v90i11

See Thanksgiving football game coverage pages 8-9

Newtonite ◆ Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011 • Volume 90, Issue 11

TheNewtonite.com

Non-profit org.

US postage paid Newton, Mass.

Permit no. 55337

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

Does school recycle?

HILARY BRUMBERG ALEX FEIT As much as this school encourages recycling, the mountains of recyclable paper, cardboard, plastic and aluminum that amass do not necessarily go to their prescribed destination.

Although some students intentionally sort trash and usergenerated recyclables into the two bins in classrooms, they both end up in the large trash barrels when custodians do their daily rounds, according to senior custodian Tim Keefe.

Recyclables are often thrown out because it would take too long for custodians to do two separate rounds for trash and recycling, he said.

Custodians do recycle large recyclables such as industrial cardboard waste from the cafeteria around every three days, Keefe said.

However, the only small usergenerated recyclables from this school that make it to the two large recycling dumpsters in the loading dock are those that students and teachers take the initiative to recycle themselves, he said.

Custodians empty the large green City of Newton-issue recycling carts in hallways approximately once a week, once classes have filled them with their recycling.

The City picks up whatever recycling this school collects in the two large designated recycling dumpsters in the loading dock every Wednesday, according to Keefe.

Several student groups have created initiatives for this school to recycle more appropriate waste.

Seniors Lena Golick and Molly Mamon wanted to make ◆ continued on page 3 BY

AND

Gabe Dreyer

Shirts for sale: Juniors John Hogan and Mike Safran sell Spirit Week shirts on Main Street Tuesday, Nov. 15.

‘Occupy’ protests provide student outlet ALEX FEIT With the “Occupy” protests spreading to thousands of cities and towns around the globe, a handful of students and teachers at this school feel inclined to take part in this now ubiquitous movement.

Clamoring for governments to address a wide variety of issues, including income inequality and an over-influence of money in politics, supporters of the movement have set up tent collectives within these various cities.

Students and youth around the world have become some of the largest backers of the movement.

Boston has its Occupy branch centered in Dewey Park, where hundreds of round-the-clock supporters spend their days in dozens of makeshift tents to spread the message of the “99 percent,” those not in the top one percent of income earners.

BY

“I love that people have decided to be proactive,” said sophomore Amelia Williams, who recently went to the Boston protest. “Although there really isn’t one unifying cause, I still think it is pretty awesome to see people fighting for something they care about,” she said.

Williams said the protests are appealing “because there is a sense of community—how we are the 99 percent, ultimately fighting for democracy.”

Even in wealthy suburbs such as Newton, where the 2010 United States Census states that the median income, at $105,000, is twice the national average, some still feel encouraged to lend a hand to the nascent movement.

While some students went to protest for a cause, others went out of curiosity.

“I went because I wanted to see firsthand what was actually going on there, since I had heard

many different things about it,” said junior Jack Gardner.

Many students, regardless of whether they took part in the protest, have opinions on the issues involved.

“There’s no social justice in America,” said junior Jordan Ecker. “Because the politics of Washington are essentially controlled by who has money, rather than by the people, the Occupy protests are basically the only way to vent our dissatisfaction,” he added.

Teachers at this school have also stood behind the movement, which supports fair wages for public sector employees.

“The political culture in Washington is so dysfunctional that anything that gets politicians focused on the needs of ordinary people is a positive thing,” said history teacher John Fitzgerald. “Many of the most important changes in society have occurred in protest move-

ments.”

As with any protest, there is a level disagreement as to whether or not the movement is beneficial.

“I think the Occupy movement is protesting the wrong aspects of society,” said sophomore Riley Heiman. “Members are protesting the high echelons of our society, including corporations, when they should be protesting the government more for letting this poor economic situation happen.”

A few of the movement’s supporters criticized the perceived ignorance of some of the protesters.

Williams said, “It does bother me some people are there because it’s ‘cool,’ yet don’t know what they are supporting.”

Still, English teacher Peter Goddard, said that “because the protest is grass-roots, it can get a little messy—but that’s democracy.”

Students finish writing novels PERRIN STEIN Writing a novel is a formidable task. Writing a novel in 30 days seems like madness.

Writing a novel in 30 days as a high school student appears impossible.

Although the undertaking is more than daunting, a few students are nearing the end of a month-long novel-writing spree called National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for short.

NaNoWriMo, currently in its 13th year, is an annual event managed by the non-profit organization the Office of Letters and Light. It is, quite simply, “30 days and nights of literary abandon!” according to NaNoWriMo’s website.

More specifically, NaNoWriMo is a personal challenge to

BY

Jay Feinstein

NaNoWriMo: Sophomore Eliana Gevelber works on her novel in the Library Learning Commons.

write 50,000 words in 30 days.

This is nearly 1,667 words or about five pages double spaced a day.

There is no penalty for failing to meet one’s word count goal, and the prize for winning is the satisfaction of having banged out approximately 150 double spaced pages of material in a mere month.

For individuals under 17, there is a Young Writers Program, which allows participants to set their own word count goals.

Although most students at this school fit the requirements for the Young Writers Program, many paricipants set their goal at 50,000 words, the predetermined challenge for adults.

According to NaNoWriMo’s website, its goal is to help people

write a novel by giving them a deadline, a word count and a support network of other writers, according to the event’s website.

By writing such a large quantity in such a short time, writers are forced to take risks, to be recklessly creative and to abandon the pedantry of editing. The focus is on quantity over quality, according to the website.

In order to help students complete NaNoWriMo, librarian and Senior Year Project teacher Kevin McGrath permits participants to sign out laptops whenever they come to the library.

These laptops gives students the ability to work on their novel during the school day.

Currently, about 10 students use the laptops. These students ◆ continued on page 5

opinion

2 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011

‘Going green’ trend is fading As the world’s environmental conditions dwindle, “going green” initiatives continue to pop up everywhere you turn.

editorial

Julia Moss

“And you’re telling me this is all because of a 20-minute shower?”

But here is who hasn’t taken action: us.

Individually, we are not doing our part. No matter how many times we’re told to drive a hybrid, we continue to ride around in our gasoline-guzzling cars.

Even if we know we need to conserve water, we still indulge in our daily 20-minute showers. And despite being pushed to reduce our use of electronics, how many of us would be able to go a day without needing to charge our laptop or cellphone?

Maybe some of us have given up on saving the environment. You might excuse your extra long showers by

saying to yourself, “Well, it’s not like cutting my shower down by five minutes will make a difference.”

True, one person shortening the time of one shower for one day will not save the environment. But if everyone just assumes they do not need to do anything, how will we get anywhere?

When The Inconvenient Truth came out in 2006, “going green” was all the rage.

It built up a lot of talk about saving the environment, and many people were scared into doing their part. Now, five years later, that campaign has run out of steam.

People have lost their determination to preserve our once healthy environment.

If we do not switch cars or cut down our showers or limit our electronic usage or do anything soon, our environment could fall into a hole too deep to patch up.

Does Spirit Week recognize all sports teams?

Not all teams are supported MEREDITH ABRAMS Each year, this school has a Spirit Week leading up to the Thanksgiving Day football game.

BY

point Students dress up in whatever the theme is, whether it’s pajamas, beach day or Tiger Pride.

The football team typically draws a crowd of thousands for its big game against Brookline. Spirit week builds excitement for the upcoming football game, and the kids who participate tend to have the football team in mind.

Whether or not it is deliberate, Spirit Week is all about football. But still, students show more support for football than for any other sport, except perhaps boys’ basketball.

Yet, the team has not progressed to the postseason in several years.

There is a major imbalance in the amount of attention given to different sports at this school.

Teams like football have fans at every game, despite the losing record, while a sport like indoor track can go unnoticed regardless of its success, year after year.

Additionally, one might see the football team practicing and playing all home game on the multi-purpose field, while teams like field hockey must sometimes practice and play elsewhere.

This demonstrates that at this school, popular sports seem to get considered first.

Bottom line: all athletes work hard, and all athletes deserve recognition no matter what sports they play.

It’s great that students, parents, teachers and everyone else comes out to support this school’s athletes, but it would be even greater if they did that for all the athletes’ sports.

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 — Jordan Robins Advertising managers —Tiphaine Kugener, Evan Nitkin Business manager — Alison Berkowitz

Circulation manager — 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 — Arielle Conti, Rin Rogers Photography staff — Madeleine Aquilina, Emma Hanselman, Nina Kaplan, Jenny Lewis, Solomon Mercurio Circulation staff — Irene Betts-O’Rourke, Eyob Gizachew, Sam Jones, Phillipine Kugener, Matthew Soloman Production staff — Charles Attisano

The Newtonite staff does all the reporting, production work and photography to produce 10 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.

Week brings school together KRISTIAN LUNDBERG I agree that all athletes at this school deserve recognition. To a great extent, our community does recognize those who compete for our school, and we laud them well. For instance, we attend their games, buy the candy they sell and wear their team’s colors.

BY

counterpoint But candidly, some games are more important than others. For the seniors about to play the biggest (and last) game of their high school careers, no other contest can possibly compare.

The North-Brookline rivalry stretches back 118 years, one of the oldest rivalries in all of American high school sports.

This traditional match-up extends almost as far back as the sport’s inception in the late 19th century, and

today, whether on an NFL gridiron or high school fields in towns similar to this one, Turkey Day games take place nationwide. By honoring this tradition, we celebrate a unifying event that, for one week, dyes this school neon orange and turns even non-athletes into Tiger fanatics.

But, at the same time, we don’t mitigate the importance of the other sports.

I urge students to support our school’s teams in a variety of sports, but we can’t hold a Spirit Week for every team, and for every game. If we’re going to have one, it makes sense for it to be the week before “The Big Game.”

In a sense, the point of Spirit Week is not to extol individual students or individual sports. Rather, we hold Spirit Week to come together, unified by the school we inhabit and the orange and black we bleed.

Kickoff is tomorrow at 10 a.m. Let’s go Tigers.

Kindness, care go a long way TO THE EDITOR: Rachel Joy Scott, the first victim of the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, left behind a legacy of kindness, believing that if “one person can go out of their way to show compassion then it will start a chain reaction.”

letter For many, Rachel’s Challenge was an awakening that forced us to think about the way we act towards others.

Too often, it takes a tragedy to make us realize how far we’ve fallen.

Why is it that no one cares until a tragedy occurs? I’m not saying that Rachel’s beliefs and morals did not have a huge impact on the world, because they did.

However, I urge you all to consider the people in your community who are alive and making a difference each day.

Do not undermine the small actions, nor overlook the people who have always gone out of their way to be kind.

How many of us actually

care enough to do something about the injustice in the world?

Sure, it’s great to “like” a Facebook page and show support, but when it comes down to the dirty work, people are quick to shy away.

As humans, we like to believe that we care, but the truth is we would rather watch from afar.

Very rarely do we take action.

Take the homeless man dying on the street, or the disabled kid that gets bullied everyday.

We pretend not to notice them because we haven’t been given a reason to care.

One story that I found deeply moving was that of a man who struggled with depression. The story goes: “One day, a man jumped off the Golden Gate bridge. When the police went searching through his house afterward, they found a note. It read, “Today I will walk to the bridge. If anyone smiles at me, I won’t jump.”

Many often say that they have become too comfortable with their lives. We aren’t thankful unless a national holiday calls for it.

If there’s nothing forcing us

to appreciate what we have or to help others, we just sit idly by.

If we see someone who is ill or poor, we don’t help them unless we are purposely going out of our way; there are few random acts of kindness.

So I urge you all to show kindness to all the people around you.

A simple action or even a smile can go a long way in brightening someone’s day. Do not let tragedy be the only thing that defines us as compassionate human beings.

—LYNN CHOU JUNIOR

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

news

Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011

In the first term, groups of AP Biology students select a topic irr projects aand to study for their othetical thetical research resea resear submit a hypothetical po p osal. o proposal.

During term two, students set up the project, do research and submit a research paper.

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 3

Groups spend term three developing a detailed methodology and writing a unit lesson.

In the fourth term, students execute their projects and present a PowerPoint presentation to their class about their projects.

Jordan Robins

Advanced Placement Biology students must complete parts of their Independent Reasearch Project/Community Service Learning each term.

Biology students begin year-long study HILARY BRUMBERG PERRIN STEIN It takes the equivalent of approximately one percent of the land in Massachusetts to produce the resources necessary to support all of the students at this school.

Last year, seniors Adam Kafka, Matt Moss-Hawkins, Marlon Rainville and Leah Schatz calculated this information as part of their Independent Research Project/Community Service Learning (IRP/CSL).

For their project, the four Advanced Placement Biology students found the ecological footprints of students at this school as well as those at South.

They calculated this information by looking at the schools’ fuel usage for transportation, food and electricity.

Kafka, Moss-Hawkins, Rainville and Schatz’s project is one

BY

AND

of the hundreds of IRP/CSL projects AP Biology students have completed since the project’s inception in 2002.

This year’s AP Biology students are currently working on refining their project ideas and researching for the paper they will submit at the end of this term. In the first term, they met with their teachers to discuss topic proposals.

IRP/CSL was started by Sharon High School biology teacher Zachary Snow, who taught at this school from 2002 until last year.

While a teacher at this school, he ran an environmental service project based on one he had conducted as a teacher at Attleboro High School.

Based on his experience at Attleboro, Snow thought it would be a good idea to start a project at this school, according

to science teacher Ann Dannenberg.

Over the past decade, the number of students enrolled in AP Biology has increased, so Dannenberg and biology teacher Karen Tokos gradually “expanded the independent projects to include areas of biology other than environmental studies and made the service aspect optional,” Dannenberg said.

Although the IRP/CSL is a “great opportunity for students to apply some of their knowledge in a direction that particularly interests them,” it is “an enormous commitment of time and energy on the part of both the students and the teacher, and in most cases would preclude some other part of the curriculum,” according to Dannenberg.

Despite Dannenberg’s dis-

claimer, both she and science department head Amy Winston said they believe that the project is well worth the work for students and teachers.

“I want students to experience science the way that science really is: messy, exciting and connected to our lives all the same,” Winston said.

For this reason, the science department is currently discussing whether to begin similar year-long projects in curriculum I and curriculum II classes, she said.

Although the idea sounds good on the surface, Winston warned that involving more students could make students’ and teachers’ workloads unmanageable.

Dannenberg said, “It would have to be a choice on the part of members of the faculty and would mean some other part of

the curriculum would go by the wayside.”

In the past, honors biology students at South conducted a year-long independent research project, but this is no longer the case, according to South biology teacher Madhumita Bhattacharya.

Instead of a year-long project, AP Biology students at South now complete independent research on a controversial topic during the fourth term.

The project at South is fundamentally an abridged version of the IRP/CSL because it requires less time and has fewer requirements, according to Bhattacharya.

Sout students write a research paper on a chosen topic and report their findings to their class through a PowerPoint presentation.

KAYLA SHORE CONTRIBUTED.

Online alcohol survey reveals dangers of drinking STEVEN MICHAEL It isn’t a typical multiplechoice test. In response to questions about alcohol and drug use, the online survey produces a series of graphics illustrating the perils of drinking.

Stacks of hamburgers represent the calories consumed in a bout of binge drinking, and the survey identifies other uses for the money spent on alcohol.

The Alcohol eCheckup To Go, known as ECHUG, was implemented by the Newton Youth Commission last month to promote a dialogue between teens and their parents about

BY

how to keep teens safe, Chris Fortunato, dean of students at the Harvard Kennedy School and an adviser to the commission, wrote in an email with Newton school nurse leader Ruth Hoshino.

The survey aims “to provide teens with accurate, nonjudgmental information about the risks of their alcohol use,” Fortunato said.

Students travel to this school’s PTSO website, which provides a link to the ECHUG survey. He emphasized that the survey is anonymous, free and brief.

Developed at San Diego State University as a prevention and intervention tool and already in use at 500 universities, ECHUG was modified by students in the Mayor of Newton’s Teen Public Service Internship Program to fit with a high school audience, Fortunato said. Students’ alcohol risk level depends on their grasp of how alcohol affects the body, Fortunato said.

The survey involves a series of true or false questions to test students’ knowledge of common alcohol myths. For instance, having a “high tolerance” does not means you are better able to

“hold your liquor” and can drink more without harm.

According to the website, 17 percent of Newton students between the age of 12 and 17 consumed five or more alcoholic drinks in a row within the past 30 days.

“While the latest Youth Risk Behavior Survey indicated that rates of binge drinking among Newton high school students has declined, the number is still unacceptably high,” Fortunato said.

Nonetheless, a significant majority represented by 69 percent of Newton high school stu-

dents did not drink over the past month, the website reported.

Yet teens tend to overestimate the prevalence of alcohol use among their age group, Fortunato said. “Real data is an important way to address perceived social norms.”

Student outreach will continue Wednesday C-block with a performance by the “Improbable Players,” a theatre troupe in which all of the actors are in recovery from drugs or alcohol, according to physical education teacher Kirsten Tuohy, a member of the Newton Youth Commission.

Projects help school recycle ◆ continued from page 1 sure that as many user-generated recyclables made it to the recycling dumpsters as possible by taking the situation into their own hands.

For their Independent Research P roject/Community Service Learning (IRP/CSL), the two Advanced Placement Biology students are continuing Recycling Wednesdays, an initiative started by seniors Aaron Yip and Calvin Zhao last year.

In a few months, students from each homeroom will start bringing the recycling bins to the large green hallway recycling carts every Wednesday homeroom.

As an incentive, Golick and Mamon will be waiting near the bins in hallways to offer treats, such as baked goods, to the students who volunteered to bring down the recycling, according to Mamon.

She said that she thinks this system will work especially well because “custodians will not have to do any more work than they are doing currently.”

The program will become part of the larger Greengineering initiative to bring homeroom recycling to the hallway carts,

according to to English teacher and chief innovation officer Stephen Chinosi, a member of the Greengineering faculty.

Currently, the Greengineers, a group that attempts to solve environmental issues through innovation, is developing other incentives to encourage students to recycle based on the Fun Theory, which is a philosophy that calls for people to build interactive objects in order to promote good habits, he said.

“Basically, we want to support the custodians to maintain the building. We would like to inspire student help to keep this beautiful building beautiful.”

Students in Greengineering have already designed several prototypes following this theory.

One prototype, a recycling can with basketball hoop attached so students can shoot a basket with their recyclables.

Another is a recycle skate-cart, which is a modified skateboard with a shopping cart attached.

Both were already deployed in the cafeteria, Chinosi said.

According to Chinosi, the Greengineers also researched the current recycling problem and surveyed students.

Students then met with prin-

cipal Jennifer Price to discuss the value of the Fun Theory and the logistics of supporting the custodial staff with homeroom and hallway recycle bins.

South used to have a similar policy to this school’s, in which students were responsible for all recycling efforts, according to South senior custodian Danny Bianchi.

Now, South custodians wheel around two barrels during their rounds: one for recycling and the other for trash, he said.

Bianchi said that although it takes extra time to empty two small bins into two barrels and empty these barrels into two separate dumpsters, it was a manageable addition to each custodian’s rounds.

Like South, Needham High School’s recycling system shifted last year from student-run to custodian-run, according to graphics teacher and environmental club adviser Dave Cournoyer.

“At first, the custodians were apprehensive, but it’s been a gradual change. Once they found out they were not going to work much harder, the jump to this system was easier,” Cournoyer said.

Jacob Schwartz

Recycling: Junior Carl Whitham empties a recycling bin into one of the two recycling dumpsters at the loading dock.

arts

4 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011

‘Cripple’ will focus on small Irish community FATEMA ZAIDI Seniors Charlie Beers and Graham Techler are directing “The Cripple of Inshimaan,” a play about a small community on an island off the coast of Ireland, according to Techler. The show will go up on Thursday, Dec. 7 and will continue through Saturday, Dec. 10. at 7:30p.m. in the auditorium.

One member of the community is a young crippled man who decides to leave the island in order to audition for Robert Flaherty’s film The Man of Aran.

“The play is mostly about him making that decision and how it affects everyone else on the island,” he said.

Billy is the Cripple, yet “The Cripple of Inshimaan” has no main characters, he said. Instead, it has nine characters who each add a unique perspectives to the show.

“Nobody has a more important role than anybody else, so the play cannot work if any one of the characters is taken away. Although the plot focuses on Billy’s decision, the play is very much an ensemble piece,” Techler said.

He chose to direct this show because it has a blend of comedy and tragedy, and it stood out amongst other playwrights,

BY

Gabe Dreyer

Preparation: Senior Nicole Bunis and sophomore Will Champion rehearse a scene for “The Cripple of Inishmaan.”

Techler said.

Beers was also struck by the play’s combination of hilarity and the characters’ tangible emotions. “‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’ was one of the most interesting plays we read because it was able to be so funny and yet stay so real and touching,” he said.

“The characters are all so different, yet they are all so similar if you look under the surface.

It’s interesting and fun for the audience, the directors and the actors,” he said.

In addition to Billy, the cast includes Johnny Pateen, a 63-year-old man played by sophomore Ezra Dulit-Greenberg, who is known for his continuous gossipping.

There is also Helen, played by junior Eliza Burr, Billy’s love interest according to Beers.

Because all the characters are an integral part of the show, the actors have had to try to truly understand their roles.

“The actors have done a fantastic job getting to know the characters, which is essential because this is a play deeply driven by character,” Beers said.

However, there have been some challenges to overcome throughout the entire process, according to Beers.

“The Irish accents have definitely been challenging. Also, so Will’s had to work a lot on getting the limp down, as the main character.”

Researching what an Irish store looked like in the 30s was difficult as well, he said.

But all in all, Beers hopes that people see this play and really “grow to care about the characters, like I did when I first read it,” Beers said.

To add to the performance, the costumes, designed by seniors Mary-Emma Searles and Gwendolyn Stoll, will reflect the setting and the play’s themes.

“Our color palette consists of greens, browns and cream, which are muted colors that reflect the mood of the piece as well as the time,” said Searles.

However, a big challenge for costumes is making Billy looks like a disabled man. To fix this problem, members of the costumes crew are creating a shoe that makes his foot look twisted.

“We obviously don’t want to make the actor walk around with a twisted foot, so we rearranged the sole,” Searles said.

Tickets cost $7 and will be available on theatreink.net and outside the cafeteria during all lunches.

MALINI GANDHI CONTRIBUTED.

Advertise on our website TheNewtonite.com!

Email thenewtonite@gmail.com for more information.

arts

Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 5

Gabe Dreyer

Variety show: Freshmen Leyla Arabi and Julia Techler rehearse the skit “Taxi Surprise” (left), and freshmen Nellie Rogers, Natalie Tereshchenko and Aiden O’Neal practice a song (right). “Freshman Cabaret” will go up Thursday, Dec. 15 and Friday, Dec. 16 in the auditorium at 7:30 p.m.

‘Freshman Cabaret’ to showcase talents MALINI GANDHI By the auditorium entrance, the hallway is scattered with freshmen—some face a wall and practice a song quietly, shuffling their feet and singing to a mural, while others congregate under the windows and practice monologues loudly, waving their arms wildly before laughing and starting over.

These hours of waiting, practicing and laughing in the cold, sunlit hallway of the theatre entrance are typical of audition days for “Freshman Cabaret,” an annual variety show filled with songs, dances and sketch comedy put on exclusively by freshmen. Under the direction of sophomores Kelsey Fox, Juliet Roll, Alex Shames and Alyssa Rose Steffen, this year’s production will go up Thursday, Dec. 15 and Friday, Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium.

“Freshman Cabaret,” affectionately dubbed “Frosh Cab,” is an opportunity to provide

BY

freshmen with a fun, stimulating environment for their first show and introduce them to the artistic process of Theatre Ink, according to Fox. “Theatre Ink is a teaching and working theatre, but I think that the teaching aspect really comes out in ‘Freshman Cabaret,’” she said. “It’s the students’ first impression on what it means to be in Theatre Ink, how the program works and the intricacies of putting together a performance.”

The freshman class is “full of talent,” and “Freshman Cabaret” is a way to explore this wide variety of abilities, opinions and passions and find a means of articulating them—thus the theme of this year’s production, “expressing yourself,” Fox said.

“The theme of ‘expressing yourself’ may seem cheesy, but it has a quirky twist to it, and it allows us to play around with a lot of fun characters,” she said.

Roll also said that the theme

“expressing yourself” perfectly captures the goal of the “Freshman Cabaret” experience.

“What’s so unique about Frosh Cab is that everyone gets in—no other Theatre Ink production does that. Everyone gets a chance to shine,” Roll said.

Traditionally, students who are part of the performance as freshmen can take on the role as director the following year.

Roll said she was drawn to the opportunity of directing because her experience in the show last year was “just so much fun.”

“The directors were really nice last year, and I knew I wanted to take on that role. I wanted to work with the freshmen on their first show and to introduce them to this fun environment of self-expression.”

According to Shames, he was drawn to the opportunity of directing because “‘Freshman Cabaret’ is just such an amazing process.

“We start with auditions,

begin teaching music, solidify themes and begin to put the show together,” he said.

Shames describes the production as a jumble of talent, a “quilt of different skits, songs and dances.”

Fox was responsible for selecting skits from other plays as well as writing some herself.

She describes the process of selecting material as “very hard.”

“We started with the theme, and then, I read a lot of plays and looked up a lot of shows. I tried to pick scenes that made me laugh or smile.”

Roll said she is particularly looking forward to the song “Expressing Yourself” from Billy Elliot the Musical, which she describes as a “super energetic, completely crazy mixture of acting and singing,” as well as the annual “Boys’ Dance.”

Freshman Rudy Gelb-Bicknell is performing in the song “Become” by Pasek and Paul, a piece he describes as a “catchy

song with a good melody and lots of harmonies.”

“We usually split into boys and girls during rehearsal and are taught the different harmonies,” he said.

Gelb-Bicknell said that he decided to participate in “Freshman Cabaret” because he had performed in a similar “Cabaret” variety show at Day and “really enjoyed it.”

“You get to know everyone so well, while also having the opportunity to learn and perform lots of different songs and skits,” he said.

According to Fox, the conglomeration of pieces is “very well-rounded as a whole” and “filled with the incredible energy of the cast.

“There are 50 kids, and it can get kind of crazy sometimes, but crazy is good. I want people to come to ‘Frosh Cab’ to have a blast and to be impressed by all of this freshman talent,” Fox said.

Novel-writing month encourages creativity, risk ◆ continued from page 1 signed an equipment borrower form, which is the same piece of paper individuals are required to complete before borrowing an iPad or Kindle from the Library Learning Commons, according to McGrath.

The laptops that students use for NaNoWriMo come from the laptop cart for classes. Typically, there are only a few students who sign out the laptops each block, so it does not thwart classes from using the cart, McGrath said.

Last year, the Library Learning Commons had a room for participating students to go and work on their novels.

According to McGrath, having students use laptops is easier and more productive.

One student who is taking advantage of the laptops in the library is junior Julia Prosser, who is writing a novel about a woman who returns to her childhood home after the death of her estranged mother.

Prosser said she chose this topic for two reasons. For one, she thinks it is an idea with potential—an idea that will develop over time. Secondly, “I came up with this idea for personal reasons, but mostly because I can relate to it, and it is easier for me to draw the most inspiration from things I can relate to,” she said.

By the end of this month,

Prosser hopes to write 50,000 words, which she said “is a lofty goal,” but that “there’s something enticing about it.”

“If other people can do it and make something out of their work, why can’t I?” Prosser said she learned about NaNoWriMo last year and decided to do it this year as a personal challenge. In the past, she said, she has tried to write a novel and failed. She hopes that NaNoWriMo will give her the structure and motivation to complete her novel.

“This is going to be hard for me,” she said. “I am not a very motivated person, but again, this is a personal challenge and is worth trying my hardest for.”

English teacher and chief innovation officer Stephen Chinosi has participated in NaNoWriMo for the past three years.

Last year, he took advantage of the NaNoWriMo room in the library, and this year, he signed up for the laptop program.

Chinosi said he found NaNoWriMo to be “awesome fun,” which is why he continues to do it each year.

When Chinosi was a full time English teacher, he said he did projects with his students that involved NaNoWriMo and Script Frenzy, which is similar to NaNoWriMo but is for scripts and happens in the spring.

In his classes, Chinosi said he used curriculum material on the

event’s website in order to help his students participate in the Young Writers Program.

“We set our word count goals really low those first few years, and most of us ended up writing really short stories or tiny plays,” he said. “But, it was so much fun operating in a class that was so focused on language, character development and storytelling.”

For his novel, Chinosi is working “on a topic that has been brewing in my brain for about 15 years,” he said. “It is loosely inspired by an adventure I had while I was in London when I was 19.”

In order to meet his goal of 50,000 words, Chinosi said he works on his novel whenever he can find time. “I have no way to pace myself. I just write during every spare minute and steal time from all the other things I have to do for a month.”

By midnight on Wednesday, Nov. 30, Chinosi said he hopes to meet his word count, but he is not that concerned about actually completing a novel.

“Participating in NaNoWriMo is less about writing a novel and more about filling up every spare minute of your time writing,” he said.

“If a novel forms out of that, then you’re on to something great, but NaNoWriMo is about the primacy of language and ideas.”

Jay Feinstein

In the Learning Commons: Sophomore Krista Sampson uses one of the laptops avaible to NaNoWriMo participants.

advertisements

6 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011

Your Village. Your Bank.

“Education is learning what you didn’t even know you didn’t know.” ~Daniel J. Boorstin

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

Member FDIC Member SIF

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

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

TRX TRAINING ®

Try our new TRX Suspension Trainer program — a revolutionary method of leveraged bodyweight exercises used to build power, strength, flexibility, balance and mobility.

TRX Body Blast TRX Fundamentals TRX Circuit Training For more information, contact Jane Carroll at ext. 3007 WEST SUBURBAN YMCA

276 Church Street, Newton, MA 02458 (617) 244-6050 l www.westsuburbanymca.org

Advertise on our new website TheNewtonite.com!

Email thenewtonite@gmail.com for more information.

features

Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 7

Program helps English language learners KAYLA SHORE Dozens of paper cranes hang from the ceiling, floating above a room that sees 65 students and 20 languages almost every day.

Covered in a patchwork of languages, flags and images from students’ homelands, the English Language Learners (ELL) department is perhaps the most colorful part of this building.

ELL provides instruction and support for non-native English speakers.

“We want to help students whose native language isn’t English to excel academically,” said science teacher Deborah José.

Literacy for history and world cultures teacher Amy Wo r t h s a i d , Newtonian “ O u r a i m i s Deborah to teach acaJosé demic English.

But all kinds of language appears in academic work.”

Cultural differences also present obstacles to students transitioning to the United States.

“Some were taught only to memorize. Making abstract connections for interpreting and analyzing is more difficult––they just need more practice,” said José.

“That’s how they were trained in school,” added Worth.

“But there’s always a way to help them understand,” she said. “That’s what makes teaching fun––it’s like a puzzle.”

Students entering this school from a foreign country can often

BY

Hilary Brumberg

65 students, 20 languages: Sophomores Andriy Lapeyev and Islam Turyatunga, whose first languages are Ukranian and Luganda, respectively, review each other’s practice essays for the MCAS English Language Arts composition. feel lost, and many find security in ELL. “They’ve lost their smells and their foods and their friends,” said José.

“It can be very traumatic; most kids in this country have no idea how hard it is.”

Despite these challenges, ELL students succeed. Many ELL students are in Advanced Placement classes, José said.

ELL teachers encourage students to challenge themselves and take on mainstream classes.

“We don’t try to hold on to people––we want them to move as fast and as far as comfortable,” said José.

Senior Carlos Castro did not

speak a word of English when he immigrated to the United States from El Salvador in July 2008, he said.

“I had a lot of lifelong friends.

I didn’t know anything about this country, this language.”

Now, barely three years later, Castro has such strong English that he is enrolled in several mainstream classes.

Many things have changed for Castro. “I have a lot of freedom here that I didn’t have at home,” he said. “There was not a lot of technology there. I didn’t used to use computers.”

Castro said he is grateful to the ELL teachers for helping

him to learn English.

ELL also plays an important role in students’ lives outside the classroom. “Sometimes their parents can’t advocate for them, because of language or because of culture, so we become advocates for students,” said Worth.

“It’s a wonderful community, we really work as a team. We have wonderful students who appreciate being here.”

José added that “the school has been terrifically supportive of ELL.” The ELL department is all about making connections with the community, both within and

beyond this school. “We help kids connect with their counselors, we help connect parents with resources, we help kids connect with the bigger school community,” said José.

Student aides, other students that help ELL students in the classroom, provide another connection with the greater North community.

Many student aides are students who have transitioned out of ELL, but anyone can join the program.

“Students who have mainstreamed are great role models.

It’s really good for students to see former ELL students be so successful,” said José. “They sometimes do more for students than we do.”

Counselor Darby Verre has stepped into a newly created position as the “facilitator and liaison to support the ELL community,” she said. Verre is working to “build bridges with the greater North community.”

Verre has started organizing ELL community meetings with ELL parents and students, where guests such as department heads are invited to learn more about the ELL community.

Among the changes Verre has made are forming student support groups, fostering an ELL-Special Education connection and building up the classroom aide program to mentor students that are struggling.

Beyond the classroom, Verre has been working to provide support outside of school for parents, and to better educate the community about ELL so that teachers can understand and develop ways to help, she said.

EDCO students live in ‘both hearing, deaf worlds’ JULIA ORAN “Thanksgiving is a time to give to other people,” said junior Tom Chappell.

Chappell, along with seniors Kevin Dong, Danayt Gafo, Kellynette Gomez, Reggie Joseph and Alexia Ramirez and juniors Srishti Bhutani and Avery Ecklein, chose to donate their time to help others less fortunate than them.

They helped set up Thanksgiving dinner and performed a short skit on the history of the holidy yesterday at an event run

by DEAF, Inc., an organization that helps deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind and late-deafened individuals.

At the dinner, the students “were able to talk, socialize and interact with the guests,” Chappell said.

At first glance, these students seem just like any other students who are giving back to their community.

However, looking more carefully, it is apparent that these students, instead of speaking orally, communicate through American Sign Language, using a series of hand gestures and facial expressions.

These students are just eight of the 33 students, coming from about 23 cities and towns in Massachusetts, that participate in the EDCO Program For the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at this school and Day. EDCO, which was started in 1973, is the “oldest high school program for the deaf in Massachusetts,” said EDCO director Ed Mulligan.

Founded as an integrated program, he said EDCO gives students “a choice of self-contained and integrated classes.”

The goal is to “provide quality education for deaf and hard of hearing youngsters,” Mul-

BY

ligan said.

Self-contained classes include small groups of EDCO students with one teacher of the deaf.

Integrated classes allow deaf and hearing students the opportunity to learn together with the presence of a public school teacher and a sign language interpreter.

Mulligan said, prior to the beginning of the EDCO program, deaf and hard of hearing students were sent to local schools without assistance, or they would be sent out of state.

Mulligan said deaf and hard of hearing students choose EDCO because “the high quality of education at this school is outstanding” and because at this school, there is a “curriculum that meets students’ needs with an array of offerings.”

Students admitted to the EDCO program, Mulligan said, have a “natural curiosity” and want to be in “both the hearing and deaf worlds.”

EDCO students are able to participate in sports and clubs and are able to take all courses available to hearing students, said Mulligan.

According to Mulligan, 90 to 95 percent of graduating EDCO students go on to secondary school, primarily the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology and Gallaudet University, he said.

Senior Jamie Moore has been living in two worlds––“the deaf world and the hearing world,” he said.

Moore, an EDCO student, said he enjoys the integrated classes over self-contained classes because it is “more challenging for me to be in two worlds. And it is a good experi-

ence for me and also it helps me to get ready for the future.”

In addition to his academics, Moore is a varsity hockey player, which is also an excellent experience because “my teammates taught me how to communicate with them,” he said.

Lead interpreter Melissa Phair said, interpreters “sign what the teacher and hearing students are saying, and then if the deaf students want to say something, they sign and we voice for them.

“Something that people often wonder about is why the students in the EDCO Program refer to most of our staff by their first names.

“The deaf community is a small, tight-knit group and using people’s first names is generally customary. It is not considered disrespectful for the students to call the staff by our first names.”

Teacher Erika Guarino actually participated in the EDCO program when she was a student at this school.

However, she said, “When I was a student, there were approximately 60 students in the program. Nowadays, it is about 30 students.”

She “loved the culture here and the opportunities available,” but “it was sheer luck that there happened to be a job available just as I had moved back from California where I had been teaching elementary students.”

She added, “I wanted to make a difference in the students’ lives the way the staff made a difference in my life.”

“But more importantly,” said Guarino, “I try to be a positive deaf adult role model to those who do not have any interaction with deaf adults in the world. I try to teach my students that anything is possible.”

Maliha Ali and Hilary Brumberg

EDCO: Senior Jamie Moore discusses college planning with EDCO counselor Andrea Koenig (top). Senior Karina Crouniere chats in American Sign Language (bottom).

8 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

T

Wednesday, N

S R IGE

TIGER F

Community values tradition, rivalry MEREDITH ABRAMS In the chill of November, more than just football takes place at the Thanksgiving game against Brookline: a community comes together.

Football coach Peter Capodilupo said that the game goes far beyond simple high school sports.

“The day itself has a celebratory feeling of people coming back home,” he said.

The game is a way for old friends and acquaintances to reconnect: “Kids come back for the first time since going off to college, alums come back, teammates, friends, even parents who played themselves,” said Capodilupo.

“A sort of communion takes place in the community—people are getting together for the first time of the winter.

“It’s really about something bigger than just the game,” Capodilupo remarked.

He added that it can be a very emotional time for everyone involved. “It has intensity because it’s the end of something,” Capodilupo said. “The day has a symbolic sense of ending to it.”

Brookline being this school’s traditional rival dates back over a century.

Tomorrow will be the 118th consecutive Thanksgiving Day game against the Warriors.

Capodilupo said that most rivalries are based on geography.

“Brookline was in the original Suburban League with us decades ago,” he said.

“When the league broke up, Newton North and Brookline both went to Dual County and then the Bay State Conference.

“We were both in the same league 100 years ago, and you try to keep at least one of your major rivals the same when you change things,” he said.

“It’s been a staple, with such a long history.”

For the student athletes, the game carries enormous weight, Capodilupo said.

“It’s something that really hasn’t changed over the years,” he said.

“It’s your chance to do well, kind of like passing a test for your entire season.

It stays with you for a long time.”

Beating Brookline is always the number-one goal of the season for football, Capodilupo said.

“You work to win it for an entire year,” he said. “The biggest thing is to beat Brookline no matter what.

“It’s always the biggest crowd, when

BY

the community comes to support football.”

So, there is a lot riding on the game for the players, he said.

“When you win, it’s the best feeling in the world, and when you lose, it’s devastating,” Capodilupo said. “It’s a very spiritual thing.”

Anything can happen on Thanksgiving, said Brookline coach Kevin Mahoney. This notion was especially present in the Tigers loss to Brookline two years ago. The Warriors had an 0-10 record, yet they won the game, stunning spectators.

“Having played in the rivalry myself, I know it means the world to the kids,” Mahoney said.

“We’re all really fortunate to be part of such a special rivalry—it’s really the biggest game of the year.”

Mahoney said that though in Brookline, not many people remain there after high school, the game is still significant to the community.

“The whole town rallies around the team,” he said. “People always check the paper the next day to see if their alma mater won.”

Athletic director Tom Giusti agreed that the game is intense.

“It’s the last time the seniors will play together, and you feel more butterflies in your belly than any other game,” Giusti said.

“The game fills the players with many emotions because they are playing with those with whom they grew up and with whom they dreamed of playing since they were very young.

“For the Tigers from Newton North and the Warriors from Brookline, this will be the games to remember for the rest of their lives. The season records don’t mean much beacuse this is ‘The Game’ of a lifetime” he said.

The 100th game was particularly memorable, in addition to being the centennial.

“The team was playing for a super bowl spot and league championship,” he said.

All in all, the game means a lot for many people besides the players, Giusti said.

“The Thanksgiving rivalry games always bring out thousands of fans and alumni to the games—many former teammates and classmates have reunions,” he said.

“It is a day of celebration with family and friends, and the turkey dinner always tastes better after a victory.”

Evasion: Junior Andrew Kinsella avoids the Wamps during a game against Bra

Tigers recall past Brook JACOB SCHWARTZ While the Tigers, 4-6, attempt to achieve their season-wide goals at Brookline tomorrow in the annual Thanksgiving Game, their loss against the Warriors on the same field exactly two years earlier will remain in the memories of many Tiger players.

Last yeat at home, the Tigers demolished Brookline 41-12.

In this year’s game, which brings the rivalry back to Brookline, many seniors will try to avenge their former teammates, who have since graduated and who experienced the heartwrenching loss on November 26, 2009.

Going into the Thankgsiving Game, Brookline had a 0-10 record. The Tigers went in 5-5, winning four in a row prior to the match, including a 34-12 victory over Braintree.

The three principal goals for the team have always been to have a winning season to beat Brookline and “to win our

BY

next game,” according to coach Peter Capodilupo.

Although the Tigers were heavily favored in the 2009 game, the Warriors won 18-16. In one game, the Tigers lost all three of their goals, in devastating fashion.

Although that game is now two years in the past, it remains a reminder for the Tigers not to make the same mistake again. Perhaps because this year’s game on Brookline soil, will remind Tiger players of the 2009 loss.

Senior Mike Bradley, a captain with seniors Pat Bryson, Brendan Fagan and Swardiq Mayanja, said, “The loss hurt, but lessons learned from that game will carry into this game. “We’ve learned that we can’t take any team lightly, even if it’s 0-10.”

According to Fagan, “Of course, the loss still stings. Brookline was a team that had nothing to lose. We had everything to lose, and we just couldn’t come through.

Warriors expect ‘tough com tomorrow in final contest o COREY GRILL SAGAMORE SPORTS EDITOR Several story lines will intertwine at the final game between North and Brookline tomorrow.

BY

guest column

courtesy Graphics

Pass: Senior Ryan Byrne prepares to throw the ball in a home game against Wellesley, Saturday, Oct. 23.

Junior football players look to end the season on a high note, hoping for improvement in their senior year.

Seniors want to end their final high school game with a bang, and coaches intend to use the game as a stepping-stone to greater seasons in the future. It is a tradition and a teaching moment.

Regardless of which storyline or team you follow, everyone aspires to beat his bitter rival and secure the win.

Junior and starting linebacker Scott

Cordner has been looking forward to this game all season and considers it the most important in his team’s season.

“It’s almost like a one-game season for us at some points. It doesn’t really matter what our record is, but when you play that rivalry game against North, the win or the loss makes or breaks the season.”

The Thanksgiving Day game boasts the biggest crowd all season.

There is nothing on players’ minds except football, according to Cordner. He highlighted the game as the season’s last and as the end of the seniors’ high school careers.

Senior Kyle Foley expressed the nostagia that playing in this final rivalry game brings.“It is incredible, and it is going to be a crazy game,” Foley said. “We are going to kick North’s butt.”

Coach Kevin Mahoney ’97 who captained the Warriors when he was in high school, said, “Always, one of the biggest

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 9

Nov. 23, 2011

WA R

TBALL 2011

R IO RS

For seniors, Thanksgiving Day game culminates four years of dedication BRENDAN FAGAN Thanksgiving football, simply put, is the most rewarding, anticipated and coveted game of football most kids will ever play.

For North and Brookline, this is when a two-century old rivalry comes to a head.

BY

guest column Win, and the feeling of victory lasts a full year. Lose, and the feeling of defeat stays forever.

For most kids on the team, it is the last game they will ever play.

The game tomorrow is a last in many ways. It might not be my last game, but it is most definitely my last Brookline game.

It is the last time I will ever wear a Tigers’ football jersey, and it is the last game I will ever play with all of the kids I have played with the last four seasons—in some cases more.

As the season began, Brookline was just a distant thought, but now, the game weighs heavily.

Tomorrow morning, we represent the school, and we represent the past teams

that have played this game.

Brookline holds a special place in everyone’s mind because of the importance of the game.

It defines our season and our careers as football players at this school.

To say the least, the game makes me nervous in more ways than meet the eye.

It reaches to the question of how we want to be remembered.

This game could define our season and us as a team.

The importance of this game is understood by very few, and its outcome holds more weight than any other game.

The easiest way for me to describe the emotion of the Brookline game senior year is to simply say that it is a culmination of four years of sweat, blood, bruises and pain mixed with both hard, happy wins and heartbreaking, devastating losses.

All of the emotion, frustration and experiences of my first three years and 10 games comes bottled up into one final clash of rivals.

The good times and the bad times seem to be strung together as Thanksgiving approaches.

I look back on the season and go over

Jacob Schwartz

Cheer leads pep rally, performs at halftime

aintree at home Saturday, Nov. 5.

kline games “That was our winning season, and we lost it to a team that hadn’t won a game.”

The 2009 loss was a perfect example of he “anything-can-happen” aspect of the game.

“One of the clichés of the game is that records are always toseed out the window.” Capodilupo said.

Fagan noted that the game will be most seniors’ last in high school and for many, their lives, as well. Fagan said players try to go out on top. “Football is not a sport you can play when you’re 50 years old,” he said.

This season, Brookline has fallen into a similar pattern to 2009, with a 3-7 record, or a typical team, beating a team 41-12 would give the victors tremendous confidence for the next year.

However, maybe this time around the Tigers will not let the numbers influence them and will give the game honor by playing their hearts out.

RYAN CONDON Cheerleading plays a big role in the Thanksgiving Game, according to Amanda Costa, a coach with Adrianne Callahan and Stephanie Chmura. The squad gets the crowd excited and helps everyone get involved, she said.

The team will perform at the pep rally after school today, as well as during the game and at halftime, she said.

The team is preparing for the game by using tricks from their season, as well as newer stunts, said Costa.

“What makes the Thanksgiving Game great is that we have a lot of material prepared from throughout the season.

“We are well into the season and usually have some of our best routines to showcase at the games, such as stunting,” Costa said.

Senior Katja Hamler, a captain with seniors Domenique DiDino and Micayla Ross, said the team performs its regular routine during halftime.

“In other games, we have a halftime routine, but this is different because it’s our own, familiar routine,” Hamler said.

Costa said that the team looks forward to the game every year. “The rivalry between Brookline and Newton North is great, and everyone gets really pumped up for it,” she said.

Hamler said, “The game is a great tradition that brings North together. We don’t have homecoming, so Spirit Week and the game really help build the community.”

The squad plans to keep this tradition going and make sure the crowd gets involved, said Costa.

“It is the last game of the year, and Newton North wants to come out on top and beat Brookline.

“It is also Thanksgiving, so lots of people attend the game, such as former football players, cheerleaders and family members. We hope all of Tiger Nation makes it to the game!”

BY

mpetition’ of season goals of the year is to beat North.

“North and Brookline have a great rivalry, and the biggest calendar date that we have every year is the Thanksgiving Game rivalry. It is bigger than any other sport when the football teams get together.”

This year, Brookline has been rebuilding the program and looks forward to being competitive and getting the win, Mahoney said.

He added that the Warriors know that they are up against some tough competition, as the Tigers have distanced themselves from Brookline over the last 12 years.

At 10 tomorrow morning, many paths and varying story lines will converge on Parsons Field.

They will come to one final crescendo.

Players on both sides look forward to this one game, a game that in format is no different than any other but in meaning is similar to none.

what “could” have been. I say “could” instead of “should” because nothing in life is guaranteed. I look back and see the hardships the team went through, and the good times the team went through. All of that does not even seem to matter once tomorrow comes.

From past experiences of game day, I cannot totally remember all that much.

The days seem like a blur; almost, as if the time before the game speeds by, and then, it is time to step onto the field.

There is nothing in the world like stepping on that field, one last time.

This year being my senior year, I can tell you that emotions will be high.

Emotions will be high but controlled enough so that when the ball is kicked off, the game is nothing but football.

One last game, for the players, for the seniors, for us as a team. One last time together on that field with nothing but ourselves to keep us together and to keep us focused. The bond that the team has grown together will show on that field.

No matter the outcome, the team will always be a team, and we will always be remembered for our actions this season and on that final field.

Jacob Schwartz

In the air: Sophomore Jen Davis balances on top of a human pyramid during a home game Saturday, Nov. 5.

advertisement

10 â—† Newtonite, Newton North

Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011

Good luck to the Tigers

Beat Brookline!

from the families of: Kyle Alessi JJ Allen-Gordan Sam Atkins Seb Barton Nathan Biedermann Tim Blouin Jack Boucher Mike Bradley Pat Bryson Ryan Byrne Matt Camilli Axl Casteneda Rydell Cox Chris DĘźAmore Elliot Dix Brendan Fagan Christian Fanning

Ryan Gallagher Felege Gebru Naod Getachow Scott Giles Emory Holmes Jack Ingham Aiden Keyes Jackson King Andrew Kinsella Jodanny Lamasiere Jovanny Lamasiere Andrey Lapeyev Chris Lewis Gary Lewis Matt MacKenzie Andrew Mackowski Joe Mariano

Sebastian Maximin Swardiq Mayanja Nate Menninger Mywamburi Mkaya Elvin Montoya Tomas Paez Rashad Penn Fred Pierce TJ Quinn Marlon Rainville Nick Raso Kyle Rich Jason Rodriguez Gabe Ross Dan Sabetti Nick Shabanian Mike Shale

Dan Sharagorodsky Jacob Shearman Ben Shore Henry Shore Christopher Stots Mike Sullivan Matt Thacker Max Tucci Anthony Vitone Orion Wagner Jeff Weinfeld Jackson Wells Wyatt Wells Carl Whitham Ian Wittrup Dimitri Wright Jermel Wright

features

Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 11

Program offers alternative to this school SAMANTHA LIBRATY High School Stabilization Program (HSP) is often called “The Shed” because of its shedlike building located on South’s campus. It offers a stable, safe and structured environment for students who may require a small, alternative education setting, according to Special Education department head Walter Lyons.

HSP is part of the Newton Public Schools and provides an alternative school setting for students from this school and from South. “It is a stepping stone to decide what is best for a student during a difficult time,” Lyons said.

“HSP meets a variety of students’ needs, including additional counseling.”

Students attend HSP for a maximum of 45 days, during which time the student, parents and staff “decide what will come next for a student,” he said.

A teacher, behavioral therapist, counselor and other staff members create a small therapeutic environment for students at HSP. They then provide an assessment, Lyons said.

Students who may need “a respite from the traditional school setting while behavior assessments are being made” may attend HSP, its mission statement said.

In the NPS, students may receive a long-term suspension or expulsion if they assault a teacher or are in possession of drugs or alcohol on school premises, depending on the case and other contributing factors, the student handbook states.

During a student’s suspension, he or she may be sent to HSP, where he can continue his studies and can recieve credits for his work, Lyons said.

A student can also be recommended by the principal to go to

BY

HSP, he said.

Principal Jennifer Price said, “I am most often involved when a student goes to HSP as a result of a disciplinary incident. To be clear, it is not a disciplinary placement, but often students who have a serious disciplinary incident are in a time of personal uncertainty or challenge.”

If the student, his parents/ guardians, his housemaster and his counselor believe HSP is an appropriate option for him, the student is evaluated and may be sent to HSP, she said.

“Our hope is that a temporary placement away from this school will help the student either re-enter this school more successfully or transition to a different, more permanent placement,” Price added.

After an assessment is made at HSP by a team of professionals, a student may re-enter into his or her respective school or may attend a different school setting, Lyons said.

The time in which a student attends HSP may vary between a week to the full 45 days, depending on the student’s situation and/or progress, he said.

Sophomore Kenny Sanders attended HSP during part of a suspension. “I waited for a month before I was accepted into the program, and then I was there for under 45 days,” he said.

“There were kids there who had been there for way over 45 days,” he said.

Sanders took classes while at HSP; however, he said, “the day is not very structured and it is very long. When you finish your work, the teachers let you do anything.”

The program is also very small and accommodates all students. “When I was at HSP, there were only nine students there,” Sanders said.

HSP is five years old, Lyons

Samantha Libraty

“The Shed”: High School Stabilization Program is across the street from South in a former shed. The building is used for students who need an alternative to traditional school. said. “Previously, the NPS used outside agencies to evaluate students, and we decided to change that,” he said.

Stabilization programs are somewhat common throughout the country, Lyons said. However, most school districts use outside agencies.

The NPS decided to create its own program to keep students in Newton and to continue to support students, he said.

“All of the necessary resources are in Newton and there is immediate access to professionals and staff members who are familiar with a student.”

While at HSP, “students are still engaged in their learning while being assessed in a small environment,” he added.

There is also a lot of flexibility within the program because students are still involved with familiar staff members and can

re-enter into their respective schools whenever appropriate, he said.

HSP is a great way for a student to get feedback and decide a better path of education for an individual, Lyons said.

“There are no cons to this program. HSP continues to support students outside of a traditional school setting and helps them to continue their learning,” he said.

Student teachers gain experience from time here JACOB SCHWARTZ One of the most important parts of the process of becoming a certified teacher is student teaching, as it gives aspiring teachers hands-on experience which will help them for the rest of their careers.

Sean Johnson, a student teacher at this school last year, discovered his interest in teaching during his early high school years, gaining specific interest in English, he said.

During freshman year, his English teacher “was responsible for getting me to love the English.

“Before I had her my freshman year, I hated English class, even though I always loved reading. She was a huge factor in my life growing up.”

Johnson became a student teacher for two semesters as part of his Masters Degree at Boston College.

The first of these two semesters, called a pre-practicum, required much observation on Johnson’s part. He observed the classes of Adam Carpenter, a former English teacher at this school.

“You work with your cooperating teacher to understand why they do what they do, and you are given a few opportunities to try to put those lessons into practice,” Johnson said.

The next semester, called the full practicum, was much more rigorous for Johnson, as he had to take over the teaching for a section.

“This meant planning for lessons every day, grading all the assignments and taking care of

BY

Gabe Dreyer

Student teaching: Dan Albert, a student at Brandeis University, helps senior Alexandra Pini with classwork.

Albert interns with math teacher Shawn Wallace Tuesdays.

everything you would do as a teacher.”

Stephen McCarthy ‘00, a student teacher working under the supervision of English teacher Liz Craig-Olins, is currently completing his full practicum by teaching a section of eleventh grade English.

He started out teaching fifth graders at Cabot five years ago and took a year off from B.C. to focus on his job at Cabot.

His full practicum concludes in December.

According to McCarthy, students should know for sure they want to be a teacher before they get into the process.

“You come to know by asking people you trust that work in the field and by exploring all your options.

“A lot of people who do not teach view it as an easy job because of summers off, good vacations and the fact that kids are gone by 3, but they fail to realize how much work it really is.

“You have to invest a lot of energy in order to do it right.

I went into teaching knowing what I was up against. However, lots of young teachers do not.”

According to Ian Buttermore, a Boston University graduate, “one of the biggest challenges is coming in to take over a course in the middle of the year.”

Buttermore spent his full practicum teaching a few of history and social sciences teacher Ty Vignone’s course during second semester last year.

“However, I was given a lot of leeway to do things the way I wanted to,” he said. “What was tough was balancing doing what

you want with the expectations of your students, who have a comfort zone from the first semester.”

For example, Buttermore did not agree with the way Vignone held onto students’ work and notes after each unit, returning it all back to them before the final exam, he said.

“Personally, I believe that being in 10th and 11th grade means taking control of your organization,” he said. In the end, Buttermore decided to hold onto his students’ work as well for his semester, as his students were used to the class running that way.

Teaching, according to Johnson, at times “can be incredibly difficult and disheartening, he said he remembers when he began his full practicum, “the first two weeks were a battle for respect with the students I worked with. It took some time for them to see me as their teacher.”

At times, nerves can take over for student teachers. “Often times, standing up front and looking out at a sea of desks is intimidating,” Johnson said.

“Similarly, I often find that students forget that their teachers are real people, particularly with the younger students I currently work with, which leads to a whole slew of challenges.”

Johnson said that the best advice he could give to an aspiring teacher is to simply “do it.”

“You never know until you try. I think teaching can be one of the most uplifting and rewarding careers you could choose.”

12 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

advertisements

Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011

SAT | ACT Tutoring Programs There’s nothing like individual attention from a Princeton Review tutor.

Add a few hours of tutoring onto an SAT® or ACT® prep course or sign up for an 24-hour tutoring program (LWKHU ZD\ \RXpOO EHQHÞW IURP

Exceptional instruction A custom prep plan Guaranteed* results

Flexibility and convenience No distractions

/HDUQ PRUH DW PrincetonReview.com/Tutoring

888-231-7737 | PrincetonReview.com 9LVLW 3ULQFHWRQ5HYLHZ FRP JXDUDQWHH IRU GHWDLOV 0RQH\ EDFN JXDUDQWHH RQO\ YDOLG RQ KRXU WXWRULQJ SURJUDPV 7HVW QDPHV DUH WUDGHPDUNV RI WKHLU UHVSHFWLYH RZQHUV ZKR DUH QRW DIÞOLDWHG ZLWK 7KH 3ULQFHWRQ 5HYLHZ 7KH 3ULQFHWRQ 5HYLHZ LV QRW DIÞOLDWHG ZLWK 3ULQFHWRQ 8QLYHUVLW\

Habits for a Lifetime of Health Newton-Wellesley Hospital encourages you to develop healthy habits.

Eat a balanced diet • Keep active • Stay smoke free Y

www.nwh.org Advertise in the Newtonite! Call 617-559-6273.

sports

Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 13

Swim, 7-4-1, fights sickness Competes in postseason JAY FEINSTEIN Runny noses, sneezes and the sniffles signify a cold season. They signify a period of time when students are drowsy and lethargic—a period of time when students find it difficult to concentrate on school, extracurriculars and sports.

Girls’ swimming and diving has its own cold season, and it affects the team when it comes around every year, coach Kirsten Tuohy said.

Usually there is one phase of illness during the season because it spreads so quickly through the pool, she said.

This year, the period of sickness came at the beginning of the season, so the Tigers thought that they got it over with.

Instead, there was a second round of sickness near the end of the season.

“Everyone’s been exhausted and the swimmers have been popping ibuprofen pills before their races,” Tuohy said. “At the end of the season, you want to be the strongest, so it’s tough to be sick.”

Despite these obstacles, the Tigers, 7-4-1, met goals set at

BY

the beginning of the season, according to Tuohy. “I’m proud of the job that all of these girls did” she said.

Tuohy attributes the success of the team to the way that the divers and swimmers pushed each other. “ There was competition among the team,” she said. “It’s easier to step up to competition if you have competition in practice.”

The Tigers competed in a postseason consisting of the Bay State Conference Meet, Sectionals and States.

They placed fifth overall at the Bay State Conference Meet Sunday, Nov. 6, with 187 points, behind Walpole with 435 points, Needham with 345 points and Norwood with 228 points.

Diving was the highlight, according to Tuohy, who added that all four divers scored.

The next two Sundays, the Tigers competed at Sectionals and States.

The Tigers had swimmers or divers in all events except for the 500 and 200 freestyle at both meets, Tuohy said.

The Tigers were to have competed in States Sunday.

Nina Kaplan

Butterfly: Junior Stephanie Giang swims at home against Mount Alvernia Friday, Oct. 28

Tigers attribute team’s growth to underclassmen PERRIN STEIN Most team’s main goal is to make it to the post-season, but this year, girls’ cross country had a second major goal: teaching and improving its freshmen and sophomores.

Even though the Tigers, 6-5, were unable to qualify for the MIAA All-State Meet, “the most important thing is that the younger members developed and grew throughout the season,” according to senior Allie Philips, a captain with seniors Becca Trayner, Rosie Sokolov and Melissa Weikart.

As a result of coach Brandon Mogayzel’s efforts to assimilate new runners by involving them in varsity workouts, a freshman, a sophomore and three juniors qualified for the MIAA Eastern Division Championship, according to Philips. At that meet, as a team, the Tigers placed 10th.

The sophomore, Evie Heffernan, placed 13th, gaining her a spot in the MIAA All-State Meet, which was Saturday. Members such as Heffernan are what will allow the Tigers to do better next year, Philips said.

“This year, everyone did well

BY

Gabe Dreyer

At practice: Junior Julia Schossman, junior Meghan Bellerose, freshman Isabella Reilly, sophomore Lizzie Rudie, sophomore Evie Heffernan, junior Kaylee Spitaels and senior Becca Trayner run on the track Wednesday, Nov. 9.

in the races, but we were always a few points from winning,” she said.

“Next year, I think the younger players will know how to run cross country well enough to gain those few extra points and to win.”

With the aid of the younger runners, Philips hopes the Tigers will continue to focus on improving new members, as well working on racing competitively. “Both of these are things that will make us a successful team,” she said.

Mogayzel said he saw much improvement in the team over the course of the season, which will hopefully convert into more success throughout next year’s season.

At the Bay State Conference Meet, Saturday, Oct. 29, the Tigers faced all of the teams they had raced throughout the season in a 12 team meet.

“The girls competed very well on a difficult and muddy course, and I definitely saw improvement from the way they ran races against those teams at the beginning of the season,” Mogayzel said.

Subvarsity football stays persistent, determined JV, 2-6, displays effort JACOB SCHWARTZ Mental mistakes due to inexperience kept JV football, 2-6, from winning many of its games, according to coach Nick Capodilupo.

“In our league, there are no teams where you say that a game will be a win before you play,” he said. “There are too many good teams for that.”

However, he said, “Our lack of success has not resulted from lack of effort. Kids work hard and do everything we ask.”

In order to increase the chance of victory in games, Capodilupo said players practiced their jobs, on both offense and defense. This knowledge of jobs, he said, came down to

BY

alignment and assignment or knowing where to be and where to go during plays, respectively.

“If you know exactly what you have to do, you don’t have to think about it while you’re doing it. Thinking about it will only slow you down. It should be like tying shoes or riding a bike,” Capodilupo said.

Problems in alignment and assignment tended to stem from mental weaknesses, according to junior Carl Whitham, a captain with juniors Felege Gebru and Dan Shargarodsky.

“The mental mistakes were things like running the wrong route, or hitting the wrong hole,” he said. “We were just so good, but along with the mental mistakes hurting us, the “physi-

cal” mistakes hurt as well, like the holding or clipping calls.”

However, Whitham was sure to emphasize the team’s persistence. “Determination really offset the mental mistakes. These guys really wanted to win. I mean, who likes to lose, right?

When we had the ball and we were down by a touchdown with a minute left, we dug deep.’”

’15 meets season goals MEREDITH ABRAMS Despite a 2-8 record, the freshmen football team made great progress this season, said freshman Aidan Harte, a captain.

The improvement in each member of the team was outstanding, he said. “We all got so much better,” Harte said.

BY

This made for a good season according to Harte. “Because we improved, we had a successful season. “ We’ve definitely done a pretty good job this season,” he said.

A high level of effort and commitment has been a strong point for the team, he said.

“When we really try hard, we tend to do really well.”

However, when that was not the case, the team sometimes struggled, said Harte. “Sometimes we could have given a little more effort, and we would have done better.”

Regardless of wins and losses, the team came a long way, said coach Jeff Clark said. “They improved a lot this season just

by playing together as a team,” he said.

In doing so, the team accomplished its goals. “The goals were to have a successful season, get better every day, and to work hard,” Clark said.

“I do believe that we have accomplished these goals.”

A strength of the team was its defense, he said. “They played well together,” Clark added.

“But one defensive goal was to get all eleven players to the ball carrier, whether it’s the receiver, running back or quarterback, on every play.”

A drawback is the relatively small size of this year’s team, Clark said.

The Tigers ended their season Monday against Brookline.

sports

14 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011

Talented Tigers excel this year HILARY BRUMBERG When people hear “cheerleading,” many think of freshfaced girls with short dresses, high ponytails and wide smiles shaking their pompoms and jumping as they cheer on their school’s football players.

People merely assume halftime is these spirited girls’ time to shine as they take center stage to belt out a cute rhyme about why their school is the best and execute a few rudimentary gymnastic moves.

However, in reality, cheerleading is much, much more.

These performances during football games are just practice for this school’s cheerleading squad, according to senior Domenique DiDino, a captain with seniors Katja Hamler and Micayla Ross.

Like all other varsity sports, cheerleading performs at competitions against other schools.

For the first time since 2009, the Tigers advanced to States, which were to have been Sunday at Shrewsbury High School.

“It should be close,” DiDino said before the meet. “There are a lot of good teams going to States from Division I.” In the Regional competition Sunday, Nov. 13, the Tigers placed fourth out of 13 teams

BY

with a score of 179.5, trailing top-scoring Whitman-Hanson Regional High School by seven points.

DiDino said while the squad excelled in previous problemareas, it had trouble where it is usually strong.

“Leading up to Regionals, we worked on voice, enthusiasm and dance because those are the areas that weren’t looking so good in past competitions.

In Regionals, we got amazing scores for those, however tumbling and stunting, our better areas, were affected negatively.”

The Tigers obtained a ticket to Regionals by placing first in Bay States, the league competition, Tuesday, Nov. 2 at Braintree High School. Not only did they exceed their goal score by 1.5 points, but they outdid their rival and host.

DiDino said this was surprising because the Wamps “usually come out really well.”

Before Bay States, the Tigers participated in three invitational competitions, placing first twice and second once.

Adrianne Callahan, a coach with Stephanie Chmura and Amanda Costa, said, “This season’s team has the most talent and heart of any of the last five teams I have coached.”

Jacob Schwartz

Pyramid: Junior Allison Hurwitz, freshman Amara Lutwack and sophomore Jen Davis are lifted Tuesday in practice for States.

Lions eliminate girls’ soccer in double overtime thriller KRISTIAN LUNDBERG Ouch.

With one miserably beautiful strike, a promising season for girls’ soccer ended in a 4-3 heartbreaker at home in the second round of the State Tournament Wednesday, Nov. 9.

The 7th-seeded Tigers, 144-2, had more than their fair share of opportunities, and they dominated possession for most of the game, but their inability to defend on two free kicks and one lucky bounce sent 15th-seeded Chelmsford to the Sectional Quarterfinals.

“Unfortunately the ball didn’t fall well for us,” coach James Hamblin said. “Three of their goals came on free kicks, the goal in the other tournament game was a free kick. We had talked about it before, but we couldn’t defend their free kicks.”

Although Chelmsford senior Abby Johnson registered the game-winner on a scorching shot with only one second left in double overtime, the Lions

BY

Jacob Schwartz

Against Beverly: Sophomore Leah Howard chases the ball in the first round of the State Tournament Monday, Nov. 7.

earned their victory through their persistence in the second half, refusing to quit when confronted with a 3-1 deficit.

Chelmsford scored in the 46th and 74th minutes, both times off free kicks, to tie a game that the Tigers had controlled throughout the first half. While the Lions steadily mounted their comeback as the clock ticked down, the unease percolating through Dickinson Stadium steadily grew.

By the time Chelmsford headed into overtime, holding all of the momentum, the stage was set for the Lions’ gamewinner. The goal came on a cross that bounced to Johnson, who picked out the top corner from the top of the box to spark a bench-clearing celebration.

“I told my girls at halftime, ‘I don’t care if you lose, I just want you to to say afterwards that you gave all your effort,” Chelmsford coach Anne Mariano said.

Still, as Hamblin put it, the Tigers’ season was “still a great

success.”

The Tigers went undefeated over their first nine games, posting a 7-0-2 record while holding their opponents to only two goals over that span.

Despite a small midseason slump, by the end of the regular season Hamblin had taken his team from two wins during his first year to 14 in his third, and the underclassmen with whom he had begun his tenure had developed into an experienced group of seniors.

Expectations were sky-high heading into the playoffs for a team that had already tasted tournament success last year.

However, for the second straight year, the Tigers were stifled in the second round.

Yet, even in the disappointment of how this season ended, Hamblin said he was hopeful for the team’s future.

“As much as you want to lick your wounds right now, the future is still going to be exciting,” he said.

JV soccer players help freshman team fill roster JV rises to challenges JAY FEINSTEIN Tr a d i t i o n a l l y, f r e s h m a n teams are made up of only freshmen. That was not the case this year for girls’ soccer, which saw some sophomores on the JV team also playing on the freshman team due to lacking numbers, said Johanna Lynch, coach of the JV team.

“Some girls who might have come out for soccer in the past are choosing to try other sports or choosing to participate in other school-sponsored activities,” said Lynch.

“We need more numbers to participate in the tryout process to field three full teams at the varsity, junior varsity and freshman levels.”

The lack of players trying out

BY

affected the schedules of the teams. “Some training sessions were missed, and the logistics of scheduling shared players was a bit challenging,” Lynch said.

“Overall, the players rose to the challenge.”

Although Lynch did not keep track of the team’s record, she said the team finished with more wins than loses.

The Tigers entered the season with the goal of achieving a balance between technical and tactical skills.

“We wanted to refine basic soccer skills and knowledge of the game, such as foot skills, passing to feet and movement of the ball,” she said.

To achieve these goals, the Tigers “worked hard at practice and often took the skills

practiced into game situations,” Lynch said.

The strength of the team was its unity.

“They were a wonderful group of girls that played a lot of soccer together in the past two months,” Lynch said.

“The returning JV players welcomed the new players and really bonded as a group. We have play41 well together in many games because of teamwork.”

A highlight, Lynch noted, was when two players, sopho-more Elizabeth Koch and fresh-man Katie Thomson, moved up to varsity. “They had a consistent high level of play at the JV level,” she said.

According to Koch, “It was a really great experience being

moved up but both teams were really tight.”

“Both teams were full of really great kids.”

“The junior varsity and freshman teams are a great group of young women,” said Lynch.

“They have been a pleasure to coach and it will be great to see them progress in their soccer careers at Newton North.”

’15 keeps motivation, develops team unity AMANDA HILLS Despite an initial lack of players, freshman girls’ soccer, 5-9, was still able to field a team.

Additionally, the girls made many strides to improve their skills, said coach Emily Lewis.

At the beginning of the season, the team had only nine

BY

players, while 11 are required for a game.

Lewis and the JV coach, Johanna Lynch, decided that a few JV girls would play at each freshman game, which “exposed the girls to a high level of play,” according to Lewis.

Motivation was key for the team. It was difficult for the players to adjust to sharing the field with the JV players, according to freshman Lucine Boloyan.

But, Boloyan said, “We didn’t give up. The fact that we were able to try to have a team required motivation.”

She added that she felt having a small team helped the girls bond with each other.

“We all quickly became great friends. Nobody was left out.

There was no exclusion.”

sports

Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 15

Despite injuries, JV, 3-9-2, improves KRISTIAN LUNDBERG Despite a season hindered by injuries and a lack of depth, the future of the field hockey program gives JV coach Kim Hamilton reason to hope.

The squad, 3-9-2 overall, entered the season with only 14 players, five of whom were new to the sport, but, according to Hamilton, “it was incredible to see the change in their skill level at the end of the season.”

“We covered a lot of information this season and they worked hard to learn,” she said.

In particular, Hamilton cited improvements in “gaining a knowledge about the game and improving basic skills.

“We had to discipline ourselves to be patient,” she added.

Hamilton also said the team rebounded well from injuries to two key players, junior Aryam Kifle, the starting goaltender and freshman Maddie Irwin.

“It was tough to have only one sub at times and to have to change a lot of the lineup, but they quickly adjusted.”

The program’s success as a whole is attributable to “hard work,” she said.

“We’ve always been a hardworking program that never gives up.”

“Also, the captains made all three teams feel like one big family, which is a tradition Coach Myers has made important to our program.”

According to sophomore Maddie Raso, the team’s final game against Needham was the highlight of the team’s season.

“We played Needham earlier in the season, and we lost, so it was great to beat them at home,” she said.

In her first year in the field hockey program, freshman Cari Daniels said she had “a lot of fun” on the team. “We went through everything together, and we bonded well,” she said.

’15 team keeps positive attitude EMMETT GREENBERG Although freshman field hockey did not calculate its record, the team played well as a team despite inexperience, coach Shannon Manning said.

“Most of the kids had never played field hockey before, and I was new to coaching it, so we had to start with the basics,” she said.

“But we learned the sport really fast.”

The Tigers learned the sport with the help of varsity coach Celeste Myers and JV coach Kim Hamilton, videos of college teams playing and each other, Manning said.

The players used teamwork to learn the basic skills of field hockey and to improve throughout the season, according to Manning.

She praised the players for their high energy and positive attitude.

“They were lots of fun to be around,” she said.

Athletes improved their skills as well as their team chemistry throughout the season, according to freshman Sonia Khurana.

“The time we spent as a file photo team made us Sonia better, and it Khurana was very enjoyable,” she said.

“Everyone felt so good when we won.”

During the final game of the season, the Tigers ended with a 2-2 draw at Needham Friday, Oct. 28, scoring their second goal with 20 seconds left to play.

Overall, the best game of the season was a 4-0 win against Brookline, the Tigers’ last home game of the season, Manning said.

BY

BY

Kristian Lundberg

At UMass Lowell: Senior Stephanie Vitone and junior Bridget Gillis fight for possession in the first round of the State Tournament against Chelmsford Friday, Nov. 4.

Tigers bow in first round KRISTIAN LUNDBERG Entering the season, the question hovering over field hockey was whether the Tigers could return to the postseason and improve off of last year’s success—despite undergoing a rebuilding season.

Surprisingly, coach Celeste Myers’ young squad did both. “ We proved that we belonged,” Myers said. “I had one of my best coaching experiences with this team.”

The Tigers finished the regular season at 7-6-2, enough to gain the 13th seed in the Division I North Section of the State Tournament. In the first round, they fell to 4th-seeded Chelmsford Friday, Nov. 4 on the road.

From the beginning of the game, the Lions’ superior skill was quite evident, but the Tigers hung around, pulling within two goals twice in the second half before Chelmsford finally closed out its 5-2 victory.

BY

Yet, according to Myers, the positives from the team’s season outweighed any regrets.

“We had a roster filled with freshmen, seniors and one or two juniors in the beginning of the season,” Myers said. “It wasn’t the team you’d say is going to make it, but we won our division and made the playoffs for the second time in a row.”

In the match against Chelmsford, junior Bridget Gillis registered a multiple-goal game, netting both of the Tigers’ tallies.

However, the other half of the Tigers’ prolific tandem on offense, senior Bobby Grimshaw, could not find an opening in the stingy Lions’ defense, and Chelmsford somehow prevented him from completing his deadly runs from the midfield.

“We knew we had our hands full with Bobby, so we made sure that we always knew where he was and we kept our sticks down,” Chelmsford coach Mau-

ra Devaney said. “He’s a great player, so we focused on limiting his chances with the ball.”

In the future, Myers said the Tigers will look to develop their young talent.

“The younger players will grow, and the seniors have done a great job in mentoring them,” she said. “I’m looking forward to the next few years.”

Once the Tigers were eliminated, the squad went through the handshake line without spilling too many tears. After a final pep talk from Myers, in which she “debriefed the game and talked about the season overall,” the team boarded the bus for the long trek home.

Although the bus was quiet for the first few minutes, the same chatter that had filled the bus on the drive to the game returned after a little while.

“No tears, no sadness, no regrets,” Myers said. “I’m really proud of their attitude.”

Boys’ cross country runner participates in States GLORIA LI According to senior Justin Keefe, the Tigers’ goal was to send the entire team to States as opposed to merely a few individuals, as they have in the past.

This year, however, the Tigers were ultimately unable to attain their goal of qualifying for States as a team.

According to junior Jonny Long, despite the team’s inability to race together, Keefe, a captain with senior David Buzby, will be in the competition as an individual runner.

Coach Jim Blackburn noted that while five teams made States, “we, unfortunately, weren’t one of them.”

Keefe said he believes that the Tigers could improve with “smarter training.”

“We need better workouts, and we need to be doing those workouts at the right time in the season,” he said.

Additionally, sophomore Gabe Montague was merely one place short of being able to qualify for States.

Blackburn said both ran excellently, and that he is proud of the fact that Keefe placed seventh and Montague placed 15th Saturday, Nov. 12 at Sectionals.

Regarding Keefe’s qualifica-

BY

Jacob Schwartz

At practice: Senior Justin Keefe runs with coach Shawn Wallace in preparation for the State Finals, which were to have taken place Saturday.

tion for States, Blackburn said, “I have confidence in him and I’m hoping that he’ll be among the top 15 against the other runners from both central and western Massachusetts.” The meet was to have taken place Saturday, before press time.

Last season, the Tigers “did not run so well” because only then captain Dan Ranti ’11 qualified when three team members were expected to qualify for States, according to Keefe.

The year before that, Keefe said, the situation was worse.

He recounted how he had a broken ankle at the time that the meet was to take place. However, 2008 went well as the team finished fourth at Sectionals and qualified for States.

Despite having a winning season, boys’ cross country, 9-2, suffered losses to both Walpole and Brookline.

Blackburn said that the Tigers were striving for an undefeated season, but “you can’t always have everything,” he said, “and this was a strong outcome nonetheless.”

Keefe said he did not expect the Tigers to win at States because the Tigers “don’t have enough depth,” as he considers the team to be a young one.

sports

16 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Wednesday, Nov. 23 , 2011

Brookline edges Tigers Volleyball’s run ends in Sectionals GLORIA LI Volleyball, 17-1 in the regular season, played with a winning in mind as they made it to the Sectional Finals of the MIAA State Tournament, according to coach Richard Barton.

In the Sectional Finals, Thursday, Nov. 10, the Tigers beat Quincy 3-0 at home.

The Tigers’ stint in the postseason ended Saturday, Nov. 12 with a 3-2 loss to Brookline at Babson College.

Prior to the Brookline match, senior Meredith Abrams, a captain with the rest of the seniors, said, “they have been our most intense rival this season.”

Abrams expected “a very aggressive match with both teams wanting badly to become Section Champion.” Brookline was

BY

the only team that the Tigers had lost to during the regular season, falling by a 3-2 score Friday, Oct. 21.

In the Sectional Finals match, the Tigers played five sets with the “hitters on fire, scoring many kills,” according to senior Laurie Kamenetsky.

“Overall, it was a strong match,” Kamenetsky said.

According to senior Kristine Cheng, “It was back and forth between North and Brookline, but towards the end, we lost it.”

Brookline has a capable setter and many players who can hit fiercely, according to Brookline junior Alison Brailey.

“We’re two pretty evenly matched teams, so the game really could have gone either way,” she said.

Junior Jackie Ly, a scorekeeper, said, “We played well, and at many points during the game, the Tigers came extremely close to catching up.

Brookline was in the lead, 14-11, at game point though.”

Ly said that towards the end, the Tigers were too nervous and that was the primary factor leading to their close loss.

Kamenetsky said the Tigers and Warriors are strong teams that will proceed to play higher level volleyball in future years.

She said she hopes that next year, the team will be able to make it further into the postseason.

Cheng said, “The team is like a family, we are still supportive even through losses, and we did well this season.”

‘Fearless’ JV players hit hard GLORIA LI With strong attacking and setting throughout the season, JV volleyball, 15-3, was “the hardest hitting team in the conference,” according to coach Jason Souza.

With a tall blocking defense, the girls were “fearless bigswing takers,” he said.

The team, however, worked on its consistency in serving, Souza said.

In order to aid the players in improving, Souza coached throughout the season according to the ideal that “practices should involve game-like drills.”

Souza said he thinks playBY

ers should “pursue every ball, hustle at all times and pass and set off the net constantly.”

The team grew over the season, Souza said. “I’m extremely proud of these girls.

North volleyball is exceptionally demanding, and they rose to the call of duty.”

This season, Souza noted that the most memorable moment was when sophomore Michaela Mastroiani jump-served for set point at Brookline.

Souza said he relishes the fact that she was brave enough to attempt the maneuver.

According to freshman Marisa Salvucci, the highlight

of the season was “at Brookline when we lost the second game, but made a great comeback during the third.”

According to Souza, sophomores Jenna Hogan and Emma Kaloupek were great passers with consistent serves, while sophomore Emma Tavolieri and freshman Bali Connors “took big swings in the front row.”

Overall, Souza said that “all athletes were a delight to coach.”

Junior Madison Beatrice noted that while Souza was hard on the JV team, it helped the Tigers make improvements in their game-play strategies.

Gloria Li

Hosting Somerville: Junior Deanna Cortina serves for the Tigers in their first-round match Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Boys’ soccer falls in slugfest KRISTIAN LUNDBERG “It’s a game of chess. We’re going to beat them at a game of chess,” Brookline coach Jeff Katz said in his pregame speech.

“They’re playing without their best players. They’re not happy to be here.”

Renewing its rivalry with the 12th-seeded Warriors Saturday, Nov. 5, 21st-seeded boys’ soccer, 7-6-5, was indeed missing a key player for its preliminary round match-up in junior Matt Callahan, who had received too many yellow cards to be allowed to play.

However, their strong back line, led by senior Tim Stanton, a captain with senior Luke Westman, and their experience made the Tigers still a difficult team to face in postseason play.

The shorthanded Tigers faced a Brookline team thirsting to avenge its defeat in last year’s Sectional Finals, in order to come from behind to stun the Warriors 2-1 in penalty kicks.

But unlike last season, to advance in the State Tournament, the Tigers had to steal a win on the Warriors’ home turf.

With last year’s battle royal fresh in both teams’ minds, a

BY

Kristian Lundberg

Ball control: Senior Matt Moss-Hawkins dribbles against Brookline Saturday, Nov. 5, in the preliminary round of the State Tournament. The Warriors edged the Tigers 1-0.

physical, intense match ensued, and, just as Katz had predicted, the two rivals squared off in a chess match, with neither side giving an inch to its opponent.

This contest became violent about 20 minutes in, when a fight broke out next to the far sideline, along which most of the spectators had congregated.

As the fans began to enter the fray, the scuffle broke out into a bench-clearing brawl, and, when the dust had cleared, a player on each team was given a red card. The match was paused for about 15 minutes while security arrived to restore order and move fans off the sideline.

According to coach Roy Dow, the brawl marred what was otherwise a high-quality match.

“The fight is going to grab people’s attention, but it distracts from the fact that it was a well-played soccer game,” he said. “It was a tough, hardfought, physical match.”

After 70 minutes back-andforth action, Brookline finally found a breakthrough. In the 75th minute, senior Eric Buck collected a partial clear at the top of the box and hammered a volley past the dive of senior

goalkeeper Nick Knaian, scoring the eventual game-winner.

In the dying moments of the game, the Tigers could not come up with an equalizer to save their season, and Brookline escaped with a 1-0 victory.

But, even in a statement win for his program, Katz looked emotionally drained following the game. “Obviously, they’re a great team, but it’s tough because we work with each other in the summer,” he said.

Meanwhile, finding himself on the losing end of the proverbial chess match, Dow still struggled to reconcile the fight with what was otherwise a clean, well-played game.

“It’s a pity that it happened,” Dow said. “Coach Katz and I have a good relationship outside of the soccer field, and both teams have classy people.”

After the Tigers headed towards their buses for the short ride home, Katz gathered his players by the bench and told them, “Practice Sunday at 2:30.”

It didn’t matter that it would be the last practice of the Warriors’ season. The announcement still received one of the loudest cheers of the day.

Subvarsity boys’ soccer emphasizes development JV defeats Weymouth FATEMA ZAIDI JV boys’ soccer, 7-9-2, consisted of members from all classes yet still showed incredible team chemistry, according to sophomore Sam Jones, a captain with junior Gilad Seckler.

“Although we started really well and got off to a great start, we got to the middle of the season and lost three games in a row,” Jones said.

“We just lost our momentum when we played quality teams.”

The team’s main goal was to

BY

win as many games as possible, said Jones.

“In order to do that, we needed to improve ourselves so that we could really communicate on the field,” he said.

A highlight of the season was the Tigers’ 1-0 home win against Weymouth, Jones said.

“In the last minute of the game, we scored, and we fought a really tough team and didn’t give up,” Jones said.

According to coach Peter Goddard, the strengths of the team were its transitions and

ball movement.

“We built up an attack well.

Freshman Will Gerard emerged as a good facilitator in the midfield. Junior Zach Balder was converted into a dangerous striker,” Goddard said.

“We had a solid back four of two freshmen, Brett Stanton and Ben Porter, and two juniors, Seamus Bruno and Gilad Seckler. Sophomore Ryan Milione was unbelievable steady all year. Junior Ben Holland was always a threat to shoot from anywhere,” he added.

’15 rotates captains AMANDA HILLS Freshman boys’ soccer, 4-10, was a “hard-working team with good chemistry and communication between players,” according to coach Tom Barry.

Quinn Mayville agreed that one of the Tigers’ strengths was “working as a team.”

Barry said the team focused on being more aggressive and “playing tougher.” The Tigers also worked on applying what they learned in practice to their matches. “We’d do something

BY

well in practice, but it was difficult to do the same in a game,” he said.

Each game, two to three players were chosen to be captains for that match, according to Barry.

This gave everyone on the team the chance to see what it’s like to be in a leadership position, he said.

He hopes that his players continue to play soccer. “The JV and varsity demands are higher.

I hope they put in the work out of season,” Barry said.