2012 december

I WANNA LIVE FOREVER!

DOING IT BIG IN AMERICA’S HOMETOWN

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HEART

December 19, 2012

Volume 30

CONTENTS News......................................2 Features.................................4 Profiles..................................5 Arts & Entertainment............8 Opinion................................10 Sports...................................12

BEAT Number 1

Spreading Christmas Cheer

, t u h Hut,

E K I H

Candy canes for a cause

BY KATHRYN MULLEN Staff Writer

The new freshman football team’s blue and red helmet

Staff photo by Kathryn Mullen

Sacred Heart tackles a high school football team

BY THOMAS GERHARD Staff Writer For as long as Sacred Heart has existed, it has never had a football team, but that is all going to change next fall.

Athletic Director Bob Duquette said, “We are one of the only schools in a twenty five mile radius without a football team. We have to compete so we need a program.”

For many male students, one of the major drawbacks of Sacred Heart High School has been that there is no football team, and it is motivating many male students to go elsewhere, like BC High and Archbishop Williams.

“We hope to draw more kids into the school and retain the kids that are here,” Duquette said. “We hope to draw in some eighth graders from outside to play football.”

Enrollment at Sacred Heart has been lacking, but with the addition of a football program, the hope is that both male population and school morale will increase.

“We think the addition of football will increase the school spirit and get the community culture going,” Duquette said.

Since a football team requires so many players as well as equipment and a field, would other fall sports teams be adversely affected? After having such a successful soccer season, would the boys’ soccer team suffer from the addition of a football program? Duquette doesn’t believe so.

“It will not interfere with our fall programs that we have in place because it will be for only eighth and ninth graders,” Duquette said, “and the players that are currently playing for the varsity teams will not be eligible.”

Not only will the football program not take away from other fall teams, but also one of our beautiful soccer fields will not have to be sacrificed. “We’re looking to put the field behind the baseball field for right now, the first year, so that people can see that we have football,” Duquette said.

The most important aspect of a football team is the players, and Duquette is not worried that there won’t be enough.

“We have about 10 players in the building now that want to play,” Duquette said. “If we’re committed to make it go and we don’t have the numbers, we’ll go the next year.”

Aside from the players and field, there is one more key element that a football team needs: a coach. With a brand new program, football is going to need a good coach to build a successful team.

“We’re going to be very particular on who we hire for a coach,” Duquette said. “We definitely want someone with a lot of football knowledge who is enthusiastic and willing to take the program from the ground up.”

“I think it’s a great thing,” Duquette said. “I think the Sisters of Divine Providence did a great

job because it was tough to get passed. Dr. Gill and Pam Desmarais have also given it a really positive boost.”

In the words of Sacred Heart’s new principal Dr. Gill: “If you had to choose between two, three-star hotels and you wanted Wi-Fi to use on your device, you would go to the hotel that offered Wi-Fi.” The football program is hoping to be the Wi-Fi that Sacred Heart needs to get more and more students to enroll.

Staff photo by Kathryn Mullen

Publicity photo in the front lobby

It’s that time of year again.

It’s time for Candy Cane Grams! Okay, this isn’t Mean Girls, but it is that time for the Student Council to begin its candy cane sales again. Every year for about three weeks in December, the Student Council organizes a fundraiser for My Brother’s Keeper, a charity organization located in Easton that helps local, needy families. Members of the Student Council have been selling an assortment of candy canes throughout the school and during lunch for a dollar each. Librarian and Student Council Advisor, Miss Karen Arnold, initiated a bake sale to augment the funds being raised. The sale was held on December 5th.

It was a success, drawing students from every grade to the library during break and tutorial.

Senior and Vice President of the Executive Board, Nicole Clement, was pleased with the results of the bake sale. “The entire Student Council was happy with the sales and the quotas for the families are almost reached,” she said.

The goal of the Student Council is to support needy families for Christmas by raising $250 for each family. The money then goes to items that each family needs or asks for, like winter coats, blankets or comforters, craft supplies, and educational tools for the kids. The members of the council buy the gifts and go to the headquarters of My Brother’s Keeper to wrap them. They are then delivered to the families.

Staff photo by Kathryn Mullen

Senior Meaghan McKenna selling candy canes

Last year, the collected funds were able to support five families. Miss Arnold said, “What’s really great about My Brother’s Keeper is that it helps local families who are often forgotten.”

A trip to My Brother’s Keeper is planned for December 18th. The same trip was taken last year by former Student Council members. The day was spent wrapping the presents, putting time aside to pray together, and learning more about the organization and its mission.

“What’s really great about My Brother’s Keeper is that it helps local families who are often forgotten.”

-Karen Arnold The entire Student Council has worked very hard to make this Christmas the best possible for those who do not have much and who are in need of support.

The whole school, students and faculty alike, have worked together to make this happen.

News

2 December 19, 2012

HEART BEAT

On the edge of the Fiscal Cliff Politicians face big decisions before the end of the year

Photo courtesy of rdhudgens.blogspot.com, originally from Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends

BY PATRICK MACDONALD Staff Writer With the election season over, it may seem as if political players have taken a vacation. Before the end of the year, however, politicians have to face a critical challenge, the Fiscal Cliff. One of the biggest hurdles in facing this challenge is the political division in Washington.

What exactly is the Fiscal Cliff? Simply put, the Fiscal Cliff is a December 31st deadline that, when passed, will initiate automatic tax rate increases and spending cuts on January 1, 2013.

These emergency measures are part of the Budget Control Act of 2011, and intended to cut the federal budget by over $1.2 trillion, should no compromise be met by Republicans and Democrats. As a result, tax rates will rise 2% for workers, and Bush-era tax breaks will end for businesses and those who earn more than $250,000 a year. One of the biggest problems the Cliff poses is the threat to the GDP, the total amount of goods one nation produces in a year. If the deadline passes and no compromise is reached, the GDP would be lowered by over four percent, possibly leading to a second recession. Other anticipated effects include an increase in unemployment by as much as 1% and the end of temporary payroll tax cuts. The term “Fiscal Cliff” can be misleading, as it sounds like disaster looming on the horizon; with compromise this potential disaster can be averted but if we go over, spending cuts and tax increases speed up and GDP and employment slows down.

While cutting the deficit roughly in half may seem like a solution to all our economic problems, many sectors will take severe funding hits. One sector that will take a huge hit if we fall over the Fiscal Cliff would be the defense budget; defense could be cut by as much as $500 billion. Over 1,000 government programs like Medicaid would also take a severe blow as funding could be significantly reduced.

Politicians from both sides are at a crossroads when it comes to the Fiscal Cliff.

There are essentially three choices politicians can make: 1) cancel some, or even all aspects of the Fiscal Cliff. This would prevent taxes or entitlement benefits from being altered but would be extremely detrimental in the long run; 2) let the United States “go over” the Fiscal Cliff, which would severely hamper entitlement benefits, but would cut the deficit by half; 3) try to find bi-partisan middle ground on the issues of taxes and government spending between both parties, to prevent either aspect from being greatly affected by the Cliff. Both parties, however, remain rigid, sticking to their financial platforms and refusing to partake in any major negotiations.

The Democratic plan to avert the Cliff includes cuts on some minor entitlements, but increases taxes on those earning more than $250,000. The Republican plan would cut entitlements and tax loopholes, but Republicans staunchly refuse raising taxes on anyone, regardless of income.

Both sides seem frustrated that the other will not bring a spirit of compromise to the bargaining table. Republican Speaker of the House, John Boehner, challenged President Obama, asking, “Where are the President’s spending cuts?” As the chamber opened Tuesday, December 4, 2012, Boehner queried, “When is the president going to get serious?”

The White House communications director, Dan Pfeiffer, said in response: “The irony of this is that the White House offer had very specific cuts; the GOP counteroffer had almost none.”

Senate Democratic Majority Leader, Harry Reid, stated that it would be “extremely difficult” to come to a compromise before Christmas. This partisan bickering over what would be cut is not new, as Congress has had over three years to make a deal on the Cliff. Many analysts predict that a deal probably won’t be made until the eleventh hour.

With the threat of the Cliff hanging over us, compromise seems like the best course of action. December 31st will come, whether the world ends or not.

Wisniewski wins it big

Staff Photo by Kathryn Mullen

Wisniewski smiles for the camera

November 28th was a big day for Sacred Heart junior Hannah Wisniewski. Earlier in the year, she entered the VFW Voice of Democracy speech competition, and on November 28th, Wisniewski was informed that she had won both the Post competition and the District competition, receiving $700 for each award totaling $1400.

VWF stands for Veterans of Foreign Wars. Annually its 2.1 million members volunteer in the community, and give millions in college scholarships to hopeful students like Wisniewski.

There are many ways to enter to win a scholarship.

Wisniewski chose to enter the Voice of Democracy (VOD) competition. She sent in a recording of herself dictating a 3-5 minute essay that she wrote relating to the theme “Is Our Constitution Still Relevant?” This competition is for students in grades 9-12 attending any high school. The VOD competition awards more than $2 million dollars annually and the first place winner receives a $30,000 scholarship.

Wisniewski has been competing on the Sacred Heart speech team since eighth grade, so speaking in the VOD competition came naturally.

“My experience on the speech team definitely prepared me for this competition,” Wisniewski said.

Wisniewski got inspired to enter after Sacred Heart senior LeighAnn D’Andrea entered and made it to the finals and traveled, all expenses paid, to Washington D.C., winning the $2,500 Troy and Sandy Rothbart Memorial Scholarship Award.

BY SARAH KAMP Staff Writer

“It was an amazing experience to go to the White House and meet so many new and interesting students that had also made it to the finals in the competition. It’s a very rewarding experience and I’m excited for Hannah,” D’Andrea said.

By winning the Post and District competition Wisniewski will now advance to the finals to compete for the chance to represent Massachusetts at Nationals in Washington D.C., and the possibility of winning thousands more in scholarships.

“After hearing about LeighAnn’s experience with the competition I decided to enter to see how far I could get.

I also knew the opportunities it would present, like scholarship money, and it was pretty hard to pass up. It’s an honor just to have made it as far as I have,” Wisniewski said.

Wisniewski didn’t even know she won until Sacred Heart High School Principal, Dr. Michael Gill, read the news over the morning announcements three days later.

“I felt so relieved after I found out I won,” Wisniewski exclaimed. “I had been waiting for almost three days to find out if I won and started to get nervous because I hadn’t heard anything! It was really exciting when I found out.”

Wisniewski will soon be finding out if she has advanced to the finals to represent Massachusetts in Washington D.C.

News

3

December 19, 2012

No one does it better than America’s Hometown!

BY NICOLETTA PAPPAS Staff Writer The annual “America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration” stretched from Friday, November 16 to Sunday, November 18. The celebration featured the 17th annual Thanksgiving parade on Saturday morning. The parade was part of a jam packed Thanksgiving weekend that attracted thousands of people from around the state, country and even the world.

On Friday evening, the weekend started with a free Memorial Hall concert put on by the U.S. Navy Band Country Current. Country Current is nationally renowned, having performed for President Jimmy Carter and President George W. Bush. The concert started the celebration with a bang, as Country Current performed patriotic songs with a country twist.

On Saturday morning, crowds flocked to downtown Plymouth to catch the 17th annual Thanksgiving Parade.

The parade started at Benny’s Plaza in North Plymouth and passed through downtown near Cole’s Hill, where many spectators sat to enjoy the show.

“It is a huge event, one of the most crowded and celebrated events in this area for the year. There is a strong cultural background representing the Pilgrims and Indians,” Junior Yajing Zheng said. With her, Sacred Heart students Dafei Lu and Renyu Wang attended the various activities on both Saturday and Sunday morning.

“In people’s perspective, the celebration marks the end of fall and the begining of winter.”

-Yajing Zheng The parade started at 11 a.m. It featured floats of every size and style; there was a replica of the U.S.S. Constitution handmade by Karl Lekberg that represented the War of 1812, along with a replica of the space shuttle “Discovery” that symbolized the years of space exploration. A new addition to the parade was a float representing the 90th anniversary of the first aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Langley. The inscription on the float was dedicated to David A. Haglof, a member of the Coast Guard during the Vietnam War, and longtime volunteer for the Plymouth Parade.

The festivities didn’t end with the parade. Many people traveled to the historic Plymouth waterfront to see the New Crafter’s Pavilion, New England Food Festival, and “Portal to the Past.”

The Crafter’s Pavilion featured many local and celebrated artists from around the Plymouth area. Ranging from handmade jewelry to carved wooden owls, the Crafter’s Pavilion included every individual talent artists wished to share.

“Portal to the Past’s” sign in Brewster Gardens, where visitors step into American History

Staff Photo by Dafei Lu

“I watched a woman paint a painting of a feather. I found it amazing how she could take in every detail on paper while not getting distracted from spectators asking questions and watching her work. These are things you do not see all the time,” Senior Dafei Lu said.

Once they finished at the pavilion, wafting smells attracted hungry visitors to the New England Food Festival tent. The New England Food Festival featured more than 20 restaurant stations offering a “taste of true New England food.” Visitors could enjoy tasting various soups, desserts, and chowders from New England’s favorite restaurants. Some restaurants that attended were Moe’s Southwest Grill, Cabby Shack, and the Rye Tavern.

After stomachs were filled at the Food Festival, visitors made their way over to Brewster Gardens, where volunteers dressed up as Pilgrims and Native AmeriStaff Photo by Dafei Lu cans for “Portal to the Past”. Scattered throughout the A pilgrim reenactor at the “Portal to the Past” garden, different artifacts were used to teach visitors a shows visitors replica swords little more about early America. Pilgrims displayed old The Portal to the Past and Crafter’s Pavilion continued fashion swords, giving children the opportunity to wield into Sunday, with the addition of the Makepeace Farm’s them, with proper safety precautions. Native American Harvest Market and America’s hometown Thanksgiving role players sported animal furs and preached of plentiful 5K. The Thanksgiving 5K took place downtown, with harvests and successful hunting. proceeds benefiting The Fragment Society, one of the Only a few steps from Brewster Gardens, visitors oldest charities in the United States. The Fragment Socicould set foot in the past by visiting the replica of the ety started in 1812 and since then has benefited the poor first ship to land in New England, “The Mayflower Two.” and needy in the town of Plymouth.

Tourists new to Plymouth also marveled at Plymouth “I loved the route the 5K was on,” Sophomore Matt Rock, the place where pilgrims first set foot in North Johnson said after he participated in the race. “It was a America (Spoiler alert: the rock’s fake). nice day and the surroundings made the run very enjoyThe Saturday festivities ended with a one p.m. Coast able.”

Guard mock helicopter rescue in Plymouth Harbor, and The harvest market provided an opportunity for visithe Senior Drum and Bugle Corps Reunion in Memorial tors to support local businesses and buy fresh bread, fruit, Hall at six. The corps was used in World War II to mark honey, and cranberry sauce. Live music was provided by the return of veterans from war. For a twenty nine dollar Crabgrass Bluegrass, a local band playing old Bluegrass admission ticket, attendees could watch the descendants Country tunes.

As families stocked up for Thursday’s of the original corps play patriotic tunes. meal, Plymouth’s Thanksgiving celebration came to an end.

After enjoying how Plymouth celebrates Thanksgiving, Sacred Heart High School international student, Yajing Zheng said: “In people’s perspective, the celebration marks the end of fall and the beginning of winter. It was extremely interesting to see how everyone came together to celebrate their heritage.”

Although the festivities ended for America’s Hometown Celebration, the town of Plymouth sponsored an opportunity Thursday morning for families to eat “guilt free”. The 5K Thanksgiving Turkey Trot at Pine Hills Fitness Racket Club was held at nine a.m. Turkey-trotters of all ages had the opportunity to run, walk, or jog down the oldest road in America, Old Sandwich Road. Senior Sammy Slavik and her family participated in the race.

“It was so much fun and my sisters enjoyed it, also” said Slavik. “My youngest sister Ky beat us all and got a great personal best. It got our family together and excited for dinner later that day. That is the real meaning of Thanksgiving,” she said.

Staff Photo by Dafei Lu

The Makepeace Farm’s Harvest Market attracts lines of people for its variety of farmed goods

Features

4 December 19, 2012

Open house impresses Sacred Heart opens its doors to prospective students

BY TIAN YANG Staff Writer Welcoming prospective students to Scared Heart, the school admissions held two open houses on Sunday, November 4th and Thursday, November 15th.

“I was so impressed by the number of people who came,” Sacred Heart High School Principal Dr. Michael Gill said. “Everyone was very supportive. Teachers and students did a fantastic job, especially the kids who came to volunteer. It was amazing.”

Parents and prospective students came to the open houses with the Sunday open house having the greater turnout of the two because it was on the weekend, and it was a beautiful day.

“All the feedback was great and very positive,” Dr. Gill said. “It was great that the students were interacting with the families.”

All of the student tour guides introduced the school to the new families. The whole school was presented beautifully in front of the families and prospective students: friendly students, professional teachers, technology, advanced options, and a cozy campus.

“All the students who volunteered for the open houses did a great job.

It went on without a hitch.”

-Mr. Shaun Morgan

“All the students who volunteered for the open houses did a great job,” Vice Principal Mr. Morgan said. “It went on without a hitch.”

Students volunteered by either giving tours or representing clubs in which they participated. Because they are actively involved in school-associated activities, high school students gave honest and valuable perspectives on the school.

“The two open houses welcomed prospective students into the Sacred Heart community,” senior Deirdre Kelly said. “That was the best way for them to get a taste of what Sacred Heart is all about.”

“I am really pleased with the number of people who attended,” Director of Admissions Mrs. Ann Taylor said.

Shirts for each sport represent the various sports teams at Sacred Heart

Staff photo by Dafei Lu

Prospective students meet with Religion teacher Vince Boccalini

Staff photo by Dafei Lu

“About 40 families came to the November 4th open house, and about 20 families attended the one on Thursday, November 15th.”

“The best parts of the open houses were the student tours and the tables of clubs and programs represented,” Mrs. Taylor said. “The only thing that did not go as well as I expected was the length of each tour. Unfortunately, some parents did not have enough time to talk to the teachers in the cafeteria or go over to the Student Activity Center.” Luckily, students were very talkative and outgoing, showing the families almost everything about Sacred Heart and trying to inform parents about the school.

“All of the students did a wonderful job on Curriculum Night as well,” Mrs. Taylor said. “That went great and gave people an opportunity to learn about more programs within the school.” Sixth and eighth graders interested in attending Sacred Heart really enjoyed how the students gave tours and showed them around because they like to learn from students closer to their age with whom they can relate.

Overall, the two open houses and curriculum night were very successful. Thank you to all students, teachers, and administrators for helping. Congratulations Sacred Heart!

Sacred Heart’s Hunger Games The annual food drive surpasses expectations - largest in recent memory

BY DAFEI LU Staff Writer

If you visited the hallways of Sacred Heart High School recently you might have stumbled over boxes piled high with food, ready to be taken to various shelters for the Thanksgiving food drive. The food drive has been a tradition at Sacred Heart High School and Intermediate School for many years. This year, however, the traditional food drive has been given new life; changes are happening and we can see the difference.

The organizer of the food drive, Social Justice teacher Mrs. Elin Slavin, describes the changes in this way: “Instead of asking students to bring in random food, we made meal menus for each homeroom; the menu contains food such as canned corn, cranberry sauce, turkey stuffing, and other Thanksgiving dinner fixings. Each individual from the homerooms will sign up to bring in a different food item.” Mrs. Slavin went on to describe the appeal this would have.

“We figured the students would feel more responsibility working in a group.

And it actually worked. We received 18 Thanksgiving baskets filled with food.”

Another interesting addition to this year’s food drive is the team competition.

Teams were pitted against each other in

a competition to see which team could bring in the most food. This was definitely a fun way to ramp up the food drive. The boys’ and girls’ soccer teams, the Heart Beat staff, and other teams or clubs all participated. The final challenge was held between the students and the faculty to see who could donate the most food. The faculty won this year’s competition.

Mrs. Slavin said, “We just want to make the food drive more enjoyable. I want to thank the student body and the special help from Deacon Connelly, Sister Janice, and Mr. Boccalini. This is the most successful food drive I’ve seen so far.”

One of the major contibutors to the food drive’s success were the bingo sessions held at Sacred Heart High School each Friday evening. Bingo participants added approximately 40 cartons of food, and $1,500 in gift cards to the food drive’s total. Bingo’s significant contributions certainly helped to catapult this year’s food drive beyond its usual expectations.

Deacon Connelly also contributed to this year’s food drive by visiting St. Vincent de Paul and St. Edith Stein parishes in Brockton to find out what the communities needed. By being better informed about the actual needs of these communities, Sacred Heart was able to provide for the special food needs of each parish. Deacon Connelly sees this year’s

food drive as “an important event because we had a Thanksgiving Mass for the first time. The Mass built a strong connection between our actions (the food drive) and our faith. It’s a nice thing to have a conclusion after doing the food drive.”

In the end, Sacred Heart School delivered a total of approximately 80 boxes of

food and clothes, and $1,900 in grocery cards to needy families in nine locations.

Infusing Sacred Heart School’s traditional food drive with creative ideas greatly increased the number of people the school was able to help. We hope the rest of the year can be as creative and successful as this year’s Thanksgiving food drive!

Staff photo by Dafei Lu

Deacon Chris Connolly, Librarian Karen Arnold, Social Justice teacher Elin Slavin, and Math teacher Jon Olson show many donations

Profiles

5 December 19, 2012

HEART BEAT

m g n emor i v o l y In

BY SOPHIA PIZZI Staff Writer

T

his past month, the Sacred Heart community lost one of its revered members, Sister Rosalie Deck.

An upbeat and talented woman, Sr. Rosalie was part of the Sacred Heart community for over 40 years. Since the late 1950’s, Sr. Rosalie and her sister, Sister Rosemonde Deck, taught music in the high school. Known as the “Singing Sisters,” the duo had a successful musical career and recently attended school masses to sing for the student body as well. Although on November 9, 2012, Sr. Rosalie passed away at the age of 83, her voice will live on in our hearts forever.

Music always played a major part in Sr. Rosalie’s life. As the oldest of five children, she was raised in Beechview, Pennsylvania. Her family was musically driven; her father played the clarinet with the Fort Wayne Symphony Orchestra and her mother was a singer and voice instructor. Together, she and her four siblings were known as “The Deck Five.” For seven years they sang on a radio show in the 1940’s called “Starlets on Parade.”

In 1947 Sr. Rosalie joined the Sisters of Divine Providence. In the early 1950’s, she earned her bachelor’s degree in music education and master’s degree of music in vocal performance at Duquesne University. She began her teaching career in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.

In the late 1950’s, Sr. Rosalie moved to Kingston, Massachusetts and began her career at Sacred Heart with Sister Rosemonde. The two sisters taught classes, gave voice lessons, and directed special chorus shows.

“Everyone would always look forward to the sisters’

Photo courtesty of divineprovidenceweb.org

Christmas or Spring chorus shows,” fellow Sister of Divine Providence, Sr. Alice Marie, said. “Their concerts were always special and exciting. Their voices contributed to the joy of the Christmas season.”

The Singing Sisters excelled in their music careers in

several different ways. They sang in seven languages and also played the guitar. One time the duo appeared on a live music appreciation television show. In October of 1982, they sang at a private Mass for Pope John Paul II. They performed all over the world including Israel, Mexico, Canada, and several countries in Europe, and also recorded five songs professionally. It was a very unique life for women who were dedicated to also living a religious life.

Throughout her career, Sr. Rosalie influenced the lives of many students. “She had the ability to see a talent in a student, nurture it, and see it blossom,” Sr. Alice Marie said. “They would do whatever they had to, whether it was arranging a song or changing the key, in order to make it work for a student.”

It worked out monumentally for one student in particular. Deck inspired alumnus Tom Bowes ‘76 to develop his voice. He has since toured the world and recorded two studio albums with the band Tower of Power. After taking a few years off, Bowes was offered the position of lead singer for the legendary band Blood, Sweat & Tears. Along with touring and recording with the band, Bowes also plans to compose his own solo CD. He is extremely grateful for the sisters’ guidance and says he “would not be doing what I’m doing if it weren’t for them.”

Even students today lament the loss of Sister Rosalie.

“She used to come to my uncle’s bookstore in Kingston and sing songs with me,” senior Jeffrey Millman said.

“She had a great spirit and will be truly missed.”

Santa Claus is coming to town!

You are cordially invited to this year’s Masquerade Ball!

Sponsored by Sacred Heart’s S.A.D.D. group, the event will take place on February 1st, 2013 at the Pinehills Country Club in Plymouth. Tickets will be sold for $25.00 each.

BY KELSEY MALONE Staff Writer

Friday night bingo sessions at Sacred Heart High School attract people of all ages who begin flocking to the school as early as 4 pm. Many people, however, attend for more than just bingo. Around the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Lenten seasons, food drives and raffles are also held in order to collect money for numerous charities.

Science teacher, Mr. Jason Joseph Potrykus, is well-acquainted with these charities. Mr. Potrykus volunteers at bingo and donates a great deal of time and effort toward these charitable causes. He does not stop there. Potrykus also takes part in ‘Special Santa,’ whose participants sell gift cards. A percentage of the gift card proceeds is contributed to ‘Santa’s Fund’ which supports local food pantries. Potrykus started his tradition of charity around the holiday season at an early age. He was taught by his father that “it just feels good doing good for someone and not being selfish.”

His father would take him to Boston on Saturdays to ship packages in bulk to under-privileged families in different countries. He fondly remembers his Polish cousin, Father Marek Kelectz. Father Kelectz was a fierce advocate for the poor in his Soviet-controlled homeland.

Back then many common household items were very hard to get in Poland so Father Kelectz was happy to do his part to improve the lives of his countrymen. Potrykus and his family would receive bios of under-privileged Polish families from his cousin and pick out clothes, food, and gifts to send the needy families. Father Kelectz visited America roughly six times to see his family and raise funds for different charities. Potrykus recalls that Father Kelectz did not restrict his charity to his Polish homeland, but also supplied clean water to orphanages in Kenya.

While Potrykus is disappointed to admit he lost ties with his Polish counterparts, he has not given up his spirit of charity during the holiday season. Today, he is a strong contributor to the Mission of Santo Domingo, a daycare center in the Dominican Republic for children whose parents both work. The recyclable cans collected in the

Staff photo by Kathryn Mullen

Mr. Potrykus shows some holiday cheer

cafeteria are redeemed to go toward funds for the Mission of Santo Domingo. A donation of one or two cans can provide a meal for one Dominican child and Potrykus finds this a more than worthy cause. He goes on to say that the holiday spirit is meant to go “beyond family.”

It is the “sparkle in little kids” that makes this season of charity worthwhile. He deeply believes that every child deserves that sparkle. When asked if he still believes in Old Saint Nick, Potrykus simply smiled and said, “I think I still believe in Santa Claus, or at least the spirit of him.”

6

a f o g n i m a e r I’m d . . . s a m t s i r h C Green R

BY JAY MEYE The holidays are a highlight for any American student. It’s the time for family gatherings and celebrations. It’s the time for caroling, decorating the tree, and spending time with the extended family. The holidays are no small event, and while they bring joy to many, they have a large impact on the environment. Did you know that every year 2.65 billion Christmas cards are sold in the United States? This many cards could fill a 10 story football stadium.

Every year 50 million Christmas trees are purchased in the United States, and more than three fifths of those end up in lands fills. But the holidays don’t necessarily have to be an anti-Earth season. There are numerous ways we can cut down pollution and help create a green Christmas.

The Food: No holiday is complete without food. Often times, however, not all food gets eaten. At least 28 billion pounds of holiday food is thrown out every year; equating to 100 pounds of food per United States citizen. Food waste can easily be reduced by considering the following:

1. Make less. Holidays are a time for family gatherings, and more people means more food. But if you’re only having eight people to dinner, do you really need four pies and a few dozen cookies? Most likely, no.

2. Today’s dinner is tomorrow’s sandwich. Nothing says

November 23rd or December 26th, like a turkey sandwich; so why not continue this habit through the winter holidays?

Photo courtesy of www.wvgazette.com

3. Donate it. There are thousands of families that are not as

fortunate during this holiday season. Many of them seek help form homeless shelters and food pantries; and even a small fraction of the 28 billion pounds could help millions.

4. Divide it up. As previously mentioned, most holiday

evenings consist of large family gatherings. If you are the host for the night, divide up the left overs, and send everyone home with tomorrow’s meal.

Staff Photo by Dafei Lu

7

The Tree: One would think that “environmentalists” prefer fake trees, due to their unique ability to not die and therefore not have to be replaced. Several articles, however, suggest that “tree huggers” generally agree “that real trees are the better choice, at least from a personal and public health standpoint.”

Environmentally, fake trees are fine, but their production releases numerous carcinogens, including dioxin, ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride, polluting neighborhoods located near manufacturing, factory sites.

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The main disadvantage to a majority of the “natural” trees available for purchase today, is that they are farmed as agricultural products, requiring large amounts of pesticides. As with any agricultural product, the pesticides used leak into local water sources and damage the local ecosystems.

Even the disposal of “natural” trees is a challenge for many municipalities that aren’t prepared to mulch them for compost.

The best option when it comes to Christmas trees is buying a potted one.

Rather than being put in a landfill, a potted Christmas tree has roots that are intact, and can always be replanted at the end of the season.

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The Gifts: In the United States, wrapping paper and shopping bags account for about 4 million tons of trash each year. It is estimated that if every family in America reused just two feet of holiday ribbon, 38,000 miles of ribbon could be saved, enough to tie a bow around the entire planet. The materials used in gift wrapping are often dyed, laminated and are mostly plastic, making them very difficult to recycle.

Most toys and almost all electronics require batteries, and roughly 40% of all batteries sold are sold during the holiday season. To prevent these batteries from being put underground, buy rechargeable batteries. Battery acid is a lethal material that is hazardous and corrosive. By buying fewer of them, and reusing the rechargeable ones, fewer nonrechargeable batteries end up in landfills.

Another tip for buying children’s toys is looking for durability. Cheaper, less durable items often wear out quickly, creating waste and costing families money.

Cheaper gifts are also made with non-recyclable material, which is hazardous to the environment.

By buying gifts made of recyclable materials, more companies will be encouraged to use recyclable materials in their products.

Photo courtesy of www.pickywallpapers.com

Arts

8 December 19, 2012

HEART BEAT

The Coffee House stirs up talent!

BY CHRISTOPHER DECAMP Staff Writer The Coffee House is back at Sacred Heart! On December 12th, members of the Sacred Heart community flocked to the cafeteria to watch students perform. The performances were mostly musical, but some students did speech pieces, and Jeffrey Millman even did a little stand-up comedy to the delight of most everyone.

Michael Nee and Lauren Price were the MCs of this event and, quite frankly, they were hilarious. What they said wasn’t always that funny, but they were both so awkward that I found myself cracking up.

While there were many excellent acts in the Coffee House, the two that really stood out were Kory Turner’s kiddie lit piece, The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas, and, of course, Jeffrey Millman’s amazing stand-up comedy. Kory Turner blew the audience away with his phenomenal oration skills. He was able to manipulate his voice masterfully, making all of the characters sound very unique, and he also was able to create a variety of sound effects which made his piece all the better. Jeff’s comedy was one of the highlights of the night; I couldn’t contain my laughter and often found myself doubled over in hysterics. His comedy was well-delivered, witty, and impressive considering it was all impromtu.

Senior Stephanie Rodway thought that the administration and everyone else involved did a great job. She said “The Coffee House went well and turned out great.”

English teacher and co-organizer of this event, Miss Carey Zigouras, believed the Coffee House was a success. “I was happy to see so many people come to support the students; there were several teachers there, Principal Dr. Michael Gill was there, a lot of parents were there, and I thought that was really meaningful.”

Zigouras also went on to say that, “having a venue where we can kind of cut loose a little bit and laugh is equally as important as all the serious things we study.”

When I asked her if there would be another Coffee House this year, she said that she couldn’t confirm it but that it was a definite “possibility.”

Many thanks go to Miss Zigouras and Intermediate School Math teacher, Mrs. Mary Jane Keough, who organized the entire Coffee House event. Sacred Heart sophomore Cam Keough was also kind enough to donate his time to man the tech. table and DJ for the night, ensuring that everything was functioning properly.

Local churches and members of the Sacred Heart community provided food, hot cocoa, and coffee to all attendees. There was no door charge, but small donations were taken to help benefit local charities.

Above: International student band, Made In China, serenades the crowd with a love song Left: Freshman Kory Turner has the audience doubled over listening to his ‘pig’ voice Lower left: Zoe Emme sings ‘Blue Bird’ to an entranced audience Bottom: It’s the EYE OF THE TIGER! Seniors Lauren Price, James Husband, Kathryn Mullen, and Michael Nee rock out on the stage

All photos courtesy of Suzanne Giovenetti

Arts

9 December 19, 2012

HEART BEAT

BY SHAUNA SWEENEY Staff Writer Sacred Heart students performed the musical Fame on Friday November 30th, Saturday December 1st, and Sunday December 2nd. Chosen based on its ability to integrate the classical with contemporary and acknowledging all levels of performing arts in the academic world, Fame is a story based on the lives of the last class to graduate from a New York City high school for the Performing Arts before it was relocated to Lincoln Center. The audience follows the New York City students from freshmen year to graduation as they hone their individual crafts in the arts. At the same time, the students try to maintain classical standards.

“It was spectacular!” said Freshmen Taylor Kaufman.

The Fame story began in cinema with a movie based on the life of Irene Cara. It was eventually adopted to the live stage, and it later made its way to television in a format similar to what we know as Glee. The play was eventually rewritten and performed as a musical. Sacred Heart put its own spin on Fame with a little less dancing and its own original rap written by Director Krystyn Hanover.

“I thought it was a very high energy level show. Cast members were able to connect with the audience because it was so funny. I was really impressed with the number of underclassmen who participated because they have potential to be involved for a number of years. The story

was very relatable especially for the seniors,” said high school English teacher Ms. Carey Zigouras.

The cast consisted of twenty five students from grades seven to twelve. All performers were chosen for their specific role based on their singing and dancing strengths. In the eyes of Director Kyrstyn Hanover, the cast was extremely talented in all aspects of the production and did an outstanding job every night of performance. Hanover said that the dynamic of the group was unique and everyone was very poised and professional.

“Working with the Sacred Heart cast was amazing and I hope to do it again next year,” said Sophomore Emily Waystack.

Fame left its audience with a closer look into the lives of aspiring students hoping to make their name in the arts. The students faced trials and difficulties, but eventually found their artistic place before the musical’s conclusion.

Sophomore Tim Kuketz reflected on his experience: “It was a whole lot of fun. By the end of it we are more like a family. Everyone is now friends.”

Staff photo by Kathryn Mullen

Junior Shayla Goodell, as Carmen Diaz, poses at the end of her solo

The cast sings together in their final song of the performance

Staff photo by Kathryn Mullen

My (not so) Precious

BY KELSEY MALONE Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of www.teencritic.wordpress.com

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, a film directed

by Peter Jackson, hit theatres on December 14th 2012 and drew in roughly $13 million on the midnight showing alone. The production cost $510 million to create, and so far The Hobbit has sold enough tickets to make up half the price of the movie. Needless to say, there has been a lot of hype over the movie, and people went in droves to see it. Over 3,000 locations held a midnight showing for the movie. The Hobbit was meant to be a prequel to The Lord of The Rings(LOTR) series. The movie takes place in a magical and enchanting land commonly referred to as ‘Middle Earth’. The land is filled with mystical creatures such as dwarves, hobbits, wizards, trolls, elves, and goblins galore. In my opinion, the animations were fantastic. I feel that the characters are endearing and one of the redeeming aspects of the film.

When it came to the plot however, I was utterly confused. I have never seen any of LOTR movies, nor have I read the books. Without that solid background, the content seemed random and sporadic. All of LOTR references and elements didn’t connect or fit together,

and made the film seem like an unfinished dream. The ending was sudden and inconclusive. The characters moved from one dilemma to the next, and the pacing in the beginning of the movie was unbearably sluggish and drawn-out. I was quite frazzled by the end, and was unsure of what exactly I had seen On the other hand, upon asking senior Patrick MacDonald how he felt about the movie, he was quite exuberant. The main difference in our opinion can be credited to the fact that MacDonald has read the LOTR books and has seen the movies as well. Whereas I was entering into the world of ‘Middle Earth’ for the first time, MacDonald was a frequent traveler. He felt that the movie made perfect sense, and he could appreciate the references and allusions to LOTR while I simply sat and ruminated on the meaning of life.

If you’ve seen the previous films or read the novels, you’ll probably enjoy the Hobbit. MacDonald said the movie doesn’t quite reach Jackson’s magnum opus, The Lord of the Rings, but it does come close. This movie takes a more light-hearted, comedic approach rather than the previous films’ somber tone. If you are not yet familiar with the tower of Isengard or the fires of Mount Doom, however, you might want to do a little reading before seeing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Opinion

10 December 19, 2012

HEART BEAT

Plants: saving your life and budget!

BY KYLIE BUOHL Contributing Writer Plants aren’t always the first thing that pops into your head when you’re thinking of what Christmas gifts to buy for your family. They need to be watered every day, the leaves fall all over your house, the pet cat tries to eat your brand new rose plants- plants in the house can become a large inconvenience. On the other hand, plants help keep chemicals out of the air and can make the interior of a home healthier and more attractive.

These plant advantages could overcome the inconveniences.

Everyday, plants take thousands of chemicals out of the air. Harsh chemicals found in common household items such as drapes, glue and hair spray can be deadly to us if we’re exposed to them in

large quantities. Some of these chemicals are carcinogens. For example, formaldehyde, a common chemical found in drapes, has been classified as a carcinogen.

However, there is hope! Plants can filter air and eliminate those bad chemicals!

And how might they do that? Through the nifty little process of plants taking in toxic chemicals and releasing nice, clean, fresh air through photosynthesis. Plants are less expensive than room air purifiers, which can cost up to $140.

Once the decision is made to purchase plants for Christmas, the next question becomes: how many plants should a house have? The rule of thumb is to have one plant for every 150-200 square feet of house. The average American house is 1500 square feet, meaning every house that size should have at least 10 plants.

So what does all of this teach us?

Plants, initially thought to be useless, inconvenient dust-collectors are actually helpful and beneficial to a more healthful life. And if having a healthier and less toxic home doesn’t convince you to get a plant, they’re downright beautiful as well! Merry Green Christmas!

Two takes on trimesters: Student perspective

BY SOPHIA PIZZI Staff Writer As the final few sunsets of summer faded into the horizon, and I began to anticipate my senior year at Sacred Heart High School, I started to mentally prepare myself for four challenging final terms.

But on a weekday in late summer, as I sat upon my favorite beach, soaking up the last hours of sunlight, I received an email from none other than Mr. Shaun Morgan, Sacred Heart’s Vice Principal, alerting the school community that instead of four quarters, the school year would be broken up into trimesters.

Four months later, the students of Sacred Heart are knee-deep in the new system, and the question must be asked: What do we think of it?

At first, from a student’s perspective, switching to trimesters seemed like a minor change. However, over time, I have come to realize how much trimesters have really impacted my school year.

In the past, we had forty five days per quarter.

Now, we have sixty days per trimester.

Staff photo by Kathryn Mullen That gives us an extra fifteen days, equivalent to three full weeks of school, to perform our best in class.

Think about all the stuff we do in three weeks of school: take quizzes, complete projects, write papers – the list goes on.

As the first trimester went on, there were plenty of opportunities to bring up a low grade (or maintain a high one!). If there was one quiz at the beginning of the year that you didn’t do so well on, you didn’t have to sweat it out as much. With an extension of the grading period, a more

deserving grade could be attained.

Another benefit of the trimester system, and perhaps my favorite aspect, is the elimination of midterms. Every year in the past, I spent Christmas vacation anticipating the major tests that stood between January 1 and the true, fresh start of the year. This year, I look forward to enjoying the holidays without study guides and textbooks looming in the back of my mind.

“There seems to be more time for learning and engaging in various classroom activities instead of spending valuable time reviewing material or worrying about grades.”

-Sophia Pizzi

The extra time also allows us to get to know our teachers and our classes better.

There seems to be more time for learning and engaging in various classroom activities instead of spending valuable time reviewing material or worrying about grades.

Despite its many benefits, the trimester system also has its flaws. With the fourquarter system, seniors were able to obtain their first term grades in early November, in time for early college application deadlines. With the longer trimester, grades are no longer available during this exigent point in the college application process. Some of the schools that I applied to early sent me a few emails to remind me that they had still not received my senior grades, and I had to send back emails explaining the new trimester system.

Overall, changing to a trimester system has many more pros than it does cons.

There is a general consensus among students that trimesters are a great improvement over the former semester schedule. Most students look forward to trimester’s continuation.

Photo courtesy of clipart.net

Teacher perspective

BY WALTER LUCIER Contributing Writer A trimester schedule is a new idea for Sacred Heart for the 2012-2013 school year. Except for a period in the 1970’s when another alternative schedule was created whereby January provided a “Winterim” program of electives between the two major semesters, the Trimester schedule is a change that moves the school away from its traditional four-quarter schedule. What are the benefits of a trimester schedule? From my perspective, the most important one is more class time. The new schedule removes midterm exam days and the minimum two midterm study days that preceded them. Add those days up, and that gives teachers and students between six and seven more class days per year.

That’s a lot of class time! And that doesn’t include a class day after exams that would have been used to review completed midterms with a class. Time is a premium in all of our courses, so the thought of having more of it for student learning is wonderful.

But what about the loss of the midterm experience, an experience we have always felt fulfills our mission to prepare our students for college? I feel that by the time a student graduates from Sacred Heart High School, the student will have had numerous final exams in numerous subjects - an experience that will require a student to learn how to study for and take lengthy, time-intensive and cumulative exams at the college level, whether they are midterms or finals.

I won’t miss midterms. Midterms were not only expensive in terms of lost class days, but also lost momentum. With midterms falling right after Christmas break, the third term really didn’t kick-in until mid-January and just in time for another short break, Martin Luther King Day. By the time a class began to regain momentum, it felt like February vacation was staring us in the face with not as much accomplished in the class as we had hoped for. But with classes in the second

trimester continuing after the Christmas break, there will be two and one half weeks of class time before Martin Luther King Day. At that time, the break in the schedule will be more appreciated, and there will be little or no loss of momentum in the classroom. Since the second trimester will be well underway at that point, February vacation will fall a full six class weeks after Christmas vacation – a break that will also be more appreciated because of the number of full class days that preceded it.

Staff photo by Kathryn Mullen

I’m hesitant to write about the implications of the trimester schedule for the Athletic program since that’s a separate department, but my understanding is that a trimester schedule is better for them because it is more in line with our three sports seasons.

Although the trimester schedule wasn’t decided upon to save paper, saving paper is an unintended benefit. Midterm review and exam packets were voluminous. The paper and cost savings school-wide will be substantial this year.

I like trimester scheduling…. so far!

No matter what schedule we use, there will always be plusses and minuses.

Fortunately, the start of each school year allows a school to start fresh with new ideas. If it turns out at the end of the current school year that trimesters aren’t for us, we have the option at the start of the next school year of going back to the four-quarter schedule we had, or of trying another schedule. In the meantime, I’m happy to give the trimester schedule a chance.

Opinion

11 December 19, 2012

HEART BEAT

“The Hess Truck is back, and it’s better than ever!”

Buddy the Elf teaches us many lessons; for example: pulling off someone’s beard never ends well, winning is always the goal, (at least when it comes to snowball fights), and the true meaning of the holiday spirit... which may be a little hard to remember when you’re freezing your behind off standing in line on Thanksgiving night waiting to get that 50% off flat screen TV at Best Buy. What was that bird you just ate supposed to symbolize again? And why was your house swamped with people yelling at each other to pass the gravy?? Oh yeah, that’s right, it’s THANKS-GIVING. Commercialization has taken over. The irony of thanking Godor whomever is listening- for what we have, and then preparing to go to battle over the best sale the very next day has apparently been lost on the majority of today’s consumers. For some, Thanksgiving has become an excuse to gorge on turkey, mumble a ‘thank you’ between bites, and then pass out before the mad rush of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday set in.

In the past few years Black Friday sales have risen, leaping back up after the 2009 recession.

According to the Washington Post, online sales alone were up

Editorial 17% this Thanksgiving weekend from 2011. Total sales for this year’s Thanksgiving weekend was $59.1 billion. And the headlines from the Huffington Post were not very comforting either: “Man Threatens to Stab Kmart Customers”, “Gang Fights Lead to Arrest at Mall”, and “Man Pulls Gun On Line-Cutting Black Friday Shopper”.

And Black Friday is just the start of all the holiday hype. The countdown to Christmas has more people thinking about how many bargains they can snag, instead of what dessert recipes to try out or pondering what the true meaning of immaterial things such as family and togetherness really is. The radio stations have been playing Christmas carols earlier and earlier, and not to be outdone, stores have steadily increased their advertising and holiday deals over the years in hopes to lure more shoppers. By going out and participating in the shopping frenzy, we have unwittingly accepted and even furthered the commercialization of the holiday season.

But don’t worry, hope is not lost! There is a remedy for this commercialization epidemic. We

just have to remember to put the true meaning of Christmas before the presents. Giving and receiving gifts is a big part of Christmas, but the true meaning of the holiday is the celebration of the birth of the savior Jesus Christ. It’s when we relive the day the world rejoiced and humanity was given a second chance. The spirit of Christmas is about spending time with loved ones and together celebrating the sacrifice and gift that God gave to the world in the body of His son, Jesus.

I know that waking up on Christmas morning to find a tree sprouting brightly colored packages was always the highlight of my morning. But last year I was not so lucky: I had to work Christmas morning. I found that what I missed most was seeing my Grandma, hanging out with my cousin Ryan, and helping my mom make our Christmas breakfast. In the end, my new Ugg boots and box set of Gilmore Girls could never measure up to spending time with my family. It took me a couple of years to finally grasp this concept (17 is still a couple... right?) but now I understand the difference between a price tag and the worth of family and faith.

And the latter is so much more significant than any present could ever be.

The Distorted Mind of Jeff Millman: The end of the world...yes...no...maybe? Probably.

BY JEFFREY MILLMAN Contributing Writer Four thousand years ago, a bunch of primitive mud people started making a calendar. Then, they all died. Tragically, their calendar was never finished.

Of course, this has been interpreted as a sign that the world is ending.

That’s just logic. I’ve had some experience with end-of-the-world prophets, and I can tell you with the utmost confidence that this one is legitimate.

You see, I was an adherent of Harold Camping when he predicted the end of the world back in May of 2011. And though Camping was a senile 140-year-old man, I still believed in him. And then it turned out that he actually was crazy.

I was disheartened, but not totally disillusioned. So I eagerly began to search for the next prophet to warn us of the end times. That person came in the form of an ancient civilization whose calendar was the subject of dozens of cheaply-made History Channel specials.

The Mayan Calendar infamously “ends” on December 21, 2012.

Which, of course, means that on December 21, 2012, we will all die.

This is a frightening thought. I had to search for answers. What did

it all mean? Was there any way to save ourselves?

Naturally, the first person I turned to was Deacon Connelly. I found him playing guitar in the chapel, and he enthusiastically agreed to speak with me.

“Yeah, not to be harsh, Millman, but if the world does end, you’re doomed,” he explained to me. “Me, I’m all set. I mean, I am a deacon.

I can actually say that I am more important than you.”

Comforted, I next went to Mr. Potrykus, thinking he could shed some scientific light on the subject.

“The world probably isn’t going to end,” he told me. “I mean, I’m all set if it does - I’ve been prepared for this for years - but, um, yeah, we’ll probably be fine.

Probably.”

Mrs. Dick was no help either.

“The world is ending?! So that means I’ll never have to teach grammar or diagraming to you idiots ever again!?”

Mr. Olson had a different perspective.

“Millman, stop being a lazy piece of garbage and do your homework,” he gently explained.

Senior Patrick Rowan felt that though the world would end someday, it wouldn’t be for a long time.

“If December 21 was really the end of the world, I think the moon would be bigger,” he told me eloquently.

Not exactly feeling reassured, I did some research of my own.

Strangely enough, I found a 2012 calendar in my room. I feverishly flipped to the back page, and saw to my astonishment that this particular calendar ended on December 31.

Well, at least we’ll have Christmas.

And then…we’ll see.

Staff Photo by Nicoletta Pappas

THE HEART BEAT Editors-in-Chief: Sophia Pizzi Elizabeth Sullivan-Hasson Photo Editor: Thomas Griffin Front Page Editor: Jay Meyer News Editor: Patrick MacDonald Features Editor: Sarah Kamp Double Truck Editor: Kelsey Malone A&E Editor: Nicoletta Pappas Opinion Editor: Christopher DeCamp Profiles Editor: Tian Yang Sports Editor: Thomas Gerhard Photographers: Dafei Lu Kathryn Mullen Staff Writers: Meaghan DuPuis Shauna Sweeney Contributing Writers: Walter Lucier Jeffrey Millman Jennifer Habeeb Kylie Buohl

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 letters 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. Letters 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 publication, we pledge ourselves to the following threefold purpose: To inspire and foster a sense of passion and love for journalism, journalistic ethics and the integrity of the written word; To create and develop an atmosphere of responsible leadership, commitment to truth and dedication to the highest standards of journalistic principles; To recognize that in all we do, we are in the service of our Provident God who has blessed us with the opportunity to minister to the Sacred Heart community.

-Vincent Boccalini Moderator The Heart Beat

Press Affiliations Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) New England Scholastic Press Association (NESPA) American Scholastic Press Association (ASPA) Suffolk University (SU)

Sports

12

HEART BEAT

December 19, 2012

Three teams, three tournaments

Three of Sacred Heart’s Varsity teams made it to the state tournament this season.

BY MEAGHAN DUPUIS Staff Writer This fall, boys’ varsity soccer, girls’ varsity soccer, and girls’ varsity volleyball all made it to their respective Division 3 state tournament. Out of the three teams, the boys’ varsity soccer team advanced the furthest, making it to the quarterfinals for the first time in 22 years.

Girls’ volleyball ended their season with an overall record of (16-3) going undefeated in the Mayflower League Conference.

Senior Captain Sammy Slavik said, “All of us on the team got along very well from the beginning. There was so much talent and each girl gave something to the team. We ended up going 14-0 in our league and were Mayflower League champs. I’m definitely going to miss playing next year, but there is no doubt that the team will do just as well.”

On Tuesday, November 6th, the girls’ volleyball team, ranked first in the South Sectional Division 3 tournament, played their first tournament game against eighth ranked Ursuline Academy. The Saints started off well in the first set, winning 25 to 21.

Ursuline took the lead by winning the second and third sets 25 to 19 and 27 to 25. The Lady Saints tied it up again winning the fourth set 25 to 14. Unfortunately, in the final minutes of the fifth set, Ursuline Academy scored the two extra points needed to win, defeating the Saints 17-15.

Next year the volleyball team will be losing their Senior co-captains Sammy Slavik and Jen Rathje.

“We had an amazing season and it’s definitely going to be difficult next year when we lose two of our best players,” said Junior Hannah St. Don, “but I think we can still play up at the same level if we work hard.”

The boys’ varsity soccer team had one of the best seasons in Sacred Heart history, advancing to the quarter-finals of the South Sectional tournament for the first time since 1990. They finished their season with a record of (9-6-3), winning their final five games and seeding them 15th in the

All photos courtesy of Life Touch

The Girls’ Varsity soccer team (Above), Girls’ Varsity Volleyball team (Right), and Boys’ Varsity Soccer team (Below) all had successful seasons this fall. All three teams made it to their respective state tournament.

tournament. In the first round of the tournament, the boys played South Shore Christian Academy who was ranked 18th. The boys won in overtime 3-2, moving them on to the next round. All three goals were scored by Junior Kieran Kelleher. The next round was played against secondseeded East Bridgewater at East Bridgewater’s home field, the field they had not lost on all season. East Bridgewater was expecting an easy win, but the boys took the game into

double overtime and eventually won with penalty kicks.

Senior co-captain and goalkeeper Tom Gerhard was amazing in net, stopping an East Bridgewater penalty kick and sending the Saints to a 5-4 victory, and on to the quarterfinals. Unfortunately, their journey ended with a 3-1 loss to Bourne High School on November 6th.

Junior captain Kieran Kelleher thought that the season was amazing. “Everyone came together as a family and played an important role in our tournament run, including Matt. He wasn’t just our coach who pushed us and motivated us, he was also a friend who we could talk to about anything and chill with.

Without a doubt it was the best team I’ve played on and best season I’ve been a part of at Sacred Heart. Next year we’ll have a lot of our starters from last year so I think we can make it just as far in the tournament, if not further. If everyone works hard over the summer and we can find a goalie, we should have a sick season. Overall, everything about this soccer season was just really awesome and I expect next year to be even more successful.”

Varsity girls’ soccer had another amazing season with a record of (10-7-1) placing them 13th in the Division 3 State Tournament. Their playoff schedule began on November 3rd when they took on Carver High School who was seeded 4th in the tournament. The girls fought hard but unfortunately lost 3-1.

“We had a really great season and we played amazingly together,” said Sophomore Kelley O’Donnell. “It’s going to be hard next year with the Seniors we’re losing but I definitely think we can do just as well in our season and in tournaments.”

This fall was a very successful season for Sacred Heart sports. Not only were the teams successful, but many of them were composed of primarily underclassmen who anticipate more success in their future seasons.

Hit the gym, not the fridge

Thousands make the vow to lose weight in the new year...will you?

BY JENNIFER HABEEB Contributing Writer Once again, the most wonderful time of the year is rapidly approaching, and one can almost taste the decadent holiday dinners, pies, cookies, and candies.

The holidays certainly bring us all together, but they expand our waistbands as well. By the time the discarded wrapping paper has been kicked to the curb, the plates cleared, and the New Year’s confetti mopped up, we are left feeling...well...stuffed.

Photo courtesy of lusakatimes.com

It’s no secret that one of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to live a more healthy life style, but no matter how many pinky promises and “cross my heart and hope to dies” we make, we always seem to fall short of our New Year’s goal.

How can we tackle such a daunting challenge of living a more fit and healthy life style in a society that sells Hostess Twinkies on eBay for thousands of dollars? The answer lies within ourselves. So without further adieu, here are some tips and tricks to help you climb that Stair Master with lightning speed and pump some iron so you can bulk up for the new year.

First things first, YOU CAN DO IT. Half the battle is getting started, but if you take it one day at a time, you’ll start to realize that maybe being healthy isn’t as bad as mom’s brussel sprouts make it seem. Start out with little changes to your diet. Swap the cafeteria cookie for a granola bar, or that cheeseburger for a wrap, salad, or sandwich. Even try skipping the after school Moe’s fiesta and pack an extra apple or grapes.

Once you have resisted the gravitational pull of that chocolate chip cookie, get off your behind and go do something! Walk your dog after school, get together a group of friends for a pick up game of soccer, head up to the fitness center in the SAC and create your own workout, or get a membership at your local gym and start working out right away. The longer you wait to exercise, the less you’ll want to do it.

For those of you gung-ho fitness gurus who want to take the extra step and go to a gym, but are a little intimidated by all those “juice heads” or marathon trainees, just relax. There’s nothing to stress about.

Photo courtesy of afternoonteaparty.com

Bring an iPod, plug in, and plan out your workout before you get to the gym so you don’t end up standing in the middle of the room dazed and confused by all those weights. Or better yet, bring a friend to tag along for the festivities. A friend will make you feel more comfortable and you won’t be thinking about exercising, so much as having fun.

The most important way to make sure you stay on track with your New Year’s resolution is take it one day at a time and implement changes into your daily routine so they can’t be avoided. So gather up your friends, siblings, parents, and grandparents. The sure fire way to succeed with your resolution is to have the support of others...and stop bidding on that Twinkie already, it has way too many empty calories.