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Newtonite

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US postage paid Newton, Mass.

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Newton North High School, 360 Lowell Ave., Newtonville, Mass. 02460

◆ Friday, Oct. 2, 2009 • Volume 88, Issue 10

Safe Rides to be all year MARENA COLE Safe Rides will be a year-long program, according to Nancy Holczer, chair of The Newton Partnership’s Safe Rides Task Force.

Safe Rides is a free service that allows North or South students to get a ride home to Newton or Boston confidentially from 10:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights, Holczer said.

“It’s for those emergency situations where kids really need a ride,” Holczer said.

“We aren’t condoning drinking, but we know that it’s happening.

“It can also be for not only when there is drinking, but if someone is on a date and there is aggressive behavior, or if someone is in a car and the driver is driving unsafely,” she said.

Last March, principal Jennifer Price, a member of the Safe Rides Task Force, said Safe Rides offered a safe option for students.

“My goal as principal is safety, first and foremost,” Price said.

Safe Rides conducted a pilot weekend June 5 and 6 last year, Holczer said.

“We had close to 200 students signed up to be able to access the service,” Holczer said. “A federal evaluator contacted parents and students who were signed up to use the service, and the feedback was very positive.”

Holczer said that because the service is confidential, exact numbers of how many students used the service are not available.

After the pilot, the Safe Rides Task Force, which is made up of North and South parents, students, Newton police and school system professionals, met and decided to make Safe Rides a year-long program, Holczer said.

Funding for the program is part of a four-year federal grant given to The Newton Partnership, Holczer said.

Students must be signed up to use the service, but if they take a Safe Ride, parents will not be notified and the ride will be confidential, Holczer said.

To sign up, students can pick up in forms in the house offices, which have information on the program as well as permission slips, Holczer said.

Students under 18 must have parents sign the permission form, but students over 18 can sign their own forms.

BY

Mayoral debate See page 3

Teddy Wenneker

Against Weymouth: Senior Ariana Tabatabaie runs to kick the ball away from a Weymouth opponent on Monday, Sept. 21 at Warren. The Wildcats defeated the Tigers 2-1.

Seniors write textbook chapter for Close Up

in brief

Up website, www.closeup.org, Miller said.

Events to host college representatives

MARENA COLE Three seniors collaborated to write a chapter of a textbook that will be used nationwide, according to senior Ben Miller.

Over the summer, Miller and seniors Ke n L a n ders and Audrey Wittrup wrote a chapter together on education in Current IsNewtonian sues, the textBen Miller book used by the Close Up: Seminar in Government class.

The project adviser was librarian Kevin McGrath.

Close Up, which is taught here by history and social sciences teachers Jim Morrison and Ty Vignone, is a year-long course available to sophomores and juniors, according to the Opportunities handbook.

Landers, Miller and Wittrup all participated in the Close Up class in 2008.

The Close Up foundation produces a new edition of the textbook every year, and this year it used three chapters written by students from across the country, Miller said.

“Student-written chapters focused on major issues, ranging from foreign relations to healthcare to current events,” Miller said.

Because the Close Up class has been taught at this school since the 1970s and attends the Close Up conference in Washington D.C. annually, the foundation chose North to participate in an experiment to include studentwritten chapters, Miller said.

The new edition is being used in Close Up classes this year, he said.

The foundation is also using the chapter written by Landers, Miller and Wittrup as a demo chapter for the textbook, available for download on the Close

MARENA COLE Parents can meet with teachers at Back to School Night, according to assistant principal Deborah Holman.

Back to School Night will be Thursday, Oct. 8 from 7-9, Holman said.

“It’s a chance every year for parents and guardians to come see the school, meet the teachers and get some sense of what their kids will be doing this year, in anything from math to science to art to career and tech ed,” Holman said.

“Parents get to see the curriculum, but also who the human beings are that are teaching their kids, and who the teachers are personality-wise.”

Parents can visit their child’s classes for 10 minutes each, Holman said. Parents will first go to their student’s homeroom, and then go to their A1 through G1 classes.

MARENA COLE Students and parents can speak with college representatives at two School and College Nights, said Irmhild Liang, a career center counselor.

The events are Wednesday, Oct. 14 and Tuesday, Oct. 20 from 7-8:30 in the Student Center at South.

“It will work like a college fair,” Liang said. “We invite representatives from colleges and other schools that might be of interest to juniors, seniors and their parents.”

This school is organizing the event, but it is open to all juniors and seniors and their parents from this school as well as South and any private schools in Newton, Liang said.

A complete list of colleges and schools that will be represented is available on naviance.com, Liang said. ◆ See page 3 for a complete list of colleges and schools to be represented.

“Streetcar” See page 5

Minga Day See page 11

Talk of the Tiger See page 13

Sports See pages 14-16

BY

Back to School Night to host parents BY

l

BY

2 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Students, administrators discuss current dismissal policy

GEORGINA TEASDALE Under the current N-rule policy, students receive an N if they have nine total absences, three unexcused absences or nine tardies in a class that meets four times a week.

In a class that meets twice a week, a student will receive an N if he or she has four total absences, two unexcused absences or four tardies.

Additionally, a tardy of more than 25 minutes will result in an absence.

Absences due to MCAS testing, AP testing, MEPA testing, foreign exchange trips and special education testing do not count towards the N-rule.

Field trips are not listed as exceptions to the rule, and count towards the N. The N-rule does not contain a clear policy on whether dismissals count towards the N, such as for a sports event.

However, athletic dismissals can result in a student missing more than 25 minutes of class. A student may have to leave at 2:10 for a game on Wednesday, and therefore would miss 45 minutes of class.

Principal Jennifer Price said there is not a set policy for athletic dismissals.

According to assistant principal Deborah Holman, for an early dismissal unrelated to a Newtonian school event, a Jennifer student would have a slip Price from his or her parent and it would count as an excused absence.

Athletic director Tom Giusti said that traditionally in “unusual BY

circumstances,” such an early dismissals for a sports game on a Wednesday, the absences have not historically counted towards the N. However, Giusti said teachers have the choice to not let a student leave if the athlete is not doing well in the class or has too many absences.

“I feel that the athletic dismissals should not count towards the N because the athlete isn’t cutting or tardy, they are representing the school in an interscholastic event just like exchanges,” Giusti said.

Junior Adam Fisher said sports are a commitment and “students shouldn’t have a penalty for making that choice.”

Senior Sammy Alpert, who plays volleyball and basketball, agrees with Fisher.

“I don’t think those things should count towards the Nrule because Newtonian early sports Sammy dismissals are Alpert for school-related activities, and it’s not fair to punish people who are just playing a sport.”

While there is no consistent policy for sports dismissals, field trips count toward the N-rule.

History teacher Katharine Heidlage said the rule for fieldtrips and sports dismissals should be consistent.

“They should be treated the same way,” she said. “A sports dismissal that makes a student miss 25 minutes or more should be the same as a field trip.

“This is especially a problem on Wednesday since G-block is so late. Even before class starts students are saying they have to

Newtonite The Newtonite, founded in 1922, is the newspaper of Newton North High School, 360 Lowell Ave., Newtonville, Mass. 02460.

Adviser — Kate Shaughnessy Production advisers — Sue Brooks, Tom Donnellan Volunteer layout adviser — Rob Greenfield News staff — Ilana Greenstein, Rebecca Harris, Stephen Michael, Rebecca Oran Features staff — Emmett Greenburg, Jacob Brunell Sports staff — Evan Clements, Nicole Curhan, Jeremy Gurvits, Elliot Raff Arts staff — Eliana Eskinazi, Kate Lewis, Fatema Zaidi News analysis staff — Kellynette Gomez Art staff — Julia Belamarich, Puloma Ghosh, Anna Kaertner, Stephen Lu, Hannah Schon Photography staff — Helen Gao, Jaryd Justice-Moote, Edan Laniado, Jesse Tripathi Circulation staff — Spencer Alton, Alison Berkowitz, Stoddard Meigs, Stephanie Vitone Production staff — Graham Stanton The Newtonite staff does all the typesetting and scanning of photos, art, and ads to bring 16 issues a year to camera readiness for a circulation of 3,000.

To place an ad in the Newtonite or contact us by phone, please call 617-559-6274. Yearly subscriptions cost $15. Readers can also reach us at Newtonite@newton.k12.ma.us.

To find the Newtonite online go to www.newton.k12.ma.us/newtonite/

Editors in chief — Eli Davidow, Matt Kalish, Ellen Sarkisian Managing editor — Prateek Allapur News editor — Marena Cole Sports editors — Meredith Abrams, Josh Bakan Arts editor — Alicia Zhao Features editors — Emily Amaro, Jay Krieger On campus editor — Olivia Stearms News analysis editor— Georgina Teasdale Photography editors — Shira Bleicher, Gaby Perez-Dietz, Teddy Wenneker Graphics managers — Max Fathy, Ben Hills Advertising managers — Chris Keefe, Jack McLaughlin Business manager — Chris Welch Circulation managers — Caleb Gannon, Dan Salvucci Exchanges editor — Peter TaberSimonian

opinion

Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

news

Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 3

Mayoral finalists debate city, school issues MARENA COLE Mayoral candidates Ruth Balser and Setti Warren had their first political debate as finalists in the mayoral race here.

The debate, which was sponsored and organized by the Political Forum Club, took place Wednesday, Sept. 23 in Lasker Auditorium.

Seniors Molly Kaufman, Jonathan Levine and Ben Miller and history teacher Brian Goeselt formed a panel that questioned the candidates. Junior Peter Wu was the moderator.

Each candidate gave a twominute opening statement. Then, the panel conducted four rounds of questioning, with each candidate giving a one-minute response to each question. Finally, the candidates gave two-minute closing statements.

In her opening statement, Balser said if she were elected, one of her primary focuses would be on maintaining a balanced infrastructure.

“We’re going to need a strong leader to maintain that infrastructure, and I want to be that leader,” Balser said.

“I offer the ability and capability to solve problems, and to take on problems in our city now. I’ve been very effective with people of Newton to solve problems.”

Warren said he felt that Newton needs strong leadership.

“I decided to look at this race over a year and a half ago,” Warren said. “I saw that many of Newton’s residents had lost confidence in many local offices.

“The costs of the new Newton North building had skyrocketed.

Many of our streets and public schools were crumbling. I began my campaign at that time because I thought that was unacceptable.

“I believe that Newton needs new leadership, and I think I BY

Olivia Kennis

Infusion Music Festival: Juniors Teddy Wenneker, Edan Laniado, Myles Kamisher-Koch, Ben Schwartz and Caleb Gannon, members of ‘mueseum,’ play at the Infusion Music Festival Saturday, Sept. 26 at Lasell College. Ten bands played at the charity music event, which featured bands from this school as well as South and Berklee College of Music. The event was organized

by Russell Kaplan ’09 for his senior project. Kaplan, who is a percussionist and was a member of the Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble, is now a freshman at Berklee College of Music. leave in 10 minutes.”

Assistant principal Richard Ballou said that because field trips and sporting events are school-sponsored activities, neither one should count towards an N. Holman said field trips are counted as excused absences because “it’s Newtonian an absence Tom Giusti from the other classes not represented by the field trip,” she said.

“You’re not physically there.

The teacher has to work to help catch the student up and the student has to work to catch up.”

Adams housemaster James D’Orazio thinks field trips should count towards the N. Students need to “be responsible for what they do and kids

could be involved in many different field trips,” he said. “They need to pick and choose what their priorities are.”

D’Orazio compared this to teachers having many workshops they can attend. Teachers cannot go on so many that it hurts their ability to educate, he said.

Art teacher Shannon Slattery said, “I don’t think the N-rule should apply to field trips.

“It seems to me that if you’re doing something a teacher has decided is educational, then technically you’re still in school and there is no reason it should count towards the N-rule,” Slattery said.

Some think field trips and sports dismissals should not count towards the N because students are doing a school activity, rather than being at home.

Freshman Isabel McGinty does not think field trips or sports dismissals should count towards the N-rule. “If you’re going to be

representing North as a school, it’s not fair that they would penalize you for that,” she said.

Sophomore Paige Grody said, “I don’t think it’s fair to penalize people for things that the school supposedly supports.”

Senior Antonia DiMambro said, “They shouldn’t count because when you go on field trips and games, you’re Newtonian still doing a Antonia school activity.

DiMambro “You’re not just sitting at home; you are still learning.”

Senior Diano Boyko said, “I don’t think they should count because they are school-related activities, and it’s not like the person is skipping class.”

—REBECCA HARRIS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ARTICLE.

‘Warning’ leaves no room for positive feedback Warnings are due Oct. 6.

People would think that if a student receives a warning, he or she is struggling in a class.

While this is sometimes the case, there are also options for teachers to leave positive comments if a student is doing exceptionally well in a class or has greatly improved.

However, the term “warnings” sends a message to teachers and students that these alerts are only necessary when a student is in trouble.

Too often, people forget the good and only focus on the bad. But it is very important that students who are doing well,

editorial especially those who need the encouragement, hear positive feedback when they are improving.

We think that the term “warnings” needs to be changed. We urge teachers to disregard the ominous “warning” title and send positive comments when warranted.

Too often, students feel that their effort goes unnoticed, and it is extremely important for the teacher to tell the student that he or she notices and is appreciating the effort.

This also lets the parents and guardians know that this student is not just saying he or she is trying in class,

it shows that the teacher is noticing too.

We also think that teachers should have the freedom to write comments specific to each student and should not be restricted to a set list of comments to put in the warning.

Letters Readers are invited to submit guest articles and letters to the editor. Letters should be put in the Newtonite box in Beals House or emailed to newtonite@newton.k12. ma.us. The Newtonite reserves the right to edit all letters, which must have the writer’s name, class and homeroom. The Newtonite serves as a forum for student opinion.

Prateek Allapur

Debating: Mayoral candidates Ruth Balser and Setti Warren debate here Wednesday, Sept. 23 in Lasker. Hosted by the Political Forum Club, the debate was the first for the two finalists. can bring it at this significant juncture.”

Miller asked the candidates to give a specific instance of an issue they see in the city, and their specific plan to address it as mayor.

Warren said as mayor, he would focus on maximizing efficiency of spending.

“We have to go into the hard, difficult work of ensuring that we are spending every dollar in an efficient way,” Warren said.

“Zero-based budgeting—I keep talking about that.

“We can’t afford to continually have schools where the stalls are broken, the windows are broken, and where parents are going in to repair things themselves. We need to implement performance

management.”

Balser said a specific issue she would focus on is Crystal Lake closing too early in the season.

“I’m not going to pick the biggest specific, I’m just going to pick a specific: Crystal Lake,” Balser said. “We have this beautiful lake in the middle of our city, we are so lucky, and yet it closes on what, August 20? It drives me crazy every year.

“In order to build community, you have to really enjoy life here.

We have this gorgeous lake, and so I’d like to work with the city on keeping Crystal Lake open a lot later—way into September—and responding to people in the city who’ve been signing petitions for years to keep Crystal Lake open.

“It’s a specific: it’s about quality of life in the city. I’d like to work with the people to really work to make this a more enjoyable, more fun place to live.”

Goeselt asked the candidates for their opinion on the Newton Public Schools’ new Strategic Plan, a document put out by the School Committee as a “roadmap” for changes in the school system for the next few years.

Warren said the Strategic Plan provides the schools with a good foundation.

“What it allows for is the right leadership to take it to the next level,” Warren said.

“Every single student needs to be challenged in the classroom, no matter what level they’re at.

Whether they’re way ahead of the

curve, in the middle or in special education, we need to evaluate how kids are doing in real time.

“The question for that document is not what’s in it—it provides a good foundation with nationally recognized ideas—it’s how it’s implemented.

“Picking the right leadership and being sure we have the resources, and being sure we’re spending money in the most costeffective way is the key to moving the school system forward.”

Balser said while the Strategic Plan is a good start, it doesn’t put enough emphasis on costs.

“What I like about the Strategic Plan is the recognition that Newton Public Schools needs to combine its commitment to standards with moving towards developing 21st century skills,” Balser said.

“What I think is missing from the Strategic Plan is the conversation on costs. I think in Newton, we can’t keep talking about educational excellence and not talk about cost.

“We have got to take seriously that we have some very serious fiscal challenges, and so we need to take the creativity in that paper, and we need to merge it with a creativity about costs.”

In his closing statement, Warren said if he’s elected mayor, he would be open and flexible.

“I believe this campaign is about the future of Newton, and healing the wounds of this city to move forward,” Warren said. “I ask you to join me in this effort, to make sure the city can live up to its potential.”

Balser said she would bring change to Newton.

“I’ve been all about change my whole life,” Balser said. “All the answers aren’t in Newton. There are models around the country, and we can bring those models to Newton.”

School and College Nights to host representatives Wednesday, Oct. 14

Alfred University Allegheny College American International College American University Barnard College Bay State College Beloit College Benjamin Franklin Inst. of Technology Boston University Brandeis University Bryant University Case Western Reserve University Castleton State College Champlain College Clark University Colby-Sawyer College Colgate University College of Mount St. Vincent College of St. Joseph, Vermont College of the Holy Cross Denison University Elmira College Elms College Emmanuel College Empire Beauty School, Waltham Fairfield University Florida Institute of Technology Framingham State University Franklin & Marshall College Franklin Pierce University Gettysburg College Goucher College Green Mountain College Harvard College Haverford College High Point University Hofstra University Husson University Iona College Johnson & Wales University Johnson State College Kalamazoo College

Keene State College Laboure College Lasell College Lawrence University Lehigh University LeMoyne College Lesley University Manhattanville College Mass. College of Pharmacy/ Health Science Mass. Institute of Technology Mass. Maritime Academy Mitchell College Mount Holyoke College Nazareth College of Rochester New England College Newbury College Northeastern University Northfield Mt. Hermon School Oberlin College Ohio University Plymouth State University Queens University of Charlotte Quincy College Quinnipiac College Roger Williams University Salve Regina University School of the Museum of Fine Arts Smith College Southern N. Hampshire University St. Anselm College St. Michael’s College Syracuse University Temple University Thomas College Tufts University U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting Unity College, Maine University of Colorado at Boulder University of Connecticut University of Delaware University of Hartford University of Maine, Orono University of Mass. Lowell

University of Michigan University of New Haven University of Pennsylvania University of Rhode Island University of Southern Maine University of Vermont Wells College Wesleyan University Western New England College Westfield State College Wheaton College Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Tuesday, Oct. 20

Assumption College Bard College at Simon’s Rock Becker College Bennington College Bentley College Binghamton University Bowdoin College Bridgewater State College Brown University College of Wooster Connecticut College Curry College Daniel Webster College Davidson College Dean College Dickinson College Drew University Duke University Eckerd College Emerson College Endicott College Fairleigh Dickinson University Fisher College Fitchburg State College Fordham University George Washington University Hamilton College Hampshire College Hartwick College Harvey Mudd College Hebrew University

Hobart and William Smith Colleges Ithaca College Johns Hopkins University Kenyon College Loyola University New Orleans Marietta College Marlboro College Mass. Bay Community College Mass. College of Liberal Arts McGill University Merrimack College Mount Ida College Muhlenberg College Nichols College Northwestern University Ohio Wesleyan University Providence College Regis College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rhode Island College Rochester Institute of Technology Rutgers University Sacred Heart University Savanna College of Art and Design Siena College Skidmore College Spelman College St. Joseph’s College, Maine St. Lawrence University

St. Mary’s College of Maryland Stanford University Stonehill College Stonybrook University Suffolk University Teenlife Boston Tulane University U.S. Army Union College Universal Technical Institute University at Albany University of Denver University of Mass. Boston University of Mass. Dartmouth University of Miami University of New Hampshire University of Notre Dame University of Pittsburgh University of Rochester University of Southern California University of Wisconsin, Madison Vanderbilt University Vassar College Wagner College Washington University in St. Louis Wentworth Institute of Technology Wheelock College Worcester State College

4 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

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arts

Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ to go on stage Play deals with violence, reality, sanity, class and aging ALICIA ZHAO “A Streetcar Named Desire” is a socially conscious play, said English teacher Inez Dover, its director.

“It deals with domestic violence, appearance versus reality, sanity, insanity, women’s issues, classes, homosexuality, the fear of aging and the fear of death,” Dover said.

Under Dover’s direction, Tennessee Williams’ play will go on stage Thursday, Oct. 15 through Saturday, Oct.17 in the little theatre at 7:30 p.m.

The story starts with Blanche, who visits her sister Stella in New Orleans to tell her that their plantation in Mississippi has been lost.

“Blanche is a faded Southern belle,” said junior Mercer Gary, who will play this character. “She has no more family left and nowhere left to go, so she looks for protection from Stella.”

As a result, Blanche begins living with Stella and her husband, Stanley.

However, because Blanche comes from a wealthy plantation, she isn’t used to the people in New Orleans, Gary said.

“The people there are a lot less wealthy and they don’t quite have the same sense of propriety and aristocracy.”

Senior Ryan Vona will portray BY

Stanley. He describes his character as a “brute man who loves his wife deeply and will at all costs try to keep control.”

“It’s a great challenge for me to take on such a powerful figure,” Vona said.

According to Dover, Stanley is practical with a strong personality. He is the one who sees the reality in Blanche’s situation.

“Stanley can’t stand Blanche because he thinks she is influencing Stella and ruining his relationship with her,” Dover said.

“The real crux comes when we find out that Blanche has difficulty telling the truth and lies about what has happened.”

During her stay, Blanche begins a relationship with Mitch, Stanley’s friend, whom senior Sam Kiley will play.

“Mitch is a different kind of man than Stanley,” Dover said.

“He’s very sensitive and gentlemanly. He has a sick mother that he is taking care of.”

In contrast to Blanche’s disapproval of Stella’s new life, Dover said, Stella is content. Junior Kelly McIntyre will present this character.

“Stella has no problem dealing with a different social class,” Dover said. “She is concerned about her husband’s violent nature, yet she truly loves him no matter what.”

Prateek Allapur

In rehearsal: Senior Sam Kiley, who will play Mitch, practices a scene with junior Mercer Gary, who will play Blanche, in “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

Because Dover will be retiring this year, this is her last play in this building. She has directed over 40 plays here.

Dover chose this play because she has wanted to direct a challenging play that few high schools perform.

Purchase music instead of stealing it As a musician and avid collector of recorded music, I want to share some exciting news with you.

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Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 5

Yesterday, I picked up five new compact discs from my favorite music store. I walked into the store, began to slowly shuffle through the inventory and made mental notes of what I wanted to pick up. I then took Newtonian a moment to Todd Young identify where the store staff was positioned, and then, quickly and quietly, tucked the discs into my inside coat pocket and walked out the door. It was great.

Now, of course I did not do this. I am an avid collector of recorded music, but I am also a strong advocate of supporting musicians and our failing music industry by purchasing—not illegally downloading—music.

Keep in mind, there is no such thing as an ‘illegal purchase.’ If you illegally download music you are stealing. There is no grey area here. It is stealing.

The problem with the digital music world is that an illegal download doesn’t feel like stealing. It feels convenient. You don’t worry about who’s watching you.

You don’t fear getting caught.

Any feeling of ‘wrongdoing’ is typically not present. But, it should be.

Other examples of stealing music are perhaps less obvious.

If you borrow a CD from a friend or your local library and make

a copy for your personal collection, you are stealing. A library is designed to lend materials, not give away its collection. Making a copy of a disc that you did not purchase is stealing.

It is not our choice to determine which musicians deserve to be paid and which do not. It is not a proper argument to say that a famous musician doesn’t need to be paid for his or her work, as he or she is already wealthy.

We as consumers do not have the luxury to place a price on what a piece of art should cost.

We do have the privilege of purchasing or not purchasing, however. Sadly, these days, it often feels like a privilege to simply take, free of charge, what you wish. Of course, in doing this, you are stealing.

Music has a monetary value.

It is an intellectual property that needs to be protected whether it appears on a compact disc, the concert hall, or in a digital format. More important than all of this, however, is to consider the morality behind taking what is not lawfully yours.

Musicians provide one of the key threads in engaging the social fabric and charging the emotive spirit. To threaten the creative process by disallowing artists to profit from their work will further denigrate the value that society places on music and our music creators.

As a music educator, how could I ever pull away opportunity from the very students whom I train and support? I simply could not. It would be stealing.

—TODD YOUNG, FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS DEPARTMENT HEAD

e S

“‘Streetcar’ involves sex, violence and alcoholism, which are things that I think are difficult for high school communities to handle,” she said.

Costumes by junior Christopher Rao will consist of 1940s vintage clothing, Dover said.

The set by technical director Michael Barrington-Haber will be simple, comprising of a balcony in which the majority of the action occurs.

Tickets are $7 and are available online and during third lunch starting this week.

s r io S.P.A.R.C. Your Interests! n Have you thought about the possibility of getting out there and working in the “real world” before actually finishing high school?

Wouldn’t it be great to spend your second semester as an intern in a company, small business, hospital, school or other workplace of your choice?

In Newton North’s S.P.A.R.C. Program, you can!

S.P.A.R.C. (Senior Program of Alternatives to Regular Classes), is an internship program for seniors in their second semester.

The program provides a chance to explore a career, get job experience and learn decision-making skills in the workplace.

If you are interested, please see your counselor to ask about eligibility for participating in S.P.A.R.C.

There will be an informational meeting on **WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2009** during X-Block in the Film Lecture Hall.

special

6 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Inside this special

T

his is a guide to the clubs and organizations available at Newton North.

We hope readers enjoy learning about these activities and find this guide useful when they attend Club Day Monday, Oct. 5 in the cafeteria.

Table of Contents page 6

Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

Introducing

special

Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

Introducing

CLUBS

CLUBS

and organizations

and organizations

Academic groups and teams

Environmental clubs Biodiesel/Greengineering Club

Table of Contents

What: Students work to turn grease into fuel.

When: After school in 117.

Goal: “Our goal is to learn about the science and engineering behind alternative energy,” said English teacher Stephen Chinosi.

Adviser: English teacher Stephen Chinosi.

—MARENA COLE

Academic groups and teams

Environmental Club

page 7

Community service and activism groups Environmental clubs

Shira Bleicher

The great outdoors: The Environmental Club seeks to preserve nature’s beauty.

Gay/Straight Alliance

Writing and media groups page 9

Culture and language groups Sports and games page 10

Newton North organizations Arts appreciation groups

What: Students who want to improve the school community by raising awareness about internal and external environmental issues.

When: Monday X-blocks in 202.

Goal: “To help people become more aware about the environmental factors plaguing the world around us, and to have fun while doing that,” said senior Emily Denn, an officer with seniors Carissa Chan and Naomi Genuth.

Adviser: Science teacher Ann Dannenberg.

—ELLEN SARKISIAN

Hiking Club

What: Students hike at Blue Hills or the Lincoln Reservation and take occasional trips to the White Mountains.

When: Monday X-blocks in 202. There are also meetings before each trip.

Goal: “Some goals are enjoying the outdoors, the natural environment and getting fit,” said science teacher Ann Dannenberg, the adviser.

Requirements: Students must complete a day trip before doing an overnight trip.

Adviser: Science teacher Ann Dannenberg.

—BECKY KALISH

Outdoor Activities Club

What: Students explore and enjoy outdoor activities.

When: Monday X-blocks in 304.

Goal: “The goal is to give kids access to outdoor activities,” said senior Andrew Blouin, an officer with senior Cameron Tabatabaie.

Adviser: History teacher Tom Barry.

—ELLEN SARKISIAN

Community service and activism groups

page 8

Performance groups

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 7

Gaby Perez-Dietz

Philosophy Club: Senior Ezra Cohen, the president, leads a discussion with junior Rebecca Engelke, senior Cady Brynie and sophomore Sarah McKay. The club meets weekly in 348.

Debate Team

What: Students debate important issues.

When: Tuesdays from 7-8:30 p.m. in 348.

Goal: “Our goal is to have a club where people can learn how to debate more effectively,” said senior Ezra Cohen, the president.

Adviser: To be determined.

—PRATEEK ALLAPUR

Future Business Leaders of America

What: Students learn about business through simulations.

When: Monday X-blocks in 433.

Goal: “We use real life situations to simulate things like stock trading and other aspects of the business world,” said senior Prateek Allapur, the officer.

Adviser: Business teacher Rob Kane.

—JAY KRIEGER

Math Team

What: Students practice and compete against other teams while improving mathematics skills.

When: Wednesdays after school in 437.

Competitions are monthly at Brookline High School from October to February.

Goal: “Our goal is to make it to States,” said junior Dong Gil Shin, the captain.

Requirements: Anyone can join, but students take a test to determine who will be on the A or B team.

Adviser: Math teacher Elisse Ghitelman.

—KAYLA SHORE

Mock Trial Team

What: Students role play actual cases and compete against other schools in a trial setting.

When: Wednesdays from 7-9 p.m. in 366. Before trials, meetings can increase to twice a week.

Goal: “Our goal is to give students a genuine trial experience and make them think on their feet, as well as building analytical thinking skills,” said senior Ezra Cohen, an officer with senior Abby Weisberger.

Adviser: Latin teacher David Hawkins.

—MALINI GANDHI

Model U.N.

What: Students debate international issues.

When: Thursdays at 6 p.m. in 311.

Goal: “To debate important issues facing the world today and to learn about the perspectives of other nations,” said history teacher Greg Drake, the adviser.

Adviser: History teacher Greg Drake.

—JAY KRIEGER

Philosophy Club

What: Students discuss issues related to philosophy.

When: Thursday X-blocks in 347.

Goal: “This club is all about having fun in an intellectual setting,” said senior Ezra Cohen, an officer with senior Wynn Tucker.

Adviser: English teacher Mike Fieleke.

—MATT KALISH

Political Forum Club

What: Students organize open discussions on current political events.

When: Organizes events once in a while.

Goals: “Our goal is to discuss current issues in a way that allows all opinions to be openly accepted and considered,” said senior Jonathan Levine, an officer with junior Peter Wu. Adviser: History teacher James Morrison.

—JOSH BAKAN

Science Team

What: Students prepare for science competitions.

When: Tuesdays after school in 234.

Goal: “This year’s goal is to recruit underclassmen to continue the North legacy,” said senior Jen Liu, the president.

Requirements: Most students who compete must pay a $65 fee.

Adviser: Science teacher Barbara Gibson.

—HILARY BRUMBERG

Speech Team

What: Members compete against other teams.

When: Every X-block in 355.

Goal: “Our main goal is to go against much larger squads and defeat them because we have only about six people on the team so far,” said English teacher Tim Finnegan, the adviser.

Adviser: English teacher Tim Finnegan.

—JACOB BRUNELL

Compiled by Prateek Allapur and Matt Kalish

What: Students offer support, social networking and social action opportunities for students who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.

When: Monday X-blocks in 311 beginning Oct. 19.

Goal: “The goal of the GSA is to offer a safe place for students to discuss GLBTQ issues both locally and nationally as well as organizing annual events,” said guidance counselor Darby Verre, an adviser.

Adviser: Math teacher Janice Lichtman and guidance counselor Darby Verre.

—JAY KRIEGER

Minga

What: Students dedicated to ending the child-sex trade.

When: Thursday X-blocks in 317.

Goal: “Our goal is to fight against the global child sex trade through programs of youth empowerment,” said senior Rebecca Kantar, the president.

Adviser: Math teacher Janice Lichtman.

—PRATEEK ALLAPUR

Microcredit Club

What: A small loan service for businesses in the developing world.

When: Wednesdays after school in 232. Additional meeting times to be determined.

Goal: “Our goal is to help as many entrepreneurs and small businesses as we can alleviate themselves from poverty,” said senior Brett Sagan, a president with senior Leah Cepko.

Adviser: History and social sciences teacher Ty Vignone.

—MARENA COLE

Mentors in Violence Prevention

What: Students raise awareness to prevent violence.

When: Every other Thursday X-block in the film lecture hall.

Goal: “The goal of MVP is to alleviate violence in the school,” said junior Sasha Land, an officer with seniors Melissa Anderson, Lee Ford, Aaron Grau, Becca

Rosen-Weil and Zoe Pepper-Cunningham.

Requirements: Students must fill out an application and complete training.

Advisers: Guidance counselor Michele Kennedy and science teacher Al Calderone.

—MATT KALISH

National Association for the Deaf

What: Deaf, hard of hearing and signing students get together outside of the classroom.

When: Thursday X-blocks in 205.

Goal: “The purpose of this club is to promote social opportunities for deaf/hard of hearing and signing students,” said Erika Guarino, teacher of the deaf. “Oftentimes, our students go home after school and do not have anyone to talk to who can sign.

The opportunities we provide allow them to interact more outside of school.”

Requirements: Students must be able to sign.

Adviser: Teacher of the deaf Erika Guarino.

—KELLY GOMEZ

goals of the program are to provide a positive process for conflict resolution that is an alternative to violence.

Requirements: Students must fill out an application and complete two initial training sessions in December.

Adviser: On campus coordinator Jeanne White.

—OLIVIA STEARNS

Team P.A.C.T.

What: Students fundraise for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

When: To be determined.

Goal: “The goal is to raise money for Dana Farber research,” said science teacher Brian Gagné, the adviser.

Adviser: Science teacher Brian Gagné.

—MARENA COLE

Tutors in Action

What: Students help elementary and middle school students with school work.

When: To be determined.

Goal: “To establish connections with the younger kids, and to help them do their work,” said junior Jess Kramer, the copresident with senior Jennifer Diamond.

Junior Stacy Turman is the vice-president and junior Tamara Matama is an officer.

Adviser: Guidance counselor Darby Verre.

—JACOB SCHWARTZ

Yako Connection

What: Students help raise money for a school in Yako, Burkina Faso.

When: Every X-block in 370.

Goal: “Yako has been flooded recently and they don’t know how to handle it, so we want to help them out with that,” said senior Jon Shaw, an officer with senior Sophie Bell. “We also want to help them with school supplies in general, as they have very large classes in the school.”

Adviser: French teacher Fiona Blyth.

—ELLEN SARKISIAN

Orange Shield

What: Students organize community service projects within the school.

When: Meeting dates and times to be determined.

Goal: “Our goal is to get students involved in serving the community,” said science teacher Michael Hazeltine, the adviser. “Some of our projects include organizing volunteer work for students, food drives, toy drives, parent conferences and walks.”

Adviser: Science teacher Michael Hazeltine.

—EMILY AMARO

PAWS Mediation

What: Students and staff work together to help students with conflicts in a productive and positive way.

When: Students attend meetings depending on when and where services are needed.

Goal: According to a pamphlet, the

Teddy Wenneker

Mentors in Violence Prevention: Traditionally, the awareness group lines shirts along Main Street showcasing facts about violence.

special

8 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

CLUBS

CLUBS

and organizations

and organizations

Performance groups Forté

What: An all-girls a cappella group.

When: To be determined.

Goal: “We hope Forté gives girls a good singing experience and helps them if they pursue singing in the future,” said junior Linda Bard, an officer with seniors Rachelle Jereza and Joella Tepper.

Adviser: To be determined.

—MALINI GANDHI

House Managers

What: Students sell tickets and hand out programs for Theatre Ink. When: A few times a week for the show students choose to work on.

Goal: “The goal of house managers is to control ticket interactions on the night of the show,” said sophomore Katharine Norris, a student producer coordinator with senior Joella Tepper and junior Anita Sodder.

Adviser: Theatre Ink director Adam Brown.

—AUDREY DEROBERT

Improv Club

What: Students practice and learn improvisational skills.

When: Thursday X-blocks monthly in 312.

Goal: “The goal is for everyone to get together, have a good time, and improve improv skills through a variety of games,” said sophomore Graham Techler, an officer with junior Mercer Gary.

Adviser: Spontaneous Generation supervisor Mike Manship.

—PERRIN STEIN

Stage Crew

What: Students design and build sets for plays performed at North.

Sports & games

When: Most days after school in the theatre department.

Goal: “Classes are held during the day or after school for all grades where students learn all the aspects of working backstage, from lighting and sound to set design and play production,” said Mike Barrington-Haber, the adviser.

Adviser: Technical director Mike Barrington-Haber.

—EMILY AMARO

What: Students practice and compete in badminton.

When: Every X-block in the SOA. Goal: “Our goal is to improve our skills and techniques so that during the spring we will be able to compete against other schools,” said junior Kelly Huang, the president. Other officers are junior Isabella Huang, the secretary; junior Bonnie Quach, the vice president; and junior Chris Yee, the treasurer.

Adviser: Chinese teacher Bin Zhu. —STEVEN MICHAEL

Theatre Ink

What: A student-driven teaching and working theatre that produces 11 to 13 productions every year.

When: Every day after school in the little theatre and Lasker Auditorium.

Goal: “We work to prepare students to be lifelong learners and creative thinkers,” said Theatre Ink director Adam Brown.

“We want students to leave our program well-prepared to navigate their way toward success in a challenging, complex and exciting world.”

Adviser: Theatre Ink director Adam Brown.

—OLIVIA STEARNS

What: Students learn creative writing skills and write stories.

When: Wednesdays after school in 358.

Goal: “Just to have fun and produce great work that the writers are personally proud of,” said senior Bridget Hess-Mahan, an officer.

Adviser: English teacher Neil Giordano.

—FATEMA ZAIDI What: Students work on and produce this school’s yearbook.

When: After school in 418.

Goal: “The goal of the Newtonian is to publish a yearbook for students that creates a permanent memory of our school, the people and what makes it special,” said senior Anna Cole-Crosbie, the lead officer.

Requirements: Students spend three hours each week working on the Newtonian, meet in 418 Wednesdays during third lunch and stay after school on deadline Fridays until all work is complete.

Adviser: T.V. Studio aide Amanda Mazzola.

—PERRIN STEIN

Newtonite

What: Students work on and produce this school’s newspaper.

When: After school in 101.

Goal: “The Newtonite is a way to represent student opinion and report news around the school and community,” said senior Ellen Sarkisian, an editor in chief with senior Matt Kalish and junior Eli Davidow.

Requirements: Students must take Journalism I to work on the writing staff, but anyone can help with advertising sales, art, photography and circulation.

ELLEN SARKISIAN Clubs and organizations are vital to a school environment. Students with similar interests can develop those interests and branch out. Students who are looking to find a new hobby or just something to kill time after school can join a club and make new friends.

BY

column

DotA Club

What: Students play Defense of the Ancients, an online game.

When: Every X-block in 411.

Goal: “It’s a time for kids to unwind, have fun and connect with each other,” said computer technician Phil Golando, the adviser.

Adviser: Computer technician Phil Golando.

—GAVI KAPLAN

Thoughtprints

What: A student-run publication that exhibits student art, literature, music and more in book form.

When: Weekly meetings at a member’s house.

Goals: “Its purpose is to get everyone’s great work out there for the rest of the school to see,” said editor in chief Antonia DiMambro.

Adviser: English teacher Neil Giordano.

—ELIANA ESKINAZI

Clubs benefit school

Badminton Club

Fitness Club

Gaby Perez-Dietz

Little theater: Junior Zack Grannon and sophomore Aaron Segal work on a project.

Writing and media groups Creative Writing Club

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 9

Introducing

Introducing

Newtonian

special

Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

Adviser: English teacher Kate Shaughnessy.

—MARENA COLE

Poetry Club

What: Students come up with a prompt, write poems and share their work.

When: Thursday X-blocks in 429.

Goal: “The poetry club is a Petri dish saturated in sweat dripping from the flesh of the muse,” said English teacher Adam Carpenter, the adviser. “We grow word spores and read them out loud. And we’re working on a book.” Seniors Brendan Hathaway and Emily Lemieux are officers.

Adviser: English teacher Adam Carpenter.

—JAY FEINSTEIN

Sportscasting Club

What: Students work in front of and behind the camera to cover NNHS sporting events on T.V. When: To be determined.

Goal: “We want to teach broadcasting and be able to have the whole community watch NNHS sports on T.V.,” said English teacher Neil Giordano, the adviser.

Adviser: English teacher Neil Giordano.

—GEORGINA TEASDALE

Tiger Magazine

What: Students produce a television show that airs on NewTV’s Green Channel.

When: In the T.V. production room at a time and date to be determined.

Goal: “We aim to produce at least eight ‘issues’ of the magazine,” said English teacher Neil Giordano, the adviser. “Any students interested in video production, video graphics or animation should contact us with ideas or submissions of their own.”

Adviser: English teacher Neil Giordano.

—EMILY AMARO

ATTEND CLUB DAY OCT. 5th In the Cafeteria

What: Students lift weights to develop strength for their own specific needs.

When: Every day after school in the Fitness Center. There are tutorials for new members every X-block.

Goal: “Two goals of the fitness club are to improve on strength and overall health of each member, and to make a healthy active life a fun one,” said senior Edward Pang, an officer with senior Conor O’Neil.

Adviser: Physical education teacher Michael Bower.

—BECKY KALISH

Pokémon Club

What: Students play Pokémon for fun.

When: Monday X-blocks in 228.

Gaby Perez-Dietz

In the SOA: Junior Jack Adams prepares to hit the birdie during Badminton club. The club meets every X-block.

Goal: “The goal is to have fun, relive childhood times and play Pokémon,” said senior Ryan Kwan, the co-president with senior Kevin Han. Other officers are seniors Andrey Alekseyev and Matt Lee. Adviser: Math teacher Dennis Klem.

—ELLEN SARKISIAN

Ski and Snowboard Club

What: Students practice their skiing and snowboarding skills.

When: January through March, the club will take day trips and at least one overnight trip during the weekends.

Goal: Students join the club “for fun and the opportunity to meet kids and be social,” said special education teacher Stephen Hess, the adviser.

Requirements: Day trips cost roughly $70 and weekend trips cost roughly $250, Hess said.

Adviser: Special education teacher Stephen Hess.

—KAYLA SHORE

Super Smash Bros. Club

What: Students play the popular series of fighting games from Nintendo.

When: Mondays and Fridays after school until 4:15 p.m. in 428.

Goal: “To make friends and have fun while playing the game,” said English teacher Lyn Montague, the adviser.

Adviser: English teacher Lyn Montague.

—IVAN MCGOVERN

Ultimate Frisbee

What: Students strategize, practice and play in about 30 games.

When: Every day after school in 225 starting after February vacation.

Goal: “We want to be competitive like any other team at North,” said junior Dylan Wolff, a captain with junior Evan Zhang.

“And we want to do well in the State Tournament and have fun while doing it.”

Adviser: Science teacher Matt Anderson.

—HILARY BRUMBERG

Culture and language groups Asian Culture Club

munity,” said French teacher Alieu Jobe, the adviser.

Adviser: French teacher Alieu Jobe.

—AUDREY DEROBERT

What: Students can learn more about Asian culture.

When: Monday X-blocks in 355.

Goal: “Our preliminary goal is to help integrate Asian Americans into society and to help others understand the nuances of Asian American culture,” said senior HaoKai Wu, an officer with seniors Rachelle Jereza and Will Zhang.

Advisers: English teachers Charlene Beh and Michele Leong.

—ALICIA ZHAO

Italian Club

What: Students learn about Italian culture and language.

When: Thursday X-blocks monthly in 312.

Goal: “Our goal is to share the culture and the language with our members,” said junior Natasha Antonellis, vice-president.

Junior Maria Brandi is the president and senior Craig Cestari is treasurer.

Adviser: Italian teacher Maria Precopio.

—ELLEN SARKISIAN

Black Leadership Advisory Council

What: Students discuss issues pertaining to all students of color both in and out of this school.

When: Every X-block in 226.

Goal: “This year, our goal is to expand,” said senior Latifah Smalls, an officer with seniors Vanessa Atocha, Andre Donegan, and Vivian Guzman and junior José Morgan. “We have a lot planned so we want everyone to be involved.”

Adviser: English teacher Adam Carpenter.

—ELLEN SARKISIAN

Jewish Student Union French Club

What: Students learn about French culture and language.

When: Every X-block in 370 or the International Café.

Goal: “We try to raise money for the club, understand French culture and French, and connect to the Newton com-

What: Students learn about Judaism.

When: Monday X-blocks in 331.

Goal: “We aim to spread awareness about Judaism and to get rid of common misconceptions about Jews,” said junior Jake Maman, the president.

Adviser: Special education teacher Stephen Hess.

—JOE CONNORS

Clubs can be a place for students to just hang out or participate in an activity they enjoy to relieve stress from their day-to-day routine.

School organizations that aim to improve the community through educating students and faculty and raising money can improve the atmosphere of the school.

The initiative taken by students and teachers to make a difference can inspire others and lead to a bigger movement.

Those who are passionate about an issue, an activity, an interest or just want to share their ideas with others can find an outlet in a club or organization or start their own.

Here, there are clubs that serve a wide range of interests, from watching a favorite T.V. show to mentoring other students to developing debate skills.

Students can join organizations that aim to prevent violence, promote equality or raise awareness about local issues.

They can use the places where they spend their time to develop relationships with others who understand their point of view and find a safe haven where they can speak their minds and assuage their fears.

Students who normally go home after school and spend time idling on the couch can participate and become active in the school community instead.

No matter what the motivation, being in a club or organization gives students a chance to explore an interest and devote their time to something they enjoy—an opportunity which should never be passed up.

Visit the Newtonite online daily at www. thenewtonite. com

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10 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

CLUBS Newton North organizations

Class of 2013

What: President and officers of the class of 2013.

When: To be determined.

Goal: “They will be planning events for the coming year,” said Barry housemaster Aaron Sanders.

Requirements: Students must be elected by their classmates. There will be a class president and four vice presidents, one each from Day, Bigelow, Brown and

an independent school.

Adviser: English teacher Mary Palisoul.

—ELI DAVIDOW

Class of 2012

What: Presidents and officers of the class of 2012.

When: Lunch blocks and before school in 332.

Goal: “Our goal is to have a great sophomore sleepover and plan more events that didn’t happen last year, such as dances, and to help people on an individual level,” said Mario Tavolieri, the president. Stephanie Brown, Ian Mark, Bernard McSally and Jon Paul Roby are the vice presidents.

Advisers: Special education teacher Nicole Franchi and special education aide Grace Nicolazzo.

—ELLEN SARKISIAN

Class of 2011

What: President and officers of the class of 2011.

When: Thursday X-blocks or third lunch.

Goal: “Our goal is to improve the school as much as we can,” said Nicole Goldberg, the president. Kevin Barisano, Emily Cet-

Arts appreciation groups Cooking Club

What: Students work on cooking skills.

When: Thursday X-blocks in 376.

Goal: “Cooking club is a place where students work in teams to prepare food of their choice,” said special education teacher Lisa Goldthwaite. “Students work on improving teamwork and cooking skills,” she said.

Adviser: Special education teacher Lisa Goldthwaite.

—CHRIS WELCH

Film Club

What: Students watch movies.

When: To be determined.

Goal: “Our goal is to watch good movies that kids have not watched before and that are interesting,” said photography teacher Ron Morris, the adviser.

Adviser: Photography teacher Ron Morris.

—FATEMA ZAIDI

Friday Afternoon Culture Society

What: Students watch the NBC sitcom “The Office.”

When: Third lunch on Fridays in L227 (library).

Goal: “An opportunity for students to take time off from their hectic schedules and relax,” according to the club’s website.

Adviser: Librarian Kevin McGrath.

—STEVEN MICHAEL

Stencil Club

What: Students make and paint stencils on the wall.

When: Thursday X-blocks monthly in 410.

Goal: “To enjoy a different type of art than drawing,” said senior Graham Stanton, an officer with senior Patricio Artusa.

Adviser: Art teacher Sandra Truant.

—JAY FEINSTEIN

Still need to sign up your club?

See Mr. Hazeltine in 206.

ALICIA ZHAO Senior Jackie Assar and junior David Gore explained how the child sex trade works in a presentation on Minga Day, Wednesday, Sept. 23.

“Every year, over two million children are involved in the global sex trade,” Assar said. “They are coerced, kidnapped and sold into the trade.”

The average age for a child prostitute is 13 years old, Assar said, and the youngest age recorded is only five months.

Pimps are people who sell children, Assar said. “They recruit children, get them drunk and exploit them sexually,” she said.

“These guys are experts at being discreet and they drug girls into absolute oblivion, where they cannot feel anything.”

Another group involved in the sex trade are the “johns,” who buy children, Assar said. “Johns demand sex, and pimps supply.”

Assar and Gore then discussed common myths about the sex trade.

“The sex trade happens in poor places, but also in rich BY

and organizations What: Students help peers through the college application process.

When: Visit homerooms weekly and attend college fair nights and Junior Night.

Training session and monthly X-block meetings.

Goal: “We aim to make the college process as smooth as possible for the students,” said college counselor Irmhild Liang, the adviser.

Requirements: Students must apply and interview. Applicants are chosen for their interest in leadership and willingness to help others.

Adviser: College counselor Irmhild Liang.

—MATT KALISH

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 11

Child sex trade myths debunked

Introducing

Career Center Aides

on campus

Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

lin, Molly Doris-Pierce and Amy Ren are the vice presidents.

Advisers: Guidance counselor Matthew Ford.

—JACOB SCHWARTZ

Class of 2010

What: President and officers of the class of 2010.

When: Mornings and after school in 119.

Goal: “This year, we hope to have a Battle of the Bands/Talent Show in February or March,” said Eliana Eskinazi, the president. “We’ll be having a bake sale on the third Thursday of every month to raise money for Senior Prom.” Rocco Donohue, Jeff Handler and Zoë Talkin are vice presidents.

Advisers: Math teachers Karly Braden and Rachel Mingos.

—MARENA COLE

Christine Potter, an adviser.

Requirements: Students must fill out an application in the winter.

Advisers: Guidance counselors Kyra Bateman and Christine Potter.

—MATT KALISH

ones,” Assar said. For example, she said, there was a woman in Rhode Island who found out that her husband was taking regular sex tourism trips to Thailand for child prostitutes.

Gore said that most johns are not pedophiles. “They may be on a business trip or vacation, and a child might beg for them to use their services or else she will get beaten up,” he said.

“These people might then rationalize that since they’re in a foreign country, U.S. laws won’t apply.”

Children don’t become involved by choice, Gore said.

“They could become involved because of difficult situations at home that cause them to feel neglected,” he said.

“Pimps will notice low selfesteem.”

According to Assar, it’s hard to conceptualize the child sex trade.

“Minga’s goal is to prevent our generation from becoming victims and exploiters,” she said.

“If you’re aware, then that’s half of the battle.”

Guidance Aides

What: Upperclassmen provide a smooth transition for incoming freshmen.

When: Meets once a term and attends a freshman homeroom regularly.

Goal: “The goal of Guidance Aides is to make freshmen feel as comfortable as possible and to answer any questions they might have,” said guidance counselor

Shira Bleicher

On Minga Day: Sophomores Shahar Don and Rebecca Jereza explain how they became involved in the group during a presentation in the film lecture hall Wednesday, Sept. 23.

Dramatic reading of story tells about girl in child prostitution MARENA COLE Sex slavery happens in Boston just as it does in any other place in the world, said senior Rebecca Kantar.

Members of Minga, a club that advocates against the child sex trade, gave a dramatic reading of a story about a girl who became caught up in the child sex trade.

Juniors Skylar Fox and David Gore did a reading of a story that Kantar, the president, wrote, on Minga Day, Wednesday, Sept.

23.

The reading told the story of BY

courtesy Rebecca Kantar

On a road trip: Minga members spread their message about the child sex trade to youth across North America this summer.

Student trip helps to raise awareness OLIVIA STEARNS Five Newton students traveled across the country this summer to spread awareness of Minga, said senior Rebecca Kantar, a co-president with senior Jackie Assar.

Kantar, Assar and four other students visited 10 cities in the U.S. and Canada over the course of four weeks.

“We basically visited all over the East Coast in a van and spoke to different communities,” Assar said.

“The target audience that we aimed to reach on the road was teenagers because they are the potential victims,” Kantar said.

The presenters suggested ways that students here could make a difference.

“The easiest thing you can do is spread the word. Tell your friends and family what is going on and encourage them to do something,” said Kantar.

Kantar showed two videos she made to promote awareness for the club on Minga Day, Wednesday, Sept. 23.

The first video clip showed a typical situation of how girls in the United States are forced into the child sex trade. The second BY

video’s intention was to energize people to take action in their communities, Kantar said.

Kantar suggested that kids sign up for the Real Interaction Competition on Minga’s website.

The program is looking for the most innovative examples of youth taking action in their communities, she said.

“You can do anything from hosting a movie night or selling ice cream to making a YoutTube video,” Kantar said.

“You can send in your pictures, videos, or a written account of your action and the best one will win a $500 grant so that you can spread it even further.”

Other Minga members at the presentation were sophomores Shahar Don, Ralitza Dountchev, Ben Hills and Rebecca Jereza.

Both Dountchev and Jereza said that they joined the club when they heard about it in their freshman seminars.

“I could tell that it wasn’t one of those clubs that pretended to help—they actually went out and made a difference,” said Jereza.

The best thing you can do is help Minga raise awareness, Kantar said.

a 14-year-old girl named Ebony who ran away from home after suffering from abuse.

Ebony met a man on the T in Boston who quickly befriended her, asking her to go out to dinner with him. He bought her a dress and a necklace, and he gradually gained her trust.

She said the man was trustworthy, because he said he had a well-paying job and employed many people. Actually, the man’s employees were child sex slaves, and he was looking to force Ebony into the sex trade.

After their sixth dinner, he told her to wait in his car. Then she was forced to have sex with a police officer.

She was forced to have sex for weeks, until she finally escaped.

Kantar said the story was based on the real story of a woman who is now in her late 20s or 30s, who was prostituted in Boston against her will.

The woman now works for the House for Little Wanderers, a child and family service agency in Boston, and speaks to educate about the child sex trade.

Group activity, movie explain workings of child sex slavery ELI DAVIDOW ELLEN SARKISIAN Students were handed chips, juice and burritos as symbols to explain the system of child prostitution at the beginning of a presentation on Minga Day, Wednesday, Sept. 23.

Those who received five chips represented the prostitutes.

Prostitutes are sometimes beaten and are sold to 20-30 men a night, said senior Rebecca Kantar, a co-president with senior Jackie Assar.

“Pretend all you had to eat for the entire day were these five chips, and that was it,” Kantar said.

“They are not getting what they need.”

Those who received five chips and a juice box represented the pimps, who were not much better off, she said.

“They are living a life that is completely illegal, so they are not in a good situation either,” BY

AND

Kantar said.

Finally, those who represented the “johns,” or buyers, in this situation, received a burrito, chips and juice.

“Johns are the ‘winners’ in this situation,” she said. “They have everything they need. They travel abroad and exploit children, and nothing happens.”

Kantar, Assar, junior David Gore and sophomores Ralitza Dountchev and Rebecca Jereza led the activity and showed clips from the movie “Taken.”

The movie played out a scenario about how kids get involved in the child sex trade.

The film follows two girls from California who travel alone to Paris and are approached by a stranger. The first scene shown was the girls’ arrival in Paris, where a pimp photographs them and shares a taxi with the girls to their apartment. They tell the man that they are going to be alone all summer.

What the two girls do not know is that he is a gang member involved in the child sex trade, and he kidnaps them. Many girls are not kidnapped, but coerced into prostitution, said Kantar.

After hearing about what happened, one of the girls’ fathers goes to rescue them.

“These girls did everything wrong that you can do when traveling alone,” said Assar. “It’s not a good idea to tell strangers information.

“Minga believes that half the battle is educating youth,” she said.

In addition to hiring “charismatic, innocent” pimps, in thirdworld countries, sex slave traders tell women of job opportunities in the United States and sell them into prostitution, Assar said.

There is a “96-hour window” in which children who are kidnapped can be found, but if they are not, they probably never will be, she said.

12◆ Newtonite, Newton North

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Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

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Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

Talk of the Critic’s Corner So Much for the Afterglow Everclear (1997)

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If the grunge sounds of Nirvana and pop rock ever meshed together, the result would be Everclear’s third disc, So Much for the Afterglow. Leading off with Beach Boy-esque a cappella on the title track, front man Art Alexakis blitzes into a complete frenzy with loud and catchy power-chords. This one’s got it all, from sing-a-longs to heartbreakers.

Key tracks: “So Much for the Afterglow,” “Everything to Everyone” and “White Men in Black Suits.”

Grade: B+

To the 5 Boroughs Beastie Boys (2004)

With slamming beats and some

smart-aleck smack, the Beastie Boys dominate the mic on 2004’s To the 5 Boroughs. Let’s admit it. Usually the alternative/ rap group is known for its undeniable immaturity, but there are some moments on this record that tug at your heartstrings.

In particular, the Boys shine on “An Open Letter to NYC,” an ode to the city that influenced them.

Key tracks: “Ch-Check It Out,” “Time to Build” and “An Open Letter to NYC.” Grade: B

The Bends Radiohead (1995)

Singer Thom Yorke and guitarist Jonny Greenwood steal the English band’s follow-up to Pablo Honey. On tracks like “My Iron Lung,” Yorke and Greenwood go on unstoppable, hyperactive tirades, yet on songs like “Fake Plastic Trees” or “High and Dry,” they transform their sounds into

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The average patient asks fewer than four questions in a 15-minute office visit.

Teachers’ Picks

Mr. D’Orazio...

Favorite Artists ◆Steely Dan ◆Gato Barbieri ◆Laura Nyro ◆Bonnie Raitt ◆The Beatles

Favorite Movie ◆Last Tango in Paris

Favorite Show ◆Seinfeld

Tiger

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 13

something mellow and angelic.

The music’s multiple-personality disorder makes for an excellent album.

Key tracks: “The Bends,” “Fake Plastic Trees” and “Street Spirit (Fade Out).”

Grade: A-

Nas (1994)

New tech program

Busting on to New York City’s rap scene with sharp rhymes, Nas explodes on his debut, mostly reliving his experiences of growing up in Queensbridge, New York. He draws listeners in as his rough yet articulate voice grooves along with lazy, laid-back beats. What seriously separates Illmatic from all other rap albums is his pure display of intelligence within verse. Without a doubt, this album placed Nas on top of the hip-hop hierarchy.

Key tracks: “Halftime,” “Memory Lane (Sittin’ in da Park)” and “Represent.”

Grade: A —Eli Davidow

◆American Idol

F L TO

S E G T I R

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A child development focus

cccccc A B I E S B

Architecture related

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Related to business

cccccccccccccccc R E N E E U E P R S R H P I N T

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Bonus: Department head

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Ms. Stauss...

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Instructions: First unscramble each word using the clues provided. When all the words are solved, unscramble the circled letters to find the bonus word.

Illmatic

Ms. Holman... ◆Neko Case ◆Talking Heads ◆Adele ◆Sarah McLaughlin ◆David Gray

Jumble: Career and Tech Ed. Edition

Did you know?

◆Death Cab for Cutie ◆U2 ◆Black Eyed Peas ◆The Gypsy Kings ◆The Replacements

Favorite Movie ◆Lord of the Rings

Favorite Show ◆The Office

Newtonian

Seth Mnookin ’90 wrote a New York Times best-selling book about the Red Sox called Feeding the Monster.

He is currently a contributing editor at “Vanity Fair.” Mnookin’s work has also appeared in many magazines, including “Newsweek,” “The New Yorker” and “New York.”

Mnookin has also written reviews for “The New York Times Book Review,” “The Washington Post Book World,” “Slate” and “Spin.”

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I signed up for 15 clubs.

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But... when will you find time to go to all of them?

Go to them?

I just signed up for the candy.

Get involved in your healthcare!

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sports

14 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

sports

Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

Golf gains skills despite youth

Girls’ cross country to visit Norwood ELI DAVIDOW Despite the team’s inexperience, girls’ cross country, 2-3 Wednesday, is optimistic, said coach Peter Martin.

“While it is much easier to prepare for a track meet, running 5K is a long way,” Martin said. “It’s hard to prepare for. We’re young and inexperienced, but we’re still improving rapidly.”

The keystone to the Tigers’ success is junior Margo Gillis, who is “one of the best runners in the state,” according to Martin.

Gillis’ latest major accomplishment was finishing second out of 184 runners in the McIntyre Bay State Invitational Saturday, Sept.

19 at Franklin Park at 19:12.3.

Runners came from all around the state.

Some younger runners who have recently contributed to the Tigers are sophomores Becca Traynor, Allie Phillips and Miller Tuohy, Martin said.

“Our new members make me feel good about the future,” he said.

In the Tigers’ upcoming meets, the team expects to see an array of talent, Martin said.

Thursday in Norwood, the Mustangs do not stand a chance, BY

Teddy Wenneker

Preparing for Norwood: Sophomore Allie Phillips, juniors Devika Banerjee and Margo Gillis and seniors Elena Hemler and Jaya Tripathi practice outside for a meet at Norwood Thursday.

Martin said.

“They’ve got a small group, so I don’t believe that they’ll be too difficult,” he said.

Contrarily, Wednesday, Oct. 14 against Wellesley, the Tigers anticipate a strong showing from the Raiders, Martin said.

“Wellesley’s going to be a tough meet,” he said. “They have a lot of members on their team, and they’re the favorite to win the league.”

In recent meets, the Tigers swept both Framingham (23-36) and Dedham (15-50) in Dedham Thursday, Sept. 24.

Senior Adele Levine, a captain with senior Julia Belamarich, said that the Tigers won thanks to “strong individual performances and hard work.”

At Weymouth Tuesday, Sept.

22, the Wildcats handed the Tigers a loss, winning 25-30.

The Weymouth victory was a matter of circumstance, according to Levine.

“It really came down to that day,” she said. “We both were evenly matched, it happened that Weymouth put forth their best that day.”

The Tigers were to have hosted Milton and Natick yesterday.

Tigers to host Dedham Tuesday

JOSH BAKAN Playing at a high energy level, practicing strongly and dedication to power are goals for volleyball, 7-1, coach Richard Barton said.

“We need to get better at the things we work on every day,” Barton said. “Our goal is to continuously become stronger.”

The Tigers are very strong defensively and have strong servers, said senior Kate Bellerose, a captain.

“Our front line has also been a strength,” Bellerose said.

Key returning players on the front line are senior Zoe PepperCunningham, a left-side center, and junior Melissa Jewitt, a setter, Bellerose said.

“Melissa gives really good sets, and that’s why our hitters are so consistent,” she said.

The Tigers could improve on “communication on the court,” Bellerose said.

Tomorrow, the Tigers visit Newton South.

“They have experience, but they’re not as experienced as us,” Barton said. “We have more

experience at more positions. We have a lot of seniors in key roles, and I don’t think they do.”

Tuesday, the Tigers host Natick, a team which “plays an aggressive form of volleyball,” Barton said.

“They have as much skill as us, so effort will prevail,” he said.

Thursday, the Tigers host Braintree, which beat the Tigers 3-1 on Sept. 15.

Monday, October 12, the Tigers visit the Volleyball Hall of Fame for a 12-team tournament in Holyoke, “the birthplace of

volleyball,” Barton said.

“We’ll play five other teams.

They ask the better teams if they want to go play. There’s even a team from New York.”

Wednesday, Oct. 14, the Tigers visit Dedham.

“We want power on all cylinders in that game,” Barton said.

The Tigers defeated Needham 3-0 Wednesday at Needham.

“We struggled somewhat early because we had a different lineup, but when people got used to it we dominated,” Barton said.

Friday, Sept. 25, the Tigers

beat Brookline here 3-0.

“Our players hit strongly, passed strongly and served strongly,” Barton said.

Wednesday, Sept. 23, the Tigers beat Milton 3-0 at Milton “Milton is young, and they have not won a match,” Barton said.

Monday, Sept. 21, the Tigers beat Weymouth here 3-0.

“We served and hit them off the court,” Barton said. “They had no answer.”

The Tigers were to have visited Framingham yesterday.

Boys start out 5-0 EVAN CLEMENTS Victories have become routine for boys’ cross country, 5-0, after defeating Framingham and Dedham on Thursday, Sept. 24.

“We won easily, as they were not very strong teams,” coach Jim Blackburn said.

Junior Dan Ranti “has been our top man all season,” Blackburn said.

Senior Jake Gleason, junior Ezra Lichtman and sophomore Justin Keefe have also been large contributors for the Tigers, according to senior Michael Goldenberg, a captain with Gleason.

The Tigers visit Norwood Oct. 6, and they host Wellesley at Cold Springs Oct. 14.

Both meets should be easy wins for the Tigers, Blackburn said.

BY

The Tigers then face their “toughest opponent of the season” when they face Brookline at Cold Springs on Oct. 21, Blackburn said.

Tuesday, Sept. 22, the Tigers beat Weymouth 25-33 at Weymouth.

Top finishers were Ranti at 15:00, Lichtman at 15:03 and Gleason at 15:12.

Saturday, Sept. 19, the Tigers placed sixth at the McIntyre Invitational at Franklin Park with 220 points.

Out of 253 runners, Ranti placed 17th at 16:58.9, and Lichtman placed 20th at 17:02.

Thursday, Sept. 24, the Tigers beat Dedham 15-45 and beat Framingham 16-47 at Dedham.

The Tigers were to have visited Milton yesterday.

CHRIS WELCH Golf, 6-3 Wednesday, has a good, young team and is gaining experience, coach Bob MacDougall said.

“We need to improve working under the pressure of a match, but we are improving as the season has gone by,” he said.

Seniors Jonathan Levine and Ben Sauro, and juniors T.J. Ryan and Mike Zegarelli have been playing well, MacDougall said.

“With all our matches, we get to watch some very good golfers, and we try to improve our own games by seeing what they do,” he said.

“We are playing some challenging teams, so we have a tough schedule ahead of us.”

The team has a lot of matches, and not much practice time so it is crucial that all the players have their best game, MacDougall said.

“At the beginning, we were struggling a little due to the lack of experience,” said Ryan, a captain with Sauro.

“But now that we have a handful of matches under our belt, there is a lot less pressure. Golf is tough under pressure, but from here on out there are no excuses if we don’t win.

“Overall we’re working on focusing on every shot because BY

Strength, communication goals for volleyball, 7-1 BY

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 15

Teddy Wenneker

Follow through: Junior T.J. Ryan swings Thursday, Sept. 24 here against Framingham.

Girls work to start out strong MEREDITH ABRAMS Trying to pick up after slow starts to games, girls’ soccer, 1-4-2 as of Wednesday, is looking to play with intensity, said senior Kim Gillies, a captain with seniors Lee Ford and Camilla Jackson.

“Recently we’ve had slow starts, like we were asleep the first five minutes,” Gillies said.

“But we’re finding intensity in the second half when we’re down by a bit, and we wake up and want to win more.”

She said the team is trying to “start connecting passes from defense to midfield to forward, so everyone works as a team, instead of kicking the ball and chasing it.”

Sunday, the Tigers face Newton South, in a match Gillies said will be very intense.

“Last year we lost in the last few minutes of the game on a direct kick, but it’s a whole new year and a whole new team, so we’ll have to wait and see,” she said.

On hosting Natick Wednesday, Gillies said, “They’re a strong team, and there’s always good competition, but they graduated some strong players last year, so BY

they’ll probably be a completely different team.”

Friday, Oct. 9, the Tigers host Braintree.

“We’re going to have to work together as a team and play with a lot of heart, and we’ll have to use our brains to play smart soccer,” Gillies said.

The Tigers visit Dedham Tuesday, Oct. 13 and Weymouth Thursday, Oct. 15.

Of the game against Dedham, Gillies said, “It flip-flops every year, so we don’t really know what to expect. We will just have to go out and play with aggression.”

Coach James Hamblin said the Tigers’ strengths are good character, determination, spirit and heart.

He said the team is working on “stepping in and taking accountability to go meet the ball, and having a little more leadership.”

“We’re working hard in training, and we’re starting to understand the system of play, so we’ve definitely improved the last couple of games,” he said.

At Needham Tuesday, the Rockets won 4-0.

“We hit a low point like this against Milton, then stepped up

against Brookline, but now it feels like we’ve regressed,” Gillies said.

“Also we were unlucky on calls and had a breakdown the other team was able to capitalize on.”

The Tigers tied 1-1 with Brookline at home Friday, Sept. 25.

“We played really well and put in the effort,” Gillies said.

“We just didn’t catch that many breaks and get the result we were looking for.”

Milton defeated the Tigers 5-0 Wednesday, Sept. 23 at Milton.

“It was that our brains just weren’t turned on,” Gillies said.

“We were having trouble connecting passes and finding each other’s feet.”

Monday, Sept. 21, Weymouth won 2-1 at home.

“They were good opponents, but it was a game we could have won,” Gillies said.

“We just didn’t have passion, and it was difficult to get into a rhythm of play.”

The Tigers defeated Walpole 2-1 Friday, Sept. 18 at home.

Gillies said the team started off down, but then scored two goals for the win.

The Tigers were to have visited Framingham yesterday.

most of our matches have come down to a couple of points. You don’t want to go back on your round saying to yourself, ‘If I had only tried harder on that short putt, we would have won the match.’”

Monday, the Tigers will send their top three players to the Bay State Conference Tournament, MacDougall said.

Ryan, Sauro and junior Eric Regensburg will participate.

“We hope we’re playing like this come State Tournament time,” Ryan said.

Tuesday, the Tigers host Dedham, and Thursday they host Weymouth.

The Tigers host Wellesley Tuesday, Oct. 13 and Thursday Oct. 15 they host Brookline.

In recent action, Walpole beat the Tigers 56-53 at Walpole Wednesday.

Tuesday at Natick, the Tigers beat the Red and Blue, 56.551.5.

Thursday, Sept. 24, the Tigers beat Framingham here, 64.543.5.

Tuesday, Sept. 22, the Tigers beat Needham 60.5-47.5 at Needham.

Monday, Sept. 21, at Brookline the Tigers lost 70.5-37.5.

The Tigers were to have visited Braintree yesterday.

Teddy Wenneker

Attacking the ball: Junior Evelyn Hurwitz charges a Weymouth player at home Monday, Sept. 21. The Tigers lost 2-1.

Field hockey to focus on offense, rely on defense ELI DAVIDOW Under coach Celeste Myers, field hockey, 1-6, boasts a strong defense, but offense is the main focus, said senior Leanne Luke, a captain with senior Tal Shemesh.

“We’re definitely stronger on defense, but we’ve been losing connections with our forwards,” Luke said. “Right now, we’ve been trying to reconnect with them. By focusing on offense, we will be able to take stress off BY

Teddy Wenneker

Uphill sprint: Senior John Sangiolo, junior Dan Ranti and seniors Chris Keefe, Parker Wells and Jonathan Bressler train for the meet against Norwood Thursday.

our defense.

“Our forward line is solid, but we need to make sure we know our positions better.”

On the Tigers’ defense, junior Julia Cuccurullo, a goalie, and sophomore Alison Berkowitz, a defensive back, have stepped up their contributions, Luke said.

“Julia has been amazing in goal,” she said. “She really does have a natural talent. She has consistently improved, and she’s come a long way.

“The improvement in Alison has also been great,” Luke added.

“She’s done an excellent job of understanding her position.”

In the Tigers’ upcoming game against Natick Wednesday, the score should be relatively close, Luke said.

“Natick has been pretty even with us in the past,” she said.

“We’re going to try to have the same mentality when we got our first victory of the season.”

The Tigers are excited to play

Braintree here Friday, since they have already defeated them, Luke said. In the first matchup against the Wamps Wednesday, Sept. 16, the Tigers shut them out, 5-0.

“It will be great to play Braintree at home, because we definitely won’t be as nervous or afraid,” she said.

In Dedham Tuesday, Oct. 13, the Tigers expect to see a young program with depth, Luke said.

“Dedham in the past has been a mixed bag, but they’ve really

proven themselves these last few years,” she said. “Dedham has turned themselves around, from being defeated to being very prepared.”

In recent action, Needham defeated the Tigers 3-2 on Tuesday, and Brookline shut them out 1-0 here Friday.

Wednesday, Sept. 23, in Milton, the Wildcats beat the Tigers 2-0.

Friday, Sept. 18, Walpole won against the Tigers, 6-0.

sports

16 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

Football, 1-2, beats Flyers JOSH BAKAN Despite starting the season with an inexperienced team, football, 1-2, is quickly maturing, coach Peter Capodilupo said.

“We remain inexperienced, especially at linebacker and a lot of other places, but we’re improving,” he said.

“Our offensive line is also quickly progressing. They play with hustle. We’re blocking better, so we’ve gotten the ball more to our experienced receivers.”

Standout players have been senior Humberto Castillo at defensive tackle, senior Faisal Mayanja at inside linebacker and senior Eddie Pang at guard, Capodilupo said.

Junior Isaiah Penn is starting at quarterback while senior Conor O’Neil is injured, Capodilupo said.

“I’m pleased with how Isaiah is playing,” he said. “He’s played like a veteran.”

Two key members of the defense are Castillo and Mayanja, said O’Neil, a captain with Castillo, Mayanja and Pang.

“Castillo knows what he’s doing. He’s a big guy. He creates havoc for other teams,” O’Neil said. “Mayanja is aggressive and that really helps out the whole defense.”

BY

Teddy Wenneker

Out of the pocket: Junior Isaiah Penn, the starting quarterback taking over for injured senior Conor O’Neil, rushes against Framingham Sept. 20. The Tigers won, 28-13.

O’Neil said the offense is balanced.

“We have great receivers and we have a great backfield.

“We still have a young team, but there are a lot of new players who are improving,” he said.

Today, the Tigers visit Needham.

“They do a lot of things well,” O’Neil said. “They are balanced on offense, and they play good defense.”

Saturday, Oct. 10, the Tigers visit Wellesley.

“They’re 3-0 right now, so it’s a big game for us,” O’Neil said.

“They run an offense that’s tough to defend.”

Saturday, Sept. 26, Walpole beat the Tigers 28-14 at Walpole.

“We played poor defense, and we turned the ball over a lot,” O’Neil said.

“Walpole is also a very good team. They’re fast. They have a good offensive line and defensive line,” he said.

Sunday, Sept. 20, the Tigers beat Framingham 28-13 at Boston College.

“We were balanced on offense and the offensive line really stood out,” he said. “When the line plays well, everybody can play well.”

Girls’ swimming works to reduce finishing times MEREDITH ABRAMS With great enthusiasm and work ethic, girls’ swim and dive, 2-2-1, is working on dealing with the stress of school and its focus at meets, said senior Carissa Chan, a captain with seniors Caeden Brynie and Zoe Talkin.

Despite that, Chan said, the team is doing very well.

“We have a really strong team, and we’re really happy with the girls because we’re enjoying ourselves and having a good time,” she said.

“We’re doing really well overall, and I can’t wait to see how the rest of the season will turn out.”

Chan also said that the team has added Saturday practices.

“We’re doing a mix of dry land exercises, working on technique, and starts and finishes,” she said.

Coach Kirsten Tuohy said the team is focusing on fundamentals, breakouts and coming out of streamline powerfully.

Overall, she said the team has made a lot progress.

“They have done a fabulous job this far,” Tuohy said. “Times are coming down across the board more quickly than anticiBY

pated.

“A strong point is our depth in stroke events,” she said. “And one of our weaknesses in past years, the sprint freestyle, has been getting much better.”

Today, the Tigers host Walpole.

“Walpole is a strong team,” Tuohy said. “We predict good times and expect it will be a very competitive meet.”

Hosting Framingham Tuesday, Tuohy said the Tigers anticipate an exciting meet.

“Framingham recently suffered their first conference loss in a while, and they graduated a few swimmers last year,” she said. “But it’s always very competitive.”

Of the meet at Brookline Tuesday, Oct. 13, Tuohy said, “As our traditional rival, we’re very competitive, and we beat them last year at home, so this time they’re going to be looking to beat us at their home.”

The Tigers beat Braintree 9687 at home Tuesday, Sept. 29.

“We had to swim people in different events than the ones they have been swimming thus far,” she said.

Edan Laniado

Against Braintree: Sophomore Jackie Comstock, a contender for the State Meet, swims against the Wamps, Sept. 29. The Tigers beat the Wamps 96-87 at home.

“It gave us the opportunity to get times on people in competition situations and get an idea of where people are, but sometimes if they have a different idea it gives them an opportunity to change our minds and be successful.”

Friday, Sept. 25 the Tigers tied 93-93 at Braintree.

“We had quite a few people under the weather, so we did really well, all things considered,” Tuohy said.

Wellesley defeated the Tigers 94-92 Tuesday, Sept. 22 at Welles-

ley, in a meet that Tuohy said was very intense.

“The cheering was deafening, and it was very difficult to focus, but we had an incredible number of personal bests—in some events swimmers dropped seven or eight seconds.”

Boys’ soccer tries overcoming injury, inexperience MEREDITH ABRAMS Boys’ soccer, 1-4-1 Wednesday, is trying to get better every single practice and overcome inexperience, coach Brian Rooney said.

Other focuses are to have energy, go to the ball hard, be physical and aggressive, and finish strong, he said.

Rooney said strengths of the team are that they are a very strong technical team.

“Our passing and receiving ability is strong,” Rooney said.

“We’re good at holding and possessing the ball, we’re pretty strong on defense when we’re healthy, and we have talented BY

players.”

However, Rooney said the team is working on scoring goals, taking advantage of quality chances, and communicating out in the field.

Injury has also hurt the team, Rooney said.

“We’ve lost a lot of key players to injury and illness—two recent games we were without two of our usual four starting defenders, and we’ve lost some guys beyond that,” he said. “It’s hit us hard and it’s been a little frustrating.”

Commenting on upcoming matches, Rooney said it’s tough to tell in the Bay State Confer-

ence.

“There are a few teams that are at the top—Needham, Framingham, Brookline—and the rest are in the same mix.

“With them it depends on how much energy we bring,” he said.

“We have to get to a place where we can score some goals.”

Wednesday, the Tigers visit Natick, and Friday, Oct. 9 they visit Braintree. They host Dedham Tuesday, Oct. 13 and Weymouth Thursday, Oct. 13.

Junior Gabe Paul, a captain with senior Ben Gross and junior Gianluca Viscomi, said the team is in a rebuilding year.

“We’re getting better over time, and next year we’re going to be very good,” Paul said.

Tuesday, Sept. 29, Needham defeated the Tigers 2-0 at home.

“For the first goal we were sleeping, but they had a nice second goal, and we’re still incapable of finishing,” Paul said.

Brookline defeated the Tigers 3-0 Friday, Sept. 25 at Brookline.

“We fell behind about one minute in because of poor decisions on defense,” Rooney said.

“To our credit, from that point on to about the 65th minute we were right there with them. We

controlled possession and did a great job neutralizing their attack, but they’re a talented team.”

Milton beat the Tigers 2-0 Wednesday, Sept. 23 at home.

“We had seven or eight good opportunities to score, and we missed them because of poor technique,” Rooney said.

Friday, Sept. 18 the Tigers visited Walpole and tied 1-1. “We didn’t have our entire starting lineup, and though we struggled without them, some other guys stepped up,” Rooney said.

The Tigers were to have hosted Framingham yesterday.