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Vol. XXVIII · Issue VIII

Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper · Newton, MA · Established 1984 · April 13, 2012

Budget increase confirmed for next year James Wu

for an enrollment increase of 192 students and improve in a few targeted ways,” Managing Editor Fleishman said in a letter in the 2013 FisMembers of the School Committee cal Year (FY13) Budget Book. unanimously approved a new $178 milNext year’s spending plan, which lion budget on Monday, March 26. The Fleishman said is a “maintenance of efplan, previously proposed by superinten- fort,” is an increase from this year’s budget dent David Fleishman on March 5, will go by over $7 million, or 4.1 percent. The into effect in the fall of 2012. money will be directed toward reinstat“The [budget] allows us to maintain ing previously reduced programs such programs that are working well, account as art, special education and one-to-one

Run, Leo, Run

mentoring in the elementary schools, and it will also add three full time equivalent positions (FTEs) to South to accommodate an increase in enrollment. According to School Committee Chair Claire Sokoloff, the new budget is an improvement from past years, which showed a constant trend of budget cuts. “Each year, we have had a gap in BUDGET, 4

photo courtesy of Newton Schools Foundation

Plugged In supports charities, community

Hyunnew Choi & Emma Loeb News Editor, Features Reporter

In order to raise money for the Newton Public Schools, ‘11 graduate Leo Westebbe will run the Boston Marathon on April 16. In an interview with the Newton Schools Foundation, Westebbe said he wants to give back to the community that helped him. “For a kid like me who really struggled emotionally and academically, not every school system would have been so supportive,” he said. “Newton schools really don’t give up on people.” To donate to Westebbe’s cause and to learn more about his story, visit www.newtonschoolsfoundation.org

A 1979 Billboard top single is bringing junior Rachel Knight and her band E Pluribus Unum together in 2012. “We did this really cool metal cover of ‘My Sharona,’” Knight said. “After that we were like, ‘We have to stay together.’” Knight is a member of Plugged In, a Needham-based program for students in the Greater Boston area. Teenage musicians enroll in Plugged In, which then organizes them into bands. Knight and other students who participate in Plugged In said that on top of bringing them together to create music, the program provides a space for teens to give back to their communities and receive personal support in return. Senior and Plugged In member Josh Rubin said he appreciates more than the musical aspect of Plugged In. “It’s not just fibrosis and Asperger syndrome. getting together and playing music,” he Most recently, Plugged In donated said. “It’s also the $10,000 to Dub15q charity part of it Alliance, an organizathat’s a really big tion that brings tothing. I really like gether individuals and that aspect of it as families affected by well because it’s rare genetic diseases. giving back.” Knight said that Students she realized the imlike Rubin play in portance of charity to - Josh Rubin, Class of 2012 biannual concerts Plugged In’s mission that raise money only after her first for local charities Plugged In concert. of their choosing. Past donation recipi“The first show I played at was a ents have included the West End House, cystic fibrosis benefit. One of the kids which is a Boys & Girls Club in Allston, and charities funding research for cystic PLUGGED IN, 18

[Plugged In] is not just getting together and playing music ... It’s giving back.

photos courtesy of Ali Brack

(Clockwise from top) Freshman Sam Fidler, junior Ali Brack and junior Conrad Buys perform in a Plugged In concert at Needham’s Village Club to raise money for charity.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Club Fees

As a result of club fees instated this year, some clubs are disbanding.

page

KONY 2012

Sophomore critiques the backlash against the KONY 2012 movement.

page

Mock Trial

The Roar takes a look at the ins and outs of South’s mock trial team.

page

Voice

Four members of the community share how they make their voices heard.

page

NEWS 3 EDITORIALS 6 OPINIONS 8 ARTS REVIEW 10 FUN PAGE 11 CENTERFOLD 12 FEATURES 15 SPORTS 19 COMMUNITY 22

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news volume 28

issue 8

3 A Priceless Experience • april 13, 2012

South Spots compiled by Julie Olesky

All You Can Eat Banquet The All You Can Eat Cooking club will host the second annual All You Can Eat Banquet on Saturday, April 28 at 6 p.m. The event will take place in the student center. Student Directing Festival South Stage will present its Student Directing Festival shows at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 26, Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28. The shows are “The Dancers,” “Princess Rebecca Birnbaum” and “Odei.” Freshman Cruise Freshman class officers will host the annual Freshman Cruise on Friday, May 4. The cruise will take place in Boston Harbor. Tickets are $45, and the event’s theme is “Starry Night.” Asian Night The Asian Student Organization will hold its annual Asian Night on Saturday, May 5. Students will perform musical and dance performances. The night will also include a fashion show exibiting both traditional and modern Asian clothing.

page

Recent enforcement of club fees has caused cancellations of clubs, deterring community building Alex Verbitsky News Editor

The implementation of club fees prompted some clubs to disband, raising concern over the elimination of the opportunities for student interactions that clubs create. Budget shortfalls prompted the School Committee to impose a $125 fee on students participating in clubs and $150 for students participating in theatrical productions, with a $450 cap per student. According to School Committee Chair Claire Sokoloff, numerous misunderstandings among committee members as to what constitutes a club and participation in a club complicated the enforcement of the club fees. Only about 500 South students out of the expected 1,500, have paid club fees. According to principal Joel Stembridge, the fees contribute to club advisers’ salaries, even though they do not directly contribute money to clubs.“[Club fees] support their school ... and account for some 20 teaching positions across the district,” he said. Furthermore, the fees allow South to continue offering activities that would otherwise collapse if officials were forced to reduce other parts of the budget to make up the loss of $750,000. Spanish teacher Kara Sargent also

said she supports the enforcement of the club fees.“The bottom line is that the money needs to come from somewhere, and the school is just looking for places to get it,” she said. “Hopefully that won’t deter kids from participating in clubs, sports and activities because those are some of the most important experiences in high school.” Despite being waived for low-income families, club fees have prompted clubs such as the World of Warcraft club to dissolve. “When we institute a fee, and a pretty steep fee, just for sitting in somebody’s room for half an hour after school once a week to hang out with your friends, we’re discouraging students from getting to know one another, from making those friendships based on common interest and most of all from getting the opportunity to connect with a caring adult who is not a classroom teacher,” science teacher and World of Warcraft club adviser Jordan Kraus said. Senior and World Of Warcraft clubmember Hadara White agreed that club fees obstruct connections betweens students. “It’s really hard to find someone who you have a common interest with,” she said. “Whereas clubs would give you the access to do stuff like that, now you have to pay to find someone to connect with ... It worries me that the club fees are not going toward

the clubs.” Senior Jackie Lebovits said that the club fees are unfair. “It could create a disparity between the kids who can and can’t afford [the fees],” she said. “Especially in a public school, that’s not something that I think promotes a welcoming environment.” Sophomore Emily Goldstein agreed that club fees will limit club membership. “It’s important that South has clubs since they’re a really good way to be connected to the school,” she said. “If you start adding on prices for the clubs, less people will want to join.” Deputy Superintendent and Chief Administrative Officer Sandra Guryan said that even though tradeoffs had to be made, the adjustment to the club fees will take time. “The only goal was to keep from making reductions in other parts of the school district and to increase revenue so that we didn’t have to lower any further expenses,” Guryan said. Guryan said she hopes people will evenutally understand the reasoning behind the club fees. “Although I realize that [the club fees] are new and that people are not accustomed to them, I believe that [it takes] more than the first year to get them fully part of people’s normal understanding of what’s necessary.”

Letter to the editor: Global Communities Program director Michael Kozuch responds to “The Global Grading Gap” We wanted to take this opportunity to respond to “The Global Grading Gap” (issue 28-7). While the article raises some interesting issues, the limited scope of the article may leave some misconceptions about the Global Program. First, the goals of the Global Communities Program are different than those of AP classes. AP classes are meant to prepare students for the AP exam. Our goal is to prepare students to be global citizens. Both are worthy goals, but they create different tests of student learning. One is a class; the other is a program that expects a three-year commitment to think in interdisciplinary ways, learn in an academically diverse classroom and apply global citizenship skills in our community and beyond. This is an intellectually rigorous task, which may measure “success” in different ways. We are proud that students in the Program exceed our expectations in this regard over and over again. We are proud that they helped to create the community garden, saved electronic waste from landfills and collected supplies for refugees, just to name a few examples. We are also proud of their accomplishments on standard academic

tests such as the AP exam. These pursuits are not better or worse, easier or harder. They are different. Focusing on these goals does not work for everyone, and that is okay. We have other programs in our school that try to serve the needs of students in other ways as well: ninth grade cluster, CORE, WISE and many more. We also have standard AP, Curriculum I and Curriculum II classes. These classes and programs serve the needs of many students. While the numbers the article provides are worthy of further scrutiny, the article itself makes a problematic assumption: students take global to “play the game” and get the “easy A.” The only evidence for this claim: one anonymous Global student. The article transitively impugns the motives of all global students with the words of one. There are plenty individuals who try to “play the game;” however, South is full of students who love to learn. Like the rest of the school, Global has both kinds of students. Consciously or not, this article demeans the many hard-working, intelligent and invested students who chose the Global Communities Program because

they wanted a different learning experience. We encourage the student editors of The Lion’s Roar to continue to ask important questions. These questions should come in the form of a deliberative process rather than a rush to judgment. One could argue that a multi-year study of the learning outcomes of all programs would give a full picture of what students experience at our school. It is important that members of the South community celebrate the efforts of our students who achieve their own version of success. We should not denigrate their efforts. It doesn’t mean we can’t question or seek better solutions, but we must do it without questioning the integrity of the person who is honestly trying to learn. If a student “uses” the system, we can and should try to put up barriers to this abuse. However, this student will ultimately have to live with his or her own manipulation of an honest system. Learning is a messy and difficult endeavor. It is fraught with trial and error; however, we certainly hope that NSHS supports the efforts of students and teachers who try to do things differently.

april 13, 2012

news

a night at the

Carnival “Although some of the games were childish, the night brought out the child in all of us.” - Joey Cohen, Class of 2012

photos by Emily Ho

Sophomore class officers hosted the Sophomore Sleepover on Saturday, March 31. The event was carnival-themed and included activities such as a bungee run, a velcro wall and a hypnotist. Students also played volleyball and basketball, climbed high elements and danced in the cafeteria. Teachers supported the event by chaperoning and serving food.

School Committee approves 4.1 percent increase in spending BUDGET, from 1 our revenue, which was insufficient to cover our expenses in order to continue to do everything we want to do,” Sokoloff said. “In the last four years, we’ve pretty much been cutting.” Sokoloff said that each year the budget increases by 2.5 percent due to money from property taxes, but the amount does not compensate for increased enrollment. According to Fleishman, enrollment in Newton Public Schools has experienced a steady growth for seven years, and is projected to increase for at least the next five years. Next year, enrollment at South alone will increase with the addition of 45. In the FY12 budget, extra FTEs were not instated to accommodate for enrollment increases, leading to larger class sizes. “Last year, the economic times were really bad,” vice principal Mary Scott said. “We lost state and federal money. Both high schools took a hit; we took an enormous hit. We lost six regular and seven special education teachers.” Next year’s budget, however, not only increases FTEs to help handle the increase in enrollment at South, but does not cut any programs to do so. Sokoloff said that the new plan could be implemented due to decreased spending resulting from the recently negotiated teacher contracts and the outsourced food program. “Because our healthcare costs have gone down … and teacher salary structure [has changed], our contract [cost is] now growing at 2.5 percent each year whereas before it

was growing at over 4 percent a year,” she said. “[We also] privatized the food service to Whitsons, which saves us over a $1 million per year.” Sokoloff and Fleishman said that further increased state aid also facilitated the new costs of enrollment. “Governor Patrick’s educational budget had an increase of … $145 million statewide, which allowed us to add additional staff to help with our increased enrollment,” Fleishman said. Fleishman said the long-term goal will be sustaining and addressing the needs of the students. “My goal always is that the budget has the necessary resources to address the needs of all students,” Fleishman said, “[So that] no matter where you are in the system, there’s something to help you. I also hope that the budget allows us to improve, which I think this budget does.” The FY13 budget, however, still predicts a cumulative gap between revenue and expenses of almost $9 million by 2017, double of the normal budget increase each year (about $4.3 million). Fleishman said the projections “portray the level and degree of decision making that will be required. The scope of these decisions will include future contract negotiations, district-wide staffing levels, breadth and type of program for both regular and special needs instruction, types of support systems from technology to facilities and curriculum and professional developmental needs.” Stembridge said that the administration’s first priority with extra resources is to reduce class sizes in the “big-five”

courses (math, English, history, world language and science courses), rather than increase the availability of electives, although they agree that this would be a second goal. “We have more classes with more than 25 students in them than ever before,” Stembridge said. “I think that’s the biggest impact. You say that’s only two or three students a class, but you multiply it by how many classes there are, in the grand scheme of things, I think it has a big effect.” Junior Rodney Yip said that electives are just as important as reducing class sizes. “I think running an extra academic class with one more student isn’t as bad as canceling an entire arts course,” he said. “It’s just as important to let kids pursue [what they like] as it is to run less people in more popular classes.” Sokoloff said that the budget this year is a temporary relief rather than a long-term solution. “I don’t know that we will be able to do what we did this year unless we have additional revenues in the future, because there’s no guarantee,” Sokoloff said. “I’m not aware of a funding source that is going to help us to get beyond the 2.5 percent to fund enrollment increases.” Stembridge agreed about the plan’s short-term nature. “I think that I’m still concerned about our future,” he said. “I’m hoping this isn’t just a one year respite from the gradual decline from funding. If we start that gradual decline again, we’d very quickly start to have to make more difficult choices ... I still think we’re near the edge of the cliff, in some ways.”

april 13, 2012

news

Columnist questions the justice system Eric Allegro

Stay Classy, America

photo by Jordan Cohen-Kaplan

Science teacher Mita Bhattacharya, along with the rest of South faculty, taught the anti-bullying lessons to students in her advisory.

Students question effectiveness of anti-bullying program Julia Lee & Derek Nie News Editor, News Reporter

Students, teachers and members of the Creating a Caring Majority Club (CCMC) are questioning the success and productivity of recent anti-bullying sessions held in advisory. Math teacher Andrew Kelly said that one of the flaws of anti-bullying sessions has been the inability to poratray realistic situations. “The things that happen in these videos that are prompting all these conversations are not showing things that actually happen in school,” he said. “Most bullying is at home or on Facebook or behind people’s backs. I think [not addressing realistic issues] is a spot where we might have fallen short.” Freshman Aidan Hart agreed that the anti-bullying lessons do not portray bullying accurately. “[The programs] do not get to the core of the problem,” he said. “The programs are fake. They’re not like real situations.” Sophomore Oliver Xie agreed that the potency of the club’s message was hindered by the anti-bullying lessons. “We’re having too many [anti-bullying lessons],” he said. “We really just need a

break.” Guidance counselor Aaron Lewis said that the numerous advisory sessions are effective because it is better to remind students often of what goes on both in and outside of school. “It’s good news that kids feel like they know this stuff already, because that reflects the education they’ve gotten over the years,” he said. “[Now], we can have good discussions on bigger topics that might be most effective. We can visit the minor topics and then expand on them.” Lewis said that the program placed unnecessary emphasis on the standardized lessons however, detracting from the messsage as a whole. “If you can go beyond what the lessons are and use the lessons as the foundation for what you’re talking about, they can be useful,” he said. Sophomore and former CCMC member Alyssa Erspamer said the lack of organization and communication among club members lead to a lack of action. “I liked Rachel’s Challenge, [a program held in the beginning of this school year], and it was fun, but after that, it was silence,” she said. Sophomore Lauren Forrow, who is also

a former CCMC member, agreed that the program was not proactive enough. “I haven’t heard anything about what they are doing,” she said, “so it doesn’t feel very effective.” Science teacher Divya Balakrishnan said she also thinks a lack of follow-ups after the Rachel’s Challenge presentation poses a problem. “After a week or two, when kids were talking about it and thinking about it, I think we should have done a little bit more follow-up,” she said, “or just maybe a month or two later to remember what happened and remember what we talked about.” According to sophomore Lucy Holmes, there has not been sufficient communication between the club and its members, causing students to lose interest. “[The club] hasn’t really met in a while,” she said. “There were meetings [and] emails but there haven’t been any recently. I’m not really sure if that’s because people gave up or because nobody showed up.” Holmes said that a related problem is the club’s lack of appeal. “[Students] don’t want to [participate in the club] because they’re getting sick of hearing it,” she said, “and because words are getting forced upon us to stop bullying.” According to Erspamer, CCMC has also faced significant time commitment problems. “Since [the club] started in the middle of the year, people are already involved in other clubs and are busy most J blocks,” she said. “[The club] should focus on sending emails and organizing events outside of J block.” According to Holmes, the club’s association with Rachel’s Challenge has been detrimental. “A lot of people had a very strong drawback to Rachel’s Challenge,” she said. “They didn’t really take it seriously because [the presentation] was so not believable and credible. If students think that Rachel’s Challenge was totally not worth it, then they are not going to want to [join] the anti-bullying club related to it.” Holmes said that the clearest solution is to redefine the methods and message of CCMC. “I think the school could try to start a new [club] but with different goals and with different motivations,” Holmes said. “The goal of Rachel’s Challenge was to spread peace and happiness, [which] is more intangible than unrealistic.”

Recently, the nation has been in shock about the Trayvon Martin killing in Florida. For those cave dwellers who don’t know the facts, George Zimmerman, head of the neighborhood watch in the town of Sanford, Fla., states that he saw a suspicious looking person in the neighborhood, called the police and then confronted him. He says that he was attacked by Martin, a 17-year-old much smaller than he, and then shot the boy in self-defense. Martin, who died from the gun shots, cannot voice his side of the story; however, witnesses say the situation started with Martin walking home wearing his hoodie up, watching the NBA AllStar game and holding a bag of skittles and an iced tea. Witnesses also say that Zimmerman then approached Martin and shot him execution-style. There are also 911 recordings in which crying can be heard, which stops abruptly after the sound of a gunshot. The police brought Zimmerman to the police department, where Zimmerman claimed that he felt his life was in danger. The police immediately let him go, and he has not been charged with a crime since. Around the country, this event has spurred uproar and protests. In 2005, police pulled over Howard Morgan, an African-American off-duty cop, for driving on a one-way street in the wrong direction. The four white policemen then shot at Morgan 28 times and left him for dead. Unlike Martin, he survived. Morgan was recently tried for the attempted murder of the four policemen after they claim he resisted arrest and fired upon them. On April 5, he was sentenced to 40 years in jail for his “crime.” The police department has not tested for gun residue to prove he shot his gun, nor has it provided any bullets that it says have come out of his gun. What does this show about America? The only thing this has proven is that the justice system is broken. An African-American is seen as threatening because he is wearing a hoodie, and this threat can be used not only as motive for murder, but also as proof of innocence in a trial of murder, if there even is one. Also, African-Americans can be sentenced by a jury of their peers without any proof of their wrongdoing. Two cases have shown people either murdering or attempting to murder African-Americans and getting off clean as a whistle. Justice has not been served. If this is any proof, there is a long way to go before everyone gets the same definition of the word “justice.” Stay “classy,” America.

editorials volume 28

issue 8

april 13, 2012

page

Students neglect wellness classes

The Cat’s

Meow by the Roar Staff

All the news that’s fit to print ... and then some!

Violence erupts over semi dresses Two junior girls posted the same dress in the Facebook semi-dresses group within seconds of each other, resulting in a few strongly worded “chats.” After escalations from both sides, the conflict culminated in South’s 1st annual Hunger Games. After three days of intense combat, Principal Joel Stembridge called off the games and declared junior Catfight Everdeen the winner for having posted her dress four seconds earlier. “I was really excited about the games at first,” Stembridge said, “but then I finally got around to reading Mockingjay and decided I had had enough.” Everdeen said that while the challenges posed by the games were grueling, the result was worth it. “The massive floods flowing out of Goldrick Springs were no fun, but it sure is nice to win some food for my starving Newton family,” Everdeen said. The casualties included: 17 torn, singed, stained or missing semi-dresses, and one emotionally damaged class of 2013.

Teachers stampede for Tertulia spots On Thursday, April 5, teachers logged on to their computers to reserve space for their classes at Tertulia. One minute into the sign-ups, the server crashed. Desperate to reserve spaces, teachers rushed out of classrooms and formed a stampede as they made their way to the main office. Two teachers suffered broken legs and seven received concussions as a result of the violent scramble. English department head Ted E. Bear said that though this was the first in-school stampede, it was not the first time servers have crashed as a result of Tertulia sign-ups. “Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Bear said. “We are really lucky no one got more injured than they did. From now on, teachers will have to take baseline concussion tests before Tertulia sign-ups.” No other efforts are being made to improve the Tertulia sign-up system.

Students mourn new club fees Despite strong student backlash, the recently imposed club fees have forced a number of student-run clubs to disband. This disbandment has, however, had positive effects for some. “We’re thrilled to death that we can continue meeting,” Funeral Club President Timmy Burton said. The Funeral Club now has a surplus of money and will not be disbanding, with checks pouring in from former club members seeking a proper burial and eulogy for their old hobbies.

In this issue of The Roar, the Centerfold section addresses the development of South’s wellness program (pages 12-13) and many students’ failure to meet the daily recommended amount of exercise (page 14). Generally speaking, South boasts an excellent set of curricula, and its wellness department is no exception. The wellness program meets almost all of the criteria set by the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity, contains certified and knowledgeable teachers and offers a number of capstone courses designed to fit a diverse set of student lifestyles. If students aren’t exercising enough, inadequate physical education is not the reason why. The problem is that the prevailing culture at South lauds neither wellness classes nor physical activity. Wellness classes are the ones students are most likely to skip, arrive late to and do homework in. A disappointingly large number of upperclassmen choose less physically-intensive capstone courses out of a desire to put a minimal amount of effort into wellness rather than a genuine interest in the subject matter of the class.These problems are present, perhaps aggregiously so, within the editorial staff of The Roar itself. Several Roar editors have admitted to studying for tests during their Yoga/Pilates class, while another has no qualms with sitting out of Lifetime Pursuits to finish a homework assignment. We expend so much effort in thinking about our grades and getting into college that we fail to consider our futures in a broader sense; the lifestyle decisions we make now will have profound effects on how we move, think and function decades into the future. And yet, skipping wellness

will never carry the same stigma that is associated with skipping a chemistry or English lesson. At South, where students push themselves to stay up later and later to write last-minute papers and cram entire chapters of AP material, success is measured in one’s GPA and extracurricular activities rather than one’s physical well-being. There is nothing inherently wrong with an emphasis on academics; South’s intellectual environment is rightfully praised for producing many top-quality students year after year. The problem arises when this motivation becomes singlemindedness and students become so devoted to one aspect of their well-being that they forget all the others. The vast majority of classes offered outside the wellness program are essentially academic in nature, so the wellness department, according to its website, “encourages students to take courses beyond the minimum requirement to add balance throughout their academic day.” While most students are unlikely to enroll in multiple wellness courses during any given year, the wellness department’s effort to balance students’ schedules is a necessary one, and The Roar exhorts students as consider their wellness classes a set of educational opportunities rather than an arbitrary graduation requirement. When choosing a capstone wellness class, students should look for a course that offers a meaningful experience to them. When students sign up for Centered Self because “it’s a class you can sleep through” or Sports Nutrition because “it’s the wellness class no one takes seriously,” they merely go through the motions of learning, and when they take the class they will find ex-

Editorial Policy

actly what they expect: a shallow experience that ultimately fails to offer anything substantial. Such a cynical approach is easy and, given the responsibilities many students bear, incredibly tempting. Wellness courses concern themselves with improving our habits and the way we live, making progress difficult to measure and very easy to fake. In disciplines such as math or history, teachers measure understanding by administering tests. But how can wellness teachers test whether a student is less stressed than he or she was at the beginning of the semester? How would one fairly quantify the improvement of students’ eating habits? Due to the unique difficulties of teaching a wellness course, the onus of sincere effort falls even heavier on the student. Teaching any course is a difficult and often thankless task, but it is ultimately fairly easy to tell 20 kids to read several scenes of “Merchant of Venice” or complete a physics worksheet for tomorrow. Most of them will readily comply, and there is a clear set of consequences in place for those who do not. Changing deeply ingrained habits, on the other hand, is a difficult task made harder by the fact that students often deprecate their teachers’ efforts. As one of our centerfold articles notes, many students immerse themselves so deeply in their phones and computers that they have difficulty finding time for exercise. Wellness courses aim to teach students how to shake this fixation and construct a wholesome routine, and the wellness department is armed with a wealth of tools and facilities to expedite this process. It only lacks student support.

The Lion’s Roar, founded in 1984, is the student newspaper of Newton South High School, acting as a public forum for student views and attitudes. The Lion’s Roar’s right to freedom of expression is protected by the Massachusetts Student Free Expression Law (Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 71, Section 82). All content decisions are made by student editors, and the content of The Lion’s Roar in no way reflects the official policy of Newton South, its faculty, or its administration. Editorials are the official opinion of The Lion’s Roar, while opinions and letters are the personal viewpoints of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Lion’s Roar. The Lion’s Roar reserves the right to edit all submitted content, to reject advertising copy for resubmission of new copy that is deemed acceptable by student editors, and to make decisions regarding the submission of letters to the editors, which are welcomed. The Lion’s Roar is printed by Seacoast Newspapers and published every three weeks by Newton South Students. All of our funding comes from advertisers. In-school distribution of The Lion’s Roar is free, but each copy of the paper shall cost one dollar for each copy more than ten (10) that is taken by any individual or by many individuals on behalf of a single individual. Violation of this policy shall constitute theft.

april 13, 2012

desk

Editor appreciates Roar’s close community, opportunities for risk taking

THE EDITOR’S DESK Emily Breuer Editor-in-Chief

It’s hard to believe that this year is almost over. After four years of high school and four years on The Roar, I will be moving on. Joining The Roar was one of the best decisions I made in high school; I have found a group of dedicated and passionate students, supportive and instructive advisers and an interested and engaged school community with whom we share the paper. Since freshman year, I have grown from a reporter who knew nothing about journalism to a member of senior staff whom others look up to. For my final Editor’s Desk, I decided to base it on The New York Times bestselling book, “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten,” by Robert Fulghum. So, here is “All I Really Need to Know I Learned from The Roar.” I learned how to take risks and realized that risks are necessary to move forward. Right from the beginning, I took a risk by walking into room 1201 during a Monday J block meeting my freshman year. I was shy, and even though I dragged a couple friends with me as I

walked into that room, I did not have the characteristics of a daring journalist ready to talk to strangers. Without taking that initial risk, I would definitely not be writing this article today. Yet I pushed myself to get involved, and from there I continued taking more risks: conducting interviews and writing articles. From then on, applying for staff positions, designing out-of-the-box pages and publishing controversial articles were all risks that I took and am proud of. The only way I got to where I am today was by stepping out of my comfort zone. Even though it sure was scary, I’m glad I did it. I encourage everyone to step into a new environment with an open mind; participate in that club you always thought looked interesting, try out for that sports team or take that harder class. Next year I will find new risks, and I know they will be worth taking. I learned how to work collaboratively and produce a paper beyond any individual’s capabilities. As many Roar

members know, my saying is that, “There are no bad ideas in a brainstorm.” Sitting together and bouncing ideas off one another almost always leads to the best ideas. I can assure you that when you work with others, you will come to conclusions you had never thought of before. I learned what is important to me, and I realized that there are countless opportunities beyond the classroom. Working on the paper has been a huge time commitment, and there have been times when I have sacrificed other parts of my life for it. Maybe I could have gotten a higher grade in a class, but to me that higher grade is not worth giving up Roar. I encourage everyone to not just focus on schoolwork, but to also find something to do outside of your classes that is meaningful. You need balance in your life, and finding that something that will give you a break from the stressful school envi-

Not only did The Roar open my mind to a new interest, but it also introduced me to new people, ideas and memories.

ronment is necessary. Most importantly, I learned what a true community is and how integral that is to one’s high school experience. I always find myself being drawn to room 1201, knowing that I can lie down on the futon or grab a bite to eat from the mini fridge, knowing that I can always find a familiar face in the room. The Roar has provided me with a close-knit community throughout high school, something I look back on as being one of my most meaningful high school experiences. I did not join The Roar because I knew I wanted to be a journalist when I grow up. I joined because I wanted to get involved in my school, and I continued because of the people and atmosphere of the club. To those who taught me when I was just starting out, and to those whom I work with today: you are the reason I continued my involvement in the paper. As I move on from high school, I will always think back to The Roar. Not only did it open my mind to a new interest, but it also introduced me to new people, ideas and memories. To anyone even remotely interested in joining The Roar: just take that risk and come to a J block meeting, and I promise you will be happy you did.

Volume 28 The Lion’s Roar

Volume 29 The Lion’s Roar

Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper

The Lion’s Roar 140 Brandeis Road Newton, MA 02459 srstaff@thelionsroar.com

Editors-in-Chief

Emily Breuer

Jenny Friedland

Danny Gifford

Ari Ebstein

Peter Haskin Ali Meisel

Section Editors Centerfold

Opinions

Joe Joseph James Wu

Julia Gron Peter Szabo

Anqi Gao Ravi Panse

Features

Community

News

Emily Ho Dipal Nagda

Jenny Friedland Kylie Walters

Yoonchan Choi

Sports

Dani Glasgow Victor Moisescu

Emma Loeb Julia Snider

Graphics Managers Ale Diaz Eleanor Richard

Faculty Advisers Brian Baron Ashley Elpern Paul Estin Thomas Murphy

Joe Joseph

Managing Editors

Managing Editors Jessica Bolter

Andreas Betancourt

News

Julie Olesky

Hyunnew Choi Julia Lee Alex Verbitsky

Features

Kylie Walters Caroline Zola

Anqi Gao

Ravi Panse

Section Editors Centerfold

Opinions

Dipal Nagda Anastasiya Vasilyeva

Dina Busaba Sophie Forman

Community Emily Ho

Arts Review

Marissa Vertes

Business Manager

Graphics Managers

RJ Hayes

David Gorelik Aidan Rose

Copy Editors

Web Staff

Faculty Advisers

Dylan Block Olivia Kennis

Rachel Hurwitz Charlie Yang

Jack Lovett Derek Mei

Ashley Elpern Brian Baron Paul Estin Thomas Murphy

Sports

Yonatan Gazit Tony Yao William Fleisher Tom Howe Ben Tuval

Carly Meisel Parisa Siddiqui Julia Snider

Photo Managers

James Wu

Photo Managers

Dylan Block Jordan Cohen-Kaplan

Business Managers Jordi Batler RJ Hayes

Copy Editors

Rachel Hurwitz Jenny Morris Charlie Yang

opinions volume 28

issue 8

april 13, 2012

page

Students face mockery for social activism Kylie Walters Sr. Features Editor

After the sun goes down on Friday, April 20, people all across the U.S. will blanket cities with stickers, posters and other propaganda marked with the words “KONY 2012.” The organization Invisible Children planned this event as one of many efforts to stop Ugandan guerrilla group leader Joseph Kony from committing many atrocities, including forcing children into combat and making young girls into sex slaves. Many of you are probably aware of Joseph Kony’s crimes thanks to the viral video “KONY 2012,” which Invisible Children released this March to make Joseph Kony infamous and raise support for his arrest. With well thought-out filming, editing, design and marketing, links to “KONY 2012” soon reached the top of our News Feeds, and students have responded to them with a myriad of reactions. As students updated their statuses, changed their profile pictures and tweeted in support of “KONY 2012,” others began to find information challenging Invisible Children, prompting a surge of statuses against the organization and the video. But the negative responses to “KONY 2012” were not limited to the critique of Invisible Children. Some students mocked their peers for watching a 30-minute video and then “becoming a social activist.” I heard some students scoff at their peers for trying to engage in such an international issue, while others said that one person’s sharing of a video cannot make a difference. Although the memes and statuses poking fun at the “KONY 2012” supporters may seem insignificant, they contribute to a negative attitude toward the use of social media in substantive ways. Although the mockers do not explicitly say so, these memes support the mentality that social media can be used only for recreational socializing rather than meaningful discussion. I saw the eruption of status updates both supporting and challenging the KONY 2012 campaign as a step in the right direction for our generation’s use of technology.

graphic by Alex Cohen

Invisible Children used technology and social media to spread a message in a rapid and successful way. Facebook should not be a domain where people scoff at others’ beliefs. If the people who criticized their peers had watched the video, they would have understood that the main way students can support the movement is by sharing the message. The video informed the viewers that if U.S. citizens do not heavily endorse and fight for the arrest of Kony, our government is likely to remove all aid assisting his arrest. And the truth is, one person can have an impact. For nearly every person who posted the “KONY 2012” video, another person watched and shared it. Maybe one person cannot stop Kony, but one person can absolutely spread awareness, which is the goal of the video in the first

place. Although it is naïve to think that awareness alone can bring Kony to justice, awareness of the conflict gets us that much closer to stopping it. As full time students in a safe suburb, global issues such as Kony’s war crimes are rarely the first things on our minds, but technology has the ability to keep us educated and aware. At this point, we are only just beginning to see the limitless capabilities of the Internet. If students begin to use Facebook or Twitter more to voice their opinions and perspectives on national and global topics, we can create a more positive social attitude toward the discussion of major issues through social media. Although I have yet to decide whether or not I fully support Invisible Children, I am ultimately thankful for the “KONY 2012” video. Invisible Children used the Internet to make its video a “cool” thing to support, and its success should remind us that sharing thoughts on important issues deserves to be the hot new trend. If I read a Facebook status about a cause one of my peers cares about, I often become interested in the cause and the student’s support for it. The “KONY 2012” video is far from perfect. It simplifies a complex regional issue and fails to describe a promising plan for Joseph Kony’s arrest. But the “KONY 2012” video has taught me a lot: Activism is limitless with the Internet as a resource, my peers are caring and empathetic people and we are all social activists. “KONY 2012” has not only caught but also held the attention of American youth. As New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof said in reference to Invisible Children co-founder Jason Russell, “The bottom line is: A young man devotes nine years of his life to fight murder, rape and mutilation, he produces a video that goes viral and galvanizes mostly young Americans to show concern for needy villagers abroad — and he’s vilified?” “I do not know if this initiative will make a difference. But if I were a Congolese villager, I would welcome these uncertain efforts over the sneering scorn of do-nothing armchair cynics.” And who knows, maybe “slacktivism” is the step between passivity and activism.

Benefits outweigh distractions on social media sites Max Hausle

sound bad in this light, they actually do more good than harm. Opinions Contributor Social media sites have so much We’ve all done it. As soon as more to offer than procrastination from homework and temporary we get home after school, sports laughs. These sites are used for or work, we get on our computorganizing meetings and protests ers and go to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or whichever social media and to find news. Social media sites such site we prefer. You get home and as Twitter and Facebook have say to yourself, “I have so much time: I’ll just go on for a few min- been used around the world to organize things as simple as utes and do my homework later.” It is a few hours later, and you still hanging out to things as large as protests in conflict-ridden have not opened your backpack. countries. During the recent That’s right; you just spent the last five to eight hours on your revolution in Egypt, which caused Hosni Mubarak to resign from favorite social networking site, his 29-year presidency, citizens and now you have to stay up all used Twitter to organize protests night to finish your homework. to show their dissatisfaction with Although these websites

the government at the time. Social media sites helped bring change to the country. Besides organizing gatherings, protests and rallies, these websites act as a great source of information and news. The power

news, it is in a limited time frame. When we rely on TV for news, we see only what networks choose to be the most important news in an allotted time slot. This limits the amount of news we see, whereas on the Internet, we see anything

websites have changed life around the world for the better. Although they may cause procrastination, they can do great things as long as we use them responsibly. We can use these websites to educate ourselves and change the future

Social media sites have so much more to offer than procrastination from homework. to post and upload pictures and links to these sites within seconds increases the amount of news we can get over the course of the day. With televised news, we have to wait until a specific time to learn of what is happening in the world. In addition, when we watch the

and everything that has happened. On social networking sites, people post news every minute. During the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007, students trapped in buildings could keep the outside world and the press updated on their condition in real time.These

of our world, making social media sites one of the best tools the modern world has to offer. Between the amounts of information we can get from them and the events they can help organize, these websites are good for the world.

april 13, 2012

Misled criticism fills ratemyteachers.com JH McBreen

Opinions Contributor Ratemyteachers.com is a website that students misuse in order to anonymously lash out at their teachers. The interface is pretty simple: when you connect to the website, you are given the option to search for your school and then choose a teacher to rate or view ratings that a teacher has received. Each rating consists of three categories: easiness, helpfulness and clarity, and each category is scored out of five. Included also in each rating is a comments section, where each rater may write whatever he or she chooses about the teacher. In a perfect world, ratemyteachers.com would be a great website. Teachers would benefit from reading students’ anonymous opinions on their strengths and shortcomings. Ratemyteachers.com would also be useful for students to find teachers whose classes they might like to avoid due to a certain teaching style or work load. Although I’m all for honest opinions and teacher feedback, there are definitely many problems with the website, both in its premise and structure. The effectiveness of the site is questionable, as avoiding a teacher with a certain teaching style is unlikely given that scheduling does not take into account a student’s preference Ratemyteachers.com’s utility also comes into question because an honest review in person of a teacher without ratemyteachers.com is easy to come by at South. Students rarely lie about a teacher in order to give them a good review. If anything, students are more eager to voice their

negative opinions of a teacher. In addition, the comments section of ratemyteachers.com has potential, but instead of providing honest, useful feedback, the raters use the comments section to say everything that they would like to say to their teachers’ faces but would never actually have the courage to. Swearing at or about a teacher is useless. Pointing out a negative opinion about something the teacher cannot fix is counterproductive. Regardless, students, and even

Newton Problems

worse, parents, still do criticize teachers without a second thought. Anonymous venting of hatred and anger towards a certain teacher on a public forum does nothing positive for those involved, yet that is all most posts are. Another major flaw of ratemyteachers.com is that the main system of rating and reviewing the teachers — the actual ratings for easiness, helpfulness and clarity — does not capture every element of a teacher’s style. These reviews may give a pretty decent picture of three specific categories, but what about how nice or easy-going the teacher is? How about how engaging their lectures are or how much you learn from doing classwork and homework? The point of the comments section is to be a place where people answer those questions. The comments section is in no way an invitation for an angry student or parent to berate teachers while providing no information that is actually useful, which is the current use. The only conceivable way to filter out the anger and still have a reasonably complete review of a teacher is to take out the comments section and add more categories into the ratings section, such as workload, personality or tolerance. The sacrifice of the comments section is worth keeping out the profanity and barbarity, especially because major changes need to be made in order for the site to be useful. Ratemyteachers.com functions only as a website for angry students to vent, but the forum instead should be a place for constructive criticism, helpful feedback and accurate reviews to help teachers. graphic by Aidan Rose

compiled by Sophie Forman

newtonproblems Sophie Forman My post in the semi dress facebook group only got 20 likes #newtonproblems 8 Apr

newtonproblems Sophie Forman We’re not facebook official yet #newtonproblems 10 Apr

newtonproblems Sophie Forman I hate when people spell out the word in draw something! #newtonproblems 9 Apr

newtonproblems Sophie Forman Really want Tango Mango but no one with a car has this free block #newtonproblems 12 Apr

newtonproblems Sophie Forman I’m really open-minded ... unless you’re a republican #newtonproblems 10 Apr

newtonproblems Sophie Forman Ugh have to bring my laptop to school today. It makes my bag so heavy #newtonproblems 13 Apr

opinions Appreciating accordions in music today

Jack Rabinovitch Music’n’Things

Though the accordion is rarely used by popular bands, it is an instrument that almost everyone has heard of. Its thick sound and oompah style are distinctive and unique. As an accordionist, I find the accordion a beautiful instrument well-fitting for more settings than just polka. The accordion took the world by storm when it hit Paris in 1844. An instrument for aristocrats and common people alike, the accordion made its way into both French Salon and Klezmer music. After finding its way into Eastern European traditional music, the accordion seeped into American culture with the emergence of swing. Strong and thick, the accordion presents a pattern and rhythm rivaled only by the combined effect of bass and drums. By accompanying high notes with low bass chords, the accordion creates a striking independence that the bass and drums independently cannot. I first heard the accordion used in modern music in 2010, when my cousin introduced me to Beirut, a 15-member band from New Mexico that has since gained international recognition for its Eastern European-inspired music. Though I thought the accordion sounded harsh when I first heard it, its mixure of the same notes at different octaves became harmonic after multiple listens. Beirut’s ability to move one’s soul with a variety of brass instruments, strings and the accordion compelled me. Beirut is not alone in its use of the accordion, however. The band DeVotchKa accompanies the accordion with a gorgeous, fast-paced violin or their Russian-styled reactive guitar. Detektivbyrån and Circus Contraption both use their accordions with glockenspiel, musicbox and mbira, creating childlike and carnival-esque wonderment. Neutral Milk Hotel played accordion along with theremin and other eclectic instrumentation. The more famous indie band Arcade Fire has been known to use the accordion, and in fact has two accordionists. For those more into rock music, the accordion can still be used. From the alternative sound of Green Day to the harder rock of Styx, the accordion plays nice background as well as more prominent roles. Counting Crows and Del Amitri often accent their rock-sound with the accordion. The more off-type Panic! at the Disco includes the accordion in their more alternative pop-inspired style. Dropkick Murphys use the accordion (and bagpipes, for those interested) to fully express their Celtic Punk genre. The accordion is more common than one may think. Once one warms up to this beautiful instrument, leaving its side can be very hard. I myself became so taken with its sound that I bought one and currently play it on a regular basis. Though I don’t expect you to fall in love with it to the extent that I did, the accordion is definitely; worth not just a first, but second and third listen as well.

april 13, 2012

arts review

ARTS REVIEW

THE BOYS ARE BACK Backstreet Boys’ comeback tour sets the bar high for modern boy bands, few of which are up to par Marissa Vertes Sr. Arts Review Editor

The year is 1999, and I am sitting in the back seat of my mom’s car. It is the middle of the summer, the breeze runs through my hair, and the sun beats down on my body. We are on the way to my grandparents’ house in Narragansett, Rhode Island, and all I want is to go to the beach. My mom turns on the radio, and “I Want it That Way” erupts from the speakers. We break out in song. This moment is perfect. To say the least, boy bands, particularly Backstreet Boys, defined my childhood. Their music is catchy and upbeat, and hearing all the voices blend together warms my heart. After the turn of the century, however, these bands became less prominent in the music industry — the new, dramatic tone of music took precedence over the positive and energetic boy bands, diminishing their popularity. Boy bands are on the rise again in two different ways. The first is the reunion of older groups like Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block. In October 2010, Backstreet Boys announced that they would be touring with New Kids on the Block from May 2011 to June 2012 as part of the “NKOTBSB” tour. When I heard these bands were touring together, I was ecstatic that they were re-emerging in the music scene. At the same time, I was concerned that their age might affect their performance. After watching numerous video clips, I can say that each band was amazing, and together, they molded into a super-boy-band unit. I was hooked from the very beginning — their dance moves were as fabulous as their music, even though the majority of the band members are in their late 30s. The melding of their

voices enhanced their sound and brought a modern twist to music that had already touched the hearts of millions. After the success of “NKOTBSB,” music producers began creating new boy bands in the image of the older ones. Some of these bands, such as Big Time Rush and The Wanted, create bubble-gum pop music with a simple beat and lots of repetition. Although their songs are catchy, these bands do not live up to the standards of older boy bands. Big Time Rush formed in 2010, when Nickelodeon aired “Big Time Rush,” a show about four young hockey players that decide to form a boy band and go to Hollywood. The band Big Time Rush spun out of the show, capturing the hearts of millions of tweens across the nation. The band catapulted to stardom with their first album, B.T.R., which sold 67,000 copies in the first week of its release. Although its members are undeniably handsome, Big Time Rush’s music is mediocre. Songs like “Any Kind of Guy” and “Boyfriend” are shallow and unbearable. The beats are constant and redundant. Their voices are average at best and sound as though Justin Bieber tried to create a catchy song for teenagers. With no musical variation or meaning to their lyrics, Big Time Rush is for an audience that wants only to admire four handsome young men The Wanted, a five-man band from London, England is slightly better. In October 2010, the band released its first album, “The Wanted,” which debuted as the number four album in the United Kingdom. Although it does not compare to earlier bands, The Wanted is surprisingly decent. Its hit single, “Glad You Came,” compensates for its simple chord progression with an intricate, multilayered synth beat. Nevertheless, the song is ultimately

forgettable because it lacks depth. Backstreet Boys have variation in their songs as well as meaningful lyrics. Songs like “The Answer to Our Life” are synth and piano-based, whereas songs like “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” focus heavily on different types of percussion and bells. Unlike many newer bands, Backstreet Boys are willing to experiment with different styles of music. They also have personable lyrics. One of their most popular songs, “I Want it That Way,” expresses the conflicting feelings of a boy who loves a girl who is out of his league. In contrast, “Big Time Rush,” by Big Time Rush, is about how people should try to be celebrities like its members are. There is an exception to the degradation of new boy band music: One Direction is a new band on the charts that I absolutely adore. The boy band began to tour professionally after placing third on the British TV show “The X-Factor” in 2010.After the season ended, the band signed on Simon Cowell’s record label

Syco Music, and later on Columbia Records in the US. Their first album, “Up All Night,” debuted in November 2011 and immediately catapulted to number one in the United Kingdom and among the top 10 in other countries. One Direction is more attractive than Big Time Rush and more musically diverse than The Wanted. Its synth and guitar parts are redundant, but they benefit from the use of broad dynamic ranges. Its hit song “What Makes You Beautiful” uses male harmonies to create a great effect, with all five airy voices blending together perfectly. “Moments,” a ballad with light finger-picking and soft harmonies, is also quite complex. One Direction’s musical variety sets it apart from most bands today, and its songs are more enjoyable to listen to; I often find myself in my room dancing and singing along to them when I probably should be doing homework. While most new boy bands fail to live up to the standards of ‘90s bands, One Direction is the model for what a modern boy band should be.

graphics by David Gorelik

One Direction, a recently formed boy band, meets the standards set by the Backstreet Boys.

april 13, 2012

fun page Columns, rows and squares Each take a digit, falling Between one and nine.

EASY: 9

6 5

v 10 14

2 4

9 5

3 8

9 8

Word Search L I K D C M I X A S V V L Q

S B B N R S P F C A L L K T

O N A Z C M F K M R M A Z L

B V V G G O N S U C O R C Z

U P J O D O A I D E J P R V

T I K I G L N F N Z R Z S D

T L L B R O W O V E B W Q R

7 1

R Z J G U J K I B D B F J M

E U K S C O X L F O I R U T

R T E C G M A R I G O L D F

8 11

12 15

21 18

3 8

By Joe Joseph & James Wu

DOWN:

1. A country governed by Jacobo Arbenz until his demise 13 2. Pertaining to 3. One of the seven 27 deadly sins 17 18 4. Solidified pig fat 5. Basque nationalists 20 21 6. Source of precious metals 24 22 7. You might find Rose Royce working at one of these. 11. How bats find their way 17. Characteristically 13. A group of freely self-referential interbreeding organisms 19. Superior to PC 15. To lightly touch or 21. Adjacent over prod someone in a way hypotenuse that provokes itching or 22. Flood refuge for laughter couples 18. A wide receiver 23. 3, as Caesar would known for his flamboywrite it ant touchdown celebra25. Arguably the besttions looking member of 20. Last name of a Viet‘N Sync namese leader 27. Purple gems that 24. Cold, frozen can be found in 6 down 26. A preposition 9

ACROSS:

7 1

CHALLENGING: 4

ROSSWORD

bad haiku by Tony Vashevko & Rob Hass puzzles courtesy of sudokuoftheday.com

1. A type of online document 8. Central part of Greek life 9. An Egyptian god 10. Possible component of a simile 12. Found at the end of a pencil 14. Carried along 16. British author of “The Famous Five” and “Noddy,” Blyton

Spring has sprung! Take a moment to smell the roses with a flower-themed word search: C U P E Y Z K Y P N F Q T B W T R E R W S U S S I C R A N Q H N H E J K F X J A H A C Y D X J V C G Z O L L E B E U L B Z F R N A V Z D E A W L A F J L K O P B L I Y B O G N D H F H O K D C F I O J D I Q P I Y Y J A Y E Q I L L L V W A P S A N E M O N E V D E P T A D I C G F G L W O N A H T N F P A I G G Q F I H E L V S T G Q D N C V I J T L O V Y P O P P Y T R M N A B X Y E T L F F Y T H Y I B Z A A W H M G W S A F

1) Anemone 2) Bluebell 3) Buttercup 4) Crocus 5) Daffodil 6) Daisy 7) Hyacinth 8) Lilac 9) Lily 10) Marigold 11) Narcissus 12) Pansy 13) Phlox 14) Poppy 15) Tulip 16) Violet

Embarrassing Roar Staff Photo of the Month:

Gazit’s modeling career proved to be highly unsuccessful.

centerfold

MOVING FORWARD The Roar investigates the evolution of South’s wellness program

he days of high school dodgeball are long gone, according to school nurse Gail Kramer. “Now the wellness curriculum isn’t just gym,” she said. “It’s more than just playing dodgeball, soccer or basketball.” According to wellness faculty, the wellness program has evolved from one focused on physical fitness to one that better aligns with student lifestyle choices, primarily due to an atmosphere increasingly focused on academics. Newton Health and Wellness coordinator Gwen Smith said that when she started working in Newton in the 1980s, the physical education program, now known as wellness, focused on constant physical activity throughout the entire year. Wellness teacher Amy Aransky said that the new wellness program offers valuable experiences for students. “The evolution has kind of been to provide [students] with more opportunities, so [they] can start to choose things that [they] really connect with, which motivates [them] to be active more,” Aransky said. Students must currently complete five credits of wellness over their four years. All freshmen must take two terms of wellness, one sex education class and one that focuses on physical education. Sophomores must take at least one semester of the designated sophomore wellness curriculum and juniors and seniors must take one semester each year of a capstone wellness course. According to Smith, these requirements have evolved from previous standards. In the 1980s, students had to take physical education all year for the four years of high school. “Each quarter focused on a different unit, such as a health unit, a recreational game unit, a racket game unit and a lifetime activities unit,” she said. Smith said that in the early 1990s, the wellness program underwent a significant shift in curriculum. “There was an emphasis for us to change from the old gym model, with a heavy physical aspect, to a newer wellness course,” Smith said. This new physical education model

By Dipal Nagda was designed to incorporate a larger variety sophomore wellness, as well as some of wellness components. “We wanted to capstone courses, such as Lifetime Pursuits, focus on the seven components of wellness: enforce the lifetime activities fitness social, spiritual, physical, occupational, component. intellectual, emotional and environmental,” Galambos said lifetime activities are Smith said. important for the different challenges they Aransky said that the wellness offer, which encourage students to cooperate curriculum is divided into three main and solve problems with their peers. “I think components of fitness — physical exercise, the main point about wellness now is to mental health and lifetime activities — to fit show community and how people can work with the new definition of wellness. together,” Galambos said. According to Aransky, the freshman Athletic director and wellness wellness course is vital for students to gain department head Scott Perrin said that an understanding of the fundamentals of educational lessons have as much value as physical exercise. physical exercise.“Kids are sort of misguided Junior Tuleeka Hazra agreed that the [about] what’s important,” he said. “There workout component [are] curriculum-driven is vital to the wellness lessons that you can get out curriculum. “ That of these classes that are just I think the main point about physical element is what beyond the exercise.” wellness now is to show really teaches us a skill,” Perrin said he has she said. recently noticed a change community and how people Senior Doron in students’ priorities. Galambos said, “There was a push back can work together. however, that physical from students a couple - Doron Galambos, Class of 2012 exercise in the years ago, saying that there wellness curriculum were too many wellness is an unnecessary requirements,” he said. requirement. “Not everybody wants to “[Students said] they did not have enough sweat,” he said. time to seek out other electives, or in some Aransky said that in response to situations, it was interfering with the AP increased academic focus and the changes schedule.” in society at large, the wellness program has School nurse Leslie Clark said students instituted more courses to deal with mental are paying more attention to academics and health issues, such as Yoga/Pilates and ignoring the components of fitness now Centered Self. more than ever before. “The community “During junior and senior year, has changed with such a great academic [school] becomes much more stressful with component,” Clark said. everything that you have to take care of,” She said that with increased pressure Aransky said. “I’ve seen a lot more kids to succeed, students are taking more courses choose the Centered Self class or Yoga/ and committing to more extracurricular Pilates because they both kind of have that activities. “Everything is scheduled,” Clark relaxation, stress management component,” said. “Students have to cut [wellness class] if she said. they have to do a paper.” Hazra said she believes that the mental Perrin also noticed that some students health component of wellness is significant, have found it difficult to sign up for a but most students do not take courses wellness class altogether. “You have these like yoga seriously. “Even though stress kids that want to take five or six APs at the management is extremely important, most expense of giving up their wellness classes,” kids use that class to sleep,” she said. Perrin said. Aransky said that freshman and Hazra said she believes, however, that

high school students should get some form of exercise. “I think it’s important for kids to get exercise especially because of the busy schedules we have,” Hazra said. Smith said that the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 prompted South to cut back on its wellness curriculum. “The school program changed and students needed more time for academics,” she said. “We now had to meet national examination standards.” Wellness teachers acknowledge the increased workload, especially for juniors and seniors, according to Perrin. “No person of any means or age needs to put themselves under that type of stress,” he said. The wellness department also experienced a series of budget cuts that led to a decrease in wellness requirements. “When I first came, wellness was required for seven semesters out of your eight in high school,” Aransky said. “With budget cuts and everything, it’s now five semesters that are required.” In earlier years, students who played varsity sports were not required to take a wellness class. With the evolving meaning of fitness, Perrin said, all students, regardless of extracurricular activity, are required to fulfill their five wellness credits to graduate. According to Aransky, the wellness department hopes that while broadening their view of fitness, students learn skills that they can apply elsewhere to make their time in class worthwhile. “[We try] to really weave in and make sure you’re choosing from those different strands so you’re expanding your own knowledge and possible interests,” Aransky said. Kramer said she approves of this goal. “Now, [wellness] includes working out, nutrition, square dancing and yoga,” Kramer said. “I think it should teach lifelong skills, things you can take outside of school.” A modern wellness curriculum should be able to accommodate the choices students make both in and out of school, according to Perrin. “The whole thing is about balance,” he said. “You must find balance in your life, and we strive to try to help kids learn that.”

photo illustration by Jordan Cohen-Kaplan

april 13, 2012

centerfold

WEIGHING the Options On March 27, The Roar polled 198 students on their exercise habits and thoughts on the wellness program.

What is the main reason for lack Do you take wellness classes of student exercise at South? seriously? 52%

45% 37%

38% 18% 10%

Too much schoolwork

Lack of motivation

Yes

Too many extracurriculars

Somewhat

What is the primary reason that you exercise? 60%

16%

To stay in shape

To relieve stress

11% To look good

9% Other

4% I don’t exercise

Technology distracts students from exercise Anastasiya Vasilyeva Sr. Centerfold Editor

Today’s youth are coach potatoes, according to athletic director and wellness department head Scott Perrin. “We have generations of kids who don’t believe in exercise,” Perrin said. “They sit in front of their computer or television.They eat nothing but processed foods. It’s a horrible, ugly situation for the human race.” Of 198 students surveyed, 70 percent said they get an hour or more of exercise daily. According to junior Tuleeka Hazra, getting this exercise does not always come easily. “I think that students now are more likely to give up,” Hazra said. “If it’s not easy the first time, they just give up, so it’s harder to stick with things.” Hazra said that students need to overcome technological distractions to create sufficient time for exercise. “Even when we have spare time, there’s the computer,

TV, cell phone and just all of those things that serve as distractions,” Hazra said. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggests that everyone under age 18 should participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily. In 2009, however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that only 18 percent of high school students actually exercised daily for one hour. Sophomore Ryan Spatz said that these distractions factor greatly into students’ attitudes about exercise. “Anytime I’m doing something on the computer, I could be doing something else, like studying or exercising,” Spatz said. “I have to make choices.” Sophomore Danny Teich said that students are not only distracted by technology, but they are also unmotivated to exercise. “[Exercise] takes up time when they could be doing more relaxing activities,” Teich said. “It’s hard to convince yourself to go out and work out.” According to school nurse Leslie

Clark, technological distractions, a relatively modern phenomenon, limit students’ time outdoors. “Before, kids didn’t have their cell phones. They didn’t have Facebook or social media,” Clark said. “They got together after school outside.” Teich’s mother, Nancy Teich, agreed that isolation may be preventing teen exercise. “When kids are off in their own separate houses at the end of the day, they really don’t have much motivation to get together and either do something outside, go to the JCC or go to a gym,” Nancy said. Perrin said he also notices this damaging trend. “I love technology, and there are lots of ways it helps us, but in a lot of ways it’s been hurting us,” he said. “It isolates us.” Teich agreed that technological distractions can decrease students’ willpower to get active. “[Technology] makes it harder to decide to go out and exercise,” Teich said. “With more technology, people are watching TV and are on computers

more often.” Nancy said, however, that technology is not necessarily at the root of the problem for South students. “I know that kids are more on the computer and their cell phones,” she said, “but by the time they get to high school, I don’t really know that [technology] makes a huge difference.” Hazra said she thinks students should prioritize physical activity above diversions. “It’s important for kids to get exercise, especially because of the busy schedules that we have,” Hazra said. Freshman Dana Michlin said that personal initiative is the impetus for getting active. “You can work out,” she said. “It’s up to you if you actually do.” Wellness teacher Amy Aransky said that despite distractions, students must maintain some form of exercise to manage all of the stress in their lives. “Just taking care of your own health, and being dedicated and devoted is really important,” she said.

features volume 28

issue 8

april 13, 2012

page

BACK TO

SCHOOL Shortly after graduating in 2009, Jason Agress returned to South as a dedicated and passionate technology department faculty member

photo by Yu-Ching Chang

Jason Agress, an ‘09 South graduate who joined the faculty shortly after graduating, said that the relationships he made as a South student have benefited him as a faculty member.

Hyunnew Choi & Carly Meisel News Editor, Features Editor

On his 15th birthday, an exuberant freshman walked into South, barely able to contain his excitement. Later that day, he presented a video he had produced himself about South’s new advisory program, and school evaluators from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges had come to watch. Just six years later, Jason Agress, the ‘09 graduate who presented this video, joined South’s technology department. According to Agress, his experience as a South student has given him a unique connection to his workplace and his co-workers. “[Being at South] made me realize a few things, one of which was how much I love doing IT work and also what a great place this is to work,” Agress said. Agress, who now studies information technology (IT)at University of Massachusetts-Boston, said that working at South allows him to continue the same passions he held as a student. “I was Managing Editor of Denebola,” he said. “I was also involved in a lot of media and technology things throughout the school.” Vice principal Mary Scott, who has gotten to know Agress both as a student and as a co-worker, said that his passion for South is almost palpable. “He cares so much about this [community],” Scott said. “I could email him, … and [he will] come in on the weekend if he has to. He’ll say, ‘I want it to run right.’” Scott said that Agress’ dedication to South exceeds that of most people. “In my over 40 years in education, he stands out of all the students as talented, giving to the school [and] passionate about the school.” Phil Golando, the head technician for South and North, agreed that Agress is extremely dedicated to South and the work he does. Golando said that Agress’ youth and enthusiasm are boons to the technology department.

“He likes to learn, which is very helpful for me because I’m not as young,” Golando said. “If he wants to learn something, he’ll pick up a book and learn it.” In addition to forming a connection with Golando, Agress said he has developed relationships with other coworkers, aided by the combination of his years as a student and experience as a faculty member. Agress said he sees his co-workers’ skills and expertise more clearly now than he did as a student. “As a staff member, I feel like I have a better perspective on the operations of the school and a better appreciation for how hard South’s staff works to make the school a better place for students,” Agress said. “I think South teachers are really top notch. Sometimes you don’t recognize that as students right away.” Agress also said that his long-term involvement at South has helped him to better understand his co-workers’ teachings methods and individual needs in regards to technology. “I am better able to help [teachers] use

insightful knowledge about South that other faculty members may lack.“He is really familiar with the school,” Kats said. “He knows all the nooks and crannies.” In addition to his technological contributions to both South and Denebola, Agress has been serving as a mentor for South’s Dreamfar marathon team. Sophomore and marathon team member Danny Teich, said Agress’ connection to South likely influences his involvement in the program. “I don’t think everybody that is part of Dreamfar is a faculty member of a school, but [working at South] probably is a motivation for him to be on it,” Teich said. Agress said he has great respect for the students he runs with, part of which stems from the time he spent as a South student. “It’s inspiring to be with them, especially when I know from experience how busy South students are already with academics and other extracurriculars,” Agress said.

He cares so much about this [community]. I could email him, and [he will] come in on the weekend if he has to. He’ll say, ‘I want it to run right.’” - Mary Scott, vice principal

technology in the classroom [because] I know who’s techsavvy and who’s not,” he said. Scott agreed that Agress’ relationships with his former teachers have ultimately been advantageous to his work. “Having been a student [who] basically never left and because he spends so many hours here, he certainly knows a lot of the teachers,” Scott said. “I know that a lot of people really trust him.” Senior and former Editor-in-Chief of Denebola Dan Kats said he counts himself among those trusting people. Kats said that Agress alleviated stressful situations as the technical adviser for Denebola last year. Kats also said that as a former student, Agress has

Golando said a driving factor in Agress’ hard work on programs like Dreamfar is a long-term investment in South’s success. “One benefit with Jason is he takes a lot of pride in Newton South; he always [did] when he was a student, and that has carried forward very obviously as a staff member,” Golando said. “It’s just that pride, I think, that makes him want to do more.” Agress said he strives to make positive contributions to school and town where he received his education. “I’ll always be a Newton guy,” he said, “and working for the Newton Public Schools provides me with a chance to give back to the community that shaped who I am today.”

april 13, 2012

features

When your own words won’t suffice Lili Kadets

The Quotation Collector

“Most people collect tangibles. As a quotation collector, I collect wisdom, life, invisible beauty, souls alive in ink.” – Terri Guillemets, quotations anthologist and founder of quotation website “The Quote Garden” Of the millions of words humans speak every day, why do some stand out? Why are there some phrases that stay in our minds long enough for us to reproduce them as quotations? We may not necessarily understand these words to be “life,” “invisible beauty” or “souls alive in ink” as Guillemets does, but there are certain words and phrases we tend to remember — whether they strike a personal chord, enlighten us or simply sound good. So, let’s try a couple of examples. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” What childhood basketball coach hasn’t added this quotation to an inspirational pre-game speech? Hockey player Wayne Gretzky’s words constantly motivate young athletes. Are you thirsty? Let’s try this one: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Somehow, this little saying has slipped quietly into everyday conversation. And why not repeat it? It’s pretty good advice. Obviously, quotations come in every flavor. They can be witty, sad or confusing, and there certainly isn’t a deficit of websites on which to find them. It’s just like the old saying goes: “There’s a cover for every pot.” There truly is a quotation applicable to every situation. Look around, try a couple out and find one you like. Oh, and don’t forget the make-your-own method. There’s always a chance that your own expression will catch on. The most remarkable thing about quotations is that they can convey exactly what we want to say when we can’t think of the words ourselves. In life, and especially in the life of a high school student, people encounter new and challenging situations that they can’t always describe. But when times get rough, we can rely on quotations to save the day. You may have understood that life can throw you curve balls before ever watching “Forrest Gump,” but Gump’s words describe the surprises in life absolutely perfectly: “My mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” See how it works? Someone else does the hard work for you. You just get to sit back and enjoy it. I have decided to include a quotation at the beginning of each column I will write this volume because, like Terri Guillemets, I love collecting quotations. Others might collect stamps, bottle caps or antique typewriters. I happen to collect words. Therefore, I want to designate my column as somewhat of a “quotation haven” to connect common expressions to our busy South lives. Seeing as this is a column for everything quotation-related, it seems only fitting to end it with one. So, take these words from Winston Churchill for the road: “Ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put.”

Once a Scout, Always a Scout Junior Nicholas Hurney, along with other South students, continues to participate in scouting troops as a high school student

Tom Howe & Caroline Zola Sports Editor, Sr. Features Editor

Every February, when order forms come in, sophomore and Girl Scout Sophie Cash rings doorbells and calls friends, seeking to sell as many boxes of Thin Mints, Caramel deLites and other cookies as she can. According to Cash, being a Girl Scout is about much more than cookies, though. “It’s a confidence thing,” Cash said. “This is something in my past that will enable me to do impressive things in the future.” Cash counts herself among the South students who have maintained dedication to scouting troops through high school and worked toward scouting awards and milestones. Cash joined Girl Scout troop 3012 in kindergarten along with her all the girls in her class. “I guess all through elementary it was like everyone was in it,” Cash said. “It was fun to hang out with girls that we liked and girls that maybe we didn’t hang out with normally at school.” Since Cash’s elementary school years, troop 3012 has shrunk and now has 10 members, including sophomores Jess Dagg, Julia Snider, Noa Shneorson, Lauren Powtak, Amara Ezekiel, Maite AbadiaManthei and Sara Wang. Like the girls of troop 3012, junior Nicholas Hurney has been scouting since a young age. Hurney has been a member of Boy Scout troop 182 in Wellesley since he was 11 years old and is now an Eagle Scout, the highest possible ranking in the Boy Scout program. Hurney’s father, Paul Hurney, leads Boy Scout troop 182 and said that his son’s achievements in the Boy Scouts are unique. “They don’t all get that far,” Paul said. “Every boy is different, but they can all achieve a level and learn just the same, but very few do get to the top rank.” To earn his position as an Eagle Scout, Hurney completed an independent leadership project. He painted warning signs next to roadside storm drains all over Newton, asking dog walkers not to dump waste down drains so as not to contaminate the Charles River. Hurney said that his continued dedication to the Boy Scouts through projects like this one has brought him personal

photo courtesy of Nicholas Hurney

benefits. “I’ve had a couple interviews for different jobs and summer camps, and it is a really helpful thing [to say], ‘I’m an Eagle Scout. I’m a Boy Scout,’ … because of the whole leadership aspect,” Hurney said. Girl Scout troop 3012 has made achievements similar to Hurney’s. In order to advance in Girl Scouts, troops need to earn bronze, silver and gold awards. Troop 3012 earned its silver award

photo courtesy of Sophie Cash

It’s been a nice experience to watch these girls ... grow up from their tiny kindergarten selves to sophomores. - Sophie Cash, Class of 2014

photo courtesy of Jen Snider

last year after hosting a Girl Scout Fun Day for Boston-area girls to play games and participate in community-building activities. Dagg said that working on Girl Scout Fun Day brought her scouting knowledge to the next level. “It takes a lot to bring 50 kids we’ve never met before and put them on a field for eight hours,” she said. “It takes a lot of leadership skills, and it takes a lot of communication [skills], ... so that’s something that we’ve

learned to do and that we’re good at now.” Hurney said he has also had opportunities to put his scouting skills to work as he has gotten older and that a 10-day backpacking trip in New Mexico with his father was especially meaningful. “That’s kind of the pinnacle of the whole program, an activity like that,” Paul said. “[Scouts] built up all these skills in [their] younger years of scouting, and then get to have a really cool trip when they’re 16 [or] 17 years old when they’ve mastered all these skills.” While working toward scouting milestones, Cash said she has appreciated her fellow scouts’ commitment to the Girl Scout organization and to their friends in troop 3012. “We got to middle school, and [scouting] was a nice way to come back to be with our friends ... and in high school even more [so],” Dagg said. “Most of us never even talked about quitting.” According to Cash, interpersonal relationships have been key to troop 3012’s longevity. “It’s been a nice experience to watch these girls that I definitely wouldn’t hang out with at school ... grow up from their tiny kindergarten selves to sophomores in high school and having that kind of not school-related, not friend-circle-related connection to them,” Cash said. Troop 3012 parent leader Jen Snider agreed that friendships have helped her troop remain active. “[The troop] reinforces connections.” Snider said. “They have kept a connection between all of the girls in the troop, which has kind of kept them together.” Dagg said she is proud that troop 3012 continues to meet despite its members’ hectic high school schedules. “It’s cool to think about sticking with something long enough that I can really see the benefit that I’ve had through it. I’m pretty busy, and I do a lot, and I don’t have a lot of time, but this is one thing that I’ve done since kindergarten,” she said. “All this crazy stuff has happened to me since kindergarten, growing up, essentially, but there’s still one part of me that’s the same, one constant.” Cash said that although life has changed for every scout, one core scouting value always resonates. “‘Be a sister to every Girl Scout’ is one of the things we said in elementary school,” she said.

april 13, 2012

features

Behind the scenes of...

MOCK TRIAL By Parisa Siddiqui and Julia Snider

graphic by David Gorelik

The Roar examines the inner workings and processes of South’s mock trial team, which competes against over 120 high schools in an annual, statewide, scholastic mock trial tournament sponsored by the Massachusetts Bar Association

t least three times a year, junior Charlotte Zolit goes to court. As a member of South’s mock trial team, coached by lawyer Elliot Loew and instructional technology department head Brian Hammel, Zolit participates in trial simulations in courtrooms across the state. “I feel really mature, almost powerful [when I go to court] because it is a place where usually lawyers and adults do things that are very similar to [what we do],” Zolit said. The Massachusetts Bar Association appoints professional lawyers to judge and preside over mock cases while students conduct the trials as lawyers and witnesses. Hammel said that mock trial is highly competitive and has the suspensful environment of a sport. “It’s like any athletic competition, but academic,” Hammel said. “It’s just as exciting.” This year, South’s mock trial team won a regional championship.

1. A coin flip determines which side of the case each team will argue for (the plaintiff or the defendant).

2. Opening statement: Each lawyer presents his or her argument.

3. Witnesses’ Testimony: The

witness gives a formal statement describing what he or she saw or experienced. There are six witnesses on each side of the case. Each witness faces direct and cross-examination.

4. Direct examination: The lawyer

questions his or her own witnesses, prompting them to tell the story that supports his or her own side.

Each mock trial season begins with tryouts for the positions of lawyer and witness and other roles. Coaches meet to assign positions based on students’ preparedness, familiarity with the case and presentation skills. Each year, the Massachusetts Bar Association selects one case and from then on, students participate in trials stemming off of this one case. Once the coaches have selected students to fill each role, the entire team goes over the affidavits, documents containing witnesses’ knowledge of and relation to the case. The team then prepares direct examinations, cross examinations and opening and closing statements for both sides of the case. The coaches ensure that everyone knows his or her role and is well-prepared. “If you’re a lawyer, you have to understand the purpose [for] getting evidence to present it to the court,” Loew said. “You have to make sure that the judge understands what you’re trying to prove and why you’re trying

to prove it.” According to Hammel, students without roles in the trial still have a signficant contribution to the team and its success. “It’s a huge group effort. All these students, more than half of them, do not have performance roles, but they sit there and they take notes and they debrief with the people who do have performance roles,” Hammel said. “They’re all assigned to different parts of the trial.” According to junior and mock trial team member Dan Kaufman, mock trials have several moments of intensity. “At the end when … everyone’s standing there, and the judge is about to make his ruling and tell you who won, that’s always pretty intense,” Kaufman said. “Sometimes you just get a witness to say something that just destroys their case and you know that’s good when ... you tricked them into saying something that they weren’t supposed to say. That’s pretty intense too.”

This year’s case

8. Once the tournament has begun,

A high schooler, Alex Soltin, chooses to move to a new private high school after both of his parents die in a tragic car accident, and his older brother becomes his guardian. At the new high school, students bully Soltin, and though his teacher repeatedly sees the bullying, she does nothing to stop it. When Soltin’s brother asks the teacher if he is adjusting well to his new school, the teacher only mentions the difficulty of the curriculum and claims that Soltin needs to work harder. After enduring weeks of bullying, Soltin has a mental breakdown and is hospitalized. His guardian sues the teacher for negligence, claiming that her reluctance to intervene caused the mental breakdown.

5. Cross examination: The lawyer

questions the opponent’s witnesses, attempting to reveal flaws in the witness’s testimony.

the winner of each trial advances to the next round. Upon losing one trial, teams will be eliminated from the tournament until the next year.

7. Conclusion: After every trial, the

judge ranks each lawyer and witness, giving each student a score from one to ten. The scores on each side are then tallied up, and whichever side has a higher cumulative score wins.

6. Closing Statement: Each lawyer

makes a statement at the end of the trial before the court that summarizes and interprets the evidence in a final attempt to persuade the judge to rule in his or her favor.

april 13, 2012

features

Relationships:

Fear of the Y chromosome EDITOR’S NOTE: Every issue The Roar publishes a different anonymous student’s perspective on relationships. The views expressed in the “Relationships Column” do not reflect the official views of The Lion’s Roar, nor are they intended as a guide or source of advice for others. I’m scared of boys. You would think that living with two males for 17 years would cure anyone of such a phobia. My father and my brother, however, have done nothing to accustom me to the ways of the Y chromosome. I went on a date once, about two years ago. He put his arm around me at the movies. I felt so uncomfortable that I counted to 10 and got up to go to the bathroom. Later that night, when we were saying goodbye, he went in for the kiss, and I said, “Well, see ya Monday!” When he put his arm around me at the movies, I literally froze. I started to over-think everything I was doing. Our whole date suddenly felt so forced and awkward. Here was this kid sitting next to me whom I’d known since middle school, who got up the courage to ask me out, but he put his arm around me and I didn’t know what to do. Do I slump down in my chair and lean against him? Does this mean I have to kiss him now? I couldn’t remember anything I’d read in Seventeen Magazine about a situation like this! I realized I wasn’t attracted to him at all. I was attracted to going on dates, being “exclusive” and having the typical high school experience that Taylor Swift sings about. I didn’t realize that relationships take time and that you’re never going to feel super comfortable with someone the first time you hang out with him. I didn’t take the time to think about how this boy would feel when I called him on the phone four days later and told him I was glad we were such good “friends” and that I wanted it to stay that way. And it’s not as though I can use the excuse that I have never kissed a boy before. “Jason” and I enjoyed a fantastic make-out session on the archery field at sleepaway camp when I was 13. It rocked my world. My first kiss was exactly as I had always dreamed it would be. Afterward, standing there awkwardly and not knowing what to say, I blurted out, “I’m all wet!” referring to my face. Needless to say, this turned out to be a one-time thing. Looking back on my high school experience, I feel that I’ve missed out on something. I never really learned how to talk to boys. No matter how hard I try, I can’t approach guys I like. Random hook-ups are fine, and platonic relationships with (certain) boys are fine too, but somehow, I haven’t figured out how to merge the two — how to have real relationships with guys I like without feeling so awkward and uncomfortable that I have to make up excuses to leave the movie theatre. I’m beginning to realize that this isn’t something that comes naturally; everyone has to learn it, and the only way to learn it comes from experience.

Mono affects social and academic life Tom Howe & Kylie Walters Sports Editor, Sr. Features Editor

On her eighteenth birthday, senior Clara Lorant spent the day bedridden with infectious mononucleosis, the virus better known as mono. “That was shitty, and I was [also] sick on Halloween,” Lorant said. Lorant is one of several students who have had to juggle their social lives and school work with the sore throat, fever and fatigue that characterize mono. Sophomore Abbie Richards, who had mono during the fall of her sophomore year, said that the illness can harm multiple facets of a student’s life. “I was always exhausted, and I was always sleeping [when I had mono],” Richards said. “It was also kind of depressing because being out of school and not talking to anyone was kind of hard because you lose contact with all friends.” If a student refuses to follow his doctor’s orders in favor of leading an active life at school, the effects of mono can be even greater than fatigue, according to junior and soccer player Lili Kadets, who had mono for two months during her freshman year. “[Mono] definitely is more serious [than other illnesses] because there are consequences of not resting ... Your spleen enlarges so if you get hit in the stomach your spleen can explode,” Kadets said. “It is different from other viruses even when you are really sick because there are serious, deathly consequences of doing things like playing soccer.” Kadets said that in addition to keeping her on the bench during soccer matches, mono caused constant fatigue and hindered her ability to complete

homework assignments. “Basically, all I did was the bare minimum of attending class,” Kadets said. Richards agreed that the illness complicates learning. “My self esteem in my grades went way down,” she said. “I felt a lack of confidence when it came to my grades because I missed so much school, and that impacted my year.” English teacher Corinne Popp said that because students with mono struggle to focus and maintain attendance, a drop in grades is difficult to avoid. “[A grade drop] is kind of inevitable, usually. When you miss school and you have a lot to make up, chances are that you won’t get

graphic by Aidan Rose

the same grade you got before,” Popp said. Senior Ben Korsh said that after having mono for an entire term of his sophomore year, he struggled more than he previously had. “I did not produce [work] at the level that I had previously,” he said. “If you have a large break without doing any work, it’s not easy to pick yourself back up.” Sophomore Caroline Leong, who

contracted mono at the beginning of her freshman year, said that after recovering, she suffered similar consequences from her prolongued absence. “[Stress] was pretty high because I had a lot of work to catch up, and I didn’t understand the concepts because I wasn’t in class, so I was behind,” Leong said, “It wasn’t just some of my subjects. It was all of them.” Popp said she approaches situations like Leong’s by breaking down a student’s work into sections that can be completed on a nightly basis. “I try to break it down into baby steps, but it’s really hard,” she said. “You give them this list of everything they are missing and hand them this huge chunk of stuff and are like ‘Alright, you’ve got to make all of this up,’ and they look at you with this deer in the headlights expression, and you are like, ‘Alright, for tomorrow, just do this.’” Leong said that understanding teachers like Popp made her return to school less stressful. “Teachers were very reasonable, more reasonable than I thought they would be. They were relaxed about me turning in work late,” she said. Kadets said despite setbacks, she learned a lesson through her experience with mono. “[Mono] definitely taught me how to deal with something that I was upset about because I remember when I first got the diagnosis I was devastated [by the] fact that I couldn’t dance,” she said. “It was scary at first so it taught me how to deal with things that are hard.” Additional reporting by Andrew Feng

Music program supports community PLUGGED IN, from 1

actually [had] cystic fibrosis,” Knight said. “After [the concert he] talked about [the disease]. That’s when I realized how serious Plugged In is about making social change.” Knight’s mother, Debbie Knight, said that while the charitable portion of Plugged In is important, the Plugged In community has also been instrumental in reinforcing her daughter’s self-confidence. “[Rachel] has tried new things that she wouldn’t have tried. [At first,] she went up and played but didn’t want to be the focus,” Debbie said. “Now she has done singing, been front and center as lead [and] she’s tried the drums as well,” Debbie said. “She’s branched out from being shy [and] reserved to someone who is not afraid of being in the spotlight.” Knight agreed that her involvement with Plugged In has changed her for the better. “[Plugged In] helped [boost] my confidence and showcase myself in music,” Knight said. Senior and Plugged In participant Chris Smith said that Plugged In’s charity work can serve as a platform for personal growth. “It was really hard to open to new people, but over time, through the functions we do for charities and the interac-

tions I’ve had with people, [I can] better understand the way I am around people and … make friends while understanding people in a way I couldn’t have before,” Smith said. Plugged In instructor Bassil Silver said that behind Plugged In’s charitable work is a core base of talented and passionate students. “A lot of the kids really knew what they were doing,” Silver said. “It’s nice to be hands-on but also let them do what they’re doing: playing music and really enjoying it.” According to Rubin, Plugged In increases students’ innate passion for music and provides a welcoming social group. “[Plugged In has] turned music into more than just a hobby,” he said. “It’s a social experience. There’s just so much you can get from it.” Senior and Plugged In member Daniel Sahleanu said that the social network at Plugged In gives him a sense of belonging, a sentiment he tries to share with others. “As I joined more bands, I started to see that it is very important to support other people that are feeling out of place and are a bit confused in where they are,” he said. Knight agreed that Plugged In allows her to express her identity. “Plugged

In is really my outlet, a place where I can kind of be myself to the fullest extent where other people can relate,” she said. “When I’m in school, I have friends and stuff, but it’s hard to really be totally myself and people understanding.” According to Knight, Plugged In staff members contribute to the program’s welcoming social environment. “[The staff members] don’t treat us like students,” she said. “I have become good friends with a lot of them.” Debbie said that the relationships Knight has with instructors have allowed her daughter to learn not only music, but also life skills. “I think they became mentors to some extent and are positive role models,” she said. “They are unbelievably warm people that have poured their hearts into the program.” Sahleanu said he believes that more South musicians should join Plugged In to gain the same self-confidence boost and performance experiences he has. “I really wouldn’t have known what I would be missing if I didn’t take a second glance at [the program],” he said. “I would have regretted so many things [like] not being able to fully express myself at school [and not being] able to meet so many amazing people and experience the magic of performing on stage.”

sports volume 28

issue 8

april 13, 2012

page

photos by James Wang

Students played basketball in the field house for South’s first ever March Madness tournament, which had a $5 entry fee per player and a $100 grand prize for the winning team.

Basketball event raises funds for junior class Yonatan Gazit Sr. Sports Editor

Tired and grinning, team SDAB walked away from South’s first ever March Madness basketball tournament $100 richer. Junior Barak Swarttz, a member of the winning team, said his victory was well-deserved. “We took it game by game, and we ended up in the final four, then the championship game, and I said, ‘There is not a chance that we are not going to go all the way here without a win,’” Swarttz said. Swarttz and fellow participants in the tournament said that the event had a successful first year but that there is still room for future improvement. Thirty-two different basketball teams consisting of four players each played in the tournament, which was held in the field house on March 16. Teams played one another in five single elimination rounds until only four champions were left at the end of the tournament: juniors Barak Swarttz, Deion Arneaud, Shariq Cheema and senior Aren Bailey.

The victory was impressive, “We wanted to let teams according to junior Matt Swalthere just for fun play other boski. teams there just for fun,” Choi “You needed a really good said, “but also we don’t want to team since everyone [was] in the let the teams that are playing same bracket,” he said. seriously play each other right Junior class officers orga- in the beginning [because then] nized the tournament as a class there won’t be many of them at fundraiser; each player paid $5 the end.” admission, and the winning team received $100. This year, the class of 2013 raised about $500 from the tournament, at which it also provided free burritos. Junior class vice president Yoonchan Choi said that the tournament’s success stemmed - Barak Swarttz, Class of 2013 in part from its simple organization. “Relative to Swarttz said that for a new other events, this one was event, the basketball tournament relatively easy to organize,” Choi had great student turnout.“When said. “We just had to run the idea I walked into the field house, I by the administrators and then get saw a storm of kids everywhere, ” the word out.” he said. Although the tournament According to sophomore had an even bracket because 32 Danny Kenslea, few of these kids teams registered to play, Choi were spectators, which was a said that deciding which teams weak point of the tournament. would play each other still re“There was not really as quired careful consideration.

good a job on the admission end,” Kenslea said. “There weren’t too many people attending to watch it.” Math teacher Alex Palilunas, who played on a team with students, said the basketball tournament needed to be publicized more. “Maybe if they got the word out a little bit better and put some fliers up around school, it would be better attended,” he said. “The event itself was good, but [to make it more successful], just getting some fans and a bit more publicity.” In addition to a lack of publicity, Kenslea said he thought that the prize for the winning team was another of the tournament’s faults. “There was a $20 entry fee [per team], but the winning team won $100. The reward should have been bigger,” Kenslea said. Swarttz said that some students thought that the rules laid out before the tournament were unfair.

When I walked into the field house, I saw a storm of kids everywhere.

“At first you couldn’t have more than one JV and varsity basketball player on the court at the same time,” Swarttz said, “but then a couple days before, they changed the rules, so I think some players were sort of disappointed because then the teams would have been different.” During the tournament itself, however, Palilunas said there were few complaints about how the event played out. “I think it was pretty smoothly run,” Palilunas said. Both Kenslea and Swarttz said that they would want to play in the tournament again if it happened next year. Palilunas said that next year the tournament needs more publicity in order for more people to show up. Swarttz said that the event has the potential to be even better next year. “If [class officers] publicize it as much as they did and emphasize that things are going to be different,” Swarttz said. “I think it is going to be something that kids are going to want to participate [in].”

april 13, 2012

sports

photos by Jordan Cohen-Kaplan

Rugby players come to matches early to prepare themselves for the game by warming up beforehand and running drills to help improve their skills and begin to get into the game’s groove.

Rugby club provides inclusive environment Lizzie Fineman & Tom Howe Sports Reporter, Sports Editor

Blood, sweat and mud brought the girls rugby team to a second place state title last year, the season’s final game occurring after a day of heavy rainfall. “It was really intense because everyone was flipping everywhere, and you couldn’t tell who was who because mud was everywhere,” junior Nicole Vertsecher said. “We were like fighting for our lives.” Members of both the boys and girls rugby teams, which practice together as part of the co-ed rugby club, said they motivate themselves and one another to overcome difficulties such as those muddy conditions. Sophomore Nick Reitman said that the boys team rallied together during one game when South was down by one try with 30 seconds remaining in the match. “We had a special talk and after that we went hard at them,” he said. “We went harder than we went all season, and we scored a try.” Seniors Alessandra Lewis and Paris Caldwell started South’s boys and girls rugby clubs, which does not have varsity

status, two years ago. Rugby coach Michael Sapers, said the club’s structure promotes community. “The boys and girls practice together and support each other,” he said. The two teams also share equipment and come to each other’s games. Sophomore Mollie McElligott said that because rugby is not an official South sport, players motivate themselves to attend practices and feel more excited about practicing. “Practices are basically put on you, and I find myself wanting to show up more because it is not required,” McElligot said. “You realize that if you don’t go to practice, you will not do well at the game. I go to more of their practices than other sports.” Lewis agreed that the rugby team’s status as a club encourages players to improve, for their own sake and for their teammates. “The expectation for all the players is to get better and do better themselves,” she said. “We are not as intense as other sports because we only practice three days a week, and we are a club, but when it comes to game time, it is about how much you have learned as an individual.”

According to Sapers, rugby helps build relationships between players on and off the field. “One aspect of rugby that makes the sport unique is the camaraderie among players,” he said. “When the whistle blows to end the game, rugby players traditionally socialize with each other and build bonds off of the field.” Junior Michael Sugrue said that the personal gains rugby brought him encouraged him to remain on the team. “I learned [rugby] within two practices, and then on the first game it was one of the most fun sports I’ve ever played, so I just stuck with it,” Sugrue said. Sugrue, a football player, said that rugby has also enhanced his general athletic ability and fitness. McElligott said that experienced coaches contribute positively to rugby players’ athletic ability and provide the teams with inspiration. “[The coaches] have all played rugby in the past, and they are really involved,” McElligott said. “We have people that played every position, so it is really nice to have coaches that have had that experience not only in high school but [also in] college and then coached rugby.”

Sugrue said he wishes more students could benefit from the coaches’ instruction and experience the joy he has found on the rugby team. “I was talking to some kids and trying to get them to play, and most of them seemed sort of scared because they didn’t know the sport itself and they didn’t know the rules or anything,” he said. “If we got people more exposed, they would understand it more, and they’d be like ‘Oh, that sounds really fun. I want to play,’” Sugrue said. Lewis agreed that the rugby club has much to offer those who are willing to try a new sport. “It’s a matter of explaining to them that you shouldn’t be scared and rugby is one of the greatest sports you are ever going to play,” Lewis said. Part of what makes rugby at South popular is the club’s inclusiveness and members’ willingness to help one another, according to McElligott. “[Rugby] fits for every body type, [and] it really involves everyone,” McElligott said. “For me that is what a sport should be. It really brings everyone together and keeps people active no matter what shape they are in.”

Ultimate gives students time to relieve stress

photo by James Wang

Seniors on the ultimate frisbee team help new players learn the sport.

Darren Trementozzi Sports Reporter

Angry Corn, South’s ultimate frisbee team, just may be the most relaxed team at school, according to senior and captain Daniel Douglass. “The frisbee team is very laid back and not too intense, but we still care about playing well,”

Douglass said. According to Douglass, Angry Corn’s relaxed nature has caused team membership to increase dramatically. “[Ultimate frisbee] is drawing attention from the kids who are super stressed at South but looking for a sport,” junior Jake Gitlin said. Douglass said that despite

the informality of Angry Corn, he still takes the sport seriously. Senior Jack Summers said that this year, the team has grown much larger than ever before.“More people is great, and we can field an A and B team for the season, which was something that we couldn’t do for the fall,” Summers said. Senior and captain Jason Hershman said ultimate is especially popular amongst seniors. “We only have about four juniors playing and about six sophomores,” Hershman said, “There’s a very small amount of underclassmen. It’s always been that way,” Hershman said. Douglass said utimate has always appealed more to upperclassmen because of its laid back attitude. “I didn’t want to commit myself to lacrosse my senior year; I wanted to have a relaxed spring,” Douglass said. Angry Corn’s new coach, Jason Laxague, said that more players help create balance for the team.

“I’ve seen that ultimate frisbee has been popular at Newton South in the past but has had uptimes and downtimes,” Laxague said. “I would love to create a culture for the team and some stability for the team to continue for the future.” Not all members of the team said the increase in size guarantees a better team. Last year, Angry Corn’s seniors, who constituted most of the team, graduated, and were replaced by a large number of newer players. “The kids are athletic, but it’s hard because we really don’t have that much experience,” Hershman said. Gitlin said the large number of inexperienced players will impact the performance of the team, especially during practices. “This year the captains are more about teaching the sport than any other year,” Gitlin said, “So, yes, there will be confusion, but that will lessen as their teaching creates more team chemistry.” In Douglass’ opinion,

while the team does not have much experience, it has plenty of potential. “[A big team] helps us out a lot; we have more skill to choose from when deciding who will be playing in games,” he said. Senior and capain of Angry Corn Phil Fradkin said the team does have a maximum capacity. “The number of players will go down because no more than 20 people can have organized practices and have good teamwork on the field,” Fradkin said. According to Gitlin, success does not mean a good win-loss record, but rather team improvement. “Wins and losses I feel will probably [be] the same, but involvement and improvement will drastically increase,” Gitlin said. Fradkin said that ultimate frisbee practice is a time for him to relax and cool off from his stressful day-to-day life. “[In Angry Corn] I find a world where good people play a good sport,” Fradkin said.

april 13, 2012

sports

Students balance sports with schoolwork Corey Friedman & Ben Tuval Sports Contributor, Sports Editor

Almost every morning, junior Jung Park, who runs track nearly every day after school, finds himself rolling out of bed around 2 or 3 a.m. to complete schoolwork. According to several student athletes, practices drain students both physically and mentally. “It is hard [to manage my time] because it’s much harder to focus and complete work efficiently when you’re tired after practice,” track runner and junior Keegan Stricker said Practices running late can be a major causes of stress for students, decreasing the time they have to do homework, sophomore Jenny Kim said. Kim said athletes should be prepared for the extra stress. “The decision of playing sports was their decision, so they should be held accountable,” Kim said.

Some students, such as junior Kevin Zhang, find themselves in a moral dilemma when forced to prioritize athletics over academics. “I most likely will try to cut corners and do the least amount of homework I can without a large detrimental effect to my grades,” Zhang said. Despite the stress that comes with balancing a rigorous workload and athletics, Stricker said the limited time left for academics at the end of a day motivates him to work harder and focus. “I feel timecrunched after coming home late, which makes me feel the need to work on my homework immediately and take minimal breaks,” Stricker said. History teacher Thomas Murphy

said that students should expect an extra workload if they do sports. “Sports are voluntary, and a big part of growing up is learning to budget your time,” Murphy said. “If you choose to play sports, I think that you have to accept that that might add to your burdens.” Regardless of his work efficiency, though, Park said he often still finds himself sleep deprived. Because of the restricted time that Park has between playing sports and taking demanding classes, he tends to either go to sleep later or wake up earlier. Park’s mother Young Ju Kim said she dislikes the effect athletics can have on her son’s schedule. “I personally want my son to sleep at least certain hours and am not content with him waking up at midnight to finish his homework,” she said, “but I believe my son is doing what is best for him to manage his schedule, so I don’t say anything about it.” Junior Rebecca Heller, however, said she finds her workload difficult but not impossible to balance with a packed sports schedule. “It is definitely more challenging to manage time for schoolwork when I am

playing a sport, but that just causes me to be more efficient and manage my time better, so I find it somewhat helpful,” Heller said. Junior Patrick Fabrizio agreed that taking on both hard classes and multiple sports has improved his work ethic. “At times it is very stressful [to manage my time], especially considering the physical toll that sports like football and wrestling take, but I am glad that I do it,” Fabrizio said. Fabrizio said he encourages others to take more challenging classes. “It’s important to consider what classes are being taken and what sports are being played,” Fabrizio said. “Depending on the class’s difficulty level and the type of sport being played, sometimes doing work one term could be much more challenging than the workload in another term.” Park said that he originally signed up for AP Biology this year but ended up dropping out of the class due to time conflicts with track and his other AP and Honors classes. Unlike Park, Heller said she anticipated in advance the time constraints sports would cause. “I probably would have taken more Honors classes junior year such as Honors biology or Honors Spanish,” Heller said. “I also would have considered signing up for more challenging courses for next year like neurobiology or AP Psychology.” Despite the stress that comes with balancing sports with rigorous academic classes, Fabrizio said he would not make different choices. “Most of my AP peers do not play the sports I play, and most of my teammates do not take the classes I take,” he said. “It is a challenge worth taking, and I would encourage more people to try it.”

graphic by David Gorelik

Freshman volleyball players show promise Jack McElduff Sports Reporter

With each bump and block he makes this volleyball season, freshman Brendan Duggan said he will be looking toward the future. “Kids have always kind of made fun of the volleyball team,” Brendan Duggan said. “We do not just want to be good this year. We want to be good in years to come.” According to Brendan Duggan and his teammates, future success for the boys volleyball team will come in great part from strong freshman players. “Having young experience ... could benefit the team [in the future] even though [we] are focusing on the season that is right in front of [us],” Brendan Duggan said. During the 2011 season, the team finished 16-4 and reached the final round of the sectional competition. According to volleyball coach Todd Elwell, the team shows promise for similar success in the future, particularly because five freshmen with prior volleyball experience have joined the team. “This year’s group of freshmen is bringing a whole new level of volleyball,” Elwell said. “We have not had a situation

like this in the last several years.” Freshman player Jonathan Lee agreed that freshman players are beneficial for the volleyball program. “They will have more time to learn, so that in the future they will be able to play more,” Jonathan Lee said. Senior and volleyball captain Michael Duggan said that some fresh-

[Our volleyball program] is our best ever, from top to bottom. This is the most competitive group of kids we have ever had. Todd Elwell, volleyball coach men may even play on the varsity team this season.“If we qualify for the tournament[state championship], which we most likely will, we will probably bring two freshmen up [to varsity or] possibly three,” Michael Duggan said. Michael Duggan said that having prior volleyball experience is an advantage for this year’s freshman players and their team.

“In terms of the program, it’s definitely good to have experienced players coming into a high school because it gives them an edge,” Michael Duggan said. Senior and captain Jordan Lee said that this edge will serve freshmen well as they build the future of the volleyball team. “I think they are going to impact the program in a really positive way,” Jordan Lee said. Brendan Duggan said that freshman players will be pivotal in combatting the effect of losing last year’s senior players. “We have to use our talent to the best of our ability,” Brendan Duggan said. “We lost a lot of good players [from] last year.” Elwell said, however, that the loss of last year’s players will not mean a decline in boys volleyball achievements. “[Our volleyball program] is our best ever, from top to bottom,” Elwell said. “This is the most competitive group of kids we have ever had.” Elwell said he has hope that this new group of freshman volleyball players will carry on a legacy of success for boys volleyball. “The bar is set high,” he said. “There is no such thing as rebuilding. We are reloading.”

photo by James Wang

Sophomore Alexander Mei attempts a spike.

community volume 28

issue 8

april 13, 2012

page

Music shop focuses on training the next generation Emily Ho

Sr. Community Editor A young blond boy bounced into Music & Arts in Newton Centre, saxophone in hand, prepared for his Tuesday afternoon lesson in late March. According to Mario Perrett, a private saxophone instructor since 2007, this young boy was just one representation of the overarching importance Newton places on youth education in the arts. “Newton is really unique in that it has a high regard for the arts,” Perrett said. “Parents demand an education [consisting of] more than just math and science.” According to patrons of Music & Arts, the store puts particular emphasis on ensuring that youth in Newton have opportunities to interact with music and that each customer feels valued. For almost 70 years, Music & Arts, formerly known as the Newton Centre Music Shop as its storefront sign suggests, has served teachers and students statewide. With over 200 students coming in six days a week, the shop focuses on music lessons in Newton schools, particularly for students ages 8 to 15. Store manager Adam Morrison said the coordination of music programs is essential to the community. “The music community stems from education,” Morrison said. “If kids suddenly stopped taking lessons, there’d be no music community.” In addition to working with young kids, Music & Arts provides lessons to students of all ages and levels, from beginners to advanced musicians. Musical educators also come in to pick up sheet music, supplies and instruments. The shop opened in 1943, and in 2006, it was franchised by a national company with over 100 stores across the country. Perrett said that despite the expanbsion, the family music store has not lost its local atmosphere.

“This shop has a long history,” Perrett said. “It reaches out in the community, but it’s really still a hometown store.” According to staff members at Music & Arts, maintaining and creating a community goes along with youth music education. Sales associate Kim Davie said she feels that working at the music store has shown her the community that music lovers create when they come together.

Without the store, many lose an essential support to their musical futures. - Keegan Stricker, Class of 2013

“It’s really great when we start getting repeat customers who we start to get to know teachers who come in maybe every day,” Davie said. “The shop gives a spot for music lovers and a place to spread music.” Sophomore Dylan Cloud agreed with Davie that Music & Arts reaches out to its customers. “Even after not having set foot inside of the store for close to a year, they still remembered my name and struck up a conversation,” Cloud said. Junior Keegan Stricker said he has benefited from Music & Arts’ community outreach, since he took guitar lessons there for two years. Stricker said that the store’s effect on youth in particular is key to Newton life. “[The store offers] those who are interested in music a chance to spark their careers,” Stricker said. “Without the store, many lose an essential support to their musical futures.”

In addition to promoting lessons for children, Music & Arts encourages its students to share their music and show off their hard work and practice through public performances, according to Morrison. “The shop is very musicoriented, and through the shop we try to present many different performance opportunities for our students,” Morrison said. “We’ve had little performances here in the shop, and at the end of the year we have the students put together a recital.” Stricker said music instructors who organize the recitals at Music & Arts are skilled in their craft and work hard to educate youth in music. “[My teacher] was an amazingly patient and helpful teacher,” Stricker said. “Every song he’d give me, he’d make sure I understood, in a general sense, the music theory behind it.” Sophomore Elie McAfee, a former guitar student at Music & Arts, said that though he appreciated his instructor when he took lessons there, he would have preferred a greater range in the music styles he was taught. “[My teacher] was cool, but he taught solely 80s rock,” McAfee said. “I didn’t have access to the music I was more interested in, like jazz and other more sophisticated [types of music].” Stricker said that despite its faults, he sees Music & Arts playing a key role for Newton residents of all sorts. “[Music & Arts] truly makes a noticeable effort to improve the Newton Centre musical community,” Stricker said.

photos by Emily Ho

In addition to focusing on music education, Music & Arts provides instrument repairs and supplies for music educators and students in Newton as well as across the Boston area.

community

april 13, 2012

ONE WORD, ONE COMMUNITY Every issue, The Roar asks Newton community members to expand upon a one-word prompt

VOICE

Michael Pezza Jr. Lawyer

“All I have is a voice.” - W. H. Auden Just recently, I saw a group of young people, perhaps high school age, in Newton Centre, getting organized for something. As I drove past, I saw that one of them held a sign that read, “Occupy Newton.” I do not know what issue drew them to a street corner on a drizzly Saturday, or whether I might have agreed or disagreed with their position. Their presence, however, illustrated

Annie Humphrey Class of 2012

Before high school, I was always labeled as the “quiet girl.” I never talked in class, and I often hung out at the edge of groups of people. It’s not that I disliked talking; I just had no outlet where I felt comfortable expressing my thoughts. Though I did a lot of theater in middle school to compensate, I truly

our right as Americans to freely express ourselves, to voice our feelings about matters of importance. That right is grounded in the First Amendment, which guarantees our freedoms of speech, press and religion, as well as rights to assemble and to petition the government. Without those rights, other rights that we take for granted could be stripped away and we would have no way to protest. The First Amendment is first for a reason. Political speech, which infuses the marketplace of ideas essential to the functioning of our democracy, is protected across the spectrum of political ideas and groups, from the Occupy movement to the Tea Party, from progressives to neo-cons. Democrats, Republicans, patriots and anarchists all are free to give voice to their ideas. While political speech is afforded the greatest protection, our freedom of expression also applies to literature, art, TV, film, music and other forms of entertainment — even video games. The right to free speech applies not just to that which is popular or polite, but also to unpopular or even caustic ideas. Our free speech rights include, in the words of former New York Times columnist Anthony Lewis, “freedom for the thought we hate.”

found my voice after joining Speech and Debate team as a freshman. My favorite part about Speech is that I get to talk for 10 minutes without interruption in front of an audience that has to listen. Even though I don’t write my own speeches, I choose material with themes I feel passionate about, and unlike in theater, no one can prevent me from portraying a certain character just because I don’t look the part. The skills I have gained from Speech extend beyond actual public speaking. Since schools from all across Massachusetts attend local speech tournaments, it’s impossible not to meet new people and make friends. Speech has taught me proper etiquette for certain situations, such as how to walk into a competition room and address a judge respectfully, and what to say to other competitors before and after rounds. As a team captain, I’ve also been learning how to coach younger kids on the team in a helpful and constructive manner. Together, these skills have made me more confident and outgoing; they have shown me that I have a voice just like everyone else and that not using it would be a waste.

Ben Youngman Music Teacher

Voice has defined my professional and artistic life. It is my passion. It never ceases to challenge, inspire, confound and soothe me. For the last 12 years, I have had the privilege of working with over 1,000 students to help them find and refine their voices. These are some of the things I had learned over the years as a teacher, but more importantly, as a student of voice: The voice is the most direct connec-

John Lawless Custodian

“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.” Henry David Thoreau said that in 1854, 158 years ago. This generation is encouraged to “think outside the box.” Is it being asked to

tion between our intellect, our spirit, our emotion and the outside world. The voice is unique. The voice can communicate without a translator. The voice goes everywhere. When you’re strong, it’s strong. When you’re sick, it’s sick. The voice can be inspiring and entertaining regardless of its quality. Your voice can make you feel like the star of the show or the butt of the joke. The voice sounds completely different to the audience than to its source. If you work hard enough, you won’t need to use PEDs (Performance Enhancing Deceptions) such as autotune. The voice eventually exposes shortcuts. Public speaking is hard. Public singing is harder. The voice needs exercise. The voice will always challenge you. The voice changes with you. The voice can put you to sleep. The voice can woo. The voice makes you happy. It’s really hard to be angry with someone who is singing to you. Sharing your voice requires only courage, but breath and resonance help. The voice is at its best when it’s shared. truly think or to move to another thinking box? Perhaps we should be encouraging kids to get out of the box factory, to think and to voice their thoughts in a new and different way. You are lauded if you are a member of a group or club that speaks with one voice. This uniformity is deemed to be good. It is seldom viewed as a form of “bullying,” wherein a group, speaking with one voice, overshadows the individual voices of those who do not hear the same music or march to the same drummer. True thought and voice would not seek to see how malleable the minds of others are or how susceptible they may be to others’ convictions. True thoughtfulness would listen to all voices and weigh their merits without requiring acceptance or rejection. One voice, as a pebble dropped into a clear pond, will resonate, sending ripples outward that will touch all shores. One voice, a catalytic call to action, stirs in the hearer the sound of a different drummer. For “it is the nature of the poet to provoke, not to explain.”

Next issue’s word:

INDEPENDENCE

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april 13, 2012

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