v88i15 by The Newtonite

Newtonite ◆ Friday, Dec. 18, 2009 • Volume 88, Issue 15

Non-proﬁt org. US postage paid Newton, Mass. Permit no. 55337

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

Fewer N’s in first term than last year MARENA COLE MATT KALISH After faculty revised the Nrule last year, there has been a decrease in the amount of students receiving N’s, according to assistant principal Deborah Holman. The percentage of seniors receiving an N first term this year decreased by two percent from last year to 6.54 percent, juniors by half a percent to 6.7 percent and only 2.5 percent of freshmen received N’s first term. Sophomores went up over 3 percent to 7.76 percent. “We want to look at all the numbers to see what we were doing right with conveying the message to the freshmen and not the sophomores,” Holman said. An N is a mark given to students indicating that they will receive no credit for a class because they have not met the attendance requirements. Last year, an N-rule committee revised the N-rule after discussions with faculty. The revised rule, which was put into effect this year, outlines steps for follow-up after unexcused absences. According to the current rule, a student will receive an N in a class that meets four times a week if he/she has nine total absences, three unexcused absences or nine total tardies. In a class that meets twice a week, a student will receive an N if he has four total absences, two unexcused absences or four total tardies. According to the rule: ◆ For one unexcused absence, the teacher must talk with the student about the absence. The rule also recommends that the teacher notify the housemaster, call a parent or guardian and require the student to make up time with the teacher. ◆For a second unexcused absence, the teacher must notify the housemaster within one day at most. The housemaster will call home, talk to the student and work with the teacher to assign a detention. ◆For a third unexcused absence, the teacher must notify the BY

AND

Teddy Wenneker

Against Framingham: Senior Lucy Abbott, a captain, tries to hook the ball over Framingham defenders here Friday, Dec. 11. The Tigers defeated the Flyers 54-36.

housemaster. The housemaster will then meet with the student’s parent or guardian and “assign the appropriate consequences,” it says. Any additional unexcused absences will result in an immediate suspension and a required parent/guardian re-entry meeting, it says. Adams housemaster James D’Orazio said he’s seen a decrease in class cutting this year. “Study hall attendance has been very good,” he said. “The culture is starting to shift in a positive way.” D’Orazio said the follow-up steps have encouraged teachers and housemasters to collaborate. Typically, he said, in the case of an unexcused absence, a teacher will confront the student and make a phone call home. “That’s usually the end of it,” he said. “If it happens again, then I know there’s a more serious issue here. I’ll make a call or have meetings with the parents and the student. “These steps have allowed us to focus on what’s important, which is having students in classes. It’s by no means perfect, but it’s gotten much, much better.” Beals housemaster Michelle Stauss said that with follow-up steps, students are less prone to cut class. “I’m sure there are other factors at play, but I’m also sure the follow-up steps and proactive interventions have made an impact,” she said. “I believe that students are taking class attendance more seriously, given that as a whole, the junior class received fewer N’s this quarter.” Stauss also said that currently there is good communication between teachers and housemasters. “Teachers are deﬁnitely communicating their concern over any student’s absences,” she said. “All of us in the school want students to attend class. Showing up is half the battle. “It’s not necessarily the specific policy, but our collective efforts that make the impact.”

Main Street may be closed for lunch after vacation REBECCA HARRIS When students return from the December break, it’s likely that Main Street will be closed during lunch, according to Riley housemaster Mark Aronson. At a Student Faculty Administration meeting Wednesday, Dec. 16, Aronson spoke about the growing trash problem on Main Street. Students have continued to leave trash on Main Street during the lunch block, despite posters asking them to pick up after BY

themselves and the housemasters’ message that Main Street would be closed during lunch if the trash problem persisted, he said. “We have no alternative,” he said. “We’ve pretty much tried everything.” When he asked custodians about the trash problem, they expressed “disappointment” in Newton North students, he said. “It’s really about personal responsibility,” he said. Principal Jennifer Price said

that she “would fully support the housemasters’ decision to close Main Street.” The trash on Main Street is unacceptable and “embarrassing,” she said. Price also said that the SFA should consider where students will eat in the new building. “What I envision and what you propose may be different things, but I think we should have a conversation about it,” she said. “I feel pretty strongly that it should be in the cafeteria.”

Additionally, sophomore Allison Wu withdrew a proposal that would have allowed sophomores with open campus to leave the cafeteria during cancelled classes. Aronson said that he didn’t see any serious problems with the current situation. “Things seem ﬁne the way they are,” he said. “As it stands, it seems like a ‘no harm, no foul’ policy’” because there aren’t any consequences for sophomores who leave the cafeteria unless they cause trouble,

See ToBGLAD — Pages 8 and 9

he said. Faculty co -chair Gregory Drake said that “while we believe morally that students who have earned open campus have earned the right, we logistically don’t see any way to do it.” Also, student co-chair Ezra Cohen drafted a sample course assessment that teachers could use mid-year. The assessment is part of his proposal to encourage teachers to use such assessments in the classroom, which is still under discussion.

opinion

2◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Dec. 18, 2009

Teachers discuss N-rule revision General opinion is positive PRATEEK ALLAPUR Last year, an N-rule committee made revisions to the N-rule in an effort to decrease unexcused absences and narrow the achievement gap. Under the revised rule, three tardies are no longer equivalent to one unexcused absence and the new version of the rule outlines speciﬁc steps for follow-up after each unexcused absence. The “N” is a mark given to indicate that a student has not received credit for a given term because the student failed to meet the attendance requirement. Faculty commented on what impact they have seen this year from the revisions. Matt Anderson, science: “Students are concerned about getting an N for the term, so as Newtonian long as they Matt know where they Anderson stand in terms of attendance, they keep it under nine tardies.” Alicia Carrillo, English: “I think that it is now easier to take attendance and I am grateful for that. “Now teachers spend less time tracking down students. “I haven’t noticed any changes or differences in student behavior, however, I acknowledge that it is too early in the year to tell,” Carrillo said. Brian Gagne, science: “There hasn’t been a ton of difference. I still have attendance issues, but it is Newtonian deﬁnitely much Brian easier to deal Gagne with tardiness now,” he said, referring to how the rule is simpler now that three tardies no longer equal a cut. BY

symposium “I like how the new rule is working, and it is much easier from my side of things to know how a student’s attendance is shaping up at any given time,” he said. Katharine Heidlage, history: “One of the biggest Newtonian purposes of Katharine the implemenHeidlage tation of this rule was to address the problem of students being late for A-block classes with notes from their parents excusing them for reasons most teachers believed were illegitimate, such as oversleeping. “This new policy has been successful in my class, and the only problem is that parents don’t tend to understand the need for it until they speak with the housemasters or teachers, after which they do understand that their kids need to start taking their responsibilities seriously.” Robert Kane, business: “I certainly think that since the rule has been implemented, it has proven to be in the best interests of both students and teachers. “I am very satisﬁed with this new rule, and I agree with it.” Wendy Richardson, English: “I have very steady classes, and my attendance rates are pretty consistent. My seniors have also had a pretty good attendance record this year. “In my un Newtonian derstanding, the Wendy numbers and percentages of Richardson N’s given out this year have dropped signiﬁcantly and teachers have been vigilant.”

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 editor — 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 v Exchanges editor — Peter TaberSimonian 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, Matt Victor 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.

Morning beauty: Snow falls on the morning of Wednesday, Dec. 9.

Gaby Perez-Dietz

Newton is a busy, happy place CINDY MI I am an exchange student from China. I arrived in Newton before Thanksgiving. From my four days of going to school here, I know more about America, and I have also found some differences in education between Newton and China. To my surprise, I could choose courses myself in Newton. There are various kinds of courses. I feel happy about it. In China, I have regular courses: math, Chinese, English, physics, chemistry, history, geography and politics. There are also some elective courses, such as volleyball and hand-crafting, but only once a week. In NNHS, we have to move to another classroom when class BY

guest column is over, but in China, we have a regular classroom. We don’t move except for music, computer and P.E classes. We have to take many exams in China. We have regular exams, monthly exams and end-of-term exams. There is also a university entrance examination. If we want to go to a good university, we have to do well on this exam, which is held once a year in June. Students are divided into science and liberal arts students for this exam. If you choose to be a liberal arts student, you have to take the math, Chinese, English, history,

geography and politics exam. If you choose to be a science student, then you have to take the math, Chinese, English, biology, physics and chemistry exams. What’s more, in Newton, I have six or seven classes a day. The classes are over before 3 p.m. This way, I have a lot of time to do my homework. The homework for me is always reading and taking notes. And I can participate in interesting activities, too. Well, in China, I have eight classes a day. The classes are over at 4:30 p.m. And it also takes much time to do my homework. Life in Newton is different from that in China; it’s busy, but happy. I hope I can learn more about America.

Just think about it... Concert tonight for a good cause

Jubilee and Family Singers are giving a beneﬁt concert for the Beatrice family at 7 at the Our Lady Help of Christians Church tonight. It’s a chance to enjoy music from our school’s talented groups for a good cause.

Winter break is almost here

Important to know about issues at school

Winter vacation is just around the corner. It should be a time to enjoy the holiday season with friends and family, not time spent inside doing homework. Hopefully teachers will give students a well-deserved break.

Wednesday, the GSA had its annual ToBGLAD Day. It’s important to be aware of issues in the school community, especially those that affect other students. It’s great to see this school is so supportive and open about these issues.

editorial

them just because they are in between the white lines. It is just as important for the crosser to look for the cars as it is for the driver to look for pedestrians. Right now, this may not seem like a pressing issue. However, if a pedestrian is ever seriously injured or killed, it will become an extremely important issue and people would see how easy it would have been to prevent such a tragedy.

Crossing guards are needed

In the past two months, cars have hit at least two students. Additionally, there have been many near-miss accidents witnessed by students nearly every day while crossing the street to North. It’s tough to put the blame on the students or drivers, but with over 1,500 kids walking in and out of school everyday, it is likely there will be a few accidents each year. We think that the school should have a crossing guard at three major crossing sections of North: ◆ Hull Street and Walnut Street (already existing) ◆ Hull Street and Lowell Avenue

Corrections:

◆ Elm Road and Lowell Avenue (inconsistently a policeman there) Both students and drivers need to be careful when walking and driving, but a lot of times these accidents are very hard to avoid, with neither the driver nor walker seeing each other until the last second. Having a crossing guard from 7:30-7:50 a.m. and right after school would be an easy solution to avoiding accidents as long as students cross with the guards. Crosswalks do exist, but pedestrians can’t assume that drivers will automatically see

In the Dec. 4 issue on page 1, Riley housemaster Mark Aronson is misquoted. The quote should have read: “Students need to understand that it’s a privilege, not a right.” Also, the photo on page 1 of that issue should have been credited to Matt Victor, and the photos on page 6 should have been credited to Shira Bleicher.

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. 18, 2009

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 3

Students from Beijing visit this semester ELLEN SARKISIAN ALICIA ZHAO Five students from the Jingshan School in Beijing will be attending classes at Newton North until the end of January, said exchange coordinator Donna Fong. The students arrived on Wednesday, Nov. 25. Their arrival was delayed because of the swine ﬂu outbreak and the 60th National Day celebration in China October 1, in which many Jingshan students and teachers were involved, said Fong. Sophomore Shengnan Wang, one of the exchange students from Jingshan, said that she decided to participate in the exchange to broaden her horizons. “I wanted to practice my English, and I saw this as a challenge for myself to be more independent,” she said. “At school, English is just a foreign language we are required to learn, and I feel like a lot of people can’t use this in real life, but now I can.” Wang said she was surprised to learn that she could understand most of what the people here were saying. “I was very excited to discover that, and it made me even more motivated to learn English as well as the other material in my classes,” she said. As for differences, Wang said that she has noticed many aspects of America that are unlike China. “Mostly, there is a huge difference in the teaching style,” Wang said. “In China, we have the same classroom and different teachers

come in and out depending on what class it is. But here, we have to go back and forth just to ﬁnd our own classrooms.” Additionally, the environment is very new to them, Wang said. “Beijing is a huge city, and we’re used to rowdy scenes,” she said. “But here, it’s quieter and it’s very nice because I’ve never experienced something like this before.” According to sophomore Cindy Mi, another exchange student, the lifestyle in America is freer than that of China. “There are more activities

here,” Mi said. “In China, most of the time you’re doing homework or watching T.V. at home.” The exchange students have also met some difﬁculties, however. “Sometimes, people talk too fast, and I also have a hard time understanding some of the vocabulary,” Mi said. For example, Mi is in a freshman English class, and she said she has trouble comprehending some of the phrases and vocabulary in “The Odyssey” by Homer. “But we can understand what

people are saying for the most part,” she said. The Jingshan students are “full time students, because their English is very good and they want to experience average American high school academic life,” said senior Emily Denn, a host. “On some days they go to middle schools in Newton to give presentations on Chinese culture,” she said. On weekends the students go into Boston or hang out in Newton. They have visited Harvard Square and MIT and will visit the Freedom Trail soon, said Denn.

Denn said that as a host, sharing her everyday life has been great. “Her English is superb, so communication has not been a problem at all,” she said. Denn, who is a vegan, said sharing food with her exchange student has been an interesting experience. “She is surprisingly open minded and tries most things,” she said. “Compared to their lifestyles back home, I have a lot of independence,” Denn said. “I walk to and from school, am never told to study by my parents, do my own laundry, leave the house with the car and prepare some of my own meals. “All of this combined makes a very different life than what some of these students are used to,” she said. Senior Mike Herscott, a host, said that he has been enjoying his experience so far. “I’m very comfortable talking to my exchange student,” Herscott said. “It’s been great, and I’m eager to take him to some basketball games and go skiing.” Herscott said that right now, he and his exchange student are explaining their different customs and traditions to each other. “We’re learning about the different worlds we live in,” Herscott said. “I’m really into traveling and learning about different aspects of life, so this has been very interesting for me.” The Jingshan students will be here until January 31, when they will leave for China with their Newton hosts.

BY ELLEN SARKISIAN Deborah Raizes, a senior associate at Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, came to hear students’ opinions for the search for a new superintendent. The consulting ﬁrm has been hired to find a new superintendent for the Newton Public Schools. During third lunch on Thursday, Dec. 3 in the ﬁlm lecture hall, Raizes asked a sophomore class questions about the school and listened to their thoughts on what a new superintendent should do.

“We are meeting with North and South students to get a sense of what you see as the strengths of the school system,” she said. Raizes, who was formerly a member of a School Board in Scarsdale, New York, said the School Committee hopes to have a new superintendent in place July 1. Junior Miko Walsh said a strength of North is the support system offered by faculty. “If you need help, it’s not hard to seek or ﬁnd it,” Walsh said. However, Walsh said one problem in the school is that counsel-

ors often have too much to do, as they handle scheduling as well. Another strength is the variety of classes available, said sophomore Sarah McKay. She cited the range of physical education classes as an example. McKay cited difﬁculty in contacting counselors who are unavailable at convenient times as an area the school should look to improve. The prominence of extracurriculars in the school community, including theater and sports, is another strength, said sophomore Robert Howell.

Raizes then asked about positive and negative aspects of living in Newton. Students said they feel safe while walking around alone, but that it’s frustrating to get around. Students described areas that the superintendent should concentrate on improving. Sophomore Allison Wu said that classes are too large and that some classes have switched rooms for space. Sophomore Katya Villano said the physical education system is difﬁcult. Without options for physical education in the morn-

ings before school, she said, students must take two blocks out of their schedule during a semester and are unable to take other four-block classes. Another issue with the physical education system, said junior Devika Banerjee, is that students who play varsity sports do not get credit for participating in a sport. “I think people who do sports shouldn’t have to take gym,” she said. Sophomore Isaac Feinhaus cited the rising user fees as another issue.

in brief

don’t have access to computers at home,” she said. “This is part of our attempt to narrow the achievement gap at North,” Holman said. She said that students will need their Newton North ID card to enter the lab.

bella DiMambro ’09, spoke to her about her senior project, which was to create PSAs to inspire the youth to participate in their communities. In the civic engagement club, students can ﬁnd ways to be active in the community, Dornfeld said. The club, in addition to helping all students 18 and over register to vote, will help students ﬁnd opportunities to volunteer, she said. “We’ll be a liason between students and various programs,” she said. “We want kids to take part in the community and be active.” The club is open to anyone interested. “We’re looking for new members, and we really want to keep this going,” she said. The club meets bimonthly during 3rd lunch in the career center. History and social sciences teacher Ty Vignone is the adviser.

said senior Olivia Margolin. “We are taking plastic that would be thrown away and fusing it together to make reusable bags,” she said. Students in the Greengineering program are fusing the plastic together in class, Margolin said. To fuse the bags together, the students are putting plastic between layers of wax paper and using an Newtonian iron to press Olivia them together, Margolin she said. The bags will be sold the week before winter break on Main Street and will cost $5 for a smaller bag, she said. Larger bags will also be available and will cost $8. Proceeds from the bag sales will help fund new projects in the Greengineering program. More information is available at the Greengineering wiki at greengineers.wikispaces.com.

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Gaby Perez-Dietz

On the Chinese exchange: Sophomore Shengnan Wang, an exchange student, and freshman Jacob Schwartz work on an assignment together in Journalism 1. Five students from the Jingshan school in Beijing will be here until January 31.

Students tell about school’s strengths, weaknesses

Students win awards for engineering

MARENA COLE Drafting and engineering students won awards in a competition. Nine students placed at the Technology Student Association Contest at Fitchburg State College Friday, Dec. 4, according to tech and engineering teacher Scott Rosenhahn. “The students worked very hard and showed graciousness and professionalism,” Rosenhahn said. Juniors Tom Ansill, Cassidy Chan and Kyle Sullivan, who are all mechanical engineering and drafting majors, placed ﬁrst for AutoCAD. Drafting teacher Andrea Shurtleff said the students had to use AutoCAD, a computer program, to accurately measure and draft a connector pipe within two hours. Senior Semira Azadzoi and freshman Dilnar Mahmut placed third for transportation design. According to Rosenhahn, the students were given a box of parts with items including a dowel, BY

rope, string and cardboard. They then had to build a mechanism to transport a 16-ounce bottle of water down an incline and across a carpeted surface. Also, two teams pleaced for bridge building. Freshmen Michael Sposato and Carl Whitham placed second, and seniors Tyler Cox and Gilberto Richardson placed third. According to Rosenhahn, the students had to use limited materials to construct a bridge. The bridges, which had to be 24 inches long, were then tested to see which supported the most weight.

Computer access available at Lasell

MATT KALISH Computers and printers at Lasell College will be available to students from this school, said assistant principal Deborah Holman. “To address the technical needs of some of our students at North, we wanted to establish a place for students to go to who BY

Club helps students register to vote

MARENA COLE ELI DAVIDOW According to senior Eddie McAuliffe, an ofﬁcer of the civic engagement club, students often think that registering to vote is a difficult process. “Sometimes k i d s d o n’ t k n o w h o w, or they think it’s too much work,” McAuNewtonian liffe said. “The Eddie club will help McAuliffe them register in the simplest way possible.” McAuliffe and senior Micah Dornfeld started the club this year after Dornfeld’s friend, IsaBY

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Reuseable bags on sale

ELLEN SARKISIAN Greengineers will be creating and selling reusable plastic bags,

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4 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Dec. 18, 2009

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arts

Friday, Dec. 18, 2009

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 5

Small ensembles excel in concert

courtesy Micah Dornfeld

Discussing: Seniors Nathan Harris, Jordan Ascher and Brendan Hathaway talk about their ideas in a workshop for the Singer-Songwriter Symposium, which took place Thursday, Dec. 3.

Symposium showcases students’ musical talent

MARENA COLE Blending the natural abilities of students and the tutelage of professionals, the Singer-Songwriter Symposium was an impressive display of talent. Students performed their own original compositions at the Symposium Thursday, Dec. 3 in Lasker Auditorium. Kevin Barry, a professional guitarist, and Catie Curtis, a professional singer and songwriter, worked with students all day in workshops and master classes to hone their songwriting abilities. Electronic music composed by sophomore Johnny Medlar played in the auditorium as the audience filed in. “Illuminate the Skies,” “Walk the Walk” and “Flying Free” featured fast-paced techno beats and digitally altered vocals. To open the live performances, Curtis performed one of her own songs, “Are You Ready to Fly?” With acoustic guitar and vocals, the song had a folky feel, and it opened up the laid-back, intimate atmosphere of the event. All the students sang for their pieces, with Barry accompanying all of them on acoustic guitar. First, senior Ryan Vona performed an untitled composition on acoustic guitar. He sang with a powerful tenor voice and dramatic crescendos, heightening the intensity of the piece. Freshman Allison Valley performed “I’m Already Gone” on acoustic guitar. Her soulful vocals and powerful chords helped convey her personal feelings. Junior Josh Brooks then performed “Leap of Faith,” a melodic piece on acoustic guitar. His expressive vocals added a layer of depth to the song. Junior Edan Laniado performed “Your Name” on piano, accompanied by senior Liam Alves on violin. Laniado’s swelling crescendos on piano matched his vocal intensity. Alves added sweeping notes underneath, contributing to the piece’s full sound. Next, junior Nicole Dube performed “Parallel Dimensions” on acoustic guitar. The piece had a deliberate style, with simple guitar strumming and expressive vocals. Senior Ben Gross added an expressive solo on harmonica BY

review during the bridge. Then, Alves performed “Tears To Pay” on acoustic guitar. His vocals were meaningful and sorrowful, combining with soft guitar to create the poignant feel. Curtis sang along with him on the ﬁnal verse in a gentle harmony. After, junior Maddie MacWilliams performed “Caught” on acoustic guitar. The song’s minor chords and intricate melody showcased her technical ability on guitar. Senior Tara McCarthy then performed “New World” on the piano. The piece started off softly, but slowly built up with an intense crescendo, showcasing her soulful voice. Next were seniors Jordan Ascher, Paul Batchelor and Nathan Harris with “Ella, See.” Batchelor played an energetic part on upright bass while Ascher and Harris played guitar and sang the melody in close harmony. The piece was lively and comical, with Batchelor even leading the entire audience to clap along. After intermission, Curtis performed “The World Don’t Owe Me Nothing,” on acoustic guitar. Curtis’ soothing guitar and passionate vocals gave the song a folky, natural feel. Next, junior Sam Melnick performed “Holding On” on acoustic guitar. Melnick sang an expressive, high vocal part that showcased his impressive range, with restrained chords on guitar underneath. Then, freshman Taylor Dill sang “Let It Out.” The song featured emotional, energetic vocals, conveying her passion. Sophomore Collin Dixon then performed “Shiver” on acoustic guitar. The song’s simple guitar part featured dramatic contrasts between dynamics, coupling with clever lyrics to add to the piece’s intensity. Next, senior Semira Azadzoi performed an untitled piece on rabab, a four-stringed guitar-like instrument from Afghanistan. The piece featured a simple melody that changed keys as it was reprised. Masoud Omari accompanied on tabla, an Indian drum,

playing an intricate rhythm. The piece was an enjoyable mix of eastern and western music. Freshman Rachel Braunstein performed “Sail Away” on acoustic guitar. The piece was expressive and deliberate, with a guitar part that framed the vocals. Alves on violin and Batchelor on upright bass added depth to the piece, and junior Kelly McIntyre added vocal harmony and chords on the piano for an added layer of intricacy. Next, senior Sam Aleksanyan performed “Let’s Get Higher” on electric guitar. The song featured a sincere, crooning vocal part and expressive chords underneath. Then, “The High Five” played “Boom.” The group consisted of seniors Ben Gross on vocals and electric guitar, Alex Ho on bass guitar, David King on electric guitar and Coleman Wadsworth on drums. Gross bended notes in a bluesy guitar line, defining the piece’s distinctive blues-rock feel. Next, as the “Ukulele Brothers,” Batchelor and senior Brendan Hathaway performed “Creepy Stalker Friend.” Hathaway played cheery ukulele, and Batchelor added a thumping bass line, giving the piece a lively, energetic style. Harris accompanied on piano, and Ascher accompanied on guitar. The piece’s bizarre subject matter and eccentric style had the audience cracking up in their seats. Senior Bohan Leng, under the stage name “Phinale,” then rapped “Hip Hop and I.” The song was catchy and upbeat, conveying Leng’s passion for his music. Alves on violin, Batchelor on upright bass, Laniado on piano and McCarthy on backing vocals added confidence and strength to the piece. Finally, McIntyre performed “Zero” on piano. The piece’s piano featured striking, contrasting notes. McIntyre’s voice blended seamlessly with her piano playing. The concert ended with a rousing group rendition of “Hey Jude” by The Beatles. The final piece brought a feeling of community and was a fun way to end an evening of impressive student talent.

review

ELIANA ESKINAZI In a brief yet delightful concert, the small ensembles from this school gave a professional performance. The concert took place Sunday, Dec. 6 at St. John’s Church in Newtonville. The Honors String Ensemble, directed by music teacher Adam Grossman, welcomed the audience with the ﬁrst movement of Mozart’s “Quartet K. 152.” Smooth tones meshed together in this piece, with seniors Liam Alves and Michael Goldenberg on the violin, junior John MacGaffey on the viola and junior Laura Cooke on the cello. After this, the group quietly left and in its place, eleven males in tuxedos took the stage as the Brass Ensemble, which consists of horns, trumpets and tubas. Edward Harney, a professional trumpet player, led them in his own arrangement of “Fanfare for Ten-Year-Olds” by John Williams and “Three Pieces from the Water Music” by G.F. Handel. With tones from the trumpets and horns mingling in a round, the ﬁrst was a light, casual choice.

The second selection comprised of three pieces. The ﬁrst section was fast and continued to gain speed throughout, but the second selection was slower and more soothing, held together by the solid rhythm from senior William Richards, a tuba player. Aside from a few energetic moments, this calm piece was put together nicely. The musicians showcased their ﬁnest work in the third section, which was upbeat, short and sweet. To conclude the concert, String Ensemble once again took the stage, this time with more members. They played “Concerto Grosso Opus 6 No. 8” by Arcangelo Corelli, which took around 15 minutes and depicted a variety of emotions, from gloom to joy. The piece was dramatic and tinged with a hidden sadness, and the String Ensemble, having only nine players, sounded like a whole orchestra. By the end, both ensembles impressed the audience with their expert playing.

ALICIA ZHAO Family and Jubilee Singers will perform in a concert beneﬁting the Beatrice family from this school, said senior Kate Gallagher, an organizer of the event with seniors Mary Naugler and Rian Murphy. With music teacher Sheldon Reid directing the Jubilee Singers and music teacher Richard Travers directing the Family Singers, this concert will take place at Our Lady Help of Christian’s Parish in Nonantum tonight at 7 p.m.

The groups will perform original pieces by Reid as well as holiday classics, Gallagher said. “The concert is more of a celebration than anything,” she said. “It’s for a good cause and it will get students and their families into the holiday spirit.” All funds will go directly towards the Beatrice family, Gallagher said. Tickets cost $5 and are available at the door or at the music ofﬁce.

Beneﬁt concert to feature choirs BY

47 to perform in ‘Freshman Cabaret’

BY FATEMA ZAIDI From hilarious sketches to beautifully choreographed dances, “Freshman Cabaret” aims to show how talented the freshmen are, said sophomore Pamela Chen, a director with sophomores Caleb Bromberg, Maddie Ceitlin and Sonya Douglas. “It’s an opportunity for freshmen to get involved, make new friends at their new school and also show the world what they can do,” Chen said. With 47 freshmen in the cast and four directors, two stage managers, one senior adviser, and one assistant director, the show will go on stage Thursday, Jan. 7 and Friday, Jan. 8 in Lasker Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. The energy from the freshmen

will be contagious, Chen said. According to Douglas, the show will consist of original sketches, sketches from prominent movies like Monty Python, contemporary songs and multiple genres of dance such as tap, jazz and modern. Douglas said she encourages everybody to come and see the hard work that the freshmen put into the show. “People should come because it is two hours of superb entertainment that highlight the outstanding talent of this year’s freshmen,” Douglas said. “The audience will walk away feeling wowed and impressed.” Tickets are $5 and are on sale now during third lunch in front of the little theatre.

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6 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Dec. 18, 2009

‘Caligula’ an intense, powerful production KATE LEWIS Intense portrayals of deep characters and seamless technical aspects came together in “Caligula.” BY

review Under the direction of seniors Chris Annas-Lee and Seth Simons, this play by Albert Camus had three stirring performances Thursday, Dec. 10 through Saturday, Dec.12 in the little theatre. From the beginning, the play was intense. In the grim opening scene with dim lighting and ominous music, Caligula bids a final, anguished farewell to his incestuously beloved sister Drusilla, who has died. The distraught emperor then flees, only to return three days later with a new philosophy. He concludes that life is meaningless, and that one must pursue logic in order to achieve freedom from this world. “There is a darkness rising up in me, Caesonia,” he says to his wife. “I can’t name it, but it’s there.” Senior Ryan Vona skillfully portrayed a character whose moods randomly swung from violent rage to fits of fanciful joy. All the while, he instilled fear in both the characters and audience, who were unsure of what to expect next from the mad emperor. His wife Caesonia, played by junior Mercer Gary, is deeply in love with and completely devoted to Caligula. Gary delivered a convincing portrayal of Caesonia’s loyalty and tenderness, understanding Caligula and his pain while remaining the only one who stays by him throughout. Also supporting Caligula is

Gaby Perez-Dietz

One-on-one: In a private moment, junior Mercer Gary, playing Caesonia, listens to senior Ryan Vona, playing Caligula, as he reﬂects on his philosophy in ‘Caligula.’ Helicon, whom senior Joella Tepper played. She is Caligula’s retainer, patiently obeying his requests, but at the same time unable to understand him and his intentions. Helicon’s respect for Caligula is derived from her childhood, when he freed her from slavery. Three years pass, and Caligula experiments with his new philosophy through random executions, public humiliations

and whimsical acts of cruelty. The patricians have had more than enough of these antics and—refusing to further damage their reputations—they plot to assassinate the emperor. Cherea, portrayed by senior Louis Loftus, is a leader of the group. He insists that life must make sense, and Caligula’s destruction of logic and reign of absurdity angers him. Loftus presented Cherea’s thirst for

security in a calm and collected manner, almost never showing his emotions. As the play progresses, Helicon and Caesonia ﬁght to protect the emperor’s life, and the patricians attempt to conceal their assassination plot, bowing to Caligula only out of fear for their own lives. Lines are drawn between the patricians and Caligula’s supporters. Scipio, Caligula’s pupil, ﬁnds

himself caught in the middle. Portraying Scipio was sophomore Graham Techler. Although Scipio resents Caligula, who is responsible for the brutal death of his father, he still has a close emotional connection to him. Through sincere confrontations with Caligula, Techler impressed the audience with his depiction of Scipio’s inner conﬂiction. As the play reaches its climax, Caligula’s insanity shows no sign of stopping. In an emotional scene, Caligula acknowledges his failure to pursue life through logic, and the patricians storm in the room to shoot him. At this point, the scene had built up so much that there was a pause before the audience gave the performers a standing ovation. An exceptional facet of the show, costumes were designed by junior Anna Gargas. Caligula’s clothes ranged from a disheveled shirt to a bizarre pink dance costume, representing the character’s variety of emotions as a result of his mental confusion. Patricians were outfitted in sharp gray suits with colorful sashes, and Caesonia wore elegant gray dresses indicative of her status. Designed by junior Zack Grannan, the set also grabbed the audience’s attention. Covered with optical illusions, the stage had a large pool in the middle. The pool served as a center of reflection for Caligula, where Vona delivered monologues on life and philosophy while being transﬁxed on his own image. A masterful presentation of an incredibly powerful play, “Caligula” left audiences in awe.

Lively ‘Improv Jam’ engages audience ALICIA ZHAO Spirited actors and high-energy games made “Improv Jam” a lively show. With junior Mercer Gary and sophomore Graham Techler directing, there was one show Wednesday, Dec. 2 in the little theatre. After Gary and Techler gave the audience a warm welcome, members of the Improv Club began with “Spin-offs.” Here, Gary and Techler played a god-like role and asked several members to improvise certain situations. These hilarious scenarios ranged from a man in a rehabilitation center to a woman on trial for being cruel to animals. Another game was “Four Rooms,” in which eight members paired up and each pair resided in four corners of the stage. The audience then gave suggestions for the setting of these rooms, which ended up being the Death Star from Star Wars, Herbology class from Harry Potter, beneath a three-legged stool and an isolation chamber. A conversation would begin in BY

review one room until Gary and Techler stopped it, and the people in the next room would begin conversing with the last line or action of that exchange. For example, freshman Johnny Medler was choking freshman Sam McCall in the Death Star room when the directors said to stop. Then in the next room, the isolation chamber, freshman Amelia Goldstein began choking by herself, claiming it was too isolated to breathe. In “Freeze,” juniors Derek Butterton and John MacGaffey started a scene about underwater basket-weaving, a topic the audience chose. Then, freshman Billy Cohen yelled “Freeze,” took MacGaffey’s position and began a scene about his new hair implants. Cohen slowly strutted across the stage as he ran his ﬁngers through imaginary hair, earning many laughs from the audience. Other scenarios included a burglary and a face-off between

Gaby Perez-Dietz

Improv Jam: Junior Kate Lewis, freshmen Devon Lamm and Billy Cohen, and senior Elliot Raff perform in a game for Improv Jam, which took place Wednesday, Dec. 2. two cheerleaders. Another highlight was “Styles,” a game in which sophomore Sam Green, freshmen Matt Bressler and Johnny Cohen and Goldstein participated. They ﬁrst acted out a scene about “cumberbutt,” ex-

plaining that it was part chicken butt, part cucumber. Then, they performed the same scene in the genres of a teenage vampire movie and then a musical, in which Cohen rapped.

Intimate and dynamic, the Improv Jam had the audience laughing throughout, showing how fun and entertaining improv can be. The Improv Club meets Xblock every Monday in 439.

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on campus

Friday, Dec. 18, 2009

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 7

Understanding Our Differences

Panel members share stories

ALICIA ZHAO People with disabilities don’t always need help, said career and tech ed outreach counselor David Ticchi in an Understanding Our Differences Day panel Friday, Dec. 11 in B-block. Panelists taught the audiences about their own disabilities. On the panel were seniors Rae Cantambone and Sydney Gaudet, sophomores Kellynette Gomez and Nate Orlov, freshman Ashley Spatero, Lucio Velasque, a postgrad student in the Community Connections program, and Ticchi. Orlov, who has autism, was the first presenter. “It means that my brain works differently than those who don’t have autism,” Orlov said. People with autism love routines and schedules, he said. “Changes can make me nervous, and I need time to get ready for them,” he said. Orlov is interested in music and said he knows most song lyrics from the 1950s to the present. Next was Velasque, who has a brain injury. According to Velasque, a part of his brain was damaged in a car accident when he was three years old. Now, Velasque tries to do everything independently of other people. “I just have to do everything carefully,” he said. “ I work at my own pace.” Ticchi then spoke about being blind. Despite his disability, Ticchi said, his parents decided to enroll him in a regular school. He later decided to teach speech and English. However, Ticchi said, some schools required a certain degree of vision. On December 17, 1979, Ticchi became the first blind person certified to teach in Massachusetts. Following that, Spatero, a student in the Pilot program, spoke. Spatero said that she gets anxiety attacks, and the program helps her. “Pilot is more of a therapeutic program than anything else,” she said. “It focuses more on your mental health. “Sometimes I get so stressed that I can’t breathe, and it’s hard to get through the day,” she said. The next panelist was Gaudet, who talked about her learning disability, followed by Cantambone. Cantambone explained that she has trouble reading. “It’s slower for me to understand and comprehend big words,” she said. “I’ve had this problem all my life and my parents have it.” Gomez, who is hard of hearing, was the last presenter. “When I was younger, I didn’t have the support I have here,” she said. “I was always left in a corner.” Although Gomez has encountered many difficulties in her life, she said she has learned to deal with them.“I love challenges, and I’ve overcome every challenge I’ve met,” she said.

Human differences focus of workshop

ELLEN SARKISIAN Behavioral therapist Jaqueline Chozick ran a workshop designed to further student understanding of living with disabilities. The workshop was during Fblock on Understanding Our Differences Day, Friday, Dec. 11. She ﬁrst asked two students to throw a football, then to do it again, blindfolded. This represented what could happen if a person lost his sight, she said. “These two have been playing football since they were little boys. They know how to do it,” Chozick said. “Now they have to learn how to play again.” She asked two audience members to teach the students how to play. First, they had to ask if the students wanted help, she said. Then, they told the students the distance and guided their hands so they threw the ball correctly. Chozick then told about a woman who had a cognitive delay and was blind. She met her at an adult service center where she used to work. One day, Chozick was at a vending machine and dropped her coins. The woman told her where the coins were and what types they were, she said. BY

Teddy Wenneker

In the film lecture hall: Behavioral therapist Jacqueline Chozick ran a workshop during Understanding Our Differences Day, Friday, Dec. 11.

Family members give perspectives OLIVIA STEARNS As part of Understanding Our Differences Day, panelists discussed their experiences living and working with students who have disabilities. “The biggest problem I have is when people use the word ‘retard,’ said freshman Maggie Heffernen. With Heffernen on the panel, which was G-block on Friday, Dec. 11, were counselor Matthew Ford, parent Ann Bersani and Alexander Jasset ’04. Heffernen said there are a number of better words that people can use to avoid being derogatory. She said people have always underestimated her older brother, who has Down syndrome. “In school, teachers would always assign him modiﬁed versions of assignments and were always surprised when he was able to complete all of the work,” she said. Bersani, who is the mother of a freshman boy with Downssyndrome, said that her wish is simply that her son lives a happy life. BY

Chozick then asked students to close their eyes, listen to a coin drop and say what kind of coin it was. Next, Chozick showed “Credo for Support,” a video made by people with disabilities that showed statements from them about how they would like to be treated. Another activity simulated the experience of those with cerebral palsy, who cannot easily move their limbs or ﬁngers, said Chozick. She asked two students to ﬁnd a pen on the ground while blindfolded, with limited movement. The last activity showed what a conversation is like for an autistic person. A student left the room while three others chose a topic of conversation and a secret physical cue they would use to indicate when others should speak. When the person came back, they did not understand the conversation. “People with autism might not understand social cues or what’s going on in the conversation,” said Chozick. At the end of the workshop, a beach ball with questions written on it was passed around the audience for members to ask.

She said that 50 percent of the kids that are born with Down syndrome also have heart conditions, which has continued to be a huge worry. “I really want my son to live a normal life, and I see no reason why he shouldn’t grow up to live on his own, get a job and get married,” said Bersani. She said that she has gone out of her way to make sure that she treats all of her kids the same way. Ford said having a deaf sister indirectly made him become a guidance counselor. “There was no direct connection, but I was forced at a young age to become a good listener and worry about more problems than just my own,” Ford said. He said the only thing that he regrets is never becoming ﬂuent in sign language. “It’s not fair that she couldn’t understand, and nobody made enough of an effort to communicate with her.” Ford said he is lucky to have grown up with a sister who forced him to see the world in a different way.

On Campus: Parent Ann Bersani, counselor Matthew Ford and Alexander Jasset ’04 spoke in a panel on Understanding Our Differences Day, Friday, Dec. 11.

It is often challenging to ﬁt in with a disability, Jones said. “You stand out, you look different,” he said. “Having a disability is one of those things that makes you look different.” Jones said people sometimes do not know how to approach a disabled person in a wheelchair. “If you don’t know, ask,” he said. “When someone comes to shake my hand, it freaks him out. You only know what you know, but you can learn. If you ask me, ask me out of respect versus be-

ing cruel or evil.” When Jones went to high school in West Roxbury, students treated him disrespectfully. “So I nearly ran each and every one of those kids over,” he said. “I would scare them and say, ‘You’re next.’ “It was not because I wanted to be cruel, but because they didn’t know how to approach me. “If you’re short, you’re short, and you can try to look tall by wearing high heels, but you’ll look ridiculous. If you can’t do something, that’s ﬁne.

Teddy Wenneker

Speaker says it’s better to ask questions ELI DAVIDOW People often make assumptions about Keith Jones. “When they see you in a wheelchair, people ask me, ‘What happened? When did you get shot?’” he said. “Then they’re starting to look for bullet holes. “That just proves how some of the things people think they know about disabilities are not true.” Jones discussed living with cerebral palsy on Understanding Our Differences Day Friday, Dec. 11 during C- and E-blocks. BY

“That’s one thing. I don’t get embarrassed.” One out of ﬁve people in the United States is disabled, according to Jones, yet sometimes people are treated like they are not capable of doing anything. “Someone may be autistic, deaf, blind or use a wheelchair, but your judgment on whether you like him or not should have nothing to do with his disability. “It seems like you have to like a disabled person. But I’d rather be judged just like everybody else.”

ToB

8 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, De

Presentation discusses trans issues, stereotypes ELLEN SARKISIAN Transgender people are not common, but they are not that rare either, said senior Adam Halwitz. Halwitz discussed transgender and transsexual issues on ToBGLAD, Wednesday, Dec. 16. “Certain words have different meanings depending on how they are used,” he said. Trans is an umbrella term for transgender and transsexual individuals, Halwitz said. Cis indicates individuals who are not trans. Sex is a set of biological categories, and gender is a set of social categories, he said. “Transgender individuals do not identify with the gender assigned to them at birth,” he said. Halwitz said gender is usually “assigned” based on a person’s body. A transgender person’s gender can sometimes be considered invalid and trans people viewed as “fake,” he said. A common misconception, he said, is that transgender people are BY

one gender and suddenly choose to be another. Transgender individuals are born with the gender that they feel is right, Halwitz said. People can also be bigender, both male and female; agender, which is neither male nor female; or androgynous, which is being feminine or masculine or neither. The term “gender queer” describes those who are “predisposed to be gender-variant and nonconforming,” he said. There are individuals who are transgender who are ﬁne with their assigned sex, “even if they don’t identify with it,” Halwitz said. However, many trans people transition socially or physically. Social transition is when individuals switch social roles by adopting different pronouns, names or clothes. Physical transition involves surgical procedures and hormones, he said. Halwitz discussed the relationship between gender and orienta-

Transgend and Lesbia

tion. “Gender is about who you are. Orientation is who are attracted to,” he said. He said there is a misconception that trans women are just “very feminine gay men” and trans men are just “really butch lesbians.” He also discussed the issue of transphobia. An example of this, he said, is the way trans people are depicted as evil serial killers in movies like Silence of the Lamb. Offensive terms like “tranny” and “she-male” and pronoun confusion also add to transphobia. Trans people face disrespect, higher unemployment, lower income, difﬁculty ﬁnding housing and receiving medical treatment, hate crimes and no legal protection in many places, Halwitz said. “ToBGLAD exists because these issues get mistreatment in the public eye,” he said. He said it’s important to know about these issues to build a community where people feel valued and understood.

Panelists tell their experiences as gay parents and straight allies OLIVIA STEARNS An ideal ally is someone who is supportive and there in a time of need, said senior Paul Batchelor. Batchelor was one of the panel members who spoke about their experiences as a family member or friend of a gay person on ToBGLAD, Wednesday, Dec. 16. “Our goal for today is to educate people about the lives of homosexual people and teach them how to be allies,” said Batchelor. A panel member asked the audience to stand up if they had a friend or family member who was gay. The majority of the audience stood up. The audience was then asked to stand if they are used to hearing derogatory language in the hallways at school. Again, almost everybody stood up. Finally, a panel member told those people who were standing to remain standing if they interfered BY

when they heard this derogatory language. Most of the crowd sat down. The first panel member, parent Jenny Bergman, explained her experience growing up as a homosexual. “I grew up in a small town, so there was no gay/straight alliance or anyone to teach us about homosexuality,” Bergman said. She said that college was the first time that she realized that she was gay. Bergman said that one of the most annoying things in her experience is when people say, “that’s so queer” or “that’s so gay.” “I have never been the type of person to be confrontational,” she said. “My form of activism is just to be open and live my life as happily as I can.” The second panel member, Batchelor, said that his first exposure to homosexuality was in first grade.

“We had an assignment which asked us to draw pictures of our families, and a classmate of mine drew his picture with two dads,” Batchelor said. “A lot of the kids in my class were taken aback by it, but my teacher assured us all that it was okay.” Batchelor encouraged those who were interested to join PFLAG: Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, a national organization for allies of homosexuality. He explained the ﬁve ways that PFLAG said somebody could be a good ally: ◆ Become informed ◆ Be open to new ideas ◆ Don’t use derogatory language, and step in when you can ◆ Inform your family and friends ◆ Quit/Don’t join organizations that aren’t supportive of homosexuality.

In a speakout: Senior Puloma Ghosh, sophomore Madeleine Aqu as anonymous submissions during a ToBGLAD assembly on Wed

Student speakouts their connection to Members of the Gay/Straight Alliance read speakouts they had written, or that were submitted anonymously, on ToBGLAD, Wednesday, Dec. 16. Facts about GLBT issues were also presented.

Striving for community, acceptance for all

MADELEINE AQUILINA I’m straight, but I am speaking out today. Those of you sitting in the audience may wonder why I am speaking, what could I have to say? I am not gay. I do not get called fag in the hallway. I have not discovered myself and come out to my parents. I am not oppressed for my sexual orientation. Yet, I speak out today. No one is free if one is enslaved. If a person in our community faces discrimination or harassment because they identify as queer, all members of our school are degraded, are reﬂected in a negative light. To truly thrive, everyone must feel safe and equal. Just because you are straight doesn’t mean issues of gay rights have no importance to you. The happiness and equality of all people should matter, no matter how you identify. I am an ofﬁcer of GSA, and my friends often question why I would BY

Teddy Wenneker

Panel Member: Jenny Bergman talked about her experience as a homosexual parent during a ToBGLAD presentation on Wednesday, Dec. 16.

do such a thing. Why would I dedicate my time to the queer community, a community I’m not a part of? It’s not all about gay rights, exactly. It’s because I strive for a day where, this is pretty Newtonian sappy.... Madeleine When we Aquilina are all one community and the lines that once separated us blur. A time when we can celebrate all of our differences, but focus on the similarities that bring us together. A time when days like ToBGLAD, dedicated to education and activism of the queer community, wouldn’t be necessary because everyone would be completely accepted. When we realize we are not that different after all.

Hope for acceptance in the next generation

ABBY HOLTZMAN And they lived happily ever after. The image that comes to mind is a princess, preferably blonde, wearing a gown, and a handsome

BGLAD

ec. 18, 2009

der, Bisexual, Gay an Awareness Day

Newton North, Newtonite ◆9

Documentary connects homosexuality to Bible ELI DAVIDOW After Ky Dickens came out as gay in college, she felt confused and out of place. “Overnight, I became a ﬁsh out of water,” she said at a ToBGLAD assembly on Wednesday, Dec. 16. Then Dickens, a graduate of Vanderbilt, was curious about what religion had to say about homosexuality. After speaking to ministers in Nashville, Tenn., she discovered that the Bible was often misinterpreted regarding homosexuality. Dickens directed and produced a ﬁlm entitled Fish Out of Water, which is a documentary investigating the relationship between the Bible and homosexuality. Sophomore Yaelle Saarid-Segal BY

said that the audience was either the fifth or sixth to ever view the film. Animation weaves its way throughout the entire movie, which adds a lighter dimension to the film. The cartoon interpretations included ones of Bible verses concerning homosexuality and others of Dickens speaking. Towards the beginning of the film, Dickens travels around the “Bible Belt,” which is typically a more conservative region in the United States. The people asked whether or not the Bible justifies homosexuality also had trouble citing where exactly in the Bible homosexuality was addressed. During the film, Dickens mainly

interviews an array of Christian religious leaders, from those who believe homosexuality is accepted by the Christian faith to those who think it is an abominable sin. Then members of the LBGT community reacted to the Bible’s opinions on homosexuality. The panel of leaders in the film was questioned about its personal views of verses regarding homosexuality in the Bible, including ones in Genesis, Leviticus and parts of the New Testament. Verses debated included Adam and Eve, Sodom and Gomorrah and the writings of Paul. After the audience viewed the film, members of GSA led a follow-up discussion, addressing questions based on the film.

Movies show how viewpoints vary in many different cultures MARENA COLE Clips from the documentaries All God’s Children and De Colores focused on issues with homosexuality in different cultures. Seniors Puloma Ghosh and Melissa Lozada-Oliva showed parts of the documentaries and led a follow-up discussion Wednesday, Dec. 16 as a part of ToBGLAD. In All God’s Children, Douglas Cooper, a gay African-American man, recounted his experiences in trying to ﬁnd an apartment to rent. Cooper said that when he went to the real estate ofﬁce, the woman, who was also African-American, asked him questions about what kind of apartment he was looking for. He told her that he wanted an apartment with one bedroom, but BY

Teddy Wenneker

uilina and freshman Perrin Stein read their own speakouts as well dnesday, Dec. 16.

that two people would be living there. “She said, ‘Oh, is it your wife?’” Cooper said. “And I said ‘No, well, his name is Bob.’ “And she said, ‘I know what you’re trying to do. We don’t rent to your kind.’ “I thought it was interesting that she chose to use those words—‘We don’t rent to your kind.’ Those were the same words that had been used by her oppressors. I thought—you’ve been taught well.” Ghosh and Lozada-Oliva then asked the audience whether or not they thought minorities and races that have been oppressed during history could be more sympathetic to other minorities. Senior Ezra Cohen responded, saying that being a minority does

not deﬁne a person’s views, and so even if they are against oppression of their own minority group, they may disagree or have issues with another. Next, Ghosh and Lozada-Oliva showed part of De Colores, a documentary about how members of the Latino community dealt with issues related to homosexuality. In the documentary, Alberto Rongel described experiences with coming out to his family. “We were getting along so well at the time,” he said. “I didn’t think anything could impede that. “I didn’t talk to my parents for two years. “Then, over Christmas I stayed with my brother and sister, and my dad was so anxious to see me. “It was more valid to him to just ditch the hate and accept me.”

s communicate o ToBGLAD issues prince, probably riding off into some global-warming induced sunset. On a white stallion. Some billowing-hair action is a must. This is what we’ve read since we could read, and heard since we could hear. Mommies marry Daddies. Women should be beautiful, men should be strong. If you are a boy you can frolic with wild things and enjoy wild rumpuses and such. A girl, and you are granted the pleasure of...well, no children’s book with a female heroine, stereotypical or not, comes to mind. So, what would happen then if “Once Upon a Time” ended not with the blue-eyed, sequined couple of our childhoods, but with two princes riding off into a sunset. Try angry parents, enraged school board members and confused kindergartners. You see, change is never easy. It took a pretty damn long time for suspicious looking women living alone to stop being burned alive for supposed sorcery, and even longer for them to be given the right to vote. Equal job opportunities and pay are still just a dream. So is an un-biased, open generation of children who will hopefully grow up to be tolerant and open-minded adults.

It all starts with things like this book. A kindergartner is going to be completely nonchalant, if they notice at all, about so-called corrupting” images. “Love,” they’ll think, if they think about it at all. “During storytime, Newtonian we read a book Abby about love. But Holtzman my parents say this love is bad love, and we should only read books with good love.” They’ll think, “I think that sunset looks very nice. I might want to ride off into a sunset like that one day.” I can just see the shadow that passes over their faces. “But that is bad love. Bad. Like crossing the street without looking both ways. Or broccoli.” Then, a tiny voice in their tinier heads will whisper. “Love. Love is love is love.” And they will know this deeper than anything they’ve ever been taught. They’ll feel how true it is, truer than crowns and glass slippers and angry parents. It’s a fact, a feeling and a truth it may just take a ﬁve year old to truly grasp.

Teddy Wenneker

On Campus: Seniors Melissa Lozada-Oliva and Puloma Ghosh showed and discussed clips of documentaries about homosexuality in a ToBGLAD assembly Wednesday, Dec. 16.

10 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

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Friday, Dec. 18, 2009

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Friday, Dec. 18, 2009

Talk of the

Critic’s Corner

My Christmas Andrea Bocelli

With his jaw-dropping tenor, Andrea Bocelli delivers powerful and mesmerizing renditions of classic and contemporary Christmas songs. His vocal capabilities are endless. For example, when he is sweetly singing on “Silent Night,” a song accompanied by a satisfying acoustic guitar, Bocelli sweeps the stress out of your body. Yet, he boldly unleashes his voice on jubilant tracks like “Adeste Fidelis.” The album truly captures the sense of warmth and passion that people yearn for during the holiday season. This is what you want to listen to on a relaxing Christmas morning. Key tracks: “White Chirstmas,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and “Adeste Fidelis.” Grade: A-

A Charlie Brown Christmas Vince Guaraldi Trio

Sentimentality makes the complete soundtrack from the Peanuts’ Christmas special an

Christmas in the Heart Bob Dylan

Don’t get the wrong idea, Bob, you’re an extraordinary, immortal artist, but this must be one of the low points in your proliﬁc recording career. On Dylan’s 47th release, the rusty growls don’t work to his advantage. Through the entire disc, Dylan grumbles and mumbles through wellknown Christmas classics. But the album’s overall tone, which

Mr. Fieleke

Ms. Stewart

◆John Coltrane ◆Miles Davis ◆Led Zeppelin ◆Mark Isham ◆Frederic Chopin

◆Bruce Springsteen ◆Metalica ◆Billy Joel ◆Tim McGraw ◆Led Zeppelin

Favorite Movie ◆So I Married an Axe Murderer

Favorite Show ◆Mad Men

Jumble:

Club Edition

appealing album. It reminds you of the times you curled up on the couch and viewed the same old heartwarming story unfold with Charlie Brown attempting to organize the holiday pageant, buying the wimpy Christmas tree and so on. It’s the holiday season at its prime. The jazzy piano melodies in songs like “Christmas Time is Here,” stick in your stomach like a hot, fresh piece of apple pie. Key tracks: “Linus and Lucy,” “Christmas Time is Here” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” Grade: A

Teachers’ Picks

Favorite Artists

Tiger

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 11

Favorite Artists

Favorite Movie ◆Cars

Favorite Show ◆Grey’s Anatomy

sounds a bit like Andy Williams and Frank Sinatra, gives it a glossy, antiquated feel. Key tracks: “Here Comes Santa Claus,” “Little Drummer Boy” and “The First Noel.” Grade: B-

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

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Songs in the Key of Hanukkah

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Erran Baron Cohen

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The funny thing about Erran Baron Cohen’s Hanukkah album is that it’s not funny. Stepping outside of his brother Sacha’s comedic persona, Cohen delivers a serious, but contemporary album. The disc is basically a fusion of klezmer (traditional Jewish music), hip-hop and electronica, which works out brilliantly. Cohen arranges all of the music, but he does not sing. The featured artists are fantastic though, singing in English, Hebrew and Ladino (a combination of Spanish and Hebrew). It could act as a liaison for Hanukkah music to be taken sincerely for once. Key tracks: “Dreidal,” “Spin It Up” and “Ma’oz Tzur.” Grade: A—ELI DAVIDOW

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For answers, go to www.thenewtonite.com

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Did you know? Mr. Patelis

Favorite Artists ◆The Cranberries ◆Toby Keith ◆Madonna ◆R.E.M. ◆The Beatles

Favorite Movie ◆The Godfather

Favorite Show ◆Battlestar Galactica

Newtonian

Louis Szekely ’85, better known as Louis C.K., is a wellknown stand-up comedian. In total, he has garnered four Emmy nominations. Three were for The Chris Rock Show, and one was for his 2008 special, Chewed Up. He got one win for his writing on The Chris Rock Show in 1999. He has had comedy specials on HBO and Comedy Central, and he has acted in the movies Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins and The Invention of Lying and the television show Parks and Recreation. Next year, Szekely is lined up to have his own television show on FX called Louie.

Vacation Destination Are you going anywhere for winter vacation?

I’m going to Florida.

Oh, to visit family?

No, so I have a relaxing place to do all of the homework my teachers assigned.

D’Jaidah Wynn

feature

12 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Dec. 18, 2009

Libraries experience a jump in checkouts

HILARY BRUMBERG Anne E. Burg’s All The Broken Pieces, which tells a Vietnam War veteran’s life-altering tale, is a shelf-neighbor to cheery stuffed snowmen and Christmas lights in the library. When students come on a quest for a good book, “they are able to talk to a librarian, and the student is able to ﬁnd just the right book for them,” said librarian Donna Johns. Johns gave the example of the Twilight series, of which our library has many copies. “It prompted us to order books about vampires, horror, growing up and relationships,” she said. “It makes me feel that I’ve done my job well when kids have been connected to the right book and they’re excited about reading it,” Johns said. North’s library has experienced a 15 percent increase in checkouts compared to last year. Between September and November 2009, 1,376 books were checked out from our library, as opposed to the 1,193 books borrowed in the fall of 2008. September thru November of this year, the Bigelow Middle School library had 1,926 checkouts. Both Bigelow and our school had roughly a 200-book increase over last year. During the same time period, the F. A. Day Middle School library says that 2,021 books were taken out. All three schools have experienced an increase in borrowed books compared to last year. BY

Shira Bleicher

Stimulating conversation: Seniors Jon Bressler, Ken Landers, Ezra Cohen and Corey Robins talk in the library. Between September and November 2009, 1,376 books were checked out. “Our underclassmen were really prepared in middle school to use their library for reading,” Johns said, referring to the increase in checkouts this year. Day librarian Randy Meyer prepares his eighth graders for high school by giving book talks to all eighth grade English classes at the beginning of the school year.

During these talks, he introduces the students to the North Bound collection, which is “a high-school-level ﬁction collection of books that is reserved for eighth graders,” he said. Meyers also hosts ChocoLit Chats, where, “English classes come together in the library to drink hot chocolate and talk about what they’ve been read-

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ing.” When classes at Bigelow visit the library, Bigelow librarian Diane Montville reports on books either related to the topic they are studying, or ones she just thinks they might enjoy. “I have an avid group of readers that has continually been using the library,” she said. Johns said as the economy

declined, library checkout rates throughout Newton rose. “We’re in a recession right now, and libraries are being used more than ever,” Johns said. According to Montville, it appears many parents once bought their children any book they wanted, or in some cases a whole series, but this practice has changed since the economy took a turn for the worse. “Maybe the parents don’t buy the whole set, they might buy a few, and then have the student borrow the others from the library,” she said. With the holiday season right around the corner, local bookstore sales have increased even though money is tight in some households, according to Mary Cotton, owner of Newtonville Books. “I think that in tougher economic times, books stand out as relatively cheap entertainment—or free entertainment, if you take advantage of the public libraries. “A book is cheaper than a movie, and it lasts much longer,” Cotton said. In fact, Newtonville Books’ sales have increased in September thru November the last two years. “Despite the economic crisis hitting last fall, our sales for the past year have been up. Our holiday season last year was considerably better than the year before, and things have stayed consistently stronger,” said a pleased Cotton. “We’ve been pleasantly surprised!”

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sports

Friday, Dec. 18, 2009

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 13

Boys’ swimming to host Natick Tigers, 1-1, heading into Bay State Conference play JOSH BAKAN 6-0 last year and 1-1 so far this season, boys’ swimming hopes to finish undefeated in the Bay State Conference again, said senior Aidan Breen, a captain with senior Sam Rolfe. “Based on what I saw last year and what I have seen at the beginning of this year, we have a pretty good chance at finishing undefeated in the conference,” Breen said. “We had a lot of great seniors last year, but we don’t know how many seniors other schools have lost,” he said. “Many players start the season out of shape, and people forget the techniques. “We’ve been working on technique right now, like flips turns, pushing off the wall and starting and finishing races. Technique is probably the most important part of swimming. Whoever has the best technique is going to win BY

the race.” Coach Amy Richard said, “One of our biggest strengths is experience returning from our two undefeated seasons.” The Tigers are returning 21 swimmers.

senior Aidan Breen “We have a pretty good chance at ﬁnishing undefeated in the conference.” “My goal for the team is for everyone to work hard and leave better than they started in terms of both character and athleticism.” Today, the Tigers visit Natick. “Natick is our ﬁrst test to win the Bay State Conference crown, so we’ll have to perform very well,” Richard said. “It will tell us if we’re in the race to win the conference title or not.

“They’re a young team coming on strong the last couple seasons.” Friday, Jan. 8, the Tigers visit Brookline, and then they host Framingham Tuesday, Jan. 12. “Brookline is always tough competition,” Richard said. “The rivalry always brings out the best in both teams. “Framingham always has depth and a lot of competitors. They’re as tough as any team in the conference.” Tuesday, Dec. 15, Reading Memorial beat the Tigers here 96-88. “Although we lost, it doesn’t affect our standing in the conference,” Breen said. “We were behind early, but I was impressed with how we came together towards the end.” Last Friday, the Tigers beat Xaverian Brothers here 97-84. The Tigers “started strong,” Richard said.

Jaryd Justice-Moote

100 breaststroke: Junior Seth King swims against Reading Memorial here Tuesday. The Rockets won 96-88, but the Tigers’ goal to ﬁnish undefeated in conference play is still alive.

Gymnastics looks for improved depth in new talent MEREDITH ABRAMS PRATEEK ALLAPUR Boys’ gymnastics is working hard to win with young talent. Girls’ gymnastics is hoping to repeat last year ’s 8-2 performance. BY

AND

Boys’ gymnastics

With strong effort despite inexperience, the boys have a lot of young talent, said senior Justice Hedenberg, a captain with senior Bryson Cochran. “This year I’m really psyched because we have a lot of guys who are working exceptionally hard, who have a lot of potential,” Hedenberg said. “The work ethic on this team is really intense—we condition every day, and we’re a really close team.” A strength of the team is diversity, Hedenberg said. “We have guys with a whole different variety of events, and everyone is trying new things and new events.” However, the team has a large number of new members, he said. “We’re just trying to get our basic skills dialed in, and we’re trying to get a win because we haven’t had one in a really long time. Coach Steve Chan said team goals are to improve the record and improve at the State Meet. “We’re working harder and trying to stay healthy and prevent

injury,” he said. Form and endurance are aspects the team is looking to improve on, Chan said. “When you do a particular skill, you basically have to look good,” he said. “Also, the routines have to ﬂow from one trick to the next without stopping, so instead of practicing one trick at time, we’re practicing two to three tricks together to build endurance,” Chan said. Friday, Jan. 8 the Tigers host Andover. “Last year we lost in a very close meet, but this year we hope to defeat them because of our returning athletes,” Chan said. Hosting Braintree Tuesday, Jan. 12, the Tigers will face a challenge, Chan said. “It’s going to be a very difﬁcult meet—they’re the defending state champions,” he said. The Tigers visit Salem Wednesday, Jan. 13. “For this meet, it’s hard to tell because some years they’re a really good team, and others they’re not.”

Girls’ gymnastics

The girls expect a successful season, according to coach Jim Chin. “We anticipate a repeat of last year, in terms of performance,” Chin said. According to Chin, the team’s size and makeup has changed a lot this year. “In this year’s team,

we have added depth—we have around 18 girls, almost double that of last year,” he said. “We didn’t lose a lot of seniors either, so we’re in pretty good shape.” Last season, the Tigers finished 8-2. According to senior Rani Jacobson, a captain with junior Andrea Marzilli, there are very high expectations for the team this year. “We expect intense practices this year as we are a young team and we can push for perfection,” Jacobson said. “When the season really kicks

off after break, we have meets twice a week and we will be doing short-term preparations for each meet,” she said. According to Jacobson, there are some challenges for the team this year. “One huge challenge is that we do not have a full year season, so we have to learn and relearn skills as well as choreograph routines on three events,” she said. “Bars will be weak compared to other events, but we still expect to score higher this year,” she said. Chin said that there are many promising young gymnasts on the

team this year. “I have high expectations from Rani Jacobson, our senior captain and junior Victoria Mirrer, both of whom were Bay State Conference All-Stars last year,” he said. Chin also cited Marzilli, sophomore Marianna Sorensen and freshmen Alison Hurwitz and Lili Margolin for their experience and strong gymnastics backgrounds. The team’s ﬁrst meet is Tuesday, Dec. 22 at Norwood. “It should be a good opening meet,” Chin said. “It is historically not a strong team. We expect a win.”

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14 â&#x2014;&#x2020; Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Dec. 18, 2009

sports

Friday, Dec. 18, 2009

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 15

Hockey relies on effort MEREDITH ABRAMS Relying on a strong work ethic, boys’ hockey, 0-1, hopes to win every game for the rest of the season, qualify for the State Tournament and improve every day, coach Tom Ryan said. “The team works extremely hard on and off the ice, and we have great leadership, so everything we need to move forward is there,” Ryan said. “We’re taking it one day at a time and not looking too far ahead,” he said. “We’re trying to be disciplined and work harder within a team concept.” A team strength is attitude, Ryan said. However, the team has trouble with confidence. “We have a hard time convincing the kids they’re as good as they are,” Ryan said. “It’s because they don’t know how to win, and they haven’t experienced a lot of victory. “As a team, we have to focus on confidence and we’ll start winning and it’ll snowball,” he said. Size is a weakness for the team, Ryan said. “We’re small physically, and we’re in a big, strong league, so we’re not as strong as we need to be,” he said Hosting Braintree tomorrow, the Tigers expect a challenging game, Ryan said. “They’re a very good team, and they’ll be big, strong and wellcoached,” he said. “They went to the Division I state finals.” Wednesday, Dec. 23, the Tigers visit Walpole. “They have a new coach, so that’ll be an adjustment for them, but they have a lot of experienced players, and they’ll be confident,” Ryan said. Hosting Lincoln -Sudbury Monday, Dec. 28, the Tigers predict a difficult game, Ryan said. “Lincoln-Sudbury had a very good season last year, and we’ll have to play our best,” he said. At Marshfield Saturday, Jan. 2, the Tigers expect one of the toughest games of the season, Ryan said. The Tigers host Milton Saturday, Jan. 9 and visit Brookline Wednesday, Jan. 13. Of the game against Milton, Ryan said, “They’re probably one of the best teams in the league.” Senior Ben Sauro, the team captain, said the team is starting to work together well. “We’re working on getting together in front of the net and claiming the loose puck,” he said. “Overall, we can have a very positive season.” In their season opener, the Tigers lost 7-0 Saturday, Dec. 12 at Framingham. “We played pretty well, but we’ve got to be tougher,” Sauro said. The Tigers were to have visited Norwood Thursday.

JOSH BAKAN JEREMY GURVITS Girls’ indoor track is very strong from the middle distances on up, coach Joe Tranchita said. However, a weakness is, “We don’t have tremendous depth,” he said. “Most of our top runners are versatile, so we can try them in different events to cover up our lack of depth.” Tranchita hopes the Tigers can regain the Bay State Conference title. “Weymouth took it from us the last two years, and we’re hoping to get it back,” he said. “We also hope to do well at State Relays.”

JOSH BAKAN Boys’ indoor track is hoping to ﬁnish undefeated and win the Bay State Conference for the 13th straight season, said senior Jake Gleason, a captain with seniors Connor Ebbs and Hao-Kai Wu. “I would say that we’re likely to finish undefeated and win another league title,” Gleason said. “Brookline and Weymouth will be our toughest opponents though.” The team is strong and deep

in almost every event, Gleason said. “We have a deep sprinting team,” he said. The strongest members of the sprinting team are senior Ben Kiley and junior Terrell Newtonian Doyle, Gleason said. Jake “ We a r e Gleason

Teddy Wenneker

Attack dribble: Junior Brianna Hunt sets up the offense in front of a Framingham defender. The Tigers won 56-34 at home.

Girls’ basketball, 2-0, boasts deep lineup MEREDITH ABRAMS Wi t h d e p t h a s a m a j o r strength, girls’ basketball, 2-0, is working hard to be able to compete against better teams, coach Hank DeSantis said. “To do that, we need to become a good defensive team, limit the turnovers and get out and execute on the offensive,” DeSantis said. “With nine people returning to varsity, everyone’s going to be contributing a significant amount and having their share of the success of the team,” he said. Team goals are to beat last year’s 12-10 record, make a run in the State Tournament and play well on a game-to-game basis, DeSantis said. “We want to execute on the offensive and handle adversity, and we want to come in with the right attitude, work hard and get BY

better every day,” he said. Strengths of team are depth, size, quickness, experience and versatility, DeSantis said. Despite that, “We have to believe that we’re as good as we are,” he said. “We have to go out on the ﬂoor every night and play with intensity and focus, and we have to want it more than our opponents.” Senior Sammy Alpert, a captain with seniors Lucy Abbott, Monet Lowe and junior Brianna Hunt, said the team has a chance to do well this year. “We’re going to be really good this year,” Alpert said. “Our chances our really good, and we’re starting to work together early in the season.” “As a team, we’re trying to be the best that we can be,” she said. “We’re pushing the limit, and we’re not just settling for wins but playing our game at the

highest level.” At Braintree today, the Tigers have to come prepared, DeSantis said. “They’ll be excited to face us, so we should be ready to play, and hopefully it’s a game we’ll play hard,” he said. Monday the Tigers host Walpole, in a match DeSantis said would be a challenge. “They beat us up pretty good last year, but they had a lot of seniors they graduated,” he said. “The girls will be really ﬁred up for the game.” The Tigers will compete in the Garden City Classic Tuesday, Dec. 29 and Wednesday, Dec. 30. “It’s a competitive tournament, and it’ll be nice to play against some non-league teams like Brighton and our cross town rival, Newton South,” DeSantis said. Hosting Weymouth Tuesday,

Jan. 5, the Tigers expect a challenge, DeSantis said. “They’re well-coached, and though they’re a young team, they’ll be one of the teams that contends for the league title.” At Milton Friday, Jan. 8, the Tigers need to come ready to play, DeSantis said. “Milton is usually a good team, so we need to just go out and play well,” he said. The Tigers host Brookline Tuesday, Jan. 12, in a game DeSantis said would be motivated by rivalry. “Everyone gets geared up for that game, and we’ll do whatever it takes to win,” he said. At home Tuesday, the Tigers defeated Norwood 55-25. “It was a great team effort,” DeSantis said. “The kids came out and played with intensity.” The Tigers defeated Framingham 56-34 Friday at home.

Girls’ track to compete with versatility BY

AND

Senior Sam Gluck, a captain with senior Jaya Tripathi, said the Tigers are “very strong in distance and hurdles.” A weaker part of the team is “our throwers,” Gluck said. “They are a little inexperienced, but they’ve been doing really well so far and catching up.” Sunday, the Tigers participate in the Winter Festival at the Reggie Lewis Center. “There’s a chance for some people to try out events that they haven’t done before,” Gluck said. “There’s no pressure to ﬁll all the positions.”

Wednesday, Dec. 30, at the Reggie Lewis Center, the Tigers will participate in the Holiday Qualifier, “a qualiﬁer for States,” Gluck said. Underclassmen will then Newtonian participate in Sam Gluck the Auerbach Freshman/Sophomore Meet at the Reggie Lewis Center Saturday, Jan. 1. Thursday, Jan. 7, at the Reg-

gie Lewis Center, the Tigers face Braintree, which has “some good individuals and pretty solid depth,” Gluck said. “It’s a high caliber meet against teams from all over Massachusetts,” Gluck said. Thursday, Jan. 14, the Tigers face Framingham at the Reggie Lewis Center. “They weren’t strong a couple years ago, but they’ve improved,” Gluck said. “They have more depth than they did a couple years ago.” The Tigers were to have faced Needham yesterday.

Boys’ track hopes for 13th straight conference title

strong in all areas except hurdles,” he said. “All three of our hurdlers graduated last year.” Senior Faisal Mayanja is the only member guaranteed to be a hurdler. Other members are training for the position, but aren’t deﬁnites, Gleason said. “Like always, our throwers are strong, and we have a good distance team,” Gleason said. Coach Jim Blackburn said the Tigers’ top throwers are Ebbs, seniors Humberto Castillo and Ed-

die Pang, junior Ryan Donovan, and sophomores Young Guang and Swardiq Mayanja. The top distance runners are Gleason, juniors Ezra Lichtman and Dan Ranti and sophomore Justin Keefe, Blackburn said. Heading into the season, “We don’t know what other teams have,” Blackburn said. “Right now, it looks like Brookline and Weymouth are good, but all the other teams are weak,” he said. “My guess as to why we are

usually the best is that we care more than the other teams, and we work harder.” Thursday, Jan. 7, the Tigers face Braintree, followed by Framingham Thursday, Jan. 14. All Bay State Conference meets are held at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston. Last season, the Tigers beat Braintree and Framingham, each by a score of 72-14. The Tigers were to have faced Needham yesterday.

sports

16 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Dec. 18, 2009

Girls’ hockey looks towards States

MEREDITH ABRAMS Despite inexperience and new line combinations, girls’ hockey, 0-2, is looking to last longer in the State Tournament than in previous years, coach Bob MacDougall said. “For us to get into the tournament, we’ll have to play very well and work together,” he said. “We’re still getting used to the new players—it’s a big difference going to varsity from JV or freshman, and chemistry is a big thing.” Effort will be a big factor in coming games, MacDougall said. “Hopefully every game and every practice I’ll get to see that talent I would like to see—we can’t have lazy practices or bad games because of lack of effort. “For that, practices will be vitally important,” he said. “We have to do a lot of skill work and get the younger kids experience. “We also need to work on chemistry so everyone gets a feel for each other so when we go out on the ice, all the parts will just blend together,” MacDougall said. At Braintree tomorrow, the Tigers expect a tough game. “They were the top team in the division last year, and they’re going to be a very strong team,” MacDougall said.

Wednesday, Dec. 23 the Tigers host Norwood. “They’re another good team,” he said. “They’re very deep, and we need three strong periods against them.” The Tigers visit Belmont Monday, Jan. 4. “They deﬁnitely have the home ice advantage, but it’s important for us to see how well we do against a non-league team,” MacDougall said. Hosting Weymouth Wednesday, Jan. 6, the Tigers will need to stay focused, MacDougall said. Saturday, Jan. 9 the Tigers visit Milton and Wednesday, Jan. 13 they host Brookline. Senior Kim Gillies, a captain with senior Hannah Jellineck, said experienced returning players are going to have a big role in helping the team. “Girls know what it takes to play at this level,” she said. “I’m really excited about the upcoming season because we have some speed and a lot of determination.” Hosting Norwood Wednesday, Dec. 16, the Tigers lost 2-0. “For the most part, we came out pretty ﬂat,” MacDougall said. “They really put a lot of pressure on our defensive zone, we gave them too many chances, and they cashed in,” he said. Framingham defeated the Tigers 2-1 Saturday, Dec. 12 at home.

Over break, the Tigers will participate in the Garden City Hoops Tournament Tuesday, Dec. 29 and Wednesday, Dec. 30 with South, Catholic Memorial and O’Bryant. To begin 2010, the Tigers have an unpredictable game in Weymouth Tuesday, Jan. 5, Connolly said. Then the Tigers host an underrated Milton team Friday, Jan. 8, Connolly said. Tuesday, Jan. 12, the Tigers host Brookline, which is being

treated “just like another game on the schedule,” Connolly said. “I just hope our guys will be ready for that game,” he said. At Norwood Tuesday, the Tigers won 62-34. “It was all around a slow game, but it was a good building block,” Tucker said. In Framingham Friday, the Tigers defeated the Flyers 71-41. “Our depth wore them out,” Kelley said. “It was great that we went to their house and got an incredible Sixth Man turnout.”

Teddy Wenneker

Offensive attack: Freshman Marisa Gilardetti brings the puck up the ice against Framingham Saturday, Dec. 12 as junior Michele Troy follows. The Flyers defeated the Tigers 2-1.

Boys’ basketball has leadership needed for success ELI DAVIDOW With a core group of seniors gone from last season, boys’ basketball, 2-0, still has the leadership it needs to fill the gap, said coach Paul Connolly. “Six graduated from last year, a terrific group of young men,” he said. “Two of them were firstteam Bay State Conference allstars, and one was a three-year starter in Craig Marriro. “Now we’re replacing that leadership and experience with our seniors this year.”

A key returning member is senior center Greg Kelley, a cocaptain with senior Wynn Tucker, Connolly said. “He’s been a real beacon in leadership,” he said. “It’s really been tremendous, along with Wynn and the rest of the senior class.” Junior Avi Adler-Cohen, a strong forward, is expected to be the backbone in the backcourt, Connolly said. “Avi’s been investing a lot of time this off-season,” he said.

“I expect him to be a solid contributor.” Today in the Tigers’ ﬁrst home game against Braintree, a dominant center in senior P.J. Douglas will return for the Wamps, Connolly said. “Douglas averaged 34 points per game against us last year,” he said. “I’m just hoping one of my guys has a plan to stop Douglas this time.” Connolly sees an athletic squad in Walpole, which hosts the Tigers Monday.

Wrestling looks to improve on, off mat JOSH BAKAN Progression on and off the mat is the main goal of wrestling, 3-1, coach John Staulo said. “We want to make sure every member is better on and off the mat than they were at the beginning of the season,” Staulo said. Senior Sam Shames, a captain with senior Alex Westlund, said the team aims to “improve every day and wrestle hard against every team.” The Tigers need to work on “getting out from the bottom,” Shames said. “We have to work on our hand control and sprawling.” Tomorrow, the Tigers visit Plymouth North for a quad meet where they will also face Carver and Norton. Norton coach Pat Coleman used to coach the Tigers and coached some of the best teams in the school’s history during the 1970s, Staulo said. Tuesday, the Tigers visit Dedham, and then they visit Newton South the next day. “They have all their stars back from last year,” Staulo said. “We play Newton South annually the day before December break. It’s always competitive and very close.” Tuesday, Dec. 29, the Tigers BY

begin the Lowell Tourney, a two day individual tournament which is one of the biggest and toughest wrestling tournaments in the state, Staulo said. “We usually bring close to a full lineup,” he said. Right before another individual tournament Saturday, Jan. 9 in Belmont, the Tigers visit Braintree Wednesday, Jan. 6. “They play in a good-sized school, but they don’t always get a lot of multiple-sport athletes,” Staulo said. “The Belmont Tourney has a JV tournament before the varsity tournaments.” Wednesday, Jan. 13, the Tigers visit Natick, “one of the top teams in the State,” Staulo said. The Tigers beat Framingham 36-35 Wednesday, Dec. 16 at Framingham. Shames gave credit to senior Eddie Campana, who “won us the match by not getting pinned and through minor point decisions.” Saturday, Dec. 12 at Catholic Memorial, the Tigers beat Cambridge 60-11, lost to Catholic Memorial 46-27 and then beat Josiah Quincy 42-33. Junior Mike Atkinson at 171 and sophomores Zack Ferguson at 125 and Jordan Long at 130 won their matches.

Teddy Wenneker

Practicing for Framingham: Senior Jake Gannon (bottom) at 145 takes a shot on senior Mike Saminsky at 152 in preparation for wrestling’s ﬁrst Bay State Conference meet.