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HEART
February 14, 2013
Volume 30
CONTENTS News......................................2 Features.................................4 Profiles..................................8 Arts & Entertainment............9 Opinion................................10 Sports...................................12
BEAT Number 4
Security at Sacred Heart
For a community perspective, see Prayer shawls for Newtown on page 3
BY JAY MEYER Staff Writer
On April 20, 1999, in Denver, Colorado, a tragic event occurred that would impact school systems across the country. In a violent massacre, two students at Denver’s Columbine High School took the lives of 13 classmates, along with their own. The event still lives in infamy as the Columbine shootings. Several years later, the nation experienced another horrific shooting, this one taking place on a college campus. On April 16, 2007, in Blacksburg, Virginia, a senior at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, murdered 32 college students and after took his own life. Although school shootings have played a role in the history of this country, the most recent one has opened fresh wounds. The majority of the victims this time were elementary school children, none older than 12 years old. On December 14, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut, Adam Lanza entered Sandy Hook Elementary School, and brutally ended the lives of 20 elementary school students and 6 faculty members, then taking his
Families of Newtown come together in the wake of crisis.
own life before he could be caught. This most recent school attack has inspired many school systems to take preventative measures and increase their security. Some schools in Bell County, Texas have even contemplated the drastic action of arming teachers with weapons in case of an attack. Many New England school systems, which are the closest in proximity to Sandy Hook, have created drills, tests, and plans of action to try and prevent a repeat tragedy. Sacred Heart is no exception to school safety drills. “I have been
accustomed to running safety drills every year, having a safety drill for everything we could potentially run into,” said former Cohasset and newly appointed Sacred Heart High School Principal, Dr. Michael Gill. “Similar to having drills for fires, we need to have these (security drills).” Currently, Sacred Heart has been using a three color code emergency system. “We have Hard Lockdown Drill, which is code red. We have Softer Lockdown Drill, which is code yellow, and a Real Soft Lockdown which is code blue.” The exact colors of these levels may change
Photo courtesy of Nation Time U.S. online magazine
in the near future, in order to coordinate with the colors the Kingston Police Department uses. Each level is designed to indicate the level of danger, so that the students and faculty have a better idea of what is going on, and how to react to that danger. “We’re not just worried about those kinds of issues,” Dr. Gill said in reference to the shootings, “It could be something much more simple than that, just strangers walking around our building.” There has been some discussion of adding a “password security system on the back door, similar to a college system,” said Dr.
Gill “We’re doing what we can. There’s no way to make any school fail safe, anymore than we can make a movie theater or a mall one-hundred percent fail safe.” Most schools have had a similar reaction to the Sandy Hook incident; all increasing security and making safety drills more well known. The Canton Schools, however, have taken a very different approach. Chief Kenneth N. Berkowitz of the Canton Police, and Superintendent Jeffrey Granatino of the Canton Public Schools, have decided to implement a controversial program
called ALICE. The acronym stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate. The program was developed by Texans Greg and Lisa Crane, a retired police officer and teacher, respectively. The controversial part of this program is the “Counter” part, which as the word implies, is the stage where students and faculty would actively respond to a shooter. In early January, Sacred Heart experienced its first lockdown drill. After the first drill, the response from many teachers and students was: “no where to hide.” “It was very disorganized,” said Senior Amanda Walsh. “Some classrooms were more prepared than others, not in the sense of the students, but the rooms.” The purpose of the Sacred Heart lockdown drills was to test the building itself, and to see how the students may react to an attack. With the assistance of these drills, Sacred Heart faculty and the Kingston Police can learn what to fix in the system and what to change. Only trial and error, through these drills, can truly improve school security.
Kenya pass the syrup? BY SOPHIA PIZZI Staff Writer
Unlimited pancakes? Sign me up! This is what Sacred Heart students, faculty, and families said on the morning of February 2, 2012. The twelve students and three chaperones who are planning to travel to Kenya this February organized a last-minute fundraiser that was a great success. The group will be in Africa from February 13 to February 23. While there, they plan to teach English, visit orphanages, distribute mosquito nets, and, of course, sightsee. The breakfast was held the morning after the semiformal at the Plymouth House of Pizza. It ran from 8 am to 11am and the cost was $8 for students and $10 for adults. “A lot of students were tight on their budget, so we wanted a creative way to raise some money,” Senior
Nicole Clement said. Clement is one of the twelve Sacred Heart students venturing to Africa this February. In just three hours, the group raised over $1,300. “It was definitely a successful event,” Senior Jamie Johnson said. Johnson also plans to travel to Kenya this month. “There was a great turnout for such last minute notice.” Along with breakfast that morning, students collected school supplies for the children in Kenya. In addition, students also sold baked goods and held a raffle. The winner of the raffle, Christine Mason, grade 6, won a unique prize. She won the opportunity to shave the heads of seniors Tom Griffin and Devlin Flaherty. Mason kindly gave up her prize to the students going on the trip, so they all got a chance to shave the heads of their fellow classmates. Other sources have also contributed to the mission trip. Science teacher Mr. Jason Potrykus made personal donations and benefits from the Friday night Bingo
Photo courtesy of Michelle Murphy
Sacred Heart students support the Kenya mission trip by buying breakfast.
games have also been donated. Even previous schoolwide candy sale proceeds went towards the group’s fund. “We are so grateful for everyone who has contributed and look forward to a life-changing experience in Kenya,” Clement said.
News
2 February 14, 2013
HEART BEAT
Mali in crisis: Is peace possible? French forces help to repel rebel forces and Islamic extremists in Mali BY PATRICK MACDONALD Staff Writer During the past few months, the world community has been witness to another international crisis. The situation in Mali may sound reminiscent of the Libyan crisis; however, it comes with its own unique set of people and problems. With the UN and many of the United States’ allies involved, it is especially important that the public get the whole picture of this conflict instead of a few bits and pieces. The first and most obvious question is what is the Malian Crisis? Simply put, it is the retaking of Northern Mali from the NMLA rebel group and their radical Islamist allies by both Malian government and French forces. The Tuaregs are a group of nomadic tribes that inhabit the area in and around the Sahara Desert. Mali has the largest Tuareg population in the world with around 790,000 Tuaregs concentrated in the north. As far back as the 1920’s the Tuaregs have rebelled against the Malian government, trying to prevent the government from intruding on their nomadic lands.
Photo courtesy of neuroope.eu
Tuareg rebels ride in a technical, a truck outfitted with repurposed weapons.
This most recent rebellion started when Malian and international companies began to build in Tuareg land. The rebellion was led by the NMLA, the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad, a militant Tuareg group formed by Tuaregs who had participated in the Libyan Civil War. The NMLA advocates for the creation of Azawad, a Tuareg state. The Ansar Dine is a militant Islamist group, created by Iyad Ag Ghaly, a prominent leader in both the 1990 and 2012 Tuareg rebellions. Ansar Dine advocates for the creation of an Islamist state and the institution of Sharia Law in Mali. Ansar Dine and have been accused of having ties with Al-Qaeda and African terrorist organizations.
In mid-January, 2012, the Tuareg rebellion began in eastern Mali around January 16th with the MLNA taking a handful of towns on the Mali-Niger border. Malian governmental sources reported that the Malian army had taken back the towns and the rebellion had been crushed. The rebel offensive continued for the next few months, with NMLA, Ansar Dine, and other Islamist forces systematically capturing most of northern Mali. The Malian army faced setback after setback, as poor leadership and sparse supplies lead to numerous retreats. By March, rebel forces had taken the towns of Dire and Goundam without meeting any government resistance and were about 70 miles from the ancient trade city of Timbuktu. The 2012 Rebellion, the first half of the Malian Crisis, ended with a rebel victory, with rebels taking control of almost all of Northern Mali, and declaring the indepenPhoto courtesy of telegraph.co.uk dence of Azawad. The poor handling of the rebellion by the Malian government caused many soldiers to desert French soldiers prepare to be airlifted to Mali. and lead to the overthrow of Malian president Amadou Toure. With no national forces to fight in Northern Mali, Students and teachers at Sacred Heart responded to the Tuaregs and Islamists began to fight each other, clashing African crisis. in cities after an MLNA-Dine merger had failed. Senior Jeffrey Millman said, “Islamists shouldn’t be Soon after the rebel offensive, the Malian government surprised that the French came in and apprehended them. began looking to the world community for assistance. Af- They resorted to violent actions over peaceful means.” ter repeated pleas for help from other African coalitions, History teacher Mr. Gerald Golden said that he was French President Francois Hollande agreed to intervene glad that the French have intervened. “Usually they do in the crisis. On December 20, 2012, UN-backed French things in favor of the West. I’m impressed with how the forces initiated “Operation Serval”, and launched several Malian people have welcomed their former colonizers.” air strikes on rebel and Islamist strongholds. On January The Malian crisis is a multi-layered problem involving 12, 2013, hundreds of French troops and Malian soldiers divisions within the Muslim world, Eurpean intervention, took back the city of Konna and began an offensive to armed nomadic rebels, and a host of other issues endemic push into Northern Mali. By the end of January, French to North Africa. Only time will tell if stability can be reand Malian forces had pushed rebels back to the border stored within Mali and peace can be restored to its people. and had taken almost all rebel strongholds, including Timbuktu. Why did the French decide to intervene in Mali? The first and most obvious reason for that was that the Malian government had lost control over the civil war and desperately needed aid from other nations. The second reason is that Mali was a French colony for over 160 years, and that thousands of French nationals still live in Mali and were put in danger by the rebellion. Rebel forces retaliated against the new French involvement. One of the most prominent attacks was an assault on a BP gas plant in southern Algeria. The attack began on January 16, 2013, when Islamic extremists hijacked two buses full of plant workers. The extremists hundreds of hostages for over a week before Algerian Special Forces raided the plant. Before being apprehended extremists killed over 30 hostages, some of them Western nationals. Last week, French president Francois Hollande visited Timbuktu, and congratulated the successful troops who had pushed back rebel and Islamist forces. In the speech, Hollande praised French and Malian forces for the Photo courtesy of euronews.com “exceptional mission”, but also said that “the fight was not French president Francois Hollande congratulates over”. He assured that France would help to restore the Malian government but said that, “France does not intend French and Malian forces in Timbuktu. to remain here in Mali, because it is the Malian people themselves who will ensure the country’s independence and sovereignty.”
Come join the celebration! During the week of February 11 – 15th, the Flaherty Library will host a week-long celebration of the Chinese New Year. Each day during tutorial (11:28 – 11:59am), we will learn something new about the Chinese New Year from our international students. Monday, February 11th – What is Chinese New Year? Tuesday, February 12th – Learn how to write and speak some Mandarin words for Chinese New Year. Wednesday, February 13th – Eat some dumplings and talk about what real Chinese food is all about. Thursday, February 14th – What is your zodiac sign? Does it match your personality? Friday, February 15th – Our Chinese students will discuss how they would celebrate Chinese New Year at home. To end the week each student in attendance will get a red pouch with chocolate candy, a pencil with symbol of a snake and a few other fun surprises. All students are welcome to attend during tutorial (11:28 – 11:59)!
News
3
February 14, 2013
Celebrating Catholic Schools Week BY DAFEI LU Staff Writer This year, Catholic Schools Week was celebrated from January 27th to February 2nd. Each year Catholic Schools Week begins on the last Sunday of January and extends through the following week. “Catholic Schools Raise the Standards” was the theme for Catholic Schools Week/2013. As the National Catholic Educational Association’s (NECA) webpage noted, “Catholic Schools Week is the celebration of the high-quality, faith-based education the nation’s Catholic Schools provide.”
Staff photo by Kathryn Mullen
Transitional Deacon Gerlad Souza speaks to students.
Catholic Schools Week became an annual event in 1974 with a different theme every year. It is a project of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The purpose of Catholic Schools Week is “to build community awareness of, and involvement in, Catholic schools throughout the country.” Joining the national celebration, Sacred Heart School hosted several different events. These events included a presentation made by two Sacred Heart School alumni, transitional Deacon Gerald A. Souza and BC graduate student, Kayla Greenwood on Tuesday, January 29th and a Founder’s Day Mass celebrated by Father Charles Hughes (class of ’66) on Wednesday, January 30th. Both guest speakers were invited to Sacred Heat for the Catholic Schools Week/2013 celebration. Deacon Souza graduated in 2004. He is a newly ordained transitional deacon and will be officially ordained into the priesthood in May/2013. “I found myself falling in love with God in my Sacred Heart years. During my freshmen and sophomore year in Sacred Heart I made the decision to be a priest. To me, religion involves the whole person, both soul and body. It’s crucial to understand that. That is the key.” Kayla Greenwood graduated in 2008. She received her bachelor’s degree at Boston College and is now studying Religion and Education at BC’s graduate program.
Prayer Shawls for Newtown BY KELLY ALLEN Contributing Writer Everyone has a unique way of coping with tragic memories. Kathleen Desrosiers of Newtown, Connecticut, deals with the memory of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre by easing the pain of others in her community. Desrosiers is head of the Prayer Shawl Ministry for Saint Rose of Lima’s Catholic Parish in Newtown, Connecticut. While prayer shawls are being knitted and crocheted the people making them pray for the person who will eventually receive the shall. Since the December 14th Newtown shootings Desrosiers has received nearly 1,100 prayer shawls. These shawls are distributed to Newtown residents and to the families of those killed in the massacre. Shawls have been donated from as far away as Hawaii, and as close as local parishes in Plymouth and Kingston, MA. Desrosiers has even received shawls from England.
Though they have received over a thousand shawls, this number still isn’t enough. “I think I need about 300 more in order to be sure every school employee in town gets one,” Desrosiers stated. The handing out of the shawls shows recipients how many people care about them and are praying for their wellbeing. “The shawls are just a way to say to people that we are standing with them in their pain,” Desrosiers explained. “Sometimes people turn away from others in grief. We won’t do that.” True tragedy affects everyone; some are afflicted directly while others are afflicted indirectly. Despite the differences in where we live and what we believe, no one experiences an event such as the Sandy Hook Massacre and remains untouched by the sorrows that struck the town. The Prayer Shawl Ministry is a method that allows all of us to extend a loving hand, and unite in a mutual hope for change.
Photo courtesy of www.ncea.org
Catholic School’s Week logo: “Catholic Schools Raise the Standards.”
“I think the person who affected my religious ideas the most is Mr. Golden (Sacred Heart history teacher). He always said ‘Life is all about salvation’. That’s really important to me. His Contemporary U.S. Foreign Policy class is the most valuable class I have ever taken.” The Founder’s Day Mass, cocelebrated by Father Charles Hughes (’66) and Deacon Christopher Connelly, was attended by students, faculty,
parents, administrators, and former Sacred Heart School VIP’s. Father Hughes walked among students and talked about the founding of Sacred Heart School. A video reviewing the history of Sacred Heart was played during the Mass. Hughes, Connelly, Souza and Greenwood all addressed the issue of how Sacred Heart High School has always “Raised the Standards.”
N o e t w! o V Fill out this quick survey to help the library pick a design for the new mural!
Scan this QR Code or visit the website:
www.surveymonkey.com/s/HZ8D6S2 If you have any questions, please email Ms. Arnold at: karnold@sacredheartkingston.com Thank you for your participation!
Features
4 February 14, 2013
Saying yes to the dress
Through the years...
BY JENNIFER HABEEB Contributing Writer There is a long standing tradition at Sacred Heart High School that graduates receive their diplomas on graduation day wearing formal dresses and tuxedos. Guidance counselor Mrs. Susan Gallitano reminisces, “It has been a custom at Sacred Heart for as long as I can remember. I’ve been here for over twenty years, and I can’t remember not doing it.” Each year, senior girls choose new dresses and the boys wear tuxedos to match. This year, the dresses were purchased from Maria’s Bridal, located in downtown Plymouth. The senior class representatives work together to decide on six dresses out of a large pool of choices. Then, the senior girls and their mothers get together to make the final decision. A few girls are selected to try on the pared down choices, and the senior girls vote on which they like best. This year’s selection is a floor length, empire waist dress with a sweetheart neckline in Glacier Blue. The decision on the dresses must be made early and measurements must be taken to ensure a proper fit for graduation day. This years selection was made on January eighth to ensure that there would be enough time to alter the dresses and correct any complications. Senior class representative Kelsey Gailes was pleased with the final product, “I really like the dresses this year. I helped to pick them out.” In previous years, the process of selecting dresses has been cause for tension among seniors. Senior boys have been reluctant to wear colors such as pinks and purples, but this year the shade of blue has been a good compromise. In the past senior girls have had trouble agreeing on a dress, but this year the daunting task was accomplished with ease. Senior Molly Greenwood also liked the dresses and said, “the process ran smoothly.” For those seniors and parents who prefer the traditional cap and gown attire, graduates wear caps and gowns during the senior awards ceremony and Baccalaureate Mass., and seniors throw their caps into the air at the end of the senior slide show at Mass, rather than on graduation day.
1992
1993
1999
2008 Photos courtesy of Ms. Susan Gallitano and Thomas Griffin
2012
Cooking, compassion, and charity
Sacred Heart students make a difference at Matthew’s Kitchen BY SHAUNA SWEENEY Staff Writer Matthew’s Kitchen, an organization sponsored by St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in North Plymouth, MA., provides a home-cooked meal for every homeless person that visits. Throughout the year, different teams representing colors like blue or red come in on the weekend to prepare and serve the food. On Friday, January 26th Sacred Heart students traveled to Matthew’s Kitchen. Led by SHHS teachers Mrs. Elin Slavin, Deacon Christopher Connelly, and Mr. George Rose, the students collected items for a food drive and brought them to the church on Friday night, where they
Photo courtesy of Elin Slavin
Students and Deacon Christopher Connelly pose with Matthew’s Kitchen Volunteers.
cooked and prepared the food for Saturday’s lunch. “I thought it was a great experience, I mean I really love helping those who are less fortunate, and if everyone chipped in to do a small activity like that then all of the poor in the area would be taken care of,” Stephanie Rodway ‘13 explained. The following morning, some of the seniors who are eighteen years old or older gathered at St. Mary’s again to serve the meal prepared the day before. Those who helped at the luncheon got to hear stories from some of the people living in Plymouth who have lost their homes. Approximately forty people came to Saturday’s lunch and enjoyed lasagna, salad, bread and home-baked goods. The doors opened between 10:30 and 11 a.m. and the meal wrapped up by 12:30. Senior Amanda Walsh reflects, “It felt good to be helping out the local community and at the same time get to experience meeting some new people. I am looking forward to becoming a part of their team and continuing to serve on the Saturday meals!” The participating Sacred Heart students and staff hope to continue helping prepare Saturday meals by soon replacing the red team full time. For the Social Justice classes learning about U.S. poverty, this opportunity helped provide a face and real life situation to class discussions. “I was very proud of the eagerness of students to be involved in all aspects of the experience including planning, buying the food, preparing, serving, and cleaning up. We hope to continue visiting Matthew’s Kitchen through June,” Mrs. Slavin said.
Photo courtesy of Elin Slavin
Seniors LeighAnn D’Andrea, Stephanie Rodway, and Vanessa Dailey cook food in preparation for Saturday’s meal.
Features
5 February 14, 2013
Around the world in 80 minutes
World Language Night incorporates all of Sacred Heart’s foreign languages BY TIAN YANG Staff Writer Language is an amazing tool that helps people build the bridges of communication. There are thousands of languages in the world today, and through them we are able to express and understand the same emotions, stories, lyrics, humor, and more. On Wednesday, January 23, 2013, Sacred Heart held the annual World Language Literary Night. Talented students from all different language classes participated. They used languages such as French, Latin, German, and Chinese to perform various literary pieces. The night was a fantastic opportunity to show the beauty of world languages. “It was a fun night,” Senior Meaghan McKenna said. “It was interesting to see different talents exhibited in multiple languages.” Speaking another language can be a really cool and beneficial skill. After leaning a country’s language, one might have a totally different experience and understanding about the country’s culture. “It was a really good opportunity for both American kids and us to learn more about cultures and see how they are expressed in different countries,” sophomore and international student Winnie Wang said. “Also, it gives students in Sacred Heart a chance to show, use, and communicate the knowledge of the language he or she has studied in school.” Wang also played the violin beautifully for everyone. Like language, music is another universal means of communication. It is a good way to let people relax or to cheer them up. Regardless of our nationality, we all share and enjoy the same emotions that can be expressed
Staff photo by Dafei Lu
Kory Turner ‘17 reads a piece for literary night.
through music and language. “The only downside was the time of the showcase,” Wang said. “It was late so there wasn’t a very large audience. I wish more people came and experienced such a wonderful night.”
Staff photo by Dafei Lu
Eight graders Caitlin Rodway and Jimmy Eavers perform a skit together.
Senior Samantha Slavik also enjoyed the Language Literary Night. “It was a great time,” she said. “It was fun to listen and watch people using different languages to read stories, poems, and articles.”
Is journalism the career for you? Journalist Moira Downes visits Newspaper staff to share her experiences BY MOIRA GATTONI Contributing Writer
O
n Thursday, January 10th, the newspaper class had the privilege of meeting former Boston Herald and Boston Globe journalist Moira Downes who told them about her experiences and gave them valuable insights. She currently does publicity work for the Milton Public Schools, but her true passion lies in the field of journalism. Ms. Downes is a graduate of Umass/Amherst where she initially majored in architecture. After taking a journalism class, her interest in the field began to develop. She didn’t know exactly what she wanted to do but knew that she did not want a traditional office job. Ms. Downes worked at television and radio stations but her first real journalism job out of college was at the Boston Herald in the early 90’s. At the time she was just getting her feet wet in the business as an editorial assistant who answered phones, received low pay, worked odd shifts such as 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., and occasionally covered weather stories. Despite that, being in the newsroom was a great experience for her. She said that the Boston Herald was “like the newsroom on TMZ. It had that same energy.” When Ms. Downes was given her first big story, it dawned on her that it was a massive responsibility. She had to cover a hit and run accident. This required talking to the victim’s mother and father and the witnesses of the accident. The whole situation made the accident very real to her, and it no longer appeared pretty. It was serious; she was dealing with people’s lives and emotions. Ms. Downes wrote the story and it ended up on the front page of the Herald. Ms. Downes worked at the Herald for several years until she had an interview at the Globe and began working there. The environment at the Globe was the opposite of what one would think of a newsroom, especially dif-
Staff photo by Dafei Lu
Ms. Moira Downes speaks to The Heart Beat staff.
ferent from the Herald. The Globe was quiet and clean. Downes called the Globe an “international newspaper,” which meant it had a different level of journalism and a different culture. In the beginning, the thought of walking up to total strangers intimated and horrified her. She got better at it over time because she had to to be able to engage and relate to people in order to get the information she needed. Ms. Downes said that, “the nerves never really go away; you just learn to deal with them.” Ms. Downes was full of advice for the seniors interested in pursuing a career in journalism. She feels very
strongly that journalism is not a dying field. Downes believes that, “Man has always wanted information, and there is truly a difference between credible journalism with sources and just words on a page. This career is not futile or foolish. Educated press makes this country great and makes democracy work.” Other words of advice included: taking as many online typing courses as you can, getting a job at a local television station or smaller paper in the same town as your college, making sure you are sociable and like to talk to people, and reading a lot of fiction, nonfiction and classics; anything to help you understand the human condition. She said that a liberal arts major is the best route to take to secure a profession in journalism. She made sure to stress that taking other classes that interest you such as art history will only help you. It is like being a jack of all trades. “The more trades you have, the better reporter you will be.” Ms. Downes said that as a journalist you never know what to expect. The deadline pressure is intense because you need to become an expert on a subject in a very few hours. If that story is not on the editor’s desk in time, it does not get published and you do not get a second chance. The best advice she was ever given was to not give up. For those passionate about pursuing a career path filled with obstacles and hardships, Ms. Downes advised, “If you need to make sacrifices in order to pursue your dreams, then that’s what you need to do. Whether it is sharing an apartment with five girls or taking a safer job.” Sacrifice is crucial, and the biggest sacrifice she ever made was giving up her career to stay home and raise children. The time came when she had to give up something she loved for something that she loved even more. Ms. Downes loved the energy and excitement that went hand in hand with her job. She said that she would always remember the words of one of her photographers, “Entering a career in journalism is like buying a ticket to the circus.”
Behind
6
By Nicoletta Pappas Staff Writer
On February 2nd, 2013 students arrived decked out and ready for Sacred Heart’s first masquerade ball. This year, the annual semi-formal dance was not organized by the National Honors Society, but by a new face, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD). “At the beginning of the year, the National Honors Society executive board evaluated our budget and realized we did not have enough money to put on the semi-formal,” said NHS president, LeighAnn D’Andrea. “We thought of different fund raiser ideas but eventually decided to pass the reigns to SADD.” SADD officers and club moderator Mrs. Karen Horan accepted the responsibility with enthusiasm. Dubbed “Sober We Dance”, SADD changed the annual harvest dance to a winter masquerade, hosted at the Pine Hills Country Club instead of the Radisson Hotel in Plymouth. Senior officer, Jen Rathje, recommended the date change in order to close the gap between a fall homecoming dance and a spring prom. Moderator Mrs. Karen Horan decided to change the location.
Starting at the left, seniors Lauren Pri Kelly, and Steph Rodway take a break
Staff Photos ullen
by Kathryn M
“It had been a tradition to host the semi-formal at the Radisson Hotel, but it booked up this year. The price for an open bar with unlimited soft drinks was also significantly cheaper at the Pine Hills, and once I heard that Prom was no longer being held there I had to get my hands on it,” Horan said. “We also decided to raise ticket prices from $20.00 to $25.00 to pay for an ice cream and candy bar.” Once the students entered the dance at 8 pm, they were met by photographer and alumna Sarah Greenwood. She took snapshots of students throughout the night. Senior Meaghan Dupuis made a photo booth with a shiny silver backdrop where students could pose with props like a microphone, a sombrero, and even a rat.
7
the Mask
ice, Emily Johnson, Deirdre k from dancing to pose for a photo
Staff Photo by Kathryn
Later in the night, waiters from the Pine Hills brought out the candy and ice cream bar. Ice cream flavors included chocolate, cookies and cream, vanilla, and cookie dough. When students took a break from dancing, they were able to make their own sundaes with various candy toppings. “I wanted students to come up to me after the dance and say WOW that was the best semi-formal ever,” Horan explained. “That was my real initiative to raise the ticket prices and go for the ice cream and candy bar, and from what I have heard, it was a great success.” DJ Kevin Dottin, who had hosted Horan’s cousin’s sweet 16 party, was on the turntables for the night, keeping everyone excited, upbeat and on the dance floor. “What really made the semi-formal amazing was the DJ”, said sophomore Kameron Murphy. “He played songs that we listen to on the radio or on our iPod. It was probably the first dance someone didn’t play Cotton Eye Joe or Mambo Number 5.”
The ticket price also included entry into a gift card raffle for Dunkin Donuts, iTunes, and Panera Bread. Winners included Michael Nee, Winnie Wang, and Alyssa Carroll. “The students who attended the dance are the ones who made the dance awesome,” Horan said. “We wanted to give back by doing a raffle as a thank you for attending.” This year’s ticket sales were up from 160 people last year to 185 people this year. Hopefully this trend will continue in the future. Horan already booked the Pine Hills Country Club for next year, hoping that ticket sales will reach 200. “I could have never accomplished this without my SADD officers,” said Horan. “They put so much time and effort into making this dance happen. It really brought down stress and responsibility off me. I am already excited to host it next year!”
Staff Photo by Kathryn Mullen
Senior Michael Nee and Math teacher Mr. Jon Olson sample the ice cream bar
Profiles
8 February 14, 2013
HEART BEAT
Strengthening international ties my family, and in two different parts of Mexico.” For Montiel, experiencing the chill of a New England winter is almost as drastic a change as the language; although he said that he was enjoying the colder months in Massachusetts considerably. Mauricio is also not the first Montiel to come to Sacred Heart and take part in the international program. His sister Daniela was here for one semester just two years ago. Like his sister, Mauricio is only staying for one semester, and will return to Mexico at the end of this school year. Montiel regrets the fact that he missed the Saint’s soccer season, as soccer is one of his favorite sports. Junior Seraina Bammert also plans to stay the rest of the year at Sacred Heart. Her international program was originally a year. She started the school year at a school in South Dakota, but transferred to Sacred Heart to finish up the rest of the 2013 school year. Coming from Switzerland, Bammert is more familiar with the cold and sometimes fickle New England weather, and she said the climate of Switzerland is pretty similar to what it is here. What Massachusetts is missing, Bammert said, is the lush green color and mountains that rule the landscape in Switzerland. Staff Photo by Thomas Griffin Bammert was able to shed some light on the differences Mauricio Montiel smiles at the camera. she sees between the American and Swiss educational systems: BY ELIZABETH SULLIVAN-HASSON “I’m going to a public school in Switzerland, and my Staff Writer school has 1,500 students. We also have longer school days, and we don’t have every subject every day either.” Bammert explained. She described other differences, Sacred Heart welcomes two more international students! Freshman Mauricio Montiel and Junior Seraina including Switzerland’s hour and a half long lunch break where, yes, they are allowed to go off campus- an ideal Bammert have both gone through the challenge of too tantalizing for any Sacred Heart student to consider. changing schools, but instead of only adjusting to a new She also spoke about the lack of school-organized sports schedule and new people, they have to navigate a new culture and a new language.Mexico-native Montiel left his teams. Bammert explained that Swiss public schools didn’t have school run teams, instead students played home country, and ended up in Kingston, Massachusetts, on more localized club teams. She is a member of a golf at Sacred Heart High School. Montiel is accustomed to team in Switzerland and says it is one of her favorite traveling and moving around frequently. pastimes. “I’ve been in a lot of places in the United States,” he said. “I lived in San Diego two or three years ago with
Although Montiel and Bammert are only spending half a year at Sacred Heart High School, they bring with them a small part of their country and culture, and in exchange get to experience a small part of ours. The purpose of the international student program is not only to expose students like Montiel and Bammert to a new culture and enrich their learning experience, but to start forging a bond of friendship and communal learning between nations through their students.
Staff Photo by Thomas Griffin
Seraina Bammert enjoys her time here at Sacred Heart!
The new kids on the block BY KATHRYN MULLEN Staff Writer
“It’s cool to be smart here.” -Bryce Molloy
Kingston, MA. eighth grader Bryce Molloy attended Sacred Heart Intermediate School in the seventh grade. He transferred to Silver Lake in the eighth grade. During the first half of the year at Silver Lake, he felt as though he couldn’t excel. He got “too comfortable,” with his group of friends and did not get the best grades. His mother decided to send him back to Sacred Heart. He was uneasy about returning at first, but Junior Kieran Kelliher convinced him that it would be a good decision. He returned to Sacred Heart in January 2013, and has easily gotten back into the swing of things. Molloy says that he is very thankful for the education that he is receiving at Sacred Heart and believes he made a good decision returning. He is excelling in his classes and has found that, “It’s cool it be smart here.” Molloy enjoys golf and basketball and has gotten involved with both sports. He is looking forward to his future at Sacred Heart and he is excited about entering high school next year. He is especially excited to join the lacrosse team. Plymouth, MA. Sophomore Emily Waystack has also recently joined the Sacred Heart family. Waystack transferred to Sacred Heart from Narragansett Regional High School in September 2012. On her first day at SH, she immediately got involved in the community by auditioning for the musical, Fame. Waystack lived in Plymouth until the third grade, at which time she moved to Templeton, MA where she attended public school. Her family then moved back to Plymouth. She had the option of attending Sacred Heart or Plymouth North High School. She attended an open
house at Plymouth North, then shadowed here and decided that Sacred Heart was the right place for her. “Everyone here is so welcoming and I love the small size of the school,” she said. As a practicing Catholic, attending a private, Catholic school for the first time in her life, Waystack really appreciates the religious aspect of Sacred Heart. She also likes the integration of iPads into the school. Her class at Narragansett Regional High School had 100 students while at Sacred Heart, the class size is closer to 40 students, something Waystack really enjoys. She says it gives her a chance to get to know everyone. In her short time at Sacred Heart, Waystack has already gotten involved with school plays and choir, and has even auditioned for districts. She looks forward to playing softball in the spring and possibly soccer next fall. Waystack is excited about the opportunities that Sacred Heart has to offer, like being able to take the PSATs as a sophomore and the college prep aspect of the school. “If I want to do something, here I’ll be able to,” she said.
Top: Eighth grader Bryce Molloy poses happily for The Heart Beat staff. Bottom: Sophomore Emily Waystack performs in the High School play, Fame.
Staff photos by Kathryn Mullen
Arts
9 February 14, 2012
HEART BEAT
Here comes trouble BY MEAGHAN DUPUIS Staff Writer The drama Pretty Little Liars first aired on June 8, 2010 and was soon rated one of the top shows on ABC Family Network. Originally based a book series, readers had high hopes that the four “little liars” would exhibit similar traits on screen. However, the television series has not always been faithful to the books, and the audience has yet to find out if the ending will be the same or not. The television series began with the murder of Alison DiLaurentis, played by Sasha Pieterse. Her four friends, Hanna Marin, Aria Montgomery, Spencer Hastings, and Emily Fields begin to receive strange text messages from “A”. So far, we have learned that both Mona (Hanna’s ex-best-friends) and Toby (Spencer’s ex-boyfriend) are part of the “A Team”. Senior Sammy Slavik, a devoted Pretty Little Liars fan said, “I trusted Toby and he betrayed us all. The secrets are coming out and I can’t wait to find out who else is on the A team.” There are some moments on the show when you think you know what is going to happen or who “A” is. However the viewer is completely thrown off by a new plot twist, and who you thought could be “A”, you’re not so sure now. That’s what makes the show so interesting and worth watching! Besides the secrets and the lies within the plot, the fashions on the show are truly original to each character. Spencer, who is extremely book-smart, dresses preppy, wearing stylish and fashionable clothing from places like Nordstrom or Bloomingdales. Aria dresses with more of an artsy fashion,
pulling pieces from thrift stores and places like H&M together to create her own style. Emily is more of an athletic girl, dressing comfortably and fashionably in jeans and shirts commonly found in places like American Eagle or Abercrombie and Fitch. Hanna is definitely the fashionista of the group, wearing the most trendy and glamorous outfits of all. So what’s in store for our Pretty Little Liars from Rosewood? Will Aria stay with her boyfriend, the former teacher at Rosewood High who recently discovered that he has a son from his high school girlfriend? Will Spencer confront ex-boyfriend Toby about his work with “A” or will she continue to go behind her friend’s backs trying to find what the key that A dropped goes to? Will Emily talk to the family of the boy who murdered Maya and tried to murder her? Will Hanna convince Caleb to stay away from Mona and her conniving ways? Tune in to watch the rest of this season, Tuesdays at 8 on ABC
S
Staff photo by Dafei Lu
tudents got a splash of culture January 10th, when art teacher Ms. Trahon introduced her students to Vanessa Varjian, graduate of Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. Varjian came to Sacred Heart and talked to the students about her experience with art and a historical project in Warsaw, Poland that changed her outlook on life.
Art speaker Vanessa Varjian shares a new art perspective to Sacred Heart students.
BY SOPHIA PIZZI Staff Writer
“
I really like the app called Solar Walk. It is an interactive app of our solar system including planets, their moons, the sun, etc.. The planets are positioned at exactly how they are positioned at the time they are being viewed, but you can also change the time, day, or year to see the positions of the celestial objects in the future or past. Upon clicking an object (like Earth, Moon, Neptune etc.) it gives general information, fun facts, pictures, internal structure, and other detailed information regarding the object.” -Yanni Pappas, grade 8
“
I always use the myHomework app for school because its easy to use and keeps you organized.” -Connor Bitterman, grade 7
“
The Bible app, Liturgy of the hours for my daily prayers, Netflix, Cribbage.” -Deacon Chris Connolly
“
For games I like Light Bike and FunRun, and for school, Word Reference is helpful with my Spanish.” -Brendan Goldman, grade 9
Photo courtesy of www.fanpop.com
Painting minds of artists BY SARAH KAMP Staff Writer
What’s on your iPad?
Varjian spoke to every art class and some language classes about her experiences with different types art courses in college and what opportunities they can hold, particularly her most recent project restoring a Polish Synagogue. Ms. Trahon met Varjian through fellow first year Sacred Heart computer teacher Mrs. Lonergan who is friends with Varjian. Varjian started off her presentation by talking about her experiences with drama classes in high school, which was her first taste of an art class and her first experience working with a group towards a common goal. Varjian graduated from Barnstable High School in 2008 and then went on to study painting and ceramics at Mass Art in Boston. She then went on to talk about a Projects in Work class she took but wasn’t expecting to enjoy or get anything out of. However, it was this class where she met professor Rick Brown and his wife Laura, who do all sorts of historical projects through an organization they established called Handshouse Studio, and were recently studying early wooden synagogue structures. Varjian joined the program during July and August of last summer and worked on the final paintings of the ceiling of a reconstruction of a destroyed synagogue in Poland. Varjian was very interested in the project. “I really love to work. Hard work is so satisfying for me, and I could tell that this project was very much about hard work,” she said. The site of the museum that the synagogue will be displayed in is a historical Warsaw ghetto. Varjian worked on a partial reconstruction of the Gwozdziec synagogue that was destroyed in the small town of Szczebrzeszyn. “The whole project has been a truly humbling experience for me,” Varjian said. As artists, we learn from other artists. To me, this project is about honoring history, culture, artists, and their work.”
“
My favorite app is GarageBand because it gives me the freedom to make music. You can hook up your electric guitar to it and it will record a track that you can edit yourself. It’s inexpensive for a music editing app.” -Theresa Higgins, grade 12
“ “
Wanelo, Pinterest, Instagram.” -every girl interviewed I have everything, but the Gale Databases are a must!” -Karen Arnold, Librarian
“
We use the app Stock Wars in our Economics class. It’s really cool because it simulates the exact stock market. I can buy or sell bonds and see exactly how they fare if I were to actually invest in real life. It’s actually pretty thrilling.” - Jen Rathje, grade 12
Ms. Trahon hoped her speaker would inspire the minds of her students. “What I want my students to get out of Ms. Varjian’s presentation is to take chances in college while you can and explore all your options because you might stumble on some unexpected opportunities,” she said. “And not just for artists, this can apply to students of all ages and interests, even after college.”
Opinion
10 February 14, 2013
HEART BEAT
Math Rules! Get it? BY KELSEY MALONE Staff Writer From the first known records of counting in 50,000 BC to Mr. Foresta’s class 20 minutes ago, math was at work. Math takes abstract concepts and makes them concrete; it simplifies the idea of what a quantity really means. For centuries, mathematicians have slaved over their notebooks searching for the most concise way to express various concepts. Nowadays however, technology is so advanced, it leads many to believe that math is no longer a crucial skill to develop. The truth is just the opposite. Math teacher Mr. William Foresta remarked, “Computers have freed up man to do bigger things.” Technology may have advanced, but math is here to stay. These days, many students ask themselves the question “Why do I bother learning this? I won’t use this in the real world.” Yet math fans object to this argument. The struggle to obtain a Mrs. Claudette Cardy-approved math notebook is not in vain. Math appears in everyone’s life whether he or she notices it or not! Mr. Foresta noted that many people feel that math isn’t used in life because they don’t understand it. He added that the amount of math one uses “depends on the field you go to,” but it will be present “whether you’re mathematically challenged or not.” Math should never be overlooked. It’s present in places like balancing a checking account, shoe sales, the check at dinner, or doubling the recipe for homemade chocolate chip cookies. Simple little things
Comic courtesy of porchwithouse.com
here and there may seem trivial, but in the words of Mr. Foresta, “it’s called arithmetic.” Senior Lauren Price stated, “I don’t plan on using calculus in a future career, but needless to say I will need to take Calc in college. So it is a part of my future, but isn’t at the same time.” College tends to be where the role of math in a person’s future will become more distinct. For instance, Sacred Heart alumnus Charlie Tilden is now a freshman at Bentley University in Waltham, MA. Since he’s a business major, math plays an integral role in his academic career. Tilden pointed out, “Math is used heavily in economics, accounting, and finance to interpret value. Finding ratios is huge in finance. Calculus is even
Written in the stars
used in a few courses for business.” Bridgewater State University’s freshman and Sacred Heart alumna, Allison Malone, expressed that while she was never particularly fond of math, some of her core courses include math ranging from algebra to geometry. She cannot escape using these fundamental math tools, even in pursuit of an early childhood education degree. Math opens up a majestic world of wonder that separates the boys from the men, and the area from the volume. Each new layer and every new concept adds to our understanding of what numbers really stand for. Math teaches us this life lesson: knowledge takes time and practice.
BY JEFFREY MILLMAN Contributing Writer
Ever read horoscopes? So have I! But I’ve constantly been disappointed. Horoscopes are, in my opinion, far too vague, leaving a bunch of fools responsible for discerning their own futures from a bunch of generalizations. So I decided to take up Satanism astrology and began to read the stars for myself. And the truths I discovered are...well, you’ll just have to see for yourself. All I can say is that I promise you accurate, specific predictions about your future. Read on, but only if you want to know.
Aries
March 21 -April 19 Have a secret crush? You better confess your love, or you will die in a horrific boating accident. Just what the stars say, man.
Taurus
April 20 -May 20 This week, Mr. Boyles will give you a quiz on a reading you did not do. Oh wait. That's every week. Never mind.
Gemini May 21 -June 20 Feeling lucky? Chase that feeling. Play the lottery, specifically these numbers: 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42. You will win $7 million. When you get your money, give it all to Vincent Boccalini a nice charity. Or else, you will be injured in a horrific boating accident.
Cancer
June 21 -July 22 Mr. Golden will grow a beard and ask for your opinion. Respond appropriately. Also, someone with a secret crush on you will confess their love, and you will decide against running them over with a boat.
Leo
July 23 -August 22 Okay, all I'm seeing right now is boating accident. Be warned.
Virgo
Sagittarius
November 22 -December 21 If you've been wanting to try something new, go for it this week. Unless that something new is boating. In which case avoid trying it.
Capricorn
August 23 -September 22 Tom Griffin will confess his secret love for you, but you will decide to run him over with a boat anyway.
December 22 -January 19 You will find that the songs from Fame are stuck in your head. You will have no choice but to breakdance and sing "Hard Work" with Michael Nee. May God save your soul.
Libra
Aquarius
September 23 -October 22 Mr. Duchaney will catch you chewing gum. But if you respond in a witty fashion, he might just put you on his quote wall. If you respond moronically, he'll still put you on his quote wall. But then you will be remembered by generations of children who pass through his classroom as a moronic gumchewer.
January 20 -February 18 You will inherit a boat from your great-great-aunt. Do not accept it.
Scorpio
Pisces
October 23 -November 21 If you are a senior, you will suddenly understand physics this week. Actually, no. That won't happen.
February 19 -March 20 You and everyone you know will be invited to a boat party. Who knows, it might be fun!!
Photos courtesy of zodiachoroscopesigns.com
Opinion
11 February 14, 2013
HEART BEAT
Don’t you just love love? Ah, young love. It’s a concept so many scoff at, yet a concept so many desire. With the holiday of love fast approaching, the question inevitably arises: are relationships in high school truly worth it? Listen to any popular radio station; besides the occasional tune about second-hand clothing, most of the songs are about love. Whether it’s falling in love or breaking up, the idea of relationships is all around us. Is it no wonder we feel the need to pursue them? Some say relationships mean nothing in high school; college will be the end-all anyways, so why set yourself up only to break it off come freshman year of college? Others also claim relationships are a distraction from school, sports, work, or any other activities that
Editorial require focus. These arguments, however, fail to recognize the positive in high school relationships. Dating someone in high school can actually be very beneficial; it can be a great learning experience, can make students happy, bring out the best in them, and sometimes can stand a fighting chance to last in the future. High schoolers may be young, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have strong emotions. While experiencing these emotions, one is likely to hit several bumps in the road. But that’s what experience is: a teacher. One can learn about sacrifice, compromise, happiness, faithfulness, trust. The lessons are
endless. Even if the relationship ends disastrously, one is still able to look back and learn from his or her mistakes. A little attention never hurts anyone either. Knowing someone is there for you is always a comforting thought. It is also a major confidence booster. This ultimately can lead to happiness. When students are happy, they may be motivated to do well in other aspects of their life. Every time I hear a married couple referred to as “high school sweethearts,” a necessary “aww” ensues. These are the few out there who give everyone hope. College is a dramatic step into the real world, but if two people truly love one another, distance may not be a major problem. As the Bible says, “Love never fails.”
Southwest Showdown: BY CHRISTOPHER DECAMP Staff Writer In the red corner, boasting reasonable prices, naturally raised ingredients, and a wide array of restaurants spanning the glob is Chipotle! In the blue corner, with high quality ingredients that range from vegetarian to low-calorie, free chips, Moe’s Famous Queso, and a welcoming atmosphere is Moe’s! In this battle of Mexican fast food heavyweights, only one can come out on top while the other must swallow the bitter taste of defeat. To begin, let’s look at their food selection. Both offer the standard burritos, tacos, quesadillas, chips, salads, etc. but Chipotle is lacking one major item… queso. Moe’s offers queso, the cheesy goodness that I’ve grown to crave with my chips. While queso may not be your cup of tea, the fact that Moe’s has it while Chipotle lacks it can’t be ignored.
“Chipolte is OK, but when I’m in the mood for a stack or some queso, Moe’s is the place to go.”
-Tom Gerhard
Another unique item on the Moe’s menu is the Stack. Stacks are meat, beans, shredded cheese, pico de gallo, and Moe’s Famous Queso stacked between two crunchy corn shells wrapped in a tortilla. These come in two varieties. The first kind of Stack is the Wrong Doug, which is meant for meat eaters, while the other choice is the Julia Gulia; their vegetarian option. Once again, even if you’ve never had a Stack or don’t particularly like them, Moe’s has them while Chipotle does not. Moe’s is the clear winner in food selection. Now it’s time to look at the quality of ingredients. Both Chipotle and Moe’s talk a big game of natural ingredients that are grass fed and very wholesome. Moe’s offers a variety of healthy options that include gluten-free, rGBH free, grain fed, grass fed, steroid free… You get the idea. Chipotle, on the other hand, talks about high quality food taken from the finest farms in Europe. From a consumer standpoint, I found Chipotle’s and Moe’s’ claims of
Photo courtesy of gamingbolt.com Graphic by Kathryn Mullen
healthy food to be veritable without one or the other really pulling ahead. As a result, I chalked this one up as a tie. Another important aspect to consider is cost. It doesn’t matter how good the food is if it’s absurdly expensive. I have eaten at both Moe’s and Chipotle multiple times recently and have found their prices to be very reasonable and competitive. I also took into consideration how much food you’re actually getting for what you spent, and I found that their portions are relatively similar as well. Once again, I called this one a tie. Finally, THE TASTE TEST! I didn’t believe I was up to this immense task myself, so I employed the expertise of a fellow member of the senior class, burrito connoisseur, Tom Gerhard. We both sampled the cuisine at Moe’s and Chipotle and we both seemed to agree on this one. While Chipotle had superior meat, it was no match for Moe’s amazing burritos. Tom noted that, “Moe’s carefully wrap their burritos with tender love and care, while it doesn’t even look like the people at Chipotle ever rolled a burrito in their life.” I share his sentiment. To say the least, Chipotle’s burritos were lackluster. That was the only food item where there was a clear-cut winner. When it came to tacos and quesadillas, Tom and I were unable to come up with any conclusive results. Finally, we have to consider a huge X-factor, and that’s the simple fact that Moe’s has free chips. You get chips for free with your meal, and they’re limitless. Chipotle offers chips as well, but you have to pay for them. Free bottomless chips! How can you beat that?! And the winner is… Moe’s Southwest Grill! Moe’s has a wider selection of food, better burritos, and free chips. Burrito connoisseur Tom Gerhard completely agreed with me, saying, “Chipolte is OK, but when I’m in the mood for a stack or some queso, Moe’s is the place to go.”
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: Moira Gattoni Jeffrey Millman Jennifer Habeeb Kelly Allen Lily Bessette
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
February 14, 2013
Skating to Success BY LILY BESSETTE Contributing Writer Since 2005 Sacred Heart High School hockey players have skated as part of a combined team with Carver High School. This year the Sacred Heart hockey team split from the Carver-Sacred Heart combined team. This is the first time Sacred Heart has been on its own for hockey and they are doing incredibly well. Not only is this their first time on the ice without Carver, but the team is also relatively young with only one senior player. The team is composed of one seventh grader, six eighth graders, four freshmen, three sophomores, six juniors, and one senior. Junior captains, Mark Simonetti, Luke Tompkins, and Adam Pagliuca, are helping to build their team from the ground up. Although having a young team can be seen as a negative, Sacred Heart’s new coach Mr. Tom MacDonald said it is “beneficial for the future culture of our program.” Many of the players agree and have a positive attitude about their team. Junior Ben Leblanc says, “We are becoming a family and these great young players will be the future of Sacred Heart.”
Staff photo by Thomas Griffin
Freshman goalie Ian Fillion makes the save during a home game at the Kingston Bog.
With few exceptions, the hockey team agrees that the split with Carver is a positive. Michael Bentley, who was on the SH-Carver team as a freshman, said, “It was a different environment with the coaches and players. This team is more positive and we have each others backs on the ice.” There is more Saints pride instilled in these players, too. Without Carver, Coach MacDonald believes it “gives them their own, single identity.” This season instead of being Sacred Heart AND Carver, the Saints hockey team is able to be simply that, the Saints. Sophomore Jeremy Thomas, says “now it’s more about wearing your jersey and representing your team by supporting just Sacred Heart.” Top scorer and captain Adam Pagliuca also agrees, saying, “The split with Carver helped a lot. Playing with Carver always felt like we were representing them more than we were representing Sacred Heart. Now that we split, it helps us feel as if we are representing our own school, and gives us more of a sense of pride for Sacred Heart.” The players particularly enjoy one of Coach MacDonald’s innovations, “the player of the game belt.” This belt is awarded to the player of the game who represents the three C’s: courage, commitment, and character. The previous winner of the belt chooses the next belt holder, so it also promotes team fraternity. This motivational tool is Coach MacDonald’s brainchild and can be seen on the fashionable hips of our hockey players. In fact, Coach MacDonald thinks this team can make the playoffs. MacDonald’s extensive coaching (at Curry College, the Bay State Breakers, the Bridgewater Bandits, Quincy Junior Rangers, and the Rhode Island Sharks) and playing experience (for Rockland High School and Salem State College) makes him a good judge of talent and potential. Captain, Luke Tompkins, says, “the style of play that MacDonald coaches fits us perfectly.” MacDonald’s assistant coaches are Brendan Carroll and John Haley.
Staff photo by Thomas Griffin
Junior Mike Bently hits the ice after a line change. The Saints’ record is currently 8-8.
Junior, Mark Simonetti is both new to the team and new to Sacred Heart High School. Simonetti believes that Sacred Heart is “playing as a team” and he is looking forward to the rest of the season. This new sense of player unity has created a close team bond and makes players eager to play their best on the ice. The team misses last block every Tuesday and Thursday and practices at 2:20 at the Bog. They also have an optional practice on Monday nights at 9:20 PM. On Fridays, they leave immediately after school to practice at the Bog. The rest of their games this season are on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Their schedule and statistics can be found on www.masshshockey.com. Their current overall record is eight wins and eight losses and their league record is five wins and four losses.
The not-so Super Bowl BY THOMAS GERHARD Staff Writer It seems that every New England Patriots season ends with either a Super Bowl victory or a detrimental loss that brings Patriots fans down for weeks; it seems that the Patriots are so untouchable that any loss, especially in big games, seems unfathomable. Well, this season, the unfathomable became reality. The New England Patriots once again made a deep playoff run, but it came to an end on January 20th, when they lost another Conference Championship game to the Baltimore Ravens. While it did come to an abrupt end, the Patriots had a very successful run, ending the regular season with a record of 12-4, which is impressive given they had a record of 3-3 just 6 games into the season. After going on a seven game winning streak, the Patriots dropped a tough game to the San Francisco 49ers, led by their star quarterback Colin Kaepernick. They won the following two games and advanced to the playoffs with the number one seed, giving them a bye in the wild card playoff game. This sent them straight to the divisional playoffs, where they would face the Houston Texans. However, the divisional championship game is where the Patriot’s season took a turn for the worse. In just the first snap of the game, star Patriots running back Danny Woodhead injured his thumb, causing him to sit the rest of the game. Backup running back Shane Vereen took his place and surprised everyone as a superior playmaker, carrying the ball 12 times and scoring 3 touchdowns for the Patriots. Rob Gronkowski, the Patriots star tight end, broke his arm earlier in the season, and after one of his first catches, fell onto his casted arm and broke it again. This
Luckily, the injuries didn’t stop the Patriot’s from winning the divisional championship, but they would prove to be a nuisance when they took on the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game. Due to a higher seed, the Patriots were granted a home AFC Championship game and, with rowdy New England fans and weather as unpredictable as Kim Kardashian’s next relationship, the Patriots were favorites for the game. But as the game progressed, the Patriots did not deliver. The Ravens jumped on the loss of Gronkowski and shut down most of the Patriots passing game by eliminating Wes Welker as a possible receiver. With Woodhead still injured, Belichick put his faith in Vereen, who couldn’t turn up the yards he did against the Texans. Likewise, Hernandez couldn’t fill Gronkowski’s shoes and the entire Patriots offense was thrown off, since Brady primarily works through Gronkowski, Welker, or Woodhead. Although the Patriots scored first and led at halftime, the Ravens were able to shut down the Photo courtesy of ESPN Boston Patriots offense in the second half, shutting them Tom Brady celebrates a touchdown pass in the Patriots’ diviout while scoring 3 touchdowns of their own. sional playoff game against the Houston Texans. Whether it is the Patriots many injuries, or a would mean the season for Gronk, who wouldn’t appear simple lack of enthusiasm, that are to blame, the in the AFC Championship game against the Ravens. Patriots lost to the Ravens 28-13. Adding salt to the wound, rookie defensive end ChanAs unfortunate for New England fans as it is, the dler Jones also went down in the game against the TexRavens beat the Patriots fair and square, and Ray Lewis ans when he hurt his ankle later in the game, an injury was able to end his NFL career with a Super Bowl ring that would haunt him for the remainder of the season. when the Ravens beat the 49ers in the biggest game of When asked about the injuries, Senior John Beatthe season. All Patriots fans can do now is look forward son said, “When Woodhead went down, I wasn’t too to next year, where the Patriots will have yet another worried because we had more running backs, but when chance to prove themselves as a powerhouse, as long as Gronkowski broke his arm again, I knew the Patriots players stay healthy. were going to suffer.”