The Lion's Roar 31-2

the LION’S

ROA R

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Boston, MA Permit No. 54523

Volume 31, Issue 2 140 Brandeis Road Newton Centre, MA 02459

Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper · Newton, MA · Established 1984 · September 5, 2014

City responds to Fleishman’s plagiarism Newton community reacts to the School Committee’s handling of the incident, discusses the impact the issue will have on the school system and district Nathaniel Bolter & Hyunnew Choi

Sr. News Editor, Editor-in-Chief Superintendent David Fleishman stepped up to the podium on June 9 and gave a graduation speech that the Newton community would certainly remember.

The superintendent’s speech, as reported by The Roar in a July 23 special online edition, had included five passages plagiarized from Governor Deval Patrick’s May 18 commencement speech delivered at Boston University.

In response to the The Roar’s article, Fleishman issued a statement acknowledging his wrongdoing and the School Committee issued a concurrent statement announcing that Fleishman would be docked a week’s pay — roughly $5,000 — for his actions.

Fleishman also sent a letter of apology to Newton parents and spoke publicly about the incident at a School Committee meeting, at which committee members appeared ready to put the graduation speech behind them and move on to tackling other issues of the 2014-15 school year.

Some in the Newton community, however, are reluctant to do so, unhappy with both the plagiarism itself and the manner in which the city handled the situation.

Addressing the Issue

photo by Bella Ehrlich

School Committee Chair Matt Hills (right) gives a statement regarding the plagiarism incident at a public school committee meeting on Aug. 13 as Superintendent David Fleishman (left) looks on.

Several community members expressed their discontent with how Fleishman first addressed the incident. Fleishman’s statement on July 24 recognized his mistake, but did not include an apology.

Fleishman, however, clarified that the first statement was just an acknowledgement that was sent to The Roar and select media outlets intended to notify them that he was open to interviews — not a letter to the Newton community — and expressed his regrets about failing to release the apology sooner.

“The most important message I really want out there is that I made a serious mistake, acknowledged it [and learned] from it and really just how much I regret and apologize for my actions,” he said.

Junior Emma Henderson said the School Committee also failed to appropriately address the issue, citing the committee’s awareness of the incident since June 27, but their failure to act until the information was made public.

“We’re taught to be honest and transparent about what we turn in our school work, and for them to not be upfront about the entire thing, even though they were made aware for the incident, does not set a good example for anyone in the Newton Public Schools,” she said.

School Committee Chair Matt Hills, on the other hand, said the committee dealt with the issue according to protocol. “[We] handled this as we would handle any personnel issue — confidentially.

There is no circumstance under which our discussion of this personnel issue was going to be handled publicly,” he said. “We were hoping to meet in executive session the beginning of the week of July 28 to make SUPERINTENDENT, 3

Union, School Committee at odds over PARCC test Nathaniel Bolter & David Li Sr. News Editors

The School Committee voted unanimously at a meeting on July 16 to adopt the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) test for grades three through eight for the 2014-15 school year rather than continue with the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS).

The decision has exacerbated tensions between the School Committee and the teachers’ union, the Newton

Teachers Association (NTA), which publicly objected to the switch.

Unlike the MCAS, which determines student competency, the PARCC test, which is aligned with the Common Core standards that were a product of President Obama’s 2009 Race to the Top initiative, is designed to measure college readiness. The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will vote on the adoption of PARCC as the state’s official standardized test in the fall of 2015.

In order to gather more information on the new test, school systems will be provided with the option to admin-

ister the PARCC exam instead of the MCAS for the 2014-15 school year.

PARCC’s implementation in Newton will be limited to grades three through eight because the MCAS is still required of high school students to determine graduation eligibility.

Newton Public Schools’ (NPS) switch to the PARCC test, which will also be used to evaluate teacher performance, was not just up to the School Committee, according to NTA President Michael Zilles.

PARCC, 2

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Nicotine regulations

New restrictions issued on tobacco and nicotine products to minimize youth use.

13

common app

The Roar begins to follow four seniors in their college application process.

15

State level rugby

Three seniors discuss their experience playing on the state select rugby team this summer.

20

NEWS 2 GLOBAL UPDATE 5 EDITORIALS 6 OPINIONS 9 CENTERFOLD 12 FEATURES 15 SPORTS 20

page 2|September 5, 2014|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

NEWS

Two housemasters switch houses

New regulations on nicotine products

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NEWS@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 31, ISSUE 2

SOUTH

SPOTS Information on school events compiled by Roar Editors

Parents Night t The event will take place on Sept. 4, at 7 p.m. in the field house. t Parents of seniors are invited to speak with faculty members on the college application process and more.

Football Game t The first varisty football game of the season will be on Sept. 14 at 1 p.m. t The event will take place at Brookline High School.

One School One Book t The One School One Book school-wide event will take place on Friday, Sept. 19. t Rainbow Rowell, author of “Eleanor and Park”, will attend as a guest speaker. t Students will have the opportunity to attend various seminars throughout the day.

Back to School Night t Back to school night will be on Thursday, Oct. 2 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. t Parents will be invited to meet with their children’s teachers.

Tensions flare over switch to PARCC PARCC, from 1

system and implementing new elementary school progress reports and kindergarten “It says in our contract that when we exams, so there is little reason to add the begin to measure teacher impact on student burden of a new standardized test if doing growth that it will be done with MCAS. If so can be easily avoided. they change over to PARCC, they are changDuring the same meeting, Zilles said ing the language in our collective bargaining that technical and design glitches of PARCC agreement, and they are changing what test made the test difficult for students with spewe’re going to be evaluating our teachers on. cial needs and that the logistics of the test They have to bargain that,” he said. “They were poorly developed. can’t just change that unilaterally.”

History teacher and NTA Chief For this reason, Zilles said the NTA Negotiator Jamie Rinaldi added that more will be filing an unfair labor practice charge time is needed in order to get a sense of the against the School Committee. “Whether it community’s feelings regarding the test and be through our grievance process or through to ensure that PARCC is reflective of Newton the Department of Labor, we would like curricula and values.“It is both the controsomebody to tell the School Committee that versies and the imperfections surrounding it didn’t have the right to make this decision the current PARCC test that speak to the by themselves and force them to negotiate necessity that we stop implementation and with us so that we can have another chance survey our community on how to move forto have more meaningful input into the ward. There is no incentive to rush through decision,” he said. this process,” he said.

Superintendent David Fleishman, who But the issue that the NTA objects to recommended to the School Committee most is the role PARCC will play in evaluthat it adopt PARCC, ating teacher impact disagreed. “This is on student growth not something that’s “The statistical methodology for teachers of third collectively bargained. through eigth grades.

But we certainly had that they’re going to use to According to extensive discussions score the test and score stu- Fleishman, the use with [the NTA] as we dent growth is very question- of standardized tests would — it’s important to evaluate teachers able.” to do that,” he said. is not dependent on Fleishman said - Michael Zilles, President of the the decision to adopt that the early adoption National Teacher Association PARCC. “There are of PARCC provides concerns that have benefits that outweigh been expressed about the potential problems it may cause. connecting student test scores to teacher “This will ... give students the oppor- evaluations ... and I appreciate those contunity to become more comfortable with the cerns, but those concerns are going to be new expectations and testing environment,” there whether it’s PARCC or MCAS,” he said. he said.

The difference, according to Zilles, is School Committee Chair Matt Hills that unlike MCAS, the PARCC test does not agreed, saying that PARCC’s future is release its questions or its scoring methodultimately out of his hands, and thus the ology. “It’s bad enough that they’re going to decision to adopt PARCC for 2014-15 has start using standardized test to contribute to limited impact. “A year from now it’s almost teachers’ evaluations, but to do it with a test a 100 percent certain that the state is going that’s ... untested [is worse,]” he said. “The to require every district to adopt PARCC,” statistical methodology that they’re going to he said. “So the decision about PARCC is use to score the test and score student growth not, in the long term, to stay with MCAS or is very questionable.” go to PARCC. It’s whether we do it this year NTA Vice President Jane Roderick or next year.” said she wished that the union and the The NTA, on the other hand, maintains School Committee could have tackled these that the decision’s limited impact actually problems together. gives reason to hold off on implementing “We have proven that together through PARCC. In the NTA’s public comments dur- collective bargaining we can come up with ing the July 16 School Committee meeting, creative solutions to our common problems Christine Walsh, a fifth grade teacher at that far surpass anything any of us could have Countryside, said NPS are already in the come up with alone,” she said. “Solutions that middle of several important initiatives, such make the Newton Public Schools a better as fine-tuning the new teacher evaluation place for our children.”

The History of PARCC July, 2009

Obama implements the Race to the Top Initiative.

April 16, 2011

15 states join to design the PARCC assesment systems.

July 25, 2013

PARCC releases an accommodation policy.

July 16, 2014

The Newton School committe votes on administeringPARCC.

2014-2015 PARCC is administrated for grades three to eight.

FALL 2015

Massachusetts votes to require PARCC in all districts.

The Roar asked students who participated in the PARCC pilot program for their opinions on the test...

“Solving the problems was easy, but plugging it into the computer was hard. ... I feel like [the math section] was definitely harder than [on] the MCAS.”

“The main difference is that it was all computer oriented ... rather than being able to use scratch paper and writing it down ... That was especially difficult for the math section.”

- Bona Lee, Class of 2015

- Callie Tausig, Class of 2015

September 5, 2014|page 3

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|NEWS “What the actual decision was was a huge mistake. To me it was a strangely easy decision — it was a softball.

It should’ve been immediate firing. And very seldom do such easy decisions come like that. ... I find it bizarre.”

“We’re taught to be honest and transparent about what we turn in our school work, and for them to not be upfront about the entire thing, even though they were made aware for the incident, does not set a good example.”

emma henderson, class of 2016

“It’s a huge double standard because Newton makes such a big deal out of ... protecting against plagiarism. All of your work has to go through [Turnitin.com] to make sure you don’t do that. ...

5,000 off pay is just a slap on the wrist.”

peter Sullivan, Newton PARENT

Ben shteinfeld, Class of 2015

mean, you can’t have that,” Joseph said.

Senior Ben Shteinfeld agreed that the penalty introduces hypocrisy into the school system. “It’s a huge double standard because Newton makes such a big deal out of … protecting against plagiarism. All of your work has to go through [Turnitin.com] to make sure you don’t do that. …

5,000 off pay is just a slap on the wrist,” he said.

Principal Joel Stembridge, however, said that each instance of plagiarism must be dealt with individually.

“Some people have tried to draw a parallel between the superintendent’s punishment and what we do in our handbook. And I don’t think it’s apples to apples there. I think it’s different situations,” he said.

“Plagiarism is a private matter between the student and the school. David Fleishman’s issue was very public, including his punishment. … And I don’t know how you quantify that in terms of a week’s pay versus a zero on one of 20 papers for the year. I don’t know where [is] the factor of anytime you google David Fleishman from now until the

“Even [though I think] that he should be punished more harshly, [it] doesn’t mean that what he did was the worst thing ever. I think he can come back from it, and I don’t think I’ll continually hold it against him.”

Community reflects on Fleishman incident SUPERINTENDENT, from 1

the final determination, at which point that would have also included anything we would have wanted to release publicly.”

Whether or not the executive sessions were conducted Moving Forward according to protocol has been debated. Massachusetts’ Open Meeting Law, designed to promote government transparency, In his statement at the August 13 School Commitmandates that public bodies must post a notice of closed-door tee, Fleishman said he “look[s] forward to continuing our meetings — executive sessions — that includes the date, time important work together.” How he is to do that, however, and location of the meeting as well as the topic of discussion. remains to be seen.

Although Hills said in an interview with The Newton “He needs to [not] write a nice letter saying that he’s Tab that the sessions were “absolutely, positively” in acsorry, but really show that he is sorry,” Henderson said. “I cordance with the law, the Tab filed an Open Meeting Law think a great way for him to do that would be for him to complaint after finding that the complete notices for the two come in and talk to groups of students about what he has executive sessions in between June 27 and July 23 were not learned from this and why it’s wrong and why we should posted 48 hours in advance. learn from his example.”

In addition, the topics of discussion listed in the two For Joseph, however, this discussion would not be notices were erroneous, stating that the committee would sufficient. “To me, all the talk about David Fleishman godiscuss collective bargaining. Hills said this was a mistake ing into schools [to talk] about his ‘teachable moment’ — I that occurred because most previous executhink that’s baloney. I think the teachable tive sessions had been held for that reason. moment should be that when you do this, This was a mistake — there’s no doubt about it. I hope it’s okay with Newton parent Joseph* said that alget a penalty,” he said. “Why should people that we are all human beings here, and we’re going to make mis- you though the committee has the right to keep we be bending over backwards and taking takes. And the idea that we do this together — we’re in this together. time out of everyone’s schedules to have personnel issues confidential, it would have been good government to disclose the informahim humble himself in front of everybody - Joel Stembridge, Principal tion. “If you know it’s going to become public, and have him say ‘I’m sorry’ again and again?” then you should just get out ahead of it,” he said. “From a end of the world, it’s going to have a lot of nice things to say, Fleishman said that he has been in touch with the public relations standpoint, you should put it out there and but it’s also going to say ‘admitted plagiarist.’” principals of both high schools to determine how to use According to Joseph, Fleishman, as superintendent, his mistake as a learning opportunity for students, which let people respond to it.” must be held to a higher standard to reflect the values of his he said has to be done “thoughtfully and collaboratively.”

Impact on the Community city and his schools.

This approach, according to Stembridge, will help to “We made a decision to move to Newton largely because promote a positive atmosphere in the South community as Another subject of criticsm after news of the plagiarism broke was the penalty the School Committee decided upon of the school system. … I know there are good teachers … students move forward. “This was a mistake — there’s no and a lot of great students doing cool things, but the way doubt about it. I hope it’s okay with people that we are all for Fleishman’s actions.

“I don’t think it created as severe a consequence as the system is run is really crazy to me,” he said. human beings here, and we’re going to make mistakes. And Newton parent Peter Sullivan, who spoke at the August the idea that we do this together — we’re in this together,” many students would have liked to see,” Henderson said.

Hills defended the $5,000 fine, which he said was an 13 School Committee meeting, agreed that Fleishman’s ac- he said. “How we support our superintendent through this tions were inexcusable. appropriate response considering Fleishman’s mistake. difficult time is how I hope students would like to be sup“The actual decision was a huge mistake. To me it ported themselves when they make a mistake.”

“A week’s pay is a significant and permanent penalty. It’s a permanent loss of income, and it can’t be made up,” he said. was a strangely easy decision — it was a softball,” he said.

Fleishman said he hopes that the community will work Given Fleishman’s salary of over $250,000, however, “It should’ve been immediate firing. And very seldom do with him as he works to restore the public’s faith.“I know I Joseph said the penalty is insignificant, especially compared such easy decisions come like that.” have work to do with certain people around rebuilding trust Yet junior Daniel Cohen said that Fleishman deserves and confidence. … When you make mistakes in a public to the consequences students face for academic dishonesty.

“If [students are] caught plagiarizing, that can com- more sympathy than he has been afforded. Cohen, who him- sector in a very public way, you really have to acknowledge pletely damage their chance of getting into the school they self had a run-in with unintentional plagiarism, said that this [them],” he said. “Because I think a lot of our jobs are about could have otherwise gotten into, and it can be academically a experience makes him more inclined to forgive Fleishman. trust and confidence.”

“In his position, I would want a little bit of the benefit life-altering thing, so for the leader of a whole school system to get up there and plagiarize ... and get away with it — I of the doubt and maybe a little bit of understanding,” he said. *Name changed to protect source’s identity

Wheeler, Cutler housemasters swap positions Anisha Dam & Carter Howe News Reporters

Wheeler Housemaster Josepha Blocker and Cutler Housemaster Donna Gordon have switched houses for the 2014-15 school year.

According to an email sent to faculty

by Principal Joel Stembridge, the switch will rectify logistical problems: Blocker’s academic expertise is in mathematics, which is located in the Cutler House, and Gordon oversees the family and consumer science department, which is closer to Wheeler House.

“There are two clear benefits to our students: Donna [Gordon] will be in the same area as the department she supervises, and Josepha [Blocker] will be the secondary

evaluator for the department in which she Goldrick House, will now be supervised that thinks change can be really exciting, so I has expertise,” Stembridge said in his email. by Goldrick Housemaster Marc Banks. am really looking forward to getting to know Blocker said she regards Blocker said she is excited to assume some of the Cutler teachers and families and t he switch as genera l ly p osit ive. her new position. “I’m one of those people students better as the year goes on,“ she said.

“Of course I’ll miss ... the students and the teachers and some of the families I’ve built relationships with over in Wheeler House, but I’m sure that there are equally awesome kids over in Cutler House and equally awesome teachers and counselors,” she said.

Stembridge said that the Cutler and Wheeler house secretaries will also be switching houses in order to “maintain ... smooth working relationships.”

As a result of the switch, the CORE program, which used to be suphotos by Alexa Rhynd pervised by Blocker and is located in Josepha Blocker (left) and Donna Gordon (right) have switched positions for logistical reasons.

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News|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

THE NUMBERS

90%

RESTRICTED photo illustration by Max Baker

To limit youth use, the Board of Aldermen has passed an ordinance that includes raising the age to buy tobacco or nicotine products to 21

By Ariadne Caballero-Gonzalez, Wilson Chen and Bella Ehrlich

T

he Board of Aldermen approved new restric- school as opposed to 18- and 19-year-olds who tions on tobacco and nicotine products on July might still be in high school would help to limit 16 in an attempt to minimize their availability access among younger kids.” to Newton youth, but students have questioned The new regulations, however, are easy to get whether these measures will be effective. around, according to junior Ezra Sonderling. “These The restrictions include raising the legal age e-cigarette flavors are usually bought online, and you to buy tobacco and nicotine products from 18 to 21 can’t really regulate that,” he said. “You can just buy and regulating flavored nicotine or tobacco products, them — it’s almost as easy as going on Amazon.” like e-cigarettes, the same way the city regulates Junior Justin*, who smokes both tobacco plain tobacco. and e-cigarettes, agreed. “I think that everyone The ordinance was, in part, to diminish the will always be able to get [cigarettes] one way or prevalence of e-cigarettes, which are marketed to another,” he said. “Regulating it will make that a younger age group and have gained popularity harder, but not too hard.” among students as reported in Volume 30, Issue 6 of Alderman Alison Leary said that while the The Roar. According to the Newton Tab, these new new restrictions might not prevent all underage requirements prevent convenience stores from sell- smoking, the goal is to set as many barriers to ing e-cigarettes, thus reducing the number of stores buying tobacco and nicotine products as possible. able to sell e-cigarettes from 40 to two.

“If you make it less convenient to do some“One of the concerns about the e-cigarettes thing, people will be less likely to do it,” she said. is that the amount of nicotine Though some have is unregulated,” Public Health questioned whether the Commissioner Dori Zaleznik “I think that everyone will al- ordinance is an affront said. “So you could smoke one ways be able to get [cigarettes] to those between the e-cigarette and potentially have ages of 18 and 21, Aldersmoked [the equivalent of ] one way or another. Regulating man Cheryl Lappin said a pack of cigarettes. ... [This] it will make that harder but not the decision ultimately makes the addiction potential comes down to improvtoo hard.” for nicotine really high. ... We ing public health. “I think - Justin*, Class of 2016 some people would not do not have answers on how safe these cigarettes are.” have wanted to change The ordinance also clariit because if you can be fies the limits of e-cigarette use, mandating that drafted, you should be able to smoke,” she said. nicotine products cannot be used where tobacco “But I think [the restrictions] send a message that use is prohibited. we care about our youth’s health.”

The impetus for these restrictions came from a Justin, however, said that the ordinance could 2013 study by the American Cancer Society ,which actually harm addicted youths. “I feel like it’s kind of revealed that 90 percent of surveyed adult smokers messed up for people who have been able to legally had become addicted by the time they were 18. buy it for a while, and now they’re saying ... ‘Now Another study showed that people who do not start that you’re addicted you can’t get them until three smoking before the age of 21 have an 80 to 90 percent years from now,’” he said. chance of never starting.

According to Leary, the ordinance would “We knew from information of [several] prevent these addictions from developing in the first surveys that plenty of Newton youth who smoke place. “There ... aren’t a lot ... smokers who wished, got their cigarettes given to them by older kids who ‘Gee ... I wish I started smoking younger.’ It just were able to purchase legally — so 18-year-olds were doesn’t happen,” she said. “It’s the only product that supplying younger kids who were starting to smoke,” really is designed to kill you if you use it as directed.”

Zaleznik said. “So we thought that bringing it up to the age of 21 when kids were generally out of high *Name changed to protect student’s identity

of adult smokers had become addicted by the age of 18

+

Those who do not start smoking before the age of

21 have an 80-90%

chance of never starting

+ 20.5%

of high schoolers in 2012 said they use a tobacco product

+

An FDA study found that 50% of e-cigarette samples contain carcinogens

THE ORDINANCE 1) Prohibits nicotine products where tobacco is prohibited 2) Regulates flavored tobacco and nicotine products 3) Increases the legal age for buying tobacco or nicotine products to 21 4) Regulates signage, pricing and packaging of products Sources of Information: American Cancer Society, Newton Tab

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014|page 5

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|NEWS

A Glimpse of the Globe Information compiled by Roar editors from CNN, The Economist, BBC, Al Jazeera, The New York Times, Twitter and the rest of the Internet.

Nigeria: what is actually happening?

The ingredients for prosperity have always existed in Nigeria, but chaos has always been one step ahead. The growth of the populous, oil-abundant and at times wealthy West African nation has been consistently thwarted by military coups, ethnic tensions, insurgencies and corruption.

Today, Nigeria faces yet another chaos incarnate as the extremist Islamic insurgency called Boko Haram threatens to destroy the country’s delicate infrastructure and stability.

Gaining independence from Britain in 1960, Nigeria was immediately saddled with a host of problems — first and foremost, finding a leader that could prevent this combination of 250 different ethnic groups from becoming explosive.

This task proved impossible; Nigeria’s first 15 years of independence saw three military coups and a civil war in which three eastern states attempted

to form a separate Republic of Biafra.

Nigeria seemed to begin fulfilling its promise in the late 1970s, as a transition to an elected civilian government coincided with a boom in oil, Nigeria’s primary export, and the country gained wealth and international prestige.

In the 1980s, however, this prestige quickly dissipated: oil prices saw a steep decline, and amid the economic fallout, the military seized power once again in 1983. The military promised to relinquish power in the 1993 elections, but promptly annulled the results, claiming that voting had been unfair.

The years that followed — after another military coup led by defense minister Sani Abacha — were rife with corruption, incompetence and oppression, as Nigeria slid from the 33rd richest to the 13th poorest country.

After Abacha died in 1998, the country returned to a civilian

rule that has persisted ever since, as Olusegun Obasanjo, who had been imprisoned for criticizing Abacha’s regime, was elected president in 1999 on a platform of reform and anticorruption.

But even Obasanjo could not escape the specter of unfulfilled potential. His administration was marred by the traditional Nigerian corruption and inefficiency, but these aspects quickly took a back seat to religious and ethnic tensions that broke out across the country when several states in the primarily Muslim north declared in 2000 that they would adopt Sharia Law. This decision angered Christians, sparking fighting that continues to the present day.

Boko Haram seeks to capitalize on this religious turmoil.

The group, whose name translates to “Western education is sinful,” was founded in 2002 and began in 2009 a violent insurgency with the stated goal of creating an Islamic state under Sharia law.

The group disappeared from the spotlight after its leader was killed in a 2009 Nigerian military raid, but resurfaced in 2011 when it killed more than 40 people on Christmas Day in a bombing outside the capital of Abuja.

The U.S. classified Boko Haram as a terrorist organization in 2013, and the group has killed over 3,000 people in 2014 alone, among them Muslim leaders whom it considers too “moderate.” In April, the group drew the ire of the international community when it kidnapped over 200 Nigerian schoolgirls.

As Boko Haram continues to try to seize the country’s northeast, killing scores of primarily Christian Nigerians along the way, hundreds of thousands of Nigerians have fled the country. According to the National Emergency Management Agency of Nigeria, 3 million Nigerians are facing “serious humanitarian challenges.”

An Overview:

The cause: The Islamist insurgent group Boko Haram, dedicated to creating an Islamist state in Nigeria, has killed thousands of citizens and seized several towns in the country’s northeast.

The effect: Hundreds of thousands of Nigerians have fled into neighboring countries as the Nigerian govenrment and military struggle to confront the insurgency.

Reuters

nonsensical news: Mayor Fido

The political outsider effect has done it again. Instead of choosing a seasoned political operative, citizens of Cormorant, Minn. went for a mayoral candidate outside the political arena.

Way outside.

Duke, a 7-year-old Great Pyrenees dog, won the Cormorant mayoral race on Aug. 7, receiving the majority of the votes cast by the town’s 12 residents.

The canine won in a landslide, even defeating a two-legged opponent.

Residents of the small town were permitted to write anyone’s name on the ballot, and each vote cast cost $1, with proceeds going to support an upcoming local event.

Duke will be compensated for his work with a year’s supply of kibble from

News this week China’s Standing Committee ruled against allowing free elections in Hong Kong, sparking pro-democracy protests in the city, led by a movement calling itself Occupy Central.

As talks resumed over the conflict in southeast Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin broached the topic of “statehood” for the region and called on the Ukrainian government to negotiate directly with the separatists.

After a government reshuffling that pushed out left-wing voices critical of French President François Hollande’s handling of the economy, Hollande vowed to continue his controversial austerity policies.

In its latest quarter, the French economy saw no growth.

In a ruling on Aug. 31, a federal judge in Louisiana prevented from taking effect a law that likely would have forced all five of the abortion clinics in the state to close.

Fun and informational.

New York swipes left

BuzzFeed

the town pet store, and as a reward for winning, Duke was given a grooming and a new mayoral outfit.

According to unconfirmed reports, Fox News pundits have already begun to slam Duke for his socialist policy of licking everyone in the town.

With political gridlock plaguing Washington, it has been up to the states to make legislative progress on their own.

The state of New York answered that call to action this August when Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a law that, according to Slate.com, prohibits posing for photos while “hugging, patting or otherwise touching tigers in New York state,” effectively banning the popular practice of “tiger selfies.”

Tiger selfies are photos taken with large felines and used on online dating sites like Tinder to make the taker appear adventurous.

These photos have become increasingly popular. The Wall Street Journal has reported that one in every 10 Tinder photos features a tiger.

New York state assemblymen have said that the law will protect humans from tiger attacks and protect tigers from exploitation.

Violators of the new law will be subject to fines of up to $500 and to the wrath of a pissed-off tiger.

Associated Press

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Editorials

Editor highlights value of Personal connection

sophia fisher welcomes incoming students

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Editorials@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 31, ISSUE 2

the C AT’S

W O E M All the news that’s fit to print... and then some!

Eleanor and Park To Reunite After extensive planning, the One School One Book Committee has announced that a reunion between Eleanor Douglas and Park Sheridan will occur at the One School One Book event on Sept. 15.

“We’re very excited to see what happens,” English department head Ryan Earl said. “It’s been a few decades, so it’ll be nice to see if the sparks are still there.”

Sophomore and Committee member Yunga Dult said that she is excited to see how the reunion will play out, considering the life changes both have been through. “Apparently [Sheridan] married Tina and took over his mom’s salon,” Dult said. “He does the makeup, and she does the spiral perms.”

Freshman Poolon Forthflor, who avidly follows Douglas’ blog, said that he looks forward to Sheridan’s reaction to Douglas’ new look. “She really took a clue from [Sheridan’s] mom, Mindy. She began dyeing her hair black and wearing pink sweaters.”

Roar Plagiarizes Features Following allegations of plagiarism from the Newtonite, North’s student newspaper, The Roar issued an apology The Roar issued a public apology after North’s student newspaper, the Newtonite, reported on Monday that The Roar plagiarized in its graduation issue.

According to the Newtonite, The Roar copied its entire Features section from a newsletter published by St. Finnegan’s Church.

“We deeply regret not citing our sources,” Features senior editor Maya Papaia said. “But we didn’t copy the program wordfor-word — we changed the articles to fit AP Style.”

Features senior editor Sheselz Seashels said that the need to plagiarize was born from necessity. “None of the Features articles were in, and newspaper was supposed to be printed the next day, so I panicked and copied a packet I found in one of the Sports editors’ bags,” she said.

Some North students became suspicious soon after the issue was released.

“I thought something was fishy when I read an article about how to set up the perfect Easter egg hunt for your kids. I mean, who here celebrates Easter?” North junior Joo Ishboi said.

North graduate Nue Spaypa added, “This was a big story for us. We haven’t had something this meaty since Starbucks shut down.”

Fleishman’s handling of plagiarism incident makes recovery from scandal difficult This summer, Newton was shaken with news of Superintendent David Fleishman’s plagiarism.

As reported in The Roar on page 1, Fleishman failed to cite several passages of the speech he gave at South’s graduation in early June.

Initially, a special edition of The Roar brought attention to the incident, but soon news quickly spread around the community, garnering local and international headlines.

Following an official statement from Fleishman, the School Committee announced that the superintendent would be fined a week’s salary, approximately $5,000.

As the academic year begins and the wave of articles and email chains about the incident subsides, The Roar believes that the community needs to shift its attention from discussions regarding the adequacy of Fleishman’s penalty to his actions moving forward.

Although the degree of Fleishman’s punishment remains controversial, in a Roar meeting on Aug. 26, the majority of members present agreed that no matter how insignificant a week’s salary may seem in the context of the superintendent’s income, the effects of the incident and the permanent title of an admitted plagiarizer cannot be dismissed.

To students, plagiarism is an especially sensitive topic. Since third grade we are drilled with instruction on how to properly cite our sources; throughout high school, we submit our essays to Turnitin. com, which evaluates our writing to prevent plagiarism. Plagiarism penalties constitute a permanent stain on our academic record and the ever-important GPA. Thus, in students’ eyes, Fleishman’s punishment seems negligible in comparison. The severity of the penalty, however, is not the main issue.

As detailed on page 1, the

School Committee was aware of Fleishman’s plagiarism for almost a month and took no public action until The Roar published the news.

Roar staff unanimously agreed that considering Fleishman’s public presence in the Newton community, the Committee exacerbated a greater scandal by keeping the issue private, despite the right to keep personnel issues closed.

By trying to save public face, the Committee created a double

mistake and that his actions were clearly wrong, he has never properly identified his transgression.

The Roar believes that as long as Fleishman does not call his mistake by its name, his movement forward will only emphasize the double standard the scandal has demonstrated.

Teaching students to learn from a mistake not formally acknowledged is transgressing a moral code of integrity beyond plagiarism.

Teaching students to learn from a mistake not formally acknowledged is transgressing a moral code of integrity beyond plagiarism. standard between the administration and the rest of the community.

For us, that is hardest to forgive.

Considering the gravity with which plagiarism has been ingrained into our education, theCommittee’s private dismissal of the issue until the news became available later through a different source was disrespectful to the community.

It provided Fleishman with an easier solution than anyone else would have had to endure.

Aside from speculation regarding the Committee’s handling of matters involving its reputation, the community can only look forward to recovery from this incident.

Fleishman announced that the major premise of the prospective movement forward will be a lesson to the community teaching the consequences of his mistake.

This imminent plan highlights the most serious and disturbing issue.

Never in any of his official statements, announcements or interviews has Fleishman formally acknowledged that he committed plagiarism.

Although Fleishman has publicly admitted that he made a

In one of his statements, Fleishman apologized for not being able to set an example for his community. The Roar concludes that, on the contrary, this incident serves as an example of both the political power of administration as well as the effect plagiarism has on an adult’s professional career.

Of course, the mistakes of one man can not typecast the school administration as whole.

Although this incident exposes students to the politics present in our seemingly transparent community, it is important to not blame the entire school system.

The meager fine, the School Committee’s opacity and even the plagiarism itself all are and should be in the past. In the coming months, Newton must model understanding and togetherness as we move beyond this incident.

But the superintendent’s failure to recognize that his actions constitute plagiarism undermines whatever credibility he has left and mires the process of moving forward in anger and cynicism.

Until Fleishman admits to plagiarism, he has not truly learned from his mistakes.

Editorial Policy 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 four weeks by Newton South students. All funding comes from advertisers and subscriptions.

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.

September 5, 2014|page 7

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|DESK

THE Editor discusses the importance of perEDITOR’S sonal connection in human relationships DESK Hyunnew Choi Editor-in-Chief

Her blonde, perfectly blow-dried hair bouncing on her white floral dress, she walked to the chair under the stage spotlight. As we applauded, she flashed us her famous ear-to-ear smile — the same one that appeared at the end of every video performance I had seen of her online.

“This can’t actually be happening,” my friends and I whispered to one another, each of us glowing with excitement.

As I sat in the very first row of the question and answer session with internationally renowned violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, my mouth gaped wide open in admiration of the exquisite musician that stood right before me.

(To the majority of students who likely have no idea who this lady with a mouthful of a name is, you can think of her as the equivalent of Beyoncé in the classical music world.)

In the span of an hour, however, she became more than just a celebrity to me. As she answered our questions about her musical inspirations, her thoughts on classical music in today’s society and advice on the piece I was working on, she transformed into a friend, role model and mentor.

While Mutter and I are still technically — and unfortunately — total strang-

ers, I nevertheless felt an instant connecaround my friends because she and I tion to her the moment she began speakshared the same passion for music: the ing on the art of classical music. driving force behind our mutual creativity To be completely honest, I’ve never and our enthusiasm for performing. been very keen on interacting with strangMutter’s and my love for music ers. It’s probably true that most people became an immediate bridge between us, feel this way; whether we’re introverted or and that alone was enough — enough to extroverted, most of us would much rather make the relationship between a celebrity connect with our close friends than find out and fan, two strangers, sincere even for the about the life story of, say, a taxi driver (with, shortest moment. perhaps, the exception of my brother, an I remember when I had more difextreme extrovert ficulty creating who makes that his such relationhobby). ships with others.

T h at s ai d , For the first few “The most trivial shared until a few years interviews I conpassions and interests, I’ve ducted for The ago, when my involvement on The learned, have the power to Roar, I compiled Roar forced me to an extensive list create meaningful human interview random of questions and students and unmethodically connections.” familiar teachers, I went through tried avoiding intereach, politely actions with strangnodding at each ers whenever possible — including, but not answer while my fingers fidgeted under limited to, phone calls to Chinese take-out the desk. restaurants.

While these answers technically So, to the introverted self I still completed the job, I realized I knew little am today, Mutter’s offer to answer a few beyond the surface of the interviewees’ one-on-one questions and take individual thoughts and emotions because I had photos with us might have been a little neglected to connect with them on a perdaunting. sonal level.

But during the short time I spent I’m not suggesting that all new rewith her, I felt as comfortable as I do porters on The Roar scrap their thorough

Contribute to The Roar !

Monday J Block, Room 1201

list of interview questions. But the more I began to diverge from my strict list of questions and engage in a two-way conversation with my interviewees, the more things I found in common with the timid girl that never participated in my history class and the six-foot-tall football player I had never spoken to, and the more willing they were to open up to me even during quick 15-minute interviews.

The most trivial shared passions and interests, I’ve learned, have the power to create meaningful human connections.

I’ve discovered the immeasurable importance of actively seeking these small links with those I interact with every day — strangers and friends alike; I’ve thus been able to forge bonds with a vast variety of people who have offered me invaluable growing experiences.

At the risk of sounding like your guidance counselor, I urge you to use the beginning of the school year as the opportunity to look for those little connections with new students and old acquaintances, and to ultimately find the most unlikely, yet also genuine, relationships.

I know I surprised my introverted self when I discovered that friendship with Mutter in just an hour — a bond that made me feel close enough to her to ask if she would take a selfie with me.

“Of course,” she said, flashing her ear-to-ear smile.

Volume 31

The Lion’s Roar

Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper 140 Brandeis Road Newton, MA 02459 srstaff@thelionsroar.com

Editors-in-Chief

WRITING

Hyunnew Choi Parisa Siddiqui

Managing Editors

Hone your writing skills by joining one of our five sections and working with our editors.

Sasha Kuznetsov Carly Meisel

Business and Production

photography Learn new techniques by shooting at sports events, school activities and more.

Draw or paint illustrations to supplement articles and display your work to a vast readership.

Darren Trementozzi

Section Editors Sr. News Editors Nathaniel Bolter Bella Ehrlich David Li News editor Bhavik Nagda

Graphics

Chief Copy Editor

Faith Bergman Julia Mount

Sr. Centerfold Editors Shelley Friedland Veronica Podolny

Graphics Manager Sophie Galowitz

Sr. Sports Editors Sr. Features Editors

Helen Haskin David Kim Jack McElduff

Amelia Stern Nicole Yu

SR. OPINIONS EDITOR

Maia Fefer Sophia Fisher Features editors

Advisers

Ashley Elpern Paul Estin Brian Baron

Ariel Neumann

Photo Managers Katie Asch Max Baker Alexa Rhynd

page 8|September 5, 2014

Fun page|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

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

ROSSWORD

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

EASY: 8

5

9 8

4 8

2

3

2

9

5

3

5 4 7

1

8 7 6

7

3

4

6

6

2

3

4

2

1

9 6

8

5 7

9

2 8

9

5 3

1

5 3 1

4

13 17

15

2. Medieval pseudoscience 3. All that’s up there?

17

14

4. Fourth dimension 5. Edible tuber

20

22

8 9

12 14

DOWN: 1. Cream

6. Orkney Islands an-

21

7 5

7

11

6

4 7

6

10

19

CHALLENGING: 8

5

9

8

8

5

4

3

v

16

9 2

2

Crossword courtesy of ukpuzzle.com

23

chorage 7. Requirement

ACROSS:

15. Computer of 2004

1. Ovine utterance

16. PC pic format

4. Heavyweight ex-World 17. Suit

9. Central notion 11. OT warrior killed by slingshot

Champion, born 1966

19. Shi’ite religious

8. Sorrowful

leader

10. Rugby encounter

21. Stewed fruit sweet

12. More than that!

22. Socially inept, usu-

13. Seed vessel

ally unattractive person 18. 12 people

14. US time band

23. How come?

Newton Autodriving School 150 Winchester St Newton, MA 02461

15. Facilitate 16. Unlocked?

17. Explosive 20. Hallux is one

Embarrassing Roar Staff Photo of the Month:

Tel. 617-332-6323 newtondrivingschool@gmail.com Now offering driver’s education courses at North and South

New England Mobile Book Fair 82 Needham St Newton, MA 02461

Tel. 617-964-7440 www.nebookfair.com Fisher would like to welcome the class of 2018 to South.

page 9|september 5, 2014|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

opinions

ALS Challenege essential for raising awareness

Disinfectants harmful to natural germs pAGE 10

pAGE 11

opinions@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 31, ISSUE 2

Perspectives:

Was “Eleanor & Park” a good choice?

photo by Katie Asch

yes, it was

no, it was not By joy yang

I

’ll be honest; I was expecting a little more. Beyond the deviation from the beautiful and awkward characters usually depicted in a romance novel, “Eleanor & Park” was a combination of cliché plot lines, terribly awkward love scenes and cheesiness. Lots of cheesiness.

I thought the book chosen for One School One Book would be more than one of the run-of-the-mill romances on television or in the movies.

Not only that, but the story took forever until anything more than hand holding ever took place. If anyone was on the edge of their seat, they probably would have fallen over. But let’s be honest — you knew where this book was going.

So why in the world was this book chosen for One School One Book? How could a tedious love story ever unite the entire school? Perhaps through the notion that it could encapsulate the high school experience, one apparently of bullying, abusive and cruel step-dads and comic books. I am not saying that high school is devoid of such things, but we have to consider if the moral behind “Eleanor & Park” can relate to how we choose to live our own lives.

The scenario itself is a little farfetched, and much of the story is still extremely hard to relate to. Don’t get me wrong; I love the occasional romcom with the two misfit kids and the will-they-or-

won’t-they kind of thing, but I am 100 percent sure the rest of the school does not enjoy the same thing.

Reading books or watching movies is almost always more pleasurable when you can relate to the characters. There are moments of connection through Eleanor’s resilience against bullies or the persistent enthusiasm of the teacher amidst a room of disinterested teenagers, but the truth is, not many people can actually imagine themselves in a similar scenario.

The splash of sensuality throughout the novel is probably familiar to most people in the school, but much of it can also be deemed as highly inappropriate for a book for high schoolers. Whereas some students may find this type of writing a refreshing change of pace from the less revealing novels read in school, others may be uncomfortable with how far the book went into detail, even with the description of hand holding.

“Eleanor and Park” would make a great movie. The book has a great supporting cast, a classic plot line, drama, the whole deal, but it was not a good choice for One School One book. The overdone cheesiness of novel and the vivid sexual detail may hide some deeper meanings, but the point of the novel could come across with a different book in a different manner that would be much more appropriate for school.

By Ben Rabin

I

have to admit that I wasn’t expecting much when I first picked up “Eleanor & Park.” I hadn’t heard much about Rainbow Rowell either, but judging by the result of googling her name, I doubted that I’d enjoy the book. I was wrong. “Eleanor & Park” turned out not only to be an enjoyable read, but also a book that shares an important lesson about the beauty of love and life.

In “Julius Caesar,” Shakespeare wrote, “The fault … is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.”

“Eleanor & Park” is a heartbreaking story that proves Shakespeare wrong. The main characters’ relationship is doomed to fail, not because of their own flaws, but due to their circumstances. Eleanor fears her sexually abusive, alcoholic stepfather, and both she and Park become social outcasts, rejected by their classmates.

Eleanor and Park resemble the classic lovers doomed by fate and circumstance, but the ways in which they diverge from this standard are important.

In “Romeo & Juliet,” the star-crossed lovers are from the highest bounds of society. Eleanor and Park, however, are what Shakespeare would call “underlings.”

Eleanor refers to herself as overweight and sports radiantly scarlet hair. She and her siblings live in a crowded house in constant fear of their stepfather. To top it off, her family is hopelessly poor. Park,

on the other hand, has a much easier life.

He is from a middle-class family, and he and his brother have great relationships with their parents. Park nevertheless feels like an outcast because of his half-Korean, half-Irish ancestry as well as his love for Punk Rock and Alan Moore comics. These two underlings escape from from their flawed worlds and find themsleves in a blissful romance.

The book is beautifully written.

Rowell’s words let the reader feel the young couple’s hands clutch as they walk along their lonely roads. It’s easy to picture two teenagers siting silently and reading Watchmen or to hear the sneers of bullies as Eleanor walks down the aisle of the bus. The changing perspectives in Rowell’s writing allow the reader to get both characters’ viewpoints on every situation.

Not only is “Eleanor & Park” eloquently written, it is incredibly relevant to teenagers today. In an article in the New York Times, John Green wrote, “‘Eleanor & Park’ reminded me not just what it’s like to be young and in love with a girl, but also what it’s like to be young and in love with a book.” The book doesn’t only show what it’s like to be in love; it also shows how love can thrive anywhere, even in imperfect situations. It teaches us to never give in, and that, in the words of Watchmen’s Rorschach, “Nothing is insoluble.

Nothing is hopeless. Not while there’s life.”

page 10|september 5, 2014

Opinions|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

Fighting Germs, Killing Health BY clare martin

It’s that time of year again: As the school season rolls in, anti-bacterial companies are busily promoting their products in preparation for the inevitable cold and flu period.

These companies hope that parents will frantically rush off to stores and buy the latest products, which will supposedly prevent their children from contracting horrible bacterial infections in the classroom.

I took a peek at the websites of some of the leading disinfectant companies: Clorox, Lysol and SC Johnson, to name a few. Unsurprisingly, I discovered Lysol sporting its page with the message “Back to School, Back to Healthy Classrooms.” I clicked on a button to “learn more,” and bam! I was sent to the source of indoctrination.

The page was targeted to parents, teachers and children.

It idealized and promoted a life

free of germs, or in their words, “microscopic sicknesses.” But this narrative expresses only one side of the story.

The germs kids are exposed to at a young age provide a base for their immune systems. In a 2004 study released by the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, it was found that kids who contracted more fevers before the age of one were less likely to show signs of allergen sensitivity at age six.

This finding directly supports a theory called the “hygiene hypothesis,” which states that diminished exposure to infectious agents at a young age leaves kids more susceptible to allergies later in life due to weaker, less challenged immune systems. By portraying germs in a negative light, companies are sending our youth the wrong memo.

Aside from the benefits of early exposure to germs, I find

it quite ironic that these companies claim that they can prevent sickness in the classroom through the use of disinfectant products like soaps, lotions and wipes that often contain the chemical triclosan, a very controversial antibacterial substance.

Triclosan leaves a substance behind on surfaces to slowly degrade bacteria.

This process, however, supports the evolution of stronger, drug-resistant

microorganisms.

At the same time, triclosan obliterates the good bacteria, known as flora, from your skin, depleting the body of its defenses against potential invaders.

The combination of these two effects can result in a sec-

graphic by Anjali Shankar

ondary ailment.

The purpose of an antibacterial soap may be completely negated when it results in another infection. In fact, there is currently no evidence demonstrating that antibacterial soaps work better than washing with plain soap and water. Only in certain places, like hospitals, are antibacterial products really necessary.

I’ll admit, I usually wash my hands with only water after using the bathroom. But I’m not ashamed, and why should I be? I have been free of sickness since elementary school.

Thanks to the aggressive body of disinfectant companies who seek to profit from America’s germ phobia, cleaning commercials infused with false scare tactics riddle our TV channels, corrupting the minds of acquiescent consumers. Will you succumb to the fear?

Late Nights and Lullabies: A Perspective on Foster Care

By Carly Meisel There is always at least one package of diapers in my house, along with tiny socks, hats, undershirts, onesies, pacifiers, ready-to-use baby formula and more. No, I don’t have a baby sibling. No, my parents aren’t overly nostalgic of our childhood.

And no, we aren’t hoarders. My family provides emergency foster care for newborn babies.

I’ll back up a few years. My family friend is the executive director of a private adoption agency. When I was in 7th grade, she mentioned that she had to take home a baby last weekend. “What?” I remember responding. “What do you mean you just took home a baby? Isn’t that like a doctor taking one of his patients home?” She explained to me that she was registered as one of the agency’s foster families. Totally unaware this process, I eagerly listened as she explained the need for foster families.

In a “typical” circumstance (which doesn’t make it any less complicated or emotional), when a woman decides she doesn’t want to keep the child she is bearing and chooses to give him up for adoption, she would meet with an adoption agency in advance, complete extensive paperwork, choose and even meet, if she wishes, an adoptive family. Then, when the baby is born, the adoptive family is prepared to take him home.

If the birthmother does not make arrangements in advance, things get a little complicated. In the cases of some teenage or drug-addicted mothers, the adoption agency is first notified of the case upon the birth of the baby. Essentially, the agency will get a phone call from the hospital saying, “We have a baby here for you.”

The agency will then scramble to notify the first eligible family on their waiting list that they are finally getting the baby they’ve been waiting for. Naturally, it takes

a little while to prepare to bring home a newborn. Usually, in just two days, the baby is healthy and ready to come home from the hospital — but there is no family ready yet to take him home. Additionally, there is a legal waiting period for the parental rights of the birth parents to be terminated, giving them time to be certain in their decision.

Upon hearing this explanation from my family friend, I was totally drawn in.

It took a few months to get the rest of my family on board with the idea, but eventually, we all agreed that the chance to make a difference in these critical days of a baby’s life was too cool to pass up.

Upon some researching, we learned that babies’ brains are not fully developed when they’re born. The connections made in the first couple of months of life have been proven to directly correlate to the child’s performance in school and social settings and even contribute to overall physical and emotional health.

This is how it works. We get a phone call around the same time as the adoptive family, and we ready ourselves to take in a newborn: We pull out the container of baby clothing and transform my desk into a changing table. We then head to the adoption agency to pick up the car seat, crib and extra clothing that they lend us.

From there, we go to the hospital where the baby was delivered and sign the papers indicating that we are, for an undetermined period of time, responsible for this brand new human being.

We’ve averaged about two or three babies per year, each one staying with us for a few days. My siblings and I have become completely comfortable with newborns, and we don’t usually have 7-pound pink healthy babies. Actually, we rarely do.

We’ve had several babies addicted to the

drug(s) that the birthmother continued to abuse into the pregnancy. We’ve had babies who were underweight, premature, jaundiced and colicky.

Our first baby, who we called Cooper (we choose our own name to use during the few days we have them) was actually the result of a rape. With big brown eyes and soft light hair, Cooper was a handsome baby. He held eye contact like no other baby I’ve met; his focused gaze was remarkable. As I would feed him a bottle late into the night, or smile at him, all swaddled up, I was struck by the notion that this beautiful human being was the result of such a heinous event.

As we have continued taking in babies over the past few years, each with various backgrounds, we have seen the needs that exist in this realm in a very real way. The need for foster care families, especially for toddlers and older children, is massive in Massachusetts and across the country.

My siblings and I are grateful to get a glimpse of what it was like for our parents to raise us. This sneak peak of what parenting will be like, but side-by-side with our parents, has been an invaluable experience. I’ve learned so many of the “little things” that parents seem to inherently know how to do, like multitask at 3 a.m. when the baby is simultaneously crying, throwing up and pooping everywhere.

My parents somehow remain just as calm and loving as they are while holding the quiet, sleeping baby.

And on the last day, when we hand “our” little baby to his ecstatic adoptive family, we do so with the knowledge that not only is he heading toward a bright promising future, but that our lives have too become more inspired and meaningful.

foster care IN the U.S.

BY THE NUMBERS

397,122 children are living without permanent families in the foster care system

16%

of children in foster care enter the system at less than one year old

The average age of children in foster care is

52,039 children were adopted through foster care in the past year

101,666 children are waiting to be adpoted

Information from the U.S. Children's Bureau of Health and Human Services

infographic by Hyunnew Choi

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014|page 11

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|Opinions

UPGRADE

9 Seeing friends again Back-to-school shopping Fewer sunburns Apple-picking Scarf season Fall sports season Autumn leaves Cider donuts Friday Night Lights Labor Day sales

The Ice Bucket Challenge: A Game Changer

By Faith Bergman Over the past few weeks, my Facebook news feed has been flooded with videos promoting awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. People began posting these videos about a month ago, and they have since taken over the internet.

The “ice bucket challenge,” as it is called, has sparked an influx of donations to support the ALS Association, as well as helped people become aware of what is going on around them.

In the ice bucket challenge, people record themselves pouring a bucket of ice over themselves, and they nominate others to do the same. After listing their nominees, they encourage others to donate.

This video trend informs people how terrible the disease is in an effort to get people to donate to the cause.

To be honest, it’s fun watching the videos that my Facebook friends post. The videos are for a good cause, and it’s a new and interesting way to get our peers to understand a disease that is unfamiliar to most.

Although some people do not

feel that the ALS Association is benefiting from the challenge, I strongly disagree.

It is undeniably helpful when people donate money, but it’s even greater to know that others are becoming aware of the disease and that they are passing the message along to their friends.

According to the ALS Association website, donations from the challenge have surpassed $106 million as of Sept. 2. Undoubtedly, this is due to the hold that social media has on our society.

Many entertainers and renowned athletes have taken part in the trend. Demi Lovato, Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey are just a few of the myriad celebrities who have participated in the challenge.

These celebrity “endorsements” of the challenge encourage us common folk to make our contribution to the charity public. These people, whom so many view as role models, are trying to help the association, so we want to follow suit.

The ice bucket challenge is a lot more than a way to cool off in the summer heat while doing something for the good of others. It

30,000 Americans have ALS 2 5 40 70 The life expectancy for a patient from years the time of diagnosis

1

2 3

4 5

average age to develop ALS

106 million raised as a result of

donations increased by

the ice bucket challenge

The usual

400 times

Information compiled from Forbes and the ALS Association

infographic by Veronica Podolny

is a way of getting society to understand what is going on around them, and it spurs their decisions to fight in the ongoing and necessary battle against ALS. People in the videos often tell those nominated to donate $100 if they do not engage in the ice dumping. Others state that any amount donated is appreciated.

The cause definitely needs — and

deserves — a lot of money, but even just the smallest donation helps pave the road to a cure.

Without the ice bucket challenge, I don’t think people would know much about the disease at all. It’s important to become aware of what’s going on around you, and the ice bucket challenge has done that and much more.

“The Giver”

BY Parisa Siddiqui

9

DOWNGRADE

177 days to go Shorter days Schedule change drama Colder weather College applications Early mornings Less time for Netflix Long lines at Staples

Screen adaptations of teen novels have been ubiquitous since the uber success that was 2008’s “Twilight” movie. Since then, teen novels have been cropping up on movie screens, replete with attractive casts, CGI and legions of fans either complaining about the deviations from the source material or embracing the adaption of the series.

Fans of Lois Lowry’s seminal 1993 novel “The Giver” seemed to fall into the former category when the long-anticipated adaptation hit theaters. I had read “The Giver” as part of my sixth grade English curriculum, but I didn’t like it very much. I nonetheless hoped for the best with the movie.

“The Giver” follows Jonas (played in the movie by one of my personal favorites, Aussie actor Brenton Thwaites), a young boy living in an idyllic, futuristic community in which the denizens are desensitized to pretty much everything joyous and humanizing: music, emotions, freedom of speech and even the ability to see in color.

He takes on a new role in this highly organized community when he comes of age. He becomes “the Receiver,” the only person in the society who has the power to remember a time without all of the restrictions they now have.

He learns about the beauty and horror of the society that existed before the new system from the former Receiver, now called the Giver.

True to the novel, the movie began in black and white. After, colors began slowly emerging in Jonas’ eyes, beginning with the red hair of his friend Fiona (played by Odeya Rush) and slowly transitioning to a full palette of subdued colors. The colors gradually become more vivid as Jonas learns more from the

“The Giver”

The Giver (Bridges) shows Jonas (Thwaites) color and other phenomena that no longer exist in their society.

Giver.

The cinematography and use of color were subtle, yet integral parts of the plot. In true Hollywood style, the characters were aged to 16 and made substantially more attractive so that a viable love story not present in the books could unfold. This was somewhat irritating, but not overly so. The performances from every actor were remarkable, notably from legends Meryl Streep (the Chief Elder of this dystopia) and Jeff Bridges (the Giver himself), as well as from Cameron Monaghan (Jonas’ friend Asher). The underlying themes of facism and standing up to authority, as well as the importance of love and emotion, are not lost in the transition to film.

What really irked me before seeing the movie was the gross overpromotion of minor character Rosemary (played by one of my least

favorites,“country” music star Taylor Swift).

Swift had barely any lines in her miniscule cameo, but she was front and center during promotion for the film. Exaggerating her importance to the movie was tacky, especially when there were plenty of well-respected actors attached.

The movie comes at a time when the concept of teenagers fighting a dystopian system has become trite, despite the fact that “The Giver” book predated the genre. Unlike “Divergent” and “The Hunger Games,” “The Giver” book is rooted very heavily in emotion as opposed to fast-paced action.

Although the movie adds in more action to appeal to the modern standards of the genre, the emotional core manages to shine through.

LET’S TALK AB UT SEX

By Sophia Fisher and Veronica Podolny

South’s Gender

The Roar investigates the origins of supposed gender discrepancies and their relationship to class gender imbalances

W

hen senior Ben Weingart walked into his freshman early childhood development course, he discovered that the full-size class had only two other boys.

“I kind of expected it, because it’s an early childhood class and … girls often find that more attractive,” he said.

According to Weingart, the class’s teacher, Jennifer Dolan, geared the curriculum toward all students equally.

The gender imbalance, however, was a primary factor in Weingart’s decision to switch into a more independent-based early childhood education class for the second semester.

Many elective classes, such as childhood development, are dominated by one gender. According to some teachers and students, this imbalance arises mainly as a result of cultural expectations and stereotypes in addition to inherent cognitive differences.

For the 2014-15 school year, three art classes and four childhood development classes do not have any boys enrolled and out of 91 technology students, only 12 percent are female.

Technology teacher Carol Ober, who teaches digital video, web design and 3-D animation, said that she usually has two or three girls

in a class of 20 students.

“I think it’s still a maledominated field, and like other fields that are maledominated, women shy away from [it],” she said. “I think the gender imbalance is much more driven by cultural expectations and the sense that somehow the harder-core side of programming computers, that is a guy’s world.”

Ober added that in her 24 years at South, the gender disparity in her classes has not changed.

To counter gender roles, she has been thinking about developing a class that combines 3-D animation with sculpture or drawing, which she hopes will attract more fe m a l e s t o t e c h n ol o g y.

Sophomore Karen Fishman, who took a graphic design class, said she was surprised that the class was split almost evenly between girls and boys, but she also noticed some stereotypical differences in behavior.

“We did this one project where we were able to put something on a T-shirt — any design that we want[ed] to — and typically the girls ... would put more ‘girly’ stuff on their T-shirt such as a Disney character or flowers or something like that, and

A closer look at the gender imbalances in elective classes — art, business, technology and child development

then the guys ... would do sports logos, monster trucks, that kind of thing,” she said.

According to psychology teacher Paul Estin, however, stereotypes — both in academics and in the real world — have diminished in recent decades.

“There’s a longstanding debate about how much is ... really an intrinsic difference and how much is

Gender and Sexuality Studies program, agreed with Estin that most discrepancies come from cultural norms.

“The behavior of men and women — what we think of as standard male behavior [and] standard female behavior — it varies hugely out in the world, so that’s a good example of how cultural differences influence what we think of as standard,” she said.

The [brain differences] ... are really far removed to roles in society today. There’s so much about human sex roles that is determined by societal norms.

- Nancy Forger, neuroscience professor it just socialization. A lot of the stuff that we assumed ... was probably due to nature and biology — now we’re sort of saying ‘maybe not actually,’” he said. “It’s clear that the differences have lessened with time and that indicates that a lot of it was due to culture and society.”

According to Estin, while some brain functions develop unevenly at young ages, the disparities shrink as kids mature, and high school students typically show little difference in their cognitive ability.

Boston University professor Carrie Preston, who directs the Women,

Georgia State University professor Nancy Forger cited multiple studies that show different sized areas in male and female brains.

Additionally, a 2013 University of Pennsylvania study conducted 1,000 brain scans and noted differences in connectivity between hemispheres and in the regions of the brain used for performing a task.

Forger, however, agreed with Preston that though mental discrepancies exist, they do not correlate with the stereotypes that appear in today’s world.

“The [brain differences]

... are really far removed to roles in society today,” Forger said. “There’s so much about human sex roles that is determined by societal norms.”

She added that some stereotypes tend to be taken as the truth, although they conflict with fact.

“O n e o f t h e m o s t gigantic sex differences is in who commits violent crimes, with men committing absurdly more violent crimes than women,” she said.

“And usually it’s out of anger and passion of the moment … so why do we say that women are more emotional?”

While many arguments about sex differences often come down to nature versus nurture, Estin said that there are more complex interactions between genetics and environment that cause gender disparities in classes.

“You don’t have that much of a difference between boys and girls, but you have a lot of peer pressure if you’re a boy to do the things the boys do,” he said. “So you do those ‘boy things’ or ‘girl things’ more, and they become on average your interests or the things you’re better at. It might have been a really tiny difference, but it becomes a big one.”

To counter a restrictive societal atmosphere,

Weingart said that the key is to address stereotypes at a young age. For instance, he always tells children in the preschool that his favorite color is pink.

“Children are so impressionable that if you tell them one thing, they will actually take it to heart. If you let it wait and just ferment, it’ll get more ingrained, and that’s not a good scenario, because once it’s ingrained, you’re going to have a hard time breaking that,” he said.

“Once I did [early childhood development], a bunch of my friends were like ‘Oh, you get to hang out with kids three blocks a week and you get credit for it? That sounds awesome.

I’m going to do that too,’” Weingart said.

“So I’ve actually had a bunch of guys sign up and take early childhood, which is awesome. Once more kids start doing it, their friends start doing it, the next thing you know, you totally flipflop.”

Weingart added that the simplest solution to rectify stereotypical societal roles is to promote an openminded attitude.

“We’re all equal, and if we’re told from a young age that we’re equal, I think people will start believing that. And that’s important.”

America’s Gender While women comprise half of the financial industry work force,they are CEOs at fewer than

While men comprise 42% of secondary school teachers, only

2%

3%

of U.S. financial companies

of preschool and kindergarten teachers are men

information compiled from Men Teach and The New York Times

page 14|SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

centerfold|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

The Gender Gap

The Roar explores natural and cultural gender disparities

MALE

38

of men do not go into nursing because it is considered a traditionally female occupation and fear being called gay

29

85

of all violent crimes commonly sparked by emotion are commited by men men use a different area of their brains than women DO for navigation and are more likely to rely on cardinal directions than landmarks

The areas of the brain responsible for controlling aggression are smaller in male brains

41

while of STEM UNDERGRAD STUDENTS ARE WOMEN, THE WORK CULTURE causes them to compose only of the work force

feMALE

25

science, technology, engineering and mathematics

Goldie Blox is a construction kit designed to cater specifically to girls' minds and attract them to engineering

INFORMATION COMPILED FROM: THINK PROGRESS, HOW STUFF WORKS, WEBMD, BBC, THE INTERNATIONAL BUREAU of justice, AAMN, Goldie blOX and live science

women often have greater verbal fluency, resulting in better performance on memory tasks While men's brains are wired front to back, women's pathways cross the hemispheres, making them more equipped for multitasking

page 15|September 5, 2014|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

FEATURES

Students Reflect on Amigos Travel Program

Junior Liza Sulkin spreads passion for math

pAGE 17

pAGE 19

FEATURES@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 31, ISSUE 2

THE

COMMON APPLICATION

The Roar follows four seniors with different interests as they navigate through the college application process and will reveal their identities and college plans as they make their decisions

By Shelley Friedland

L

eo* is a three-season athlete. Although he is unsure of whether or not to pursue his sport professionally, he definitely wants to be involved in it in the future. If he is not recruited by a school, he plans to play for a club team.

His top choices are Miami University (in Ohio), Elon University and James Madison University. He has visited University of Connecticut, Boston University, James Madison, University of Maryland, Tulane University, Syracuse University, Ithaca College, Cornell University and Union College.

As of mid-August, Leo has completed much of the college process. “To be honest, I’m almost done. I’ve looked at probably all the schools I’m gonna look at before I apply. I have done all my essays,” he said. “Then all I have to is fill out apps and send them in, so I’m pretty much done.”

Leo said he is looking for a school with a lot of campus pride. “Basically, I want a school that has a lot of school spirit ... because I haven’t had that at South,” he said.

Leo said that although he believes that he will not make it as a professional, he knows he will stay passionate about his athletics long into the future. “To be a professional, you have to be unbelievable, and I don’t think I have what it takes to make it that far,” he said. “I know I’m going to keep doing it … and I know I’m going to keep loving it, but ... I don’t think I’ll make it.”

E

lizabeth* is applying to art schools, but she has not yet decided on a major. “I think I want to do either just one visual arts major, or double major in … zoology and a visual arts major or a visual arts major and a theater major,” she said.

Right now, her top choices are MassArt and Boston University’s College of Fine Arts. Elizabeth has looked over the Common App but has not yet started filling it out. Instead, she dedicated this summer to compiling her portfolio.

“Most schools require 15 to 20 pieces of artwork in a portfolio. … I know MassArt requires five to 10 pieces of still life drawings. ... Other than that, you get a lot of freedom to submit whatever work you think is of good quality and that you’re proud of,” she said. “I’ve basically spent my summer trying to get my portfolio together and ... just trying to get some good quality work.”

Elizabeth said she believes that the hardest part of the process will be completing the application in a timely manner.

“The hardest part will probably be finding the time to sit down and fill everything out and submit everything.”

She said that she is looking for a school that will give her the tools necessary to become a successful artist. “The arts world is very competitive, and I just want to kind of be able to survive in it, and I want to be able to gain all the skills necessary for that,” she said.

A

ndrea* is planning on majoring in political science and communication, or possibly international relations.

Her top choice is Washington University in St. Louis (WashU), to which she is applying Early Decision. Depending on her admission decision to WashU, Andrea is considering applying to George Washington University’s second early decision deadline. She also plans on applying to University of Michigan, American University, Tulane University, Cornell University, University of Connecticut, Elon University and Emory University.

As of mid-August, she has visited WashU, GW, American and Elon, and she has a trip planned to Michigan in the fall.

So far, Andrea has finished her Common App essay and is working on her supplements. A writing coach has been helping her to complete all of her esays.

Andrea said the hardest part of the process so far has been improving her SAT score. “I took the PSAT, and then I took the [SAT] two more times, and then I’m going to take them once more in October,” she said.

Andrea said she is looking for a medium-sized school with an environment that focuses on both the social and academic aspects of college. “I just want a school … that has a big social scene, but you can also focus on your studying and work also, so like the kids are academically driven but also care about having fun.”

G

graphics by David Gorelik

regory* has not yet decided on a major, but he is considering something in the realm of of science or engineering. “I know I’m good at chemistry and I like it, so [I may want to pursue] something related to that,” he said.

So far, he has made a Common App account and sent several SAT scores out to a few colleges, but has not yet formally begun the college process. Gregory is planning to apply early to both Masschusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Chicago. “[My] top choices would probably be MIT, Yale, Harvard and possibly University of Chicago,” he said. “If I get into MIT, I’m pretty much done with all applications. If I get into University of Chicago, I’ll probably apply to Harvard and Yale, and that’s about it.”

Gregory said that he has not given much thought to “safety” schools. “I know that UMass Amherst is a possible backup, but I haven’t really thought too much about that,” he said. So far, he has visited MIT, Yale, Harvard, University of Chicago, Amherst College and Williams College.

He does not have definite plans to visit any other schools, but may also look at Tufts University, Brown University and Boston University.

Gregory said he is looking for a school where he can be around other students who are academically-minded. “[At] MIT, everyone is smart in someway. I feel like it would be a good environment for me to grow in and explore,” he said. *names have been changed to protect students’ identities

page 16|September 5, 2014

Relationships: Your Own Jenga Tower

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. gay!”

“You’re joking, right? He’s totally

“She can’t be your girlfriend! She’s so butch!”

When my boyfriend and I started dating, the onslaught of ferocious girls claiming that I had “stolen their sassy gay best friend” was overwhelming. Meanwhile, my best friend was irritatingly poking at my ambiguous sexuality, pointing out that only a couple months earlier I had claimed to be lesbian. Attempting to highlight the flaws in my budding relationship became my best friend’s favorite activity, and the relentless, sassy-gay-best-friendless girls weren’t helping either.

What I realized over the next year — after enduring endless comments from the peanut gallery of anonymous weasels on ask.fm and not so inconspicuous comments from people I considered to be trustworthy — was that friends suck sometimes. More importantly, if you let people puncture your relationship with their hateful, knife-like words, you’re clearly not ready for one.

After several mental breakdowns and many midnight pity parties with my boyfriend, it finally clicked that it really doesn’t matter what people say. We were both happy, and if it brought other people happiness to try to fracture what we had, then clearly we had something special.

This notion isn’t exclusive to those with ambiguous sexualities and pestersome best friends. After all, how many movie plots are based off of either the popular girl going for the nerdy guy or the popular guy going for the shy girl?

There will always be someone who wants to break down what makes you happy. Relationships are kind of like Jenga: The longer you continue to let people take blocks out, the more likely the relationship is to collapse. That said, there are times when people need to tell you that your boyfriend is a douchebag who is sucking out your soul through a straw of lies and sweet deceit.

I had a friend who was completely enamored in the single most arrogant, self-centered, narcissistic future megalomaniac I have ever met. She fell for him hard and blind, and it was painful to watch.

Eventually, she wised up and started listening to the people who truly cared about her, and not some boy who just liked her boobs. Unfortunately, it was too late, and he had already texted her a generic “It’s not you, it’s me” breakup and was found making out with one of our friends.

Let’s return to the Jenga metaphor.

The longer you continue to let people take blocks out, the more likely the relationship is to fall apart. But at the same time, your own personal Jenga tower won’t grow if you’re in an unhealthy relationship. Listen to those who matter.

features|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

Students participate in the PMC Mona Baloch & Amelia Stern Features Reporter, Features Editor

O

n an early August weekend, more than 5,000 cyclists from all over the world gathered in various Massachusetts towns to participate in the 35th annual Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC).

According to the PMC website, the PMC is a bike-a-thon that runs across Massachusetts to raise money for cancer research and treatment at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. “[The PMC] felt like a really big holiday, because for a lot of people, it’s what they look forward to every single year,” junior Sammy Greer, who has participated in the PMC for the past two years, said.

North senior Daniella Chinitz, who has been involved in the PMC with her family for many years, said that the PMC is a unifying event for people of various backgrounds.

“It’s for an amazing cause, and all different types of people do the event,” she said. “It’s not just athletes — it’s people who have had family members [or friends] who’ve had cancer. Everyone does it for the same cause.”

With the singular goal of curing cancer, thousands of cyclists work to raise funds for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute each year. “In early April, my dad and I crafted an email that we sent out to all our family friends and my dad’s colleagues,” Greer said. “I would … post pictures of my dad riding [on Facebook] and email people individually asking for donations to accumulate all the funds I needed.”

Participants did not use only social media for fundraising; last year, Greer

made almost $1,000 through a virtual bake sale, where she posted a menu of baked goods online and delivered the food to people’s houses.

Chinitz used similar fundraising techniques to raise $5,000 for the PMC. “I also went door to door to people in my neighborhood to get donations,” she said. “I made flyers and dropped them off places.”

Junior Jake Epstein, who has biked in the PMC twice, said his family has always successfully raised money. “A lot

“[The PMC] controls how much we think and associate ourselves with helping to cure cancer. It involves [us] with the community of people who do it.”

-Jake Epstein, Class of 2016

of my parents’ friends know about the PMC and know that we do it every year, so they’re always happy to donate,” he said.

“When somebody gives a big donation, you feel it in your heart,” Howard Greer, Greer’s father, said.

After months of fundraising, training and preparing, participants and volunteers came together on August 3 and 4 for the event, which many considered rewarding.

“The vibe on the ride is unbelieveable. There’s so much positive energy,” history teacher Deborah Linder, who rode in the PMC with her husband, said. “It’s amazing how easy 111 miles can be. … It’s

unbelievable.”

Chinitz agreed that the event was fulfilling. “The whole experience of doing it was insane, just knowing that I’d being helping so many people, even though I’m just one person. When everyone comes together, it’s … amazing,” she said.

For Howard, meeting and connecting with people with stories to share was one of the most memorable aspects of his PMC experience. “[Last] year, we rode with three brothers who lost their mother and father, and … their uncle was in an intensive care unit,” he said. “They thought he was going to die, but a year later he was riding with his family, and to see them do that was a highlight.”

During the bike-a-thon, Chinitz said she was motivated by the gravity of the other participants’ experience. “I was thinking about everyone who has children fighting for their lives, and how what I was doing was nothing compared to what they’re going through,” she said. “I was just thinking about the cause, and that’s what pushed me on. At the finish line, it was such an amazing feeling. It was such an accomplishment. I felt like I had finally done something great.”

For Epstein, participating in the PMC has strengthened his enthusiasm for supporting cancer research. “[The PMC] controls how much we think and associate ourselves with helping to cure cancer.

It involves [us] with the community of people who do it,” he said.

Greer agreed that the event created a supportive community. “I definitely found a little piece of myself.,” Greer said.

“It really felt like a community [and] an amazing family.”

CLASS Spotlight: ASTRONOMY There are two sections running this year, with an average of

25

students per class

A

block

The class, which is taught by Stephen Vandergrift, has been running for

7

years

WHERE does this class go stargazing?

D

block

Skyline Park Brookline, Mass.

6-7 times a year

Coit Observatory Harvard Yard Boston, Mass.

Brookline, Mass.

On Tuesdays

Once a month Public Domain

3 students from the class have gone on to major in astronomy

The class goes on a field trip to the Boston Museum of Science each year graphic by Sophie Galowitz infographic by Hyunnew Choi

September 5, 2014|page 17

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|features Oaxaca, Mexico

Learning from Latin America

Madriz, Nicaragua Matagalpa, Nicaragua Bahoruco, Dominican Republic San Juan, Dominican Republic Perez Zeledón, Costa Rica Coclé, Panama

Students and alumni share service trip experiences in Latin America through the Amigos Program

F

WHERE did the Amigos program send students this summer?

By Nicole Yu

or senior Jackie Bussgang, service trips to Latin America have been a significant part of her high school career. The summer before her freshman year, she went on a service trip to Costa Rica through a Rustic Pathways program, and last April break, she went on South’s Nicaragua trip.

This summer, Bussgang expanded her involvement in service trips by embarking on a trip to Coclé, Panama through Amigos. Amigos is a nonprofit program that sends students to Latin American countries to work on local projects based on the community’s needs as well as the provided budget.

Bussgang said she was initially interested in the program because she wanted to immerse herself in a culture and lifestyle unlike the one she experiences daily.

“We stay in host homes and we run camps five times a week for two hours each, and we create programs there to make a lasting

leadership volunteer program.”

Maite Abadia-Manthei, a Class of 2014 graduate who went on an Amigos trip last summer, said that the trip gave her confidence in her own ability to survive independently in a completely foreign environment.

“I think it’s important to have an opportunity to prove to yourself that you can do something independently. I was totally freaked out [about the trip],” she said. “I had no clue how I was [supposed to] go in and meet all new people and lead people in a community that wasn’t even in my first language, but it gave me a lot more confidence in my own abilities. I think it would be valuable for anyone.”

Sophie Cash, another Class of 2014 graduate who participated in the program last summer, said that she learned many valuable lessons through the challenges of the program.

“It gave me a lot of insight to myself

Now I know I only touched my pinky toe into the world of different people. It makes me want to discover other people’s ways of lives, and other people’s daily experiences.

- Sophie Cash, Class of 2014 impact on the community,” she said.

According to Bussgang, fundraising was essential in order to make the trip possible.

To raise money for the trip, she sold 100 boxes of oranges and grapefruits by going door to door and sending emails to friends and family.

Following the fundraising portion of the program, Amigos participants traveled to various Latin American countries, where they were challenged to completely engage themselves in the community and communicate entirely in Spanish for seven weeks.

“The staff live[d] in the next town over and they [came] to check on us once a week,” Bussgang said. “We [were] really independent and it’s a total immersion

A Day in the Life in Coclé, Panama

and how I interact with people,” Cash said.

“The whole experience was very enlightening as to how you interact with people in the world.”

Bussgang said she hoped to gain a similar experience from the program. “I think that being put in a situation where I need to think on the spot, and where I am forced create ideas, work with kids, work with adults and become a leader in a community … [is] really beneficial for me,” she said.

Lynda Bussgang, Jackie’s mother, said that she hopes that Jackie will be able to apply lessons from the trip to her relationships back at home.

“I hope she will gain a deeper understanding and respect for the lifestyle and experiences of people from a very different

Barranquilla, Colombia

background,” she said. “I hope she will develop some very lasting relationships and memories that will be with her for the rest of her life.”

The AmiCotopaxi, Ecuador gos program also gave Cash a new perCajamarca, Peru spective on international cultures.

“Now I know I only Paraguari, Paraguay touched my pinky toe into the world of different people,” she said. “It makes me want to According to Lynda, this total imdiscover other people’s ways of lives, and mersion did not seem to faze Bussgang, other people’s daily experiences.” and she said she is very proud of her Abadia-Manthei agreed that her daughter’s initiative to tackle this chalAmigos experience has made her much lenge. more open to diversity and views that dif“It’s an enormous undertaking for fer from her own. her to spend seven weeks in a place that “[The native people] ... have some she knows nothing about, and she has very strong opinions about some aspects approached it with extraordinary courage,” of life that I don’t agree with, but they were Lynda said. “She’s shown very little fear people that I respected a lot,” she said. “It of the unknown in this process, and I’m was a great opportunity for me to have to really proud of that as much what I know force myself to open to these new opinions she will take away from it.” on aspects of life that I usually feel really Although the preparation for the strongly about.” trip was demanding, Bussgang said she Cash added that students, particuhopes this experience will leave a prolarly those at South, can gain a lot from the found impact on both the community and cultural and linguistic aspect of the trip. herself as a participant. ”I think that especially with kids like “I think it’s a lot of hard work and a us from Newton or other suburban areas, lot of preparation, but everyone who I’ve it’s really important to understand and ... talked to who has already completed the live in the way of life that so many people trip said it was life-changing,” she said. “[I around the globe live in,” she said. “I do hope] to create a lasting relationship with think that cultural exchange in any sense is the community and feel that I really made an extremely important thing to do.” an impact on their lives.”

8:00 a.m.

11:30 a.m.

12:30 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

5:30 p.m.

8:30 p.m.

-Breakfast with host family -Bathe in bucket -Wash clothes

-Lunch with host family -Plan activities (“campamentos”) for local kids

-Greet kids at school -Run activities (“campamentos”)

-Play games with remaining kids

-Dinner -Spend time with host family

-Bed

page 18|Sebtember 5, 2014

features|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

New teachers reflect on their first year at South

By Liza Sockwell

SAM LEE

One of the best things about being a new teacher here, specifically, is the kind and openly helpful faculty at South. ... Every day, walking into work, I would coincide with one of my colleagues and they would invariably inquire about my life here so far; for them, asking about my time at South wasn’t a courtesy but a genuine gesture of kindness and thoughtfulness.

English teacher

In college, I heard from professors that teaching is a human endeavor — that there will be days when I make mistakes, miss teachable moments and model lack. But here, I have discovered that, with each error I committed, I was met with superhumans, capable of lifting me to new heights and pushing me towards excellence, and that is the truth I rest my security in.

I think new teachers are important because they are outsiders to the system they are entering. This means that new teachers will often be able to look at an existing structure from a completely different perspective and offer solutions that others, who have worked within that system for a while, may not have considered. They’re a fresh set of eyes that can sometimes be the impetus for change.

JEFFREY DAVISON History teacher

RYAN NORMANDIN Physics teacher

photos by Alexa Rhynd

Green Trail raises evironmental awareness Mona Baloch Features Reporter

A few years ago, Global Sustainability teacher Michael Kozuch had an idea: a project to educate students about the wetlands area around South.

“I actually got the beginning of this idea, the wetlands project, about three years ago when I took a class during the summer time about outdoor education and thought that our wetlands [are] something that we want to help students understand better and protect,” he said.

Beginning last winter and over the course of the last school year, eight members of South’s senior Global Sustainability class started working on building the Green Trail, a path linking together four natural areas around South: the Wetlands, the Highlands, the Gardens and the Aquaria. Along the Green Trail, students have posted signs that describe the habitats and species present in each area.

“It’s a really great student-run project that would help students at South become aware of the environmental issues that we have around. … It’s a great way to learn about what’s around us,” 2014 graduate Grant Balkema, one of the eight students

who worked on the trail, said. pretty well-taught in the school, a lot of Kozuch and several students who thought was put into education about that assisted the creation of the Green Trail [and] our local ecosystem and being able said that they hope the project will educate to see that there’s a lot more going on.” people about the ecology of Newton’s natural 2014 graduate Richard DeNitto environment. agreed that the global warming message “[The Green Trail] is providing educa- is very important. “[The trail is] a place tion and a laboratory so that students and to teach people about local ecosystems their teachers can and how they’re come out and look changing and being at native plants and “I hope that the community affected by global look at the impact of climate change,” he will walk the trail and learn things like climate said. change or colony about the various issues and Kozuch said collapse disorders he hopes that the see our environment as somewith bees [and] learn trail will grab the thing to enjoy and protect.” about these [things] attention of people and hopefully underoutside of the South - Michael Kozuch, stand the environcommunity. “I think Global Sustainability teacher ment better,” Kozuch that a lot of people said. who aren’t students According to 2014 graduate Suzanna or faculty who are in the Newton comAnderson, who worked on the Aquaria por- munity will look at the signs and become tion of the Green Trail, one of the project’s more aware and passionate about the envimain objectives is to heighten awareness ronment,” he said. “Our hope was to bring of environmental protection against global people across the street from the sports warming. games, and people walking dogs, to have “There’s a global warming theme them walk across the street and take a look going through some of the outdoor signs,” at the Green Trail.” she said. “Although global warming is Awareness of the Green Trail will

Lee’s Burger Place 216 Sumner St Newton, MA 02459 Tel. 617-795-2022

spread easily throughout Newton, 2014 graduate Peter Walsh said.

“I think [the Green Trail] is something that spreads through word of mouth. The more people see it, the more it’s there. Even if people see it in passing, it still sticks in your head,” he said. “I imagine that people will tell other people so it will spread beyond the South community.”

Kozuch said he ultimately hopes that the trail will not only be of use to South students, but that it will become a resource for the entire local community.

“I hope that many students and their teachers will use it as a resource to learn about the various issues that we’re highlighting. I hope that the community will walk the trail and learn about the various issues and see our environment as something to enjoy and protect,” he said. “I also hope that [students from] our middle schools ... will come see it and ... learn from it, and that really it’s a community resource that people can access.”

Any attention and awareness that the Green Trail draws will be beneficial, according to Balkema. “If it can just get people to question what they are doing to the environment, I think that the trail will have served its purpose,” he said.

September 5, 2013|page 19

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|Features

Liza Sulkin is...

Every issue, The Roar randomly selects a student and explores what makes him or her unique.

SUMMING Up SULKIN

photo illustration by Katie Asch

Junior Liza Sulkin works on a trigonometry problem on the whiteboard. Liza discovered her love for math when she attended an accelerated math program at four years old.

Junior Liza Sulkin brings a mathematical perspective to other classes and extracurriculars

J

unior Liza Sulkin has always taken her family expression “Be well and be intelligent” to heart. Since she was four years old, Liza has gone to an accelerated mathematics program to pursue her interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) related fields.

Even in eighth grade after the math program that she was enrolled in ended, Liza continued to succeed in mathematics.

In fact, as a junior at South, Liza is currently in AP Calculus BC, a class designated for advanced seniors.

According to junior Alex Christensen, Liza’s friend, students often look to Liza when they do not understand a mathematical concept.“She has always been really good at math. … She helped me, and she helped everyone in my classes,” she said.

2014 graduate Daniel Shaar, who worked with Liza on the math and science team, said that Liza contributed to the teams’ growth.

“Liza catches on to concepts really quickly, so it is not really a struggle to keep her on pace with the whole group,” he said. “Liza … has really helped our team, [especially] with logarithms. She is very good at algebra.”

Math teacher Divya Balakrishnan, who taught the sophomore honors class Liza took as a freshman, agreed that Liza is very talented in mathematics.

By Maia Fefer

“Students are generally passionate about things they are good at, and Liza is definitely good at math,” she said.

Balakrishnan said that in addition to her talents in math, Liza is a pleasure to teach.

“Liza is very hardworking,” she said.

“I could always feel that she went above and beyond whatever she needed to do in terms of studying, in terms of completing projects and participating in class. It was

raising her hand with an answer to a question or to clarify something, not just for her, but for the whole class.”

Balakrishnan agreed that Liza’s love for math prompted her frequent participation. “When someone calls on her, or when someone asks for help, [Liza] wouldn’t hesitate to help out or solve the problem,” she said. “She loved math so much that she didn’t mind talking about it.”

When someone calls on her or when someone asks for her help, [Liza] wouldn’t hesitate to help out or solve the problem. She loved math so much that she didn’t mind talking about it.

- Divya Balakrishnan, math teacher just apparent that she enjoys doing what she is doing.”

“I don’t see math as a chore,” Liza said. “I see it as something fun. I don’t think of it as overloading on math. … It is kind of nice to just sit there and review old material even if no one else seems to be particularly interested.”

According to math teacher Hayley Teich, who taught the junior honors class Liza was in as a sophomore, Liza’s passion for math is evident in the classroom.

“I can always count on her to be

Liza has incorporated her love for math into areas of her life outside of school. Not only does she participate in both the math and science teams, she also enjoys playing video games and cooking.

She said both activities include mathematical elements such as logic, reasoning and specificity.

According to Christensen, Liza continues to dive deeper and gain confidence in her area of interest. “I think that in a lot of ways [Liza’s areas of interest have] stayed pretty similar, but she has definitely

gotten more advanced in the areas like in cooking and math. She has definitely gotten more confident in her abilities and tried more things within those categories,” she said.

Liza said that her love for video games probably stems from her interest in logic problems. “I like the repetitiveness of the levels in video games. It gets increasingly harder, and that is nice. I find them to be very relaxing. … You go up gradually.”

Liza also attributed her passion for baking to its close relations to math. “With baking you have to be very exact in order to get the end product. You don’t want the baked goods to explode,” she said.

According to Shaar, Liza has baked for math team celebrations and victories, sometimes adding a fun math related design.

“Once she made a chess cake, which was a chess board which you could literally play with the dark chocolate chess board pieces,” he said.

Even in other classes, such as English, Liza is able to connect the subjects to math math, making them more enjoyable.

“Math is something I truly love, and I don’t see it as a something I have to endure. Because I like it, I see everything from that mathematical standpoint,” she said. “I am sure other people can relate but through other mediums.”

page 20|September 5, 2014|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

SPORTS

Students respond to the change in the field hockey staff

Q&A with volleyball captain Charlotte Robbins

pAGE 21

pAGE 23

Sports@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 31, ISSUE 2

MEET THE PLAYERS

Tackling States

Margaret Allard Years played: 5 Postion: Full Back Fun fact: She played rugby with collegiate athletes at Bowdoin College this summer.

photo courtesy of Margaret Allard

Senior Tiffany Balram (center) runs with the ball during a Newton team game. She joined the MYRO state select team this summer to hone her skills.

Three South athletes played for the MYRO state select rugby team this summer, hoping to bring back improvements to the Newton team

S

By Yu-en Chang and David Kim

enior Tiffany Balram, sporting her red #2 jersey, scrambled out of the cluster of players to guard the rugby ball. All the while, she said she was enjoying what she calls the aggressive nature of rugby.

Balram played for the Division II South and North joint rugby team last spring.

In late June, Balram and seniors Conor Boyce and Margaret Allard attended tryouts for the state select team of the Massachusetts Youth Rugby Organization (MYRO). After a series of intensive two-hour practices, Allard, Balram and Boyce earned spots on the respective MYRO state girls and boys teams.

The three players said they hoped to benefit from the competitive experience and gain skills that would boost their careers.

Balram said she was motivated to try out for the state team to improve her general skills as an athlete.

“On the state team, I get to play against players that are really good,” she said. “It helps me get new, elite techniques and get more fit.”

Boyce said he joined the state team to experience the sport at a higher level than he was accustomed to with the Newton team.

“I played in the summer for the opportunity to get a sense of playing with the highest class of players and experience rugby at a more challenging level,” he said.

Michael Sapers, coach of both the joint and state teams, agreed that playing on the state team allows athletes to develop both physical technique and a better

understanding of the game dynamics.

“When you play rugby at a higher level with players that are highly talented, you become a savvier player and understand how to work with other players,” he said. “It is also a good confidence booster.”

Despite the appeal of the South rugby community, Allard, Balram and Boyce aagreed that the state team’s competitive nature developed their athletic skills much more effectively.

According to Balram, the two pro-

“On the state team, I get to play against players that are really good. It helps me get new, elite techiniques and get more fit.”

- Tiffany Balram, Class of 2015 grams are oriented towards different goals.

“The level of competition and the level of seriousness are much different. While South’s team is about having fun and bonding, the state team is more intense and serious,” she said. “You’re there to work and not just fool around.”

Rebecca Bianchi, 2014 graduate of North, said that the nature of the two teams differ because of the size of the teams.“The current Newton team is small and so we learn the basics together first,” she said. “On the state team, we play against other New England states, increas-

ing competitiveness.”

The difference between the teams’ atmospheres and intensity stems from the discrepancy in the skill sets of the players, Allard said.

“At school, we spend most of our time developing individual abilities because everyone is so new to the sport,” she said. “But, because everyone on the state team is individually at a higher playing level, it helps your level of playing more.”

Allard said that the state select team opened up other benefits as well.

“Playing on the state team gives you an opportunity to show off your skills to scouts for colleges and the national team,” Allard said.

Balram said that the state select team also included a unique social aspect.

“I get to play side by side with the girls that were on the other teams during the school season,” she said.

According to Sapers, the state team taught Boyce life skills beneficial to his future athletic endeavors.

“Playing with a cadre of talented players has made Conor be able to provide a lot of leadership and make him into a better understander of others on the field,” he said.

The three players said they hope that their experiences on the state team will bring improvements to Newton’s team.

Allard said she hopes to change the team’s physical and mental approach to the game.

“I’ll bring back the level of intensity to Newton’s team as well as tactical awareness,” she said.

Tiffany Balram Years played: 4 Position: Hooker Fun fact: She hopes to be scouted by colleges for rugby this year.

Conor Boyce Years played: 3 Position: Full Back Fun fact: He has earned a spot in MYRO state select team for two consecutive years.

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014|page 21

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|sports

meet the coach

By Jack McElduff New football defensive coordinator Tony Principe returns to coach at South and discusses what he hopes to bring to the team this year

PRINCIPE’s Previous coaching experience

- began coaching career at South from 1980-1986 -coached in Barrington, RI from 1987-1998 -returned to coach at South from 2004–2011 Jack: What was appealing to you about the football program at Newton South?

I

have coached [at South] in the past, and I began my coaching career here ... and I always enjoyed it. When I retired, I decided I needed to take a break from it [to] travel [and] change [my] schedule up a bit. I ran into Coach [Ted] Dalicandro and I had coached with him before. I enjoyed coaching with him. I missed it, so I was looking forward to coming back.

Jack: What do you think you can bring to the table as a coach for the Lions?

I

want to make the defense dictate a little more on the field [and] make them more aggressive. [I also want to] provide more of a leadership role with the team so that the kids will rally around playing good defense. ... I think we’ve got a ... good quarterback in Austin [Burton], so providing good protection on the offensive side is something I want to pitch in with.

Jack: What are some goals you have for this season?

W

inning and the playoffs.

I’ve been to some of the practices, and quality-wise, it’s a good group of kids, athletically. I would like to ... get all the kids ready to play — not just the starters — because you’re going to get kids who are injured during the season.

I want to have the whole team prepared to play and compete.

Jack: What are the most memorable moments you’ve had as a coach?

I

had the opportunity to coach my son’s youth football team. We went 22-1 and made the New England playoffs. Hopefully, there are a lot more exciting moments ahead.

Field hockey coaches’ departure leaves team members disappointed Noah Shelton Sports Reporter

After two seasons at the helm of the South field hockey program, coach Kim Desto and her staff resigned their positions on South’s team to coach for Weston High School.

The announcement was made to the team in June, two months before the season was to begin. Hannah Clarke was appointed new head coach when preseason began in late August.

According to many players, the coaching staff ’s departure was unexpected.

The news came without much warning, sophomore Madison Mixer said. “[It] just blindsided us.”

Sophomore Allison Aruda agreed.

“Everyone was just in shock that they laid that news on us so abruptly. I came into field hockey thinking I would have the same coaches for all of my high school career,” she said. “So I guess they kind of let me down in a way.”

Junior Sam Heesch agreed that the coaches misled the team. “The coaches talked a lot about building up the program and expanding it,” she said.

According to senior captain Michaela Nesson, the timing of the announcement added to the stress of the team members.

“It was really bad timing with finals week starting, so that was frustrating,” she

said.

Despite the initial disappointment, many team members said they understand the staff ’s decision.

Nesson said that in terms of employment, the job in Weston offered the staff better career choices.

“They just had a better coaching opportunity [in Weston],” she said. “The Weston team is better, and they have better facilities there too. Our coaches wanted to be more professional and

“I came into field hockey thinking I would have the same coaches for all of my high school career. So I guess they kind of let me down.”

- Allison Aruda, Class of 2017 serious about coaching.”

Sophomore Sara Fazli agreed that the coaches left because of their dedication to the sport.

“When I thought about it and really listened to what they were telling us, I realized that they were doing it because they love the sport and love being coaches,” she said. “They just want to take their careers to the next level.

Now I understand why they did what they did.”

According to junior Sabrina Stacks, the team’s camaraderie helped the members face the difficulty of the change.

“At first, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was an emotional wreck,” she said. “Our wonderful captains reinforced our team’s core value: family. We are one diverse family no matter who comes and who goes from the outside.”

Several team members said they trust the new coaching staff to lead the team to success.

“We have a great new coach, Hannah Clarke, who I know is going to do a great job,” Fazli said. “It’s going to be different this year, but I know it’s going to be just as fun and as great as it was before.”

Nesson agreed with Fazli that the new staff will bring the team to next level. “We met the new coach, and she’s awesome, so we’re really excited for the season,” she said.

Moving forward, Nesson said the team hopes to hold a competitive edge on the field, especially against Weston’s team.

“All we can do is hope that the new coach prepares us just as well for the season as the old ones did, and kick Weston’s butts when we play them,” she said.

September Stretch Sumit HariawalA &sports Andycolumnists Wang

I

Working It Out

t’s second nature to adjust to the new school year: shopping for school supplies, altering sleep schedules and finishing the summer reading books are just a few of the numerous little things that students rush to finish even after day one rolls around. We do everything we can to better prepare us for the school year to come.

As students spend time preparing for their academic year, however, they often overlook the necessity of preparing for their athletic year. The best way to do this is summed up in one word: stretching. Although stretching isn’t necessarily fun, taking the time to complete this not only enhances athletic ability and maximizes one’s performance, but also prevents future injuries.

Stretching is the simple step one takes to warm up muscles for exercise.

We’ve seen those ads on television showing people stretching, trying to sell a workout tutorial DVD. In this, stretching correctly is just as important as stretching at all.

Contrary to popular belief, there is more to stretching than just holding a position for a certain amount of time. This is calling static stretching, which should be done after a workout while the body is cooling down.

Static stretching can improve flexibility more effectively at this post-workout stage, as the blood is flowing more readily.

It also prevents muscle soreness by circulating blood and nutrients to the muscles more efficiently. For lower body stretches, it is important to stretch major muscles in the lower body, such as the hamstring, gluts, quads, hip flexors and adductors.

Upper body stretches should not be overlooked, either. They are just as important, as shoulder injures are extremely common. Typically, athletes will have tight shoulders due to unnatural movements in training or even from slouching in chairs during the school day, so even less physically active students can benefit from stretching.

Stretching before and after a workout maximizes its effectiveness. Before a workout, an athlete should get into the habit of practicing dynamic stretching, which enhances blood flow to the muscles and warms up joints. Dynamic stretching often mimics athletic movements, such as high knees, butt kicks or arm circles, and makes the muscles move through its full range of motion. This allows an athlete’s muscles to be activated before entering the high-intensity environment of a training session or game.

This pre-workout stretch, however, should not be overdone because it may waste the athletes’ energy. The 10 minutes between J-Block and the beginning of practice, for example, is enough time for an adequate pre-workout stretch. The athlete will then be able to perform at a higher level while simultaneously reducing the risk of injuries.

The school year is filled with crunched time frames. Students often study at the last minute to save their grades; this year, students will hopefully include last minute stretching to save their bodies.

page 22|SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

Boys Soccer

Last year’s record: 5-11 Coach: John Conte “We want to shift the current South soccer culture more towards working out and developing strong general athletes.”

-Ben Cooper, captain

Field Hockey

Last year’s record: 0-16 Coach: Hannah Clarke “I hope [the new coaches] are a good fit for us ... I hope we score some goals and maybe win some games this season.”

-Michaela Nesson, captain

Girls Cross-Country

Last year’s record: 11th at All-States Coach: Steve McChesney “We want to come in first or second in the DCL and make it to All-States.”

-Louisa Kimmell, captain

Sports|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

Girls Volleyball

Last year’s record: 9-9 Coach: Todd Elwell “The girls volleyball program plans to build off last year’s momentum by promoting team unity and perfecting fundamentals.”

-Rebecca Houston-Read, captain

Football

Last year’s record: 3-8 Coach: Ted Dalicandro “Our goals are to have a winning season, make the playoffs and to be DCL champs.”

-Adam Josephson, captain

FALL S ORTS REVIEW

P

The Roar asks seven senior captains to share their goals and hopes for this fall season

By Jack McElduff

Girls Soccer

Boys Cross-Country

Last year’s record: 10-5 Coach: Doug McCarthy

Last year’s record: 4th at DCLs Coach: Ted Norton

“Our goal is to compete in the state tournament and make it further than [we did] last year.”

-Tamar Bulka, captain

“Our goals are to develop the promising underclassmen and encourage them to step up and run at a varsity level.”

-Pat Mahoney, captain photos by Katie Asch

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|Sports

SERVING UP

SUCCESS

Q A Q A

By Helen Haskin Senior Charlotte Robbins, though injured, prepares to lead the girls volleyball team to a productive season

How did the team prepare for the upcoming season?

We’ve done a lot of preparation since the last season ended during the winter. Many of the girls on the team have been playing club volleyball throughout the entire winter and most of the spring. We also went to a lot of volleyball summer camps.

What are the team’s strengths and weaknesses?

One of our strengths is that that there were more girls than ever playing in the offseason and we’re really committed, but one of our weaknesses is that we lost 10 or 11 seniors. We have to step up and fill those roles, which I know we can do, but that will be our challenge.

Q A

Q A Q A Q A

photo by Katie Asch

Robbins hones her skills during a practice despite her wrist injury.

What are the challenges and rewards of captainship?

It’s a lot of responsibility because there is a lot of stuff that goes on behind the scenes, like arranging the Gold Medal Squared Camp, which was really time-consuming. But it’s an honor to be a captain because the whole team looks up to you and it’s a lot of fun.

What injuries do you have going into this season?

I have an ongoing hip injury, and I also recently fell on my wrist. I really hope I’m not out for most of the season. I can play through the hip injury, I’m just waiting to know whether or not my wrist needs to heal for a longer time than anticipated. But I should be back definitely before the end of the season.

What role will you have on the team if you cannot play?

Injured or not, I still have to help lead the team. Watching practices and helping to fix people’s fundamentals are some things that I have been doing. You can be a leader even if you’re not on the court, so I think that’s what I’m striving to do. My co-captains and I are working together, and I think we’re going to have a great season.

What are your goals this season as a captain?

My co-captains and I really want to have a close knit team. We think that being really close knit will help us be successful, so we are focusing on team bonding, getting to know everyone and making the [volleyball] program really welcoming this year.

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014|page 23

The Patriots’ Near Comeback

Brendan Duggan sports columnist

DUGGAN’s corner

O

ne simply cannot talk about Boston sports without discussing the New England Patriots. Since 2000, they have won three Super Bowls under the command of superstar quarterback Tom Brady and brilliant coach Bill Belichick.

The last 10 years, however, have proven to be a tough going for Pats fans, with every year ending in one heartbreaking loss after another.

After beating the Eagles in the 2004 Super Bowl, the Patriots have been to the Super Bowl only twice, losing to the New York Giants both times.

The Patriots hope to recapture the Lombardi Trophy this year, but their road to the Super Bowl won’t be easy. Last year, injuries hurt the Patriots on both sides of the ball. Losing nose tackle Vince Wilfork was tough, and losing offensive lineman Sebastian Vollmer and tight end Rob Gronkowski depleted the Patriots’ offense late in the season. Although the team made it all the way to the AFC Championship Game (where they lost to the Broncos), Pats fans were left dissapointed at the end of 2013.

The Patriots need to step up on defense to ensure another deep playoff run.

In terms of offense, the connection between Gronkowski and Brady, along with other wide receivers like Amendola and Edelman, will drive the offense. Additionally, Stevan Ridley looks to have another solid year at running back, with several other backs below Ridley on the depth chart who are going to have to be ready to step up at a moment’s notice. With all these weapons in place, Brady should be able to control the offense.

On defense, the Patriots’ secondary was weak in 2013, and putting pressure on the opponent’s quarterback was insufficient after losing Wilfork. To solve these problems, the Patriots picked up Darrelle Revis, an elite defensive back from the Bucaneers.

Additionally, the Patriots selected Dominique Easley in the first round of the draft to help with rush defense. They will look to middle linebacker Jerod Mayo, the veteran of the defense, to pose in a leadership role for the entire unit.

Finally, distractions have been a serious problem for the Patriots in the past, and have proved to be one of the most visible aspects of the team as the years have gone by. Last year, Aaron Hernandez was accused of murder, and Gronkowski has been involved in many party scandals.

Distractions like these will negatively influence the team as they try to focus on football.

All in all, under the dynamic duo of Brady and Belichick, the Patriots should have no problem winning the weak AFC East. The question comes in the team’s playoff performance: Can the team finally get over the hump of losing to the NFL’s best when it counts most? The team simply needs Brady to have another great year and Gronkowski to remain healthy and focused.

The Patriots may not be the favorite to win it all, but they always find a way to make things interesting. I wouldn’t be surprised if they bring home another Lombardi Trophy.

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