v90i03 by The Newtonite

Newtonite U Friday, March 4, 2011 • Volume 90, Issue 3

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

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

Main Street plans drafted JARED PERLO History teacher Ty Vignone and librarian Kevin McGrath are spearheading an effort to enliven Main Street and make it a more appealing destination for students. In a revised proposal submitted to the Student Faculty Administration, the two teachers and many students made a case for installing benches and other amenities along Main Street. The SFA has suggested that Main Street is not being utilized enough, aside from students talking to their friends at lunch. The proposal seeks to add “chairs, benches or tables with umbrellas and plants,” it stated. In addition, SFA members discussed the possibility of adding a stage to Main Street where “talent and/or presentations from members of the school community” could take place, according to the proposal. Eating, however, would still not be allowed on Main Street. Principal Jennifer Price said she would not contemplate the idea of eating on Main Street at the moment. Students left an overload of trash in the old building, something that Price said “was not helpful” to custodians. “Allowing students to eat along Main Street in the new building would put an unnecessary burden on an already thin custodial staff,” she said. Chief innovation officer Steve Chinosi also proposed to add a lounge area directly inside of the cafeteria. Chinosi briefly mentioned that perhaps a different student government would be responsible for the area every term. Price requested that the SFA review the proposal in future meetings. Sophomore Winston Huang also submitted a proposal to the SFA Wednesday, aiming to allow varsity athletes to receive one physical education credit per school year for their participation in sports. The topic has come up in previous SFA meetings, according to history teacher Gregory Drake. Price said it is not clear whether the proposal follows physical education graduation requirements under Massachusetts law. BY

In the air: Sophomore Victoria Holland performed with the Dance Team on Senior Night Thursday, Feb. 17.

Teddy Wenneker

Foundation plans process to sell plaques ALEX FEIT In order to raise money for Newton Public Schools, Newton Schools Foundation (NSF) will ask permission from the School Committee to sell name plaques that will be placed in various areas of this school, according to School Committee member Kurt Kusiak. “We are attempting to raise funds for the technology needs for all of our schools in Newton because it has become clear that our yearly budget is not sufficient to do so,” Kusiak said. BY

Kusiak said that NSF is presently seeking to sell plaques that would be placed on the back of auditorium seats. NSF is also exploring selling naming rights to certain areas of the school such as athletic facilities, auditoriums and classrooms, he said. According to Kusiak, NSF is “also considering selling bricks or tiles on hallway walls with donors’ names,” he said. Although the current proposal is to raise money to fund the Newton Public Schools’ technol-

ogy needs, “exactly where the money will be spent has yet to be decided,” Kusiak said. In fact, none of the details have been set, according to NSF co-president Liz Richardson. “This naming process must have a team effort that includes both high school principals and staff, along with the NSF and School Committee,” Richardson said. “This is going to be a respectful process, where we are going to be able to raise badly needed revenue, but also honor people

important in the schools and community,” she added. Kusiak mentioned that the program will “hopefully, in the long run, relieve Newton Public Schools from having to pay for some of our schools’ technology needs and free up some of our yearly budget allocation for other pressing needs, such as hiring teachers or paying for much-needed building maintenance. The plan was recently presented at a School Committee meeting Monday, Feb. 14.

Teachers start new summer trip to Italy HILARY BRUMBERG To give students a global lense about the history, language, literature and culture of northern Italy, this school is starting a two-week summer trip there, according to Latin teacher Sherley Blood. The main destination of the trip, which will take place July 12 to July 27, will be the “beautiful mountain town” of Piacenza, Blood said. There, students will stay in a family-owned hotel and participate in classes on Italian history, architecture, contemporary politics and literature, helping them understand the “interconBY

nectedness of our world and the borderless nature of global issues,” according to the trip’s mission statement. Students will take three to four excursions to Venice, Florence and the Italian Riviera. They will also visit a field school that studies Etruscan and Roman archeology, Blood said. “It really appeals to students of Latin because of the archeology element and the connection to the art of both Romans and Etruscans.” Another day trip will be to the museum and mansion at Lago d’ Garda, a “gigantic” lake where the Roman poet Catullus and his

family lived, Blood said. “Catullus is famous for his poetry that sounds like it could be written today, but it was written 2,000 years ago,” she said. Because the course is for credit, students will be expected to read articles and historical accounts, keep a traveler’s notebook of their experiences, write two short papers and complete a final reflective paper or project, according to Blood. World language department head Nancy Marrinucci said that the trip is different from the Italian exchange because the exchange is only available to students of Italian and focuses

primarily on Italian language and culture. Chief innovation officer Steve Chinosi, whose family lives in Piacenza, had the idea to start the exchange. “This trip is truly unique,” he said. “It offers our students a glimpse at incredible places that most tourists will never discover. This is a real learning adventure through some of northern Italy’s hidden gems.” The trip costs $3,850 and is available to freshmen, sophomores and juniors at this school and South. If interested, contact Blood or Chinosi as soon as possible.

See inside for student bands, Mountain Classroom and winter sports

pages 8-9

page 12

pages 14-16

opinion

2 U Newtonite, Newton North

Opinions shared on core texts AMANDA HILLS Each grade has core texts that are a part of the English curriculum at this school. Freshman year, students read The Odyssey and Romeo and Juliet. During students’ sophomore year, they read Oedipus Rex and Macbeth. The Scarlet Letter, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Their Eyes Were Watching God are the core texts for juniors. As seniors, students read Hamlet. BY

mass interview

Teachers and students shared their varying opinions on the texts that are read as a part of the English curriculum at this school.

Teachers

English teacher Liz CraigOlins said uses specific strategies to help her students with difficult texts. She explained, “We read out loud in class. I have them look at discreet passages to examine individual words. We work in groups and then go over questions as a class to see what kids missed. I give them a set of strategies so they can get comfortable with certain ones.” English teacher Kim Parker also aims for the students to gain comfort with the texts. She said, “I spend some time pre-teaching words that readers will encounter often.”

Seniors

According to Russell Fidelman, “I think it’s good to have some commonality in the English curriculum through the core texts, but it also limits the individual curriculum that teachers want to have.” Rosie McInnes said has enjoyed all the material. She said, “I’ve liked all the books that we’ve read. I’ve read them all. Junior year we read some great books. I like to read, so I guess I like the books more than other people.”

Juniors

Ellie Abbott said she finds the push of required reading helpful. “I think that reading requirements are overall a good thing because it forces kids to read,

Can I still get into college if I only take five honors classes?

whereas normally we wouldn’t unless forced to just because there’s a lack of time,” she said. Brian Lenihan said he finds that “there’s always too much assigned.”

Sophomores

Audrey Derobert understands why English classes have specific books that must be read. She said, “I don’t mind English reading requirements because I end up reading material that, on my own, I probably never would’ve tried. But, sometimes it can get stressful because I want to be reading naturally, but I have to pay attention for taking notes or what the teacher wants to hear about.” Alex Gribov thinks that it’s a good idea “to expose students to the classics, but it’s just as important to give them time to read books that they are interested in.” Charlotte Moore said she doesn’t always enjoy what the teachers assign to read. She said, “They should choose more contemporary books. The books are boring.”

Freshmen

Drew Gately understands the need for requirements, but finds them frustrating. He said, “They’re necessary, but really boring—nothing I wouldn’t expect.” Michael Shale said he struggles with Shakespeare’s wording. He said, “It’s like learning a new language. The teachers shouldn’t expect us to learn a new language in a short amount of time, and that’s what this is like.” Ari Shoham said he finds the books underwhelming. “The requirements are fair, I just don’t find them exciting,” he said. Sophie Sokolov thinks that the core texts are a “good idea, but it is important to leave two to three books up to the teacher’s discretion.” English curriculum core texts can be challenging. Some find the homework to be too much. For others, it introduces them to new styles of literature. Reading requirements have their purpose, even when the books are difficult.

Newtonite The Newtonite, founded in 1922, is the newspaper of Newton North High School, 457 Walnut St., Newtonville, Mass. 02460. Editors in chief — Hilary Brumberg, Ben Hills, Perrin Stein Managing editors — Jay Feinstein, Jacob Schwartz Graphics manager — Gabe Dreyer News editors — Alex Feit, Samantha Libraty Sports editors — Gloria Li, Kristian Lundberg Arts editors — Malini Gandhi, Fatema Zaidi Features editors — Meredith Abrams, Julia Oran, Kayla Shore Freelance editors — Ryan Condon, Steven Michael News analysis editor — Amanda Hills Talk of the Tiger editor — Julia Moss Photography editors — Maliha Ali, Alec Mapes-Frances Production manager — Gabby Ginsberg Advertising managers —Tiphaine Kugener, Evan Nitkin

Friday, March 4, 2011

Business manager — Alison Berkowitz Circulation managers — Phil Rubin, Michela Salvucci Online editor — Henry DeGroot Adviser — Kate Shaughnessy Production adviser — Tom Donnellan News staff — Emmett Greenberg, Jared Perlo Features staff — Anna Clements, Jared Freedman Sports staff — Jesse Metzger, Infiniti Thomas-Waheed Arts staff — Ned Martenis, Noah Thompson News analysis staff — Kellynette Gomez Art staff — Catherine Chen, Arielle Conti, Rin Rogers Photography staff — Jenny Lewis, Ivan McGovern, Teddy Wenneker Circulation staff — Irene BettsO’Rourke, Sam Jones, Phillipine Kugener, Matthew Soloman Production staff — Charles Attisano

The Newtonite staff does all the reporting, production work and photography to produce 16 issues a year for a circulation of 2,000. To place an ad in the Newtonite or contact us by phone, please call 617-559-6273. Yearly subscriptions cost $20. Readers can also reach us at thenewtonite@gmail.com. To find the Newtonite online go to www.thenewtonite.com.

Julia Moss

Many students stress over curriculum level placements for the upcoming school year.

Pick appropriate class levels This school’s curriculum levels cover a broad span of academic abilities. In each core subject, there is a level to fit each student’s needs and capabilities.

editorial History department head Jonathan Bassett said, “Our goal is to ensure that every student is appropriately supported and appropriately challenged.” With multiple levels offered for English, history, math, science and world language, students are able to find a level that best suits them. Everyone can find the right balance between succeeding in his or her class

while also being challenged. In addition, the abilities of students within each level are much more equal. Students can get more out of a class when they are in a surrounding with kids who learn at the same pace as them. Bassett said, “We do our best to make placement recommendations that reflect the student’s academic abilities, and will put him or her in the environment where he or she will have successes while learning as much as possible.” This school is fortunate to have such a wide spread of curriculum levels. This variety of placement is extremely beneficial to a student’s learning.

Nobody has to be put in a level too difficult or easy for him or her, as the teachers are “conscious of being flexible” regarding placements, according to Bassett. If an honors or AP class seems daunting, adding it to your course load will only create stress. Students shouldn’t move into a high-level class if the workload is too heavy or the pace will be too fast. On the other hand, students shouldn’t move down a level in hopes that it will be an easy A grade. With a plethora of options, all students can choose a curriculum level that is appropriate for them and that allows them to succeed.

School supports deaf students KELLYNETTE GOMEZ Deaf Culture Day was a success. Wednesday, Feb. 16, PowerPoint presentations and trivia games educated audiences on the causes of deafness and the technological services that are offered to the deaf and hard of hearing community. Deaf Culture Day’s purpose is to be informative. Its goal is to explain deafness, what it means to be part of that community and how to handle communicating with a deaf or hard of hearing person. The Education Collaborative program at this school serves to help students with hearing loss. This program gives students the opportunity to learn in classes with only EDCO BY

viewpoint students, as well as participate in mainstream classes with provided services. Support such as interpreters, learning note-taking skills, speech therapy and counseling are offered. When I was younger, I went to a mainstream school where there were not many accommodations made to help me earn high grades. It gave me no motivation to go to school. But, things have changed. This school has given me the support I didn’t have at my previous school. I found the EDCO program here. I am still in mainstream classes, but I also have a Resource Room, which is similar to a study hall because it

helps me when I am struggling in a class. I have both hearing and deaf friends, something I did not have before. My motivation is now stronger than ever. I want to go to college and pursue a major in psychology and a minor in deaf education. Deaf Culture Day is an opportunity for deaf students to teach normally hearing students and staff something new about deafness. It gives us a chance to prove that we can do anything––except hear! It’s one thing to teach what being deaf is like, and another to show what it’s like. Deaf Culture Day is an important day for this school to teach about the deaf and hard of hearing community.

Trash in hallways piles up Do your part, throw trash in bins TO THE EDITOR: As I walked through the hallways the other afternoon around 3:45 p.m., I was very stunned at the huge amounts of debris lying on the floors: empty cartons of high energy drinks, dirty napkins, written school work, assignments, coffee containers and cardboard sleeves for hot drinks. The custodians at this school work incredibly hard to clean and maintain this building. It is

letter not their responsibility to pick up people’s trash along the corridors. I picked these items up and threw them away into either the trash can or recycle bin. Our school has plenty of bins for trash and recyclable items. Please, be responsible and use them. —ALISON MALKIN PREVENTION/INTERVENTION COUNSELOR

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, March 4, 2011

Newton North, Newtonite U 3

Seniors intern, begin projects ALEX FEIT Two programs for seniors, Senior Year Project and Senior Program of Alternatives to Regular Classes (SPARC), began at the start of the second semester. Students in SPARC, which has run since 1985, intern for a business or company within a particular field in order to “gain direct experience in a particular field of interest,” according to the SPARC handbook. According to work study and co-op coordinator Rachel Sturma, “It’s a wonderful opportunity to spend time thinking about careers before you pursue them.” Participants of SPARC must intern for a minimum of 15 hours per week, keep a weekly journal and attend regular SPARC-based seminars and conferences, according to the handbook. At the end of the year, students in SPARC must prepare a final presentation detailing their internship experience and what they have learned. Students must also be in good academic standing towards graduation requirements, Sturma said. However, there are endless possibilities for students, according to Sturma. “It’s entirely student-driven and independent,” she said. “There are no existing opportunities—it’s up to the student to find the opportunity that he or she is passionate about.” Sturma co-coordinates the program with Kyra Bateman, a counselor. Seniors participating in SPARC and their internships are: U Natasha Antonellis—Workers Compensation Research Institute U Annisya Bagdonas—Seamstress for Helen Handel

U Ka t B l y u m — N e w t o n Wellesley Hospital U Elaine Choy—My Gym Children’s Fitness Center U Catherine Connor—West Suburban YMCA U Marisa DiDino—Tatum LLC Financial Consulting Firm U Erika Fernandes—92.9 radio station U Marissa Goldman—apprentice to Ilana Marolson, artist U Julia Goldman—Animal Rescue League, Dedham U Eleana Gudema—Susanne McInerney and the Mass Real Estate Team U Tamara Matama—West Suburban YMCA U Jose Morgan—Newton City Hall U Gina Paone—NewtonWellesley Hospital U Marcus Parker—West Suburban YMCA U Eric Regensburg—Raincastle Communications U Hannah Schon—Urbanity Dance Project U Anthony Zagame—SZ Reality Seniors can also take part in Senior Year Project. Created in 2007 to offer more engaging academic options for second semester seniors, the program allows students to be “put in the position of the ‘expert’ while independently researching a topic of their choice during second semester,” according to the project’s website. “It’s an opportunity for students to investigate what they love,” said chief innovation officer Steve Chinosi, who directs Senior Year Project. Within the program, participants propose topics to research. They also, then, complete essays and formal presentations of completed research for their projects. Students also create web

Mock Trial members gain experience

most witness expertise” on the witness stand. “She really figures out how to prepare for impromptu cross examination,” he said. The team lost by one point to Gann Academy Thursday, Feb. 17. “It was an extremely close meet,” Dinsmore said. It also faced off against Belmont Hill for its final meet Tuesday, losing by three.

ALEX FEIT Mock Trial has already met its primary goals this season, according to junior Michael Dinsmore, the officer. “The biggest goal we’ve met is to regain enthusiasm for the club, because coming into this year, Newtonian we were very Michael small,” DinsDinsmore more said. Even though several meets were delayed due to inclement weather, the club continued to meet Wednesday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m. According to Dinsmore, participants in Mock Trial stage an entire legal trial that is set up by the Massachusetts Bar Association. Students are given evidence to use in the trial, and the team takes turns presenting each side of the trial during meets. Junior Meredith Abrams is one of the most experienced members of the team and is an essential part of the club, according to Dinsmore. “By taking on so many roles, she is able to ease the burden for new members, who might otherwise get overwhelmed,” he said. Dinsmore also noted junior Melissa Levy as having “the BY

Student advances to next poetry contest

SAMANTHA LIBRATY Selected students participated in Poetry Out Loud, a poem recitation contest, Monday, Feb. 14 during X-block in the film lecture hall. Poetry Out Loud is a competition for high school students across the country. According to English teacher Adam Carpenter, who co-organizes the event here with English teacher Tim Finnegan, to participate, “students had to choose from a list of poems, then they competed against their classmates to earn a spot at the school final.” The winner within each participating class advanced to the school-wide contest. These finalists performed for a group of teachers, who decided on a winner using a rubric with Poetry Out Loud guidelines. Senior Derek Butterton won, so he will advance to the regional competition tomorrow at the Masonic Temple in Framingham. There, he will compete against students from other BY

Gabe Dreyer

Lecturing: English teacher Kevin McGrath helps students work on Senior Year Projects. pages to display their work on the topic, Chinosi said. “Kids can really own their education,” he said. Students must be in good academic standing to fulfill all course and graduation requirements in order to take part in the program. Students participating in Senior Year Project and their projects are: U Luca Ainger—Analyzing public green buildings U Rebecca Ansolabehere—A look at Basque-American cuisine U Karen Brier—Developing a Harry Potter English course U Kim Cabrera—What fictional characters can teach us about the times they “lived” in U Ilana Cohen—Study of depression and anxiety in high schools U Marena Cole—What can be done to get people to bike more in Boston U Nicole Dube—Study of music therapy and neuroscience U Sam Quigley—Exploration

of music in filmmaking U Aviva Galpert—Study of what is shared by three theologies about God U Caleb Gannon—Evolution of American film U Anna Gargas—The disappearance of the Wampanoag language U Mercer Gary—Latin American studies U Philip Halin—Benefits and organization of urban farming U Hannah Herrlich—Looking at how to improve the public school system U Jaryd Justice-Moote— Evolving technology and art U Amanda King—Examination of how American authors captured their generations U Jess Kramer—Study of positive psychology U Miriam Lee—Experimenting with music composition and recording U Kate Lewis—Study of inspiration for creative writing U Pierre Looper—Fall of “mom and pop” farm in America

U John MacGaffey—Exploration of American social movements through folk music U Maddie MacWilliams—Female rock musicians in America U Jeremy Markson—Determining if self-publication is viable U Andrea Marzilli—Keeping bees and jarring honey U Rosie McInnes—Effects of Hurricane Katrina on teenage girls U Devon Mychal—Electronic music production, sampling and music copyright law U Lauren Lob—Making the best of food shopping U Phoebe Nesgos—Dissection of the personal portrait U Gaby Perez-Dietz—How science influences fashion design U Christopher Rao—Study of the consignment clothing business U Dong-Gil Shin—Investigating polymer physics in biology U Jesse Simmons—Study of what defines an art exhibit

in brief

with about 20 schools participating, Gao added. “We haven’t had any other competitions at North this year, but we did host WSSL back in 2008,” Gao said. For this event, Gao said, “Everything went smoothly, with no major mishaps.”

sent a check to Smile Train,” she said. Next, Purdy proposed for her A- and C-block biology classes to raise funds for the charity. “The candy bars sold so quickly that within a couple of days we raised over $100,” she said. According to Purdy, a donation of $250 to Smile Train pays for one child to undergo surgery. “American doctors go out and train doctors in developing countries to perform surgery to correct cleft lips and palates. “Our donation went to help five children from Vietnam, Philippines, Cambodia, Nigeria and Mexico. These children with cleft lips and palates are abandoned and malnourished because they can’t eat. Fortyfive minutes provides a surgery for one child, and it saves their lives,” she said. When Purdy’s A- and C-block classes reach their fundraising goal of $250, she hopes to start the project with her F- and Gblock classes.

schools in the area, Carpenter said. “After he pwns everyone, being a winner at the regional competition, he’ll move on to the state competition,” Carpenter said. He said the contest “gives students the opportunity to embrace the fine art of poetry recitation and be changed by it.” Carpenter said.

Science team works to prep for Olympiad

SAMANTHA LIBRATY With several competitions still to come, the science team is pleased with its results so far, according to senior Helen Gao, the captain. The Science Olympiad will be Saturday, March 19, “which is our biggest competition of the year,” Gao said. If the team does well at the Olympiad, it will advance to Nationals in May. Saturday, Feb. 12, the team competed in the Science Bowl, “a Jeopardy-style competition in which team members buzz in answers to questions,” said Gao. The team’s members placed ninth through 11th. In an intramural competition held at this school Thursday, Feb. 10, the team came in fifth place. “We did really well in each of the events we competed in that day,” Gao said. The intramural competition was a Western Suburban Science League event, Gao said. Schools take turns hosting a competition every three years, BY

Teacher, students sell candy for Smile Train

STEVEN MICHAEL Several years ago during a visit to New York City, science teacher Jo-Anne Purdy saw a newspaper article for a charity called Smile Train on the subway. She said she was intrigued by the charity’s mission—to correct cleft lips and palates of children in the developing world—and decided to become involved. At the beginning of this year, Purdy proposed that her freshman homeroom raise money for the charity by selling candy and donating the proceeds. “We sold 500 candy bars, yielding a $250 profit, and we BY

arts

4 U Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, March 4, 2011

Murder mystery ‘Curtains’ to be spring musical FATEMA ZAIDI Award-winning choreographer Kirsten McKinney is directing the musical “Curtains,” a show within a show about a murder mystery, which will go on stage Thursday, March 12 through Saturday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium. “Curtains” is about a company of actors in 1959 that is putting on a country version of Robin Hood. The actors are not very talented and the show turns out poorly, said junior Emily Paley, who is playing the role of Georgia Hendricks. At the end of the Robin Hood show, the leading lady collapses, and the musical becomes a murder mystery, said Paley. L i e u t e n a n t F r a n k C i o ffi, played by junior Graham Techler, comes from the Boston Police to Boston’s Colonial Theatre to investigate the mystery. “Lieutenant Cioffi is a serious BY

policeman, but then we find out that he has always had a love for musical theatre, and he helps the cast gain its morale back,” Paley said. The producer of the show, Carmen Bernstein, who will be played by senior Kelly McIntyre, is very bossy and acts as the mother hen of the whole pack—she has a lot to do and is very determined in her job, said Paley. But the rest of the actors know that the show is miserable and begin to lose their confidence, she said. “After Carmen screams at the cast for complaining, they sing my favorite song, ‘Thataway,’ which is about how much they love being on stage, which is true for us as actors as well,” Paley said. One of McKinney’s favorite songs is “Thataway” as well, she said. “It is the reason why I liked

Maliha Ali

Dance: Seniors Fionnuala O’Donovan and David Gore and junior Emily Paley rehearse. the show to begin with. It is a great dance number,” McKinney said. Another one of Paley’s favorite songs is ‘Showpeople’ because it is a real “showstopper,” she said. “The songs are very funny and campy, and that represents the mood of the show as well,” said Paley. The scene that she is most looking forward to is when the

Maliha Ali

In rehearsal: Freshman Maddy Waters, sophomores Madeline Murphy and Michaela BerlaShulock, freshman Alex Shames and junior Alessandra Denaro practice a dance scene.

murderer is revealed. According to Paley, “even though it’s very funny, the show is a murder mystery, so it definitely is a surprise when the murderer is revealed. “‘Curtains’ has relatable characters, and it is very showy and funny, yet it has genuine moments as well,” said Paley. “It does a great job of including all the components of musical theatre,” Paley noted. Senior Anna Gargas designed the costumes for “Curtains.” The costumes are of the 1950s period, and because it is a show within the show, there are numerous costumes, Gargas said. The wide range of costumes includes western theme costumes as well as mermaids and saloons—there is also a pajama scene, Gargas said. “Each ensemble has about six costumes, so there are hundreds of costumes,” she said. “The idea is for it all to be very light-hearted. Even though it’s a murder mystery, the point of the show is for the audience to come and just forget all their problems, which is different from ‘Cabaret,’ because it had a very heavy message,” Gargas said. Junior Aaron Siegel designed the set. It consists of seven different looks, which are all quite different, he said. “It’s different from last year because the orchestra pit is not a part of the set, since there is an actual orchestra pit for the orchestra to be in,” said Siegel. “The show will take place in

Boston’s Colonial Theatre, and the show is within a show, so for some scenes there is a look of a western saloon and in others the setting shows what would be backstage in the Colonial Theatre. There is a director’s chair and other things that you would find in a backstage setting,” said Siegel. McKinney is looking forward to bringing the costumes and the set together, she said. “I am looking forward to bringing together all of the different elements of this production. The technical aspects are quite massive as well as the costumes, so putting all the puzzle pieces together and seeing them work together is what I am looking forward to the most,” McKinney said. According to McKinney, “We chose this show because it has a lot of challenges and opportunities for many students—both on and off the stage.” “Plus, it was a great contrast to ‘Cabaret’ last year,” she added. Junior Molly Mamon is part of the ensemble, and this is the first show at this school that she has participated in. Mamon has learned time management skills through “Curtains,” she said. “I have to balance homework, rehearsal and dance practice. But all the actors are great— they are both talented and experienced, and the whole show is just really fun,” she said. Tickets must be reserved, and will be sold for $10, $14 and $16 at all lunches and on theatreink.net.

Coffeehouse features student music, comedy MALINI GANDHI FATEMA ZAIDI In order to raise money for orphans in Zambia, the First Unitarian Society in Newton (FUSN) annual Youth Coffeehouse will feature music and comedy acts from Newton students, allowing the audience to “support local youth as well as raise money for a really good cause,” according to senior Rosie McInnes, an artistic director. Tomorrow from 7 to 11 p.m., the event will be held at FUSN for its 10th year in a row. The money raised goes to the Zambian village of Chawama to improve a school for orphans, many of whom had parents who suffered from HIV/AIDS, McInnes said. Through the non-profit organization Communities Without Borders FUSN has joined other churches in supporting the children, using annual fundraisers such as the Coffeehouse to gain money. In order to observe first-hand what their money benefits, members of the FUSN youth group also have the opportunity BY

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to travel to Zambia during the summer. Senior Jing Cox-Orrell, who is helping to organize the decor for the event, described the trip as a “fabulous experience.” “It was hard to be exposed to so much poverty, but the trip actually helped me decide that I want to go into community health care,” she said. In the past, t h e money Newtonian raised from the Jing Coffeehouse Cox-Orrell has gone to wards projects such as ensuring that all the children are provided with at least one meal a day, according to Cox-Orrell. “I think the most rewarding part of the Coffeehouse is that people realize how far their money goes. One hundred dollars can give a student the ability to go to school for a year,” she said. They are expecting to raise about $4,000 to $5,000, money

that “goes to the kids, 100%,” said Cox-Orwell. According to senior Liz Thomas, the decor coordinator, members of the youth group who traveled to Zambia will have the opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences during the Coffeehouse. “It’s just a really fun event, and it’s all about giving to a good cause,” Thomas said. Junior Claire Perreault, the student producer of the show, also noted that the Coffeehouse is a valuable opportunity for students to gain leadership skills and be involved in the planning of a fundraiser. “Organizing the Coffeehouse has given me great leadership skills,” Perreault said. “It’s really fun and makes me feel empowered.” Perreault started working at the event her freshman year, and it has become a routine, she said. “ We have a big meeting where we organize committees for who’s in charge of food, acoustic acts, etc., and then, it just all comes together in the end,” she said.

Last year, 200 to 300 people attended the Coffeehouse, Perreault said. She noted that the show has become “a lot more widespread because before there used to be just members of the church.” The first act will consist of comedy, singing and dancing, including a performance by Forté, this school’s all-girl a capella group, according to Perreault. Various student bands, such as 53rd Reason, Common Illusion, Freedom Child and Plumbean, will perform in the second act.

McInnes, who is also an officer of Forté, said that the group has performed at the Coffeehouse for many years. “The Coffeehouse is always a huge success, and since we have a couple of new singing and dancing groups, I think it will be really good,” she said. “Kids, adults and older people all come. It’s just a really nice community feel,” McInnes said. Perreault said, “People should come because it’s really fun, and it only costs $5, which is not a big investment. It’s a great event for a great cause.”

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Newton North, Newtonite U 5

Concert displays student growth, talent RYAN CONDON MALINI GANDHI Showcasing performances from nearly the entire music department, Winterfest, which took place Wednesday Feb. 9 and Thursday, Feb. 10, was a moving, spirited compilation of music that highlighted students’ continuing work and growth.

by John Zdechlik, a striking, dissonant version of the wellknown Shaker tune “Simple Gifts,” was another highlight of Wind Ensemble’s performance, beginning as a twisted, pulsing conglomeration of various instruments before finally rising into a triumphant rendition of the original melody. Following Wind Ensemble, Orchestra presented “Kamarinskaya” by Mikhail Glinka, a collection of Russian folksongs made into a wedding dance. The same melody alternated between upbeat and almost frantic to slow and exaggerated, creating a mesmerizing contrast.

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review The theme of change and embracing new opportunities seemed to be present in every ensemble’s preparation, with the directors citing shifts in culture and attitude. Casey Schueurell, director of Jazz Ensemble I, noted that many of the soloists in Jazz Ensemble I’s performance had never soloed before and were “just getting their feet wet.” Also taking on a challenge, Wind Ensemble tackled a 10minute long piece that was “twice as long as what we normally play,” according to director Richard Labedz. Fine and performing arts department head Todd Young, director of Concert Choir, said that he really started to see his students “appreciate music at a new level.” “What I find amazing is that I get to see a culmination of work develop. With Concert Choir, I see immediately their progression in class each day, but with the other groups, I see a bird’s eye view of the students working really hard to make this unique experience,” Young said.

Winterfest I

Day one of Winterfest featured performances by Symphonic Band, Jazz Ensembles I and II and Tiger Bebop. Kicking off the night was Symphonic Band with a sharp and beautiful performance of the song “Flourish” by R. Vaughan Williams, which Labedz said he chose as the opening number because it began with a “nice fanfare from the brass.” The song was an inspiring high note and an engaging way to start off the concert.

Ray Memorial Concert

Gabe Dreyer

Winterfest: Juniors Evan Harris and Ben Duvall, members of Jazz Ensemble I, practice. Symphonic Band also played “Song Without Words” by Gustav Holst, a stirring piece that included a solo by Mac Hecht, as well as the breathtakingly chilling song “The Maelstrom” by Robert W. Smith. After Symphonic Band, Tiger Bebop took the stage for its first concert of the year, an event Labedz described as an exciting experience that “showcased the various talents of the group.” A highlight of Tiger Bebop’s section was an animated performance of “Splanky” by Nier Hefy, which used human voices to mimic instruments. The song also included inspired solos from a variety of students, which resulted in an interesting mix of voices and instruments. After Tiger Bebop’s presentation, Jazz Ensemble II came onstage and played “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” by Joe Zawinul. The song was upbeat and catchy, with slight pauses adding a positive effect.

Next was a presentation of “Red Clay” by Freddie Hubbard. The song had a strong beat, and an excellent solo by freshman Julian Chase on the alto saxophone added to the appeal. Following Jazz Ensemble II was Jazz Ensemble I, which performed “Moanin’” by Bobby Timmons. Scheuerell described the song as “an exciting gospel tune with a call and response theme.” The song was fun and colorful, and it was played with noticeable energy. “Dance of Denial” by Michael Phillip Mossman, a lively middle-eastern song with a unique rhythm, was performed next, while “Not Yet Over the Hill” by Mark Taylor provided a dramatic conclusion.

Winterfest reached an end with the Ray Memorial Concert, an annual event which commemorates former teacher Ray Smith by featuring a lengthy masterpiece that combines efforts from Concert Choir, Family Singers and Orchestra. This year ’s piece was Schubert’s “Mass in G,” which Grossman described as a “staple of choral literature.” Beginning with deep notes from the cellos, trickling violins and almost melancholy voices, “Mass in G” became more urgent and vivacious as it progressed, and powerful solos added to the splendor. The level of concentration necessary to perform the grandeur and complexity of the piece was admirable. According to Young, “The hardest rehearsal is definitely the first one because the students have no idea what the thing is about, so it’s tedious and not very fun, especially because you have to crank through the basics.” However, Young noticed that by the final performance, the students were aware of how their smaller parts worked with the bigger whole. “It was extraordinary to see students appreciate music at a new level, and I’m thankful we had the opportunity to do something like this,” Young said. U NED MARTENIS AND FATEMA ZAIDI

The second half of Winterfest consisted of performances by Concert Choir, Family Singers, Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. To open the concert, Family Singers performed “April is

My Mistress’ Face” by Thomas Morley, a slow, smooth piece brimming with overlapping harmonies and high sopranos that resonated over a solemn bass. The Elizabethan madrigal “Fair Phyllis” by John Farmer was performed next, a song that Family Singers director Adam Grossman highlighted because “it was so different from everything else we have done,” and it was “a lot of fun to sing,” he said. Bouncy and sharp, yet controlled, “Fair Phyllis” was resounding and complex. Wind Ensemble’s performance began with the deep, sinister pounding of “Mars” from “The Planets” by Gustav Holst, a dark, foreboding song that was played with passion and intensity as it rose into a desperate flurry of short staccatos. According to Labedz, the students had expressed interest in playing “Mars” and it proved to be “fun and challenging.” “Chorale and Shaker Dance”

Then, she sang “Tu pupila es Azul” by J. Turina, accompanied by Yoon on piano. Yoon started the selection in a slow, minor key. Choi then started singing in major key, but the piano remained minor, which created an interesting contrast. At one point, Yoon stopped playing piano, giving Choi an a capella solo. Next, Choi sang “O Mio Babbino Caro” by Giacomo Puccini from the opera “Gianni Schicchi,” which she performed in a very slow, yet powerful way. The penultimate song was “Ebben Ne Andro Lontana” by Alfredo Catalani from the opera “La Wally.” It was a complicated piece, but Choi did a magnificent job, displaying a brilliant use of crescendo and decrescendo. Also, the piece was never at the same tempo, a challenging aspect that Choi handled with great accuracy. To conclude the show, former professor Herbert Walters of Boston College walked up to the piano to accompany Choi, who sang the spiritual piece “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” This selection used repetition as a device to engage the audience.

Hitting every note: Opera singer Shinja Choi performs.

Winterfest II

CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ARTICLE

Opera singer raises money for schools through concert JAY FEINSTEIN Opera singer Shinja Choi held a benefit concert at this school Friday, Feb. 11. Proceeds went to this school and Underwood Elementary School. Choi was born in Korea and has performed in America, Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Japan, Korea and Switzerland, according to the program. She has a Bachelor of Music degree from Ewha Woman’s University in Seoul and a Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music in New York. To open the concert, she performed “Schafe Konnen Sicher Weiden” by Johann Sebastian Bach. Erika Boysen and TJ Wible accompanied her on the flute, and YeoJin Yoon accompanied her on piano. The flutes played a beautiful harmony that meshed nicely with Choi’s strong voice. Next, she sang “Come Again Sweet Love” by John Dowland, one of the English selections on the program. Seon Ho Song played the guitar giving the classical tune a modern touch. She performed “Hirt Auf Dem Felsen” by Franz Schubert next. Meghan Kerley accompanied her on clarinet and Yoon accompanied her on the piano. Yoon and Kerley started playBY

review ing for the first minute and a half, setting a slow, warm tone. As soon as Choi came in, the tune became faster. Thereafter, Yoon and Choi performed together for the majority of the piece, while Kerley came in periodically. It ended with Kerley and Yoon playing an upbeat tune. Then, baritone Dong Won Kim came up to the stage to belt “Dicitencello Vuie” by Rodolfo Falvo. He had a loud, low voice and used strong gestures to improve his performance. Choi and Kim then sang a duet of Wolfgang Amadaeus Mozart’s “La Ci Darem La Mano” from the opera “Don Giovanni.” Choi and Kim flowed from unison to harmony many times throughout the piece. Both singers made forceful movements in order to convey the power of the piece. Choi performed “Geu-ri-wun Geumgangsan” by Youngsub Choi next. It was soft, yet precise, and Choi hit every note perfectly. After, Choi sang “Notre Amour” by Gabriel Faure. It was noticeably higher than some of the other pieces. Choi hit many impressive notes.

Gabe Dreyer

6 U Newtonite, Newton North

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Friday, March 4, 2011

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Friday, March 4, 2011

Newton North, Newtonite U 11

Talk of the

Tiger

What is the funniest word? Have you ever said a word over and over and realized how ridiculous it sounds? Students at this school have put more thought into this question than one might expect. In fact, all students answered the above question immediately, as if they had been thinking about it for a while. Here is the list they have compiled: Nematoda

noun (Zoology) a large phylum of worms with slender, unsegmented, cylindrical bodies, including the roundworm, threadworm and eelworm. —Freshman Ben Galgano

Defenestration

noun the action of throwing someone or something out of a window. —Freshman Matt Thacker

Eucalyptus

noun any of numerous often tall trees belonging to the genus Eucalyptus, of the myrtle family, native to Australia, having aromatic evergreen leaves that are the source of medicinal oils and heavy wood used as timber. —Sophomore Greta Schindler

Loofah

noun (also loofa, luffa) a coarse, fibrous cylindrical object used like a bath sponge for washing. It consists of the dried fibrous matter of the fluid-transport system of a marrow-like fruit. —Sophomore Eliza Burr

Uvula

noun a fleshy extension at the back of the soft palate that hangs above the throat. —Junior Ryan Chan

Cacophony

noun a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds —Junior Ilana Greenstein

Moist*

adjective slightly wet; damp or humid —Senior Jess Kramer

Expelliarmus

expression A Harry Potter spell that produces a jet of scarlet light. This spell is used to disarm another wizard, typically by causing the victim’s wand to fly out of reach. It can also throw the target backwards when enough power is put into it. If it hits or gets close to another spell and if powerful enough, it will deflect the spell. —Senior Justin Phillips

*Note: For some unknown reason, three people originally said “moist.” To add variety, they were asked to come up with a second choice. Definitions courtesy of dictionary.com.

—JULIA MOSS

A Dim Future

Julia Moss

Crazy Excuses At this school, if you come late or don’t show up at all on a given day, you better be equipped with a good excuse unless you’re prepared to N-out of your classes. The house secretaries have to be notified about your absence or tardy so that they can excuse you, so whether your parents call in or write a note, these secretaries hear the full story. Former and current students have given some very creative excuses.

The Excuses:

Adams House secretary Lorene Shapiro said the weirdest excuse she has heard was from a student who was driving to school and ran out of gas on the way. “People go on and on and on,” she said. “Sometimes we really just don’t need to hear about it.” Barry House secretary Karen Tobin has received some notes in the past that were so elaborate, she said, she wished she had saved them. “When kids are absent because they are sick, notes can get pretty graphic as to what the illness is,” Tobin said. “One time a parent even asked me how she should take care of her daughter who was ‘violently throwing up.’” According to Tobin, another mother called and left a message about how her daughter was repeatedly absent because of a toe infection “oozing with pus” that was followed by a stomach bug. Tobin remembers this particular mother to have “gone on and on” about her child, apparently saying in the message, ‘I don’t know why my daughter keeps getting sick. I feed her all the right foods like green beans and everything!’ After recovering from these various illnesses, Tobin said, this girl was absent again because “her cousin’s friend fell out of a window.” Beals House secretary Cheryl Stover said, “Some excuses I’ve been given were just so ridiculous that they had to have been true. If the person had actually been making it up, then they almost deserved to be excused for their creativity.” Stover said she recently received a note explaining that

a student was late because a snowplow got stuck on his street and was blocking his car. “Priceless,” she said. Riley House secretary Maura Roberts has also received some weird excuses. “One day a kid was late, but he was even later because his brother’s car caught on fire,” Roberts said. “And the note was in the car.”

What makes a good excuse?

Shapiro: “It has to be real. If a student leaves a voicemail pretending to be a parent, we can tell right away because of the information they give. If it’s really the parent, they would give their name, a phone number, and a lot of additional information. Students who call as the adult give their name, and that’s it.” Tobin: “The note has to be from the parent. I can recognize signatures, and if a student is forging they face suspension.” Stover: “A tardy note is only legitimate if the student was ill or had an appointment. Oversleeping or ‘I just didn’t feel like it’ won’t get you excused.” Roberts: “I’m not giving away any secrets.”

Make sure your excuse is:

ULegitimate. The house secretaries have been doing this for a long time, so they know whether your excuse is true or not. If for some reason your excuse is not legitimate, try to make it creative. Then there could be at least a fraction of a chance that you could be excused for your creativity. But don’t count on it. UShort and to the point. Have your parents tell your house secretary that you will be absent or tardy, and why. Don’t get graphic, please. The secretaries really don’t want to hear the details of your stomach bug. Listening to all that probably wasn’t part of the description when they signed up for the job. UFrom your parents. It’s pretty obvious if the note is from you. If it was actually from your parents, they’d at least remember to embarrass you a little. —JULIA MOSS

March Fools

Eli Bock

features

12 U Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, March 4, 2011

Students host walk to end homelessness RYAN CONDON When senior Gabriela PerezDietz heard of HomeStart, an organization whose goal is to “end and prevent homelessness in Greater Boston,” she wanted to help, she said. Perez-Dietz and fellow students have teamed up with HomeStart to organize the seventh annual “HomeStart Winter Walk,” a local five-mile walk against homelessness Sunday at noon. The walk will begin with two laps around the outdoor track and continue along Commonwealth Avenue. There is no rain date for the walk. Instead, if there is bad weather, participants will walk the five miles along this school’s indoor track. “HomeStart came to us in Leadership in a Diverse Society and told us about the walk. It sounded like it was a great idea, and many of us volunteered.” “HomeStart is a great organization and a great cause, and people should really consider walking with us, even if you just want some exercise,” said Perez-Dietz. The walk’s goal is to raise awareness about homelessness and raise funds for HomeStart, according to the HomeStart Winter Walk pamphlet. According to Perez-Dietz, “Homelessness is very misunderstood by many people. People think that you must have done something wrong to lose BY

Arielle Conti

HomeStart, a local five-mile walk for charity, is Sunday.

your home. In reality, though, many homeless people have gone to college and were fine until they ran into bad luck.” Senior David Gore, who is also helping organize the walk, said “Everyone on the committee has learned a lot about the root issues of homelessness. Most homeless people are homeless because they don’t have a support system, relatives or friends to fall back on. “Once you’re out on the streets, you have to spend so much time worrying about food and shelter that you can’t work on finding a home,” Gore said. “The whole situation can then become a self-fulfilling prophecy.” Gore said “If you see a homeless person on the street, you should treat him as a real person. Not all homeless people are struggling with substance abuse or anything like that. Some of them just got unlucky. The most important thing is to treat them with respect. “If they ask for money, it’s your personal choice if you want to give it to them,” he said. “However, that doesn’t mean you should just ignore them, at least answer with a polite, ‘No, sorry.’ If you’re not sure what they are going to spend the money on, you can buy them a coffee or something like that.” There are many ways for students who do not think they could walk five miles or can not make it to the event to partici-

pate. They can sponsor a walker by giving a certain amount of money for every mile he or she walks, or they could just donate directly to HomeStart, according to a pamphlet. Gore said that if students are not sure where the money raised will be spent, they can go to www.homestart.org, HomeStart’s website. According to Gore, “HomeStart is a reputable organization that helps the homeless find affordable housing in the Boston area. When you register, you can be assured you are making a difference.” Another way to help out is “Welcome Home Baskets,” which are filled with household items for someone who has just moved into a new apartment. Some of the most-needed items for these baskets include dishes, kitchen appliances and pillows. To register for the walk, participants must fill out a form and, if under 18, have it signed by a parent or guardian. Participants can also register online by going to http:www. regonline.com/Newton_winter_walk_2011. Rick Dwyer, a Boston resident, described living on the streets before discovering HomeStart. “There were times I was so cold I couldn’t feel myself,” he said. “I don’t even want to think about what my life would be like without HomeStart.”

Teachers encourage group bonding through trip PERRIN STEIN For about the past 10 years, this school has sponsored a field trip for Pilot, Links and Springboard students. This trip, Mountain Classroom, is a twoday trip to the AMC Highland Lodge in New Hampshire. This year’s trip was from Wednesday, Feb. 9 to Friday, Feb. 11. While on the Mountain Classroom trip, students participated in group outdoor and teambuilding activities, which were organized by AMC, according to science teacher Michael Hazeltine, a chaperone. Hazeltine h a s c h a p e roned Mountain Classroom for five years beNewtonian cause “I really like the AMC, Michael and I’m in a Hazeltine position where I don’t have that many home responsibilities, so I can leave for a couple nights,” he said. “It’s just a wonderful opportunity to get to know students in an environment different from school.” After arriving at the AMC Highland Lodge early Wednesday afternoon, the 20 students were broken into three groups, each one led by a chaperone. These 20 students were chosen for the program based on certain Links, Springboard or Pilot requirements. In order to learn about the AMC Highland Lodge and to get to know each other better, the students were taught the organization’s policies and went on a small hike, according to Pilot teacher Andrea McClellan, a chaperone. This was McClellan’s second year chaperoning the trip, and she enjoyed “getting to know students out of their environment and to meet some new students.” BY

Through this small hike on Wednesday and the large one that students took on Thursday, McClellan said that “students realized they could do more than they thought they could, which made them really proud of themselves,” she said. On Thursday, each of the groups learned how to snow shoe and went on a snowshoeing hike, according to Hazeltine. “This was the first outdoorsy experience that many of these students had, and they gained appreciation for the outdoors.” Students also learned about animal adaptation by looking at skulls and animal skins. After eating dinner, all 20 students joined together for some personal reflection and team building activities, he said. “They work on a variety of tasks together, which are called initiatives,” according to Links co-director David Turcotte, one of the chaperones and the trip’s organizer. “Each group is given a task that does not have a readily apparent solution, which forces the students to create something together.” Mountain Classroom includes students from Links, Pilot and Springboard, so many of them do not know each other at the start of the trip, according to Turcotte. “By interacting with each other in order to complete challenging tasks, they really learn about each other and themselves,” he said. “In the end, they gain an appreciation for the mountains, environment and places outside their own community.” This was Turcotte’s sixth trip. Like Hazeltine, he keeps going back because he “enjoys hiking and interacting with his students.” Also, “it is helpful to have a teacher there that knows the program and logistics,” he said. On the final day, students

courtesy Michael Hazeltine

Hiking: Science teacher Michael Hazeltine and juniors Jorge Velazque, Lawrence Lawrence and Timmy Hamann pose at the top of Mount Willard Crawford Notch. climbed to the top of Mount Willard Crawford Notch, which is a three-mile hike and the “culminating experience for the students,” he said. One of the seven Pilot students Newtonian who went on the Mountain Jessica Classroom trip Broussard was junior Jessica Brussard. She said she enjoyed climbing Mount Willard Crawford Notch because “it was really tough, but in the end, I did it,” she said. “Also, it was a lot of fun

to learn about the environment and spend time outside, like I wouldn’t normally do.” Participating in this field trip allow students to “learn a lot about themselves,” according to Hazeltine. “Many students

thought that they wouldn’t be able to make it to the top because they hadn’t done anything like this before, but they all made it, which gave them an appreciation for what they can accomplish,” he said.

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Friday, March, 4, 2011

Newton North, Newtonite U 13

Captains serve as role models, leaders EMMETT GREENBERG KRISTIAN LUNDBERG For various teams, captains are needed to provide leadership and act as a role model. They have earned the respect of their teammates through their perseverance and hard work. As senior Alex Petitti, the captain of boys’ gymnastics, said, “Being a captain is a difficult role. You need to put in extra effort and continue that effort every day.” While multiple captains said that it’s an honor to be named a captain, they also pointed out the inherent challenges in trying to lead a team to success. During the course of the season, Petitti said that he faced some difficulties in leading a relatively young team. Boys’ gymnastics ended winless for the year, which Petitti attributes mainly to that inexperience. “For the newer gymnasts, it’s mainly about teaching them the basic training and other information about the sport. For instance, they learn how to respect our opponents and judges properly,” he said. “One thing we try to do is lead by example and perform a move, which newer gymnasts can then attempt to replicate or try something similar.” Petitti said being a captain means that “you work hard, and you plan to continue that work day in and day out.” “Being selected as a captain means that you made an impression upon the coaches, that you are a good role model and leader and that you put in 110 percent every day,” he said. “It’s a honor to be selected for the position,” he said. Boys’ hockey coach Tom Ryan also said that his team captains faced challenges because the team “lost many close games” during the season. “Other than that, we had a great group of kids, and the captains did really well,” he said. According to Ryan, the criteria in selecting a captain are BY

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“whether they’re respected by teammates and not selfish.” “A captain needs to win the respect of the rest of the team, which means they need to have a ‘team-first’ attitude,” he said. “For example, this year we had a captain who needed to change positions from last year, so that just shows his unselfishness and dedication.” For Ryan, captains “go between the coaches and the players and provide input from the team members’ perspective. “We usually talk to our captains about some decisions, such as whether to have an easy or hard practice,” he said. “It’s really important to get their input, because they know how the team is feeling, and they are well respected by both coaches and teammates.” Ryan said that the team picks the following year’s captains at the end of each season in a team-wide vote, while other teams vote at the beginning of the season. “This year our captain selections were almost unanimous,” he said. One of Ryan’s captains, junior Ryan Fanning, noted that the feedback given to the coaches helps the team stay positive. “Our feedback makes sure that everyone on the team is upbeat, and we, as captains, try to ensure that no one on the team feels down,” he said. “I feel honored for my teammates to choose me as a captain—it makes me feel honored to be in that position while having a good time with my fellow teammates.” Lauren Baugher, the softball coach, said that her captains need to “lead by example on and off the field.” “I think that a captain should be someone who kids can go to and feel comfortable talking to,” she said. Baugher also reflected the need for a captain to “be someone I can talk to.” “A captain should also act as a liason between the team and

Teddy Wenneker

Team leader: Junior Katie Caruso takes the face-off in the offensive zone. Caruso is a girls’ hockey captain with seniors Marissa and Michele Troy and junior Stephanie Vitone. the coaches,” she said. For senior Ramzy Kahhale, a captain of boys’ swimming, his job as a captain is to “embody what the team stands for.” “I’m like the coach swimming with the team,” he said. “It’s my job to catch anyone who falls. I want to help the other swimmers reach their comfort zone.” According to Kahhale, a captain needs to act as a role model and “be an example of a perfect

teammate.” “If you’re there day in and day out for the team, you’re doing your job.” As a captain, Kahhale said that he is challenged to promote the team’s “will to learn.” “It’s tough to give people passion or enthusiasm. You have learn how to want to swim,” he said. Still, Kahhale said he enjoyed being a captain and “working

with everyone on the team.” According to senior D’Jaidah Wynn, a girls’ basketball captain, it’s her responsibility to “make sure everyone is ready and is doing her part.” “I try to ensure that everyone on the team is helping out and doing her part, both emotionally and physically,” she said. “It’s great to get a chance to take a leadership role as a captain,” she said.

Alumnus announces at Tiger basketball games JAY FEINSTEIN “TOO many steps—Tiger Ball!” An amplified voice surrounds Tiger fans in perfect inflection as one of the members of the opposing team is caught traveling. This voice comes from Dino Maye ’84, the announcer forthis school’s varsity basketball games. He started announcing in the 2006-2007 school year, back when T.J. Williams was the athletic director, he said. “As an alumni, I asked him how I could help the basketball games out, and he suggested that I announce the games,” he said. “Years later, I’m still doing it.” “I love doing what I do, and I’m happy to give back to my old school, even though this isn’t the building that I went to school in.” Maye was most influenced by his brother, Willie Maye, who has been a Celtics sportscaster for 25 years. “He is and will always be my role model,” he said. “He’s the reason why I decided to get involved.” Not every school has an announcer for its basketball games. “When I got started, I was just about the only one in the Conference,” Maye said. “Recently, I’ve been seeing them more often,” he said. “It’s become more popular.” BY

Teddy Wenneker

DJ Dino: Dino Maye ’84 announces at the varsity basketball games Thursday, Feb. 24. Maye has several favorite phrases to announce at games he said. “D’Jaidah Wynn—WIN WIN WIN,” he announces when referring to a senior captain of the girls’ team. “I also like yelling ‘ayy’ when I mention Barry Santana be-

cause of the rapper who shares his name,” he said. “It’s fun annunciating certain parts of people’s names. Luca is one of the most fun names to pronounce.” In addition to being the announcer, Maye also works as the DJ at games.

“While choosing music, I play whatever the players and fans like to hear,” he said. “I try to make things as upbeat as possible.” The music Maye plays isn’t his favorite, but playing your favorite music isn’t the point of the job, Maye said. “Person-

ally, I like old school music like Frank Sinatra, but whatever keeps the fans happy keeps me happy, too.” Maye is the announcer for the Tigers’ home games, but sometimes he DJs for away games, as well. Recently, Maye attended the Comcast Tournament at BC High Saturday, Feb. 19 for one of his non-league gigs. Maye said he enjoys working with the basketball teams. “Coach Connolly and the rest of the teams welcome me like a family member,” he said. “I appreciate the way that people acknowledge me. I especially like when parents go up to me and thank me for doing my job.” Maye’s favorite part about announcing is announcing a winning game. “Luckily, since I started announcing, we haven’t lost many home games,” he said. “It’s truly a blessing.” As a student here, he played three sports: basketball, track and football. “I enjoyed being a student here,” he said. “Both the athletic aspects and the academics continue to be great.” This school gave Maye the skills that he needed later in life, he said. “I got a good education here and I was prepared for college at UMass-Amherst,” he said. “More people from North go to college than a lot of other schools.

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14 U Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, March 4, 2011

Graf breaks record during State Meet MEREDITH ABRAMS Despite the team’s overall lack of experience, boys’ swimming and diving, 1-5, had a successful season, according to senior Jamie Lew, a captain with seniors Ramzy Kahhale and Jeremy Markson. “We had a lot of new talent that developed really well, and we got a lot of old talent back that improved,” said Lew. “There was a lot of getting used to harder practices,” he said. “Also, there was a lot of getting used to harder training.” Lew said that a strength of the team was its team chemistry. “We all got along really well, which is something I haven’t seen from teams in other years,” he said. “I always find that to be a good thing.” The Tigers sent the 200 medBY

Butterfly: Senior Jamie Lew, a captain, swims at practice Tuesday, Feb. 15.

Gabe Dreyer

ley team, 200 freestyle team and senior Alex Graf as an individual swimmer to the State Meet Friday, Feb. 18 at Harvard University. At the meet, Graf broke the 22-year-old record at this school for the 50 freestyle. At the Bay State Conference meet at Brookline Thursday, Feb. 3 and Friday, Feb. 4, the Tigers tied for fourth. “It was a good day,” Lew said. “We were happy to place fourth, considering how we had been seeded,” he said, “It’s good we could step it up.” “I’m proud of all my boys on the team,” Lew said. “We had a great year.” Coach Amy Richard agreed. “I’m very proud of this group of guys,” she said. “I think this team has a lot of promise moving forward.”

Polci, wrestlers find success in individual events JAY FEINSTEIN Wrestling, 12-10, met its goals for the season, according to coach John Staulo. “We wanted our wrestlers to have a good understanding of the sport, and we did that,” Staulo said. “We wanted everyone to put in their best effort, and we did that, too.” The Tigers managed to have a good season because everyone got involved, Staulo said. “Everyone tried his hardest both on and off the mat.” BY

The team was able to overcome all of its problems because of a positive attitude, Staulo said. “We had great resiliency throughout the season, which helped us stay on course,” he said. Overall, the Tigers achieved a winning season, “which is always good,” according to Staulo. This year marked the Tigers’ ninth consecutive winning season. “When kids are healthy and in great shape, both mentally

and physically, you get success,” he said. “We weren’t at that point for the whole season, but we were able to overcome our obstacles.” According to senior Mike Atkinson, a captain with seniors Ben Polci and Matt Laredo, “The season was a success.” “We faced quite a few injuries, but people were able to step up and help out, which made a difference.” The team could have been more aggressive, Atkinson said,

but overall, the team achieved what it wanted to. All-States took place Saturday at Salem. Polci participated, according to Staulo. He lost his first match against Athol because of a pin. Then, he faced North Andover, winning 15-3 and finally lost against Lawrence 6-3. Individuals participated in the Division I States Thursday, Feb. 17 and Friday, Feb. 18 at Methuen. Polci placed fifth, according to Staulo. Atkinson and junior

Jordan Long both achieved wins. Loredo went as an alternate, he said. Saturday, Feb. 12, the Tigers participated in the individual sectionals at Lexington. “We did a good job, overall,” Staulo said. Atkinson and Polci placed first in their respective weight classes. Long placed second. “We had an outstanding season and I’m already looking forward to next year,” Staulo said.

Looking for ways to show your Tiger Pride? • The Tiger Athletic Booster Club (TABC) is holding a spring season kick off rally on 4/7/11. Please come and join us for an afternoon of fun as we cheer on our spring sport athletes. • The Tiger Athletic Booster Club is looking for volunteers to help out with our organization. Currently we are working on the purchase of new bulletin boards for individual teams to post information in the athletic wing. • The Booster Club is also operating the concessions stand. Volunteers are needed to operate the concessions stand; this is a good way to help fundraise for your team/organization. See a TABC member for more information. • On 3/12/11, coach Bussy Adam is holding a fundraiser at the American Legion Post 440. Proceeds from this event will help the Newton North boys’ lacrosse team along with the Adam London Memorial Scholarship fund.

Thank you to all those who volunteer, Tom DeStefano TABC President

Tiger Athletic Booster Club 457 Walnut Street Newtonville, MA 02460 tigerathleticboosters@gmail.com

The Tiger Athletic Booster Club remembers Adam London

sports

Friday, March 4, 2011

Newton North, Newtonite U 15

Undefeated girls’ track finishes second in state PERRIN STEIN Girls’ indoor track, 5-0, finished second in the State Finals Saturday. “We did outstanding throughout all our events,” said senior Katie Brandl, a captain with senior Amy Ren. “We really wanted to do well, and we did,” she said. “We had a lot of drive to work hard and perfect our events, while still having a good time.” Once the regular season finished, the Tigers were focused on more individual meets, so not everyone had to come to practice, according to Brandl. “Although only some people still needed to practice for meets, many of the girls still came for the exercise and to remain close to the team,” she said. BY

courtesy Jack Prior

Airborne: Sophomore Carla Forbes competes at All-States.

The practices for the Division I State Meet, State Finals and Pentathalon were focused on “perfecting the little things,” according to Brandl. “The girls all know their personal records and what they need to improve upon, so workouts are geared towards specific events,” she said. “For example, a whole practice might be devoted to shortening the time of a relay handoff.” Sophomore Carla Forbes won the Pentathlon, the season’s final event, Tuesday. She finished with 3072 points, over 100 more than the second place finisher. Forbes, Ren and junior Lucia Grigoli also earned the highest team score, with 8135 points. At the State Finals Saturday,

the Tigers won the mile relay in 3.58.89, which was the meet record and school record for the mile relay. That time was the fifth best ever recorded in Massachusetts, and this year, it was the fifth best time in the country for the mile relay, according to Tranchita. “Our work ethic and our consistency helped us do well this season,” Tranchita said. “We were going against the best teams in the state, which presented challenges, but we were able to pull through because everyone tried hard and worked together.” The Division I State Meet occurred Friday, Feb. 18, and the Tigers had a score of 36, tying Andover for third place. This score allowed the Tigers to move on to the State Finals.

Boys’ track wins 14th consecutive Bay State title MEREDITH ABRAMS Boys’ track, 5-0, accomplished its major goal of achieving a 14th consecutive undefeated season, said senior Ezra Lichtman, a captain with seniors Ben Clark and Ryan Donovan. The team also won the Bay State Conference championship, after coming in first overall BY

in the Carey Division. “It was an exceptional season,” Lichtman said. “A lot of people improved a lot, and a lot of new members made some great performances.” “We had a lot of speed and depth in all areas,” he said. “It was a pretty even distribution

of talent.” Lichtman said the team’s only goal was to end the season undefeated. “We achieved that, so the focus shifted to the postseason,” he said. “Now we’re trying to set some new goals for the team.” The Tigers competed in the Bay State Conference Meet

in brief

junior Katie Caruso. “We had a lot of small victories,” Vitone said. “We really grew as a team.” “We were a really young team with only three returning seniors, so the freshmen had to adapt to our system, and a lot of people had to learn new positions,” she said. In the last game of the season at Marshfield Thursday, Feb. 24, the Tigers won 4-2. “We had some of our best play,” said coach Bob MacDougall. Tuesday, Feb. 22, Notre Dame defeated the Tigers 1-0 at Notre Dame. “It was a close game,” MacDougall said. “They scored a quality goal, and we were unable to put pressure on them.” The Tigers lost 4-3 at home against Braintree Friday, Feb. 18. “We had too many penalties in the third period and gave them too many opportunities to score,” MacDougall said. Needham defeated the Tigers 2-0 Wednesday, Feb. 16 in Needham. “It was a tough game because we made a lot of simple mistakes that made us lose,” Vitone said. Saturday, Feb. 12, the Tigers lost 3-2 at Framingham. “It was one of our better games,” she said. “We were up 2-1 going into the third period, and when they came back, we didn’t give up.”

Petitti, boys succeed at Coaches’, States

KRISTIAN LUNDBERG For senior Alex Petitti, the final meet of the season, the Coaches’ Invitational Monday, Feb. 14, was his time to shine. Petitti, the captain of boys’ gymnastics was set to perform at that meet with the other gymnasts on the team and with the goal of placing fifth or sixth. Petitti finished fourth all-around— the only team member to place at the meet. “I originally hoped just to Newtonian place, perhaps Alex Petitti in fifth or sixth, but ideally, I wanted to finish higher,” he said. “Coming in fourth exceeded my expectations, especially since I was less than one point away from third place.” The team, 0-6, struggled with inexperience early in the season, having only three returning members from last year. But Petitti said he noticed significant improvement from some of the newer gymnasts as the season came to a close. “Sophomore Billy Cohen, in particular, set a personal record at the Coaches’ Invitational for the second consecutive meet. His 4.8 on the pommel horse is unheard of for a first-year gymnast,” Petitti said. “I’m really proud of each member of the team. We did very well at both States and the Coaches’ Invitational.” The Tigers competed at the State Meet in Braintree Friday, Feb. 11, finishing in seventh place. According to Petitti, the Tigers were “lacking members,” yet still had a good showing. “Though it’s disappointing to not have some key members, we still did a great job,” he said. Coach Steve Chan said the team “did well” over the course of the season. “I was happy with how we did and how we improved,” he said. BY

Girls’ gymnastics makes Sectionals

KRISTIAN LUNDBERG For the first time in school history, girls’ gymnastics, 5-4, qualified for Sectionals after a strong showing at the Bay State Conference meet Saturday, Feb. 5. Sectionals, held in Hudson Saturday, Feb. 19, consisted of 12 of the top teams from the north and south sections of Massachusetts. The Tigers, seeded eighth in the meet and ended up placing eighth as well—not enough to advance to the State Meet but a satisfactory result for senior Victoria Mirrer, a captain with senior Andrea Marzilli. “Eighth was basically where we expected to be before the meet,” she said. “We were just happy to be there.” Overall, the team finished with a score of 131.95 points, which was a “pretty good score,” according to Mirrer. “It wasn’t our best score, but the judges were scoring the teams pretty low,” she said. Sophomore Ariana Paone, one of the team’s major contributers during the season, tied for second on the beam with a 9.4. Mirrer scored just behind her on the beam, coming in third with a 9.35. Paone and Mirrer came in eighth and 12th respectively in the all-around category. Mirrer said that the team had a successful season despite multiple injuries to key gymnasts. “We had a bunch of injuries, but we still did well. We broke personal records and school records many times,” she said. Coach Jim Chin also said the team “had a great season.” “We’ve done well, and I’m proud of our team,” he said. BY

Girls beat Marshfield to close tough season

MEREDITH ABRAMS Despite a frustrating season, girls’ hockey, 5-14-1, made small improvements throughout the winter, said junior Stephanie Vitone, a captain with seniors Marissa and Michele Troy and BY

Wednesday, Feb. 9. Senior Taylor Hart came in first in the high jump and senior Swardiq Mayanja was the league champion in the shot put. Senior Isaiah Penn won the 600 and the 4x200 relay team came in first overall. Junior Justin Keefe placed second in the mile and senior

Dan Ranti placed second in the two-mile. “This year, the kids have put in a lot of effort and a lot of hard work, and that’s why they’re champs,” said assistant coach Mike Bower. “We had a great season, and I’m proud of the work the kids put in,” he said.

Boys’ hockey crushes Brookline

KRISTIAN LUNDBERG It was a bittersweet end to the season for boys’ hockey, 5-14-1. The Tigers dropped their last three games of the season, but, according to junior Ryan Fanning, a captain with senior T.J. Ryan, they remained in contention in most of their losses. “We had a very good season,” Fanning said. “We just lost many close, tough games.” The Tigers were coming off a huge 7-1 victory over archrival Brookline before their home game against Framingham Saturday, Feb. 12. The team lost to the Flyers by the same score. Fanning said the team “lacked energy.” BY

Gabe Dreyer

Neutral zone: Senior Zach McAuliffe makes a pass, looking to enter the offensive zone against Needham Feb. 16. “We were coming off the big win at Brookline, so we came out flat and couldn’t convert offensively,” he said. The Tigers lost another close game at home to Needham 2-0 Wednesday, Feb. 16. The score marked a significant improvement for the team, as it had lost 8-0 to Needham January 19. “Our goalie Hector Coscione kept us in the game. He had a huge game—he faced about 45

shots and only let in two goals,” Fanning said. The Tigers ended their season on the road with a 6-1 defeat at the hands of Watertown Tuesday, Feb. 22. “The game didn’t go the way we wanted,” Fanning said. “We caught some bad breaks, and a lot of things didn’t go our way.” Coach Tom Ryan said that the team did well over the season.

sports

16 U Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, March 4, 2011

Girls end season with loss at New Bedford KRISTIAN LUNDBERG Facing the number one team in the Division I South playoffs, the 17th-seeded Tigers knew they were heavy underdogs, but, for the team, the season-ending loss hurts no less. Girls’ basketball, 12-9, lost Wednesday to an undefeated New Bedford squad, 61-47. The Whalers took a commanding double-digit lead early on, and the Tigers were unable to mount a successful comeback. “I thought we played extremely hard,” coach Hank DeSantis said. “At times, we were undisciplined, and they took advantage of that.” In particular, DeSantis said, New Bedford’s pressure “really hurt us. They were a tough, physical team.” However, DeSantis said he “has tremendous respect for the seniors.” According to DeSantis, “We underachieved slightly this season, but we’ve got a bright future ahead. “Our freshmen developed at an impressive rate, and we have a lot of talented players coming back.” The Tigers advanced to face New Bedford with a 51-38 win over 16th-seeded Plymouth South in the first round of the MIAA tournament. The Tigers, by virtue of their lower seed, were forced to play on the road, yet they still managed to pull out the clutch victory. “It was a great game to watch and be a part of,” said senior D’Jaidah Wynn, a captain with seniors Megan Gentile, Briana Hunt and Ella Scheuerell. BY

Jacob Schwartz

In the paint: Junior Jamie Renner tries to lay the ball in.

“We played really well, and the game overall was amazing,” she said. The team capped its regular season with a dominant win at home against Needham on Senior Night Thursday, Feb. 17. Leading 37-26 early in the fourth quarter, the Tigers’ suddenly porous defense allowed an easy Needham layup to cut the margin to single digits. At that point, the team’s lead looked anything but safe. Fittingly, it was a senior who stepped up to lead the Tigers to victory on Senior Night. Briana Hunt cut away from her defender, caught a pass along the perimeter, and, in one motion, drained the longdistance three-pointer. From then on, Needham never closed within nine points, as the Tigers finished with a 5141 victory. “I’m proud of the effort that our team put in,” Needham coach Kim Benzan said. “Over the year, we suffered from various injuries, and in general, we aren’t a very deep team,” Benzan said. According to coach Hank DeSantis, the team’s shutdown defense in the second half prevented the Rockets from drawing any closer. “In the first half, we gave Needham too many easy shots, but in the second half, we stepped up our defense and rebounding,” DeSantis said. “I was happy that we held them to only seven points in the third quarter.” The team outscored the Rock-

ets 12-7 during that quarter, opening a commanding 35-24 lead after a tense first half. “In the end, we were just tired in the second half, and we couldn’t keep up,” Benzan said. In the early stages of the game, Needham’s Tory Waldstein nailed a three-pointer to put the Rockets up 13-11. That would be the final time they led in the game. Subsequently, junior Kayla Farina hit her own three-pointer to cap an 8-4 run, as the Tigers took into halftime a 23-17 lead. “I give a lot of credit to North. They are a very strong team, and they outplayed us in the second half,” Benzan said. For DeSantis, the Senior Night victory “was a great way to celebrate our seniors’ accomplishments.” “Our seniors really played well this game,” DeSantis said. “They’ve put in a lot of blood, sweat and tears to reach this point and have this success. Previously, the program had been through some tougher times, but they kept growing and kept putting in that effort. It means a lot to see their growth and the team’s growth as well.” Hunt finished with 10 points, while Gentile added seven of her own, along with a few impressive blocks. Junior Maddie Bledsoe contributed 12 points and was the top scorer for the Tigers. Before the game, Gentile, Hunt, Scheuerell and Wynn were honored as part of the Senior Night ceremony.

Boys’ basketball survives in Senior Night thriller

Tevin Falzon returns to court, leads the charge in boys’ victory JACOB SCHWARTZ After sitting out the first 18 games of the season because of a wrist injury, senior Tevin Falzon, a captain with senior Avi Adler-Cohen, returned to the court for the tail end of the regular season and the postseason. It is imperative for boys’ basketball, 16-6 Wednesday, to mesh with Falzon, as well as “improving offense, and offensive timing,” said coach Paul Connolly. “However, just getting Tevin back in the lineup has been a plus.” According to Falzon, the return has been rewarding but also an adjustment for the team. “I love basketball, and it feels great to be playing again,” he said. “I’m slowly building chemistry with the rest of the team, and I am slowly becoming more cohesive with them.” Last night, the Tigers were to have played here against North Attleboro. A win would pit them against the winner of a first round game between Weymouth and Taunton. The Tigers would have to travel to Weymouth in the event of a Wildcat win, but the team would play at home if Taunton managed to pull off the upset. The potential second round matchup would take place tomorrow. The Tigers have split with Weymouth in two relatively close games this season. Although boys’ basketball lost twice at the Comcast Tournament, 57-55 at BC High Saturday, Feb. 19 and 75-66 at Andover Sunday Feb. 20, freshman BY

senior Tevin Falzon “I love basketball, and it feels great to be playing again.” Aaron Falzon said the games helped the Tigers learn how to play well with Tevin, his older brother. The team has had to make some adjustments in order to play well with Tevin. “I think our play has changed since he started,” Aaron said. “Because opposing defenses have to try hard to guard Tevin in the paint, our team has been getting some more open shots outside, which have been nice,” he said. Adler-Cohen noted how the team tended to play with four guards and one big man before Tevin returned, but now the team usually has two big men on the court, and this “dissuades our opponents from driving to the hoop.“ “Also, Tevin is a gifted shot blocker. Other players on the team are good at it too, but Tevin has a real knack for it,” AdlerCohen said. Stepping onto the court to play for the first time this season, Tevin started Tuesday, Feb. 15, helping the Tigers to a 58-44 victory at Framingham. The win at Framingham also marked the first time the Falzon brothers played in a game together at this school. However, Tevin shined in an incredibly close game on Senior Night, facing Needham Thursday, Feb. 17. The Tigers squeezed out a

43-40 victory, after four backand-forth quarters. Tevin played excellently in what was only his second game of the season, blocking seven of the Rockets’ shots, as well as grabbing 12 rebounds and scoring nine points. The team did not shoot well at first, Connolly said. “We were not intelligent offensively. We only managed six points in the second quarter. It was like watching paint dry.” However, he commended Adler-Cohen for his performance in the second half. “He is such a warrior. He had a big three-pointer towards the end, and then, he made two clutch free-throws,” Connolly said. “He had five points in the last two minutes of Senior Night, and that’s really something.” Aaron, who has been playing with varsity the whole season, said he was glad to see his brother join him on the court against Framingham and Needham. “It’s much more different and exciting with him there,” he said. Tevin said, “I definitely enjoy playing with my brother. This is the one time we’ll get to play together, and that’s definitely special.” According to Tevin, he and his brother actually have very different playing styles. While Aaron tends to shoot soon after he receives a pass, “I prefer to shoot off the dribble,” Tevin said. On his brother’s play, Tevin said he enjoyed Aaron’s confidence. “He is very strong mentally, and that will help him a lot.”

Teddy Wenneker

Beyond the arc: Freshman Aaron Falzon shoots a three.