorus

Beals

Little Theatre

aphics Photo ART

Auditorium

esign

Stadium Athletics

English & History

Theatre

Walnut Street

The EDCO Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the oldest secondary-level program for the deaf in Massachusetts, is located in offices 373, 375, and 377. EDCO secretary Linda Marple explained, “EDCO is a program for deaf or hard of hearing students who want to be part of a mainstreamed, public school.” Interpreter Melissa Phair added, “In other programs, they’re with only deaf kids, with teachers who most likely sign in all their classes, where as here we have classes with teachers who sign, but students can also take mainstreamed classes with hearing teachers and hearing kids.”

The Greenhouse, 417, used primarily in biology classes, is very useful to students, according to science teacher Barbara Gibson. “The students do a variety of projects in the greenhouse,” she said. “They start with seeds, and then they can research different questions they might have about plants.”

Math & Science

The Peer Tutoring Room, 461, where students tutor other students, is located here. Lisa Kriszun, a teacher supervisor, explained some benefits of peer tutoring: “The tutors know better what the students are going through—they’ve been in their shoes more recently, so they can help students somewhat differently than teachers can.” Contact science teacher Melissa Rice if you are interested in the program. Compiled by Leah Budson, Andrew Mannix, and Maria Trias

features

8 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013

Programs assist students with transition

Paulina Romero

Transitions and choices: Freshmen Emily Amouyal, Grace Wilder, and Emma Brown discuss new athletic opportunities at Freshmen Athletic Night.

◆ continued from page 1 find ways to alleviate them, whether through focused tutoring or by developing studying and organizational strategies, Drake said. “The plan is to have a cohesive group of students and teachers to sufficiently support students in their academic goals and intervene when appropriate,” Drake said. Students may also sign up for the After School Program, which provides personalized assistance for completing coursework. In addition, the Peer Tutoring Program matches students that need help in certain academic subjects with other students who can provide it. X-blocks on Mondays and Thursdays after the regular school day are also offered as an opportunity for students to meet with teachers for extra help. On the more informal side, including Tiger Tips, freshman transition groups and guidance aides in freshman homerooms provide new students the opportunity to meet with a peer group to discuss day-to-day issues, Kenslea said. Kenslea believes that the long

term goals of these programs will ultimately be successful in creating a close-knit class with support for all who need it. “What we are looking toward with all of these programs is a ninth grade community with peer support and an umbrella of close teacher and student collaboration,” Kenslea said. Yet, in the day-to-day events in which administrators cannot normally intervene, Kennedy recommends that students learn to navigate this school with maturity and a different attitude than they have maintained in the past. “Ultimately, students should try to leave their middle school selves behind.”

Student Thoughts and Recommendations

For the most part, many students say they find the transition to high school to be manageable and exciting, especially with such an expansive safety net provided for them if high school life becomes difficult. “I think the transition process is very strong how it is,” said sophomore Rebecca Wishnie. “The guidance counselors, as well as other people at North, are very helpful, and there are

lots of programs available when people need them.” “For me, the transition wasn’t bad at all, but it was nice to know that there were lots of people there to help if I needed support,” Wishnie added. “My transition into North was very smooth,” said sophomore David Reiss-Mello. “Although going into this enormous building and coming across many new people was very worrisome,” he added. “I was not sure if I would be able to get good grades in school and participate in many extracurricular activities. Everything worked out,” he said. “The workload in high school the first year isn’t too harsh either. Teachers understand that many kids have a social life and other activities,” ReissMello said. With her 18 years of experience in Newton, Kennedy believes that students usually find their way in this school and discover a niche relatively quickly. “We could always do better,” Kennedy said. “Yet, like a lot of things, what we have done for freshmen works for a large amount of students.”

Consider price, prestige in college process Elena Schwartz As the school year picks up again, so does the accompanying stress. And for many juniors and seniors, ordinary pressures of homework and tests are supplemented by college worries: applications to write, SATs and ACTs to take, and acceptance (or rejection) letters to await. However, once this process is complete and acceptance letters have been received, how do students decide where to actually spend the next four years? The Obama Administration is currently developing a way to gauge the value of schools, estimated to be completed before the 2015 school year. However, at least until then, students will have to decide value on their own. Important factors worth considering include location, sports, and student body size, to name a few. But two other factors often come into play: the price and the prestige. by

Price and Prestige

Prestige has always played a large role in a student’s decision. People want to attend a college that others deem “a good school.” But as the cost of college rises, this choice becomes complicated. Is it better to attend a less expensive school that is also less prestigious, or to choose a brand-name college and commit to a tight wallet, and in some cases, crippling loans? According to CNN, the cost of tuition alone at a public university rose 4.8 percent to $8,655 in 2012. At four-year private schools, tuition fees climbed 4.2 percent to an average of $29,056. Add to this the cost of room, board, and books, and the cost is even greater. Gilad Seckler ’13, who is attending Brown this fall, said that he had predetermined “a threshold” of the maximum tuition cost he would pay. “Anything above that threshold is too expensive and not affordable,” he explained. Seckler continued, “Prestige, on the other hand is more of a gradient. Again, there is a certain level it would be nice not to go below, but there is still a dif-

Paulina Romero

Choosing a college: College counselor Sarah Hoffman helps senior Patse Muumba with the first steps in the college process. ference in my mind between a good school and a great school.” College counselor Brad MacGowan warned students not to disregard the importance of price. “It’s very important that students look at financial award letters next to each other to see realistically what college is going to cost,” he said. “The way price affects a student’s decision differs from family to family. Families should keep in mind how many kids they have and how many student bills they will be paying.” “A family needs to sit down and talk about these things,” MacGowan said. “How much debt will you come out with? Is it worth it to be in debt? If a family needs to make a big sacrifice, is that worth it? “You might be willing to take on some debt, but how much debt is too much? And if you’re planning on going to graduate school, you need money for that, too.” Senior Rachel Brown also noted the importance of “look-

ing to the future” and considering whether it is necessary to save for education beyond college. Money matters might take precedence over prestige if students plan on attending graduate school, which can cost as much as, if not more than, four years of undergraduate college. “It is important to think about price because now the job market is more competitive, and graduate school is becoming necessary for more careers,” Brown said. It is also necessary for students to consider the kind of life they want after graduation. Specifically, the concern is whether the career they intend to pursue is a career with a salary that will support student loan payments. If not, then it makes less sense to attend an expensive school that will leave students in debt they cannot repay. Still, debt has not deterred students in the past from attending schools well out of their price range because they prioritize going to an elite school over

making a purely financial choice.

Newton’s Attitude Toward Prestige

Both Seckler and Caroline Ayinon ’13, who is attending Yale this fall, similarly said that the culture in Newton places a greater emphasis on attending a prestigious college, regardless of price. “I definitely think that students in Newton are more likely to apply to such prestigious schools,” Ayinon said. “And because families here place such a great value on education, I think they would be more willing to do everything they can to allow kids to attend the schools of their choice.” Senior Evie Heffernan said, “Newton creates an environment in which the college a student attends assigns a value to that person. “Based on their colleges, students seem to determine their superiority or inferiority in relation to their peers without considering the factors that led them to choose the colleges they did.”

This pressure to attend an elite college can create a “judgemental and competitive” atmosphere, according to senior Sunny Lehman. “I know people who feel uncomfortable when others talk about the Ivies that they’re applying to because they can only afford state schools,” she said. “People still do make stereotypes about people being ‘too dumb’ to go to Ivies and so they only go to state schools even though it’s primarily a financial reason. It’s unnecessarily judgmental and competitive.” But is this trade off between price and prestige even worth it? Economists are not so sure. “Measuring College Prestige vs. Cost of Enrollment,” a New York Times article about the value of a degree from an elite college, cites two studies, one focusing on people who graduated in the 1970s and another examining more recent graduates: “Alan B. Krueger, then an economist at Princeton University, and Stacy Berg Dale, a senior researcher at Mathematica Policy Research, found that equally smart students had about the same earnings whether or not they went to toptier colleges. “The big difference, their studies found, came from minority and low-income students who went to top-tier colleges: they did better later on.” MacGowan cautioned students against prioritizing a school’s rank above all else. “Students should go to the school that is the best fit for them,” he said. “When you look at rankings, you’re seeing a rank based on someone else’s criteria. You should judge a school by your own standards. Ask yourself, ‘Do I fit in? Could I see myself here?’ Don’t go by what others say.” “We tend to think of certain colleges as better than others, and though this is a factor in students’ decisions, it shouldn’t be an overwhelming one,” he continued. “The beauty of higher education in America is that there are so many different schools that are each good in their own way.”

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 9

Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013

Newtonite scavenger hunt: find these murals

Below are 10 images from murals from around the school. Tweet a photo of each mural with #newtonite or stop by room 273 with a list of the mural locations. Next Tuesday, five of the students who have successfuly completed the scavenger hunt will be randomly selected to win a $10 gift card.

9 6 7 10 8 Do’s and don’ts: advice for the new school year Robin Donohoe Andrew Mannix At the end of the 2013 school year, students shared advice they wished they had taken last September. Follow their “do’s” and “don’ts” before it’s too late!

that it would overall have been worthwhile to keep going.” —Sophomore Rachel Shnitman “Don’t hesitate to join clubs and get involved.” —Sophomore Ethan Smith

For freshmen

For sophomores

and

“Do take teachers seriously. If I had taken my teachers more seriously, I would have actually kept my papers and wouldn’t have been so stressed out for finals.” —Sophomore Evelyn Bryson “Do join teams and participate in sports. I wish I had joined the golf team” —Sophomore Eric Mah “Don’t drop clubs. I wish I would have stuck with some of the clubs I signed up for. I think

“Don’t let your grades bring you down. I wish I had paid attention in school and done my homework more frequently. My poor grades have held me back from doing so much.” –Junior Jelani Asim “Do learn how the hallways work and learn your schedule. Once you find out where your classes are, you can get there faster.” –Junior Larissa Cardoso “Don’t slack off on home-

work. I wish I hadn’t slacked off getting my homework done and taken greater advantage of getting help during X-block.” –Junior Kirsten Cotter “Do introduce yourself to people. If I were a freshman again, I would have introduced myself to Mr. Vignone. He’s a really cool dude.” –Junior Scott Kelly

For juniors

“Don’t spend so much time worrying about what others think of you. It’s easy to find people who share your interests and who like you for who you are, so don’t spend valuable time and effort working on changing yourself.” —Senior Alex Fabry “Do find a balance between

sports and school. I wish I had played basketball this year. I took the season off because I wanted to focus on my grades, which was really helpful, but I missed being part of the team.” —Senior Emma Tavolieri “Do join clubs and don’t worry about what your friends are doing. Find something you enjoy; you’ll make more friends doing things you like.” —Senior Preston Yong

For seniors

“Do not fear being lopsided— nurture one passion; practice it to refine it even when the practical side of life recommends you to relinquish it.” —Christina Chen ’13 “Do something that involves being with other people. In the

end, those are the relationships that you will remember, even more so than when you get an ‘A’ in your toughest class.” —David Demarest ’13 “Don’t worry so much. ‘Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.’ This classic line from the 1986 masterpiece Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, summarizes my philosophy on North well.” —Jacob Schwartz ’13 “Do SPARC. SPARC is an internship opportunity that allows you to finish your classes early. I have loved every second of my SPARC experience.” —Jill Zwetchkenbaum ’13 The statements from graduates are quoted from senior statements as seen in the graduation special.

Oblivious

Cartoon by Julia Moss

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