HORNET’S NEST Proctor Academy | May 20, 2022 | Vol. 7 | Issue 9 IN THIS ISSUE:
Lily Picotte: Just Keep Swimming | Reilly Desmond: Morgan’s Message & Proctor Lacrosse | Carter Anastasia: Man of The Water, Corbett Leith
From Center Field to Center Stage By Jack Fickenscher
From cleats to costumes, the Proctor Academy baseball team will make their debut in the spring play, Shrek The Musical. Although it isn’t their forte, through dance lessons and rehearsals these ball players are making the most out of this opportunity. When asked why the baseball team is even in the school play, team captain of the varsity squad Donald McCarthy responded, “There were scenes in the play that needed numbers and when called to action, some teammates and I decided to step up. As a senior heavy group, we felt as though broadening our repertoire was a good move.” In total eight Proctor baseball players will perform in Shrek along with Coach Mark Tremblay. McCarthy shared more on the new role. “At times rehearsal can seem like an added commitment to our day, quickly transitioning from classes, to practice, rushing through dinner, then running to the dance studio. On the way over we remind ourselves that our best is needed to learn the part and that, like all at Proctor, attitude dictates outcome.” Donny smiled
and continued, “We like to share a few laughs, connect with students we usually don’t, and work through something we all struggle with. The cast of the play has been incredibly welcoming and flexible with our schedule, always adjusting to our presence with patience. As we move closer to opening night we are excited to perfect our scene and conquer our common fear of a public stage, all while being a small part of something bigger.” Shrek (2002) is an original movie of a hilarious and unusual friendship between an ogre and donkey who, while on a quest to reclaim Shrek’s swamp, are abruptly interrupted by true love. The baseball team’s part is described by Donald as “A dynamic singing and dancing scene when Shrek and Donkey enter Duloc and see the group of dancers (the baseball team) that welcome them to the all too perfect town.” Originally, the drama department was lacking actors, singers, and dancers to perform the spring school play, specifically in the dance scene Donald described. Dressed up as Duloc dolls, the baseball team performs a choreographed dance to
the song, “What’s up, Duloc’’ all while belting out their newly found singing voices. Needless to say, the baseball team has displayed true bravery and spontaneous skill by supporting their school in a venue off the ball field. Proctor Academy will perform Shrek, The Musical on both Friday and Saturday on May 20 and 21. It will be held at the Norris Family Theater at 7pm. Don’t miss this opportunity to support the baseball team along with Proctor’s drama department.
Donald McCarthy, team captain of the baseball team, preparing to field a ball.
Just Keep Swimming By Lily Picotte
I believe the hardest part about high school is sustaining motivation. Being a junior in high school, I know this is my most important year and that I need to work as hard as possible. Earning excellent grades, writing the college essay, taking and performing well on standardized tests, and finding the perfect job for my resume are all stressors facing juniors. However, with summer fast approaching, I am struggling to maintain the same motivation I did at the beginning of the year. Motivation is something you have to work at each day much like an open water swimmer striving to push against the current. It demands constant attention and effort. So I decided to learn how to stay motivated and push myself more. The College Board, a non-profit founded to connect students to higher education, recommends we focus on “high impact activities” by making lists and ranking the assignments you need to do in order of importance. Health Direct, an Australian health service, offers strategies for boosting motivation: “Regularly review your goals and progress. Seeing progress is a great motivator in itself, and also improves your self-esteem.” Surround yourself with positive people and mentors who can help you change your habits.
Source: quotesoftheday.net
If you create new challenges with your work, it may allow you to accomplish tasks in a different way. Breaking up your study time by starting earlier and only studying small pieces at a time can help as you work hard knowing you can take a break and study the next day.
Knowing the year is quickly coming to an end, I wanted to see how Proctor students are staying motivated. I asked senior Nat Daniels how she tries to stay motivated as a senior who is about to go on Senior Project. “I stay motivated knowing that If I don’t do well these next five days, I won’t be able to go on Senior Project.” Like Nat, having a tangible goal encourages us to cross the finish line. In Psychology class at Proctor, students learn about the different types of motivation and and the reward system in our brains. High school students need to learn more about what influences motivation so they can get out of their bad habits and push themselves farther. Terry Stoecker, Proctor’s Psychology teacher, remarked,” A good start keeps me going. A good start gets me going. And even if I feel less than optimistic about a task or endeavor, when I give myself a gift of laughter and a smile along with the vision of feeling good about completion or fruition, my endorphins kick in and fuel the way! Mindset, heart set, and a good start are everything to me. One hindrance to a good start and getting work done is timing while on the Proctor schedule. Sometimes things come up in the realm of human interaction that can throw me off course. When that happens I have to say to myself, ‘Tús maith leath na hoibre’ [A good start is half the work]. Sometimes I need to say it a few times to get going.....And then I am going strong!” The Irish saying that Terry shared above is something we should think about every day. When we start somewhere, we will always get somewhere.
Morgan’s Message & Proctor Lacrosse By Reilly Desmond
May is Mental health awareness month. The girls and boys varsity lacrosse teams both had games on Friday May, 6th honoring the organization Morgan’s Message. Morgan’s Message strives to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health within the student-athlete community and equalize the treatment of physical and mental health in athletics. From their website: “Morgan chose to suffer in silence, keeping family and friends in the dark as she battled her mental health.” For the two team’s warm ups they wore shirts with “End the stigma.” Before the girls game all the captains said a few words on the organization and why we were honoring them. We stood all together for a moment of silence to honor Morgan and all the other athletes struggling with mental health.
Zach Zavalick, the boys varsity lacrosse coach highlighted the importance of the issue. “There is no health without mental health. Everyone is going through something, and it is important to let others know that they are not alone. We have been dealing with many injuries on the boys’ lacrosse team, so making sure we take care of our mental health in addition to our physical health is important.” The importance of team support is often overlooked. Zach continued, “Team support is huge because it shows others that they are not alone and have teammates who care about them.” Talking about mental health is one thing but learning how to prevent it is another. Zach added, “In athletics, we need to be able to talk openly about mental health. Athletes are comfortable talking about physical health, but it is important to also talk about mental health as well. We need to care for both.”
Lacrosse was Morgan’s sport, and like many of you here at Proctor, her world revolved around her passion. She loved it, she lived for it. Morgan’s Message website states, “Morgan was a bright student Morgan Rodgers. From the with limitless curi- Morgan’s Message website osity; on the field, a talented athlete with relentless drive, her dream came true in the fall of 2014 when she accepted an offer to play for the Duke University Women’s Lacrosse Team” Her dreams were coming true and all the hard work was paying off, until it slowly started to end. Morgan endured a (dream-shattering) knee injury. But she still intended to be back after those 12 months of recovery, after surgery. But slowly she started to slip away into anger and frustration. She felt like she had lost control of her life. Then on July of 2019 Morgan died of suicide at the age of 22. The coach of the girls varsity lacrosse team, Callie Dywer spoke to one obstacle around the issue. “There’s still a stigma surrounding mental health, especially when it comes to athletes. Bringing awareness to Morgan’s life and legacy helps to start that conversation on our teams and in our community.”
During the Proctor lacrosse games, I felt that each person on that field, a player, coach, parent, ref or scorekeeper, was impacted and stood together in unity. Callie added, “Playing this game allowed us to play for something bigger than ourselves. Once we began talking about it, many players and parents mentioned how mental health has impacted those around them and their firsthand experiences with people who have struggled. Even those who haven’t witnessed it firsthand have seen the recent news articles. It’s something everyone can connect to.”
Man of The Water, Corbett Leith By Carter Anastasia
Corby’s journey began in 1989 at Proctor Academy where an earth day activity caught his eye. The activity was kayaking, and although foreign to Corby, he was hooked. Corby gave up his previous sport of lacrosse to begin full-time kayaking under coach Bert Hinkley in the spring and he hasn’t looked back since. Corby left Proctor Academy for Colorado after his senior year to attend Fort Lewis College for not only the education, but the tremendous rivers the school’s region and state offered. There he continued his love for the sport even moving his classes to the summer so he could use winters to travel and paddle. Corby has used kayaking as his means to not only compete in the sport he loves, but see the world as he chased his dreams of a place on the US Olympic team. Kayaking led Corby to see and compete in every US state besides Alaska, and he trained with the US team in places as far away as Costa Rica. His journey didn’t stop there, and Corby has also traveled throughout Asia, hiking and traveling with his closest companions making memories he will keep for his lifetime.
Coming together as a community, wearing these shirts, and playing for something bigger than all of us highlights why this message is so important. Morgan’s Message states, “We elevate her story to provide a platform where others feel safe to share their own, be a catalyst for change within our mental healthcare systems, and foster a community for which tomorrow always exists. Morgan’s Message is clear: as an athlete, there is no shame in seeking physical healthcare; the same should be true for mental healthcare.” Together, we can end the stigma surrounding mental health.
Kayaking has been Corby’s lifelong passion. Not only did he compete for years, but he continues to teach the next generation of kayakers here at Proctor. Kayaking has been a journey of joy and adventure. It’s not only about the beauty and adrenaline of the sport, but about the friends he’s traveled with and met along the way, the countless rivers and nature he explored, and the constant adventures Corby experienced for years. His love for kayaking makes him not only a man of his sport, but a man of the water.