2011 october by Sacred Heart School

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS page 6

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY page 12

October 31, 2011

Volume 29

Confronting breast cancer October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In tribute to the millions of people, worldwide, who have been touched by this horrible disease, October’s edition of The Heart Beat is being printed in pink.

BY IAN KIRKWOOD Staﬀ Writer It’s that time of year again. The hallways are littered with seasonal colors. Food items are changing their packages. As families circle around the television to watch football games or sitcoms, the commercials are all themed. But instead of the usual black-and-orange hues of Halloween festivity, the colors have changed. This year, stores, cars, people, and even sports teams are donning pink in support and solidarity with those who have suffered from breast cancer, a malignant form of cancer that affects millions of women in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, approxi-

mately 1 in 8 women will contract breast cancer at some point in their lives. Fresh out of college or just married, the malignant tissue can begin growing at any point in time. Once discovered, only a narrow window of time exists for the cancerous cells to be treated. Even after the painful and sometimes unsuccessful treatments, there is always the fear that the harmful cells will return. There are about 300 students enrolled in Sacred Heart High School. Regardless of age or gender, many of them have parents or know other adults who have battled this life-threatening affliction. Due to the ever present threat of breast cancer and the further education of the SHS community, this October, the high school has decided to give back. On October 1st, 2011, the boys and girls varsity soccer teams both supported Making Strides for Breast Cancer, a non-profit walk whose proceeds benefit breast cancer. The 5 Mile walk is based on pledges from people who donate based on the walkers or runners in the event. Sophomore Moira Gattoni, a member of the team, discussed how everyone got excited about the event. BREAST CANCER continued on page 2

INDEX News......................................3 Features..................................4 Arts & Entertainment.............8 Profiles...................................9 Opinion................................10 Sports...................................11

Number 2

Enos bids farewell

Longtime principal resigns BY MEAGAN ANTONELLIS AND KATE JAMISON Staﬀ Writers After forty two years of service to the Sacred Heart School community, Principal John Enos has decided to resign from his position. An email was sent out after school on Monday, October 24 by President Pamela Desmarais stating that the decision had been made and that efforts to find a replacement have already begun. Enos expressed mixed feelings on the subject of his departure. “Intellectually, I’m in a good place,” Enos said. “Emotionally, it’s a tempest. I’ve been thinking about a lot of friends, people, things, hopes for the future of what Sacred Heart would become.” Desmarais said that Enos has been an integral part of Sacred Heart for a considerable amount of time. “Mr. Enos was here when I was a student here,” Desmarais said. “He has been here for forty two years. He began as a student, stayed on through many years as a teacher and administrator of the junior high school, and

Evolution of the Apple BY RYAN THOMAS Staﬀ Writer When the news arrived that Steve Jobs, the world famous co-founder of Apple, had passed away on October 5, 2011 there was an outpouring of grief and collective appreciation for Jobs’ role as an innovator. In 1976 Jobs started Apple in a garage with his friend Steve Wozniak. In 1985 Jobs lost a power struggle within the company and resigned from Apple. While away from Apple, Jobs undertook many projects that fit his creative ingenuity. After buying a small computer graphics company, Jobs’ vision and determination eventually propelled the company into becoming the hugely successful Pixar studios. Pixar produced computer animated films for Disney including the landmark children’s film, Toy Story. When Jobs bought Pixar, it was a substantial financial gamble as computer animated movies had not performed well financially. Jobs spent a large amount of his own fortune to finance the fledgling computer animation company. This changed in 1995 with the arrival of Toy Story. The success of the movie combined with his stock in the Disney Corporation made Jobs a billionaire. Never one to turn down a challenging new project, however, Jobs was eager to move in a different direction. This opportunity came when Gilbert Amelio took over operations at Apple in 1996. Jobs returned to Apple as an adviser when the computer company he founded, neXt, was bought by Apple. After returning to Apple, Jobs built the company into the powerhouse it is today. Apple products such as the iPod, iPad, and the iPhone are wildly popular. With the introduction of all these devices in the last decade there is a strong chance that most, if not all, teenagers have come in contact with Apple products. Jobs’ unique creations are responsible for providing a quick, effective means of communication and entertainment to a countless number of people. Senior Joe Fonts has owned many Apple products

Staff Photo by Nicholas Murphy

Principal John Enos interacts with Jacklyn Rouse. Enos will not be returning after Thanksgiving break. Staff Photo by Nicholas Murphy

and is a big proponent of the company, “I don’t have an iPhone but I have an iPod touch which I use all the time,” said Fonts. Fonts added that the iPod is great for any situation: “I can use it to listen to music while I’m running. I can use it at my house, and even my car. I just plug it into my car radio.” Many students’ lives at Sacred Heart and other schools have been affected by the products created by Jobs, perhaps some even unknowingly. Jobs’ products are used in everything students do such as listening to music on the iPod, surfing the internet on a Mac computer, or even placing a call on an iPhone. When asked whether he still had confidence in the Apple brand now that Jobs was gone Fonts said, “Yeah, I will still buy things made by Apple, They have a new president but he seems effective.” The man Fonts is referring to is Tim Cook, who formally held the post of Apple’s chief operating officer. Cook will now become Apple’s top executive. Fonts went on to state that although he thinks the company will continue to be a leading force in the technology-driven world he lamented the loss of Jobs. STEVE JOBS continued on page 2

for the past ten years has been the Principal of the high school. I have to respect all that he has created and I hope to be able to devote as much commitment to Sacred Heart as he has. ” Mr. Enos said that every action he has taken within the school has been on behalf of the student body. “I hope I was received as an advocate for the students,” Enos said. “In my world, students are the most important part of the school; they are the most important, always and forever.” Demarais said that Enos has shown himself to be an extremely estimable person and administrator in the time that she has known him. “In my months of working with John very closely, I have come to admire him for his intelligence,” Demarais said. “He is an inexhaustible source of ideas. He has a great sense of humor. He is the consummate educator; he is all about focusing on the kids. It’s all about Sacred Heart for him. He always comes back to that.” ENOS continued on page 2

THE HEART BEAT

ENOS continued from page 1

STEVE JOBS continued from page 1 “Nobody is Steve Jobs. Tim Cook has a tough job ahead and I’m sure he will be successful but the creativity of Jobs will be greatly missed,” he said. Senior Marissa Melchionda is not as confident in Apple’s future after the loss of Jobs. “I think losing Steve Jobs will directly affect Apple’s performance.” When asked how long she expects Apple to stay on top of the entertainment world, Melchionda stated, “I’m assuming Steve Jobs left a blueprint to follow over the next couple of years so I think Apple will remain successful over the next decade.” While some students are analyzing the loss of Jobs in technological terms, others have taken time to reflect on how much this creative genius affected their lives. Sophomore Anthony Norris is aware how much his life has been dictated by Jobs’ products, “I own a MacBook, iPhone, and an iPod so my life has greatly depended on the inventions of Steve Jobs.” To Norris Jobs’ greatest contribution was “simplifying the way the average person uses communication.” Norris went on to state, “Steve Jobs was a genius partly because he could take his complex ideas and simplify them so that the average person could use them.” School librarian Ms. Karen Arnold differs from students like Fonts and Norris as she was already a teenager when the first Apple computers exploded on the scene.” I was in that generation when in my early teen years computers were becoming available for commercial use.” Arnold noted that, “It’s interesting because I’m in that cross- generation who didn’t grow up knowing anything about Apple, but suddenly, in my teen years we had the first real household computers in the 1980’s.” Arnold recalled the sudden integration of Apple computers into everyday

October 31, 2011

life.” I remember using these items later in high school and for job functions.” Arnold added that Apple had worldwide appeal. “In Europe everything is Apple. America is more of a PC market.” Arnold explained, “We have embraced Jobs’ other products like the iPod but not so much the computer. You definitely see more PC’s in the U.S.” As a teenager growing up in the early days of the home computer era Arnold has witnessed the evolution of Jobs’ products.” In 1982 I remember seeing Jobs’ computers and they were gargantuan. Today he has iPhone’s and Tablets the size of the mouse in this picture,” Arnold said pointing to a picture in Time magazine which features Jobs standing next to one of his earliest Apple models.” It’s amazing how small technology has evolved in the last decade.” “What’s amazing is that just 30 years later we now have Apple products which hold ten times the information of those early computers yet fit into the palm of your hand.” Arnold added, “I mean he’s done a ton even in the last decade.” Arnold pointed out that Apple computers have made everyday life more efficient.” Banking, school, college applications, social networking, even virtual high school have derived from Jobs’ computers.” Immediately after Jobs’ passing the public began to debate his legacy. Many view Jobs as a genius while some feel his products are overpriced and overrated. Arnold is one of many Jobs supporters who view him as a contemporary innovator, “Einstein was brilliant because of his revolutionary ideas, and so was Thomas Edison, why not Steve Jobs?”

Staff Photo By Nicholas Murphy

Mr. John Enos works with seventh grade students Hannah Coulter and Jacklyn Rouse.

Enos put emphasis on the significant attachment he has felt in regard to the Sacred Heart community. “I love what Sacred Heart stands for,” Enos said. “I’m always the person that keeps going back to our motto: veritas et caritas.” Desmarais has already begun the process of seeking out a new principal. “This is my number one priority,” Desmarais said. “I’ve had feedback from parents and students, as well as other educators who can help with the search. I definitely need to bring in a good partner.” The president has also planned to accommodate for the gap of time between

Enos’ departure and the arrival of a replacement. “The fine people that run the school, with my help and the help of Sr. Marilyn Bergt will keep the school functioning in the meantime,” Desmarais said. “The plan is with Marilyn Bergt as the head of the board. She lives in Pittsburg but is moving here as soon as she can, hopefully next week or the week after. She’ll be here during the transition and afterwards.” Enos leaves urging students to “Enjoy your life, and never forget what you learn here. It’s the sense of family and the relationships coming out of Sacred Heart School that continue on.”

BREAST CANCER continued from page 1 “We all got these bright pink shirts symbolic of breast cancer, even the boys,” Gattoni said. “Together, we raised over $600, all of which went toward charitable research.” Sophomore varsity soccer player Ben LeBlanc attended the walk both to support his team and fellow SH community walkers. Besides a fuchsia shirt, LeBlanc took away something else from the walk: enthusiasm. “It was very inspiring,” LeBlanc said. “It was helpful to those who have struggled with the problem and its consequences for years. In the future, I want to do more.” While it’s important that the sports teams are starting to get involved in charity work, not everyone is involved in Sacred Heart’s athletic program. But that isn’t stopping students from still pursuing the proper course! Senior BriAnna Habeeb has been supporting the Keep A Breast foundation for years. In the hallways, many students have noticed her different approach to funding the effort.

Photo Courtesy of Moira Gattoni

Sophomores Lily Bessette, Griffin Ostrowski and Moira Gattoni walk to raise money for Breast Cancer research.

Photo Courtesy of Moira Gattoni

The boys and girls soccer teams congregate after the Making Strides for Breast Cancer walk.

“Keep A Breast is a non-profit organization that sells pins, necklaces, bracelets, lanyards, and much more,” Habeeb said. “You name it, they sell it. They target teenagers by making provocative slogans and bright, avant garde fashion statements.” As a member of the foundation, Habeeb receives a monthly newspaper that raises awareness about the affliction. The newspaper lists walks and benefit concerts for members to attend. In addition, the newsletter also releases tips for living a healthy lifestyle. In a second crusade they have dubbed the “Non-Toxic Revolution”, the Keep A Breast foundation gives information and facts on preparations one can make to avoid contracting cancer of all kinds, and what to do if one is diagnosed. The letter highlights smart food choices as well as technological safety choices; topics some people don’t always think about. Senior Carly Ward has been attending Sacred Heart School since 5th grade. In 2006, her mother was diagnosed

with breast cancer. Ward expressed the importance of education and involvement in efforts to cure the disease because her mother’s cancer was discovered when Mrs. Ward chose to get a secondary test that wasn’t recommended by the doctor. The test picked up the cancer promptly, and they were able to treat her. “Hers wasn’t that bad; we were lucky. They caught it early, “Ward said. “ They did surgery and a couple rounds of chemotherapy.” Although, at the time, it was rough, Ward discussed how she and her family have moved on from the event. She has participated in the Pan Mass Challenge, an event that gives to the Dana Farber foundation. “Even though it’s a bad disease and it can be really scary for those who have experienced it, the cures today are working a lot better than in the past and the survival rate is rising,” Ward said. “There is hope for a cure in the near future.”

EWS Sacred Heart goes high tech October 31, 2011

THE HEART BEAT

BY MELANIE ODELL Staﬀ Writer At the end of last school year, as the graduating class of 2011 departed the halls of Sacred Heart, they left behind a senior gift that will not soon be forgotten by students or faculty: Wireless Internet in the library and cafeteria. Students are now able to bring their laptops, iPads, and other wireless devices into school. Many students have already been experiencing the added benefits WiFi provides. “The library has become one of the WiFi hotspots,” librarian Ms. Karen Arnold said. “Last year we saw about 80 students a day in the library. This year we see about 115-130. I’ve been able to work with the students and teachers this year in the library through glogsters and Naviance. New technology is always a great thing.” Students said that having internet available in different parts of the building makes it easier for students who may not have a study or free time at tutorial. There are also only a certain number of computers available in the library and the computer labs, so when they are unavailable students can now use their laptops to make sure they can get their work done. “The WiFi is very convenient,” senior Michaela DiBiase said. “We can check out grades and type out homework without having to go to the library.” The new wireless Internet is not the only new technological advancement that Sacred Heart has seen this year. New flat screen televisions have made their way onto the Photo by Patricia Zibelli walls in the lobby and cafeteria along with the installment Sophomores Molly Presutti and Hannah Wisnewski work on Latin online in the library. of Windows 7 and Microsoft Office 2010 onto the school computers. “I can’t say anything for certain. These are things still Kentucky and skypes with the Sacred Heart Latin stuIn addition, while visiting the library, students may dents in their Kingston, MA classroom. in the works, but in the next 3 months there will be some have noticed Skype sessions taking place. These are Although these new advances in technology may have new changes in the library,” Arnold said. “There are good online video chats. While this may seem very unusual, it been costly, it seems like this is the direction in which things coming.” is actually an online Latin course. A group of sophomore Sacred Heart is moving. Upgrades in technology seem students dedicated to learning Latin have been taking to be in the not-so-distant future along with the added online video classes in the library via Skype, working on benefits that come with it. Students can look forward to their own while Skyping with their online teacher a few a more advanced and technologically efficient school times a month. The teacher, Ms. Ann Denny, resides in environment.

Admissions open house attracts prospective students BY KATE JAMISON

Staﬀ Writer

Blue and white balloons and the enthusiastic faces of student tour guides welcomed families of the South Shore to Sacred Heart on Sunday, October 23rd for an admissions Open House event. Dozens of students participated, contributing with their knowledge of the school in giving tours, their passion for clubs at the club displays, their talents for writing in the creative writing lab, or their willingness to brave the cold on parking duty. Admissions director Mrs. Amanda Cox was the organizer of the event. “I feel the event was a complete success. The tour guides were energetic, they knew their tour route, and families had so many complimentary things to say about them,” Cox said. Many teachers were present as well, representing their departments in designated rooms. “All of the teachers had a chance to go over their specific subject area. The

rooms were set up well. History looked phenomenal. Science had presentations going on. Students were working on The Heart Beat and creative writing in computer lab A,” Cox said. Cox said that she was pleased with the turnout of the event. “We had about forty families, so I was very happy. I hope we have the same turnout for our next event. I think having an evening event versus a day will alter the turnout but it should be as successful,” Cox said. School President Mrs. Pamela Desmarais and principal Mr. John Enos were both at the Open House, answering questions in the library. The next open house will be Tuesday, November 8th. Cox said that attendees can expect a similar event. “There is always time for reflection to see what worked and what didn’t and to make some changes, but I was happy with how the event went,” Cox said.

Entrance Exams for Sacred Heart School will be held on November 19th, from 9am-12am and December 3rd, from 9am-12am

The next admissions open house will be November 8th, from 5pm-7pm

EATURES

October 31, 2011

THE HEART BEAT

College representatives visit SH BY MEAGAN ANTONELLIS Staﬀ Writer As the senior class prepares to apply for college, Sacred Heart School continues to assist students in their decision making process. One option that has been made available to students for this purpose is a series of visits made to the school by representatives from various colleges. With permission from the guidance office, members of the senior class are excused from class on certain days for a brief span of time and are able to speak with a representative from a university in which they may be interested. Associate Director of Admission at Saint Anselm College, Michael Iorio, said that these college visits mainly serve the purpose of providing valuable information to prospective students. “We want to tell students things about Anselm College that they may not already know,” Iorio said. “We’re hoping that students really have the opportunity to gain some interest in the school.” Senior Emily Dunham said that meeting with college representatives has greatly helped in narrowing down her college search. “I would say that it has helped me determine how interested I actually am in the school. Meeting some college representatives made me see that I don’t really want to go there, while others have made me like the school more than I did before,” Dunham said. “I know that, in the case of BU, it definitely made me more interested in going there. I had only been applying, but meeting with the representative made me see how awesome the school really is, and now it’s one of my top choices. I think it’s important to learn as much as possible about a school before you apply, and the visits really help with that.” Iorio said that he is well aware that students primarily have college applications on their minds during this time, and he urges the students he converses with to put equal effort into every aspect of their application in order to increase their chances of admission. “It’s a very holistic application process,” Iorio said. “Everything a student sends in gets looked at and factors into the admissions decision.” Dunham said that she feels a great amount of pressure associated with applying to college. “It’s pretty stressful applying to college, especially since you want to make a good impression, but at the same time, you don’t want to overdo it and seem like you’re trying too hard,” Dunham said. “It’s really hard trying to summarize the person that you

are on a few sheets of paper, and it’s even more difficult to stand out based on a few questions and an essay. I know that it will be worth it eventually, but right now, I can’t wait for it to be over.” Iorio stresses the importance of revision, especially where the personal essay is concerned. “Reread and proofread your essay a million times if necessary,” Iorio said. “It’s the only part of the application that gives us an idea of your personality, who you are as a person.” Iorio also advises potential applicants to make a definite effort to visit any schools they may be interested in. “Visit the school, and visit it a few times,” Iorio said. “It gives you the opportunity to really get a feel for whether or not it has the right feel for you. You can never visit a school enough times.”

Many colleges have visited Sacred Heart so far, with many more to come.

Photos Courtesy of Respective Schools

Ghost tour creeps out students

BY CHELSEY TAHAN Staﬀ Writer

It’s a train. It can’t get to its destination fast enough. Once it does, it is train to train to next train to train, until one is on the dark streets of Boston on a cool October night, sprinting down the roads until they meet a strange woman in a black dress who guides them toward a trolley with skeletons on it. The trolley takes them to an old, eerie graveyard and drops them off, leaving them to fend for themselves among the four hundred year old slabs of rock standing crookedly up from the ground protecting the bones that lay a few feet beneath. The fourteen students that comprise the History Club, along with History teachers Mr. Walter Lucier and Mr. George Rose, journeyed to Boston for an historical ghost tour through one of the oldest cities in the country. Senior Maeve Moran described the tour’s shaky start. “We didn’t leave on time,” Moran said, “and we had to take all these different trains into Boston. By the time we got there, most of us were running down all these blocks to get to the place in time.” Although the tour started a half hour later than scheduled, the club managed to snag spots on a trolley run by an enthusiastic tour guide, complete with a gothic black and maroon dress and an English accent. Junior Lauren Price approved of the tour guide, complementing her Russel Brand-worthy mannerisms.

The trolley took the students to one of the oldest cemeteries in the country, where they were greeted with chilly tales about some notable figures laying beneath the dirt, such as John Hancock and the Franklin family. The students were also taken by the Omni Parker House, the most haunted hotel in Boston. Stories about the Boston Strangler and Jolly Jane sent shivers down each student’s spine as they were driven around through historic Boston. The tour company, Ghosts and Gravestones, thrilled the History Club with their icy tales and creepy re-enactments. Senior Nickey Stevens, however, had a favorite part that didn’t include ghosts or gravestones. “At the end of the tour, we got to scream at pedestrians from inside the trolley,” Stevens said. “We made a little boy run away crying and a large man we screamed at nearly jumped a mile. It was hilarious.”

Staff Graphic Courtesy of Ian Kirkwood

EATURES

Speech and Debate seeks new members

5 October 31, 2011

THE HEART BEAT

Library open during High School tutorial BY MERCEDES MCGARRY Staﬀ Writer

` BY RYAN THOMAS Staﬀ Writer At the beginning of the school year, students at Sacred Heart are presented with numerous opportunities to join extracurricular programs or clubs. The Sacred Heart High School Speech and Debate team has traditionally been one of the most populated activities in the school. This year, however, the number of students participating in Speech and Debate has fallen. Senior Melanie Odell expressed her disappointment in the numbers. “I think fewer people are joining because they don’t understand what speech really is,” Odell said. “Speech is essentially competitive acting and it’s so much fun and gives everyone a chance to use and discover their acting talent, and I think it’s a shame that too many people are afraid to give it a try. If people would just give Speech and Debate a chance, we would probably double the size of our team.” Odell added that there is a category for everyone because, “trying all the different events can tremendously improve your public speaking ability.” Speech and Debate team coach, Dan Sapir, reasoned that participating in speech can give Sacred Heart students a competitive edge. “The country is in an economic down period, so jobs are going overseas, which makes the competition for jobs much more fierce,” Sapir said. “If I am going to interview you for a job, I will notice you’re speaking and interviewing skills.” Sapir stressed the importance of communications in the professional world and everyday life, saying, “In speech, you learn to shed your inhibitions and your fear of getting up in front of people; even when giving class presentations, you can tell the difference between the kid who does speech and the kid who never took it.” Sapir emphasized that, while speech builds skills for later in life, it can also be great fun. “We travel a lot, and everyone has the chance to participate,” Sapir said. Sapir noted that the team has recently traveled to major colleges, such as Yale University. Along with traveling to different schools and universities, Speech students acquire the opportunity to travel all over the country. “ We have been to Dallas, Omaha, Kansas City and many other cities,” Sapir said. The Speech and Debate team travels so much because of its membership in numerous Speech and Debate leagues. The Sacred Heart speech team is a member of the Catholic Forensics League, the Massachusetts Forensics League and the National Forensics League. Sacred Heart ranks within the top ten percent of the nation in both the Catholic Forensics League and the National Forensics League. There are many possible reasons that participation is down this year. Sapir believes it’s not the lack of signing up, but instead the loss of older members. “Last year, we got hit hard with graduating seniors. In total, we lost about 17 people to graduation,” Sapir said. Sapir is not worried because, “the 7th and 8th grade is loaded with talent and we will be moving them up soon.” Sapir singled out a few talented students in particular. ” Jake Lode took 1st place in poetry with a perfect score,” Sapir said. “We also have a 9th grader who achieved a perfect score in declamation, Maribeth Mason.” With college forensics teams becoming more successful, Sapir notes that colleges will pay extra attention to a high school student who has tackled the ability to communicate. Odell agreed, saying, “It looks great for college, and there are a lot of schools that offer speech and debate scholarships.”

Over the past years, Sacred Heart’s Flaherty library has been used as a wonderful resource for studying and working. Any student with a pass is allowed access to the library during break, study, lunch, and before and after school. This year, however, for the first time, the library is available to students at tutorial. To go to the library during tutorial a student must see the school librarian, Ms. Karen Arnold “It was just my idea. I wanted the library to be open during tutorial. The passes help me know who is using the library and why they are using it,” Arnold said. Last year, Arnold realized that many students needed the library during tutorial which was her lunch period. According to Arnold, an average of 80 students used the library each day in previous years. This year with the library now being open during tutorial, the average is 115 students a day. “It’s a trial period to see if this can work out for next year,” Arnold said. The problem for Arnold with this new idea, she said, is when the period ends. “Once tutorial is over my lunch begins and getting the students out is difficult at times,” Arnold said. Arnold has found that many students enjoy this new idea and come every day for help. Some students, like sophomore Antonia Pimental weren’t aware of the new development. “I didn’t know the library was open during tutorial. I found out from my friend who told me to come, and when I did, I was told I needed a pass,” Pimental said. “We shouldn’t have passes for tutorial. I’m glad the library is open during tutorial, but the passes are unnecessary and are a waste of paper.” Senior Emily Hollstein disagreed with Pimental, expressing her approval of the passes. “I feel like it gives me extra time to get things done in tutorial that I couldn’t before,” Hollstein said. Arnold defended her position, despite some negative opinions. “I wanted to open the library for students who needed to print papers, to study, to research, or who need my help,” Arnold said.

Librarian Karen Arnold greets sophomore Alyissa Li during tutorial. Arnold made a decision earlier this year to keep the library open to students during High School tutorial.

Staff Photo by Hannah MacInnis

October 31, 2011

HEART BEAT

Jinrong Li hanging out with host Ryan Thomas.

Staff photo by Hannah MacInnis English teacher Mrs. Winifred Dick assists Chinese student junior Tian Yang.

Photo courtesy of Hannah Macinnis

Sacred Heart says ni hao to

Students from four different countries ar

BY KATE JA Staﬀ W

own level.” This year, Sacred Heart welcomes twenty international students to

According to Chinese international student, senior Elizabeth Liu,

the high school community. Students from China, South Korea, Mexico and

language is “certainly the biggest difference.” Italian international student,

Italy can be found sitting in class, playing on the sports fields, and eating in

senior Martin Rabanser, noted a few more contrasts.

the cafeteria. They have been immersed in school life, but there are many aspects of these students that are unknown to the school community. History teacher Mr. Shaun Morgan is the coordinator for international students. When asked about the international admissions process, he explained that educational background plays a “huge role.” “We have standards put in place. The international students are

“The classes here are different, how you go from one class to another,” Rabanser said. “At home, you have one classroom where you spend all of high school. The teachers come into your room, the students are the same for every course.” He also explained the concept of specialized high schools. “There are different high schools. There is a high school for

gauged in a few areas as far as calibre,” Morgan said. “We take into account

economics, a high school for science, a high school for math. All of them

their SLEP score, which is the Secondary Language English Proficiency

have core courses, but they specialize in different issues,” Rabanser said.

Test. We have a minimum cut-off range for that. We take into account their

“You get to go wherever you want; you don’t have to apply. I like their

recommendations written by their English teachers, as well as their grades.

system because you get to do more of what you want to do. If you don’t like

They are held to the same standards that American students would be.”

something, you can avoid it, unlike here. I went to the science high school,”

Mrs. Winifred Dick said that students face many unique challenges in their classes. She is their go-to person for help with English; she teaches “ELL” as part of the international students’ curriculum. “I’d say that the biggest challenge with ELL (English Language

The Italian public school system differs from the Chinese system. Liu explained the process of high school admissions. “You have to take a test to get into high school. It’s like the SAT, but you can only take it once. Where you go to high school pretty much depends

Learner) students is that, even in a small class, each has individual skill

on that score,” Liu said. “Your grades and extracurriculars don’t matter

sets. They also have individual ways of learning, so the class has to be

as much; it’s just that test. I went to a public boarding school about thirty

customized.,” Dick said. “Everyone in the room has to be working at their

minutes away,”

HEART BEAT

October 31, 2011

Staff photo by Hannah MacInnis Sophomore Hanna Wennerberg talks with Chinese students freshman Zhengda Zheng and junior Yeyi Ma.

international students

Staff Photo by Nicholas Murphy Italian student Martin Rabanser studies for his classes.

re welcomed to the Sacred Heart family

AMISON Writer

Both Liu and Rabanser found more changes in their educational

about where you live. The colleges are way more selective here.”

experiences between Sacred Heart and their schools at home. “Another big difference is the grading system,” Rabanser explained.

Morgan said he believes that there is another significant difference between international education systems and the American system.

“Here, you have A’s, B’s, and C’s. There, it’s numbers. You get a number

“Ask any of the students, especially the Chinese students; class

between three and ten and that is your grade. Three is the worst, six is a

participation doesn’t exist,” Morgan said. “A lot of countries, not just China,

passing grade, and ten is the best.”

have an education system based on ‘sit at your seat, here is what the teacher is

The international students said that they see differences between the teachers at Sacred Heart and their teachers at home. “I feel like the teachers here want you to get a good grade,” Rabanser

telling you, learn it.’ Where in the United States and other Western countries, it’s more about ‘here is the curriculum, use it, but challenge it’. A lot of places don’t do that. Getting students to recognize that it’s okay to question the

said. “At home, it’s the opposite. The teachers don’t help the students as

teacher, and that it’s okay to raise your hand and challenge what you are being

much. They give you the information and you have to figure it out for

taught is the biggest challenge. We encourage that, especially here at Sacred

yourself,”

Heart.”

Liu felt that her teachers here are “really helpful” compared to her teachers at home, who “will help you with your schoolwork, but not in a motivating way. There, they just give you more work to help you practice,” she said. While his American peers are stressing about completing the Common Application and other college materials, Rabanser reflects on the college application process at home. “When you apply to university, you mostly just apply to the one in your area,” Rebanser said. “They look at your grades from high school but not nearly as much as they do here. The universities are public, so it’s mostly

Rabanser agreed, saying that the way in which American students and teachers work together is something that he feels is lacking in Italy. “One thing about Sacred Heart that I wish we had at home is the cooperation between the teachers and the students. Back home, it is a fight between the teachers and the students. That’s the biggest difference,” Rabanser said. As the school year goes on, the international students continue to adapt to Sacred Heart’s ways, but at the same time remember the customs and traditions of their homes’ education systems.

P Mrs. Mary Jane Keough added ROFILES

October 31, 2011

THE HEART BEAT

to the faculty BY KATIE BELDEN Staﬀ Writer

Starting at a new school can be intimidating. There are new styles, new students, and new classes. While this event is hard for even the bravest of young children, it can even be harder for a new teacher. This school year, Sacred Heart High School hired four new teachers. One of the four new faces is Mrs. Mary Jane Keough, who is the school’s new Pre- Algebra teacher for honors and college-prep. She teaches all seventh graders and one eighth grade section. Mrs. Keough resides in the Cape Cod town of East Dennis, and came from her previous teaching job at Cape Cod Academy. She heard about Sacred Heart High School from a parent of another Cape student who went to Sacred Heart. She ended up sending both of her sons to Sacred Heart: William Keough who graduated in 2011 and presently attends American University in Washington, D.C., and Cam Keough who is currently a freshman at SHHS. This fall, Mrs. Keough started a tennis club for the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders here at Sacred Heart. It meets twice a week. She wanted to start a new activity at the school, doing something she loves to do. “Playing tennis is definitely my favorite pass time activity and I love teaching the students all about the game,” Keough said.

Switching schools can be a challenging experience. Mrs. Keough discussed these challenges. “Here at Sacred Heart I teach all seventh graders full-time. This was a change for me because at my other job I only taught a portion of a grade. I love this change because I get to experience all of the kids and form a better relationship with all of them,” Keough said. Seventh grader, Andrew Mason, talked about his thoughts having Mrs. Keough as a teacher. “Mrs. Keough is my PreAlgebra Honors teacher and I really enjoy being in her class. She does a lot of puzzles, brain-teasers, and tangrams. She uses a lot of visual work on the chalk board to help us understand the math better,” Mason said. Staff Photo by Nicholas Murphy Mason also shared that Mrs. Keough teaches her Pre-Algebra class of seventh graders even though Mrs. Keough gives a lot of homework, he really enjoys “Here at Sacred Heart, we share her classroom teaching methods. the mission of being kind to one another Seventh grader, Caitlin Rodway, also and to treat people with respect. This is In addition to her new role as IS Math talked about Mrs. Keough. why the students here at Sacred Heart are teacher, Mrs. Keough is actively in“She makes sure everyone such a pleasure to teach! They are anxious volved in various breast cancer awareness knows the material before she moves on. to learn new material, and get involved activities. As a breast cancer survivor, She also does a great job making sure she with the class,” Keough said. Mrs. Keough, along with other dedicated explains everything to us in a creative Mrs.Keough went on to say that family and friends, participates in her way,” Rodway said. since the students here are so well hometown’s Relay for Life. Keough really enjoys it here at behaved and respectful, she is able to do “I was diagnosed with breast Sacred Heart High School. Her previous fun activities relating to math. She also cancer in early 2008. I am tremendously teaching job was at a non-Catholic school said that her experience at Sacred Heart grateful and thankful to the doctors who which typically would be a very challeng- High School so far, is better than she caught it early. Today I am very healthy,” ing change for a teacher, but she proved would have ever expected. Keough concluded. that this wasn’t the case.

Bienvenida a La Señora Meehan BY ANGELA DAMELIO Staﬀ Writer This year, there have been many changes within the Sacred Heart community. One of these is the arrival of four new teachers, including Mrs. Janet Meehan. Having previously taught at Barnstable High School, Meehan is the new Spanish teacher at Sacred Heart. She teaches Spanish I, II, and IV Honors and teaches students ranging from 8th to 12th grade. Meehan said she discovered her love for teaching while in college. As a Spanish major at UMass Amherst, she was asked to tutor other students and found it very rewarding. During her college career, Meehan studied abroad in Spain for a semester at the University of Seville. Following her college graduation, she taught English as a second language in Boston and decided she wanted to be a teacher. “After that I took a course to get my certification and then I started teaching,” she said. Meehan lives in Hanover and has twin 15 year old sons. After teaching in Randolph, Sharon, Cohasset, and Barnstable, she has joined the Sacred Heart family. She said she found out about the school through a mutual friend she has with Mrs. Murphy, a fellow teacher in the Language Department. So far, Meehan said, she loves being at Sacred Heart. “It’s a very positive environment,” she explained. “The faculty is super friendly and welcoming and the students are respectful and kind to one another.” Meehan said that she loves listening to popular Spanish music and plans to bring it to the classroom. “I like doing creative projects and activities in

Spanish teacher Mrs. Meehan uses diagrams to teach her 8th grade Spanish class.

class. It makes it more fun,” she said. Senior Emily Dunham said that Meehan is succeeding in keeping class interesting. “She’s a really nice woman and a good teacher,”

Staff photo by Patricia Zibelli

she said. “She’s adjusting well to her new school environment.”

RTS

October 31, 2011

THE HEART BEAT

Say Hello to NaNoWriMo BY: CHELSEY TAHAN Staﬀ Writer

When most people think of November, turkeys, foliage, and for seniors, college applications, come to mind. But for hundreds of thousands of people all over the world, November means only one thing: NaNoWriMo. NaNoWriMo (short for National Novel Writing Month) is a month long online competition that encourages aspiring writers of all ages to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. Competitors start at midnight November 1st and must complete their novel by midnight November 30th. NaNoWriMo started in the 1990’s as a friendly competition between a group of college students. After a few years, the idea became a craze and hit the internet by storm, enlisting thousands of people to embark on that 30 day trek to completion.

“A lot of kids write short stories and poetry. It’s their original work, which I love hearing.”

- Carey Zigouras

Today, the NaNoWriMo site gets over 50,000 hits per day. It grows in numbers every year and becomes more and more popular as each November passes. “It’s definitely a lot of fun,” said senior Emily Hollstein. While there is no reward other than the satisfaction of having written a decent length novel, NaNoWriMo has proved successful for some notable works, including bestseller Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen. Water For Elephants was recently made into a movie

starring Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon that made over $115 million in the box office. The book itself has won multiple literary awards. Gruen has also published several other novels, and thanks to NaNoWriMo, has gained fame and recognition for her works. Traditionally, once writers hit that 50,000 word mark, they are given the option for a free print of their novel from an online publishing agency. NaNoWriMo celebrates the art of writing, an activity that many Sacred Heart teens partake in every day. The Sacred Heart Coffee House, run by the Creative Writing Club, is just one example of Sacred Heat students expressing their natural creativity. “The Creative Writing Club meets every two weeks or so,” said English teacher Ms. Carey Zigouras. “But I have a bulletin board outside of Lab A for writing contests and that’s kind of the meeting place as far as competitions go.” The Coffee House began in 2008 and has run at least once every year since. It is one of the most successful events of the school year and brings forth a large turn out every year. A major part of The Coffee House involves creative writing. “A lot of kids write short stories and poetry,” said Zigouras. “It’s their original work, which I love hearing.” Many Sacred Heart students take part in The Coffee House, and many this year are partaking in NaNoWriMo as a way to enhance their creative writing skills. NaNoWriMo is a free, fun competition that guarantees a start to fulfilling a student’s interest in creative writing. To find out more, visit the NaNoWriMo website.

Graphic Courtsey of National Novel Writing Month

Welcome back to the neighborhood, Blink 182 BY IAN KIRKWOOD Staﬀ wri�er

ack when my mother drove this dark green minivan, the whole family would pile in: my brother and I in the backseat (because we were oldest), my little brother sitting in the middle, and my father in the passenger seat while my mom drove. She would pop in the edited version of Take off Your Pants and Jacket by Blink 182, and in no time the five of us would be jamming out to songs like First Date, All the Small Things, the Rock Show, and Anthem, Pt.2. There was a time when I knew every word to every song on that CD (Minus the swears that the “clean” version quieted out). With the release of Neighborhoods, the band has made some gallant steps back to their old days, while changing and adapting to the modern tastes of today’s teens. What is produced is a chill, mellow sound that one could listen to all night. Unfortunately, the tracks that make up the CD never quite reach the addictive, sing along quality of the bands’ older material. In 2005, Blink-182 broke up, declaring an “indefinite hiatus”-- a term that showed conclusion, but still promised hope to fans worldwide. The Band split: vocalist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker formed +44, with an innovative pop sound, and Guitarist Tom Delonge formed Angels and Airwaves, a slow, meditative performing arts group. Although the three members joined up again in February 2009, the four years that the band spent apart changed each member in his own way. The sounds of the two different bands are heavily reproduced on this CD, and a few of the tracks might even substitute for one track or another on the other bands’ albums.

Tensions were clearly still high during the recording of Neighborhoods. At times, the loud, frustrated drum beats clash with the revving guitar, and the vocals, although pleasant throughout, only actually hit outstanding levels once or twice on the record. Although major faults, these problems actually end up highlighting the best tracks on the album, making the listener appreciate those tracks just that much more. The first half of the CD contains the best tracks, mainly Ghost on the Dance Floor, Natives, Up All Night, and After Midnight. The second half of the album, although inferior, has some powerful rhythms with Kaleidoscope, Love is Dangerous, and Heart’s All Gone. These tracks aren’t as good because the album gets darker and more mature as the tracks go on. While that isn’t a bad thing, the bleak rhythms and darker tones simply aren’t Blink at their best. They perform well when they are singing crude party songs Only the premier tracks even scrape the surface of that genre. Neighborhoods is not a perfect album. A few instrumentals and a couple of boring songs hinder the otherwise skillful display of Blink’s overall ability. Maybe it’s simply nostalgia, or maybe it is truly the underlying talent of the band, but the flaws in the album don’t drag it down. In fact, in some regards, they work to make all of the other songs seem even better. Photo Courtesy of Isotope Records

PINION

October 31, 2011

Burning of the Flag: Free speech or Treason? BY EVAN NOLAN Staﬀ Writer

Contrary to popular belief, the treasonous act of burning the American flag should be outlawed. Many believe that it is within our right of freedom of speech to desecrate the American flag during political protests and other antigovernment or anti-military demonstrations. There are many and varied forms of desecration such as letting the flag touch the ground, hanging it upside down (which is a military distress signal), and flying it at night without a spotlight. Actually burning the flag, however, is the most disrespectful form of desecration. The Flag Desecration Amendment was proposed in 2006 but failed to pass, only being 1 vote away from the necessary ¾ vote. There have been several attempts at an amendment to outlaw flag burning but they have never passed Congress. If this amendment were to pass, it would make flag desecration an arrestable offense, and the first amendment would not include desecration. An argument raised by many protestors is that their inalienable right to Freedom of Speech would be infringed upon. Burning the flag represents burning the government, the entity which grants them the right to burn the flag. A right which people in many other countries are not blessed with. Flag burning is perverting what the founding fathers intended the flag to be and represent. The main explanation people have for legal flag burning is that it is protected by the Constitution. Those who support the practice follow an overly literal interpretation of

Staff Photo by Nicholas Murphy

What it ultimately boils down to is this: nobody should be allowed to set fire to the American flag. Flag burning shows an incredible lack of respect for the nation which gave flag burners birth and a quality of life which those who live in third world countries would die for. You wouldn’t burn down the house of your parents or destroy a family heirloom that has represented your name for generations simply because you didn’t agree with a familial rule or policy you considered unfair.

the document allowing them to partake in flag desecration and not be imprisoned or even have rights temporarily taken like citizens of other nations such as Germany, China, Cuba, and New Zealand. These protestors do not recognize the lack of pride they are showing for the universal symbol of the United States of America.

Naviance: Now and in the future At this time each year, the senior class is busily filling out and submitting college applications. This year, however, as Sacred Heart School continues to adapt to a society increasingly dependent on technology, the process has become almost entirely digital. Resources such as the online common application facilitate the application process, making it easier and faster to complete and submit applications to all universities that accept the common app. One such new introduction to Sacred Heart’s application system is Naviance, an online application tool that serves the purpose of submitting teacher recommendations and providing students with key information about various schools well before they begin to apply. While having access to this new feature will undoubtedly prove to be a great benefit to the younger classes, we believe that Naviance has very little to offer to the current graduating class. Naviance is an excellent tool for underclassmen and even intermediate school students. The website is most beneficial to a student when it is introduced to them well before they begin thinking about applications. The SuperMatch™ college search tool allows students to narrow down their college search according to their interests, while a

feature entitled “college maps” recommends colleges that are likely to accept a student based on qualifications entered by the school. The ability to trace one’s progress over time will be an invaluable resource to the majority of the Sacred Heart student body. However, the same cannot be said for the class of 2012. We believe that introducing the current senior class to Naviance has had very limited benefits to students’ college application processes. Most members of the senior class have already narrowed down their college search to the group of schools to which they plan to apply. Therefore, the college selection tools that the system has to offer will not be of much use to these students. Also, there simply is not enough time between the beginning of the school year and application deadlines for all of the information that could prove to be useful to seniors to be programmed into the website. One of the primary functions of Naviance is to provide students with a clear idea of their chances of getting into various schools. However, as the program is so new to Sacred Heart, it is currently impossible to use the scattergram function, which will eventually allow students to view the acceptance history of Sacred Heart students based on their GPA and SAT

scores. With current students’ performances not yet having been entered into Naviance, let alone that of graduates, the extremely valuable ability to predict whether or not a student will be admitted into a particular college is not yet available. It cannot be denied that Naviance will prove to be a great asset to the Sacred Heart student body in the future. Like any new introduction, however, it will need some adjusting before its full potential can be reached. While it will undoubtedly become an impressive tool in goal-setting for the lower classes, it will unfortunately serve as little more than a means of submitting teacher recommendations for the class of 2012.

Editorial

THE HEART BEAT Editors-in-Chief: Meagan Antonellis Kate Jamison Front Page Editors: Alexander Bianco Angela D’Amelio Features Editor: Ian Kirkwood Double Truck Editor: Chelsey Tahan A&E Editors: Kendall Fisher Melanie Odell Opinion Editor: Evan Nolan Profiles Editor: Ka�e Belden Sports Editors: Gregory Habeeb Michael Hanna Ryan Thomas Photo Editors: Hannah MacInnis Nicholas Murphy Patricia Zibelli Copy Editor: Mercedes McGarry Staff Writer: Joseph Belsito Staff advisor: Mr. Vincent Boccalini

THE HEART BEAT is the student newspaper of Sacred Heart High School, located at 399 Bishops Highway, Kingston, MA 02364. The views expressed herein are those of the staﬀ. Responsible le�ers should be addressed to the Editorial Staﬀ c/o Mr. Boccalini or via e-mail at vboccalini@sacredheartkingston.com. THE HEART BEAT welcomes readers’ opinions on all topics. Le�ers must be signed. The editors reserve the right to reject, edit, or shorten letters. THE HEART BEAT is printed by Graphic Developments, Inc.

Mission Statement The Heart Beat is Sacred Heart High School’s newspaper. As the present custodians of this long-standing and award-winning publica�on, we pledge ourselves to the following threefold purpose: To inspire and foster a sense of passion and love for journalism, journalis�c ethics and the integrity of the wri�en word; To create and develop an atmosphere of responsible leadership, commitment to truth and dedica�on to the highest standards of journalis�c principles; To recognize that in all we do, we are in the service of our Provident God who has blessed us with the oppurtunity to minister to the Sacred Heart community. -Vincent Boccalini Moderator

Press aﬃlia�ons Columbia Scholas�c Press Associa�on (CSPA) New England Scholas�c Press Associa�on (NESPA) American Scholas�c Press Associa�on (ASPA)

PORTS

October 31, 2011

THE HEART BEAT

Talking Points Saints suffer disappointing season on the field, look ahead to a brighter future. Gerherd concurred, and added another dimension to Ostrowski’s diagnosis. “We have to become more of a team,” he said, “Team chemistry is an issue. We’re all friends and we get along, but we don’t work well enough as a team.” With a record of 3-6-6, the Sacred Heart boys’ soccer Morgan hasn’t seen any issues with team chemistry. team has struggled at times thr.ough a tough 2011 cam“The biggest positive is that they play as team,” Morgan said. paign. The Saints have battled through inconsistencies on “This is a team and all of the players know that they are not playthe offensive and defensive end, and were mathematically ing for themselves, they are playing for each other, and for the eliminated from the tournament with three games remaining in the season. school.” Junior captain and keeperTom Gerherd knows the Saints With teamwork being such an important factor to any team’s can play better. success, this would appear to be a problem that desperately needs “We’re not playing to our potential. We could have won mending. Ostrowski acknowledged that it would take more than just about every game. We’re not playing as hard as we an individual effort to right the ship. “It’s not something that one should be,” Gerherd said. person can fix. We as a team have to do it as a whole.” His co-captain, sophomore Griffin Ostrowski, agreed. Down the stretch, the Saints will look to their three team cap“We got off to a sluggish start, more than I anticipated,” tains (Gerherd, Ostrowski, and junior Anthony Jordan) to provide Ostrowski said. “Hopefully the dire need to win down the support and leadership. Despite being underclassmen, they have stretch gives us a desperation factor, so we can show what acquitted themselves well in their position of authority. we’re made of..” “Our captains may not be the most skilled players on the team, Head coach Shaun Morgan feels that his side has given it but they are the most vocal. They lead on the field and embrace their best shot despite their won-loss record. their leadership role. It’s good to know that the team is in good “So far this has been an excellent season. I am blessed hands for the future.” Imparato said. with a great squad who take the game seriously, and at the Morgan is confident that the captains of the team do their job Photo courtesy of Kelly Goldman admirably, despite their youth. He does not believe age should same time has a lot of fun with each other,” he said. One of the major problems the Saints have had this year Head Coach Shaun Morgan directs his captain, be taken into account when players are being chosen for captainhas been finishing games. In their first game against Diman junior Anthony Jordan, on the sidelines. ship. Instead, he prefers to focus on intangibles. “Where is this Vo-Tech, the Saints lead 2-1 going into the final 20 minutes rule that captains of teams must be seniors? I do not understand of the game, only to lose 3-2. Another match against Bishop Connelly resulted in the Saints this belief that seems to exist with Sacred Heart athletes.” He said. “Captaincy is bestowed squandering a 2-0 lead to finish in a draw. “We do really well and often times we’re win- upon those who earn it, and those who show the skills needed to be a captain.” ning until the last 20 minutes, and then we crumble,” senior Owen Imparato said. Although his team came up short this season, Morgan contends that not all is lost. “We throw in the towel once they score one goal” Ostrowski added. “Should [making the tournament] be the measure of success of a program?” Morgan According to Imparato, the problem isn’t a physical one. “It’s not that we’re getting said. “I never have and never will measure success by winning leagues, or making tournatired; we just get ahead of ourselves and start playing sloppy soccer. We need to keep the ment, they are the bonuses. Success is measured by the growth that is experienced by the same mentality and mindset at the end of games as at the start.” He said. players from day one to seasons’ end. I hope that I coach these young men not only to be Ostrowski points to another possibility for the Saints’ struggles on the field this year. better soccer players, but to be better men, by holding themselves to higher standards in “We lack communication when we need it most,” he said. everything that they do in life.” GREG HABEEB Staﬀ Writer

Sports Spotlight Pat Davis -Varsity Golf-

Photo courtesy of Anthony Jordan

Junior Pat Rowan, sophomore Griffin Ostrowski, junior Tom Griffin and senior David Greenwood (#9) look to play the ball in a late season game versus Diman Vocational-Technical High School.

Grade: 12 Years Played: Five Other sports: None Role Model: Earl Maginault Quote to live by: “When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you‛ll be successful.” -- Eric Thomas (The Hip-Hop Preacher) Information compiled by Greg Habeeb Staff photo by Nick Murphy

Who do you think next month’s Sports Spotlight should be? The nominees are: Sophomore Kieran Kelliher (Boys‛ Varsity Soccer, leading goal-scorer) Senior Marissa Melchionda (Varsity Volleyball, Co-Captain) Junior Erin Bracken (Girls‛ Varsity Soccer, Co-Captain) Send your votes via email to newspapersh@hotmail.com, or give your vote to any of your friendly neighborhood sports‛ editors.

SPORTS

October 31, 2011

The Swingin’ Saints Spread the word: Sacred Heart’s golf team is a dynasty. JOE BELSITO Staﬀ Writer

With the exception of one match last season against South Shore Vocational-Technical High School, Sacred Heart’s varsity golf team has gone undefeated in the league for the past two years. They have won back-to-back Mayflower League championships and this season continued their dominance, winning the league for a third straight season.

“Our team is humble, even though we may be the greatest Sacred Heart golf team ever”

- Joe Fonts

In 2011, the Saints lost a mere one match (at the hands of Coyle Cassidy, a team in a higher division and with a different scoring system). After placing second in the MIAA State Sectionals, the Saints will contend for a state title at the Glenn Allen Country Club in Millis, MA. The Saints’ starting lineup has been a force to be reckoned with this season. The top four golfers (seniors Pat Davis, Joe Fonts, Chris Weimer, and Mike Hanna, respectively) were all awarded league all-star awards for their

play last season. Davis also was named to the all-scholastic team for the second consecutive year. The Saints round out their lineup with contributions from seniors JamesMichael Imlach and Nick Murphy, and sophomores Tom Knox and Anthony Norris. “This is the best team we’ve had in all the years I’ve been here, so it’s not surprising we won the league again.” Weimer said. Not surprising indeed. The Saints golf team has been this good for a long time. In fact, they have the highest winning percentage over the past four seasons of any other athletic team Sacred Heart has to offer. “We are probably the best team in the school right now, seeing as we’ve lost one league match the last two years,” Weimer said. Davis, a team co-captain along with Fonts, Weimer, and Hanna, has been satisfied with the team’s performance this year. “Our team placed seventh last year at states and has improved greatly; I think we can go just as far if not farther this year,” Davis said. Davis also acknowledged that the ability of the Saints means that the sky could be the limit. “Each one of us has the potential to place at states; it’s just a matter of who will step up,” he said. Despite the unquestionable success, there is very little publicity surrounding the golf team. One would think that three league titles in a row, as well as three straight state tournament bids would have the school buzzing, yet the golfers rarely are mentioned in discussions about Sacred Heart athletics. Fonts points to the team’s modesty for the reason why the Saints don’t publicize members in the daily announcements. “Our team is humble, even though we may be the greatest Sacred Heart golf team ever,” he said. With the Saints losing their top six golfers for next sea-

Staff photo by Nick Murphy

Senior Joseph Fonts takes some practice swings as he prepares for the state tournament.

son, 2012 figures to be far more of an uphill battle. However, Fonts is optimistic that the younger group will be able to build on his teammates’ achievements. “The team will have a lot of work to do, but they are young and have great potential to do well next year.” Fonts said.

Bringing XC back The girls’ cross-country team takes home third in Mayflower League meet. MIKE HANNA Staﬀ Writer Most teams that lose seniors have a tough year the next season, but this year the girl’s cross-country team flipped the script. On Tuesday, October 25, 2011 the team trekked out to Borderland State Park in Easton, MA. and competed in the Mayflower League Meet. Athletic director Mr. Robert Duquette is league chairman and organized the meet.

“Considering how tough the competition was this year, we did really well as a team and had a lot of personal bests,”

- Rebecca Stanton

While they didn’t repeat as league champions, they came in third place this year. At the league meet, the girls had a secret weapon this time around. Sophomore Kellie Goodell won a medal and became a league all-star. History teacher Mr. George Rose, the head coach of the cross-country team, was impressed with his team’s performance in the league meet. “Many of our runners had personal bests and are league all-stars,” Rose said. Despite the high caliber teams that the Saints faced this year, they feel that they made great strides. “Considering how tough the competition was this year, we did really well as a team and had a lot of personal bests,” senior Rebecca Stanton said.

Stanton has had an impressive first season on the team, Rose said. “Becca Stanton got a trophy, and was our top runner coming in 4th place overall at the meet,” he said. The cross-country team this season did not go without leadership from its senior captains. Caragh Fane-Hervey, Hannah MacInnis, Kristyn Marino, and Michaela DiBiase led the team to the best of their abilities. The girls learned well from their predecessors and directed the team to an overachieving season. Rose was satisfied with how the team conducted themselves and managed to perform so well despite the loss of so many key runners from the previous year. “I was very proud of the team. They achieved a lot this season and I was very happy to be their coach,” said Rose.

Staff photo by Patricia Zibelli

Senior Michaela DiBiase runs the course during the Mayflower League meet. The Saints finished third, trailing West Bridgewater and Norfolk Aggies.