TAKE A TRIP TO ITALY PAGE 4
Volume 32
DEFLATEGATE IS OVER PAGE 12
CONTENTS News.......................................2 Features...................................4 Profiles....................................5 Arts & Entertainment.............8 Opinion.................................10 Politics...................................11 Sports....................................12
HEART BEAT October 6, 2015
Number 1
Another Successful Senior Trip
Seniors showcase their skill for the camera.
BY KEVIN FLAHERTY Staff Writer On September 17th, the senior class continued a long tradition at Sacred Heart, white water rafting on the Penobscot River. The day started off at Camp Norse, where all seniors met for a fun retreat. Later on in the afternoon, they embarked on an eight hour bus ride to the rustic town of Millinocket, Maine. The class stopped only once, in Kennebunk, ME for dinner. When the seniors arrived at the camp, it was around 9p.m. It was completely dark and they had to find their way to their assigned cabin. After settling into their cabins and tents for the night, most seniors met up at the main lodge to play a few games of pool or darts and relax after a long day. The exhausted class were all in bed by 11p.m. The temperatures dropped into the 50s that night. The next morning, the seniors woke up at 6a.m. and hit the ground running. Excitement was in the air. After a delicious breakfast at the main lodge, they were all suited up and ready for the Penobscot River by 8 a.m. The class arrived at the river after a short bus ride.
Seniors battle the rapids.
Photo courtesy of NEOC
Photo courtesy of NEOC
Once they got there, they hopped on to their boats and they were off. Each raft was equipped with a guide from the New England Outdoor Center, who would instruct chaperones and students when and how to row.
When asked, Physics teacher Andrew Glynn said that his favorite part of the trip was,“Definitely seeing Olson’s boat capsize and seeing Caroline Sheen bobbing in the water helpless.,”
“Definitely seeing Olson’s boat capsize and seeing Caroline Sheen bobbing in the water helpless.”
-Andrew Glynn
Photo courtesy of NEOC
Seniors brace themselves for the rapid
It wasn’t long before the senior class approached its first rapid; Nesowadnehunk Falls. The wild class IV rapid ends with a 12 foot drop. One raft full of seniors flipped here, sending everyone into the ice cold water. Next was the Nesowadnehunk Stream, a natural waterslide. Around this time of year, rafters are actually able to get out of their boats and slide down the stream. After this, it was time to stop for lunch. Students and chaperones were able to select chicken, beef, or fish. The meal was prepared by the New England Outdoor Center, and came with rice and coleslaw. Once lunch was finished, everyone hopped back on their boats for some more fun on the rapids. These ones were a little less intense, and there was actually time for some leisurely swimming in between rapids.
As the rafting part of the trip concluded, the seniors helped store away the boats and headed back to the bus. Once the senior class got back to their cabins, there was plenty of time left to play a few games of volleyball and sit by the fire. After dinner, all the seniors got to see pictures and a video of their rafting trip. Just like that, the trip was over. The senior class stopped at a restaurant in Millinocket, ME for breakfast early Saturday morning. They were able to snap a few class photos before they started the long journey home. The buses arrived back at Sacred Heart around four a.m. on Saturday. The trip was again a big success and many memories were made for the seniors.
Senior class photo.
Photo courtesy of Jon Olson
News
2 October 6 2015
HEART BEAT
Historic surge of refugees flocking to EU BY KEVIN FLAHERTY Contributing Writer Since 2011, war has displaced 10.6 million Syrians from their homes. With increasing violence and oppression in the Middle East, a new surge of refugees from mostly Syria and Iraq have been flooding into European countries, seeking asylum. It’s not hard to understand why they want to leave their homes. Syrians and Iraqis are both caught in the middle of a warzone. 350,000 Syrians alone are currently seeking asylum in Europe. 4.1 million Syrians are registered refugees. “Wars, conflict and persecution have forced more people than at any other time since records began to flee their homes and seek refuge and safety elsewhere,” said the United Nations in June. The Syrian Civil War is mostly to blame for the refugee crisis. It started in 2011 with civil unrest and protests toward the Syrian government. Protesters demonstrated in the hundreds of thousands and called for the resignation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. After the Syrian government attempted to shut down these demonstrations by killing the protesters, heavy fighting broke out, and an all out civil war began. Along with the arrival of ISIS in Syria last year, Syrian civilians are fleeing for their lives more than ever before. Syrian civilians have been the subject of senseless violence from their own government and ISIS. In 2013, sarin gas was used on innocent Syrian people. It was estimated around 1,700 people were killed in this attack alone. It is unclear who exactly initiated the attack, but
US intelligence believes it was Bashar al-Assad’s forces. The Syrian Civil War has claimed the lives of more than 220,000 people, and that number has been rising everyday since 2011. Many Syrians caught in the middle of this war are deprived of basic neccessities like shelter, food and water.
“The fundamental right to asylum for the politically persecuted knows no upper limit; that also goes for refugees that come to us from the hell of civil war.”
- Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany
Refugee camp in Jordan, home to over 130,000 Photo courtesy of www.mirror.co.uk
Most migrants venture across the Mediterranean in rickety boats, in hopes of making it to a safe European country. Some don’t make it, and it is estimated that around 2,500 have died from attempting to cross this year. They hope to make it to welcoming countries, Germany and Sweden being the most popular for refugees so far. Germany alone expects 800,000 refugees by the end of this year. Map of final destinations for the Syrian refugees Photo courtesy of www.ndependent.co.uk
Chinese Stock Market Plummeting? BY MIKE KHALIL Contributing Writer China’s stock market has been in turmoil recently and the amount of speculation regarding its stability and security has been rising. Despite these concerns, the stock market in China, as it turns out, does not represent the Chinese economy as whole. In fact, factories actually account for a much larger portion of the economy. The government represents an enormous portion of the economy in China. The Chinese government has had an excellent track record over the past thirty years in terms of growth; however, the recent crash has caused a lot of panic for Chinese officials resulting in the mass spending of the federal reserves to keep stocks up and ordering major stockholders to not sell shares in an attempt to reduce losses. Over the past year the Chinese government has spent approximately $500 billion from the Federal Reserve in an attempt to maintain the value of the Renminbi, the Chinese currency. These reactions from the Chinese government are the greater concern and not the stock market. This is because the stock market in China is still in the process of being privatized and many of the companies are still partly owned by the government. Meaning the stock market isn’t really a free market place. The crash does raise concerns however regarding the ability of the Chinese government to control so much of the economy. The Chinese government has said that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has increased 7%, which hardly anyone believes. Even the Premier of the State Council, Li Keqiang has doubts about the value of this number because the local government officials are rated based on increases in the GDP from their respective provinces. This results in these officials lying about the growth in each province which then leads to an overestimate in the actual GDP growth of China. Because these officials are trying to fool the Chinese government into thinking they are more successful, the Chinese government doesn’t even know the actually correct numbers. This means that the stock market which should be experiencing growth based on the nations GDP doesn’t have much to show for it because that growth isn’t actually there. All in all don’t be concerned about the Chinese stock market but be wary of the Chinese government.
Chinese economist investigating the stock exchange.
Shanghai Stock Exchange handles falling stocks.
Photo courtesy of www.independent.co.uk
Photo courtesy of www.vox.com
News
3 October 6, 2015
HEART BEAT
Homecoming Fun at Sacred Heart BY JORDAN GAILES Contributing Writer Homecoming was a huge success this year with festivities including a fun filled pep rally, intense sporting games, and a “Midnight in Paris” themed dance. Kicking off the weekend events was the pep rally held in the SAC. Each team was introduced by their coach or captains. One team gave the student body a surprise with their fresh dance moves. Each of the members of the football team were requested to show off a dance move, or have hill sprints be the consequence. Senior Captain Nicholas Weir recalls the moment as “a great team bonding experience to see who can and can’t dance.” Kicking off homecoming was the boys’ and girls’ Varsity Cross Country teams. The course recently underwent changes from being a 2.9 miles course to a 3.2 miles course. This didn’t keep the Saints from achieving victory. The boys’ team won the meet by slaughter rule taking first through fifth place. Senior Captain Chris Gren placed in first followed by Junior Yanni Pappas in second, Senior Matthew Johnson in third, Sophomore Ian Coletti in forth, and Junior Loren Simpson in fifth. Gren also broke the course record by finishing in 19.30 minutes. He looked like “grease lightning” out there. The girls’ Cross Country team was not as lucky to take home the win, but they never stopped running. Juniors Erin Carberry, Melinda White, Jacklyn Rouse, and Elizabeth Hokanson placed in second, fourth, fifth, and seventh. Since homecoming, the girls have added Junior Joy Moriarty to their team. They have a bright season ahead of them. At 10:30 a.m., the Lady Saints Varsity Soccer Team took on Sturgis East Charter School. The Lady Saints swept away the competition with a victory of 6-1. Junior Captain Bridget LeBlanc scored four of the six goals and Freshman Emily Finn scored two. The Saints fought hard and are currently first place in their league. The boys’ Varsity Soccer Team played Sturgis East Charter School, as well. They tied their game 1-1 after a long, hard, difficult battle.
Boys Varsity Football hitting the “whip” at the Homecoming Pep Rally.
Photo Courtesy of Mr. Ellis
“Though we may not have had the outcome we expected, we did fight hard until the final whistle which made it an amazing game to be part of,” said Junior Captain, Kyle Coleman. The Lady Saints Varsity Volleyball team took on Sturgis East Charter School at 11:30 a.m. The team lost all three games, but never gave up. They persevered and did not go down without a fight. Senior Captain, Lauren Melchionda blocked many of Sturgis’s spikes, while Senior Captain Hayley Ferraro had amazing sets. Senior Captain Alexa Bitterman is proud of the way her team played. “Even though we lost, our communication skills and attitudes have increased with each game we’ve played. I’m really proud of everyone and can’t wait to see how the rest of the season plays out,” said Bitterman. The Varsity Football team closed the homecoming games with a tough loss against West Bridgewater High School.
The Saints came out strong and stopped West Bridgewater on their first drive. After that, West Bridgewater took the lead with 13 points by the first half down. The final score of the game was West Bridgewater: 27, Sacred Heart: 0. Sophomore Maguire Duggan had a nice 30 yard completion to Junior Stephen Ferhm. Senior Captain Thomas D’Amelio recognized the “lack of experience” by the Saints causing West Bridgewater to beat them. Unfortunately, Senior William Gregson broke his tibia in the second half and will be out for the whole season. The weekend festivities were finished off with the annual Homecoming dance for high school students. It was a great time with good music. Student Council did a wonderful job decorating the gym, finding the perfect DJ, and selling snacks and water. It was a great way for all the students to come together and end the weekend with a bang!
Students Adapting to Schedule Changes BY KATIE O’NEIL Contributing Writer The start of the 2015-2016 school year at Sacred Heart has brought us new students, new teachers, and a brand new schedule. The new schedule allows more time for teachers to teach and students to learn. Two years ago, the Intermediate School and High School schedules allowed 43 minute blocks on a 7 day rotation, as well as a tutorial period every day. Last year, students were introduced to a 14 day rotation, in which 6 of the 7 blocks were 43 minutes, and one was 60 minutes. The purpose of the 60 minute block was for teachers to have more time to teach their daily lessons. It also gave science teachers a long block to conduct their labs.
This year, students had a few more schedule changes to adapt to. In order to allow more time for teachers and students in the classroom the day consists of 6 out of 7 blocks. Five blocks meet for 55 minutes each, and the remaining block right before lunch is 68 minutes on odd days, 43 minutes on even days
““It is difficult to get used to, but I don’t mind having the extrea teaching block. I think time will tell.” - Spanish teacher Señora Murphy
.
On those same even days we have tutorial for 20 minutes. We drop one block every day. For example, on a day 1, A block, B block and C block would be 55 minutes, D block would be 68 minutes, E and F block would also be 55 minutes, and students drop G block. The schedule continues to rotate over 14 days, allowing each class to meet 12 of the 14 days, and each elective to meet 6 of the 14 days. Senior Alexa Bitterman shared her opinion on the change: “I like how my science blocks are longer because now I have more time to learn about subjects that are really important to me and my future”. It may take a while to become accustomed to this new schedule. Students taking time out of their day to eat lunch. Photo Courtesy of SHHS Flicker
The New Schedule Period 1 7:53 - 8:51 Period 2 8:54 - 9:49 Break 9:52 - 9:59 Period 3 10:02 - 10:57 Period 4 11:00 - 11:43 Tutorial 11:46 - 12:07 Lunch 12:10 - 12:39 Period 5 12:42 - 1:37 Period 6 1:40 - 2:35
Features
4
HEART BEAT
A summer of adventurerers
October 6, 2015
Sacred Heart Students travel the world this sumer vacation. BY JORDAN GAILES Staff Writer Over this past summer break, students embarked on journeys around the globe. Some students went for a fun, family, vacation break, while others ventured out to find their path in life. One hopeful student, Alexa Bitterman, traveled as far down as North Carolina to continue her search for a school to call home. The trip took place from July 6 to July 10. This meant more than 30 hours were spent in her car with her mom, dad, and brother, Connor.
Photo courtesy of Alexa Bitterman
The first stop on this college road trip was Elon University, quickly followed by Wake Forest University on July 6. “We were on a mission”, says Bitterman. An extra day was spent in North Carolina to tour the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University. Then, the family began driving back North to visit the University of Virginia and the College of William and Mary on July 8. On July 9, Bitterman visited Georgetown University and George Washington University in Washington D.C. The last stop of the road trip was in Maryland with a tour at Johns Hopkins University on July 10th. Out of these top, prestigious schools, her favorites were Elon University, the College of William and Mary, and George Washington University because “they had the best campuses, academics, and felt like home” Overall, it was a wonderful trip that allowed Bitterman to put into perspective where she would like to be attending in the fall of 2016. One thing different that she had noticed being down in the South was that the people were very friendly and courteous towards her. “Southern hospitality really exists. They do not make it up”. Those students who travelled on family vacations went as far East as Europe. One student, Shannon Padgett, spent most of her summer traveling around Italy. Padgett was fortunate enough to visit the beautiful cities of Parma, Rome, Pisa, Verona, Venice, and Sardinia, an island located in the Mediterranean Sea. Starting July 20, Padgett flew to Milan, Italy from New York City. From here, she went to the city of Parma to visit her former exchange student and former SHHS student, Tilde Rossi. The Rossi family treated Padgett to a one week excursion to the island of Sardinia where they were able to take a boat ride along the coast of the island and lay on the beautiful, white pebble beaches and swim in the crystal clear water. She also had the opportunity to eat decadent
Senior Alexa Bitterman at Elon University.
goat and eel. “The goat was so good. It tasted like beef stew. The eel was alive when they roasted it over a fire. It was so salty when you ate it” After this vacation within a vacation, Padgett reunited with her mother in Rome for the rest of the trip. While in Rome, they treated themselves to Bucatini Cacio e Pepe, a famous dish of Rome similar to Fettuccine Alfredo. Padgett described the dish as “simply divine.” From Rome, they took a train to Verona to stay with another former exchange student and former SHHS student, Giacomo Quagini. In Verona, Padgett and her mother took a ride on a boat taxi, bought Venetian glass, visited Quagini’s grandfather’s vineyard for lunch, and spectated the opera “Tosca” in the ancient arena. On August 11, the mother and daughter duo flew back to the United States to return to their family. The most fascinating experience Padgett will take away from this trip is eating pizza with sardines and capers in front of the leaning tower of Pisa. “It was a once in a lifetime experience.”
Photo courtesy of Shannon Padgett
A restaurant in Rome, Italy.
Where have they been? Where did our Sacred Heart teachers come from? BY CAITLIN SULLIVAN Staff Writer
Have you ever daydreamed in class, and gotten so far off topic that you started to think, what does it take to become a teacher at Sacred Heart? What does a person have to do to one day graduate from college, and become a teacher at a private Catholic school? Well finally, we have answers. Through a little Q&A with 5 teachers from the Sacred Heart faculty, students at Sacred Heart finally have the answers. The teachers interviewed were: Mr. Olson, teacher of Algebra 2 Honors and C.P., Precalculus C.P., and Calculus Honors, Mrs. Murphy, teacher of Spanish 3, Spanish 4 Honors, and AP Spanish, Ms. Zigouras, teacher of AP Language and Composition, and Introduction to Literature Honors and C.P., Mr. Morehouse, teacher of Physical Science, and Chemistry Honors and C.P., and Miss Bradford, teacher of U.S History 1 and 2, and World Cultures 2. Interview Q.
What
conducted did
you
by do
Caitlin
before
Sacred
Sullivan Heart?
A . Mr. Olson: I was a permanent substitute at DennisYarmouth on the Cape, and then became a math teacher for three years in Hillsborough, New Hampshire. Mrs. Murphy: I worked in a public high school teaching Spanish. Miss Zigouras: After I graduated, I went to stay at home with my parents, and I had no idea what I would do. I called Wareham Middle School, and started to substitute there as a Spanish teacher. I then taught Technology. Both these subjects I knew nothing about. I worked at Wareham Public School for a year and a half as a substitute, and a year in a special needs class room. Mr. Morehouse: Before I came to Sacred Heart, I was a graduate student at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, and then afterwards, I taught mostly Organic Chemistry there. As an undergraduate, I taught at Northeastern for a half a year before grad school. Miss Bradford: Prior to Sacred Heart I was in college. I graduated from Stonehill College, and prior to that I went to Sacred Heart and graduated from here.
Q. How long have you been teaching at Sacred Heart? A . Mr. Olson: I started teaching at Sacred Heart in 1997. I taught Mr. Cunningham Algebra 2. I also taught Geometry and Algebra 1. Mrs. Murphy: I’ve been at Sacred Heart since 2008, so this would be my 8th year teaching here. Miss Zigouras: I have been at Sacred Heart for 8 years. Mr. Morehouse: I have been teaching at Sacred Heart for a year. Miss Bradford: It is my first year here. Q. What makes Sacred Heart different from Universities or public schools that you have previously taught at? Is it easier or harder to teach in a small, Catholic school like Sacred Heart?
A . Mr.Olson: It is easier teaching here. In public school, it is very congested, but at Sacred Heart there is less red tape to navigate through, and the kids and parents are generally easier to work with. Miss Zigouras: What makes Sacred Heart different from public school is the environment. Here at Sacred Heart, the faculty and students are more of a close knit family. Another difference that I’ve noticed between Sacred Heart and the last school I taught at is that there is much more parental involvement. There is also a greater freedom to be more creative. In public school, every teacher is teaching to prepare for a test, such as MCAS, but here at Sacred Heart, unless a student takes an AP class, there is much more freedom and opportunity to be creative. Mr. Morehouse: At a university you teach kids that only show up once week. The students were just faces in a crowd. Here at Sacred Heart, I meet students, I interact, and I can cultivate relationships with students that make teaching easier for me. It’s like getting to know a group of friends and being able give them my knowledge. It’s easier to be in an environment where I can build relationships with kids. What makes the difference teaching at the high school level in a Catholic school is that you can see, in real time, how a student is progressing. Miss Bradford: I did many observation hours in public schools while I was in college, and Sacred Heart has more of a community feel. The teacher and student relationships are much stronger than what I have experienced at public schools. I really like teaching at Sacred Heart. I think what makes the difference in the environment is that every student’s voice can be heard. Every student has a chance to speak up and share their opinion, and I don’t think you can find that in a public school setting.
Profiles
5 October 6, 2015
HEART BEAT
Meet the Newspaper Staff
The Heart Beat staff of 2015- 2016 PAGE DESIGNED BY:CARSON MURPHY Profiles Editor
Editor-in-Chief Taylor Kaufman ‘16 Taylor Kaufman,17, is one of the new members of the 2015-2016 The Heart Beat staff and also is the Editor-inChief of the paper. Kaufman is very involved with sacred heart, she runs the management of the sacred heart theatre group, in doing so scheduling rehearsals,getting scenery and doing costuming. She also works at Kingston mall's new Sky Zone as a cashier and she is a manager at a tanning place. Kaufman hopes to attend Wheaton or UMass Boston or Wesley to be a biology major. She joined the Heart Beat staff because she always found journalism to be interesting. She also loves cats she has two of her own and loves cats on clothing such as her kitty cat socks.
Managing Editor Carson Murphy ‘16
Photography Editor Olivia Colombo ‘18
Carson Murphy resides in Hanover, MA. She is the managing editor for this year's Heart Beat. She is looking forward to finishing up her last year of high and hopes to get accepted to Hartford University, East Carolina University and Dean College. She plans on majoring in ballet pedagogy and physical therapy specialized for dancers. Murphy's favorite hobbies include ballet and listening to music. Murphy joined the paper because she has wanted to be an editor for the heart beat since freshman year.
Sophomore Olivia Colombo is interested in art, science, and theater. Colombo has been taking art lessons since she was in kindergarten and enjoys drawing and painting. She has also explored many areas of science, such of physics, computer science, and environmental science. Recently, Colombo traveled to Washington D.C. to compete in a national computer science fair placing third in the nation. In the future, Colombo plans on combining her interests of art and science in her career
Opinion Editor Bridget LeBlanc ‘17
Political Editor Jacob Tibbetts ‘17
Front Page Editor Opinion Editor Caroline Sheen ‘16 Caroline Sheen, 16’, is one of the many new members of The Heart Beat staff. Sheen has spent the majority of her life living in Wareham, but has recently moved to Plympton. During the school year, she plays Varsity Soccer, Varsity Basketball, and Varsity Tennis for the Saints. Sheen also runs the Amnesty International Club, works as an officer for Students Against Destructive Decision, for a second year, edits the annual Corric as Chief Editor, and uses her gifts and talents to be a Peer Minister. She enjoys volunteering her time to Eucharistic Minister to the ill at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Plymouth and attending her youth group in Hanover. In July of 2016, Sheen will be traveling to Poland for World Youth Day. This is a day where young teens from across the globe gather to celebrate a Mass with the Pope. The theme of World Youth Day will be “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” Sheen has high hopes for attending Holy Cross and majoring in pre-medicine during the fall of 2016, and envisions herself in medical school ten years from now. Sheen decided to join The Heart Beat staff because of her passions for writing and for this school. She hopes to remain as involved in the school as an alumni as she does now. By the end of her senior year here, she hopes “to learn how to juggle.”
Bridget Leblanc is a star-athlete, great student, and friends with everyone. As captain of the girls Varsity Soccer team, Bridget has stellar leadership qualities, is very responsible, and is an over great role model to her whole team. Besides soccer, Bridget also participates in girls Varsity Basketball, and Track and Field. In school, she throws herself into every single course she takes, and gives nothing less than 100% on every homework assignment, test, and quiz. Besides her sports extra curricular activities, Bridget is a member of the S.A.D.D club, Peer Ministry, and student council. Lastly, Bridget is a writer and opinion editor of Sacred Heart’s well know Sacred Heart Heart Beat newspaper.
Jake Tibbetts is a junior at Sacred Heart High School. Along with working as an editor and political contributor for the Heart Beat, Jake is a theater actor, congressional debater, musician, and political organizer. When he’s not being a nerd at the school or in the community, Jake can usually be found on a hammock with a cup of fair-trade coffee, reading something by Marcel Proust or James Joyce, or listening to Bob Dylan or Neil Young while flipping through the latest edition of the Economist. He wishes to attend either Yale or Princeton and later wants to go into public policy or government. Jake’s passion in politics stems from an altruistic belief system that he has always subscribed to. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.”- Aristotle
Features Editor Jordan Gailes ‘16
Sports Editor Kevin Flaherty ‘16 Kevin Flaherty from Plympton is new to the newspaper staff this year. Flaherty joined the club as a recommendation from American Literature teacher, Mrs. Dick saying he was good at writing and should share his skills. With no journalistic experience, this was a new challenge for him. He joked "I don't know if the fourth grade counts" as having a journalistic experience. As far as his future goes he is undecided as of right now. He does know that he wants to go to college in Boston. He has a few ideas about what he wants to do. As for his senior year goal: to have fun.
Jordan Gailes, from class of 2016, has become one of the many new members of the Heartbeat Newspaper Staff. Jordan has decided to get involved with the newspaper, after she had heard from several of the previous staff members that being a part of the Heartbeat is a great experience. Gailes has grown up in Plymouth as well as grown up within the Sacred Heart School system. As a senior Jordan is currently involved in the Sacred Heart community by being a three-sport varsity athlete and an active SADD member. Jordan is also an extreme Beyoncé fan. She calls herself a "fanatic" and has no shame in telling people that she is obsessed. Jordan's goal for senior year is to, "Have a good, fun, stress free senior year." Also she hopes to attend UNC at Chapel Hill and study International Business next fall. With a degree in International Business, Gailes hopes that in ten years she will have a job that will allow her to see and travel the world. Random fact: Jordan is one of many nicknames: Jordie, Jordôn, Jordunn, Jor, J, JJ, JJ the Jetplane, and Juicy J. Feel free to call her any or all of the above
6
Sacred Heart G
Meet Sacred He
BY TAYLOR Editor-
Mr. Concannon Religion
Experienced ferry boat captain for Boston Harbor Cruises, Mr. Concannon knows what he wants to do. He attended Lasell College in Auburndale, MA then later Providence College in Providence, RI. There he took religion courses where his teachers had a deep impact on his life. He said “They fundamentally changed me to how I viewed life in the world.” He had originally began school under a liberal arts degree, then changed to applied physics. After the experience he had with his teachers, Concannon felt his calling to share his passion and faith. He is coming to Sacred Heart with a background of 6 years teaching at a catholic middle school.
Miss. Gillespie Religion
Former fifth grade teacher, Miss Gillespie, grew up as one of six children. Growing up she always had a passion for her Catholic faith. At her First Holy Communion party she even begged her dad to leave and go to Mass that evening. Growing up Gillespie did mission trips and participated in two of the last three World Youth Days. Despite her passion she choose not to major in theology, instead attending Florida Institution of Technology in Melbourne, FL. There she majored in Meteorology . Despite beautiful views and unimaginable opportunity, she was unhappy. Before leaving for her freshman year, she visited Rome. There she had a revelation to go to Franciscan University in Steubenville, OH. Never once did she visit the campus, but nevertheless did she start the process of enrolling in the one major she new they had; theology. She left a supposed paradise for a school in the middle of nowhere to do what she loves. Gillespie later recieved her masters in Ministry and her undergrad in Theology. Photo courtesy of Patricia Gillespie
Mr. Sagona Religion
With a history of Catholic education, Mr. Sagona found teaching religion as a piece of cake. Attending a Catholic elementary school and going to a high school seminary, when he was offered a position as a religion teacher at St. Francis Xavier in Hyannis, MA he jumped at it. He had a past job as an accountant on Wall Street for 20 years and left to be a stay at home dad while his wife worked as a doctor. Once his kids were in grade school he went back to school at Boston College in Boston, MA, taking courses to get his masters in education. He accepted the job at St. Francis then later switched as a substitute when Sacred Heart lost Dr. Gallo a few years back. His daughter, Abigail Sagona, just graduated last year. He jumped at the opportunity to continue teaching his passion.
Mr. Gillis Math
Retiring from Bridgewater/Raynham Regional High School in 2009, Mr. Gillis never left the classroom. After teaching math for 41 years, he had always loved math as a kid. Being inspired by his dad, Mr. Gillis followed his passion. He has previously been a substitute at Norwood, Carver, Massasoit Community College and Bridgewater State University. He has always stayed close to the South Shore, spending his extra time playing golf. You can find Mr. Gillis in room 93 or 97 as our roaming math teacher.
Ms. Nolan Music
A piano concentrate in college, Mrs. Nolan has 23 years of music experienced. Always being in the Church choir she learned about music from a young age with her dad being a minister. She previously taught at Carver Middle High School in Carver, MA as a chorus director and music teacher for grades sixth through eighth. She can play several instruments and will demonstrate her talents in this year’s musical performance of Beauty and the Beast.
7
Gets A New Beat
Heart’s New Staff
LOR KAUFMAN tor-in-Chief
Mrs. Raine
Social Studies
Coming from a pre-existing history background, Mrs. Raine grew up hearing stories from her grandfather; a Korean War Vet. Since fifth grade she knew that she wanted to be a teacher. She pursued her career from there. Mrs. Raine grew up in Connecticut and ended up transferring from Assumption College in Worcester, MA to Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. There she played division two soccer. This June she relocated back to Massachusetts.
Mr. Shacochis
Photo courtesy of Miranda Raine
Social Studies
Involved history enthusiast, Mr. Shacochis was influenced by his own high school History teacher whose passion and enthusiasm rubbed off on him. He majored in History and minored in education at Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, MA. He taught in Scituate from 1969-2006. For the first 19 years he shared his love for history with middle school students. When he switched to the high school he became the department chair. He has been a past president of the Mass Council of Social Studies that has him to this day involved with statewide and nationwide conferences on social studies. This November Shacochis is flying out to New Orleans for his next conference.
Ms. Bradford Social Studies
Sacred Heart graduate, Ms. Bradford, returns to Sacred Heart. This time not as a student, but as a teacher. After graduating from Sacred Heart in 2011, Ms. Bradford attended Stonehill College in Easton, MA. She wanted to start college teaching elementry students but after an observation in a high school history class, she found her calling. Having a construct in U.S. History already, this was a simple switch. Ms. Bradford returned back to her home at Sacred Heart this September.
Ms. Parry
Interational Student Program Coordinator
After majoring in sociology and history at San Francisco State University in San Francisco, CA, Ms. Parry puts her studies to good use. Previously being employed to Sacred Heart from EduBoston as a representative to help foreign exchange students transition into new schools, she became full time here. Her past career was as a Special Investigator at the US Investigation Services, LLC.
Ms. Briggs English
Newspaper head, Ms. Briggs, comes from a history of journalism. She attended Stonehill College in Easton, Ma after being an achieved lifer at Sacred Heart. Briggs graduated from Sacred Heart in 2004. She has always worked on online newspapers and other forms of journals. Over the summer she works at PCC, a camp for those interesting in keeping their brains sharp over the summer. There she taught newspaper and publishing where they put out a newspaper and a yearbook for the camp. This passing spring she received her teaching license from Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, MA.
Staff Photo by Olivia Colombo
Arts
8 October 6, 2015
HEART BEAT
Sacred Heart’s Beauty and the Beast Come ‘Be Our Guest’ to Sacred Heart’s most magical musical yet! BY KYLIE BUHOL Staff Writer It’s time to play the music, it’s time to light the lights... on Sacred Heart’s newest musical production! The tale as old as time, Beauty and the Beast, will be gracing our stage this coming November. Production and rehearsal is already under way, and you can feel the magic in the air all over the stage. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is the classic musical of love, dreams, adventure, and true beauty. The story revolves around Belle, a small town girl living in the lonely world of little minded people in her French town. Through strange and unforeseen circumstances, Belle finds herself with more adventure than she could ever dream. She becomes captive in an enchanted castle filled with a bustling motherly tea pot, a suave and entertaining candlestick, and ruled over by a beastly prince. The cursed prince must learn to love another, and earn their love in return, for the spell to be broken. Filled with comedy, drama, and classic toe tapping numbers, this is the tale for anyone who has ever dreamed of having more than their provincial life. Front running the Sacred Heart production is senior Katie O’Neil and junior Kory Turner as the two titular characters. Both can be remembered as leading players in last years production of Shrek, as Fiona and Donkey respectively. Also leading the show is senior Kira Pyne as the mother we all wished we had, Mrs Potts, junior Ray Emme as the
guy we all wished we were as cool as, Lumiere, and junior Jake Tibbetts as the man we all love to hate, Gaston. The show is directed by Arthur Daniel Sapir, student directed by Pyne, and stage managed by senior Taylor Kaufman. Sacred Heart’s theatre program, named the Image Players, are no stranger to the fantastical world of musicals. Under current director Sapir, they have performed two other musicals in the past two years and even competed in a statewide drama festival. However, Beauty might be the troupe’s’ biggest undertaking yet. “I am never one to shy away from a challenge,” Sapir said at last year’s speech and theatre banquet, where he announced the decision to do the Disney classic. The announcement was met with excitement from all grade levels school wide. Students of all ages came out for auditions, including new to the drama program seventh grader Shannon Malone, who’s talent awarded her the coveted leading role of Cogsworth. “I was incredibly surprised,” Malone said. “Now that I’ve started, I’ve learned the cast is hilarious. I’m never bored.” The show is set to premiere on November 20th through the 22nd, here at the Sacred Heart High School auditorium. The day will be here faster than you can sing ‘Bonjour’. So come ‘Be Our Guest’ to Sacred Heart’s most magical musical yet! Tickets will be on sale for $7 for children, students, and faculty and $10 for adults. Showtimes will be 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Another show will be Sunday at 1 p.m.
Photo Courtesy of Music Theatre International
Logo of Beauty and the Beast production.
Shaking Off the Summer
A look back at summer’s exciting and most successful concerts BY EMMA CUBELLIS Staff Writer
Staff photo by Stephanie Rouse
Taylor Swiff rocks Gillette.
It is well known that the hot, heavy nights of summer make for the best concert atmosphere. This year’s line up attests perfectly to that, rounding up some of the biggest names in music at some of the biggest stadiums in the Boston area. The outdoor amphitheaters are the place to be during the nights of the summer. The most popular venues are the Xfinity Center, and the home of our Patriots, Gillette Stadium. The Xfinity Center in Mansfield can pack in almost 20,000 people per show. Gillette Stadium, however, triples that packing in a whopping 60,000 guests per event. The Xfinity Center held countless events this summer. Lana Del Rey kicked off the summer season on May 9 with her Endless Summer Tour. Following her, artists such as Van Halen, Chris Brown, and country singer Toby Keith played the venue. Junior Olivia DiBiase went to many of these concerts, and said, “The atmosphere at the Xfinity Center is great. Chris Brown put on one of the best shows.” The concert of the summer, however, was not held at the Xfinity Center. This year’s biggest concert was held at Gillette Stadium. The artist played to over 120,000 people in two nights. It was her fifth year of sold out shows at the stadium since her first concert there in
2010. She is the biggest pop star in the world. She tops Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list, and is one of the highest paid pop stars ever. She is Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift graced the 120,000 people who attended her concert with the biggest and most elaborate tour she had ever put on, the 1989 World Tour. Her rotating, and rising catwalk stretched directly into the middle of the stadium, assuring that everyone had a firsthand experience of her show. She interrupted her songs to give heartfelt speeches to her fans and even met with over 300 of them before and after the show. Stephanie Rouse, a junior, went to the second night of her show on July 25. When asked about her favorite part of the show she replied, “The light up bracelets. They were just so incredibly cool.” The bracelets would light up during different portions of the songs, in rhythm with the beat. They flashed different colors all over the stadium. It made everyone more involved in the concert. Taylor said she wanted to give everyone these bracelets so she could see us as individuals. “It looked like something out of a movie,” Rouse added. Not only did Miss Swift’s concert make an impact on her fans, but she also landed herself in the biggest Boston papers, which wrote that Swift’s concert was one not to miss. The energetic atmosphere of these events are what keep the fans flowing in and out of stadiums and theaters time after time. And just like summer, the concerts can only last for some time before all the excitement comes to a stop and we must return back to our much less exciting normal nights of autumn.
Staff photo by Stephanie Rouse
Taylor Swiff striking a pose.
“It looked like something out of a movie!” Staff photo by Stephanie Rouse
Taylor Swiff basking in the glory.
- Stephanie Rouse
Arts
9 October 6, 2015
HEART BEAT
Summer movie review: What you should rent this fall BY RACHEL KELLIHER Staff Writer Over the course of this summer, there has been a variety of films produced: wonderful and terrible. Do you want to know which you should watch? Do you want to know about those you should avoid? Do you want to find an awesome movie? If you answered “Yes!” to any of these questions, keep reading!
Avengers: Age of Ultron This is just an overall disappointing movie. If you’re a fan of the Avengers, it’s good to see the rest of the story, but it’s not great on its own. I must confess that there a hidden Spiderman in an action sequence, though. That made me happy.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. I remembered that it was a remake from an old tv show, and I got excited. Then I saw the trailers for this, with the amazing music, and I got really excited. I absolutely love a good spy adventure story (with a side of humor, which it absolutely had), and it looked promising, until they threw “love” and sexy stuff in that wasn’t needed. I understand why they added it, but it does nothing to enhance the plot or characters. I’ll just forgive it, the rest of the movie made up for it. It was an awesome movie, and a must-see, regardless though.
Several movies that you should rent this fall.
Inside Out This is a cute movie filled with genius. Whether you’re eight, eighteen, or in your late 30s, you will enjoy this movie and be able to appreciate it. (If you do see it, stay for the extras. They’re great.)
Movie covers courtesy of IMDB.com
many places, as many John Green products are. There is a theory encompassing the movies that suggests that they are in the same “universe” and time period, so there’s something to look for. Anyways, if you’re a fan of John Green and bittersweet teen flashbacks (and haven’t read the book yet), then this will be a good movie.
Everest Paper Towns The long awaited book-to-movie adaptation of John Green was, as every one of these transformations is, disappointing compared to the original, book form. Personally, I thought that it was slightly better than The Fault in Our Stars, but they are mostly equal, or similar, in many,
This certainly wasn›t the best movie, in my opinion. If you want to know what climbing Mount Everest is like, sure, but it›s just okay. It looks really great on IMAX, though.
Horoscopes: Find your sign and see what October will bring you! BY CARSON MURPHY Profiles Editor
Horoscopes predictions by Jonathan Cainer
Virgo :You must be hoping to hear good news about your month ahead or you would not have turned to this page. There are plenty of pessimists whose words you could read instead, if you wanted to hear a troubling tale. Why might you wish for that? For much the same reason that some astrologers seem to enjoy sounding gloomy. Libra : Why are you reading your forecast? Do you really believe that all is written in the stars? That notion makes many modern sceptics scoff. ‘Not only’ they say, ‘is there no proof of its truth but if you let an astrologer put ideas in your head, you surrender your free will to charlatans.’ I can see their point. Scorpio: October is not everyone’s favourite month. Though some are glad of the changing season, others find it hard to adjust. But few understand better than a Scorpio, just how vital it is to adapt to life’s new challenges as they arise. You are never overly eager to create change. But you are always able to see the sense in accepting the inevitable. You can see too, that this need not be a sacrifice. Sagittarius : How has life been since Saturn returned to your sign last month? Have you been coping with hassle and hardship, as some other astrologers have been suggesting you might? Or are you discovering that Saturn, this time, is not able to exert its usual icy grip upon you? Capricorn :’If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.’ So goes the old saying. But why would that ever apply to a Capricorn? Are you not invincible? Is it not true that there is hardly a force in this world that you can’t get the better of if you are willing to apply yourself to the task long and hard enough? Well, of course. But are you not also keenly conscious of how precious your time is? Aquarius :As I’m renowned for my optimism, I’m often expected to give only good news. But as you belong to
The 12 zodiac signs.
one of the world’s most discerning and discriminating zodiac signs, you would be suspicious of a reading that glossed over a challenge and annoyed if it left you illequipped to rise to it Pisces : If life did not bring irritation and aggravation, it wouldn’t be real. And if it didn’t bring inspiration and elevation, it wouldn’t be fair. Whilst some might say that existence itself seems so unfair as to be unreal, we delude ourselves if we permanently succumb to this view. There will, of course, be moments in October when you start to wonder what you have done to offend the gods. Aries: To see what October holds, I’m using my crystal ball. It is cloudy. I see confusion and uncertainty. And that’s interesting. I can see someone else looking into their crystal ball, also trying to see what’s likely to be going on in your world. But I don’t think that’s another astrologer or a psychic. Taurus:Are Taureans famous for playing it safe? Or notorious? While many applaud your caution, some are aghast at your reticence. Can’t you just, once in a while, take a leap into the great unknown and give the angel of spontaneity a chance to spread her wings of hope? She can bear you aloft on the invisible currents of serendip-
Photo courtesy of Google Images
ity until she eventually causes you to land firmly on your feet, just where you need to be. Gemini : Why did you do what you did? What was the point of that? As you can’t turn back time, must you now live with the regrettable consequences of those actions? Well, yes, but in October you can expect to discover that they are not as regrettable as you thought or feared. You have been steeling yourself to pay a high price for your past. Prepare to discover that really, you got a bargain. Cancer: They say that ‘home is where the heart is’. They might, perhaps, be wiser to say that ‘home is where your heart is’. Cancerians have a wonderful way of putting others at their ease. You are sensitive and supportive. Many have come to depend on your listening ear and reassuring voice. When things aren’t fine on their home front, they come and take refuge in yours. Leo: Some people make plans. Others wait for inspiration. You’ve been wondering, for some while, what you might need to do when it got to this time of year. You’ve explored options and considered alternatives yet none have inspired a desire for commitment. Surely, now, some decision must be reached.
Opinion
10 October 6, 2015
HEART BEAT
The Voyage Into the Unknown “.....it was the most influential week of my life.” BY YANNI PAPPAS Contributing Writer It was my first time flying alone on a plane. I was nervous because I did not know what to expect, what was going to happen, and if I would enjoy my week there. I dreaded August 10 because that would be the day I would venture into the unknown. I am Yanni Pappas and along with being a member of Sacred Heart’s Roots and Shoots club, I am also part of the Roots and Shoots National Youth Leadership Council. This council is a group of more than 30 high school and college students from across the country. We have biweekly webinars and work together, share ideas, and are given the opportunity to listen to various people who are actively making a change today. The council has a summit every year, and this year it was in Orlando, Florida hosted by Disney World. At the summit we finally got to meet each other, and Roots and Shoots coordinators gave presentations dealing with important skills such as fundraising and public speaking. We also heard from a multitude of amazing speakers including Dr. Beth Stevens and John Silver, both Jane Goodall Institute board members; Mark Shepard, author of Restoration Agriculture and farmer committed to permaculture; and Brad Ward from Echo Inc.. Every day we experienced a myriad of intriguing workshops. One of the main themes of the workshops was permaculture. Permaculture is permanent agriculture. Modern agriculture normally depletes the soil of nutrients and takes the place of an area of land that used to act as a habitat to animals and plants. The goal of permaculture is to create a system that can thrive on sheer and utter neglect. This system of agriculture focuses on creating a diverse habitat of various edible plants. This biodiversity enables all the sunlight to be effectively utilized, and it provides a home for many creatures. These animals fertilize the plants creating a cycle. It was incredible to listen to how the different speakers implement this methodology into their work. Mark Shepard works in Africa with villages to establish this sustainable agriculture and also works with water management.
Staff photo by Yanni Pappas
Yanni Pappas practicing water management.
Learning about permaculture opened my eyes to the possibilities in the world and how we can shrink our ecological footprint. Mark Shepard told us a story where the endangered whooping cranes stayed the night on his permaculture farm. This illustrates how permaculture creates a habitat for animals unlike the traditional system. Along with learning about permaculture, we volunteered at Clean the World which recycles used soap and shampoo from hotels and repackages them. Then they distribute these to impoverished nations to help fight the spread of diseases. Although I was terrified at first of going to the summit for a week, it was the most influential week of my life. I made inspirational friends who I look forward to collaborating with. There is something magical about being in a group with people that are passionate about the same thing you are: to truly make the world a better place.
“There is something magical about being in a group with people that are passionate about the same thing you are: to truly make the world a better place.” - Yanni Pappas
THE HEART BEAT Editor-in-Chief: Taylor Kaufman Managing Editor Carson Murphy Front Page Editor: Caroline Sheen News Editor: Kevin Flaherty Emma Cubellis Features Editor: Jordan Gailes Profiles Editor: Carson Murphy Double Truck Editor: Taylor Kaufman A&E Editors: Rachel Kelliher Opinion Editor: Bridget LeBlanc Yanni Pappas Politics Editor Jake Tibbetts Sports Editor: Caroline Sheen Photograph Editor: Cameron Keough Photographers: Olivia Colombo Stephanie Rouse Contributing Writers: Michael Khalil Katie O’Neil Yanni Pappas Evan Viola
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 Ms. Briggs or via email at lbriggs@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 awardwinning 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.
Press Affiliations Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) New England Scholastic Press Association (NESPA) American Scholastic Press Association (ASPA) Suffolk University (SU) Staff photo by Yanni Pappas
Council members visited Animal Kingdom to learn how Disney has made their parks sustainable.
Politics
11 October 6, 2015
HEART BEAT
Second GOP Debate Fans Conservative Fire BY JAKE TIBBETTS Politics Editor On September 16th, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Center for Public Affairs in Simi Valley, CA, 11 Republican presidential contenders came head-to-head for an impassioned, lively, and often controversial debate. Three Senators, five Governors, a neurosurgeon, a CEO and a real estate mogul came out to debate topics such as foreign policy, national security, same-sex marriage, abortion rights, and fiscal policy. Donald Trump was placed front-and-center for the debate, and with good reason: he has become the symbol of the GOP’s determination to win this election. His comments throughout the night — many of which arguably bordered on xenophobia and misogyny — seemed to appeal heavily to the crowd, and his poll numbers can back this up: according to a poll by CNN, he is, as of September 11, placed at 32%, leading second-place candidate Ben Carson by thirteen points. Though many statisticians, such as Nate Silver, doubt Trump’s ability to secure the Republican nomination, he has garnered the support of a large faction of anti-establishment conservatives. The champion of the beginning part of the night, however, was Gov. John Kasich of Ohio. A man of about 65, Kasich is known for his centrist leanings exemplified during the first debate, where he defending both Medicaid expansion and gay marriage legalization. His Eisenhoweresque philosophy evokes the old “compassionate conservative” trope, something little seen today. That said, his calling-out of the ad hominem style of the first part of the debate showed a level of maturity and experience not seen in many other candidates. Trump was silenced halfway through the night by Carly Fiorina, an equally impassioned (and equally inexperienced) candidate, while discussing a particular demo-
Photo courtesy of www.businessinsider.com
Frontrunners Ben Carson and Donald Trump command the stage.
graphic: women. The Donald tried to display how women love him and adore what he’s saying, but Fiorina shut him down. In response to an insult Trump delivered a week prior regarding Fiorina’s face, Fiorina exposed Trump’s misogyny, saying that she was pretty sure “women all over the country heard what Mr. Trump said. This was a final nail in the coffin, coming right after Bush revealed Trump’s lies regarding an attempted casino deal in Florida. Speaking of Trump and Bush, a debate between the two of them arose on the topic of illegal immigration. Trump is known for his mass deportation plan, while Bush, married to a Mexican immigrant, has been more sympathetic. According to Bush, “To build a wall and deport people — half a million a month — would cost
hundreds of billions of dollars, Donald — hundreds of billions of dollars — and destroy community life, tear apart families, and it would send a message to the world that the U.S. values that are so important to our long-term success no longer matter in this country.” Perhaps the underdog of the night was Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL). His soft-spoken, down-to-earth manner was balanced with passion and conviction, painting a portrait of a young man with ambition, energy, and skill. He was more than capable of overshadowing fellow Floridian Jeb Bush, taking a more credible position on issues like immigration, poverty, and birthright citizenship. Bush stumbled throughout the night, frequently caught off guard by questions and criticisms, and his views on issues like immigration and education have halted him from getting more Republican support. Besides immigration, two more notable conversations arose during the night: one on drug policy and one on vaccinations. Rand Paul did what few Republicans have ever done and stated that he believes that the War on Drugs has a strong racial component. Fiorina, whose own son died of drug-related causes, agreed, and stated that it was problematic that two-thirds of federal prisoners are in there for nonviolent crimes. The conversation on vaccinations however, was pure farce. Trump began to ramble incoherently about vaccinations and correlation to autism. Carson, a medical professional, stopped Trump, but then began to ramble even more incoherently than his predecessor. It was an interesting night, filled with winners (Rubio, Bush, and Fiorina), (Walker, who didn’t say much and later dropped out of the race, and Trump), and sideshows (Huckabee and Cruz). As poll numbers continue to fluctuate heavily, conservatives are equal parts excited and ambivalent to see where the next few months will take the GOP. That said, as showcased by the debate, each candidate has his strengths and weaknesses that will only be honed or exposed more and more over the next year or so.
Boehner Resigns, GOP Left Fractured BY JAKE TIBBETTS Politics Editor
On September 25th, Speaker John A. Boehner, torn apart by the negative reception for the very conservatives who brought him into power, announced that he would resign from Congress by the end of October. Boehner, 65, made this announcement at a quite interesting time. Notably, this announcement came one day after Pope Francis addressed both houses of Congress. Boehner, a devout Catholic, is known for his traditionally conservative positions on issues like immigration, war, welfare, and environment; Pope Francis, the head of the Church, has espoused views on said issues that are more often attributed with more liberal ideologies. Boehner has stated that his decision to resign came about quite spontaneously. “So before I went to sleep last night, I told my wife, I said, ‘You know, I might just make an announcement tomorrow,’ ” Mr. Boehner said at a news conference on September 25th. “This morning I woke up, said my prayers, as I always do, and thought, ‘This is the day I am going to do this.’ ” Boehner’s decision to resign highlights an issue of polarization that is communally arising within the Republican Party between moderate conservatives like John Boehner and “Tea Party” rightists such as Senator Ted Cruz (RTX), a 2016 presidential candidate and an outspoken critic of John Boehner’s attempts to reach compromises with Democratic leaders in Congress. For example, the defining movement currently occurring within Republican members of Congress is pushing to defund Planned Parenthood. Whereas most Congressional Republicans have vocalized support of completely defunding Planned Parenthood on the federal level, Boehner has shown support for the idea of simply lowering the amount of funding allotted by the federal government. Boehner’s position — still seen as too far right by the majority of House Democrats — has been lambasted by the far right for serving as an act of appeasement to the Democratic Party’s wishes. As another government shutdown based on the funding of Planned Parenthood looms on the horizon, Boehner’s resignation comes as yet another wave striking the GOP ship. The sharp division in the party between moderates and hard-liners has never been clearer. Cruz spoke out to
Photo courtesy of Win Mcnamee/Getty Images
John Boehner tearfully announces his resignation, signaling the beginning of a new conservative era.
a group of members of Family Research Council soon after Boehner’s announcement, semi-jokingly thanking them for helping force Boehner out. Boehner has spoken out against Cruz as well following the announcement, referring to the Senator as a “false prophet.” Though this battle pits John Boehner on the losing side, the war between the two factions of the Republican Party is just getting started. Boehner is the first speaker to resign since Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill (D-MA) stepped down in 1987. Boehner has served as Speaker of the House since 2011. “My first job as speaker is to protect the institution,” Mr. Boehner said. “It had become clear to me that this prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable harm to the institution.” And turmoil it is. This polarization has carried over, argu-
ably, to the presidential race as well. With fifteen candidates running for the Republican nomination, mudslinging within the GOP is something close to inevitable. However, the fractions within in the party have led to factions of candidates rising, with old establishment Republicans like Kasich and Bush waging war with antiestablishment Tea Party types like Trump, Carson, and Fiorina. Boehner’s resignation, as shocking as it may be, is not an isolated issue, but rather a sign of a bigger issue.
Sports HEART BEAT
12 October 6, 2015
TOM BRADY IS FREE
Tom Brady’s successful start this season punishments that had occurred for tampering with equipment. Instead the NFL based their punishment off of Brady’s willingness to participate in the investigation, such as refusing to turn over his cell phone. Thursday September 4, 2015 a U.S District Court Fans all over New England were excited to hear that Tom Judge overturned Tom Brady’s four-game suspension. Brady was free, even President Barack Obama mentioned U.S District Court Judge Richard Berman decided to him at a Boston Labor Day event. He said, “It›s always good overturn Tom Brady›s league-mandated four-game ban to be back in Boston, especially when the weather’s like for his supposed participation in “Deflategate”. Judge this. Pretty soon fall is going to be in the air. Students are Berman’s ruling ensured that the star quarterback, Tom coming back. The Pats kick off on Thursday. Brady is free.” Brady, would continue to start and play for the Patriots. The New England Patriots have had a positive reaction The ruling of the case did not involve whether or not to Brady’s overturned four game suspension. They are Brady was innocent. Brady›s four-game suspension was currently in first place in the American Football Conference revoked because NFL Commissioner, Roget Goodell, and East with a record of 3-0, proving to be a successful the NFL mishandled their investigation and overstepped team with a lot of potential. Tom Brady is also reacting their boundaries. There was no physical evidence that star- to the overturned suspension by leading the Patriots with quarterback Tom Brady had knowledge that the footballs his record breaking pass time. The past three weeks Pro were tampered with, but there was evidence that Goodell Football Focus has been tracking the average time it takes had manipulated Brady›s ability to defend himself. for Brady to get the ball out. Brady has recently broken the Within his decision Berman stated, “several significant record, averaging 2.09 seconds over the course of his 133 legal deficiencies, including: inadequate notice to Brady season passes. This has become the fastest time recorded of both his potential discipline and his alleged misconduct, since Pro Football Focus started tracking this data. The denial of the opportunity for Brady to examine one of two league as a whole has been trending toward quicker passes, lead investigators (NFL Executive Vice President and but it’s safe to say that Brady has been ahead of the pack and General Counsel Jeff Pash), and denial of equal access that he has taken thing to an all-new extreme this season. to investigative files, including witness interview notes.” Quarterback Tom Brady has also become Roger Goodell had also made the case unfair when the fourth player in NFL history to throw 400 he appointed himself to hear Brady’s appeal under the touchdowns. After the scoring strike, the crowd league’s personal conduct policy, but was supposed immediately began to chant, “Brady! Brady! Brady!” to be a witness in the initial appeal. He was denied the LeGarrette Blount, one of Brady’s teammates said, opportunity, because he had become the appeal officer. “For me personally, he’s the best quarterback to The union also argued that Brady’s four game ever play this game. It’s an honor to be out there suspension was inconsistent with any previous and play with him. There aren’t a lot guys who BY CAROLINE SHEEN Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of usatoday.com
Patriot’s quarterback Tom Brady throws the ball.
can say that, but it’s crazy to be playing with the best quarterback to ever play the game, and he’s not done.” Brady remains behind Peyton Manning (533), Brett Favre (508), and Dan Marino (420).
FOOTBALL MAKES HISTORY Sacred Heart Football begins its first varsity year.
touchdown in Sacred Heart history. The second touchdown BY CAROLINE SHEEN came early in the fourth quarter when backup quarterback Staff Writer Sophomore Maguire Duggan connected with Junior Steven Fehrm for a 34-yard pass. As well as the scorers, Sacred Heart started their first varsity football team this year. Junior Captain Joseph Sullivan and Sophomore P.J Beuttel The team includes 34 talented and dedicated young men played a great game. Sullivan had 12 carries for 70 yards who are willing to put in the work this season. The Saints and Beuttel ‘18 had seven carries for a total of 82 yards. are equipped with an excellent coaching staff that conists Despite the late 30-14 deficit, the Saints never gave of: TJ Byrne, Ron Dunn, Mike Rosen, and Jim Luscinski. up. They continued to work hard throughout the Sacred Heart history was made on Saturday September entire game. South Shore got within 2 yards of the goal line, but the Saints forced a fumble completing the goal-line stand with 2:11 remaining in the game. Although the outcome of the game was unfortunate, the varsity football team is excited for what’s to come. Sophomore Nick Fantasia said, “Our coaches have been preparing us for a while now, and they’re going to keep going with us for the entire season. I just can’t wait to see what happens.” Coach T.J Byrne then added, “Now we know what a varsity game feels like, now we adjust and get better from there.” The boys had their second varsity game on Homecoming against West Bridgewater. The football team had a tough loss, losing 0-27. The Saints had a strong first half, stopping West Bridgewater’s first drive. The team consistently worked hard and never gave up. Staff photo by Olivia Colombo At the end of the second half West Bridgewater had Senior Liam Flynn gets ready to snap the ball. taken the lead, scoring a total of thirteen points. One 12 on the William C. Hunt ‘87 Memorial Football excellent play during the game was when Duggan 18’ Field. The football team played their first threw a 30 yard completion to Junior Steven Ferhm. varsity game in program history. The team has Unfortunately during the second half Senior William worked hard for two years to get to this point. Gregson suffered a tough injury. While involved in The Saints kicked off the season by playing South Shore the play, several members of the Sacred Heart team Vocational for their first varsity game. Unfortunately despite and several members of the West Bridgewater team their outstanding effort and potential, they lost 30-14. compiled and fell on Gregson’s leg. Due to these South Shore started out strong and quickly took the lead. unfortunate events Gregson 16’ broke his tibia. This It wasn’t until the third quarter when the boys started to injury has prohibited him to play for the rest of the season. showcase their true varsity talent. The Fighting Saints Senior Captain Nick Weir is excited to continue the season marched their way down the field and earned their first and learn from these past two games. Weir 16’ said, “We touchdown. From 3 yards out, Junior James O’Brien fought may have lost these games but we are growing stronger as through multiple defenders and crossed the goal line. a team and learning the real meaning of varsity football.” Hysteric cheers erupted from the Saints and from their The boys will continue their season with an away fans as well. The Saints had scored their first varsity game on Sunday October 4 against Nantucket.
Varsity Football Schedule Saturday, October 10, 2015 12:00 p.m. Sacred Heart Saints vs Upper Cape Cod Regional Saturday, October 17, 2015 2:00 p.m. Sacred Heart Saints at Old Colony Regional Technical High School Saturday, October 24, 2015 12:00 p.m. Sacred Heart Saints vs Holbrook High School Saturday, October 31, 2015 Sacred Heart Saints vs TBA Saturday, November 7, 2015 Sacred Heart Saints vs TBA Saturday, November 14, 2015 Sacred Heart Saints vs TBA Saturday, November 26, 2015 10:00 a.m Sacred Heart Saints vs Monomoy Regional High School