v90i12 by The Newtonite

Newtonite ◆ Friday, Dec. 23, 2011• Volume 90, Issue 12

TheNewtonite.com

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

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

Administration develops new ideas JARED PERLO Student Faculty Administration members kicked off their legislative year by discussing a spectrum of issues, ranging from the creation of a student union in the cafeteria to expanding the radius of this school’s smoke-free zone. The creation of the student union or hangout spot is being kicked off with a design contest, submissions for which need to fit SFA-regulated guidelines. In its first meetings, the SFA mainly focused on how the body itself operates and what could be improved to make the passage of bills more efficient. Last year, the SFA got bogged down by an occasional lack of student participation and lack of cooperation and consequently could not focus on school-wide issues. Current SFA members sought to remedy the lack of participation by creating small groups within the SFA, each of which was tasked with discussing a school policy. The body has become significantly more productive as a result of this rumination. Many policy changes have been put ◆ continued on page 3 BY

Jacob Schwartz

Blueprint: SFA representatives juniors Winston Huang, Felege Gebru and Frank Donato review plans for the student union.

Innovation Lab works to refurbish courtyard HILARY BRUMBERG As it stands, the courtyard is a grid of green patches divided by rigid cement pathways with a few trees and benches scattered methodically throughout. The Innovation Lab team, consisting of students and chief innovation officer and English teacher Stephen Chinosi, is currently working to transform this scarcely occupied area into “a workable space for students and teachers,” according to junior Katie Wu, a member of the Innovation Lab team.

The team spoke with students, faculty and parents who are interested in using the courtyard as a performance space, a memorial for community members, an outdoor classroom and science lab and active pond. At the end of January, the Innovation Lab team will invite everyone interested in the project to join a courtyard team, which will work with the Innovation Lab to complete the project, which Chinosi expects will take around two years. Science teachers Ann Dan-

nenberg and Barbara Gibson have been championing the effort to incorporate a science aspect to the refurbished courtyard since “the school was just a blueprint,” according to Chinosi. Dannenberg explained that the outdoor education space would be a place where students could “observe ecosystem interactions and species in specific habitats,” while “fostering environmental stewardship” through maintaining a habitat for plants and animals.

An outdoor theater space would give students the experience of performing in a different venue than the auditoriam and little theatre, according to stage crew adviser Mike BarringtonHaber. For this project to become a reality, a professional builder and/or stage crew would need to build a back wall and lights and hook up a generator, according to Barrington-Haber. Another possibility for the space is an outdoor classroom, which would redefine the “con-

cept of a traditional classroom” because learning “doesn’t necessarily need to consist of desks,” according to Wu. While Chinosi acknowledges that combining four such distinct aspects into one small area could make it become segmented, he said “a good landscape architect can make it all work.” The project could be funded through a combination of the Innovation Lab’s account, private and corporate sponsors and the Newton Schools Foundation’s naming rights initiative, he said.

Naviance helps students in post-graduation planning AMANDA HILLS Planning your post-high school career can be overwhelming. Getting your desired grades, as well as completing applications, interviews and other requirements can be stressful for some. Guidance counselors at this school have created a tool to help organize and prepare students for the college process: Naviance. In the upcoming weeks, sophomores will have their first introduction to Naviance. In small groups with their counselor, they will have their first look at the software. Juniors have been meeting with their counselors to receive PSAT scores, as well as talking individually with their Career and College counselors. Naviance is an online database that collects information about colleges across the

Emma Hanselman

Fields, parking lot constructed ALEX FEIT By next fall, the fields bordering the Lowell Avenue lot of the old building will be ready for use, according to chief operating officer Bob Rooney. The general layout of the field is almost complete, with a parking lot and spaces for baseball and softball diamonds, a multi-purpose field and shot put arena. With the onset of the winter weather, final work will be deferred, Rooney said. BY

“The plan is to reseed the field in April to let the grass grow over the summer and to put in a French drain for the field to be ready by the fall of next year,” Rooney said. The fields bordering Walnut Street recently underwent maintenance to fix drainage issues, Rooney said. The 110 spaces in the parking lot are reserved for faculty, whose old spots around the neighborhood will be delegated to students in the coming months, according to Rooney.

country, tracks your progress and compares your test scores to other students, among other features. It also offers alternative options for those who are not planning on going straight to college after graduation. And, perhaps the most useful component of the site, Naviance maps out a four-year plan for a student’s entire high school career. The idea is that if students keep up with the objectives Naviance has laid out, they should be right on track to make their post-graduation decisions. Counselors at this school agree that Naviance has proven a useful resource for students. According to Career Center counselor and director Brad MacGowan, this school started using Naviance in 2004. He has watched it improve throughout the years, he said. “It gets better every year,”

MacGowan said. “It is a great way to learn about colleges and keep track of information as a student goes through the application process. It helps with every aspect. It is by far the best software in this field.” Career Center counselor Sarah Hoffman said she finds Naviance’s college locator to be its most helpful function. “Being able to search for colleges using specific criteria is the most helpful,” she said. “I also appreciate that students can see how other NNHS graduates have done in the admissions process at a variety of colleges.” This feature can give students an idea of how realistic a school is for them, she said. Counseling department head Beth Swederskas has seen kids use Naviance in every grade in high school. She explained that ◆continued on page 3

See inside for holiday caroling, community service, religion and winter sports

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opinion

2 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Dec. 23, 2011

Must know past to shape future It’s 20 years from now. You’re sitting in a leather chair in an office at some important company, with your feet propped on the desk and a steaming coffee in your hand. Grateful to have a break in a hectic day, you pull out a newspaper and put on your new reading glasses.

editorial You’re reading a column in the opinion section, and the writer keeps referencing various events in America’s modern history. You’re confused. You continue reading, but you don’t understand what the columnist is talking about. You have no idea what he or she is referring to when he says “America’s lost decade” or Iran’s nukes or the military’s drones. Well, sorry bud, but you

should have been following current events 20 years ago. Maybe right now it seems like a huge strain to go out of your way to read the newspaper or listen to the news. Fair enough. But what about when the events of today became our country’s important past, and you’ve missed two whole decades of American history? How can we improve the future if we don’t know about the past? Following current events is an integral part of educating the youth. We need to be able to know what worked and what did not work, otherwise, when we are the ones running this place, we will fall back into the hole the country is in now. So pick up a newspaper once in a while. Tune into the news for a few minutes. Keep up with the country.

Library should be open in afternoon LEAH BUDSON There were about 1,650 visits to this school’s Library Learning Commons Friday, according to librarian and English teacher Kevin McGrath. And that was only during the school day.

guest column The library closes by 3 p.m. every day. These meager hours create a missed opportunity. If this school extended the library’s hours so that students have a place to work after school, students would be able to utilize all of the library’s features more frequently than they already do. It is overflowing with resources many students cannot find elsewhere. It stores Kindles, iPads, laptops, computers, books and a space to work. Many students may have difficulty finding a place to do

work after school, and the library would be a perfect place to go, if only it were open later into the afternoon. Our library is the ideal place to do homework, projects or just read. It seems unfortunate that students are unable to continue to work in the library in the afternoon. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, students taking the bus have a 40-minute wait in between the time the library closes and the bus arrives. Without having the library available, they have no place to work. Those 40 minutes become a dull, empty waste of time. It might be difficult to keep the library open later––no one has an unlimited amount of time. But, many teachers sacrifice their time to advise a club or coach a team––why not volunteer to supervise the library after school? The library is already such a useful place––why not make it more useful?

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 BettsO’Rourke, Eyob Gizachew, Sam Jones, Philippine 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. Readers can also reach us at thenewtonite@gmail.com. To find the Newtonite online go to www.thenewtonite.com.

Hilary Brumberg

Book drive: Sophomore Jee Suh donates a book to a school in Ethiopia. Bring all books to 409 by the end of the day today.

Joking undermines bullying HENRY DEGROOT When the new anti-bullying laws were passed in Massachusetts, they brought with them new anti-bullying procedures in this school. But, making bullying illegal is not the solution, and neither is overreacting to students’ everyday disagreements.

column Bullying is not only physical violence, but cyber. There is gray area in regards to emotional conflicts and whether or not they are incidents of bullying. School administrations might over analyze students’ benign actions or words and condemn the students as bullies. Students arguing with each other may be dubbed bullies. Overreaction to bullying by school authorities gives an un-

realistic representation of how people will be treated outside these school walls and after high school. Students shouldn’t run to an authority figure every time they feel offended. The administration should not coddle the youth, or else students may never learn to be independent, and they may never learn to stand up for themselves. Students need to learn how to resolve conflicts, and if they do not learn this skill in school, then they may never learn it. Certainly there are legitimate cases of bullying that do deserve the full attention of authorities, and for which there should be strict punishment. However, over emphasis on the much more common bullying, closer to teasing, creates a joke out of an important topic. Now, students joke that if

someone’s feelings are being hurt, then he or she is being bullied. Students who overreact to insignificant situations discredit the anti-bullying campaign, and this undermines the effort to prevent and combat serious bullying. There should be a no-tolerance policy towards bullying. However, there is a difference between minor disagreements amongst students and bullying, and there should not be a notolerance policy towards the lesser of the two. The “wussification,” as it has been called, of students in the United States is a threat towards students’ success later in life. This school should concentrate its attention on serious bullying threats, and by giving attention to minor conflicts, it is undermining the credibility of the anti-bullying curriculum.

Graduation list adds to stress TO THE EDITOR: I am writing to bring your attention to a traditional Newtonite practice that is certainly well-intentioned but tends to bring about a number of unintended consequences.

letter Every year in the graduation issue of the Newtonite, there is a two-page spread of a list that states the post-graduation plans of every student in the graduating class.The list is a nice way to celebrate the college aspirations of some students and provide a comprehensive answer to the curious questions of underclassmen and members of the larger community. Unfortunately, the list draws a striking parallel between those students who are attending college and those who are working or serving in the armed forces. This divide is often along cultural and socio-economic lines. The list also announces not the higher education choice that a student is competitive for academically, but the choice that the student is forced to accept for financial reasons.

This is not fair. The Newtonite is not celebrating our students’ achievements, but rather highlighting their differences, often differences that they cannot control. Students at this school are often marked by their post-graduation intention. Often, seniors are referred to by the college they are attending or the place at which they are working––the person and the destination become intrinsically linked. The Newtonite and the school administration should not fuel this mindset by publishing such personal information in a forum with such a wide circulation. Students should feel that wherever they end up going, the choice is for themselves and not the thousands of others who will see their name and future, side by side, in black ink.The transition from high school to whatever comes after is already a scrutinized and stressful process. Word of mouth and Facebook cover the “Where did he get in?” mania. Please consider forgoing the publication of the list in the future so that a school-run institution can be one place free

of this judgment. What a student does after graduation does not have to define them, and the various imbalances between students do not have to be an additional source of distress during this time of change. —ABBY HOLZTMAN SENIOR ◆ editor’s note: The graduation list is a Newtonite tradition. Students can opt out of having their post-graduation plans published. The Newtonite asks for permission prior to including students’ information.

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

Friday, Dec. 23, 2011

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 3

Faculty rewards great students SAMANTHA LIBRATY Keys to Success, an incentive-based program that recognizes Massachusetts students for random acts of kindness and/or increasing academic standing, was instated at this school in October, according to principal Jennifer Price. The program’s goal is to motivate students, Keys to Success coordinator Michelle Roselli said. It is run by Honda Village Automotive Group, a car dealership that also has “a charity-based side,” which Keys to Success is part of, she said. At this school, “Keys to Success recognizes students for doing something unexpected,” Price said. “This could be a student who turned it around academically, a student who went above and beyond or a student who simply did something to make this school a better place,” she said. Teachers nominate students when a teacher notices something a student has done and wishes to recognize that student, she added. Over the past three months, 23 students have received nominations from teachers. They are Connections student Ashley Norton; seniors Caroline Ellison, Claudel Laurant, Alyssa

Nugent, Natalie Polonsky and Karina Reyes; juniors Vanessa Battista, Jeancarlos Garcia, Jake Kim, Will Miranda, Mike Safran and Amalia Sweet; sophomores Terry Altherr, Joe Baia, Raiana Gurley, Haberly Kahn, Demetria Lyons, Ooreofe Oluwadara and Max Proskauer; and freshmen Owen McCall, Alex Potter, Ethan Sanchez and Ciara Staunton. Italian teacher Maria Procopio said she nominated Battista “because I saw her helping another student patiently. “She has done this many times, and she deserved to be recognized,” Procopio said. Altherr said, “I was nominated by my math teacher, Anna McKenzie, because I moved up a curriculum level in math, and I have been putting a lot of effort into the transition.” Altherr added, “You don’t have to be a straight-A student to be nominated. Students who are honest and show progress are often the best examples of deserving students. “Students who were struggling with a class and put in extra effort and time to improve their grades instead of giving up, are great inspiration for other students at this school,” he said.

courtesy of Suzanne Spirito

Keys to Success: Fourteen of the nominees receive certificates for outstanding performance. Nominated students can choose what prize they receive, according to Roselli. Keys to Success donates the prizes, which include gift cards and museum passes. Prizes include gift cards and museum passes that are donated by businesses to Keys to Success.

At the end of the year, 25 of the nominees from this school and South will be randomly selected to be finalists, Roselli said. Each finalist will receive a car key, and just one key will unlock a used car worth $5,000, she said. The student who wins the used car can choose instead to

receive a $5,000 scholarship to the college of his or her choice, she added. Freshmen cannot win the car, but they can be nominated for other regular prizes, she said. In addition, any senior nominees who are going to Salem State University will receive a $1,000 scholarship there.

Administration discusses new ideas, initiatives ◆ continued from page 1 on the table this year, including the possibility of expanding this school’s smoke-free zone and possibly restructuring the tone system. Students advocated for expansion of the no-smoking zone, while administrators conveyed the reality of the situation. Adams housemaster Jamie D’Orazio ultimately said expanding the smoking-ban area would be incredibly hard to supervise. In addition, “If we push the Newtonian smokers out, Caleb the neighbors p u s h t h e m Bromberg right back in,” D’Orazio said. After senior Caleb Bromberg was elected as student co-chair,

members discussed the creation of a student union or hangout spot, and began discussions on possible changes to policies on study halls and cancelled classes. Although still in the midst of discussions, the student union area will be part of the inside nook of the cafeteria which is adjacent to the College and Career Center. “It would give people a destination, rather than roaming the hallways and overpopulating the library,” said Bromberg. Despite its gradual progress, the prospective student union has faced some challenges. One of the student union’s main objectives is to draw students away from the Library Learning Commons to prevent overcrowding. Senior Lucia Grigoli expressed concerns that the union

would not be a popular destination for upperclassmen when they could go to library to socialize instead. Even though some members have been skeptical about the union’s odds of success, most agreed that the hangout area would be a welcome respite from the hectic school day. Junior Winston Huang noted that “this place will not only be for educational purposes, it will have social purposes too.” A design contest initiative for the student union was unanimously approved Wednesday, Dec. 14. The contest allows faculty members, students and parents to submit designs of the student union using an SFA-approved template, which can be found in the Library Learning Commons. The student union has a budget of $3,000, which the PTSO

raised. The designs must be origional and create a stress-free environment where students can relax, socialize, have fun and show school spirit. The proposal shoud also respond to the competition’s objectives as laid out in the brief and be presented in a clear manner, the rules state. All designers must submit their designs on or before Sunday, Feb. 12, librarian Kevin McGrath said. Entrants will not be allowed to edit any project details or files once they have been submitted to the jury. After SFA members vote to choose a winner, principal Jennifer Price said the SFA will award the designer a $100 prize, sponsored by Whitsons Culinary Group and the PTSO. Meanwhile, another committee has been focused on

improving study halls and canceled classes, for the past couple weeks. The SFA has discussed a school policy that states that sophomores are not able to travel off campus during their second semester cancelled classes. Price said the main goal in this longstanding policy is to alleviate the crowding of the Library Learning Commons from students who have cancelled classes. Another one of the committee’s discussion topics is the availability of laptops for students in study halls. However, there are not enough laptops for all of the school’s needs. Parent and PTSO member Claudia Wu suggested that the SFA apply for funding from the Newton School Foundation’s technology initiative to receive extra laptops for study halls.

Faculty detail Naviance’s uses

Alec Mapes-Frances

Naviance: College and career center counselor Sarah Hoffman teaches freshman Tanaja Jordan and senior Armando Ordonrica how to use Naviance.

◆ continued from page 1 it serves a purpose to every student in every grade; it can even be helpful freshman year. “Freshmen in our Career and Tech Ed. Exploratory classes are exposed to the Career Planner, which helps make them aware of their skills and interests related to the world of work.” In the upcoming Sophomore Seminars, sophomores will have their first, introductory encounter with Naviance. According to Naviance’s four-year timeline, these seminars will focus on selecting the right courses for junior year. Swederskas said, “Sophomores are introduced to the personality profile ‘Do What You Are,’ which gives a detailed report of their learning style.” Come junior and senior year, Naviance is used more rigorously. Students start utilizing more of its services. Upperclassmen use the program for more specific statistics and information

regarding post-high school options. “As juniors really begin their post-graduation planning, the college search function is quite valuable, as they are able to enter in their preferences for all types of schools and a list will be created based on those events,” Swederskas said. “Seniors spend a lot of time looking at Scattergrams, which plot a student’s scores in comparison with previous students from this school who have applied to colleges.” Swederskas praised Naviance for “keeping things organized” for students and counselors, and for giving a “realistic perspective on college admissions.” But, Naviance is not perfect. One could easily use it in negative ways. Some students may become consumed with Naviance––checking up on it 24/7, going crazy over grade comparisons and college analyses. Swederskas points out the

line between using Naviance for good and becoming too obsessed with it. She commented that students should not become solely reliant on Naviance. “We can tell if someone has viewed Naviance 300 times at 3 a.m. It should not be the only measure a student takes in order to get into college,” she said. She explained that you must be aware that Naviance is not the only device that can help you with colleges, and that, furthermore, it does not have a guaranteed 100 percent accuracy rate. Just because Naviance predicts that you have a low chance of getting into a school, it does not necessarily mean that you will not get in––Naviance should not be used as a singular guide to your future. Naviance is a highly valuable resource, she said. It keeps students on track and can help them discover and look into all their options.

arts

4 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Dec. 23, 2011

Student band learns art of performance NED MARTENIS Many teenagers dream of making it big as a rock star, but few ever do. The four members of Levity, however, are well on their way to achieving their dream. The four-man band is comprised of sophomores Sebastian Barton, Alex Fabry and Sam Mayer and Bigelow eighth grader Cole Brightbill, respectively bassist, trumpet player, drummer and guitarist/lead singer. Levity recently competed in the SchoolJam USA competition, a contest in which people voted for local bands. The band that acquired the most votes received prize money for its school’s music department. Voting ended November 29, and although the group won more than 5,000 votes, it did not make it into the top eight groups and thus the finals. This is the first year the band members have been old enough to compete, and they will compete again next year, Fabry said. Levity also played at the Skellig Saturday, Nov. 19 and in the Battle of the Bands Sunday, Nov. 20. “Our music is actually starting to develop into stuff people will want to listen to,” Fabry said. At the Skellig, Levity attracted over 150 people and raised more than $400 for Project Bread, a charity that aims to “end hunger in Massachusetts,” according to its website. “We were really surprised at the turnout,” Fabry said. “To be honest, we weren’t expecting more than 50 people to come—it was really a great surprise.” BY

courtesy Sam Mayer

Levity: Sophomore Sam Mayer, Bigelow eighth grader Cole Brighbill and sophomores Alex Fabry and Sebastian Barton pose with their instruments. The group won second place at Battle of the Bands in May, but Fabry said the loss did not count, “seeing as how the winners had beards.” Mayer and Fabry describe Levity as a “mixture of alternative rock, jam band and jazz musicians” and “a melting pot of –isms.” “We all bring very different styles to the group,” Mayer said. “Each person brings out different sides of our playing. For example, I’m very into funk, jazz and rock, but Cole comes

from an alternative rock point of view, and Sebastian and Alex do a lot of work with jam bandtype music.” The group has made aneffort to learn about different aspects of musicianship, in addition to simply playing well. “We’ve learned how to start off and finish a set, which is group of songs in a show,” Fabry said. For example, he said, “Even though I’m really into marathon improvisation, a 12-minute jam session is not the right way to

start out a show. “One of the best ways to hit a show off is to start out with a short, sweet number, like ‘Another Day,’ one of our original songs,” said Fabry. “You have to get the crowd pumped, but still make sure it doesn’t drag too much.” However, during a concert, Fabry said, “You never really know what’s going to happen. That’s part of why we work on our improvisation so much—it really helps us get in sync with one another. It’s really helped

us develop our playing and get much better.” “We started out doing mostly covers,” Mayer added, “but we have begun to write and play our own music.” The band formed in Bigelow Middle School’s jazz ensemble, where Barton, Fabry and Mayer met Brightbill. The three had talked previously about forming a band, but when they first heard Brightbill play, they decided to make their idea a reality. “We were blown away,” said Mayer. “We walked up to him after the practice and told him that he was joining our band, no arguments allowed.” They have gained a local following, and Mayer says that they “intend to keep going strong.” “We buckle down and get to work—music is our lives,” he said. And it is. Levity practices regularly, with lengthy two-to six-hour sessions on weekends. “Most of the money we receive from shows goes towards getting new gear,” Mayer said. “I’m perpetually broke. But I love it.” “But we wouldn’t mind a spare record deal, if anyone has one lying around,” said Fabry. The band has no upcoming shows, but they are recording their first LP at Kissypig Studios, coming out later this year. By packing their schedules with concerts and jam sessions, the four members of Levity have taken the first and most important step towards becoming rock stars—filling their lives with music.

In-school caroling provides festive holiday atmosphere MALINI GANDHI Most choral concerts feature small groups of neatly-dressed singers standing in a tight arrangement on the risers of a dimly lit auditorium. Yet every year on the day before Winter Break, a different kind of choral presentation is held, this one consisting of over 100 students with messy hair and scarves parading through the hallways clutching music, tumbling over each other and singing carols and other holiday favorites. The in-school caroling, which is today C-block, is one of the most welcomed traditions at this school—and one of the most fun, according to fine and performing arts department head Todd Young. “It can be a little unwieldy— moving over 100 choral students around the school, streaming through the hallways and stopping in front of the main office and Plowshares. However, at the core, it’s full of joy,” Young said. According to Young, the caroling was a long-standing tradition of former Family Singers’ director Richard Travers. “It was Mr. Travers’ thing— he would take Family Singers around the school for the holidays. Maybe it’s even before his time, I’m not sure,” Young said. Starting last year, the Music faculty decided to do the caroling as an entire choral department a change Young said “felt right with our new music faculty and our new building. “One of the aspects of the caroling tradition that I love is that all the choral groups are singing together. You have all of our students there: Concert

Choir, Family Singers, Jubilee and Tiger BeBop. “I think it’s especially beneficial for these younger singers to help them see the bigger picture of music at North—all of a sudden they’re singing with over 100 people, some of whom have been singing for many years. It’s a healthy thing,” Young said. Senior Ellie Abbott, a member of Tiger BeBop and Jubilee Singers who will be partipating in the in-school caroling for the fourth time, said the sheer number of singers is wonderful and surprising. “There are just so many people. Sometime we get stuck getting up and down the staircases, which is funny.” Abbot said that she loves the atmosphere of the event. “One of my favorite parts is when we go down to Plowshares —the kids are just so shocked to see all of these older kids coming in and singing. “I also love when the entire group congregates in front of the cafeteria. There’s all these people coming and going and listening, and it’s wonderful.” According to Abbott, the groups start preparing for the in-school caroling about a week and a half in advance, when they were given a number of caroling books with a wide variety of standard holiday songs. “Often you can just join in with the base melody and it works out pretty well,” she said. This low-key atmosphere is a “wonderful way of spreading festivities,” Abbott said. “I know most seniors are very stressed going into December break, as they are at the peak of senior activities. The caroling

will be a nice way to ease into the holidays.” Junior Lexi Dissanayke, a member of Jubilee, Family Singers and Tiger BeBop, said that she looks forward to the in-school caroling every year because of the warm reception the singers receive. “I love the festiveness of the songs, but most of all I love the faces of the people we see. Everyone just gets so happy when they hear us,” Dissanayke said. Dissanayke said that the most memorable moments from past caroling experiences are entering classrooms and seeing the people sitting at the desks. “Often times the teachers act annoyed when all of the singers come, but the students are always happy,” she said. Young said that in addition to the in-school caroling, this year the music department also presented an in-school holiday concert yesterday during Eblock. The concert consisted of a “smattering” of every vocal and instrumental group presenting a few holiday pieces or music they are working on, according to Young. “There’s so many good musicians, and it’s kind of neat to have everyone together. When we came up with the idea we knew it would be a little crazy with all of those students, but we thought it would be fun.” After all, as Young said, “What better way to celebrate than with music? Listening to music is a great joy. To make music is an even more remarkable experience. To share music with friends...Well, that’s just about the best.”

Hilary Brumberg

Deck the halls: Juniors Ian Lund and Rowan Sockwell and senior Jesse Tripathi, along with the rest of the members of Concert Choir, Family Singers, Jubilee and Tiger BeBop sing during last year’s in-school caroling performance. This year’s event is today C-block.

arts

Friday, Dec. 23, 2011

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 5

Annual ‘Cabaret Troupe’ to reveal student talent FATEMA ZAIDI Cabaret Troupe will have its fourth annual show Wednesday, Jan. 12 and Thursday, Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium. The evening will be filled with contemporary musical theatre directed by senior Jon Paul Roby and junior Anna Nemetz, “Cabaret Troupe’s main mission is to spread the word about contemporary musical theatre because it is not so common in mainstream music, but it is relatable, beautiful and fun music,” said Nemetz. Each year, the show’s title is based on the performance’s theme. Last year’s show was titled “Growing Up Again,” and it showcased songs the directors hoped would inspire people to discover new things about themselves. The show next month is “Crazytown,” which is also the name of the performance’s opening number. “It is quite literally an insane song,” according to Nemetz. For the opening piece, “We’re doing it as a full group number— it’s normally a small group, and we felt that ‘Crazytown’ depicts the craziness and unknownness we all experience going through high school,” she said. “Cabaret Troupe has never done anything like this before,

Gabe Dreyer

Preparation: Senior Jon Paul Roby, one of the directors of Cabaret Troupe, rehearses a song Monday, Dec. 12 in 171.

so this should be an exhilarating twist.” The songs in the show vary in style, but the majority are contemporary musical theatre songs, meaning they were written in the last 10 to 15 years, according to Nemetz. “We also have a few songs that are not within the realm of musical theatre, but instead songs written by folk singers and modern bands—songs one would hear on the radio. This is to show how similar in sound contemporary musical theatre is to mainstream pop music,” Nemetz said. Nemetz said she chose to apply to direct Cabaret Troupe because of her love for singing and her love for performing contemporary musical theatre. “I have been in the troupe since its birth, and I loved being a part of the community and loved making the music, so I decided I wanted to have an even bigger role and share my ideas with the troupe,” Nemetz said. Roby was one of the co founders of the troupe, and this will be his third year directing, she said. There have been some roadblocks in directing the show, according to Nemetz. “Casting the show was very difficult because there was so much talent and so many unique

individuals,” she said. “Choosing the set list was also a struggle because, once again, there is an abundance of tasteful contemporary musical theatre, but we can only have so many songs in the showcase.” As always, Nemetz said the positive experiences outweigh the challenges. “The rehearsals are so fun and dedicated. The members of the troupe learn really quickly and are just great people,” Nemetz said. “Rehearsals with them are consistently a blast.” As to why everyone should come see Cabaret Troupe’s performance, the directors’ hope is that “if you see it you will laugh at least 10 times throughout the night, and cry at least once,” Nemetz said. “The show is going to be wonderfully fun and an overall great experience for the cast, as well as the audience,” she added. “We hope that the audience sees how each song tells a story and that the audience takes something away from these various stories,” she said. According to Nemetz, “Everyone in the cast has put in so much effort and talent that it would be a waste not to see it.” Tickets cost $7 dollars and will be available at theatreink. net and during all lunches.

Three a cappella groups share passion for music FATEMA ZAIDI Voices encompass the room, filling the void of instruments, producing beautiful music. This type of all-vocal music is called a cappella, and this school has three groups dedicated to using their talented voices to perform for others and to show their skills. Forté and Northern Lights are two groups that have existed at this school for a relatively long time, but the third group, Melocotones, was formed last year by seniors Rebecca Jereza and Alyssa Kaplan and junior Samantha Chan. Seniors Pamela Chen, Mira Netsky and Melissa Weikart are the directors of Forté, the only all-girls a cappella group at this school. Describing the group, Chen said, “We are fine, fresh and fierce.” Every Sunday, for about an hour and a half, the group meets at different students’ houses to practice and sing, according to Chen. “Basically, first we warm up and decide what song we want to learn, and then, we learn different parts and sing it multiple times together,” Chen said. When local people contact this school asking for a singing group, Forté is the group that attends their events, she said. “Forté ends up performing whenever people ask if North has any singing groups because we’re an organized and professional group,” Chen said. The group also likes to give back to the community through their high-quality singing, she said. “One of the bigger concerts that the group performed in two years ago was called A Cappalooza, which was a gathering of local a cappella groups to sing together at this school. “The Tufts Beelzebubs, which is a really famous group, played in the concert. They serenaded a lady in the audience—I was so jealous,” said Chen.

courtesy Emily Paley

Northern Lights: Members of one of this school’s three a cappella group rehearse Sunday. In addition to A Cappalooza, Forté has played at Envirojam, Coffeehouse FUSN, A Cappella For A Cure and at nursing homes. “The concerts are always really fun. Some are formal, where we get to play with larger groups, but it’s always exciting to play in front of low key ones,” Chen said. Chen said she enjoys being a part of such a high-quality group because “we are all girls, and we all have a lot of fun and get to bond at that level,” she said. Northern Lights is another a cappella group at this school, and it is directed by seniors Emily Paley and Graham Techler. Of the two co-ed groups at this school, Northern Lights was the first one to be formed, said Paley. Just like Forté, Northern

Lights meets on Sundays from 7 to 9 p.m., usually at Techler’s house. “As directors, we run the group, teach music, get ideas from the group and arrange music. Sometimes we have to buy arrangements,” Paley said. The group is fully studentrun and picks its own music—all the participants make collective choices for the group and collaborate together, Paley said. “We’re a group of really passionate kids, and I’m happy kids can come out of their shells and express themselves,” she said. Northern Lights, like Forté, performs at as many concerts as possible, she said. “We try to hit all the benefits we can. We try to focus on community events and get our name out there in the community and with different organizations,” said Paley.

Like Forté Northern Lights performats at A Capella For A Cure, an annual event organized by Paley, where different a cappella groups perform and all proceeds go to the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. The first concert was two years ago, and Paley said she

decided to continue it because it was such a great success. “The best moment was seeing all my friends help with the cause. It was a really good feeling and singing on stage with them was so much fun,” Paley said. “I absolutely love a cappella music. Some of it is awesome, and I love teaching other people about it. “This is my fourth year, and it has been a really great time—I hope I have inspired others and their love and desire to learn about the craft,” Paley said. Most recently, Melocotones was formed last year as an additional co-ed a cappella group. “Melocotones means peaches in Spanish. We wanted to incorporate our love of food, music and culture, but mostly food,” said Jereza. Instead of meeting every Sunday, Melocotones meets every Saturday at school around 1 p.m. During their meetings,“We learn and rehearse music, and at the end, we eat!” said Jereza. Although the group is fairly new, it performed in Envirojam last year. “It was pretty nerve-racking because it was our first performance, but we did a pretty good job,” Jereza said. Melocotones stands out because, “We have different people from different social circles who come together and sing,” she said.

6 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

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Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 7

Service comes in many varieties MEREDITH ABRAMS Volunteer work comes in a number of different forms, from service trips to after-school activities. Students at this school have various experiences with community service.

Seniors

Jay Feinstein

Origami: Cabot Elementary School fifth grader Izzy Longo-Lehman works on an art project, while senior Hannah helps a student. Members of Tutors in Action volunteer at various local elementary schools.

Student clubs serve community MEREDITH ABRAMS Volunteering is an undeniably valuable experience for students, said counselor and cooperative education coordinator Rachel Sturma. Sturma coordinates the volunteering offerings list for this school on Naviance. “Students can learn so much from community service,” Sturma said. “They can learn skills and talents that can be utilized later in life.” Students at this school see the importance of volunteering as well. Fourteen clubs are devoted to community service, including 50 Cents to Save a Life, which raises money for the purchase of vaccines for underprivileged children in Africa, Asia and the Americas.

Senior Diana Seldin, a club officer, said that she got involved with the cause through her mother. “I’ve had a lot of past experiences with community service, and my mom works with patients with neglected tropical diseases, who the vaccines are geared towards.” She added that it is inspiring to help other people. “It is really important to volunteer if you can,” she said. “And raising money is so easy, and it’s always needed,” said Seldin. Team PACT is another community service oriented club—it focuses on raising money for cancer research. Senior Hannah Stubblefield-Tave, an officer, said that if you can, there is no reason not to volunteer.

“It’s really something that’s easy to do,” she said. “If you are able to help, why not? “If we didn’t help others, a lot of people would get left out of things—we all need to be contributing.” Passion for a cause is another good reason to volunteer, according to senior Rebecca Jereza, an officer of Minga, a club that strives to end the child sex trade through raising funds and awareness. “I believe in the cause, and I really want to help educate people about it,” she said. Community service is also an important way for people to learn, Jereza said. “It builds a person’s character because they will always take something away—unselfishness, for

example. “Volunteering can also give you some experience in fundraising, advertising and other areas,” said Jereza. Tutors in Action provides mentoring and academic help to local elementary school students, said senior Sarah Bajwa, a club officer. “Because of us, students get mentored,” she said. “We can help the kids with their homework, answer questions about middle school or just be a friend for them.” Bajwa said that community service is very important to her. “You really get a lot out of it,” she said. “There are so many different ways to volunteer, you can really get anything you want from it.

Trips benefit both participants, locals STEVEN MICHAEL Two long-running service trips at this school allow students to rebuild homes devastated by Hurricane Katrina and improve schools in rural communities in Nicaragua. When students from this school first traveled to New Orleans to help rebuild in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, they worked on the home of an elderly couple whose son perished in the flooding, recalled English teacher Peter Goddard, who teaches Leadership in a Diverse Society with English teacher Michele Leong. The following year, students returned to the house to observe what had changed since they left. No one had worked on it, Goddard said. This experience inspired carpentry teacher Garrett Tingle to create an initiative to organize nine Massachusetts high school carpentry programs to complete projects in New Orleans, called “Mass Nine for the 9th.” Under the proposal, nine crews would work on a single project for nine consecutive weeks in New Orleans’ lower ninth ward, the neighborhood most affected by the hurricane, Tingle said. So far, Tingle has sent his proposal to vocational high schools in Lexington, Cambridge and Silver Lake, and all have expressed interest. This year, the annual trip to New Orleans will proceed BY

as in past years, while details of “Mass Nine for the 9th” are mapped out, Tingle said. Senior Grace Rolfe, a carpentry major, said hearing the stories of New Orleans residents made her realize how the hurricane affected everyone. Rolfe attended the New Orleans trip the past two years and plans to travel there again this April. “The message I took away is that you should always help people in need,” she said. Similarly, the Nicaragua Club organizes an annual trip to give educational opportunities to students in rural schools in that country, according to French teacher Fiona Blyth, the adviser. Blyth along with 12 to 15 students will travel this March to San Juan del Sur, Newton’s sister community in Nicaragua. “Participants work in schools with younger students, collect educational materials and distribute them to rural schools,” Blyth said. “They also teach English to Nicaraguan students, who left school to work.” To raise money for the trip, Nicaragua Club has conducted bake sales and plans to organize school supplies drives for Nicaraguan students, said senior Parker Veroff, the club’s president. “Personally, I find happiness through helping others,” Veroff said. “Since we have the opportunity to help people in need, we should take that opportunity.”

Paige Grody volunteers as a teacher at her karate school. “Helping out makes you appreciate what you have,” she said. “Plus, it’s great for college applications.” The Newton Public Library also offers volunteer opportunities, said Corey Hess-Mahan. “It’s a great way to give back,” said Hess-Mahan. “We all live in the community, so we should all make it better.” Stoddard Meigs does community service through his church. “I volunteer with my church’s youth group, because I’d feel like a bad Christian otherwise,” said Meigs.

Juniors Audrey Derobert volunteered at her gymnastics studio, she said. “I don’t currently because of time constraints,” Derobert said. “But I liked that even though I wasn’t practicing anymore, I could still be a part of that community.” Jackie Ly helped coach a soccer team of autistic children. “I have a family friend whose daughter is autistic, whom I love, and she asked me if I would volunteer and work with some of these kids,” Ly said. “Of course I agreed.” She said that volunteer work usually comes to her. “I don’t really go out and look for volunteering opportunities—they usually come from suggestions.” Randy Tow participates in Newton Athletes Serving the Community. “I enjoy helping out the local community with my friends, and I get to meet new people and have fun,” Tow said.

Sophomores Timmy Blouin helps out at church functions. “It’s really valuable because I can help people without wanting anything in return,” said Blouin. Visiting children and the elderly is a great way to volunteer, said Louisa Donavan. “It’s just a good thing to do,” Donavan said. Aiden Hanrahan volunteers with his church. He said he gets a lot out of it. “It really helps with a person’s morals to do community service, and it’s always good to help people.”

Freshmen

courtesy Tiffany Chen

New Orleans: Senior Eliot Bemis gardens on last year’s trip.

During the summer, Bali Connors volunteers at Cradles to Crayons, an organization that provides children with essentials like clothes and school supplies. “I really wanted to help out and do something for the community,” she said. “The only reason I don’t do it now is that I don’t really have a lot of free time.” Madeleine Lundberg went to Boston to feed the homeless with her church. “I think it’s important to put yourself in others’ shoes and see the world from other points of view,” she said. Ari Seckler also does community service affiliated with his religion—he volunteers through his temple. He said it is a valuable experience. “It lets me help people and allows me to better understand people less fortunate than me.”

Teachers define relig

Judaism

JULIA ORAN Teaching about subjects that pertain to religion has always been a hot topic in school systems. Two years ago, after much discussion, South decided to allow an atheist student not to read the Bible, a required piece of literature for sophomores. The student refused to participate, stating, “This is the word of God. People take this literally...I don’t want to read about what they believe to be true,” according to the Newton TAB. At both this school and South, the Bible is still required reading in all sophomore English classes because according to English department head Melissa Dilworth, “The stories from the Bible are approached as pieces of literature.” “We aren’t teaching religion or trying to expose students to a particular religion or religion in general,” she said. “We are teaching students about literary terms such as archetypes, metaphors and allusions.” In addition, Dilworth said, “By reading these stories, we are giving students a context that is necessary to understand the many biblical allusions that they come across in poetry, fiction and film.” During sophomore year, many students read A Separate Peace by John Knowles. “Within this work, there is an allusion to the tree of knowledge, and students understand this reference and the tree’s significance more deeply if students understand the story of Adam and Eve,” she said. “We approach these stories in a way that is familiar to students—we look at figurative language, word choice, character development and conflict in order to understand the layers of meaning at work,” she added. “This study isn’t about endorsing or educating students about religion.”

courtesy Art Illman

Simchat Torah: Sophomore Eliana Gevelber dances to honor the Torah. PERRIN STEIN After the sun sets tonight, many of the Jewish students at this school will enjoy a celebratory meal of oil-laden foods, after lighting and blessing five candles on their menorahs. Today is the fourth day of Hanukkah, the eight-day long Jewish festival of lights. This holiday is a celebration of the re-dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean Revolt. Hanukkah is eight days because when the Jews lit the menorah in the Holy Temple during the revolt, there was only enough oil for the light to last one day. However, the oil lasted for eight. This event is called the miracle of Hanukkah. “I celebrate Hanukkah by lighting the menorah every night, adding one candle as the week goes on. I give gifts, pray and play dreidel with my family,” said junior Caroline Nunberg, the vice

president of the Jewish Student Union. Like Nunberg, sophomore Eliana Gevelber said she observes Hanukkah through prayer, time with her relatives and presents. “It is a fun holiday that I look forward to,” she said. “It fosters the sense of Jewish community that I enjoy.” Sophomore Sophie Aronow said she especially enjoys Hanukkah because she spends time with her relatives from New York. “I have great memories from my childhood about making latkes with my relatives,” Aronow said. Although sophomore Michael Shale enjoys celebrating Hanukkah, he said he and his family do not always have time to light their menorah each night. “With sports and other extracurricular activities, it can be difficult to find the time to light the candles and say the prayers,” he said. “We make an effort, though because we all enjoy Jewish holidays, such as Hanukkah.”

Christianity

Religion in education: History teache is currently learning about how Hindui Abrahamic faiths. Students learn about Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism in their world history courses freshman year. History teacher Emily Lewis said teaching about religion is important because it allows students to “live fuller lives” and “understand practices or terms that they may hear about in the news or in movies.” Lewis added that these religions “play a big role in world history,” and many of them are “among the most practiced religions in the world today.” History department head Jonathan Bassett said, “I think it is impossible to be an informed citizen of the state, the country and the world with at least a basic knowledge of these faiths. Our world is

Islam

courtesy Anna Ellison

Christmas tree: Freshman Anna Ellison places an ornament on a branch. JULIA ORAN JACOB SCHWARTZ When the clock strikes 2:20 today, students will jump from their seats, ready to take advantage of every precious minute of break. Many will journey home, where they will spend the evening decorating evergreens, wrapping gifts and preparing a traditional Christmas Eve feast for their families and friends. Sunday is Christmas, a day on which Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, a man whom they believe is the son of God. To observe this holiday, most spend time with their family and give gifts in recognition of the miracle of Jesus’ birth. For freshman Anna Ellison, who identifies as Catholic, “Christmas is a holiday celebrating not only Jesus, but also family and friends with whom we share a special bond, she said. “Christianity is about both loving God and also loving other people and being kind and generous to everybody. On Christmas, I celebrate how lucky I am that there are other people who want

AND

the best for me and how lucky I am that there are other people that I can love.” To celebrate Christmas, freshman Luke Fisher, who identifies as Episcopalian, decorates his house with lights. In addition, for the four weeks leading up to Christmas, Fisher said he and his family light an Advent candle each Sunday. These candles symbolize Jesus’ arrival in the world. “Even though I am not an overly religious person, I enjoy the tradition of lighting candles as a countdown to Christmas,” he said. Senior Isabel Meigs, who is also Episcopalian, said she helps out at Grace Episcopal Church by directing the annual Christmas Pageant, which is a reenactment of Jesus’ birth. “I do it in part because it’s sentimental and also because I enjoy helping the small children,” she said. Senior Matt Moss-Hawkins said he shares a festive meal with his immediate family and his grandparents. “It’s fun to come down on Christmas morning and open up presents,” he said.

courtesy Sarah Bajwa

Tradition: Hamilton-Wenham Regional junior Maliha Bukhari, North senior Sarah Bajwa and Westboro senior Mashal Hussain celebrate one of the major Muslim holidays, Eid al-Adha. KAYLA SHORE Practiced by approximately 1.5 billion worldwide, but by very few at this school, Islam allows Muslims to demonstrate their faith in many ways. At the core of Islam lie the five pillars––five practices that are the foundation for Muslim life, according to senior Sarah Bajwa. The pillars are Shahaadah, the testimony of faith; Salat, prayer five times a day; Zalat, charity; Sawm, fasting during Ramadan; and Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. Bajwa incorporates all of these practices into her life. “Shahaadah, which is just accepting the fact that there is one God and that the prophet Muhammad is his messenger, is recited every time you pray,” she said. To practice Zakat, Bajwa said, “my family gives charity all throughout the BY

year. You’re supposed to give two and a half percent of your income to the poor.” Bajwa has not yet had the opportunity to make the Hajj, which can be made during the last month of the Islamic calendar. “I did do the Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca. It was such an amazing experience. You feel weightless when you’re there,” she said. Bajwa, like many observant Muslims, prays five times each day.Five daily prayers are also part of the daily routine of sophomore Rafi Razzaque. According to Razzaque, he must follow many teachings of the Koran to practice Islam properly. “I definitely understand why I have to do the things that I do,” he said. These rules include prohibiting gambling, refraining from eating pork and always covering himself from his knees to his navel, he said.

gion’s role in classes

Hinduism

courtesy Malini Gandhi

String Ceremony: Juniors Malini Gandhi and Sejal Vallahb celebrate their Hindu coming of age with junior Helen Maunsell. HILARY BRUMBERG When CVS’s holiday shelves are still brimming with orange and black and even the most spirited radio stations have not played their first premature Christmas song, the handful of Hindu students at this school celebrate their festival of lights. Diwali, the Hindu new year, occurs on a day with no moon between mid-October and early November. It is celebrated similarly to Christmas and Hanukkah in that gifts are exchanged and candles are lit. This year, junior Sejal Vallahb and her family cleaned their house before the holiday because they wanted to welcome Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of luck and wealth, to bless them for the new year. Juniors Aneesh Anand and Giri Anand went to Chinmaya Mission Boston, a “Hindu Sunday school,” with many other Indian Hindus in the Boston

Hilary Brumberg

r Tom Barry addresses a freshman World History class Tuesday. The class ism affects Indian society. Earlier this year, the class learned about the three so interconnected that we are bound to encounter and be involved with people who practice these faiths. We should know something about them so that we can understand a bit more about the people who practice them.” Although both Lewis and Bassett said that there have not been any parent or student conflicts pertaining to the curriculum, Lewis mentioned that some of her Jewish students want to “hear more on Judaism.” Bassett said he advises teachers to, “Study the material and to be clear about when you are teaching something that a particular group believes and when you are teaching something that is a fact.” Similar to history, science department

head Amy Winston said, “I have never had a parent or student challenge our teaching of evolution,” but “we know that for some students, studying evolution may challenge their personal beliefs.” However, she said, “Having personal beliefs and understanding evolution do not have to be exclusive of each other.” Winston said the science department’s “goal is for students to know about and understand evolution” because “it is critical for any student studying biology.” She added, “One of the most important reasons why we teach science is so that students can make informed decisions and so that students can think critically about theories, beliefs and laws. All students can be critical thinkers.”

area, where they ate a traditional Indian dinner, according to Aneesh Anand. During Diwali, freshman Peddada Lakshmi Mridula and her neighbors distributed sweets and light fireworks. “I love the sense of community,” she said. Vallabh said that it is a unique experience attending a school with only around 25 other Hindu students. “I feel like many people just assume everyone is either Jewish or Christian. When I explain to people that I’m Hindu, its often a surprise to them.” To her, it is as an opportunity to talk about her religion and explain the holidays she celebrates. Vallabh said she has a special relationship with the few other Hindu students at this school because of their shared Indian-American identity. “It’s a cultural tie with people who share a similar experience of straddling two very different cultures,” she said.

Buddhism

Arielle Conti

Some students do not identify with any religion because they question the existence of god or do not approve of organized religion. Jacob Schwartz

Peace: Sophomore Jimmy Sbordone participates in the Meditation Club. RYAN CONDON While Buddhism is not as common a religion in this country as it is in the Eastern Hemisphere, several students at this school consider themselves Buddhist or hold Buddhist values. Sophomore Jimmy Sbordone, who considers himself Catholic as well as Zen Buddhist, described the main beliefs of Zen Buddhism. “The main beliefs take root in the four noble truths, and from those four simple principles, the vast ocean of Zen Buddhist beliefs flow forth,” he said. The four noble truths say that suffering is a part of life and is caused by desires and cravings, and to free one’s self from suffering, one must free oneself from desires, said Sbordone. This is done by following the Eightfold Path, said Sbordone. “The Eightfold Path enumerates how

one should act, including correct speech. The path serves as the basic Buddhist code of conduct,” said Sbordone. The end goals of Buddhism, Sbordone said, are Nirvana, enlightenment, and liberation from suffering. English teacher Michael Fieleke, also a Buddhist, commented on the role meditation can play in the practice of Buddhism. “Buddhism is also a meditation practice, one of sitting still and paying attention so that we learn to see with an open heart,” he said. The holidays celebrated by Buddhists vary widely, said Sbordone. The dates on which these holidays are celebrated vary slightly because they are based on the lunar calendar, he said. Fieleke said that December 8 is a common holiday for celebrating the Buddha’s enlightenment.

RYAN CONDON While many students in this school practice a religion, this is not true for every student. Numerous students at this school identify as atheist, agnostic or otherwise non-religious. Freshman Jane Maunsell identifies as an atheist, a person who believes that gods do not exist. “I find there are too many different gods and religions for any one of them to seem very credible,” she said. When she was in kindergarten, Maunsell said she remembers being given an illustrated children’s Bible as a gift. “I remember finding the stories remarkably good, but I could never see any point in believing them,” she said. Maunsell said that even though her family is atheist, it celebrates Christian holidays due to tradition. “Most of my family is non-religious, so we just enjoy getting together and taking part in the tradition of the holi-

days,” she said. Senior Tom Holder identifies primarily as an agnostic, someone who believes the truth, specifically surrounding the existence of deities, is unknowable. “I think there might be a god, but it doesn’t affect my life,” said Holder. If a god exists, Holder said he believes he or she would be incomprehensible. Holder described himself as “agnostic on a good day, atheist on a bad day. “If there is a god, every religion has it wrong,” he said. “People should be good for the purpose of being good not because of their faith.” Although he was raised Jewish, junior Ross Stanley considers himself agnostic because he questions God. “If God were all God claimed to be, the world wouldn’t be as messed up as it is today.” Stanley said he celebrates many Jewish holidays and embraces many Jewish values.

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

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sports

Friday, Dec. 23, 2011

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 13

Athletics factor into college admissions GLORIA LI “Everyone wants to be the shining star in their field,” athletic director Tom Giusti said, “the fact of the matter is, few ever make it there.” Senior Nate Menninger, a varsity lacrosse player was recruited for lacrosse at Hamilton College, a school located in Clinton, NY. During his freshman year at this school, Menninger lost his motivation for lacrosse when he was injured and unable to try out for varsity, he said. “Because of that and a trip I took mid-season to China, I was benched on the freshman team,” he said. Being benched was hard because it led him to believe that his future would be determined by events beyond his control, Menninger said. As a result, he feared he might never have the opportunity to compete at the highest level of collegiate lacrosse, as his friends would be able to, he said. Despite this setback, he eventually proved successful at lacrosse. Last spring, Menninger earned the team MVP, the Ground Ball Hog and the Big Defender awards for the Tigers. Additionally, he was named both a Bay State All-Star and an Eastern Massachusetts All-Star with senior Jake Shearman, a lacrosse captain. “My best accolade, though, was being named an All-American by U.S. Lacrosse,” Menninger said. According to Menninger, when the call from the Hamilton coach came, his entire family was ecstatic because “this was an offer from an extremely smart school with a good lacrosse team,” Menninger said. He was offered academic support by Hamilton College, BY

Jacob Schwartz

Motivated: Hamilton College recruited senior Nate Menninger, a varsity lacrosse player. which, he said, indicates that “even though my grades aren’t good enough, admissions will still be willing to accept me for Division III.” Despite having previously received offers from other Division I colleges, such as Providence, St. Joseph’s and the University of Maryland at Baltimore County, Menninger said he decided to verbally commit to Hamilton because the Division I schools failed to accommodate his academic needs. “When I committed to Hamilton College, the 16 years that I had spent playing sports finally

counted for something,” he said. According to Benjamin S. Baum, the senior assistant director of undergraduate admissions at Tufts University, a Division III school, like many others, emphasizes the recruitment of “scholar athletes.” When a student believes that athletics could gain him or her admission to a college, he or she typically contacts the coach at the respective school. The coach can then track the student athlete, evaluate his or her performance and provide supplementary information for the admissions office.

The decisive power, though, rests with the admissions officers, Baum said, adding that sports performance is only one piece that is taken into account in the admissions process. Menninger said he still often ponders the possibility of transferring schools. “Next year, schools like Dartmouth, Lehigh and Johns Hopkins will have open spots, and I could potentially transfer there,” he said. Unlike Hamilton, however, those schools have Division I programs. According to Colin Riley, the

executive director of media relations at Boston University, Division I admissions offices “profile athletically qualified students to ensure that their academic standards are up to par.” Students who excel in sports are held to the same academic requirements as others, he said. Riley also noted that while “recruited athletes are required to partake in sports,” applicants who were not initially recruited or awarded sports scholarships still have the opportunity to play sports as “walk on” players at the institution. While Menninger was recruited for lacrosse, other athletes have been recruited from this school for various sports. According to the boys’ basketball coach Paul Connolly, “several terrific young studentathletes” were recruited to play Division I basketball over the last 10 years. Anthony Gurley ’06, was “recruited by several top Division I schools, but chose Wake Forest and then transferred to UMass Amherst,” Connolly said. Additionally, Corey Lowe ’06 was recruited and went to Boston University. Greg Kelley ’10, also a Division I basketball recruit, chose to attend Yale University. Tevin Falzon ’11 is currently participating in a “post-graduate year at Winchendon school, and has just recently committed to Sacred Heart University,” Connolly said. Additionally, two students were Division II recruits for basketball, while six were Division III recruits, Connolly said. Some athletes have even pursued the sport beyond the collegiate level. “Gurley and Lowe have continued playing basketball at the professional level,” Connolly said.

Girls’ track capitalizes on early-season warmth GLORIA LI Early December typically indicates fierce, freezing wind and snow covered sidewalks, both of which prevent the Tigers from jogging on Commonwealth Avenue. The commencement of this season, however, was welcomed by a rare meteorological phenomenon: an Indian Summer. “The unseasonably warm weather has enabled us to do most of our training outside,” coach Joe Tranchita said. In turn, the opportunity to BY

practice outdoors has given the Tigers, 1-0, Wednesday, “space and the ability to do more in less time,” he said. Tranchita also noted that the girls “seem to have a tremendous work ethic and a strong desire to learn and improve.” Senior Maggie Heffernan, a captain with senior Kayla Wong, said freshmen Anna Nesgos and Isabella Riley “are showing lots of potential” and will be expected to run “either the 300 or the 600 meter races.” The team’s focus this season

ison is on offering members the opportunity to try events before the roster is established. This has been successful thus far, according to Tranchita, who has observed more girls interested in participating in more events. Tranchita said he expects several weeks to pass before athletes are all placed in their respective events. According to Heffernan, “We have a significantly bigger team this season than we’ve had in the past.” Tranchita said, “We have a solid nucleus of veterans to

build our team around though, and several leaders to help mentor our many new members.” Heffernan said, the upperclassmen will enable the team, which currently stands as one that is “weak in shot-put, but strong in sprinting,” to improve. Wong said she hopes that “the athletes will begin to build off of each other.” Tranchita said the girls “just need be patient and allow their training to get them where they want to go.” Although Weymouth stands

as a match-up rivalry against the Tigers, Wong said that in the past few years, the Tigers have consistently claimed victories against them. By establishing consistency and maintaining a sense of improvement on a day-to-day and week-to-week basis, Tranchita said he hopes the team will “grow without pre-conceived expectations.” The Tigers will participate in the Holiday Qualifier Thursday. The team was to have hosted Framingham yesterday.

Tigers look to go undefeated GLORIA LI “Newton North is in what I would call a title drought,” Mike Miller, a Weymouth track coach, said. “They haven’t won the league in a very long time, or a class title for seven or eight years.” Additionally, he claimed that he could not recall “the last time the Tigers made All States as a team, or the last time Brookline failed to do so.” Although this commnet was made in reference to boys’ cross country, coach Jim Blackburn took offense to this statement, which he mentioned at Fall Sports Awards Night. “Our goal for the track season is to improve ourselves and to keep up our 14-year undefeated streak,” Blackburn said. Cross country members, many of whom also run indoor track and field, have also taken offense to Miller’s statement. They intend to prove themselves throughout the season. “It really just motivates us to

Gabe Dreyer

In the SOA: Sophomore Adrian Butterton, senior Thomas Harrington, freshman Perry Miller and senior David Buzby warm up before practice.

work harder,” said senior Young Guang, a captain with seniors Justin Keefe, Swardiq Mayanja and Nate Menninger. The boys, 1-0, Wednesday, are looking to go undefeated in the Bay State Conference for the 15th year in a row despite “challengers” including Brookline and Weymouth, Guang said. Although key distance runners, including Dan Ranti and Ezra Litchtman, graduated last season. In their place stand Keefe and sophomore Gabe Montague, two members who “should perform well,” according to Guang. In the sprints, the Tigers graduated Ben Clark and Isaiah Penn, so they are looking to Menninger and junior Daniel Swain to lead in those events, Guang said. The team’s weakness lies in its sprinting times for the 55-meter hurdles, despite its strength in both shot-put and in distance running, Guang said. “Short distance members are

improving day-by-day though,” he said. Guang noted, “Last year we were a state-caliber team, and this year, we definately have the potential to win again.” The team, Guang said, is aiming to be a victorious one. “There’s definitely the potential to break the shot-put relay record,” Guang said. The Tigers have the first and third ranked shot putters in the state in Mayanja and Guang, respectively. Second place currently belongs to Bishop Feehan’s senior Tim McMackin. Guang said he expects the season to proceed well, mentioning that he has already seen much “enthusiasm and drive on the team with everyone pushing each other to perform better.” Next up, the team will compete in the Holiday Qualifier Thursday. The Tigers were to have hosted Framingham yesterday at the Reggie Lewis Center.

sports

14 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Nordic adjusts to new routine

Coach makes changes to swim JAY FEINSTEIN After seven years of Amy Richard coaching boys’ swimming and diving, Ryan Rich succeeds Richard as the new head coach. Currently, the team, 1-1, is in a transition phase. “It’s been really great,” said senior Ben Salwen, a captain with senior Ryan Chan. “The coach has come in, and he’s seen what we have and what we need. He’s gotten us working really hard.” Rich realNewtonian ized that many of the team’s Ben swimmers Salwen graduated at the end of last year and used it to help the team improve, Salwen said. “We’re focusing on developing the talent that we have within the team now, and it seems to be working,” Salwen said. Rich has made a few changes in the way that practices run, including the addition of Saturday morning practices. “It could be a hassle for people to wake up, but it’s definitely worth it because it can really help us do well as a team,” Salwen said. “It will help us build experience.” Saturday practices are “vital for success,” Rich said. “Swimming is a sport that requires constant endurance-building, and having even a two-day break from it can be detrimental.” Also, there are more swim meets scheduled for this season compared to other years. “I think that having added competition can help keep people engaged by giving them a measure of their success,” Rich said. The goal of the season is to do well and have fun, Rich said. “We want to be competitive within the Bay State Conference.” He believes that the team will be able to meet his expectations, he said. “I know that we’re already working hard and making progress. This is a great group of guys, and I know we’ll do well.” Salwen said the Tigers simply want to do well as a team. “We’re not sure where we stand in relationship with other teams, but we will work really hard to try to meet all of our goals.” After Winter Break, the Tigers will travel to Brookline Friday, Jan. 6. The following Tuesday, boys’ swim will travel to Framingham.

Friday, Dec. 23, 2011

JAY FEINSTEIN Tom Clemow will take the reins as this school’s nordic skiing coach following Sarah Holton’s three year run in the position. The team is currently adjusting to the new coach. “It has been really good so far,” said senior Abby Dalzell, a captain with seniors Tiphaine Kugener and Isabel Meigs. “He’s been very involved in preseason, so it’s been pretty smooth. “It’s been challenging, but it’s been rewarding,” she said. “He’s really excited about the season, which makes the team really excited.” Clemow said he is very connected to the sport. “I absolutely love the sport of nordic skiing,” he said. “It strengthens my body and my mind, and it supports my soul. It is not my raison d’être, but it has become a very significant part of ‘who is Tom Clemow?’” He said he wanted to share his skills with others so that they can enjoy skiing as much as he does. “I think Mr. Giusti and Principal Price got it during the two

Philippine Kugener

Nordic: Sophomores Brewster Taylor and Tommy Hodgson practice at the Weston Ski Track Tuesday.

interviews,” he said. Clemow and assistant coach Terry Rowe ’00, who recieved a whopping 16 varsity letters in his high school career, plan to make several changes this year, one being that not everyone will get a varsity letter. “This is a varsity sport, not a club,” Clemow explained. “I hope that everyone who shows up and engages as a team member will get one next year if not this one.” He said he has never coached a nordic skiing team before, but he has been a sports instructor at the Weston Ski Club for five years. Before becoming a ski coach, he used to teach science, and he retains science as a passion, he said. “For nordic ski racing, mg/ kg/min O2 matters!” he joked. This season, Clemow is expecting team members to be focused and determined. However, he noted that amidst the hard work, learning and training, he wants team members to have fun. “When the season ends, I expect teams members will say, ‘I worked. I accomplished. I had fun. I’m glad I was on the nordic team this year.’”

Wrestling relies on returning members GLORIA LI Nick Mariano, said, “I pride our Whether they are at practice team this season on the great or at matches, wrestlers must leadership of me and my felassume responsibility when en- low co-captains in teaching the gaged in this personal, demand- younger set.” ing sport, according to coach The “good work ethic” of John Staulo. the wrestlers has contributed “Athletes truly get up close to the commencement of a seaand personal with opponents son “marked by determination, on the mat, good leadership which disand a positive coach tinguishes environment,” wrestling Staulo said. John Staulo from other Staulo comsorts of conmended Long, “It doesn’t depend as tact sports,” s e n i o r Ky l e much on how they win as he said. Young and juThese asnior Steven Pait does on the effort that pects are “all ton for taking they put in.” part of what control. makes wresThose members tling a sport that digs so deep have achieved pins and, thereinto the heart and soul,” Staulo fore, won numerous critical said. points at the matches so far this As a coach, Staulo said his season. philosophy consists of evaluatCurrently, the wrestling team ing most members based upon stands at 2-6. “Many points were “how they conduct themselves,” lost during our first few meets as opposed to whether or not that we could actually have won they are able to claim victories. though,” Staulo said. “It doesn’t depend as much According to him, “some of on how much they win as it the newer members put in the does on the effort that they put matches were just toss-ups, we in,” he said. didn’t know how well they’d do.” Staulo noted that returning Staulo said he has been and members who took advantage of will continue to work on helpopen mat opportunities during ing these athletes “improve on the off-season have come back technique and conditioning on with “experience under their the mat.” belts to help improve the abiliWrestling will face the Lions ties of new members.” at South today. During vacation, Senior Jordan Long, a cap- they will attend the Lowell Tourtain with seniors Zach Fergu- nament Wednesday, Dec. 28 and son and Pat Preston and junior Thursday Dec. 29.

Jacob Schwartz

In the dance studio: Senior Jordan Long attempts a single leg take down on junior Nick Mariano.

Alpine focuses on conditioning, gains members GLORIA LI Senior Parker Veroff, a captain with senior Katie Regan, has been crossing his fingers in hopes that the atypical beginning of the winter season will soon disappear. So far, due to the lack of snow since the season began, alpine has simply been conditioning indoors. “We typically don’t start until later in the season anyways, and we were planning on hitting BY

the slopes after break,” he said. “I could just imagine that this year it might be pushed back until January or February, and I’d hate to see that happen,” he said. According to Veroff, the team has been “running and focusing on leg strengthening techniques.” Unlike nordic, which focuses on endurance, alpine skiers need “more muscle strength,” he said.

While early season conditioning is the norm, this season differs from the past, according to Veroff, in that there are “many more members, especially sophomores and girls” on the team. Regan reiterated Veroff ’s point, noting that “the increase in members allows for more peope to be able to try different things and to have a chance at racing for varsity this year.” Still, Veroff said, there resides a “core group of seniors.”

Regan said she believes that she and junior Mark Vrahas “are the only two with actual ski-racing experience. “We’ve been on the slopes and know what to tell the newer members,” she said. She commended Veroff and Vrahas for “working hard and getting everyone pumped.” Veroff said he is glad to see that “people are getting more serious” on the team. Alpine has stood as a fairly

laid-back sport, according to Veroff. “We only practice two times a week and sometimes three,” he said, “but the skiers have been stepping it up.” His personal goal aligns with that of the team, Veroff said, and it consists of “shooting to make it to States and placing at the competition.” According to Vrahas, the team is aiming for “at least three skiers” to go to States this year.

sports

Friday, Dec. 23, 2011

Newton North, Newtonite ◆ 15

Tigers switch to new strategy JACOB SCHWARTZ “In my 34 years here, this is the first time we’ve been able to do something like this, with this team,” said assistant coach Tom McKniff on the changes boys’ basketball, 2-0, is bringing to its playing style. According to McKniff, this new playing style will involve “making all five players on the court interchangeable.” For example, senior Luke Westman, a captain with seniors Jared Masinton and Mike Thorpe, is normally a point guard, and he will try posting up as well, McKniff said. One of the reasons the team is switching its approach, according to McKniff, is the team’s lack of height compared to past seasons. The tallest players on the team size up to 6 ft. 3 in., which is small compared to last season when the tallest player was 6 ft. 8 in. Coach Paul Connolly said “players will be trying out different positions.” The goal of the new system is to create mismatches to throw off opponents, Connolly said.

Daniel Shy

To the rim: Senior Barry Santana, guarded by junior T.J. McNicholas, drives to the basket during practice. This season, players are expected to take on multiple roles to compensate for the team’s lack of height.

“We are becoming very versatile, and the team’s attitude is fantastic,” he said. According to Masinton, conditioning and adjusting has been an important part of acclimating to the new playing method. “We’ve been working hard, and we have good chemistry,” he said. However, road trips will be challenging, according to Connolly. “I always tell my players, ‘when you put on that Newton North jersey, everyone wants to get their best shot at you. We’ve had success, and other teams know that. It puts a bullseye on our backs.’” Last March, the Tigers’ longlived season was finally cut short in an agonizing loss to Mansfield in the Division I South Final, at the TD Garden in Boston. However, Masinton said it is time to move on. “It was definitely a tough loss, but we’re on to the next job.” The Tigers, 2-0, will face their crosstown rivals at South Wednesday, and they will participate in the Garden City Holiday Tournament Wednesday.

Optimistic boys’ gymnastics hopes to score at least 130 EMMETT GREENBERG season. But, with at least 10 new “Our team is twice as big this gymnasts in addition to those reyear, ” said senior Curran Fer- turning from last year’s squad, rey, a captain of boys’ gymnas- there is reason for optimism, tics with senior Isaac Feinhaus. Chan said. The numbers, Ferrey said, Chan attributes the increase are “a strength in themselves.” in turnout to encouragement Accordfrom returning ing to Ferrey, gymnasts. senior “Last year, we Those gymIsaac Feinhaus couldn’t comnasts, according pete in all of to Chan, spread “Last year, we couldn’t the events, but the word to compete in all of the we’ll definitetheir friends and ly be more of classmates. events, but we’ll a threat this The first week definitely be more of a year.” of practice was threat this year.” The team’s designed to help goal is “to score at least 130 bring the new gymnasts up to points and finish in the top half speed, he said. of the Bay State Conference,” “Many of them are new to coach Steve Chan said. gymnastics, so we had to start Such an outcome would be with the basics,” Chan said. a remarkable turn around for “We taught them about things the Tigers, who went 0-8 last like body position before they

worked on equipment they weren’t familiar with.” The gymnasts’ typical training regimen includes handstands, push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups on the rings, according to Chan. The Tigers’ toughest opponent this year is Braintree, the three-time defending State Champion. Chan said he is excited to coach this year ’s gymnasts, who “need to gain experience, but are enthusiastic,” he said. Additionally, Burlington will be a difficult opponent for the Tigers. Ferrey added that he is “excited to work with our new members and help make our team better this year.” The Tigers will visit Attleboro Tuesday, Jan. 3, and Friday, Jan. 6, the Tigers will host Lowell.

Daniel Shy

Upside down: Senior Adam Kafka practices on the rings.

Girls aim for conference title HILARY BRUMBERG Girls’ gymnastics is “treading into new territory” this season after reaching Sectionals last year for the first time in school history, according to coach Jim Chin. Based on the influx of new talent and on students’ improvement over the last year, Chin anticipates that the team will win the Bay State Conference and will qualify for Sectionals again this year. He said he believes that last year, the team did not “realize just how good we were.” Building the team’s confidence is one of his major goals of the season, along with ensuring that the team is in better condition to avoid injuries, he said. “I truly don’t know what we are fully capable of achieving,” Chin said. “If we stay healthy and totally committed, we will do some great things.” This season, he said, the team will work on preparing “quality routines,” executing them “as cleanly as possible” and on being “as consistent as possible.” The team has even more po-

Daniel Shy

Floor routine: Freshman Melissa Hurwitz practices for the upcoming meet against Norwood, which will be Tuesday, Jan. 3. Junior Lili Margolin, a captain with senior Lena Golick and junior Allison Hurwitz, said she expects an easy victory.

tential than last year because of the addition of assistant coach, Alyssa Howe, according to Chin. “She’s a former gymnast, and she’s very knowledgeable.” Chin cited floor exercises as the Tigers’ clear strength, because of their depth in that event. “I believe we have some girls that may not even get a chance to compete on floor, yet they would be the top girl on another team.” Senior Lena Golick, a captain with juniors Allie Hurwitz and Lili Margolin, said the team’s weakest areas are vault and bars, so the Tigers are “working towards higher level skills in both areas and trying to get new girls on those events.” Chin explained that if a gymnast cannot compete on the floor for some reason, almost any teammate can fill in without “losing any significant points.” However, if a “key gymnast” is unable to compete on the vault or bars, “I’m not sure we can make up the difference.” Gymnastics is a unique sport because it is “very individual” outside of school, but then all gymnasts come together during

the winter season, pool their talent and “work as a team to achieve success,” according to Margolin. The Tigers have their first meet of the season against Norwood here Tuesday, Jan. 3. According to Margolin, this school usually beats the Mustangs, and “this year we seem to be much stronger already.” Because the meet will not be too difficult, the Tigers will use it “as a tester for the newer team members to see what a high school meet is like and how it is different from club meets,” Margolin said. Chin said the key is “staying focused, especially if we do get an early lead.” Friday, Jan. 6, the team will travel to Weymouth in its first away meet. Although the Tigers are usually a stronger team, Weymouth has wrestling mats instead of a spring floor, adding a level of difficulty tumbling, according to Golick. “It will be important to work on skills that allow us to land even without the extra spring of our regular floor.”

sports

16 ◆ Newtonite, Newton North

Friday, Dec. 23, 2011

Tigers benefit from experienced players KRISTIAN LUNDBERG Last year, an inexperienced girls’ hockey squad limped to a 5-14-1 finish, hindered by its youth and lack of depth. But this season, with a year of experience under their belts, the Tigers have set their goals much higher. “We’ve got a lot of confidence and a lot of potential this year,” said senior Courtney Leahy, a captain with seniors Katie Caruso and Stephanie Vitone. “We have a lot more returning players, and we’ve spent a lot of time since last year learning and improving.” Still, the Tigers, 0-3, are looking for leadership in order to capitalize on last year’s struggles. In particular, coach Bob MacDougall said he’s expecting the upperclassmen to step up. “We have a pretty good mix of youth and experience—I’m hoping that the kids with us last year can help lead the team,” he said. “Last year, we were very young, and we couldn’t really compete. I think we’ll be better this season, and I think we’ll improve our record.” According to Leahy, the Tigers have set their sights on a berth in the State Tournament, which the Tigers last qualified for in 2009. “I think we might make it,” she said. “We’re very good allaround, and we’ll make a lot of teams work this season.” BY

Vitone also said a trip to the postseason is a “realistic goal.” “We still have a young team, but we’re looking for the juniors this year to help out more, leadership-wise,” she said. “We’re carrying a big team this season, so we’re going to push ourselves while teaching the younger players to adjust to the system.” Coming off last year’s growing pains, the Tigers are working to stay competitive this year against difficult Bay State Conference opponents. Among the team’s toughest foes this season is Walpole, a State quarterfinalist and the 13th-ranked team in the Boston Globe’s top 20 rankings last year. “We played in a jamboree against Walpole early in the season—they’re going to be tough competition,” she added. In addition, Needham, a perennially strong program in both boys’ and girls’ hockey, is will be tough to beat, Leahy said. Also among the Tigers’ challenges is remaining upbeat over the course of the season, Vitone said. “The best teams in the state are consistent—they keep winning over and over,” she said. “I think confidence in the team is going to be important to reach their level.” In upcoming action, the Tigers will face South on the road Monday, Jan. 2 and travel to Milton Wednesday, Jan. 4.

Gabe Dreyer

Leading the rush: Sophomore Leah Howard carries the puck through the neutral zone in a game against Norwood Wednesday, Dec. 14. The Tigers fell to the Mustangs 5-1.

Boys’ hockey tries to outwork ‘tough’ competition KRISTIAN LUNDBERG In 1998, the last time boys’ hockey qualified for the postseason, the dot-com bubble hadn’t yet burst, gasoline cost $1.03 per gallon and Tom Brady was an unsung quarterback at the University of Michigan. Although the times have changed since then, the Tigers’ inability to reach the State Tournament has remained surprisingly constant. For the 13th consecutive season, according to coach Tom Ryan, the Tigers missed out on

a berth to the playoffs last year, finishing with a 5-14-1 record. “I wouldn’t classify the past couple of seasons as rebuilding years,” Ryan said, citing the team’s recent history of missing the State Tournament. While the team’s season was dotted with bright spots, including a season sweep of Brookline, the squad struggled to stay competitive against bigger, more experienced teams, going 3-12-1 in conference play. This season, Ryan said his team, 0-2-2, may face a similar

problem with what he called “the law of numbers.” “We only have 31 skaters in our program, and we’re competing year after year with programs that have between 45 and 70 kids,” he said. “The biggest problem we have competing in the Bay State Conference is lack of numbers.” To compensate for their lack of depth, Ryan said the Tigers needed to outwork their opponents “on and off the ice.” “What we’ve tried to do is create an attitude through hard

work to allow us to compete as best as we can in a very difficult league,” he said. “The best way to compete against stronger teams is to outwork them and get great goaltending.” The Tigers will benefit this year from an experienced group of upperclassmen, said senior Michael Bradley, a captain with senior Ryan Fanning. “We had a lot of freshmen and sophomores last year, so this year, we’ll be more experienced,” he said. According to Ryan, this expe-

rience could lead to a successful season. “We have several returning players, including two veteran goalies who’ve played very well,” he said. “My outlook for the season is very positive and upbeat—as a team and program, we have made many strides, and I feel this is the best team we’ve had since I’ve been here.” The squad will travel to Plymouth North Tuesday. The Tigers will return to Bay State Conference action at home against Milton Wednesday, Jan. 4.

New girls’ basketball coach puts emphasis on team unity KRISTIAN LUNDBERG On a blustery night in early December, it was pretty easy to overlook the girls’ basketball team at first glance. While boys’ basketball coach Paul Connolly gave a television interview before his team’s practice, not many eyes were focused on the girls’ squad practicing ball movement and low-post play at the other side of the court. Compared to the spectacle of his interview, the girls’ practice did not provide much in the way of entertainment value. But, new coach Linda Martindale is more than happy to trade some star power for wins. Martindale, the former coach at Weston, adopted a new, program-wide strategy this season of promoting depth and unity instead of focusing attention on individual players. She started by accepting only 12 players to the varsity squad, keeping a few “flex” players on JV, whom she said could play on both teams. “We basically want all kids to get some playing time and get the ball in their hands,” she said. “We have kids on JV who are flexible and can step up, but

Jacob Schwartz

Playmaker: Senior Kayla Farina handles the ball during practice. “There’s a refreshing, positive energy at practice, and everyone’s excited to play,” she said.

we want all kids on varsity to collectively lead the team.” Senior Kayla Farina, a captain with senior Gracie Rolfe, said the team had “such a great first impression” of Martindale. “It was a complete change from last year. There’s a refresh-

coach Linda Martindale “We need to play cohesively to be successful, and that starts with teamwork.” ing, positive energy at practice, and everyone’s excited to play,” she said. Farina cited the new emphasis on team unity as a welcome change. “We do much more team bonding than last year, and as a team we feel much more together,” she said. Replacing Hank DeSantis this season, Martindale still faces a tough hill to climb. Four key seniors graduated last year, leaving a young team with few returning starters. In addition, last year’s squad also struggled with team chemistry and was plagued by injuries,

resulting in a disappointing first-round loss to New Bedford in the State Tournament. Martindale hopes to solve these problems by establishing a “team concept.” “We need to play cohesively to be successful, and that starts with teamwork,” she said. “We plan to have a wellrounded team—we plan to have guards post up and the low posts shoot. Everyone should be able to play every position, and everyone should be as quick and as smart on the court as everyone else.” Martindale added that she was hopeful for the team’s success this season. “This is a strong and committed team. We aren’t looking back at last year. Our entire focus is on each new day.” During the break, the Tigers, 2-1, will participate in the Newton Holiday Classic, squaring off against Cambridge Rindge and Latin and South Tuesday and Wednesday. The Tigers will resume their regular season Tuesday, Jan. 3 at home against Walpole. The following game, the Tigers will travel to Milton Friday, Jan. 8.