2014 february

CONTENTS

WINTER SPORT’S SEASON COMING TO A CLOSE PAGE 11

KATELYN FOLEY TRAVELS TO HAITI ON MISSION TRIP PAGE 5

HEART Volume 31

Sacred Heart High School, Kingston MA

News......................................2 Features..................................3 Profiles...................................5 Arts & Entertainment.............8 Opinion................................10 Sports...................................11

BEAT

February 7 , 2014

Number 5

Sacred Heart marches for life in D.C.

BY SHAUNA SWEENEY Staff Writer

Photos courtesy of Julie Trahon

Sacred Heart students march against abortion and in support of life in Washington D.C.

This year marked the 40th March for Life against abortion in Washington D.C. The March originated on January 22, 1973 after the United States Supreme Court made the decision to legalize abortion, the killing of an unborn child, in the case of Roe vs. Wade. On that day, abortion was made legal in all fifty of the United States.

The march represents a peaceful demonstration of prolife and has grown in size every year. This year the march remembers the death of Nellie Gray, the founder of March for Life. Gray is considered the “Joan of Arc” in the prolife movement.

Sacred Heart High School art teacher, Miss Julie Trahon, along with chaperone Ms. Elizabeth Imparato, took six students to Washington D.C. In the past, Sacred Heart School High School students have participated with schools and church parishes of the Boston Archdiocese.

This year’s pilgrimage began on Tuesday, January 21st when the Sacred Heart group left for D.C from St. Ann’s parish in Marshfield at five a.m. From there the bus picked

up another group from Holliston and, what ended up being a sixteen hour bus ride through a snow storm, began.

Throughout the course of the bus ride, passengers watched several anti-abortion movies as well as movies dealing with pro-life issues. After watching these movies the group reflected on each film’s message and discussed their initial reactions to the movies.

When the bus arrived at George Mason University at nine p.m. the group listened to a Christian rock concert performed by Matt Maher. The evening also included a speaker who discussed the bad influences in today’s pop culture and the true meaning behind Miley Cyrus’s lyrics of “it’s our party we can do what we want to and we won’t stop.” The lyrics tell youth that they can do whatever they want with themselves because it is their bodies.

Later the group mediated on the power of the speaker’s message by celebrating adoration with thousands of other pilgrims in preparation for the walk the next day.

Wednesday began with breakfast at the hotel and Mass at Sacred Heart Church. Mass was celebrated for all the Boston archdiocese attendees. The celebrant was Cardinal Sean O’Malley.

The march itself began at one p.m. and despite the freezing conditions, hundreds of thousands of marchers came out for the pro-life walk, chanting in peaceful protest.

The walk ended at the Supreme Court building in D.C for prayer and several people who were deeply affected by abortion professed their stories.

“We heard testimonials from men and women who have been affected by abortion. There was one man who shared that he would have been a father. He said that the regret and loss of his unborn child festered into a deep depression.

Through an outreach program he was able to heal. For me, that’s a really important part of the pro-life movement- not blaming or shaming people who had abortions- but having

compassion and providing financial and emotional support for them in their grief. There is so much support out there for unwed mothers who think they have nowhere else to turn (and no other choice but to abort). It’s good for them to know that they are not alone. No one should be afraid to choose life,” said Trahon.

Later in the evening the group once again boarded the buses and went to St. Mary’s parish in Landover Hills, MD for pizza and a reflection of the day’s events. The evening also gave the Boston archdiocese pilgrims the chance to celebrate confession and adoration once again.

Thursday morning Mass was held at the University of Maryland Chapel presided by Fr. Matt Williams of Holbrook. Fr. Matt rode home with the group and told them of his own personal journey and how he found his calling to become a priest.

The group was able to visit several of Washington’s monuments including the Lincoln Monument and the Vietnam and Korea war memorials before heading home.

The bus ride home was much shorter as there was no snow interference. The group left at 2:30 p.m. and reached Marshfield at midnight.

Senior Caroline Imparato reflected, “It was the best experience of my life and it reaffirmed my beliefs and showed me that you can make a difference. Like Father Matt said, the battle is already won because one person stood up. It was amazing to see that 80 percent of the crowd was young people and this is a pro-life generation.”

The march was a huge success for Sacred Heart students and their chaperones.

Trahon summed up everyone’s feelings: “The best part of the pilgrimage for me was hearing the thoughts and feelings of those members in our group from Sacred Heart.

It impressed me so much to see how much they got out of the pilgrimage and their ideas on keeping “it” going.”

Snow falls and decisions are made

BY HENRY ESHBAUGH Contributing Writer

Snow days are a big deal. For one to happen, though, there has to be a perfect storm of events: phone calls must be made, superintendents must be consulted, and various factors must be considered. Of course, with a snow day, one starts with the weather.

So, there are a few inches worth of silent white accumulation coming our way. Now what? The concept that’s important to remember with snow days is that, in the end, it’s all about the safety of the students, faculty, and the bus company. Messy roads don’t make for safe commuting. The primary concern when making the call as

to whether school should be called off is minimizing risky behavior, such as driving through 3-foot drifts, or standing out in positively Arctic conditions waiting for a bus.

It is difficult, as Dr. Gill pointed out, to quantify safety as a function of weather.

The risk posed to students by a handful of fast-melting snowflakes must be balanced with the obvious downsides of canceling school. To ensure that the proper decision is made, school president, Mrs. Pamela Desmarais consults local superintendents, including those of Carver, Plymouth, and Kingston. In some cases, the police are consulted; in others, state advisories that schools should close seal the deal as to whether Sacred Heart will be open for

business. The decision of the Plymouth school superintendent, in particular, is often looked to as a precedent. As a district running 49 buses from the Cape to Kingston town line, the Plymouth school system serves as a model for Sacred Heart’s own sporadic sampling of student residencies.

Much of the decision also has to do with the joint severity and likelihood of the storm. In some cases, it is unclear that the downfall will be sufficient enough to cancel classes until the frosty precipitation is upon us. In other cases, it will be patently clear that schools ought to be closed; this was the case over last Christmas break, when a freak storm kept doors closed for an additional two days beyond the scheduled Christmas break.

The decision to cancel school can be a difficult one, and can occasionally be the subject of controversy. There are critics eager to spring up against any administrative decision, and, the decision to cancel or not cancel school can sometimes be a no-win situation. Fortunately, these outbursts of criticism are few and far between. The school community is generally accepting of snow decisions set forth by the school’s president.

Whether school is cancelled or not, President Desmarais notes that the final decision to send students to school rests with parents who can judge their child’s roadway safety.

News

2 February 7, 2014

HEART BEAT

Struggle in South Sudan

Despite cease fire agreements, fighting in South Sudan continues unabated

BY AUSTIN HAUGHTON Staff Writer Africa has been the unfortunate host to a number of dictators, warlords, and all-around evil men in the past century. A few figures, such as the late Nelson Mandela, have managed to subvert the malevolence of these tyrants in their respective countries. With these few exceptions, foreign intervention has been deemed necessary to quell violence and corruption across the continent. Nowadays most people would claim that the nations of Africa are still collectively undergoing a rough period in history but are nonetheless “getting better”. This notion, however, is far from the truth, as particularly evidenced by the tragedies unfolding in South Sudan.

Late last November, South Sudan’s defense minister, Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein, stood before the Sudanese parliament and nonchalantly described his government’s plan to commit another genocide. Acting under the guise of an attempt to crush a “rebellion”, Hussein said, “Our troops are moving to end the rebellion once and for good.”

At the time of Hussein’s announcement, the Sudanese government had already killed more than 2.5 million of its own people under the pretense of fighting rebels, employing a strategy of “getting the fish by draining the pond.”

Since it officially declared independence on July 9 2011, South Sudan has existed as a textbook oligarchy.

Their small ruling elite party, headed by President Omar al-Bashir, has stolen all of the country’s resources and crushed any protest over the regime’s oppressive policies.

The International Criminal Court has already issued a warrant for Bashir’s arrest on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and acts of genocide following Khartoum’s actions in Darfur.

Once again genocide looms unquestionably over the indigenous people, with the Sudanese regime threatening the different ethnicities of the Nuba Mountains and the Blue Nile state. Nearly 1 million civilians have been displaced or trapped in a government-orchestrated famine, intentionally cut off from their fields and prevented from receiving humanitarian relief by persistent bombing since June 2011. The government has demolished evacuation routes leading out of the region, creating a “kill-box” around the Nuba people. They are now left wondering not how they’ll survive, but what is a less painful way to die: by hunger or by fire?

In the face of such horror, many folks in the West feel powerless to prevent more senseless death in South Sudan.

Modern civilizations are struggling to help a nation in such heated conflict.

Photo courtesy of http://guardianlv.com/ Sudan soldiers and their weapons

What most Americans don’t realize is that there are two simple steps that each of us can take right now to make a difference: one for the short-term, one for the long-term.

The most obvious and pressing need is to get food and basic care to the trapped Nuba people. Most of the international community has been paralyzed by the Sudanese government’s ban on humanitarian relief delivery into the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile, for fear of losing access to vulnerable populations in the country’s other regions. Following the ICC’s issuance of arrest warrants against Bashir, he expelled 13 of the 16 international humanitarian organizations from South Sudan.

It seems obvious by now that peaceful diplomacy has failed. Various governments, the United Nations, and the African Union are all largely unwilling or unable to accept the responsibility of aid provision. That is where others must step in. Concerned individuals and groups around the world have been banding together to form the People-to-People for Sudan Initiative, a privately-funded humanitarian program that will deliver life-saving help to those under attack from the Bashir regime.

These direct aid efforts seek to assuage the ongoing suffering of the Sudanese people. However, a long-term solution for South Sudan must tackle the brutal regime in Khartoum itself. After two decades of genocidal violence, it’s clear that the international community’s efforts to subdue the violence have failed. We – not just the U.S. but the international community in totality– must address the source of the violence directly or else more atrocities will occur.

The nation’s governance must change for the sake of the Sudanese people.

For nearly two years, the U.S. Congress has been debating legislation that would represent an important step in the right direction. The Sudan Peace, Security and Accountability Act would compel the American administration to create a comprehensive strategy focused on all of South Sudan, which seeks to end mass atrocities, promote democratic reform, and establish a decisive peace. The legislation would also create the first set of sanctions targeting Khartoum’s international supporters a significant measure that could seriously undermine the regime’s legitimacy, and degrade its ability to wage war against its own people.

Without vocal support from the public, this bill is likely to remain stalled. Now is the time to act. If thousands of concerned citizens across America each took five minutes to call, write or email their member of Congress, it could turn the tide in U.S. policy.

Famed philosopher Edmund Burke once said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” We can look back on the innumerable wars and tragedies throughout human history and see in hindsight the clear degree of truth behind this dichotomous maxim.

Unfortunately, we as a society regularly fail to acknowledge that this truth reigns just as true in the present as much as it has in the past. We are all guilty of turning a blind eye to a modern day tragedy at one point or another. Doing so neither magnifies nor detracts from the reality of the matter. It is a sin of omission taking place on a societal level. To do nothing about the evils in our world is to allow them to perpetuate. For the sake of the South Sudanese people - and for the sake of human life and dignity - this genocide must end as quickly as possible.

Photo courtesy of www.nytimes.com Sudan child forced to flee his village

3

Features HEART BEAT

Graduating in style

BY HANNAH WISNIEWSKI Staff Writer

Staff photo by Allisandra Pasquale

Graduation dress options for the senior girls from Maria of Italy.

Sacred Heart High School has a long standing tradition that the graduating seniors don’t wear caps and gowns on graduation day. They wear them to the annual Baccalaureate Mass. Instead, on graduation day, the seniors wear formal dresses and tuxedos. Guidance counselor Mrs. Susan Gallitano states, “It has been a custom at Sacred Heart for as long as I can remember. I’ve been here for over 20 years, and I can’t remember not doing it.”

The senior girls recently decided on the dresses they will wear for graduation.

Katelyn Foley, Moira Gattoni, Jennifer Habeeb, Kelly Rathje, Ariana Viscariello, and Hannah Wisniewski traveled to Maria of Italy, a bridal boutique, in Plymouth on Friday, January 10th with Mrs. Susan Gallitano. The six girls spent two hours carefully selecting different

styles and colors of dresses. After careful deliberation, the girls decided on four final dresses in two different colors to show to the rest of the class.

The four choices, which were all floor length gowns, consisted of a v-neck , strapless, high necked, and sweetheart neckline with straps that formed a V in the back. The six girls chose the color they wanted for the dress, but due to the different vendors that make the dresses, the shades were slightly different. The v-neck and strapless dress came in a coral color, while to high necked and sweetheart neckline came in ginger.

“I really liked all of the dresses we picked,” said senior, Jen Habeeb. “I would have been happy with whichever one we chose, but I’m especially glad we picked the color ahead of time. It made it much easier to present all the dresses to the rest of the class.”

Representatives from Maria of Italy came to Sacred Heart High School the following week to show the senior girls the four options.

Immediately, the strapless and v-neck option were ruled out. Several girls tried on the remaining two dresses before the final decision was made.

The girls unanimously decided on the high neck dress in ginger.

“The dresses are very different from any other graduating class in the past,” said senior Caroline Thomas.

“I’m really excited about them!”

The boys are satisfied with the choice as well. They wear ties and vests that are the same color as the girls’ dresses with their tuxedo.

“I could not be more excited that I will be wearing pink at graduation,” said senior Sam Boyles.

February 7, 2014

Photo courtesy of Maria of Italy

Graduation dress for the class of 2014

Celebrating Catholic Schools Week

BY MOIRA GATTONI Staff Writer Catholic Schools Week, the annual celebration of Catholic education, took place this year across the country from January 26 through February 1. Catholic Schools Week began in 1947 and has been a beloved tradition of Catholic schools across the United States coming together in faith over the last 67 years.

Following the theme of this year, which was Faith, Knowledge, and Service, the Sacred Heart community joined in the celebration. On Thursday, January 30, the entire school community including students, faculty, staff and alumni celebrated Founder’s Day with a Mass in the school auditorium. Deacon Christopher Connelly assisted Father Gerard Souza, graduate of the class of ‘04. After Mass, alumni enjoyed a lunch in the Flaherty Library.

Every day in the classroom, Sacred Heart students gain knowledge in their respective religion classes including Christian Beliefs, Introduction to the Bible, World Religions, Christian Morality, and Social Justice. The religion teachers inspire and lead students in understanding their faith. The faculty foster the faith of all students and teach the importance of Christian service and giving to all.

This year, students have an incredible opportunity to give back to the community. Every seven weeks, Sacred Heart will be providing hot meals to the homeless through a program called Matthew’s Kitchen. As a school community we will be feeding the large homeless population of Plymouth at St. Mary’s Parish in North Plymouth. Food collection of nonperishable items is currently taking place.

There are multiple ways students can help and contribute to this service opportunity. All students should consider participating, whether that be through bringing food items, making cards, placemats and centerpieces, setting up tables at Matthew’s Kitchen or actually serving the food to the homeless. In order to serve food, students need to be seventeen years old or older.

Next Saturday, February 8th, is the first opportunity to volunteer. Any student seventeen and over is invited to attend and assist with this program. If any student is interested in prepping, serving, or cleaning up the food, contact Sacred Heart’s co-campus ministers, Ms. Jennifer Duffey or Deacon Christopher Connelly for more information. This service will only take up an hour or two of your time and you will be making such a difference in these people’s lives. This is a great way to give back and serve those suffering in our community.

As Deacon. Chris said, “This is our mission in action.”

Father Jerald Souza blesses the wine

President Pamela Desmarais greets the school

Students give Prayers of the Faithful Staff photos by Allisandra Pasquale

4

Features

Talk science to me

BY LILY BESSETTE Staff Writer

This year’s Science Fair has eighty -four projects with one hundred and thirteen participants. All honors and advanced placement science students are required to participate. The 2014 Science Fair began on February 3rd and concluded the evening of February 4th. The Science Fair winners were announced on February 7th.

The individual project Science Fair winners were Yanni Pappas, Christopher Gren, and Joshua Towner respectively. An honorable mention was given to Matthew Dunn for the individual projects.

The first prize team of this year’s Science Fair was Lily Bessette and Reilly Robbins, second was Jonathan Clifford and Nathan Porelle, and third was Amelia Beaton and Emma Cubellis. Katelyn Foley and Kelly Rathje were awarded honorable mentions for their team project.

Science Fair awards for winners are based on four scores. Three of the scores are from judges and the fourth is from the teacher of the participating student. Judges include faculty, alumni, parents, and people in the science fields. This year there were twenty judges for the nighttime judging session. None of these twenty judges are teachers or faculty of Sacred Heart.

Mr. Jason Potrykus, Science co-department head said, “Judges enjoy and are impressed with students and projects.”

Tammy Amick, alumna LeighAnn D’Andrea’s mother, said, “We love science fair! It is the best experience and you meet many people.”

Ms. Kielynne Banker, Science co-department head said, “Science Fair is a great way for students to meet people in the science fields. It’s like a networking event for students. Exposure to different science fields is important early on.”

Sister Ida Mary, a long standing member of the Science department at Sacred Heart High School, said that this year’s Science Fair is definitely smaller than past years, but this is due to the fact that there will be two science fairs. In February 2014’s Science Fair there are no eighth graders participating. Eighth graders will participate in the March 2014 fair.

During the March Science Fair, Sacred Heart Elementary School sixth graders and Sacred Heart Intermediate School seventh and eighth graders will also participate. The elementary school will send approximately six projects to the March Science Fair being held at the high school. These half dozen projects will be chosen after the elementary school’s separate science fair. The intermediate school’s academic fair has not been held for the past two years, but this upcoming science fair will be a substitute for all intermediate school students.

Both the Sacred Heart February and March Science Fair winners will be eligible to compete in the regional science fair. The February winners will compete at the high school level for 9th - 12th graders and the March winners will compete at the intermediate level for 6th to 8th graders. The state science fair rules are generally the same for both levels.

Sacred Heart Schools are beginning to put a stronger emphasis on STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.

“Projects are very well put together. Students followed all steps of the scientific method. Some projects go into more depth than others. To say if one science fair is better than another previous one, I can never tell that.

The whole nation is going for more hands on science projects because top educators want to put more emphasis on STEM,” said Sister Ida Mary.

Sacred Heart School’s growing emphasis on STEM can be seen in the planned addition of a new physics lab and the addition of extra lab space for other sciences. Within the science curriculum, additional science courses have been planned.

“Science Fair encompasses all components of STEM. It requires scientific research, looking at past information, using technology for the project, engineering to build the project, and calculations to find the end results.

Students are immersed in STEM, just by doing a science fair project. It also teaches students to experience failure when their hypotheses are not supported, but that is part of science. Science fair helps promote presentation skills, being able to sell your ideas, and being able to communicate at two levels, with the general public and experts,” said Potrykus.

“Science fair is always a great chance for students to explore a topic of personal interest and to integrate science with technology, with speaking, and with writing,” said Sister Alice Marie, Vice Principal of Operations.

Junior Chloe Deeb presents her Science Fair project to former Sacred Heart science teacher, Mr. Kevin Burke

February 7, 2014

2014 February 4, 2014

Results

High School Division INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS First Prize

The Effects of Raised Temperature and Algae on Coral Yanni Pappas

Second Prize

An Evaluation of Varied Effects of Brainwave Entertainment Through the Use of Binaural Beats Christopher Gren

Third Prize

The Efficiency of a MCF with a Repositioned Electrode Joshua Towner

Honorable Mention

The Effects of Age and Gender on the Stroop Test Matthew Dunn

TEAM PROJECTS First Prize Dem Bones

Lily Bessette and Reilly Robbins

Second Prize

The Effects of Household Pesticides and Climate On S. Diptera (Flesh Fly) Growth Jonathan Clifford and Nathan Porelle

Senior Alex Babyak explains his project to judge Greg Walkins.

Third Prize

Drug Solubility Amelia Beaton and Emma Cubellis Junior Gabby Fantasia poses in front of her project, “How Color Affects Cognition”.

Photos courtesy of Kielynne Banker

Honorable Mention

Flipping for Physics Phase II Katelyn Foley and Kelly Rathje

Profiles HEART BEAT

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education classes, Pretti was able to observe middle school and high school Spanish classes for a week at the Pembroke public schools. This is when she realized that teaching was something she was passionate about. After her observation, Pretti landed a position at Pembroke Middle School where she taught Spanish.

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This past month Sacred Heart has welcomed a new Spanish teacher to its faculty. After the departure of former Sacred Heart Spanish teacher Ms. Lynne Curnyn, the school quickly sent out word of a job opening at the high school. Ms. Stacey Pretti, a Pembroke native, heard about the job opening via an online post on a teachers’ job posting website that allows you to specify the state, subject, grade level, and work hours preferred for the job you are looking for. Pretti is a young teacher w h o enjoys running and baking. She also loves walking on the beach.

“It’s a great way to relax and take in pure nature.”

Pretti completed her undergraduate education at Roger Williams University. She got her degree in foreign languages, and went on for her continual studies at UMass Dartmouth. When asked why she decided to become a teacher, Pretti said, “I always say that teaching found me.”

For most of her college career, Pretti strictly studied foreign languages. It wasn’t until her senior year of college that she decided to pursue education classes. As a part of the curriculum for one of her

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BY CAROLINE THOMAS

February 7, 2014

Escuela Language Academy,” where she gained even more experience as a Spanish teacher.

When asked about her impression of Sacred Heart, Pretti said, “I am very impressed by the level of respect students have towards their teachers.” She also noted that “Sacred Heart encourages well-roundedness and for teachers to have belief in their students.” She appreciates that students are interested in learning and that they really strive to do well.

It is not only the students of Sacred Heart that have impressed Ms. Pretti, however, as she’s found many faculty and staff members to also be quite helpful. She said, “Sacred Heart is an inspiring environment to work in. I’ve met several teachers who have many years of experience and it’s a huge motivational factor for me as a young teacher.”

When naming some goals she has for her classes, Pretti said that she hopes to instill confidence in her students when it comes to their Spanish speaking abilities. She said, “I want them to be able to use what they know in order to get their message across.”

Katie goes to Haiti

through Léogâne, Haiti. “Everywhere we turned people were pointing at us because we were white and American,” Foley said. “They were rude to us because they knew we had money, and they tried to rob from us.”

On her way back to Fauché from Léogâne, Foley was walking past a cornfield.

Suddenly, from the edge of the cornfield, a man leaped out at her with a machete. Foley explained that, although it was horrifying, the man didn’t mean any harm.

“He wasn’t looking to hurt us as much as scare us. It was so different though because in America, if a man jumped out of somewhere with a machete, he would have police after him; in Haiti it’s just a casual everyday thing.”

Despite the few frightening moments, Foley has more positive memories of Haiti than anything else. The children at the Fauché orphanage were so happy and thankful that the Mission E4 members came to help. They didn’t care about the language barrier and were extremely loving to Foley and her group. At the orphanage, Foley befriended a 7 year old orphaned boy named Davidson. Davidson taught her the Creole alphabet, and was amused when she took pictures of him with her iPhone since he didn’t know many people who had cameras. Foley said that seeing the children smile was the most rewarding part of the whole trip.

When Foley left Haiti on January 4th to come home, her journey was actually not

BY KELLY ALLEN Staff Writer

Katelyn holds a Hatian orphan

Photo courtesy of Katelyn Foley

While many of us were admiring our Christmas gifts a little over a month ago, senior Katelyn Foley was busy giving the season of giving a whole new meaning. On December 26th, Foley embarked on a life changing journey to help orphans in Fauché, Haiti.

Foley traveled with a mission group called Mission E4, a Christian organization that has done non-profit work in Haiti, Albania, and Appalachia. Foley got involved in the program with the influence of one of her friends.

“My friend Anna went to Haiti with Mission E4 before and convinced me to join her for her second journey there this past December,” Foley said.

While in Haiti, Foley and her group of 19 co-Mission E4 members helped install a security system around an orphanage in the violent town of Fauché. Since the orphanage leaders were so poor, they had no funds to properly protect themselves from the hostile environment surrounding them. Foley and her crew helped install a big, protective, iron fence around the orphanage, and constructed a security plan for the kids incase there was an intruder.

“The biggest difference between Haiti and the U.S.A is the hostility,” Foley said. “In America the police handle crime well enough so it doesn’t get out of hand. In Haiti, I didn’t see any police officers, and people would try to steal from us in the markets. There were two times when I was terrified for my life.”

Foley had to stay in a small tent outside of the orphanage. She explained how it was always hard to sleep at night because people would be outside talking and yelling in the middle of the night, a lifestyle much different than that in America. One night at 3 AM, she was awakened by a series of gun shots and yelling not too far in the distance. Although she was safe inside the gates of the orphanage, it was undoubtably a frightening experience.

Another scary experience took place as Foley and the Mission E4 team were walking

Katelyn Foley with her mission group

Photo courtesy of Katelyn Foley

over; Mother Nature had a different plan in store. While many of us were snuggled up enjoying the snowfall, Foley was trapped in the Fort Lauderdale International Airport in Florida, waiting for her snowed in connecting flight to Boston. After the flight was a definite no show, Foley and the rest of the Mission E4 group had to drive from Ft Lauderdale to the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina. Finally, on Tuesday January 7th, Foley flew safely from North Carolina to Boston.

Foley’s trip was certainly not your average Christmas Break Vacation. After the many twists and turns of her journey, it was slightly surprising that when asked if she would ever return to Haiti, Foley immediately and excitedly said yes.

“I can’t wait to go back to Haiti and visit the kids again,” Foley said. “I’m going to frame a photo I took with Davidson so he will finally have a picture of his own, and I can’t wait to see his reaction.”

Foley is unsure when the Mission E4 group will be embarking on their next trip to Haiti, but she said she will be quick to clear her schedule for whenever that may be.

6

Where are

Catch up with the lives of form

Sophie Pizzi

By Lily Bessette, Jennifer Habeeb,

Sophie Pizzi, recent graduate of the class of 2013, is in the second semester of her freshmen year at Villanova University. Last year as a senior at Sacred Heart, Pizzi was the co-editor-in-chief of the Heart Beat. Since then she has taken her interests in journalism to college with her. Pizzi is the features page writer for the Villanovan, Villanova’s student newspaper.

Pizzi has not declared a major yet as she is still deciding on the one profession she wants to spend the rest of her life doing and is presently in the college of liberal arts and sciences.

“I love my classes and have met some of the nicest people, “ Pizzi reflects on campus life thus far.Besides writing for the newspaper at Villanova, Pizzi is involved with campus ministry and has participated in service and retreats. She also applied for a mission trip over spring break and is going to Marion, South Carolina through the Habitat for Humanity project. Pizzi is enjoying being away from home because she has gotten the chance to meet new people and see new places.

“Overall college has gone above and beyond my expectations. I’m happy and looking forward to the future!” said Pizzi.

Photo Courtesy of Sophie Pizzi

Kate Jamison Kate Jamison, Sacred Heart High School 2012 alum, was co-editor-in-chief with fellow senior, Meghan Antonellis.

After graduating high school, Kate deferred her acceptance to Tulane University in Louisiana, taking a gap year as a counselor at Timber Tops, a boarding school in Australia. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. She was able to meet people from all over the world and learn a lot about herself.

Kate is currently a freshman at Tulane University where she is double majoring in Political Economy and English. She is also a news staff writer and graphic designer for her university’s newspaper the Hull. Before the school year began she participated in the Hullabaloo’s summer journalism experience.

“It was five days of working hard in the office, but we also did a lot of things around New Orleans like eat amazing food and go on a swamp tour,” Kate said.

Jaminson was one of sixteen freshman to participate in the experience and she said, “A bunch of them ended up being my best friends at Tulane.”

Kate is very grateful for her time as editor of the Heart Beat saying: “The interviewing and editing skills that I learned while working for the Heat Beat have proved invaluable for my work at the Hull. I learned so much as editor-in-chief with Boccalini and my co- editor Megan, and I have used all of that knowledge working for my college paper.”

Photo Courtesy of Kate Jamison

Courtney Buohl Courtney Buohl, a graduate from Sacred Heart High School’s class of 2011, is currently attending Providence College and is the head copy editor for the college’s newspaper, The Cowl. Buohl was a co-editor of the Heart Beat in 2011. Over this past summer, she also wrote and edited for an alternative weekly newspaper, DigBoston. As the head copy editor of The Cowl, Buohl was able to attend the ACP/CMA National College Media Convention in New Orleans.

In the spring of 2012, Buohl was approached by one of her political science professors and asked if she was interested in being his research assistant. She began her work for him in the fall of 2012 and helped him proofread chapters of his recently published book, A Citizen’s Guide to Deficits and Debt. She also searched for articles for her professor and created charts and graphs with Microsoft Excel, which were included in the book.

“I have received a lot of great opportunities in college and I owe a lot of that to my experience on the Heart Beat, especially to the advisor at the time, Scott Dalton, who taught me so much of what I know about journalism and helped me hone my writing and editing skills.”

Photo Courtesy of Courtney Buohl

Meaghan Antonellis Meaghan Antonellis was the Heart Beat’s co-editor in 2012. After Antonellis graduated, she went on to Boston University.

She is currently majoring in international relations. Antonellis plans to go to law school and study international law. She is also a research intern editor for Ambassador Charles Stith’s African Presidential Center (APC) on the BU campus.

Antonellis says her plans for the future are surprising to her. “Throughout high school I was totally convinced that a lawyer was the last thing I ever wanted to be, but it was actually my internship that convinced me otherwise; it turns out what the world really needs mid-globalization are decent people with legal knowledge.”

In September 2012, Antonellis began her internship and her journey of spreading an understanding of Africa that is much different from the norm.

Antonellis is on the events team and publications team of APC and she coordinates events when African visitors come to the BU campus. APC “works with 15 African countries that are working toward democratic governments.”

“I joined the Heart Beat staff because I love writing, but I never could have expected what I got during my year as co-editor-inchief. I attribute a large part of my ability to relate to people at BU with whom I have seemingly nothing in common with to my time on the paper. In hindsight, it was definitely one of those once in a lifetime experiences that shape who you are going forward, and I’m more grateful than I can say to have had that opportunity.”

Photo Courtesy of Meaghan Antonellis

7

They Now?

mer Heart Beat Staff Members

, Reilly Robbins, and Shauna Sweeney

Katie Mullen Katie Mullen, a 2013 Sacred Heart graduate, is now attending Indiana University. After her great experience as a member of the Heart Beat staff in high school, Katie decided to major in journalism with a concentration in marketing and a specialization in design and graphics. At first, she was unsure what she wanted to study in college, but, Mullen soon realized that “journalism is where I should be”!

One of Katie’s favorite college courses is Communications Photography. As the Heart Beat’s staff photographer, Mullen loved taking pictures and this class is a great opportunity for her to excel and improve her photographic skills.

In addition to taking classes, Katie has joined the Alpha Gama Delta sorority at her school. Although rush week was tough, Mullen is thrilled to be a part of a sorority at Indiana. Now that she is part of Greek life on her campus, Mullen hopes to further her journalism experience by writing for the Odyssey, which focuses primarily on Greek life. In addition to writing for the Odyssey, Mullen plans on applying for a job to write for the Indiana Daily Student newspaper.

She is especially excited about this opportunity because it is a paid job. Overall, Mullen has had a great first semester at Indiana and is excited to continue her journalism experience.

Photo Courtesy of Katie Mullen

Nate Moore

Nate Moore is a 2011 Sacred Heart High School alum. He is currently a junior Economics major at Quinnipiac University. He hopes to earn his masters in Health Care Administration after he graduates next May. He is also currently the President of the Quinnipiac Interfraternity Council. All fraternities on campus report to and are governed by this council. He is also the Vice President of the Mock Trial team.

During the second semester of his freshman year at Quinnipiac University, Moore joined Quinnipiac’s independent newspaper, Quad News. During his sophomore year, he later became the news editor. Although he is no longer writing for the paper, he is still involved with the business side of Quad News, raising revenue through advertisements.

“Sacred Heart High School and the Heart Beat really helped me zone into what I was interested in doing in life and now I’m using my experience at QU to further that goal.”

Photo Courtesy of Nate Moore

Augusta Moore After graduating from Sacred Heart in 2008, Augusta Moore enrolled at Mount Holyoke College, a small liberal arts, all-women college in western Massachusetts.

She was a Heart Beat co-editor in 2008 and says, “I loved working for the Heart Beat while at Sacred Heart. I never worked for Mount Holyoke College’s newspaper, but I certainly used some of the skills that I learned at the Heart Beat, namely how to write a succinct but compelling paper, how to ask pointed questions, and generally be vocal.”

Moore was going to study biology at Mount Holyoke College and then further her education by going to medical school. During her time at Mount Holyoke, however, she realized that medicine was not the best path for her. Instead, she decided to study philosophy and was particularly interested in meta-ethics, which is the study of the foundations of ethical theories, rather than applied ethics.

In 2012, Moore graduated Magnum Cum Laude with High Honors in Philosophy and with a double major in Biology and Philosophy.

After graduation, she began working in a private practice medical records department. During this time, she applied to graduate school. Last fall, Moore enrolled in a Philosophy PhD program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she hopes to continue studying meta-ethics.

Photo Courtesy of Augusta Moore

Greg Habeeb Greg Habeeb, Sacred Heart High School 2012 alum, was one of three sports editors on the Heart Beat his senior year.

Greg is currently a sophomore at Villanova University in Pennsylvania. He is a keeper on his school’s Quidditch team, a sports writer for the Villanova newspaper, and announces sporting events such as football and basketball on Villanova radio where he also has a sports talk show.

“The Heart Beat taught me how to be an investigatory writer and get down to the crux of the issue. I also learned how to be part of a staff and take responsibility.”

Greg is double majoring in Political Science and English.

Photo Courtesy of Greg Habeeb

Arts

8 February 7, 2014

HEART BEAT

Golden Globes kick off award season

BY JEN HABEEB Staff Writer

The best of the film and television industry gathered for the 71st annual Golden Globes on January 12th, 2014. The event was hosted by former Saturday Night Live cast members, and Hollywood’s resident comedy queens, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. The dynamic duo kicked the show off with a lot of laughs which carried on throughout the night and kept the show from being stale and boring.

The film American Hustle stole the show with wins for best actress, Amy Adams, best supporting actress, Jennifer Lawrence, and best motion picture, comedy, or musical. Cast members Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper were also nominated for best actor and supporting actor. American Hustle was also nominated for best director in a motion picture, David O’Russell, and best screen play. The film is currently nominated for ten academy awards.

Other winners of the night in film were 12 Years a Slave which won best motion picture drama,

Photo courtesy of GoldenGlobes.com The Golden Globe awarded to actors/actresses at the ceremony.

Leonardo Dicaprio won best actor in a motion picture, comedy, or musical for Wolf of Wallstreet, Matthew McConaughey won best actor and Jared Leto won best supporting actor in a drama for their roles in Dallas Buyers Club; Cate Blanchett won best actress in a motion picture drama for Blue Jasmine; Alfonso Curon won best director for the film Gravity; Spike Jonze won the award for best screen play for Her, and Frozen won best animated film.

In television, Breaking Bad won best TV drama and Bryan Cranson won best actor in a television drama for his role in that show. Brooklyn Nine-Nine won for best TV comedy and best actor in a television comedy went to Brooklyn Nine-Nine Andy Samberg.

Females that took home awards in television included Amy Pohler who won best actress in a television comedy for the show Parks and Recreation, and Robin Wright who won best actress in a TV drama for her role on House of Cards.

Other winners in the television category were Behind the Candlebara for best miniseries or motion picture made for television; Michael Douglas won best actor for his role in Behind the Candlebara; Jon Voigt won best supporting actor in a miniseries or motion picture made for TV for his role in Ray Donovan; Elizabeth Moss won best actress in the miniseries category for Top of the Lake; Jacqueline Bisset won best supporting actress in the same category for the show Dancing on the Edge.

The night was filled with awards and laughs, but it certainly wouldn’t have been the Golden Globes without some fashion statements and flops.

The best dressed of the night were Amy Adams, Lupita Nyong’o, Resse Witherspoon, Emma Roberts, Zooey Deschanel, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Milan Kunis, and Kate Beckinsale, Fashion faux pauxs included: Paula Patton, Jennifer Lawrence, Zoe Saldana, Joanna Newsom, Rashida Jones, Uma Thurman, Berenece Bejo, and Edie Falco.

The Golden Globes is often considered a precursor to who will take home the gold at The Acadamy Awards. If that saying is true both Leonardo Dicaprio

Photo courtesy of GoldenGlobes.com Golden Globe best actress winner, Amy Adams, walks the Globes’ red carpet in an elegant red dress.

and Amy Adams will both be taking home their first, much deserved Oscars. The two big contenders for best film will be 12 Years a Save and American Hustle, closely followed by Her. This award season is just getting started. May the best films win.

And the Grammy goes to...

From 17 year old winners to 40 year old winners, the Grammy’s were a hit

BY Sam Boyles Staff Writer

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis walked out of this year’s Grammys as kings. Not only are they the kings of rap music, but possibly kings of the entire music industry. The dynamic duo, who were fairly unknown before this past year, took home a whopping four awards, including Best New Artist, Best Rap Performance for “Thrift Shop”, Best Rap Song for “Thrift Shop”, and Best Rap Album for The Heist.

Joining this kingly duo was the 17 year-old New Zealander, Lorde, winning Song of the Year for her smash-hit, “Royals.” Lorde also took home the award for Best Pop Solo Performance.

Daft Punk also went home happy, winning Record of the Year for “Get Lucky”, Album of the Year for Random Access Memories, Best Pop Duo Performance for “Get Lucky”, and Best Dance/Electronica Album for Random Access Memories. Pharrell Williams, who collaborated with Daft Punk on “Get Lucky”, won Producer of the Year.

Despite four nominations, Bruno Mars took home only one award for Best Pop Vocal Album (Unorthodox Jukebox). Other winners included Imagine Dragons for “Radioactive” (Best Rock Performance), Kacy Musgraves (winning both Best Country Song and Best Country Album for “Merry Go ‘Round” and Same Trailer Different Park respectively), and Justin Timberlake for Best R&B Song (“Pusher Love Girl”) and Best Music Video for “Suit & Tie”.

John Legend, Chicago and Robin Thicke, and Lorde all gave great performances.

The highlights of the night, however, were Kendrick Lamar and Imagine Dragons, who gave a spectacular, energetic performance of “Radioactive” which involved lots of steam and drum-beating, and Pink, whose acrobatic movements above the crowd mixed with touching vocals to provide a memorable Grammy moment.

Photo courtesy of Popculture.com Grammy performers Taylor Swift, Lorde, Bruno Mars and Pharrell.

Arts

e r t n a ear e h t yo a n

February 7, 2014

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HEART BEAT

9

A compilation of reviews from some of the most talked about movies in theaters.

Wolf of Wallstreet

Box Office Domestic Total (January 30th): $100,526,761

American Hustle

Box Office Domestic Total (January 30th): $129,321,179

By Reilly Robbins Staff Writer

By Jennifer Habeeb Staff Writer

Martin Scorsese’s film, Wolf of Wall Street, is based on the true story of Jordan Belfort who was found guilty of money laundering years after setting up his own stock broker company. Belfort was sentenced to four years in a federal prison and also ordered to pay $110 million to his victims.

Leonardo DiCaprio is flawless as Belfort. and he narrates his downward spiral from a young, naive, and ambitious stockbroker to a narcissistic, drug addicted, morally corrupt liquidator fueled by nothing but unquenchable greed.

The Wolf of Wall Street is a magnificent black comedy. It combines both old school comedy, such as swallowing a co-workers’ goldfish and mocking federal law enforcers, with raunchy satire ridiculing selfish stockbrokers’ lives in the fast lane.

Due to the extreme vulgarity present throughout the entire movie, Wolf of Wall Street is certainly not a film for the light of heart. On the other hand, if you’re a person appreciates a little racy humor now and again, Scorsese’s film is a must see! All in all, Wolf of Wall Street gets an 8 out of 10 stars for its brilliant acting and entertainingly fast pace.

American Hustle, directed by and co-written by David O’Russell, is the epitome of a film that synthesizes brilliant writing and a star studded cast that delivers in every scene.

It has grossed over $115 million so far in box offices and its earnings continue to skyrocket since it has won three Golden Globes for best motion picture, comedy, or musical, best actress, Amy Adams, and best supporting actress, Jennifer Lawrence. It has also been nominated for 10 Academy Awards including best screenplay, film, actress, supporting actress, actor, and supporting actor.

The film has a phenomenal cast featuring Oscar winners Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence, as well as Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, and Jeremy Renner.

American Hustle is a witty, refreshingly funny, and complex story about a con artist Irving Rosenfeld played by Bale and his mistress, Sydney Prosser, played by Adams. They are forced to work for FBI agent, Richie DiMaso, played by Cooper. At first, Irving and Sydney think they can double cross the vain FBI agent, but it soon becomes more difficult than they anticipated when he starts pushing them to frame New Jersey power brokers and gets them involved with the Mafia.

Overall, I’d give American Hustle 8.5 stars out of ten. It is extremely well written, has a phenomenal cast, and a great classic rock soundtrack.

Lone Survivor (Spoiler alert)

By Kelly Allen Staff Writer

Box Office Domestic Total Income (January 30th) : $97,693,556

Based on the New York Times best selling novel by Marcus Luttrell, Lone Survivor is an intense and moving film depicting the gore that U.S Navy SEALs witness with pure courage and thick skin.

The 4 SEAL’s, one played by actor Mark Wahlberg, are sent on a covert mission to neutralize a high-level al-Qaeda operative in Afghanistan.

Watching this movie develops supreme respect for all of the men and women who risk their lives for our country.

The turning point of the film occurs when connection with the base fails, and the 4 SEALs decide on their feet to let a group of Afghani civilians, who discover their hiding place near the targeted village, go back to the main land rather than killing them. This leads to an intense and violent ambush by the enemy in the mountains of Afghanistan, and is where the journey tragically ends for 3 of the 4 SEALs. The description of the men and their loved ones makes these deaths especially hard to watch, as we realize that this happens to similar men and women every day.

The only serious criticism that I have of the film would have to be its title, which blatantly gave away the ending and therefore most of the movie’s suspense. All in all I would give the film 8 out of 10 stars for its rich themes of courage and survival. It is certainly unforgettable and worth watching.

Her

By Sam Boyles Staff Writer

Box Office Domestic Total (January 30th): $20,047,516

Imagine a futuristic world in which you can speak to your computer and it talks back to you. Wait, that already exists?

In Spike Jonze’s Her, a lonely writer by the name of Theodore Twombly, played by Joaquin Phoenix, falls in love with his operating system which (or whom, it’s hard to know which term is appropriate after seeing the movie) is designed to help him in every aspect of his life.

When the movie begins, the audience meets Theodore who has just divorced his wife, Catherine (played by Rooney Mara). Theodore, who has few real friends and spends most of his time playing video games, sees a commercial for a new Operating System and decides he might as well give it a try.

As the movie progresses it’s plain to see that the O.S., named Samantha and voiced by Scarlett Johansson, is more than just an electronic secretary.

Samantha slowly becomes a person to Theodore, causing him to wonder what being alive really means and what love actually is.

Samantha starts out, in the eyes of both Theodore and the audience, as just a computer. As the movie progresses, however, she becomes a real, human character with a genuine personality and feelings which can be hurt. She even questions her own existence. Her relatable confusion about what it means to exist and what makes something real (including love) causes audiences to leave theaters feeling the same confusion as Samantha.

Spike Jonze’s Her is the best film I saw this year by far. Sure, Saving Mr. Banks is a fine, entertaining film and Alfonso Cuarón undoubtedly deserves the Academy Award for Best Director for his work on Gravity, but no film matched the depth and stunning cinematography of Her. 10/10 from me and a deserving candidate for Best Picture.

Opinion

10 February 7, 2014

HEART BEAT

On that dance grind

BY LILY BESSETTE Staff Writer

Dancing has evolved through the decades. Each generation had a dancing style that perplexed and annoyed their parents. There have been many dances that have pushed the envelope further and further. From the 50’s beatniks and early rock and roll to the 60’s twist, jerk, and pony, dance has continuously changed culturally. In the 70’s and 80’s, disco dancing was invented. The complicated moves and strobe lights stunned the older generations. After the 1970’s “Bump” and 1980’s lambada, the 1990’s hip-hop, break dancing, and rap changed dance even more. Now in 2014, one of the most pressing issues during high school dances is the current dancing style called grinding.

This style makes many adults feel both uncomfortable and disgusted. As the decades have rolled on, the popular dances have become more and more sexually explicit and suggestive. Every time a new, strange dance has sprouted, the older generations have frowned at the younger, but this time it has become so offensive to the older generation that they are turning away and refusing to look at it. Who can blame them? It was not the cultural environment of their generation and by no means is grinding a comfortable situation for them to have to stare at for three to four hours.

Sacred Heart High School has now reached a point where grinding is no longer an option and school dances themselves could also become no longer an option if this behavior persists. Students will no longer have willing school chaperones for dances.

Dr. Michael Gill, Sacred Heart High School principal, has reminded students that “(schools) are in the education business, not the dance business.”

There has been talk that students might have to plan their own non-school related dances if they want to continue to practice this dance “move.” Dances that are not related to the school would have to be funded by the students outside of school and without Student Council funds. These dances would not be allowed to be publicized at school or through the school.

To this option Dr. Gill, responded, “I think it will be a sad day if and/or when high schools no longer host dances. However, school officials can not control everything.

We have no more control over that than other types of teen gatherings that are not affiliated with the school.”

The new dance policy is aimed at putting an end to grinding and any other inappropriate dancing. Its aim to end this style of dancing is primarily due to the uncomfortable situation it creates for chaperones. It is not to try to change or manipulate the current teen culture.

Dr. Gill has even stated, “We are not blaming Sacred Heart students or suggesting that they are misbehaving in any way.”

The present culture is influenced by many factors like the media, celebrities, music, and a variety of other trendsetters. Sacred Heart High School is not the only high school to face this issue of inappropriate dancing. Grinding has been part of this culture and a trend for years now. Many other high schools, both public and private, are facing the same dilemma and struggling to find a happy medium be-

Photo courtesy of www.swingdanceuk.com A couple doing the once popular swing dance

tween the students and adults volunteering as chaperones.

The bottom line is that without chaperones there will be no school dances; without grinding there can be chaperones and therefore dances.

As students, it is unfair to ask your teachers to stand around and watch your buttocks vigorously rub against another’s pelvis. Just as these teachers are humans, they could also be parents. Would your parents be comfortable watching you dance like that? No? Well, why would your teachers? It is not a matter of misbehaving, but rather a matter of comfort and discomfort. Teachers understand that this may be a part of the current culture and social norms, but that does not mean they enjoy it or are pleased by it. They, too, were most likely part of some type of revolutionary culture that defied their parents’ principles and social norms.

Dr. Gill comments. “My parents didn’t approve of the music that we listened to. Rather, I should say, they weren’t fans of the Rolling Stones, and the Who. I remember that they laughed at the way we danced, dressed, and wore our hair. I believe that there will always be differences between generations. However, that›s not what this is about. Rather, it›s about getting adults to volunteer their time at events that make them feel uncomfortable.”

Before you decide that the next dance is going to be lame because grinding is not allowed, step back and look at things through a chaperone’s perspective.

Yes, you may be upset and displeased that you cannot grind, but there will be other occasions for that.

Dances don’t need to be all about grinding. Yes, in this generation’s culture, grinding is considered fun and the norm, but it doesn’t mean it’s a necessity for a good time. Just as we are able to have a good time without drugs or alcohol, we can have a good time without grinding.

Editorial “Just text me!” has replaced goodbyes for most of the world. Likewise, to many American teenagers and adults, texting has become essential in their daily routine. Cell phones are practically attached to our hands so that we can be in constant communication. Yet the necessity of a handheld has been taken to the extreme and the manners of many are quickly slipping away.

No matter where you are and what is going on, cell phones come into play. It is now normal to go to dinner with family or friends and sit at the table checking Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat, Vine, Facebook, Tumblr, and be in two completely different conversations. I find it to be distracting and rude to be ignoring the people who you are seeing face to face to check up on classmates’ evening plans. It seems so superfluous and arbitrary yet in this day and age, it’s a common occurrence.

While I agree that cell phones are helpful in getting in touch with people quickly and are useful in emergencies, they have become way too addictive. It is frustrating to try to talk to someone while they are clearly not listening as they play a silly game on their phone. No longer can people actually sit down and relax without immediately grabbing their phones.

There is no escape from cell phones; they go with us everywhere. Sitting in the car someone is gabbing away on the phone without even bothering to converse with others actually in the car. People walk and text completely ignoring the friends walking beside them.

Cell phones may be the latest stylish gadget, but people must never forget the importance of being polite and personable. So, ditch the phone and go enjoy a personal conversation. The phone isn’t going anywhere, but the family and friends you are neglecting are. Which is more important?

THE HEART BEAT Editors-in-Chief: Lily Bessette Jennifer Habeeb Managing Editor: Shauna Sweeney Front Page Editor: Moira Gattoni News Editor: Austin Haughton Features Editor: Reilly Robbins Double Truck Editors: Molly Presutti Hannah Wisniewski A&E Editor: Kelly Allen Opinion Editor: Sam Boyles Profiles Editor: Jennifer Habeeb Sports Editor: Mark Kahlil Photographers: Alessandra Pasquale Mengjun Duan Staff Writers: Caroline Thomas Kieran Kelleher Contributing Writers:

Henry Eshbaugh 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

11

HEART BEAT

February 7, 2014

Gimme a “S” “A” “I” “N” “T” “S” The Sacred Heart cheerleaders compete in Portsmouth Cheer Challenge

BY MOLLY PRESUTTI Staff Writer On February 1, 2014 the Sacred Heart Varsity cheerleading team made history, participating in a competition for the first time in over a decade. On Saturday morning when the girls met bright and early at Sacred Heart to get ready for the competition the air was filled with excitement and nervous energy. The team left the school at 10am and traveled to Portsmith, Rhode Island to compete in the Portsmith Cheer Challenge competition alongside numerous other teams and divisions.

Upon arrival the cheerleaders registered and were given time to warm up and practice stunts before performing for the judges. Although the practice was a little shaky and stunts were falling during warm-ups, the team came out strong when it counted and gave a clean, high energy routine in front of the judges.

Photo courtesy of Karen Bitterman Members of the team pose for a photo

Photo courtesy of Karen Bitterman The Cheerleaders group around their new trophy for a photo

It took several hours for all of the teams in the other categories to finish performing.

Waiting for results was nerve wracking. In the end The Lady Saints placed third in their category, following Pembroke High School who finished second and number one, Dartmouth High School.

The cheerleaders were very excited with these results and the anticipation for their next competition has already begun. The girls have been working hard all season to prepare a competition worthy routine, and the hard work has definitely paid off.

“For my entire high school cheerleading career, I’ve wanted our team to compete against other schools. As a senior captain now, this is a dream come true for me and the team I love so much. I’m so proud of how we did at the Portsmouth Cheer Challenge and I’m looking forward to our team going all the way at the Mayflower League Championship in 2 weeks,” said Senior captain, Katelyn Foley when asked about her opinion on the competition.

The Varsity cheerleaders are hoping to continue to do well when they compete again on February 18th at the Mayflower League competition at Bristol Plymouth High School. If the Saints place at the competition they will move on to a regional competition in March.

Sacred Heart students and staff are encouraged to attend and cheer on the girls as they go for the league title.

The Fighting Saints keep fighting The winter season is almost over and the MIAA Tournament is in sight

BY MARK KHALIL Staff Writer Winter sports season is now only weeks away from being finished. So far the Saints have fared well. Each team has trudged along through the season and have seen many victories. In the fall, the boys’ varsity soccer team was the story of the season. This winter, the team to watch is the boys’ hockey team. In addition, the boys and girls basketball teams have done well up until this point of the season.

The boys’ varsity basketball team has played its way through adversity. In past seasons, the boys’ basketball

Photo courtesy of Alessandra Pasquale The hockey team huddled up

team has struggled to win games. This year the Saints have a 6-9 record. The JV boys’ basketball team has also played well this year. They have a record of 8-7 which tops the varsity’s record. The boys’ varsity basketball team is led by Senior Captains Sam Boyles and Eric Struski. Boyles leads the team in scoring with 18.5 points per game and Struski leads the team with 12.6 rebounds per game.

With Senior Captain Kevin Strohschneider injured and sitting out most of the second half of the season, Senior Mark Khalil has taken up most of the primary defensive assignments. The Saints are only four wins away from making the MIAA tournament. There is no tournament play for JV teams.

The girls’ varsity basketball team has also played well and have matched the boys’ team’s record of 6-9. Senior Alexa Nasr, Sophomore Lauren Melchionda, and Eighth grader Caroline Stover have been huge for the Lady Saints. The Lady Saints haven’t struggled as much as the boys in recent years and they look to make a splash in this year’s MIAA tournament.

Head Coach John Olsen predicts,” The girls will end 11-9 going into the playoffs”. The Lady Saints are hoping Olsen’s prediction comes true.

The story of the winter season for the Sacred Heart Saints is the boys’ varsity hockey team. The hockey team

Photo courtesy of Alessandra Pasquale A face off between a South Eastern HIgh School player and Daniel Lincoln

is just in its second year and has had wild success. The hockey team used to be a composite team of Sacred Heart and Carver High School players. Last year Sacred Heart started its own hockey program and this year the Saints have done astoundingly well. The Saints have recently qualified for the MIAA winter sports tournament, with a record of 10-4-1. The Saints are led by Senior Captains Mark Simonetti, Luke Tompkins, and Adam Pagliuca. The hockey team looks to continue its success as it finishes the season and looks forward to the MIAA tournament.

Sports

12

HEART BEAT

February 7, 2014

Sophomores lead the way John Quinn and Lauren Melchionda lead Saints hockey and girls basketball r

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This year has already been very exciting and groundbreaking for Sacred Heart athletics. This month, we would like to shine the spotlight on John Quinn and Lauren Melchionda for their outstanding performances on the court and on the ice.

John Quinn is new to Sacred Heart, coming in as a sophomore. John switched from Boston Collegiate Charter School in Dorchester to come play hockey for Sacred Heart, after playing on a prospect team in years past. Quinn has played hockey since he was eight years old and dreams of playing college hockey. On the ice this year, he has racked up twelve goals and eleven assists, helping lead the Saints Hockey team to a 10-4-1 record and a tournament spot for the first time in the school’s history. Quinn will also be playing baseball this upcoming spring and hopefully will help them go to the tournament as well.

Lauren Melchionda has been the definition of an athlete since eighth grade. Lauren has played three varsity sports, Volleyball, Basketball, and Softball since eight grade. In fact, in eight grade Lauren received an award and a scholarship for playing three varsity sports. This year as a sophomore, she has led the Lady Saints to a 5-8 record and has been the Saints’ leading scorer. Being the point guard, Lauren helps control the game.

She not only scores, but also get her teammates involved in the game’s flow. Last year, Lauren won the three point shooting contest at the Mayflower League All Star Game and hopes to compete again.

Like John, Lauren hopes to continue her athletic experience by playing college basketball.

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BY KIERAN KELLEHER Staff Writer

Patriots fumble in playoffs New England Patriots lose to Denver Broncos in AFC Championships

BY KIERAN KELLEHER Staff Writer Another year meant another playoff run for the New England Patriots. Despite the Patriots unorthodox year that was crippled by numerous injuries, inexperienced players, and Brady not at his best, the Pats still managed to make it to the AFC Championship game. In fact, many people had the Patriots actually going to the Super Bowl, even though the team had underperformed all year and was a shadow of previous Patriot’s Super Bowl teams.

Over the course of five months, the Patriots roster took some big hits. First, their star interior defensive tackle Vince Wilfork tore his achilles, missing the entire season.

Then the Patriots best linebacker, Jerod Mayo, tore a pectoral muscle and had surgery to repair it. Like his fellow teammate, he was ruled out for the entire season.

As the defensive injuries piled up, the offensive troubles were just as bad.

Photo courtesy of http://usatq.files.wordpress.com/

At the beginning of the season, the Patriots traded key slot receiver Wes Welker to the Denver Broncos, Aaron Hernandez was accused of being involved in multiple murders, and Rob Gronkowski was coming off surgeries to repair forearm and back injuries. These forced rookie wide receivers such as Aaron Dobson and Kembrell Thompkins, as well as running backs Shane Vereen and Legarrette Blount, to step up and fill in roles for the Par’s offense. Tom Brady was forced to quickly develop connections and chemistry with these players, and throughout the year it was clear Brady was missing some fundamental elements to keep the Patriots scoring machine well-oiled.

Despite all of these problems, the Patriots managed to go into the playoffs with a 12-4 regular season record and slid into the number 2 seed. This gave then a first round bye in the playoffs, which gave them an important rest period and moved them one game closer to the Super Bowl.

With the Patriots passing game out of sorts, Brady and

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning shake hands

the offense began to change their game plan. Contrary to years past when they relied on the passing game, the Pats began constantly running the ball. Legarrette Blount was getting twenty touches a game, scoring eight touchdowns in the Patriots last three games. Blount also shared time with Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen, adding two more components to the Patriots running and passing game.

The Patriots opened the playoffs with a home game on January 11th against the Indianapolis Colts, led by quarterback Andrew Luck. The Patriots crushed the Colts forty three to twenty two, led by Legarrette Blount’s four touchdowns and one hundred and sixty rushing yards.

The Colts’ defense simply couldn’t handle the smash mouth running style of Blount, and the Patriots defense held its own. With the Denver Broncos winning their game against the San Diego Chargers, the stage was set for the Pats to face their old teammate Wes Welker and the legendary quarterback, Peyton Manning.

With the Broncos being the number one seed in the American Football Conference, the Patriots had to fly to Denver to face them. On January 19th, the AFC Championship game kicked off. The Broncos were commanding in the first half, getting out to a thirteen to three lead. The second half brought more bad news for the Patriots. Their star cornerback, Aquib Talib, was injured on a crossing play when he was picked and hit hard by Wes Welker. Once Talib was injured, the Patriots were torn apart by Manning and the prolific Bronco’s offense. The Broncos scored a quick thirteen points in the fourth quarter, and despite a late comeback from Tom Brady and the Patriots, the Denver Broncos won twenty six to thirteen. The Broncos were set to play the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl and the Patriots had to take a long flight home to Foxborough and try again next season.

Despite a year filled with injuries and change, the Patriots still managed, yet again, to make it to the divisional championship game. Next year, the Pats will look to add some new players to their roster and rest some key players they lost this year such as Wilfork, Mayo, and Gronkowski. But Brady and the gang won’t be satisfied with making the championship game. Brady will no doubt look to win his fourth Super Bowl and possibly go down in history as the greatest quarterback to ever play the game.