v88i14

Newtonite ◆ Friday, Dec. 4, 2009 • Volume 88, Issue 14

Non-profit org.

US postage paid Newton, Mass.

Permit no. 55337

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

Building to be tested for asbestos

MARENA COLE This building will be tested for asbestos over the coming months, according to principal Jennifer Price.

“Plans are being made for next summer when the current building will be safely demolished,” Price said in a letter to the community.

The building will be tested on approximately 15 occasions from Saturday, Nov. 21 to Thursday, Jan. 31.

“The testing involves boring into walls of the school to determine if asbestos is present within the walls,” Price said.

“Only when workers are aware of what file photo materials are Jennifer present can Price the building be demolished safely and on time.

“During the testing period, protecting safety will be our highest priority and throughout the testing process there will be in place multiple precautions to protect the safety of the building occupants and the surrounding neighborhood.”

Testing will be scheduled for days when the fewest people are present in the school, Price said.

“The interior testing locations will take place in areas that students do not frequently visit, such as storage rooms and closets,” Price said.

“Each location where the testing will occur will be cleaned, rigorously tested and restored to safe use at least 24 hours prior to the school being in session.

“Air quality samples will be taken and analyzed well in advance of students being permitted to return to the portions of the building that will be tested.”

Price said any asbestos potentially in the walls has not been and is not currently harmful to anyone in the building.

“Shortly after the current school building was opened in 1972, the city undertook extensive removal and containment of asbestos materials,” she said.

“We can be sure the school is safe since asbestos is only harmful if it becomes airborne.

“Any asbestos-containing materials in the current facility have been covered and undisturbed and are being monitored by an outside consultant.”

ATC Associates, an engineering firm, is supervising the testing.

“ATC Associates has prepared a testing plan that follows the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s more stringent asbestos abatement guidelines, even though this process is simply testing and not abatement,” she said.

The testing schedule is available at www.newnnhs.com.

BY

Teddy Wenneker

On Hull Street: Special education aide Tom Milano and Ben Majewski, a student in the Community Connections program, prepare for a walkathon to City Hall Wednesday, Nov. 17. The walkathon fundraised for Community Connections.

Trash on Main Street increasing MARENA COLE Trash on Main Street after the lunch block is an increasing problem, said Riley housemaster Mark Aronson.

“Students are just not taking care of their trash,” Aronson said.

“I understand the occasional chip that falls on the floor, but there’s no excuse for trays, bottles, bags, half-eaten sandwiches and things like that being left on the ground.”

According to Aronson, food is limited to the cafeteria and Main Street during lunch block.

Main Street was closed during lunch block Thursday, Nov. 12 and Friday, Nov. 13, due to the excessive trash, Aronson said. However, he said when Main Street was reopened the following Monday, administrators noticed little difference in the amount of trash left behind after lunch.

“We thought at least the first few days after Main Street was reopened, students would be more careful about their trash,” he said. “However, that wasn’t the case.

“There are no plans right now, but if things don’t change, we’ll have to consider longer term closing if not permanent closing,” he said.

“Students need to understand that it’s a right, not a privilege.”

The biggest issue, Aronson said, is the strain the trash puts on the custodial staff.

“They basically have to clean up two cafeterias,” he said. “It’s like an extra job, and it’s just not right.

“I would love to see kids on Main Street and still have it clean. It would be a positive for everyone.

“Students could do something they enjoy, but they have to show respect for the custodial staff and

the building in general.”

Closing Main Street has been one method of trying to decrease the trash left behind over the years, along with having student leaders and adult supervision to remind students not to forget their trash, he said.

Aronson said the trash is more likely due to a lack of consciousness, rather than a deliberate refusal to clean up after themselves.

“People will say, ‘Oh, it’s just spoiled kids that make the mess,’” he said. “I don’t think that’s it—I think it’s just not thinking.

“If someone gets up to talk to one of their friends, they can forget that they left their trash behind and never pick it up.”

According to Aronson, historically, eating on Main Street has been part of the school’s culture.

“At one point, this school had over 3,000 students,” he said. “It

was physically impossible for all of the kids to be in the cafeteria during lunch.

“My hope is in the new school, people will eat in the cafeteria.

The walls will be glass, and you can look out to what will be Main Street.

“I’ll be surprised if there is eating outside of the cafeteria in the new building,” he said.

Senior custodian Tim Keefe said it typically takes the custodial staff an hour to an hour and a half to clean after lunch.

“This has been the worst year for trash,” he said. “It’s a lot worse than it has been in the past.”

When Main Street was shut down, Keefe said there was a dramatic difference in trash left behind.

“It was extremely clean,” he said. “They only collected about one bag of trash that day, as opposed to about six to seven daily.”

MATT KALISH Newton teachers estimated their unpaid work at approximately $37,284,361, according to Newton Teachers Association president Cheryl Turgel.

“We asked each educator to fill out a survey indicating how many hours a week they worked beyond their contractually required week and beyond a reasonable expectation of what the job requires,” Turgel said.

“They also gave us their extra hours they spent and money they spent out of their own pocket for educational purposes,” she said.

Teachers from every Newton

school attended a School Committee meeting last Monday, Nov. 23, and presented the committee with bags of fake money, representing the extra time and money they have put into their jobs.

“The NTA would like to recognize Thanksgiving and bring forth to you our bounty—that which we have freely given and shall for the foreseeable future continue to give to Newton,” Turgel said to the committee.

“We wish to present symbolically to the School Committee, and through them the community of Newton, a year’s worth of our labor—above and beyond

what we have been paid to do,” she said.

“However, I must add, in the spirit of openness, that our NTA members, generous to a fault though we have been, are growing weary as we do this.

“We grow weary in negotiations when the city continues to insist on a contract with us with absolutely not one penny more in salary scale.

“In the mean time, please accept this gift in the spirit in which it is given.”

School Committee chair Marc Laredo said it was unfortunate that the two sides could not make

an agreement for a contract this year.

“It is too bad we couldn’t reach a final decision, but I know the new School Committee, which is set to start in January, will be more than ready to resume negotiations,” Laredo said.

Newton teachers are currently working without a contract.

The NTA represents over 1,700 members who work as teachers, guidance counselors, social workers, psychologists, teaching assistants, permanent substitutes, technical staff, information technologists and other educators.

BY

Teachers estimate hours of unpaid work

BY

opinion

2 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Dec. 4, 2009

Leaving trash shows disrespect

Edan Laniado

Trash on Main Street: Garbage is strewn on Main Street after lunchtime Monday, Nov. 16.

Students need to start showing respect for their school.

Announcements were made in homeroom Thursday, Nov. 5 that students would eat in the cafeteria only for the rest of the week due to the excessive trash left behind.

Thursday, Nov. 12 and Friday, Nov. 13, Main Street and the back halls were closed for all lunches. Housemasters monitored Main Street to ensure no food was eaten outside the cafeteria.

This may appear excessive, but there really is a problem when it comes to trash in this school.

Since the beginning of the year and even last year, there have been posters all around the school encouraging students to throw away their trash, saying things like “This is your school. Start acting like it. Pick up your trash!”

Warning signs stating that Main Street would be closed if the amount of trash did not decrease were posted this year and last, and students ignored them and continued to leave excessive amounts of garbage around.

Since warnings were not followed, it only makes sense

editorial that the action was then carried out and Main Street was closed.

Main Street was then reopened, but the amount of trash did not decrease.

Students may complain about eating elsewhere, but there is a simple solution to the problem: pick up after yourself.

It can’t be helped that there will be trash after you are done eating, but it is not difficult to throw it away.

Trash cans are often not far from any given place you are sitting, so there is no excuse to leave garbage lying around.

Seeing bottles and Styrofoam containers on the ground after lunch is unpleasant.

Leaving trash everywhere shows a lack of respect for the school and for the custodians whose job it is to clean up; it creates unnecessary work and an unsanitary environment that no one is happy to be in.

Eating on Main Street is important for many students, but it is by no means necessary, so take responsibility and clean up after yourself to keep this privilege.

Faculty, students discuss Main Street eating policy GEORGINA TEASDALE Students are regularly allowed to eat on Main Street during lunch. However on Thursday, Nov. 12 and Friday, Nov. 13 the administration closed Main Street during lunch because of excessive trash.

Students and teachers said whether they think students should be allowed to eat on Main Street.

BY

Teachers

Betsey Scharlack, history: “Not if they leave a mess all over, but other than that they should because we don’t have very good spaces in this building.”

Shawn Wallace, math: “I believe that they should be allowed as long as they’re responsible for their own belongings, in cluding trash. If they show that responsibilNewtonian ity, I think they Shawn should be alWallace lowed to eat on Main Street.”

Juanita O’Neill, Spanish: “No. If students picked up their stuff then yes. When people come

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

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 Stearns News analysis editor — Georgina Teasdale Photography editors — Shira Bleicher, Gaby Perez-Dietz, Teddy Wenneker Production managers — Max Fathy, Ben Hills Advertising managers — Chris Keefe, Jack McLaughlin Business manager — Chris Welch Circulation managers — Caleb Gannon, Dan Salvucci Exchanges editor — Peter Simonian 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 Greenberg, Jacob Brunell Sports staff — Evan Clements, Nicole Curhan, Jeremy Gurvits Arts staff — Eliana Eskinazi, Kate Lewis, Fatema Zaidi News analysis staff — Kellynette Gomez Art staff — Julia Belamarich, Puloma Ghosh, Anna Kaertner, Maia Levoy, Stephen Lu, Maddie MacWilliams, Hannah Schon Photography staff — Helen Gao, Anna Gargas, Jaryd Justice-Moote, Edan Laniado, Jesse Tripathi Circulation staff — Spencer Alton, Alison Berkowitz, Stoddard Meigs, Omar Pinkhasov, Michela Salvucci, Stephanie Vitone Production staff — Graham Stanton The Newtonite staff does all the reporting, production work and photography to produce 16 issues a year for a circulation of 2,500.

To place an ad in the Newtonite or contact us by phone, please call 617-559-6274. Yearly subscriptions cost $20. Readers can also reach us at thenewtonite@gmail.com.

To find the Newtonite online go to www.thenewtonite.com.

into the school and walk onto a street with litter, it’s not a good impression. To my way of thinking, eating on Main Street is a privilege.”

Seniors

Rachelle Jereza: “We won’t all fit in the cafeteria and I can’t stand the smell of the cafeteria.

“There’s definitely a trash problem, and you can make kids clean up Main Street as punishment if they’re caught and eventually take away privileges for certain people, but I don’t believe everyone should have to suffer just because a bunch of people don’t clean up, because what about those people who do clean up? It’s not like we can go up to them and be like, ‘hey, clean up your trash.’ That’s awkward.”

Ben Miller: “It relieves congestion in the Newtonian cafeteria. It’s a Rachelle very important Jerezea measure of social freedom.

It’s a gigantic space in the middle of the building that would not be used. We’re not five year olds anymore, and we don’t need to be babysat, but people really should clean up after themselves.”

Meghan Rogers: “Yes, students should be allowed because it’s too crowded otherwise. It’s huge and colorful.”

Nat Roth: “The cafeteria is not really big enough, and I don’t really see why it should be an issue if people can clean up after themselves.”

Juniors

Jack Adams: “I do eat on Main Street mainly because the cafeteria can get way too crowded and it’s a nice place to sit. I think litter

can’t be prevented when so many kids sit on Main Street. I don’t know what the school could change to prevent that.”

Sarah Goldman: “Eating on Main Street is so much more comfortable and less Newtonian overwhelming Jack Adams than eating in the cafeteria because it’s just your friends instead of your grade.”

Sarah Nunberg: “It’s a tradition. The cafeteria is overpopulated with not enough room for all third lunch students. It’s more fun to enjoy lunch sitting on the floor in an open space where all the fun action goes on. It’s a good place for socialization.”

Chris Yee: “Well, as long as the students clean up after themselves, it should be fine, but I understand that that’s the problem now—that they are not cleaning up after themselves. Maybe give them one more chance, but set guidelines.

“I personally don’t eat on Main Street, but sometimes after lunch I do see a lot of trash on Main Street. There’s nothing the administration can really do except tell the kids to throw away their trash. I mean are they going to start giving detentions if they don’t throw it away? People are going to say ‘that’s not my trash’ and stuff, so there’s really nothing they can do except hope the students will do the right thing and just throw it away.”

Sophomores

Mia Bracciale: “I think that people should be able to eat on Main Street, but it should be a privilege.

“It’s so annoying when I see trash all over the floor. It’s not

that hard picking it up and throwing it away. I think we deserve it only if we take care of it.”

Jason Le: “Definitely, because the cafeteria is overpopulated. I don’t sit on Main Street personally, but the trash doesn’t bother me.”

Boshan Mo: “Students have the right to, because if they have open campus they should be allowed to eat on Main Street.”

Marianna Sorensen: “The cafeteria gets really overcrowded and loud, so a lot of people enjoy eating on Main Street.

“I feel bad for them, but they need to make sure they clean up after themselves.”

Freshmen

Michael Barrile: “Yes, because you can talk to more people, and we don’t get a lot of rights. I think there is a small trash problem.”

Matt Callahan: “Yes, it’s fun.

There is a trash problem, maybe they could have more trash cans and maybe have someone go around with a trash can.”

Sophie Kaplan: “Yeah, but I think it’s reasonable to make them sit in the cafeteria if there’s too much of a mess.”

Jessie Whalen: “Yes, because it’s too crowded in the cafeteria.

The administration could put more trash barrels.”

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 thenewtonite@gmail.com.

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.

news

Friday, Dec. 4, 2009

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 3

Class attends retreat

STEVEN MICHAEL Using physical challenges to work on problem solving and leadership abilities, Leadership in a Diverse Society attended a retreat at the Sargent Center in Hancock, New Hampshire, said English teacher Peter Goddard.

Forty-five students went on the trip Monday, Nov. 16 and Tuesday, Nov. 17. Goddard, counseling intern John Henry Davis, carpentry teacher Garrett Tingle and counselor Darby Verre chaperoned the trip.

For Goddard, the most memorable part of the trip was how students worked together to navigate challenging situations, especially on the high ropes course.

“It always surprises me how certain people do things you don’t expect they can,” Goddard said. “Someone who is petrified of heights is successful on the high ropes course and overcomes their fear.

“Everyone has a full capacity to do what they are capable of.”

Junior Maddie MacWilliams said that the trip helped students bond as a class.

“Overall, it was really, really fun,” she said. “One of the best parts was the ropes course we went on. “ We were all very en Newtonian couraging to Maddie e a c h o t h e r.

MacWilliams Lots of people were scared, but they went anyway and we all supported them.”

Goddard team-teaches Leadership in a Diverse Society with English teacher Inez Dover.

“The purpose of the class is to involve kids from different areas of the school in interests, extracurricular involvement and curriculum levels in order to create a more positive school environment, and to help students identified by the staff deal with issues cooperatively and, hopefully, successfully,” Goddard said.

“Right now, we’re talking about the concept of race,” he said. “We talk about race, class, gender, sexual orientation and educational issues. We talked earlier about different styles of leadership.”

Leadership in a Diverse Society focuses on diversity and giving back to the school. As part of that commitment, the class runs orientation sessions for freshmen.

Goddard said that the class is currently discussing plans for its second freshmen orientation.

Every year, 125-150 students are nominated for the Leadership class. Of those students, 75 are accepted into the course and due to scheduling issues, around 50 students end up in the class.

“The class is chosen by a committee after the staff and former Leadership students nominate students,” Dover said. “The class is aimed to represent a cross-section of the school.”

She said the Leadership class is under the auspices of the principal and the process includes housemasters of the incoming junior and senior classes, guidance counselors, the two teachers and members of other departments.

BY

Teddy Wenneker

On Main Street: Senior Adam Halwitz, the Gay-Straight Alliance president, explains a display to sophomore Shoshana Stanger and seniors Jackie Assar and Ali Abdallah. The GSA hosted the Transgender Day of Remembrance to memorialize individuals murdered in the past year because they were transgender or connected to transgender issues.

Teacher assessments under discussion REBECCA HARRIS Teachers may be encouraged to receive feedback through course assessments, according to a proposal to the Student Faculty Administration.

At a meeting Wednesday, Dec. 2, the SFA continued to discuss a proposal by senior Ezra Cohen, student co-chair, which would encourage teachers to give out course assessments mid-year, but it decided not to vote until it had drafted a sample course assessment to distribute to teachers.

Cohen said that “the goal isn’t to punish teachers, but to create something positive.”

Teachers would keep the

forms, rather than passing them on to the administration, Cohen said.

He obtained course assessments from other schools to see what other schools have done, but they looked like they needed some changes, he said.

Also at the meeting, the SFA voted down sophomore Gabe Dryer’s proposal, which would have permitted all students who received Ns in two-period study halls due to excused absences to have open campus.

“A student utilizing his or her directed study time to not be in school for excusable reasons should have every right to do

so, considering that they would not be missing a structured class period,” the proposal said.

Housemaster Mark Aronson said that these situations are already handled on a case-by-case basis.

“If you receive an N in any course and you feel you should have open campus, I’ll sit down with you,” he said.

Aronson said he often gives open campus to students if he feels that there is no reason for restricting them.

At a meeting Wednesday, Nov. 18, Dreyer and sophomores Shelton Cochran, Jesse Tripathi and Allison Wu presented a proposal

that would allow sophomores in the second semester with cancelled classes to leave the cafeteria.

“If students are responsible enough to have open campus, they should be considered responsible enough to leave the cafeteria when they have a cancelled class,” the proposal says.

Going to the library will help students be more productive during this time, the proposal says.

“The cafeteria is often loud and does not have resources available,” it says.

This year the SFA will meet only biweekly, faculty co-chair Gregory Drake said.

Seniors recognized for human rights work

in brief

Thoughtprints homeroom in 347a, DiMambro said.

Additionally, students received Gold Circle awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association for their work on the Newtonite.

Seniors Josh Bakan, Matt Kalish, Ellen Sarkisian and Alicia Zhao, and juniors Eli Davidow and Teddy Wenneker received certificates of merit. The Newtonite also placed third overall for news briefs.

The Quill and Scroll Society also awarded the Newtonite the George H. Gallup award for achievement.

Denise Cremin, retired Spanish teacher Jean Degnon, English teacher Sarah Donato, retired Work-Study co-ordinator Peg McGowan, librarian Kevin McGrath, special ed. teacher Bess Ramger and English teacher Wendy Richardson.

BY

PRATEEK ALLAPUR Seniors Jackie Assar and Camilla Jackson won the City of Newton’s Human Rights Award.

The Newton Human Rights Commission sponsors this annual award and honors students from this school, South and Newton residents who have demonstrated dedication to the issue of human rights within the school and community.

The two were honored last night at the Newtonville Senior Center.

Assar is a founding member of Newton North Minga Group along with Rebecca Kantar.

She has helped organize two successful Minga Days and the Fair Fashion Show, which highlighted brands that do not use slave labor in their clothing manufacturing.

Additionally, Assar was involved in organizing the Destination Freedom Symposium in April 2009, in collaboration with students from Harvard, Northeastern, Tufts and Wellesley.

“This summer, I also organized a Children’s Hospital Benefit which raised over $2,000 for the hospital,” she said.

Jackson said that winning this award was “a complete shock” for her.

She is a representative to the Student Faculty Administration BY

and worked on the Academic Standards Committee.

“I have advocated for the school to give as much help to students who are on the lower end of the achievement gap and to hold the bar higher for such students,” she said.

Last year, the SFA passed Jackson’s proposal to restrict junior open campus to those students who had a C- or higher in all classes.

Two publications win awards

MARENA COLE Two publications from this school have received awards.

Thoughtprints, this school’s literary magazine, placed first in the magazine category for the Journalism Award for Editing and Publishing from the New England Scholastic Press Association.

According to senior Antonia DiMambro, the editor in chief, Thoughtprints annually publishes a calendar and magazine, and produces a CD. Students interested in submitting artwork can put it in the black Thoughtprints folders in the art room, DiMambro said. Literary and musical submissions can be e-mailed to thoughtprints10@yahoo.com.

Students interested in joining Thoughtprints can visit the BY

Faculty to sell goods in craft sale

MARENA COLE At the ninth annual craft sale, current and former faculty members will sell homemade crafts, according to Arlene Fruchter, the EDCO Individualized Education Program Coordinator.

The fair will be Monday, Dec. 7 from 2-5 p.m. in the auditorium lobby.

Items for sale include bath soaps, cell phone bags, bookmarks, bracelets, calendars, “green” shopping bags, greeting cards, herbal teas and products, I.D. chains, honey, key chains, laprobes, prints, trays, scarves, snowman earrings and waterproof cosmetic bags.

Those selling their wares will be Fruchter, Spanish teacher BY

City to host drive for used instruments

MARENA COLE To provide elementary school students with instruments, the City of Newton will have a Used Musical Instrument Drive, according Richard King, the Newton Public School Fine Arts Coordinator.

The drive will be from Monday, Dec. 7 to Saturday, Dec. 12.

The drive is being organized by the Newton Public Schools Fine Arts Department, the Rotary Club of Newton and the Office of the Mayor of Newton, King said in an e-mail.

Donated instruments will be loaned to elementary school students who cannot afford leasing or purchasing an instrument, he said.

The drive is accepting alto saxophones, baritone horns, cellos, clarinets, drum pads, flutes, French horns, oboes, snare drums, string basses, trombones, trumpets, violins, violas and xylophones.

Donations may be dropped off at the Newton Community Service Center, 492 Washington St. BY

advertisements

4 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Dec. 4, 2009

Local and proud of it!

“Thinking is the hardest work there is...”

—Henry Ford

...but thinking about which bank to choose is easy: The Village Bank.

Auburndale • Newton Highlands • Newtonville Nonantum • Waban • Wayland • West Newton www.village–bank.com • 617-527-6090 Customer Care Center 617-969-4300

ICE CREAM & RESTAURANT

An old fashioned Ice Cream Parlor & Restaurant Serving Newton since 1969 One scoop at a time...

743 Washington Street, Newtonville, MA 02460 617-964-9200 www.cabots.com

Member FDIC Member SIF

Habits for a Lifetime of Health

x 7.25" Newton North

Newton-Wellesley Hospital encourages you to develop healthy habits.

Eat a balanced diet • Keep active • Stay smoke free www.nwh.org

arts

Friday, Dec. 4, 2009

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 5

Music groups excel in Harvestfest concerts ALICIA ZHAO With refreshing music selections, Harvestfest I and II made for two warm, inspiring concerts.

Performing in Harvestfest I, which took place Wednesday, Nov. 18, were Concert Choir, Family Singers, Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble.

BY

review Music teacher Richard Travers conducted Concert Choir and Family Singers. Concert Choir began the show with “Down by the Sally Gardens,” an Irish hymn written by William Butler Yeats and arranged by David Lantz III. With a lyrical flute accompaniment by senior Sherrie Deng, the song set a melancholy tone. Next was “The Spark of Creation” by Stephen Schwartz, a hopeful tune with a pop-rock beat in which the singers held an impressively long note at the end.

Family Singers had three selections on their program. “The Laughing Song,” an a cappella piece by Lloyd Pfautsch, was first.

Soloists were senior Samantha Gluck, an alto, senior Hayley Travers, a soprano, and juniors Kelly McIntyre and Nuala O’Donovan, both sopranos. With Deng playing the flute, the soloists synchronized perfectly with each other, and at one point, their voices and the flute blended together so well that it was hard to differentiate which was which.

A spiritual by Andre J. Thomas, “My Good Lord’s Done Been Here” featured junior Edan Laniado at the piano, and “The Tortoise and the Hare” by Darmon Maeder was an amusing a cappella piece that mixed fast, intricate melodies with slower segments.

“Lux Arumque” by Eric Whitacre was a highlight of the concert. Here, the singers split so that the girls were on one side,

Gaby Perez-Dietz

Family Singers: Juniors Edan Laniado and Sam Melnick, senior Bohan Leng and sophomore Jesse Tripathi perform in Harvestfest I Wednesday, Nov. 18 in Lasker Auditorium. the boys on the other. The song began quietly, with a lot of tight harmonies, developing a mystical feel and a rippling effect. The piece continued to build up and then quieted down again, with a soft yet powerful ending.

Then, Concert Choir returned to the stage and with Family Singers, performed “Introit and Kyrie” from Mozart’s “Requiem.”

Starting the song with an eerie feel, senior Nathan Harris accompanied at the piano. Senior Lucia Joseph, a soprano, delivered a tender solo.

After that, Symphonic Band took the stage under the direction of fine and performing arts department head Todd Young.

First was “A Classic Overture”

by James Swearingen, a piece that jumped back and forth between all sections of the band, providing much contrast in texture. “Chasing the Storm” by Billy

Madison had strong percussion with fast, accentuated beats, and the sudden breaks gave the song momentum.

In “Anthem for Winds and Percussion,” the melody begins with a quick, sparkling theme, deviates into a more tender segment, and then returns to the main theme.

Still under Young’s direction, the Wind Ensemble then performed five pieces with distinct styles. While “Cenotaph” by Jack Stamp was a loud, forceful song with a clean finish, “Divinum Mysterium” by James Swearingen was more mellow and quiet in nature, featuring sophomore Young Guang with the horn.

Fun and lively, “Rakes of Mallow” by Leroy Anderson had a catchy and repetitive tune, and band members impressed the audience as they began playing the same melody faster and

faster towards the end, finishing smoothly.

Wind Ensemble surprised the audience by coming off stage to perform in the last piece, their version of “Lux Arumque.” They surrounded the audience on all sides with Young conducting in the middle aisle. It was interesting to see how the instruments replaced the voices heard earlier from the Family Singers.

Harvestfest II took place the next night, Thursday, Nov. 19, with Jubilee Singers, Orchestra and Tiger Bebop.

Under the direction of music teacher Adam Grossman, Orchestra started with “Allegro Assai” from “Symphony No. 2” by William Boyce. With the violins playing rapid notes, and the rest of the strings pinning with slow, even notes, the piece mingled between the sections. In the overture to Beethoven’s “The

‘Caligula’ to debut shows next week

KATE LEWIS ALICIA ZHAO Documenting a man’s descent into madness, “Caligula” is a story of contradictions, love and understanding, said senior Seth Simons, a director with senior Chris Annas-Lee. “‘Caligula’ says that happiness can be found in human relationships, but also that happiness is something one must eschew,” Simons said. “It asks how meaning can be found where meaning does not belong.”

With Annas-Lee and Simons directing, this play by Albert Camus will go on stage next Thursday, Dec. 10 through Saturday, Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the little theatre.

As the story goes, the Roman emperor Caligula is grief-stricken after the death of his incestuously beloved sister, Drusilla. At the beginning of the play, he returns from a three-day tour of his empire with a new philosophy—that one must pursue logic in order to obtain freedom from a senseless world.

“He decides that unhappiness is caused by the destruction of happiness,” Simons said. “Thus, to avoid unhappiness, one must shun happiness.

“Over three years, he sets about implementing this plan by BY

AND

Concert to feature small ensembles

preview systematically perverting human values and destroying human life,” he said.

Caligula, whom senior Ryan Vona will play, is the perfect contradiction, according to Simons.

“He’s a young man, fragile, who both needs and scorns human contact,” Simons said.

Opposing Caligula and his new thesis are the patricians, a group of Roman noblemen.

A writer-philosopher named Cherea, whom senior Louis Loftus will portray, leads them.

According to Simons, Cherea is unafraid of Caligula and his goal is to “live happily in a world that makes sense.”

Caught in the middle of this conflict is Caligula’s young friend and pupil, Scipio.

With sophomore Graham Techler playing this character, Scipio struggles to comprehend Caligula’s madness.

“He cannot understand how this man, to whom he was once so close, could change so much,” Simons said.

Caligula’s supporters include his wife, Caesonia, whom junior Mercer Gary will play, and his retainer, Helicon, whom senior Joella Tepper will portray.

Creatures of Prometheus,” the strings began with strong, powerful strokes that contrasted with the lighter, more ethereal sound from the wind instruments later in the piece.

For their last selection, Orchestra performed the overture to “Die Fledermaus” by Johann Strauss. With great versatility and clarity, the musicians played a variety of waltz tunes, from a delicate, poignant piece to a faster one full of staccato notes.

Next up was Tiger BeBop, with Travers directing. Accompanying the singers were seniors Paul Batchelor at the bass guitar, Dan Friedman on the drums and Nikolai Klebanov at the piano and junior Alex Petiti at the guitar.

“Cloudburst” by Jon Hendricks was lively and upbeat with an impressive solo by junior David Gore, and “For Heaven’s Sake” by Don Meyer was slow and melodious with senior Sehee Sim soloing.

“In the Morning” by Adam Levy was fun for the audience, with some people dancing to the beat in their seats, and it featured soloists junior Kelly McIntyre, a soprano, and sophomore Ellie Abbott, an alto.

Jubilee Singers, under music teacher Sheldon Reid’s direction, concluded the concert. Accompanying were seniors Jordan Ascher and Nathan Harris on the keyboard, Paul Batchelor on the bass guitar and junior Isabel Dover on the drums. “Speak to My Heart” by Donnie McClurkin was a soft, romantic tune full of encouragement and nourishment.

The singers swayed as senior Ryan Vona, a tenor, performed a strong solo.

The singers finished off with a polished “Let Everything That Hath Breath” by the Florida A&M University Gospel Choir.

Here, Ascher and Harris gave the piece a dark feel using the organ effect on the keyboard, making for an intense piece that built up throughout.

ALICIA ZHAO Featuring two ensembles, the Small Ensembles concert will take place Sunday, Dec. 6 at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Newtonville, fine and performing arts department head Todd Young said.

The concert will begin at noon, Young said. Performing are Brass Newtonian Ensemble, unTodd Young der the direction of professional trumpet player Edward Harney, and Honors String Ensemble, under the direction of music teacher Adam Grossman.

Selections will include “Three pieces” from Handel’s “Water Music,” and John Williams’ “Fanfare for Ten Year Olds,” as well as other chamber masterworks, Young said.

“We invite the students and their parents to join us that afternoon for some wonderful music,” Young said.

Tickets are free.

BY

Gaby Perez-Dietz

Warm-up: Senior Louis Loftus, freshman Johnny Cohen, junior Justin Phillips and senior Ryan Vona practice for “Caligula.”

“Caesonia loves Caligula unconditionally,” Simons said.

“With the patricians she appears to be an extension of his cruelty, but beneath this she desperately wants Caligula to be healthy, sane and to let go of his game.”

Although “Caligula” is dark, “audiences will be surprised by how funny this is,” Simons said.

“It is beautifully written,” he said. “If you look at versions from even two decades ago, the language is not nearly as lyrical as it is here. The language here is elegant, natural and compelling.”

Technical aspects of the show will help the audience get a feel for Caligula’s psyche, according to Annas-Lee.

“Lights, set and sound are being inextricably integrated into this production and used to give the audience a glimpse into Caligula’s mind,” Annas-Lee said.

Designed by junior Zack Grannan, the set consists of a pool that covers half the stage as well as an optical illusion that blankets the floor.

Costumes by junior Anna Gargas will be different shades of gray and period-ambiguous.

“Camus did not specify a time period for this play, even though Caligula was a real historical figure,” Annas-Lee said.

Tickets cost $7 and are available at all lunches in front of the little theatre and at www. theatreink.net.

6 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

advertisement

Friday, Dec. 4, 2009

EMBRACING LIFELONG LEARNING

TY VIGNONE HISTORY/SOCIAL SCIENCES - Newton North High School

Last year, Carpenter accompanied a group of students to Washington, D.C. for President Obama’s inauguration. Next semester he will pilot a new course on the literature, culture and history of hip-hop music. He is also a track coach at Northeastern University. “Every student has a unique greatness,” he said.

LISA McKINNEY CAREER & TECH ED. - Newton North High School McKinney works with Culinary Arts students in the Tiger’s Loft, a student-run restaurant that serves lunch daily to students and faculty. She co-founded the Newton North/Newton High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000. She works to organize the event all year long by gathering and verifying information about nominees, as well as planning and organizing the annual induction ceremony attended by close to 300 people.

� � � � � � � �

�����

ADAM CARPENTER ENGLISH - Newton North High School

�����

Vignone brought the Close Up: Seminar in Government program to North, which takes an annual trip to Washington, D.C. He also leads the Prague Summer trip annually and began the Grade Nine Humanities trip to New York City. “I like to get kids to have a hands-on experience with academic material,” Vignone said.

� � � � � �

� � � � � � � � � � �

INEZ DOVER ENGLISH - Newton North High School Dover has been teaching for 37 years, 34 of them at North.

She helped develop Leadership in a Diverse Society, a course for upperclassmen that focuses on leadership and dealing with issues and conflicts. She has directed almost 40 Theatre Ink productions. She also helped establish the Black Leadership Advisory Council, a club for students to discuss issues pertaining to students of color. Dover was formerly the director of the Office of Human and Civil Rights.

ADAM BROWN FINE & PERFORMING ARTS - Newton North High School Brown has worked at North since 2001, and since then Theatre Ink has put on 96 shows. He was awarded the Charles Dana Meserve Award for excellence in teaching in 2009. “I feel really good that we teach theatre as a truly collaborative process,” he said.

Challenging students to always engage in their academic pursuits.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS STUDENTS

features

Friday, Dec. 4, 2009

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 7

Get a Start on Holiday Shopping Books For the Fantasy Fan:

Libba Bray—The Sweet Far Thing The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray is an excellent gift for those interested in fantasy. Set in the 1800s, The Sweet Far Thing is the third book in the Gemma Doyle series.

In the first two books, Gemma discovered her mysterious ability to enter the magical world of the Realms and take magic from there into the real world. In this book, Gemma must continue to unravel her mysterious visions and figure out the true intentions of the Order and the Rakshana. The Sweet Far Thing is an engaging read.

For the Sports Fanatic:

John Feinstein—A Season on the Brink Washington Post reporter John Feinstein spent a season with coach Bobby Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers men’s basketball team. Knight has always been a controversial figure, but he was able to coach for so long because of his success.

But after missing the NCAA tournament in the 1984-1985 season, Knight’s job is on the line, and if his winning doesn’t make up for his antics, he will be fired. Feinstein meticulously reports the events following

Music For the Pop Listener:

the Hoosiers after their disastrous season, which could make or break Knight’s legendary career.

Michael Lewis—The Blind Side Now in theatres, The Blind Side follows Michael Oher’s journey from poverty to first round NFL pick. At first, Oher struggled to find a private school that would accept him. Oher works his way to being the top high school left tackle in the past decade and college football coaches line up for his services. Any fan who thinks all professional athletes are selfish should take a look at Oher, a disadvantaged athlete who worked his way to success.

Lady Gaga—The Fame Monster You probably thought Lady Gaga could not get more ambitious than her first disc, but she aims to devour The Fame’s success with her new EP, The Fame Monster. Although the anti-pop star symbolizes the change to today’s music business, she sticks with the theatrical sounds that crowned her the Queen of Pop. The first single, “Bad Romance,” for instance, infuses a darker sound into the synths and bass lines of “Just Dance,” the single that raised Gaga to the top.

But, hey, for those gaga for Gaga, it will keep many satisfied until a full album comes out.

George Carlin—Brain Droppings Carlin’s second book is a smash with hilarious assorted thoughts and essays. The variety of humor appeals to all, whether you like observational comedy, gross-out humor or just flat-out randomness. This collection includes 50 years of Carlin’s material. New Carlin fans who don’t know these will learn to love them. Old Carlin fans will laugh at his recognizable routines and discover new Carlin material.

Pearl Jam—Ten (Legacy Edition) Forget anything Pearl Jam released in the recent past, it’s all about the Seattle band’s tremendous debut, Ten. Hitting stores in the thick of the grunge movement in the 1990s, Pearl Jam, along with bands like Nirvana, paved the way for underground bands to make it mainstream. The clarity and sounds of Ten literally get ten times better, as all of the original tracks

For Laughs:

For the Collector:

Puloma Ghosh

were re-mastered. Tracks like “Even Flow” and “Jeremy” have never sounded better.

Each part is no longer clumped together— they’re distinct and individual.

For the Rap Aficionado:

Jay-Z—The Blueprint 3 There are always artists involved in the music business who try to return with a bang after they are long departed from their musical hey-days.

Most of these veterans fizzle out rather quickly. But the 39year-old rapper never abandoned his raw talent. Jay-Z dishes an exceptional disc.

He shouldn’t feel too insecure about ending his career just yet, as he has already come out of retirement once. The third installment of his Blueprint trilogy features fresh beats in songs like “Run This Town” or “Empire State of Mind.”

For the Rock Fan:

T h e m C r o o k e d Vu l t u r e s — T h e m Crooked Vultures Them Crooked Vultures is one of the most stacked super groups to come about this year. Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters and Nirvana returns to the drumset, Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age plays guitar and sings lead and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin takes on the bass. On the group’s self-titled debut, it combines the best of three decades of music, blending the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s.

Movies and TV

Video Games

For the Action Fan:

For the Hardcore Gamer:

Terminator Salvation We’ve all seen at least one of the Terminator movies, and to be honest, they are all almost identical to one another. While Terminator Salvation isn’t drastically different from its predecessors, it amps up the action scenes considerably by providing great set pieces and some of the best special effects of 2009. The plot consists of the leader of what is left of mankind, John Connor, trying to find the man who is supposed to father him before the Terminators find him and kill him. While the plot and its characters aren’t all that interesting, for the action fan inside all of us, this makes for one great popcorn flick.

For the Drama Lover:

The Shield: The Complete Series Gritty and hard-hitting, The Shield was one of the most entertaining dramas on television for years. The complete series edition comes with every episode from every season, hours of deleted scenes, a new documentary, cast and crew interviews, and it comes packaged in a coffee table style case. The characters themselves really make the show what it is and ultimately you care about the choices they make. The Shield: The Complete Series is the ideal gift for anyone interested in dramas about conflicted characters whose choices ultimately bring about their downfall.

For the Light-Hearted Comedy Lover:

Julie and Julia Julie and Julia combines three appealing features: delicious looking food, all-star acting and a poignant storyline. The plot concerns two true stories running parallel to each other. Meryl Streep plays the well-known cookbook writer Julia Child, which parallels the modern day story of a secretary, Julie Powell (Amy Adams).

Julie takes on the year-long challenge of making every recipe from Child’s book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Then Julie posts her results on a blog, which grows in popularity. Streep’s spot-on impression of Child’s bubbly and carefree personality truly makes the movie.

The movie shows how a medium like cooking can free a person from the burdens of the real world. Like Julie says, Child’s cookbook actually conserves her sanity.

For the Sci-Fi Fan:

Star Trek Whether you’re an old fan or have never seen an episode of any Star Trek series in your life, Star Trek, the 2009 prequel to the classic 1966 series is a must-see. The film follows young James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) in his early days of the Starfleet Academy.

Teaming up with Spock (Zachary Quinto), the two battle Nero (Eric Bana), an enemy from their future who has traveled in time to prevent the destruction of his home planet. The film features fast-paced action and witty dialogue in a perfect blend of quality special effects and a solid script.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Xbox 360, PS3, PC Call of Duty 4 was hands down one of the best-selling and critically acclaimed games of last year. Modern Warfare 2 continues developer Infinity Ward’s track record of making amazing single-player experiences as well as addictive multiplayer ones. In Modern Warfare 2, you take the role of several characters in different military factions trying to stop the Russians from taking over America. While the single-player experience is enjoyable, it’s short and the story doesn’t make much sense, but players are left with a visually beautiful and actionpacked game. The game’s multiplayer mode develops on the last entry in the series by adding maps and perks. The single-player mode is a solid experience that many newcomers to the series will play as a sort of tutorial for the fantastically addictive multiplayer mode that people will likely be playing until the next installment of the series.

For the Music Enthusiast:

DJ Hero Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Wii The newest iteration of music game play comes in the form of DJ Hero, where you can scratch and mix up to 102 songs. Mixing tracks from different types of music like hip-hop, pop, dance and rock music, DJ Hero has the same style of game play as Guitar Hero or Rock Band, where tracks roll down the screen. It’s your job to use

the new turntable hardware to scratch and swivel each song’s notes. While most fans could fill a room with hardware accessories, the turntable is small and compact, making it ideal for travel or for storing on a shelf. DJ Hero is for any DJ enthusiast or fan of previous rhythm games.

For the Adventure Lover:

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves PS3 The first Uncharted was one of the best-looking games on the PS3 in 2007. Among Thieves builds upon the first, providing an even better story and great new multiplayer modes. It’s one of the best experiences for the PS3 this year. The game’s new multiplayer mode is well done and while it isn’t very revolutionary, it is highly addictive and a gem for PS3 owners.

For the On-the-Go Gamer:

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars DS (reviewed), PSP Returning to the bird’s eye perspective could turn people away from Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars. However, as you play the game, you see it translates almost flawlessly from its 3D predecessors. Players take on the role of Huang Lee, a spoiled rich kid who has been tasked with delivering an ancient family sword to his uncle Kenny in Liberty City. Once Lee arrives, he is ambushed and left for dead. What follows are hours and hours of missions, mini-games and multiplayer game modes.

Chinatown Wars is perfect for any one who has a DS or PSP but hasn’t had anything to play on it.

MEREDITH ABRAMS, JOSH BAKAN, MARENA COLE, ELI DAVIDOW AND JAY KRIEGER CONTRIBUTED TO THIS FEATURE.

8 â—† Newtonite, Newton North

advertisement

Friday, Dec. 4, 2009

Friday, Dec. 4, 2009

Talk of the Critic’s Corner

Derailed

Clive Owen and Jennifer Aniston star as two business executives who meet on the train ride to work one morning and soon become involved in an affair.

During one of their “meetings” a man breaks into their hotel room and threatens to reveal their affair to each other’s spouse. What follows is a series of twists and turns, as Owen tries to deceive the blackmailers—who always seem to be one step ahead of him.

Derailed’s somewhat plain plot is well-directed and the audience gets a real sense of Owen and Aniston’s distress. The cast also includes Vincent Cassel, RZA (of the Wu-Tang Clan) and Xzibit.

—Rent

Watchmen Based on one of the greatest graphic novels of all time, Watchmen takes place in 1985 in an alternate 1985, where masked superheroes keep the people of the United States safe. When one of the original Watchmen is murdered, the vigilante Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) tries to reunite the Watchmen to help

Winter sports at North

solve their old associate’s murder as well as to find a solution to the inevitable nuclear clash with Russia. The movie doesn’t do the graphic novel justice, as it adds unnecessary scenes and gives an alternate ending that is entirely different from the graphic novel.

Yet, for people who haven’t read the graphic novel, its unique characters, settings and several action scenes make it well worth the rental.

—Rent

Crank: High Voltage The first iteration of the Crank series was ridiculous, over the top, violent and filled with lewd behavior, but it worked. What made the first film fun to watch was a ridiculous concept that was at least plausible, mixed with unique ways to keep Jason Statham’s character alive. In Crank: High Voltage, Statham seems to have survived falling from a helicopter, and an Asian street gang has harvested his heart for the black market. They give him an artificial heart and to keep it charged, he is forced to electrocute himself in as many

different ways as possible. Not only is the idea of this film terrible, the movie is filled with poor action sequences and unnecessarily grotesque scenes. Making a sequel to Crank was unnecessary, but its ending is so random and idiotic that it leaves the audience laughing at the movie, not with it.

—Pass

Favorite Artists

Ms. Winston

Favorite Artists

◆Grateful Dead ◆Quicksilver Messenger Service ◆Alfred Brendel ◆Bunny Wailer ◆Talking Heads

◆Norah Jones ◆Sarah McLachlan ◆They Might Be Giants ◆R.E.M. ◆Toad the Wet Sprocket

Favorite Movie

Favorite Movie

◆None

Favorite Show ◆Mad Men

◆Dead Poets Society

Favorite Show ◆The Big Bang Theory

For answers, go to www.thenewtonite.com

Inside Man Denzel Washington plays a veteran detective assigned to a bank robbery in downtown New York. From the start of the movie, director Spike Lee gives Inside Man style and a unique take on traditional bank robbery movies. The movie in its entirety is enjoyable, but the last 30 minutes of the movie really shine, where Lee has given the robbers motives and interests in things other than money. Without giving too much away, the ending to Inside Man is not only original, but also an intelligent way to end the movie It’s something everyone should see for themselves.

—Buy -Jay Krieger

Teachers’ Picks Mr. Greifinger

Tiger

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 9

Across 1. Sea of orange 6. Where gymnastics competes 7. Girls’ hockey coach 10. Where hockey plays 11. What the ski team loves 12. Where Nordic ski team practices Down 2. Girls’ track coach 6. Wrestling coach 3. Where basketball plays 8. Boys’ basketball coach 4. Boys’ track coach 9. Girls’ basketball coach 5. Boys’ hockey captain 13. Every team’s goal

Find your way out of North

Ms. Kennedy

Favorite Artists ◆The Ting Tings ◆Amy Winehouse ◆Annie Lennox ◆Kings of Leon ◆The Beatles

Favorite Movie ◆City of Angels

Favorite Show ◆Fringe

An Inconvenient Walk to School Stupid global warming...

D’Jaidah Wynn

on campus

10 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Dec. 4, 2009

Speakers discuss need for all to learn CPR MARENA COLE ELLEN SARKISIAN According to Deborah Bader, a speaker, if she hadn’t learned Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, or CPR, her husband would not have survived his second heart attack.

“He was down and helpless for 20 minutes,” she said. “I said, ‘You’re not getting out of this marriage that easily!’

“I called 911 and began giving him CPR. He was still as a corpse, and he would’ve been one if I hadn’t started.”

Speakers shared experiences with sudden cardiac arrest during a CPR awareness panel Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Bader said she learned CPR after her husband suffered his first heart attack four months before.

“I didn’t recognize what it was,” she said. “I could have killed him by not knowing what to do.”

Laura Geraghty, a panelist, spoke about her experience with sudden cardiac arrest last April, when she was moving wheelchairs off a bus at South.

“Luckily I was with a teacher’s aide, and so I told her I was having a heart attack and to get the school nurse,” Geraghty said.

She said the nurse performed CPR on her until ambulances arrived.

“I had no heartbeat for 57 minutes, and I was shocked a total of 21 times there, in the ambulance and at Newton-Wellesley,” she said.

“But here I am, seven months later. Effective CPR saved my brain.

“If one person here learns BY

AND

CPR and saves a life, then it will all be worth it.”

Retired special education department head Susan Rosenzweig said her husband was exercising at the gym and got up to go to the pool when he collapsed of a heart attack.

Gym employees, who were certified in CPR, performed CPR until the ambulance arrived and he was brought to Mass. General Hospital, she said.

Now, he has an internal defibrillator that will go off if his heart stops beating, Rosenzweig said.

“When I think about it, it scares me, because if he’d been at home or anywhere else where nobody knew what to do, he would have died,” she said.

Ken Rosenfield, the section head of Vascular Medicine and Intervention in the Cardiology Division of Mass. General Hospital, gave facts about cardiac arrest.

According to Rosenfield, each day over 680 people in this country die from sudden cardiac arrest.

If someone goes into cardiac arrest in this state, they have an eight percent chance of survival, he said.

If left alone, victims of cardiac arrest have three minutes before they will begin to suffer brain damage, he said. However, effective CPR can greatly reduce the risk of any permanent damage, he said.

Rosenfield also showed visuals that explained that Geraghty’s heart attack was caused by a clogged artery, and how effective CPR saved her life.

Athletic trainer Bill McAndrews said this school received

four defibrillators in June, 2002 from the American Heart Association.

“The first football game of the season was September 14 at Wellesley,” he said. “In the second play of the second half, the referee went down on the field. I performed CPR and used the defibrillator, and his heart came back.

“That was the first time that ever happened in a game. You may not always have a defibrillator there, so it’s really important to learn CPR. “I’ve done CPR twice in my life, and I never thought I’d do it once.”

“The worst thing you can do is to not do anything,” he said.

The presentation ended with a demonstration of how to perform CPR and use a defibrillator.

Sophomore Emma Rosenfield, Ken Rosenfield’s daughter, organized the presentation to raise awareness about how necessary it is for high school students to learn CPR. According to Emma Rosenfield, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in this country.

“In Massachusetts, the rate of heart attack survival is eight percent,” she said. “In Seattle, it’s 16 percent.”

She said all students in Seattle schools are required to learn CPR. “The American Heart Association is currently trying to push a bill to make it mandatory for all high school students to learn CPR,” she said.

“There’s a push to raise awareness about CPR on a national level.”

Teddy Wenneker

CPR Awareness Day: Sophomore Emma Rosenfield discusses the importance of knowing how to do CPR Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Lecturer tells why all schools should teach religion Huntington Lecture focuses on controversy between creation and evolution theories MARENA COLE Public school students do not receive an adequate education on religion, said Jay Wexler, a professor of law at the Boston University School of Law. “One of the effects of excluding religion from the curriculum has been that it sends the message to religious believers that the state thinks that religion is completely unimportant,” Wexler said. “Whether you’re religious or not, you’ve got to concede, I think, that over the course of history, religion has played an unbelievably important role in every aspect of human affairs.”

As a part of the Huntington Lecture Series, Wexler spoke Thursday, Nov. 12 about the controversy between creation and evolution theories.

Wexler said that too often, those who believe in creationism are dismissed by those who believe in evolution.

“What I think we should do is to work as hard as we can to stop creationism from influencing our public policy regarding science, but ultimately recognize BY

Want to work on the Newtonite?

Come to room 101 Monday X-Block!

that those who reject evolution are citizens who are entitled to our respect, even if we disagree fundamentally with what they believe,” he said.

Wexler said a lot of schools avoid teaching about religion because they are afraid of the legal consequences.

“For a variety of reasons, most schools teach very little about religion,” he said. “Part of the reason for this is that schools misunderstand family photo the Supreme Jay Wexler Court’s holdings on religion.

“While schools cannot teach that religion is true, they can teach about it.

“Moreover, religion is probably more important today than it’s ever been. From terrorism to bioethics to The DaVinci Code, religion plays a central role in our current world.

Jay Wexler “Whether you’re religious or not, you’ve got to concede, I think, that over the course of history, religion has played an unbelievably important role in every aspect of human affairs.”

“So how can we say that we’re educating our kids if we’re not teaching them about religion?”

Wexler said there are two main misconceptions about the creation-evolution controversy.

“Opponents of creationism will say that schools must teach alternatives to remain neutral,” he said.

“However, teaching evolution in schools is not neutral towards religious believers. It’s impossible for public schools to be completely neutral on this issue.

“Because the country is so religiously diverse, schools are bound to conflict with someone’s religious views. It might seem like a nice idea for the government to be neutral, but it’s impossible.”

Wexler said another misconception that evolutionists often have is that if they claim a religious power could guide

evolution, they can therefore say creation and evolution are compatible views.

“The fact is, a lot of people believe things that are simply not compatible with evolution,” he said.

Wexler said there will inevitably be issues with teaching about religion.

“Of course, I fully realize that teaching about religion will not be easy, uncomplicated, or a panacea,” he said. “The line between teaching objectively about religion on the one hand and goading for religion and proselytizing for it can get pretty fuzzy, particularly in the context of the school classroom.

“It’s also been the case that some groups will inevitably use the ‘teaching about religion’ label to smuggle in promotion about religion.

“Of course, many deeply reli-

gious people who dislike the public schools will not be satisfied by this relatively minor reform for a variety of reasons, including objecting to the very notion that religion can even be talked about objectively at all.”

However, Wexler said even if there are controversies, educating students about religion is important.

“I also think that teaching more about religion will go a long way in making a lot of deeply religious people more comfortable with public education,” he said.

“In my view, these are important justifications for making such significant changes in public education.

“I’m confident that teaching about religion more in the schools would do far more good than harm, and I’m sure that’s why people in recent years have started raising the idea.”

sports

Friday, Dec. 4, 2009

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 11

Athletic Hall of Fame inducts 12 members

BY IVAN

MCGOVERN To honor contributions to this school’s athletic program, the Newton North/Newton High School Athletic Hall of Fame welcomed 12 new members Friday, Nov. 27 at the Sheraton Hotel in Needham.

Ten athletes, a coach and an equipment manager were honored for their service and dedication. Those inducted spoke about their experiences at this school at the sixth annual Induction Dinner.

Kenneth Billings ’73 was a starter in football, basketball and baseball and co-captained the 1972 football Super Bowl finalist team and the 1973 Suburban League champion baseball team.

He was awarded the Dickinson Cup for athletic and academic excellence at his graduation.

Billings commented that the dinner was like coming home— seeing old friends and bringing back memories from the ’70s.

Steve Cononico ’76 is known for a moment in a football game against Boston Latin when he tackled the opposing running back so hard that the entire stadium let out a collective groan.

Moments later, Cononico, to the surprise of the crowd, helped the opponent back to his feet.

Cononico’s wife, Debbie Cononico, accepted the award on his behalf.

Mariana Creatini ’01 was a starter for the girls’ hockey team all four years in her high school career and was a first team All-Star. She scored the historic first goal of the girls’ hockey program.

Additionally, the Boston Herald recognized her as an AllScholastic in field hockey and lacrosse.

Fred Dauten ’52 was a threeyear starter in football, basketball and baseball during his career at Newton High School.

After high school, he attended the University of New Hampshire, then enlisted in the Air Force where he was a major.

Dauten died while leading support planes to aid ground troops during the Vietnam War. Dauten’s daughter, Kristin Shippey, accepted the award on

Ivan McGovern

Hall of Fame: Twelve new members were inducted into the Newton North/Newton High School Athletic Hall of Fame. In the back row are Chris Drakos, Kenneth Billings, Steven Leonard, Don Fox, Mike Tobin and Chuck Fogarty. In the front row are Gail Jessup, accepting for George Jessup, Debbie Cononico, accepting for Steve Cononico, Gail McCarthy, Liz Natale, Kristin Shippey, accepting for Fred Dauten and Mariana Creatini. his behalf.

Chris Drakos ’68, head equipment manager for the athletic department, said to him the induction means, “That I’m being put in some pretty impressive company.

It’s a humbling experience.”

Drakos was honored with the “Doc” Thompson Award for outstanding service to Newton North/Newton High School Athletics.

Chuck Fogarty ’55 was a three-sport athlete, playing quarterback, point guard and second base for the Tigers.

Every Boston newspaper recognized him as an All-Scholastic First Team Choice in baseball.

In the 1955 State Finals against Chicopee, he batted the gamewinning hit to ensure a state championship for fellow Hall of Fame member coach Howard Ferguson.

Fogarty went on to attend Syracuse University, where he started for three years at quarterback and defensive back.

Don Fox ’53 was a starting member of the varsity ice hockey, football and baseball teams. He was selected to the Greater Boston League and E. Mass all-stars in both his junior and senior years for hockey.

Fox continued his hockey career at Boston College where he was awarded the Frederick Martone Trophy as the outstanding freshman and he was later twice selected All-New England, Beanpot All-Tournament and All-East.

George Jessup coached gymnastics and tennis for North and also worked as a physical education teacher. In tennis, his teams won 14 Suburban League championships in a 22 year span, as well as two E. Mass State and New England titles.

In 1981, he was the Massachusetts nominee for national Tennis Coach of the Year. The Tiger mascot is named “George” in honor of Jessup.

Jessup’s wife, Gail Jessup, ac-

cepted the award on his behalf.

Steven Leonard ’89 was selected as both a Suburban League All-Star and a News Tribune All-Star in his junior and senior years as a pitcher and outfielder in baseball.

He won 17 games while at North, the most career wins of any pitcher who played for coach Joe Siciliano.

He was a key player in leading the hockey team to qualify for States three years in a row and was a captain his senior year.

Gail McCarthy ’72 helped to put North girls’ gymnastics “on the map” with her incomparable leadership and gymnastic skills. As the lone senior in her final year, she left her mark on Newton North athletics with a 9-0 season.

Of her induction, McCarthy said she was honored to be recognized by the school and the community, and she wanted to thank the community and the school for the opportunity to be

an athlete.

Liz Natale ’82 dominated high school track in her career, during which her dedication and work ethic were legendary among her teammates and peers.

In the national meet in New York against the best competition on the east coast, she placed first in the mile.

Mike Tobin ’96 was a fouryear starter in hockey and a three-year starter in lacrosse.

He was captain his senior year and was recognized for putting “team above self” with the Connors Award.

At Saint Anselm’s College, he was elected varsity hockey captain in both his junior and senior seasons.

Seniors Scott Giusti, Hannah Jellinek, Monet Lowe, Leanne Luke, Faisal Mayanja and Ben Sauro were student athletic representatives at the event.

The Selection Committee cochairs are Jack Heavey and Lisa McKinney ’81.

Athletes honored for fall season Junior receives McKenzie award EVAN CLEMENTS Coaches presented athletes with athletic awards for the fall season.

“Newton North is known for its dedication and competitive nature,” said athletic director Tom Giusti.

“The fall sports teams displayed this Newton North tradition.”

At the awards ceremony Monday, Nov. 23 in Lasker Auditorium, coaches and captains from each team spoke about their seasons, describing memorable moments and thanking those who contributed to their seasons.

Junior Jeremy Gurvits was presented with the first annual Ucal McKenzie Memorial Award, presented to the boys’ soccer player who embodies the spirit of McKenzie, the late coach.

Boys’ soccer coach Brian Rooney said, “The award is given to the player who consistently showed the passion, energy and enthusiasm that epitomized BY

Teddy Wenneker

Captains’ speech: Seniors Susannah Gleason and Shoshana Kruskal listen as senior Adele Levine delivers a speech for girls’ cross country. Awards were presented Monday, Nov. 23 in Lasker Auditorium.

coach McKenzie during his time at Newton North.

“It’s a new award that we created this year as a memory of Ucal.”

Teams that won league titles this season are boys’ cross country, cheerleading and girls’ volleyball.

Athlete of the month awards were given to: ◆ Gurvits in boys’ soccer ◆ senior Kate Bellerose in girls’ volleyball ◆ senior Caeden Brynie in girls’ swimming ◆ senior Shoshana Kruskal in girls’ cross country ◆ senior Kim Gillies in girls’ soccer ◆ senior Jake Gleason in boys’ cross country ◆ senior Tal Shamesh in field hockey ◆ junior Jake Barnett in football ◆ junior Corrine Beatrice in cheerleading ◆ junior T.J. Ryan in golf

sports

12 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Dec. 4, 2009

Football ends season in defeat A

JOSH BAKAN juxtaposition of joy and sorrow embedded Parsons Field as Brookline won the 115th annual Thanksgiving game 18-6.

The Warriors stormed the field as the clock ran out, and the Tigers hung their heads, losing for the first time in five years against the Warriors.

Football, 5-6 this season and 56-53-6 against Brookline, had 11 penalties and three turnovers, but was only able to score once.

“Any game where penalties and turnovers are abundant is a minefield,” coach Peter Capodilupo said. “It was a devastating loss.”

Although Brookline came into the game 0-10, the Tigers were not overconfident, Capodilupo said.

“We understood that Brookline was a dangerous team,” he said.

“That day, they blocked better, tackled better, played with more intensity and executed better.

“The beauty of the game is BY

whoever plays better for 48 minutes wins, and Brookline played better that game,” Capodilupo said.

Senior Conor O’Neil, a captain with seniors Humberto Castillo, Faisal Mayanja and Eddie Pang, said, “The season was tough the way it ended, but we’re proud of the coaches and players.

“I don’t think Brookline’s record indicates how good they are.

They always play us tough.

“It’s tough to think about this game. But it was a good season.

The players never gave up after a tough 1-5 start.”

The lone touchdown came from a quarterback sneak in the first quarter from O’Neil.

This possession came after an interception from senior Kourtney Wornum-Parker.

Peterson rushed for 81 yards in the game, and senior Maxx Lyman had two sacks.

Saturday, Nov. 14, the Tigers beat Norwood at Boston College 18-0 for their fourth consecutive win.

Teddy Wenneker

Thanksgiving game: Football huddles up right before facing Brookline at Parsons Field.

Brookline won 18-6, making the Tigers’ record 56-53-6 in the Thanksgiving game.

JV wins with leadership, freshmen with teamwork

BY MEREDITH ABRAMS, PRATEEK ALLAPUR AND JOSH BAKAN trong defense and an explosive offense carried junior varsity football.

Meanwhile, freshman football won with team chemistry.

S

JV football finishes 7-2

Junior varsity football finished its season 7-2.

Coach Nick Capodilupo said that there was “good team defense and team leadership.

“We also had the ability to make big plays on offense.

South eliminates volleyball in tourney

JOSH BAKAN Newton South beat volleyball 3-0 in the Central/East Sectional semifinals Thursday, Nov. 12, ending the Tigers’ season at 18-2.

The Lions beat the Tigers 2521, 26-24 and 26-24 again.

Coach Richard Barton said, “South played strongly and steadily. Our performance was moderate.

“I don’t want to make excuses. Even though some of our players were sick, we didn’t play sharply.

We didn’t hit, pass or serve as sharply as Newtonian usual.”

Kate All of the Tigers’ goals Bellerose were accomplished this season, Barton said.

“We wanted to form a cohesive team and play power volleyball,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter if you win or lose. If you do all those things, you are successful.”

During the regular season, the Tigers visited South and won 3-2 October 3.

Senior Kate Bellerose, a captain, said, “They really improved since the last time we played them. They were much more consistent. They passed all of the balls we hit, and they served well.

“South didn’t make any errors,” Bellerose said. “We made BY

“We had a lot of inexperienced players playing important positions, but they got better by working hard, practicing and learning from older players.”

According to Capodilupo, the team’s goal for this season was to stay together, play well and win.

“We tried to get better each week and came prepared for every game,” Capodilupo said.

None of the losses were due to a lack of preparation, Capodilupo said.

“If we lost, we were simply outplayed,” he said.

Capodilupo said that the team defeated Natick and Walpole, “the powerhouses of our league.”

According to Capodilupo, juniors Kevin Barisano, Tom DeStefano and Jon Vo were “great team leaders.”

a few hitting errors and serving errors.”

Although the Tigers held leads in the second and third games, the Lions “were better at finishing off games,” Bellerose said.

Despite the loss, the Tigers “played pretty well, but South just played better,” she said.

Bellerose said a notable player for South was senior Vanessa Gailius, a setter.

“She’s their star setter,” Bellerose said. “She played all three games and was very good at getting the ball up.”

in brief

Cheerleading ousted in Regionals

ELI DAVIDOW After a blemish in the squad’s routine, cheerleading did not place at Regionals, said senior Michelle Ng, a captain with seniors Rian Murphy and Courtney Ross.

The event took place at Taunton High School Sunday, Nov. 15.

“Everything was going perfectly, but then our pyramid collapsed,” she said. “It was that little mistake that didn’t let us place.”

Franklin finished first at Regionals, with Attleboro, Braintree and Whitman-Hanson following.

Freshman Marissa Buckwinster in particular stepped up during the competition, Ng said.

“Courtney was injured, and Marissa came in,” she said. “She had never competed in a competition before, and she did great. It was really cool of her to do what she did.”

Ng said that the result at ReBY

’12 beats Brookline

Defeating Brookline was the high point of the season for freshman football, 4-7, assistant coach John McNamara said.

The Tigers won 12-6 in a comeback victory Friday, Nov. 13.

“We were down 6-0, but we came from behind,” he said.

gionals will not ruin the season’s success.

“Even though our season ended shorter than we expected, we got close,” she said. “It was all worth it.”

Coach emphasizes girls’ dedication

MEREDITH ABRAMS Despite a losing record, girls’ cross country, 5-6, had a successful season, assistant coach Brandon Mogayzel said.

“The season was absolutely a success, even though our record is not what we’ve come to expect at Newton North,” he said. “It doesn’t reflect the growth and dedication these players put into the season.

“Overall, considering our losing record, we played with dedication and a competitive spirit we brought to every single one of our meets,” Newtonian he said.

Brandon S a t u r d a y, Mogayzel Nov. 21 at the All-State Meet at Northfield Mountain, junior Margo Gillis placed eighth with 19:41.2.

The Tigers placed 11th overall at the Class A Meet Saturday, Nov. 14 at Franklin Park. Gillis placed second, qualifying for States.

“I think we ended up about BY

“Brookline is always the biggest game of the year for us, and winning it gives us a successful season in our eyes, regardless of our record.”

According to McNamara, the team accomplished its goals.

“We wanted to give kids an idea of what our system is and what we want them to do, and to give kids a taste of what upper level football is like,” he said.

In addition, McNamara said, “Some people might look at our record and say it wasn’t as good as it could have been. Ev-

ery day, every player got better, and it showed in practice and in games.”

Nick Raso, a linebacker and offensive lineman, also called the Brookline game a highlight of the season.

“Winning it showed us what we can do when we work together and listen to the coaches,” Raso said.

“We didn’t get off to a good start at the beginning of the season, but at the end, we had great teamwork,” he said. “We were like a brotherhood.”

where we expected,” Mogayzel said. “We had hoped for a top 10 finish, but what we got was pretty appropriate.”

14, sophomore Steph Brown placed seventh in diving and sophomore Hunter Hedenberg placed eighth in diving, as the only Tigers to finish in the top 10, coach Kirsten Touhy said.

Girls’ swimming 5-5-1

MEREDITH ABRAMS With great improvement of technique and precise skills, swim and dive, 5-5-1, had strong enthusiasm through the end of the season, said senior Zoe Talkin, a captain with seniors Caeden Bryne and Carissa Chan.

Talkin said that at the end of the season, though practices were winding down, the Tigers still kept focus.

“There was a big concentration, as always, on technique,” Talkin said. “Specifically we worked on breakouts, flipturns and not breathing in and out of the wall.

“Practice is different for every individual,” she said.

“Every day we worked on skills, good swimming habits and body position, and everyone improved as they learned what was going to work for them with their strokes.”

Overall, she said, the season was a great success.

“It’s the strongest team I’ve seen in my four years here,” she said. “I’m proud of my girls and I’m glad we had such a great team this year.”

The Tigers placed 20th at States Saturday, Nov. 28 at Harvard.

The 200 yard medley relay with Chan, senior Alyssa Wolyniek, sophomore Thao Bach and freshman Samantha Chan placed 15th with 2:06.64.

At Sectionals Saturday, Nov. BY

Boys’ cross country ends season 10-1

After a successful 10-1 season, boys’ cross country qualified only one member to go to States, coach Jim Blackburn said.

Newtonian “ We had a Dan Ranti great season, we just would have liked to do a little better in the postseason,” Blackburn said. “But, we had to deal with injury and illness, so what can you say?”

This season there was a strong team effort, he said. “It was a success because we only lost one meet, and we hope next year it will be a perfect season,” Blackburn said.

At the Class A Meet Saturday, Nov. 14 at Franklin Park, the Tigers placed 12th out of approximately 35 teams, Blackburn said.

Junior Dan Ranti placed 18th with a time of 17:29, qualifying him for States. Senior Jake Gleason placed 33rd with 17:47 and junior Ezra Lichtman placed 46th with 17:49.

Though Ranti qualified for States, he did not compete at the November 21 meet at Northfield Mountain.