The Lion's Roar 31-3

the LION’S

ROA R

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

Volume 31, Issue 3 140 Brandeis Road Newton Centre, MA 02459

Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper · Newton, MA · Established 1984 · October 17, 2014

NTA campaigns for competitive wages Nathaniel Bolter & Varun Mann Sr. News Editor, News Contributor

By Nathaniel Bolter and Parisa Siddiqui photo illustration by Hyunnew Choi

HSP, which takes place in a building often referred to as “the shed” (above), has garnered misconceptions within the community.

The Roar investigates the stigma associated with “the shed” and the students within its stabilization program

W

hen Alexi Reibman entered the High School Stabilization Program (HSP), known colloquially as “the shed,” he — like most South students — did not know much about it.

“All I knew was what people say about it, which is, ‘It’s a horrible program for kids that are bad, everyone in there is kind of like a f***-up,’” he said.

Reibman, who spent three years at South and is now a senior at North, has “been through everything.” Two months after beginning high school, Reibman was put into the Springboard program, a restrictive environment for students from both North and South located in the Education Center, where he spent the rest of his freshman year. He began sophomore year in Compass, a program for students grappling with emotional vulnerability. Upon finding this program to be a poor fit, Reibman switched into HSP. Despite South’s recent efforts to encourage open conversation on student well-being, as detailed by The Roar on pages 12 and 13, HSP, or “the shed,” remains a conspicuously taboo topic, according to students and staff.

Contrary to widespread belief

among students, HSP is not designed as a rehabilitation program for students struggling with drug addiction, nor as a “program for kids that are bad,” but as a supported learning environment.

The perception that it is, however, has led to a stigma around the program and the students in it — a stigma that belies a disparity between administrative intention and student reality.

***

A 45-day transitional program, HSP is designed for students from North and South who, due to either emotional or behavioral issues or outside circumstances, need a break from the high school environment.

The program, located in the green building next to South’s senior parking lot, provides a smaller, more structured environment in which students have access to counseling and emotional support, as well as a school curriculum.

HSP, however, is not a catch-all for all students struggling in a high school setting. Students typically enter HSP after going through one of Newton’s other support systems, such as Compass and Springboard.

“Usually the student doesn’t

go to HSP the first time something happens, so usually it’s a process,” special education department head Kathleen Farnsworth said. “Maybe there were some concerns, there were some meetings in South to understand what’s going on with the student, phone calls to the family. ... Then it usually comes as a mutual decision that the student going to HSP is a positive step for the student in terms of helping them get back to South or North, whatever that next step is.”

While students are in HSP, trained faculty members observe them as they complete work sent over by their schools. A maximum of 12 students are allowed in the program at a time, and all must have check-up meetings with faculty every 15 days they are in the program and upon re-entry to school.

“It was very calm; you don’t really do anything in there. You just kind of sit around and do work, and the other kids ... are there for various reasons,” Reibman said.

But despite this benign reality, the program has accrued an unsavory reputation at South, according to many students.

HSP, 4

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

adventures ABROAD

The language department and the Global program plan new school trips to Cuba and Italy.

4

Superstitious south

The Roar explores the impact that superstitions have on the community.

15

The Newton Teachers Association (NTA) and the School Committee remain at an impasse over teacher contract negotiations as the NTA pushes for higher wages to attract and retain the best teachers.

The teacher contract, which determines teachers’ wages and benefits, is negotiated every three years, and the latest negotiations between the NTA and the School Committee began last spring when the contract agreed upon in 2011 expired. The two parties, however, were unable to come to an agreement before the end of the 2013-14 school year, and the talks, which were postponed during the summer, are set to resume this month.

“The negotiations are never easy, and they take time, and this set of negotiations is no different,” School Committee Chair Matt Hills said. “If it was easy, we would’ve finished it in one meeting, and we would’ve gone out to celebrate with an ice cream sundae.”

The debate in these negotiations has centered on the issue of teacher compensation, as the NTA argues that if Newton Public Schools (NPS) faculty is not paid wages on par with that of the surrounding communities, Newton will lose out on the best teachers.

“We have a mutual problem,” NTA President Mike Zilles said. “And that mutual problem is that the wages that Newton gives its faculty have fallen significantly relative to the wages paid in the districts that we compete with.”

Although the School Committee recognizes this disparity, it is not willing to effectively deal with the issue, according to Zilles.

He said that in the spirit of “shared sacrifice” during the fiscal hardship in 2011, the NTA agreed to cap teacher compensation growth in the last contract negotiations. In today’s economy, Zilles said that teacher compensation must exceed that cap for Newton to compete with other districts.

CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, 2

QUARTER-CENTURY

VICTORY

PAGE 20

photo by Maggie DiMarco

THE ROAD TO STATES

The golf team qualifies for the state tournament, hopes to strengthen teamwork.

23

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

NEWS

page 2|October 17, 2014|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM School considers later start time

New School Trips to Cuba and Rome

pAGE 3

pAGE 4

NEws@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 31, ISSUE 3

SOUTH

NTA, School Committee at odds over contract

BY THE NUMBERS

SPOTS

On average, how much are teachers in neighboring districts paid in comparison to Newton teachers?

Information on school events compiled by Roar Editors

Weston Public Schools:

“Arabian Nights”

Wayland Public Schools:

$8,074 more

Source of Information: Newton Teachers Association

$10,512 more

Lexington Public Schools:

$5,757 more

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Public Domain

CONTRACT NEGOTATIONS, from 1

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THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|NEWS

3:58AM

October 17, 2014|page 3

The Lion’s Roar asked...

Should school start at a later time?

Junior Alex Song wakes up. The next few hours are a blur as Song heads to swim practice and gets home at around 7 a.m. He makes a quick turnaround and rushes to make it to school for the 7:40 a.m. start time.

Although Song’s schedule may be unique, his sleep wouldn’t have as much time after school … so we would deprivation is not. Recognizing the prevalence of this is- have less time for after-school activities, homework or sue, the administration has begun to seriously consider free time,” she said. changing the school’s start time, but they have run into Not only would a later school day take away time trouble as a good idea in theory proves complicated in from after-school activities, but after-school activities practice. would also take time away from school, Henderson said.

As of the 2013-14 school year, the Newton South “The majority of games after school start at 4, and Psych Council, a group comprising six faculty members, we already get out at 3:20, and [for] away games, you have six parents, four students and Principal Joel Stembridge, to leave school early, and so it would just cause more kids has been exploring the possibility of a later school start to miss more school,” she said. time in order to decrease student sleep deprivation.

This problem is not easily solvable, according to “[Students have] extracurricular activities, they’re Stembridge. Because sports games and practices usu[working for a publication], they’re playing sports or ally have to take place in the daylight, they could not be they’re on speech and then shifted back to accommodate usually have quite a bit of a later start time.

By David Li and homework,” math teacher “A big [issue] is … athand Psych Council member letics ... because we don’t have Michelle Cheng Thomas Lee said, “so getting lighted fields. Away games bein for a 7:40 start time is pretty come an issue because games difficult.” have to start by a certain time In an Aug. 25 policy to get over by a certain time if statement, the American there’s no artificial lights. That Academy of Pediatrics cormeans potentially students roborated the council’s specumissing more class time,” he lations. Lead author and said. pediatrician Dr. Judith Owens The logistical issues do said that a later start time not end there, Stembridge of U.S. high school would result in both health said, since any change to the students get less and academic benefits. high school start time would than the recom“The American Acadhave ramifications for the other mended 8.5 hours emy of Pediatrics strongly Newton schools. of sleep per night supports the efforts of school “If you move high school districts to optimize sleep start time without adjusting in students and urges high the other two [school levels], schools and middle schools you need more buses and that’s percent of U.S. high schools start before 8 a.m. to aim for start times that algoing to cost more money,” low students the opportunity he said. “But if you adjust the high schools start percent of U.S. to achieve optimal levels of other two [school levels], then at 8:30 a.m. or later sleep (8.5–9.5 hours) and to someone else goes early.” improve physical (e.g. reduced In lieu of a later start THE EFFECTS OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION obesity risk) and mental (e.g. time, English teacher Alan lower rates of depression) Reinstein said, teachers and 1. Obesity: Those who get less than six health, safety (e.g. drowsy coaches will have to take it hours of sleep have a higher than averdriving crashes), academic upon themselves to make age Body Mass Index. performance, and quality of students’ lives easier.

2. Mood Disorders: Chronic sleep life,” Owens wrote.

“The science is saying it’s deprivation correlates with depression, Junior Emma Henderimportant for kids to get their anxiety and mental distress. son agreed that a later start sleep, so we still have to make 3. Life Expectancy: Sleeping fewer than time would positively affect some adjustments to [either] five hours per night increases the risk students’ education as well as the amount of ... homework of death from all causes by about 15 their health. “When kids have that is given to them or the way information from the American Academy of Pediatrics a first block free and come in in which sports [allow them] and the Harvard Medical School later, you can see they’re visibly evening time,” he said. more energized,” she said.

The administration has already taken steps in that The benefits of a later school time are evident in direction, as coaches have been asked to limit practices to Henry M. Gunn High School in Palo Alto, Calif., which 1 ½ hours and teachers have been asked to give students switched its start time from 7:55 a.m. to 8:25 a.m. Gunn a homework assignment to do in class so that teachers High School Assistant Principal Tom Jacoubowsky said have a better idea of how much time their homework that even though the school has not seen any empirical typically requires. improvement in student performance, students seem Despite the challenges of a later start time, Stemcalmer. “From what we heard from kids, the actual physical bridge said he is still hopeful that the council will find part of the day … is more relaxed. Do they still have the a solution. same academic pressures? Yeah. But kids have said that “In the abstract, it sounds like it’s a no-brainer,” school doesn’t feel as rushed as it used to feel,” he said. he said. “When you get down into the details, it becomes A later school start time, however, is not without complicated. It’s not that we shouldn’t do it because it’s its problems, according to junior Zoe Ongaro. “We complicated, but we have to be thoughtful and careful.”

Donal Keane, Senior Wake-Up Time: 6:45AM I think [a later start time is] better because I see people falling asleep in class. You go to school to learn, and if you’re falling asleep in class, I don’t think you can really learn.

the sleep-deprived

87percent

40 15

Kayla Chang, Sophomore Wake-Up Time: 6:30AM Yes. Because I think that a lot of people stay up late doing homework, so it’s always better to have more time in the morning to sleep, than having to wake up earlier.

Tiana Gould, Junior Wake-Up Time: 6:45AM I think it’d be nice to sleep in, but it might be annoying because [school] would probably end later, and then we’d have less time after school to just relax. photos by Hyunnew Choi

page 4|october 17, 2014

NEWS|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

New Horizons

South plans new school trips to Cuba and Italy for the spring of 2015

By Rachel gu, Ange Lu and Bhavik Nagda photo by Jessica Bolter

Students will visit Cuba’s Malecón (above), in addition to the Bay of Pigs and the beaches of Viñales. Destinations for the trip to Italy include the Colosseum and Rome’s catacombs.

I

n an effort to offer students the chance to broaden their horizons, the language department and the Global Communities Program are offering new international trips to Cuba and Italy. The trips will be based on learning opportunities about these cultures and societies.

The trip to Rome will be led by Latin teacher Elise Rubenstein, a first-year teacher at South who had organized several trips to Rome at her previous job in California. “[The trip is] specifically for Latin students, so we gear it towards learning about ancient Rome while on site,” she said. “For example, while in the Vatican museum, we try to go see specific statues that relate to ancient Rome and to the study of ancient Rome and Greece.”

Senior Qin Tong Li said that she plans to go on the trip because of the chance to experience Roman culture in a hands-on way.

“I took six years of Latin, ... [so] I think it’s worth it

to finally go to some place that is Latin related and really see everything and experience real life situations,” she said.

Both the Spanish department and Global Communities Program are organizing trips to Cuba in a rare opportunity to visit the country. The Rome trip and the Spanish department’s trip to Cuba will take place over February break, while the global trip to Cuba will leave three days before April break.

According to history teacher Kirsten Russell, who organized of the global trip to Cuba, the trip through the Spanish department is centered more around culture than the global trip, which focuses on the history and politics of U.S.-Cuba relations. The Spanish department’s trip to Cuba is organized by Spanish teachers Ricardo Gessa and Maureen Maher. “[The participants of the Spanish department trip] are going to a lot of museums and sort of looking at the arts,”

Russell said. “The [global] trip to Cuba has been arranged around the society and the government looking at the idea that perhaps over the next few years we’ll be able to look and see how it changes, as [Cuba’s] exposure to other nations increases.”

Russell said that students on the trip will witness a watershed period in Cuba’s history. “I was in China in the early 80s, when it was transitioning from a communist state to a state that was more open to the West, and so I’m curious to see what that is like [in Cuba],” she said.

What has attracted most students to these new trips is simply the opportunity, according to junior Sophie Ludin, who will be traveling to Cuba with the Spanish department.

“I think it is an opportunity that I’ll never have again because not many people in the U.S. can say that they’ve been to Cuba,” she said. “I think it would be a really cool experience.”

Students, staff find stigma around stabilization program HSP, from 1

Sophomore Katie Collins said that before she knew someone who was in HSP, she thought of “the shed” the way her peers did.

“I thought of it in the way that a lot of the other kids think of it — a place where maybe the more troublesome people go … maybe kids who do drugs, or kind of the bad kids who might have gotten in trouble in school frequently or with the law,” she said.

This generalization is often untrue, Principal Joel Stembridge said.

“Sometimes it’s a student who’s struggling emotionally, and there’s not been drugs or any type of nefarious illegal things going on,” he said. “We’ve had a couple situations where a student felt really uncomfortable because of their peers, and felt like they couldn’t come to school. So instead of staying home, [we said,] ‘Why don’t you come here?’”

Despite the diversity of students in HSP, the stigma around the program remains, according to Ariadne Caballero-Gonzalez.

“I definitely think that there is some sort of ... categorization of those students, and especially having them all be in the shed,” she said. “It’s not only social, but they’re not part of certain other groups that other South students are a part of.”

Senior Brian Poirier, who spent a portion of his sophomore year in HSP, said he experienced this ostracism firsthand. “I would be walking by near where the vending machines are near the field house and there would be a group of kids sitting there every time who would point at us and laugh at us and talk about us when we left,” he said.

But even Poirier said that before he was in HSP, he contributed to the misconceptions that have fostered the program’s stigma.

“I would make up rumors that some-

one in the shed killed someone or someone in the shed did this or someone in the shed did that, because I didn’t know what [the program] was,” he said. “I think that if they explained to other kids at South what each of these programs is, there wouldn’t be so many rumors, and it wouldn’t be looked at as such a bad thing. Honestly, what the shed is [doing] is it’s giving you another chance.”

***

Explaining each one of these programs is more complicated than it sounds, according to Stembridge. Although HSP is not intended to be a “clandestine operation,” he

“If [South] explained to other kids ... what each of these programs is, ... [HSP] wouldn’t be looked at as such a bad thing.

Honestly, what the shed is [doing] is it’s giving you another chance.”

- Brian Poirier, class of 2015 said he is wary to draw undue attention to the program.

Senior Pat Mahoney, however, said that this lack of information allows rumors and speculation to prevail among students.

“When people talk about the shed, it’s always in a negative context. No one ever says ‘Oh … shed is a really good program,’ or anything like that,” he said. “Not many people know too much about what goes on there or what its purpose is.”

But there is a fine line between educating the student body on HSP and violating the privacy of students in the program, according

to school psychologist Andrew Aspel.

“I think that the privacy [of the program’s students] needs to be protected, but I do think there does need to be an understanding that people aren’t going across the street because they’re future criminals or they’re people that have hurt people,” he said. “People are going [there] because they are getting help that they need, much like someone might go to the hospital. I don’t think many people would make the same judgment about that, and I think people need to start to look at it like that.”

Another consequence of HSP’s obscurity is the colloquialism students use to refer to it — “the shed.”

“Some people continue to use that [term], and ... I find that a little derogatory,” Farnsworth said. “I think that sort of undermines the professionalism of the program and the good work that’s being done there.”

HSP clinician Amy Todeschini said that the term “the shed” does not do justice to the scope of the program. “It’s true that we’re located in a shed, but the [term] doesn’t really describe ... the idea that HSP is a rich place for students to learn,” she said. “It doesn’t convey that ... we have groups here — music class, art class.”

But Reibman said that the stigma is not so much a result of a lack of information or a derogatory term as it is symptomatic of a larger problem within the South community.

“When I walked into North, I made friends in an hour. If you walk into South as a new student, you can’t make friends. You have to know someone,” he said. “That’s why I can’t deal with South, because South needs to work on the community as a whole. And people judge you much more when you’re at South, and it’s just sad. I don’t know why the school doesn’t do anything about it.”

HSP: THE FACTS

Location:

Senior parking lot Mission Statement:

The stabilization programs provide a therapeutic milieu to students in need of an alternative education setting. The programs enable students to continue to access general education curriculum ... while addressing student needs arising from a variety of circumstances.

BY THE NUMBERS

45 12

Maximum number students in the program at once

7

Number of years the program has been running

Maximum number of days students spend in program

Source of information: Newton Public Schools

October 17, 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.

Catalonia: what is actually happening?

When architect Antonin Gaudí began work on Barcelona’s Basílica de la Sagrada Familia in 1883, he was in no hurry to finish it, but it seems unlikely he anticipated that 131 years later, construction would still be lingering on. By the time of Gaudí’s death in 1926, less than one quarter of the massive Roman Catholic church had been built.

Work on the Sagrada Familia continued throughout the 20th century, halting briefly for the Spanish Civil War, and is poised to be completed within the first third of the 21st century.

In a crude, generous way, the construction of the Sagrada Familia is analogous to the development of the Catalan independence movement.

Catalonia has always had secessionist impulses. The region became part of Spain in 1469 upon the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella. Over the next 400 years, Catalonia squabbled with the Madrid government constantly and briefly became

a French republic twice, but nationalist sentiment truly took hold in the 19th century, when a Catalan revivalist movement swept through the region.

This sentiment came to some fruition when Spain became a republic in 1931, affording Catalonia an autonomous regional government called the Generalitat, but the autonomy was short-lived. Catalonia staunchly resisted the forces of General Francisco Franco in the Spanish Civil War and was thus brutally suppressed under the subsequent Franco dictatorship.

But after Franco’s death in 1975, the new era of Spanish democracy brought with it a new era of Catalan autonomy. The Generalitat was restored in 1977, Catalan joined Castilian as the region’s official language in 1979 and the first elections were held in 1980.

But autonomy alone could not sate the Catalan desire for independence. When the euro crisis hit Spain in 2008, many in

Catalonia, one of Spain’s richest and most economically powerful regions, perceived the weakened Spanish government and their policy of redistributing tax revenue from wealthier to poorer regions as a hinderance to Catalonia’s development.

A 2010 Spanish court decision saying that Catalonia could not be classified as a “nation” only fueled the fire for Catalan nationalists.

On Sept. 11 2012, Catalonia’s National Day, 1.5 million people participated in a rally for independence in Barcelona, and two months later, President of the Generalitat Artur Mas held snap elections to generate more support for independence within the government.

The most momentous step, however, came just under a month ago — nine days after Scotland’s own historic referendum — when Mas signed a decree declaring a referendum on Catalonia’s independence for Nov. 9, despite the Spanish par-

liament and constitutional court’s rejection of a similar plan earlier this year.

Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy dismissed the decree, calling it illegal, and the constitutional court suspended any plans for a referendum until it rules on the referendum’s legality. In response to this opposition, Mas called off the vote on secession and instead announced that the Nov. 9 referendum would be non-binding. But Rajoy and the Spanish government still oppose the vote.

Even if the non-binding referendum proceeds, it is uncertain whether Catalonia would vote for independence; three quarters of Catalonia’s 7.5 million people say they support a referendum, but only about half say they support independence.

But whatever happens in November, Catalonia’s march to independence, slow and hesitant though it may be, seems as inexorable as the completion of that ancient Gaudí masterpiece.

An Overview:

The action: Artur Mas, the President of Catlonia’s regional government, signed a decree declaring a referendum on Catalonia’s independence for Nov. 9.

The response: Faced by opposition from the Spanish central government, Mas called off the vote on secession and instead announced that the Nov. 9 referendum would be non-binding.

The Guardian

News this week A second worker at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital tested positive for the Ebola virus after caring for LiberianAmerican Thomas E. Duncan, who died from the virus on Oct. 8.

The militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) warned Turkey that if the government does not intervene to help Kurds defend the border town of Kobani from the self-declared Islamic State, then the PKK will resume armed conflict against Turkey.

Protesters lined up to be arrested in Ferguson, Mo. as civil disobediance continues in the town where unarmed black teenager Michael Brown was killed by a white police officer in August. Professor and political activist Cornel West was among the first to be arrested.

The Hungarian Fidesz party won control of most municipalities in Oct. 12 elections, tightening the grip of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a professed supporter of “illiberal democracy.”

Senate Update: Increasing Student Outreach Bella Ehrlich & Sophie Lu Sr. News Editor, News Contributor

As South Senate transitions into new leadership, senators are optimistic for the upcoming school year as they look to expand the body’s influence and increase student involvement.

Senate Secretary of Public Relations, junior Anna Kim said that former Senate President and 2014 graduate Jack Lovett’s reorganization of the Senate to a structured and productive legislative body has allowed the Senate to proceed with a strong foundation. “We’re just trying to keep [the productivity] going, making sure that even though [Lovett] graduated, we’re still moving forward,” she said.

Although senior Peter Klapes, the new Senate president, differs from Lovett in personality and leadership style, he has been just as effective, according to Senate Vice President, junior Mikaeel Yunus.

“There are a lot of more senators talking and discussing. … They’re getting their voices out a lot more than last year because last year, Lovett did most of the talking and they just sat back and relaxed. But this year everyone is chipping

in,” Yunus said.

In addition to increasing collaboration among senators, Klapes said he is looking to increase involvement among the community in general.

“This year, I am focused on giving more power to the

“I am focused on ... letting the senators go out there and see what the students want, what parents want, what everybody wants and bringing that back here to Senate and getting those ideas into stone.”

- Senate President Peter Klapes, Class of 2015

senators and letting the senators go out there and see what the students want, what parents want, what everybody wants and bringing that back here to Senate and getting those ideas into stone,” he said.

The Senate will conduct student outreach through

student surveys, advisory visits and Facebook updates. The Senate has also created a database with a list of all senators’ and students’ ideas for legislation, ranging from extending library hours to replacing handicap buttons on doorways.

One of the most significant changes that the Senate is considering is the creation of a Student Advocacy Committee that will act as a mediator between students and the administration.

“It’s going to [consist of] one person from each grade who is on the Senate, and if there is a problem ... that multiple students have, the Student Advocacy Committee gets everything sorted out for them. If the problem can’t be fixed, … they can try to come up with compromises,” Yunus said.

“They’re pretty much going to be the main link between the administration and the students.”

Junior Kieran Fitzmaurice agreed that these changes are essential to continue moving forward. “[Senate] should make students more aware of when their [meetings are] and encourage them to come and to give suggestions, but I think that they’ve been pretty good with representing students so far,” he said. “It’s a step in the right direction, but we’re not all the way there yet.”

page 6|OCTOBER 17, 2014|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

Editorials

editor discusses dangers of insecurity

HASKIN disappointed with paste up food selection

pAGE 7

pAGE 8

Editorials@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 31, ISSUE 3

the C AT’S

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

Student Forges Recommendation As seniors scramble to assemble early college applications, the rush to get everything in on time can be stressful.

For senior Procrastina Chionne, the pressure got to be too much. Housemaster Barck Manques caught Chionne forging both of her college recommendations.

“She wrote them on cafeteria napkins with a green dry-erase marker,” Manques said.

“I know senior year can take its toll, but I’ve never seen it get this bad.”

According to Chionne, the necessity to take recommendations into her own hands came after she forgot to ask teachers to write them.

“At the end of last year, I had to catch up on all of my finals studying after I watched all of ‘The Office’ on Netflix during review week,” Chionne said. “I thought since BJ Novak and John Krasinski went to Ivy Leagues, I would absorb their intellect. While I was absorbing, it slipped my mind that I had to request the recs.”

In-class Trips Gain Popularity In-class field trips have become increasingly popular this year, but large class sizes have made planning logistics difficult for certain classes.

History teacher Shea Kastle said that, as her junior ACP class accumulated students dropping down from AP US History, the number of students in the room doubled.

“We’re beyond capacity. I like to plan field trips, but I just won’t deal with 58 kids at Old Sturbridge,” she said.

Kastle has devised a more hands-on method to teach students about US history without leaving the school.

“We go out to the Green Trail to re-enact famous historical scenes,” she said.

So far, Kastle’s class has re-enacted the Battle of Saratoga, the signing of the Constitution and the Bank War. The class has exciting plans for learning about the 1980s, according to several members.

“We’re planning on going all out for the Reagan era. We’re very excited to RP SDI,” junior Gorba Chev said.

Stalling of teacher contract negotiations demonstrates misplaced priorities in NPS The Newton Teacher Association (NTA) and School Committee continue to negotiate teacher contracts for the Newton Public Schools (NPS). The negotiations have stalled on a disagreement regarding teachers’ wages and the city’s current 2 ½ percent cap on compensation growth.

As reported in The Roar on pages 1 and 2, due to the effects of the national recession, in 2011, compensation growth was capped at the growth of property tax revenue Although tax revenues have since risen to three or four percent, the Committee aspires to maintain the cap and, consequently, keep teacher salaries at the 2011 levels.

In a Roar meeting on Oct. 6, many staff members said that failure to raise teacher’s wages would generate a loss of incentive to teach at South.

Although educators in search of employment may find South’s academic culture appealing, employment decisions will ultimately come down to financial benefits.

Given the comparatively greater salaries available in surrounding districts, competitive teachers with prior experience will opt to teach at schools which will provide them

with more financial freedom. As unique as South may consider itself to be, finances will always remain a significant factor in any job search.

It should not be surprising that the additional $22,500 that Wayland offers to a teacher with 12 years of teaching experience will be a deal breaker.

As several Roar staff members pointed out, the stalled contract

job may seem limited to a 55-minute classroom session. As many Roar members noted, however, teachers take on a variety of supplemental responsibilities, including staying for extra J blocks and chaperoning extracurricular events that make the South experience what it is.

It is disturbing that the School Committee is capping the wages of

Teachers’ initiative and dedication should be recognized and rewarded, as teachers are ... responsible for Newton’s reputation. negotiations raise a more important discussion concerning Newton’s priorities.

The School Committee is directing funding toward employee pensions as well as new buildings and resources. Even though the benefits of technological advancement are evident, The Roar urges the administration to consider the effects of channeling money away from teachers — the most direct connections the community has to education.

In students’ eyes, a teacher’s

possibly the most influential members of the Newton community.

Teachers’ initative and dedication should be recognized and rewarded, as teachers are truly the ones responsible for Newton’s reputation for its strong school systems.

A school system can ultimately be only as good as the quality of its teachers. The current salary cap is disrespectful to the community’s mission to uphold academic excellence. The Roar hopes the administration will evaluate what is at stake and reconsider its priorities.

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.

Contribute to The Roar !

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Learn new techniques by shooting at sporting events and school activties.

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October 17, 2014|page 7

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|DESK

THE Editor reflects on the need to limit selfEDITOR’S judgment and harmful comparisons DESK Parisa Siddiqui Editor-in-Chief

During a recent advisory block, I was leafing through an old issue from Roar’s archives when I chanced upon an article in my native Features section called “The Clique Files.” The premise, a forerunner of our current “The Common Application” feature, was that the Roar followed four seniors from different cliques through their senior year. The cliques were what you might see in a TV show, neatly defined as “jocks,” “nerds,” etc.

A fellow Roar staff member pointed out, however, that cliques are not as cut and dry at South as they are in Hollywood’s perception of high school. There is no real social hierarchy; what a lot of the student body deems as “the popular crowd” for each grade are really just the people who post the most party pictures on Facebook. We might see them milling around the halls en masse, chatting loudly, crowded by at least three other “populars.”

They have the nicest clothes, the shiniest cars and the magical ability to hit Dunkin’ before A block and still make it to class on time.

The techical definition of popularity entails that someone is liked by the majority of people. The truth is these people aren’t especially well-loved. It’s not to say that they aren’t nice people; rather,

perception of us on our position on the in a school of almost 2,000 students, only imaginary social pyramid. a small fraction has personal relationships This feeling of insufficiency is with them. But their social lives are welldocumented on social media, so they have unusual at South in that it extends beyond social judgement. I am also acutely aware the impression of being well-known.

South isn’t quite as socially polarized of judgement in academics.

I often overhear conversations in as those media-based clichéd high schools, which one kid asks another if they are where jocks are either illiterate or kindan AP or honors class. Often, the reply is hearted class presidents, and cheerleaders Advanced College Prep. A look of smug are forever in uniform, perpetually applysatisfaction crosses the asker’s face, while a ing lip gloss.

Although such social segregation may discomfited one crosses the answerer’s.

We often feel not be clearly dethe need to project fined at South, our own insecurities the feeling of in“While school should be a onto other people just adequacy is still very real. In my huge priority, we should not to make our self-perceived shortcomings experience, if I’m feel as though a low grade seem less overwhelmwalking through on a test will dramatically ing. the hall without a We run the risk, friend attached to alter our future.” however, of rendermy hip, earbuds ing other people as in, head down, insecure as we are, as I often do, I get the nagging impression that people are thus propagating the issue.

Newton’s obsession with excellence judging me negatively.

Of course, that probably doesn’t hap- is a blessing and a curse. We have incredibly high test scores and many graduates pen as often as I think, but I nonetheless go on to excellent colleges. feel uncomfortable walking alone. I don’t We also have students skipping want to be part of the “popular” group, but for some reason, I feel like I need their classes to study for other classes, coming to school violently ill to take a test approval. or turn in an essay and spending night Although cliques don’t formally after sleepless night frantically completexist, we still think that people base their

ing homework. We fail to put our physical and mental health first, thinking that overextending ourselves now will lead to an easier life later on. We set ourselves up to crash by letting this consume our every moment and make us hyperaware of our flaws.

I’m the type of person who overanalyzes everything and envisions the worst possible outcome. As a senior I am stressed out beyond what I thought were my limits. I’m succeeding in some classes and feel like I’m drowning in others. I am trying to balance schoolwork, extracurriculars, college applications and sleep.

When I see my peers who are doing more than I am but soundly excelling, I feel even worse.

I’m not saying that self-criticism is entirely bad; it’s helpful to objectively evaluate yourself so you can improve the way you are leading your life. But we need to stop being so harsh on ourselves.

While school should be a huge priority, we should not feel as though a low grade on a test will dramatically alter our future, or that we will feel inferior to people who appear to have everything figured out — they probably don’t.

You really are better than you think you are. Grades and popularity are transient, and your future is still up in the air.

Just make sure that you are getting a good night’s sleep.

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 Hyunnew Choi Parisa Siddiqui

Managing Editors Sasha Kuznetsov Carly Meisel

Business and Production

Chief Copy Editor

Faith Bergman Julia Mount

Darren Trementozzi

Daniel Morris

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

Sr. Centerfold Editors Sophia Fisher 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 Shelley Friedland Features editors

Advisers

Ashley Elpern Brian Baron Paul Estin Ryan Normandin

Ariel Neumann

Photo Managers Katie Asch Max Baker Alexa Rhynd

page 8|october 17, 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

v

8

8

3

7

4

6

6

2

12

8

4

2

1

9 6

8

5

8

9

5 8

3

1 9

7 9

5

DOWN:

6

1. Thai

9

14

15

17

15

17

16

2. Household animals

13

3. Expression of disgust 4. Christmas carol,

18

The First...

19

5. Costlier

20

6. Sayings

2 7

7

14

21 22

7

11

6

CHALLENGING: 8

4

8

17

4

3

10

5 3

2

2

5

14

9

1

7

6 7

2

Crossword courtesy of youplay.com

5 3 1

ACROSS:

12. Rage

1. Plucky

13. Meat and

5. Soccer star, ...

three ...

Maradona

14. Baby bird home

7. Plumed

16. Employ

10. Smashes into

17. Salutations

11. Tibet’s Dalai... 19. Skirmish

4

LEE’S BURGER PLACE 216 SUMNER ST. NEWTON, MA 02459

7. Hair over brow 8. Deep narrow valleys 9. Come out 15. Work in fill-in position 16. Mound 18. Hot brew

Embarrassing Roar Staff Photo of the Month:

TEL. 617-795-2022

244 NEEDHAM ST NEWTON, MA 02464 http://haircutsltd.com

Haskin’s response to the lack of gluten-free food at paste up.

page 9|October 17, 2014|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

opinions

casinos detrimental TO Massachusetts

learning facts, killing education pAGE 10

pAGE 10

opinions@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 31, ISSUE 3

Perspectives:

Should cellphone use be allowed in classrooms?

photo illustration by Max Baker

NO, IT SHOULD NOT

By Sally Nelson In my classes, kids are constantly texting, checking social media or playing games on their phones. While cell phones are entertaining and useful in daily life, they are nothing but distracting in the classroom.

It relishes in the attention of the user, teacher and other students alike.

Learning requires complete focus; phones have no place in an environment that requires such concentration.

Some say that smartphones are helpful in class — after all, they allow students to conveniently use dictionaries, calculators or other resources.

A critical part of going to school, however, is learning how to work through problems without the instant gratification that Google and other search engines provide.

At school, we should practice logical thinking and learn how to work with our peers to solve problems. Smart phone usage hinders students’ abilities to gain the vital skills of critical thinking, teamwork and perseverance.

The use of cellphones in class also isolates the user. People are growing increasingly introverted due to technology; for this reason, face-to-face contact is more essential than ever before.

Constant phone usage creates a situation in which students are operating in their own private universes: talking to

people who aren’t in the room, laughing at jokes that no one else can read, watching videos that no one else can see. This prevents a classroom from becoming the interactive community it could and should be.

Cheating is another major concern when it comes to phone usage in class.

It seems to me that allowing phones is practically inviting students to look up answers without the teacher’s knowledge or consent.

While it’s important to trust students, it is naive to think that no one would take advantage of this opportunity.

Giving students the opportunities to cheat is unfair to those who study hard and take the test with integrity.

Not only does the presence of phones in the classroom create these unfair opportunities, it also results in an economic gap between students who can afford certain phones and those who cannot.

I’ve also heard the argument that phones are necessary in case of unexpected emergency arises. For that exact purpose, South stocks each classroom with a phone.

Ultimately, classes are only 55 minutes long. Is it that hard for students go less than an hour without their cell phone?

The obvious answer to that question is alarming.

YES, IT SHOULD

By Risa Gelles-Watnick

School is full of rules. Students are told when they can and can’t go to the bathroom and when they can and can’t talk. But the number one “no-no” in many classrooms is having a cell phone out during class. Although phones can indeed be distracting, they can also be a valuable resource in education.

Phones have have a wide range of practical uses in a classroom setting.

Personally, I work much more efficiently when I listen to music. When teachers assign in-class worksheets or textbook notes, students should be allowed to pull out their phones so that they can increase productivity.

Phones can also save time and backpack space by acting as calculators, dictionaries, translators and assignment notebooks. It’s a waste of resources to buy these things when they are easily accessible with the touch of a button.

Some might say that while a button can bring you to a calculator, it can just as easily take you to Facebook or Instagram.

Ironically, these distractions make it even more important for students to be able to use cell phones in class. High school is a time to get prepared for the “real” world, where there are even more distractions.

South offers a low-stakes environment in which students can practice focusing and learn discipline.

Yes, ground rules are absolutely

essential to ensure that cell phones don’t take over class time. That said, teachers have to let students be responsible for their own education. If students are prevented from using their phones in class, that doesn’t necessarily mean all of them will concentrate. The truth is, students who are invested in their education and learning experience won’t use their phones during a lesson, and students who don’t care will find a distraction whether or not phones are allowed.

Of course, some students will misuse their phones, but as long as they are held accountable for the material they miss while squinting at their screens, they will learn to use phones only when it is appropriate or stow them in their backpacks when the temptation is too great. They will end up learning not only the material, but also when and how to use a phone productively — a skill that students can develop only if they are trusted to use phones in the classroom.

It’s ridiculous to have a phone confiscated for texting a parent about a change in practice times or looking up a word in Spanish. Teachers are doing their students a disservice by setting rules against phone usage in class. Students need to develop strong discipline and work ethic in a culture where phones are a constant presence.

The best place to do that is during high school.

page 10|October 17, 2014

Opinions|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

Say No to Casinos on Question 3

By Clare MArtin It was a sight to behold.

An immense pyramid pierced the sky, bearing an ominous obsidian façade. At the palm tree-lined entrance stood a grand sphinx.

Inside, I was hustled past slot machines to the reception desk. Like most casinos, the Luxor was designed to lead customers to the gaming floor, even a seven-year-old like me, who was not supposed to be there.

This visit, a quick stop along my family trip to the national parks of the Southwest, was my first and only time in a casino. I still remember driving past the dramatic neon-lit buildings and fountains in Las Vegas.

So why would I vote yes on question number three on the November ballot, which proposes a repeal of Massachusetts’ legalization of casinos?

Because however flashy and glamorous casinos might appear, they are fundamentally detrimental to the citizens of Massachusetts.

Traffic plagues the roads of casino towns at all hours of the day and night. Casinos divert attention from small businesses and destroy local economies and close-knit communities.

A 2013 study by the National Realtors Association

predicted a “negative impact on home values in the immediate area of a casino.”

On multiple establishments’ websites, you will find fabricated photos of trendy adults striking the jackpot. In reality, the casino industry caters to old people and addicted gamblers.

In a 1996 testimony before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, Professor Earl Grinols presented evidence that problem gamblers represent 4 percent of the adult population, but account for as much as 52 percent of an average casino’s revenues.

Even with laws set up to decrease the negative impact of casinos — including local mitigation and funds to public health and the state lottery — Massachusetts should not encourage gambling addictions to begin with.

Massachusetts currently abides by the Massachusetts Casino Bill of 2011, which allows for the state to license three resort-style casinos and one slots-only parlor.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is in the process of awarding licenses, but no casinos are open as of yet. Studying the effects that casinos have already had on neighboring states, however, can offer Massachusetts

graphic by Sophie Galowitz

prescience into a ‘no vote’ future.

Connecticut, for example, is home to two notorious resort casinos: Foxwoods in Ledyard and Mohegan Sun in Uncasville.

Ledyard’s then mayor, Wesley Johnson, admitted in a 2003 news article that there had been “no economic development spin-off from [Foxwoods]. Businesses do not come here.” In fact, Foxwoods is now struggling with an amassed $2.3 billion debt.

When the Expanded Gaming Act was signed into law in 2011, Massachusetts was still climbing out of the recession.

Governor Deval Patrick expected that this law would lead to the creation of 50,000 new jobs, but a recent projection reduces that number to 10,000.

With an economy specializing in finance, technology, healthcare and higher education, Massachusetts has added 131,000

jobs since 2011 and is expected to produce nearly 50,000 jobs each year through 2017 — without casinos.

Clearly, the contribution gambling establishments could make to the state’s job market is insignificant.

Casinos are a burden that Massachusetts does not need to shoulder, and we should take this opportunity to make sure we will never have to.

The Importance of the Big Picture BY ben rabin School can feel like an endless onslaught of pointless names, dates and vocabulary. Why should we memorize facts if we can’t appreciate their significance?

While a complete high school education obviously must include a solid foundation of specific details, we can’t overlook the need to understand underlying concepts.

For example, names and dates are indespensible when learning about World War I, but a more enriching learning experience would include the

understanding of trends and concepts behind them.

Only when we understand overarching ideas as well as facts can we learn to truly appreciate and apply what we are taught.

During sophomore year, most students at South memorize the fact that the Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated on June 28, 1914 by Gavrilo Princip, thus sparking World War I. It is not as important to memorize this fact, however, as it is to understand nationalism and its significance.

A history student would be better served by learning that Bosnia-Herzegovina, where the archduke was killed, was an ethnically Serbian dominated area of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and that highly nationalistic sentiment prevailed in that part of the country.

Rather than demanding that we memorize the definition of “nationalism” as “an ideology advocating for extreme devotion to one’s country, nationality, or race,” a study of World War I should ensure that students understand that Austria-Hungary’s Serbs felt a stronger sense of devotion to their ethnic group than they did to their country.

Gavrilo Princip, the assassin, was just one among many Serbs who believed in independence so strongly that they were willing to participate in, and fully support, the cold-blooded murder of a sovereign.

Upon understanding the concept of nationalism and its context during World War I (instead of just memorizing the fact that it caused the war and moving on), we would be able to apply what we learned to current events.

Scotland, for example, recently came close to affirming a referendum demanding independence from the United

Kingdom.

Even though the Scots voted not to separate, the Catalans in eastern Spain also clamor for independence. The Flemish half of Belgium seeks independence as well.

Nationalism and secessionist movements have captured the hearts and souls of Tibetans, Transnistrians, Palestinians, Chechens and a slew of other ethnic minorities throughout the world.

Knowing the date of Franz Ferdinand’s assassination doesn’t equip students to participate in conversations about nationalism, but a solid understanding of the concepts involved would allow us to speculate about why nationalism persists in ethnically diverse countries, and whether or not nationalism will ever plant itself in our multi-ethnic United States of America.

Nationalism and the events leading up to World War I are only a few examples of why our education as a whole should put greater emphasis on underlying themes and concepts rather than on the memorization of trivial facts.

Only then will students be able to synthesize what we learn in school and connect it to current events and our own lives.

october 17, 2014|page 11

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|Opinions

UPGRADE

9 Pumpkin spice food

campus chatter The Lion’s Roar asked...

What changes would you like to see at South this upcoming year? =

“I would want more breaks during the day because I think our days are really stressful as they are, and just having five minutes for advisory isn’t enough.”

Scarves iPhone 6

NIcole cheng, Class of 2015

Five Guys opening

“South should broadcast [sporting events] more and build some school spirit. ... I guess even starting a fan club would be pretty cool.”

Halloween is on a Friday

Andrew Bereket, CLASS OF 2017 “I wish there was more support for athletics from faculty, administration and parents because ... it makes a more balanced school. It’s great when the students can see their teachers supporting them on the field.”

Apple picking Bruins season begins New England foliage

Molly widrick, science department “I’d like a bit more free time because there’s a lot of stuff to do, and sometimes I need to miss J block because I have things out of school, so I don’t have a lot of time to do homework.”

Ian rubin, Class of 2018

9

DOWNGRADE

photos by Alexa Rhynd

“Gone Girl”

BY Parisa Siddiqui

Term is almost over Early decision time crunch Dark skies at early hours Chipotle burrito bowl price increase People who are nosy about college applications Back-to-school easy period over

“Gone Girl” has been a significant force in suspense thriller novels in the years since it came out. So when the movie adaptation breezed into the public eye, boasting pop culturally relevant source material, a prominent, decorated celebrity in the lead role and an experienced director, the internet was abuzz with analytical articles and speculation.

In “Gone Girl,” Nick and Amy Dunne are a modern married couple wrenched from their cosmopolitan life in New York to live in North Carthage, Missouri. The marriage seems normal on the surface, but when Amy goes missing, Nick becomes a suspect in her disappearance. Gradually, new information about both Dunnes comes to light, and suddenly, the audience does not know whom to trust.

The film alternates between the present— after Amy’s disappearance — and Amy’s diary entries from the past, filling in the Dunnes’ backstory.

The movie was very true to the book, down to exact lines, and the musical score tied it all together. GiIlian Flynn, author of the novel, wrote the script for the movie adaptation, which parlayed well into film. Although the movie ran a little too long, it was undoubtedly necessary to set up all of the twists. Because I

“Gone Girl”

Nick Dunne (Affleck) gives a speech about his wife, Amy (Pike), at a press conference after her disappearance.

already knew what would happen in the plot, the suspense was somewhat diminished for me; however, the major plot twist in the middle of the film was nonetheless powerful.

The aura of mystery was prevalent throughout. Mingled with Amy’s (Rosamund Pike) iciness and emotional complexity, as well as Nick’s (Ben Affleck) mid-life crisis, it renewed the shock of every clue the police stumbled upon, even though I knew they were all coming. The story evoked any number of

husband-implicated-in-wife’s-disappearance true crime stories I’ve seen on Lifetime, but the audience sees both sides of the story. I t’s a common tale, but “Gone Girl” is unique in its close look at the characters: Amy is rich and beautiful, but spiteful and regretful. Nick is “salt-of-the-earth,” but frustrated with his marriage. It is hard to tell from the beginning who hates whom more.

Nobody is a winner in this story, and that’s what kept me watching.

One Year Later...

Fall 2013

Students participate in a program called “A Different Lens” in which classes listen to presentations about various illnesses SOS is implemented for the seniors before they graduate

Fall 2014 SOS scheduled to be implemented in every grade at both high schools this year

be aware

afraid learn

learn

understand

common

ISSUE

empathy

mental health strong

emotion common

listen empathyISSUEask

understand afraid speak out

ok

speak out

understand

be aware

supportRECOVERY be aware

okspeak outlearn

treatable afraid

empathy ISSUE health ASK

common ISSUE listen

strong

emotion treatable common ASK

After educating faculty and staff in suicide prevention, the administration launched the SOS curriculum and screening process to the senior class in May. Students were asked to watch videos, engage in disucssions and fill out short questionnaires that screened students for potential warning signs of suicide.

Guidance counselors then read through the questionnaires, and professionals started follow-up conversations with students whose responses indicated warning signs of depression or suicidal tendencies. Students were also randomly selected to give feedback on the program.

According to Stembridge, the logistics of the SOS lessons were the most challenging to execute. This involved recruiting South staff to teach the curriculum and making sure both guidance counselors and trained psychologists were available to read student questionnaires and initiate follow-up conversations with students during the days SOS was implemented.

“There’s always something that guidance counselors are involved with that

treatable understand

ASK

Though the administration did not take any school-wide action, they did make an effort to stabilize the students most affected by the events. The school identified students most affected by the suicides and created individual plans to ensure their safety.

“Par t of w hat p e ople ne e d to understand [is that] when an event happens like this, the number of students and adults who were affected is really big,” Stembridge said. “The truth is that we were at capacity.

We couldn’t do more. … The experts say the most important thing is not educating in that moment. The most important thing is safety. And 100 percent of our attention was on keeping everybody safe.”

Kaster agreed that the administration’s struggle to quickly implement a school-wide plan is understandable.

“You have three of these tragedies that have just completely blown Newton into orbit, and the administration is struggling to figure out what to do,” he said. “We have ideas, but it’s understandable that [the administration] can’t meet every single hour

be aware

common afraid HURT

be aware

understand

common afraid HURT emotion ok

emotion

South students form the club AWARE to promote awareness of mental health illness erase stigma attached to it

First Steps

ask

common

Spring 2014

Beginning last October, Restrepo and several other South students began collaborating with City Hall representatives, Riverside Trauma Center and the South administration to address mental health in response to the suicides.

“I think we got the wheels turning,” senior Josh Kaster, who was involved in the discussions, said. “We really were trying to push ideas and really come up with something to put into our town [and] schools.”

Over the winter, this delegation of administrators, students and specialists modified a suicide-prevention program called Signs of Suicide (SOS) to implement at both high schools. SOS shows a short video, stages skits and facilitates group discussions.

The administration originally planned to implement the modified version of SOS in late February. “When Roee passed away, those plans changed a little bit,” Stembridge said. “The experts at that point … did not think it was the right time to try something brand-new ... There were concerns about if

At Capacity

RECOVERY

ASK

South student Roee Grutman, 17, commits suicide in February.

Consequently, SOS is delayed, and Riverside counselors speak again with community

Immediate Response

depressed learn empathy common listen speak out

to the suicides themselves was a hard topic emotion strong ok to broach. “I think they handled it really ASK well,” she said. “If it took them a little longer, HURT anxiety HURT then I still think that’s okay because I think afraid strong ASK it’s a really big thing to take on. And it’s not treatable speak out ISSUE HURT Student Reactions like they would put it on the back burner or speak out afraid Still, many students have expressed anything.” empathy depressed discontent with the administration’s response ok Moving Forward share to last year’s tragedies. aware afraid understand listen ok be learn speak out SOS workshops and screenings will Ka s t e r s a i d t h at c omp l i c at e d treatable ISSUE strong treatable ok procedures and disorganization at City Hall be administered to all four grades between anxiety depressed HURT hindered the original attempt to implement October and March. In the future, South learn speak out workshops. Administrators, he said, often plans on administering this curriculum once delegated positions to uninformed or for freshmen and then as a review for juniors.

“Beyond that, we’ll have this robust unavailable staff members. “[There was] the frustration of ‘When series of informal observations and work that we do with all of our students,” Stembridge is this actually going to happen?’” he said.

Hardiman added that a number of said. “Just being aware of the signs of anxiety treatable learn students complained about not recieving depression or emotional distress … without information as it was becoming available. being invasive [is important].” ok Even the most basic education on “They felt like they were in the dark and strong they felt like they wanted their voice to be mental health can be an effective suicide listen prevention method, according to Needham ASK heard,” he said.

Senior Rebecca Williams, who heard High School principal Jonathan Pizzi. empathy afraid “The more education that folks can about the implementation of the SOS understand learn ASK health curriculum through friends involved in the have about [mental health] … is always HURT listen process, said students would appreciate more going to be positive,” he said. depressed share understand The Newton community also transparency from the school concerning speak out has several organizations that address its plans. treatable “If I hadn’t know that [SOS] was mental health. AWARE, a student common understand depressed happening I would kind of feel like the group that aims to de-stigmatize strong SUPPORTafraid understand anxiety understand school hasn’t done anything,” she said. “I and raise awareness about mental HURT RECOVERY health think an announcement that this is a class or health, is planning different events over the afraid issue learn listen SUPPORT speak out learn course that will be implemented … would school year. be aware understand depressed share empathy SUPPORT ASK strong This past May, Restrepo and 2014 be awesome.” emotion depressed afraid afraid The decision to administer SOS only graduate Jeremy Oshins organized a fullok ASK strong to seniors last year also angered certain day mental health awareness and education be aware HURT strong empathy students. “I remember that enraged a lot of event, “A Different Lens,” which focused on ASK share understand HURT RECOVERYtreatable listen underclassmen because they said ‘Well, we informing the student body about different SUPPORT speak out emotion strong understand listen ASK afraidanxiety share kinds of mental illnesses. need it too,’” Restrepo said. empathy understand strong ok RECOVERY strong afraid empathy Kaster said that this event provoked According to Stembridge, however, health depressed HURTASK listen depressed anxiety the school prioritized educating the seniors meaningful conversation among students anxiety ASKtreatable emotion about suicide prevention before they left the and moved the community in the right empathy strong ok RECOVERY listen learn South community and not overextending its direction. speak out depressed “When [mental illness] is frowned resources. understand “We didn’t want to get ourselves in upon, the people that are feeling this way, or such a place that we didn’t have the capacity that actually do have depression or anxiety or any of the other mental illness — they’re to do a good job with it,” he said.

SUPPORT Vicars said that while she believes being alienated. They have no one to go to,” the school is responsible for teaching its he said. “You need to be able to speak about share health understand depressed share students about mental health, responding this.” ok is going to have to be kind of put on hold ... until we’re through with the presentations for that week,” he said, “so that’s another challenge.”

empathy

Administrators and Riverside counselors work to modify SOS (Signs of Suicide) program

it was going to be effective or not, because it of the day.” had never been tried before.”

A f t e r Ne e d h a m H i g h S c h o o l experienced four student suicides between Stigma of mental health 2004 and 2006, the school’s immediate Both administrators and students have response, like South’s, was focused on noted that the stigma surrounding mental supporting the most affected students, health might deter action. according to Needham’s director of guidance Junior Talia Vicars said that this stigma Tom Denton. affected the school’s response time. “Of “It took some time to really study and course, in our culture we have taboos,” she figure out ... what were we missing, what said. “I think for things like mental health it’s we [needed] to do better,” he said. “I think a lot different to try and fix things like that, the community … wanted a guarantee that because we can’t really see it.” this would never happen again. That’s pretty According to guidance counselor hard to give.”

Chris Hardiman, encouraging an open Ste mbr i d ge a g re e d t h at s om e communal discussion could help alleviate expectations are unreasonable. “You want this stigma. “There are a lot of issues that this not to happen again. You want what’sare still ... not talked about as much, and the-fix,” he said. “The … first fix is simply that’s students getting counseling or students supporting the people who are most affected having depression or anxiety or suicidal by these events. ... And it’s as simple as saying, thoughts. All of those things are real and ‘If you’re feeling bad, talk to somebody.’ they’re happening here, and they just need That’s the only education that you need to to … be put out there in the open,” he said. start with.”

ok

Newton Cares is established to raise awareness of mental illness and promote a healthy society

A

year after the first Newton South student committed suicide, the South community is continuing to recover from the tragedies while the administration implements a response plan.

In October 2013, North student Karen Douglas and South student Katie Stack took their lives within two weeks of one another.

This February, South student Roee Grutman committed suicide.

A Roar survey found that 84 percent of South students believe that the administration should have responded to last year’s three suicides sooner. Administrators, however, have stressed that appropriate and effective response takes time to implement.

“When the exp er ts talk ab out recovering or response to a suicide, they talk in years, not weeks,” Principal Joel Stembridge said. “We’re still in the middle of the process.”

But years were too long for 2014 graduate Sasha Restrepo. “I was so shaken up. I said ‘I have to do something,’” she said.

learn

Winter 2013-14

By Sophia Fisher

HURT

Riverside Trauma Center counselors meet at South to speak about processing the tragedies

The Roar examines administrative changes and student opinions regarding mental illness following Newton’s suicides

ok

Less than two weeks later, South student Katie Stack, 15, commits suicide

ask

North student Karen Douglas, 18, commits suicide

empathyspeak out common

ISSUE strong

learn

treatable graphic by Veronica Podolny

How are mental illnesses affecting the human population?

There are over

200

identified mental health conditions

1 in every 4 people in the world is affected by a mental illness

50%

of lifetime mental illnesses begin by age 14 Source of information: National Alliance for Mental Illness and National Institute of Mental Health

The Roar surveyed 106 students on Sept. 30 and found...

84%

59%

62%

of students said that the administration should have responded to the suicides earlier

of students said that schools should be responsible for students’ mental health

of students said that SOS is an effective way to address suicide prevention infographic by Veronica Podolny

page 14|OCtober 17, 2014

centerfold|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

A

s a young kid with older siblings, I started planning my path through life when I was in elementary school. I set expectations for myself based off of my siblings’ accomplishments, and I planned to follow their footsteps in order to match the academic success of the rest of my family.

I always felt a bit different from the people around me. In school I was never as excited or happy as my peers were, and I hated myself. I cried everyday and I didn’t know why. I blamed myself for feeling different and I punished myself through self-harm.

In sixth grade, I started to suffer from what I now know is Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). I isolated myself from my friends and spent all my free time trying to do nothing. I was mad at myself for not being able to perform daily tasks, so my self-hatred grew. I developed serious anxiety problems because I was scared of the world around me.

My mother suggested I go see a therapist, but I thought the only thing wrong with me was that I wasn’t trying hard enough. I thought if I could just force myself to get out of bed, hang out with my friends and smile, I would feel happy.

My MDD took over my academic life and kept me from functioning as a usual student, but I was able to hide it. I presented an emotionless front at school. I pretended I was confident, and I turned in impeccably completed work. I distracted myself from the problems in my own life by focusing entirely on school. None of my teachers suspected anything, and school became a place to maintain the façade of a hardworking student rather than a place to learn.

Thinking about how I couldn’t function like everyone else led me to intense self-hatred. I began to punch myself, hit my head against hard objects and cut my arms, legs, stomach and neck. Eventually my life became unbearable, and in the middle of seventh grade, I tried to commit suicide for the first time.

I didn’t tell anyone and nobody found out, but I finally agreed to go see a therapist and take medication. When eighth grade started, I chose not to reveal my mental illness to my school, because I thought it would be easier to keep up my studious reputation.

In eighth grade my suicidal ideations got bad enough that I entered a hospital in order to stay safe. Now, my school had to be informed about my MDD, because I would be missing class while in the hospital.

When I returned to school, everything was different. I had meetings with my guidance counselor almost every day, and I was encouraged to go for walks or to take breaks to “stay calm.” I had been hiding my emotions for so long; I didn’t want to suddenly begin to talk about them at school. I didn’t want everyone’s opinions of me to change because I was “mentally ill.”

In order to start high school, I needed an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to be enrolled in a program at South that would provide me with time to do work and get emotional support. My IEP gave me extra time and frequent breaks during testing.

At first I was angry and humiliated.

I had carefully planned my high school career, and being depressed and needing help in school were not part of that plan.

Being in a special program would force me to let up my façade of a confident student with no problems.

Since the of beginning of high

opening

UP

By Feli Kuperwasser and Liza Sockwell

An anonymous student discusses experiences with mental illness and analyzes South’s response photo illustration by Hyunnew Choi

school, I’ve left South for the hospital more than once. I’ve been through a number of different programs within the Newton school system.

In comparison to schools all around the country, Newton has far more programs for students struggling with mental illness, but often the students in these programs are alienated by the rest of the community. In my experience, being placed in a program entirely separated from South made it more difficult to feel like a real student.

I’m now in a program in which I feel completely comfortable and supported, but that isn’t the case for many students.

Instead of prematurely placing students in programs without any prior background knowledge of their experiences, the school needs to allow its students to advocate for themselves. There are programs for students with all different types of mental illness, but they aren’t effective if students are placed in the wrong program.

Because of the suicides last year, South has made an extra effort to reach out to students who might be struggling with depression or other mental illnesses.

For example, during a five-minute advisory period, students were handed orange cards with the numbers of crisis centers they could call for support. It also included the numbers of rape and domestic violence hotlines.

I was never given an explanation of the card, and I saw many students throw them away or leave them in the classroom.

When a teacher has only five minutes to talk to students about such sensitive and important topics, the importance of such hotlines, and even the subject matter of the cards, is minimized.

In addition, the school has been plastered with posters depicting a person crying in the corner with the word “depression” written in crumbling capital letters. Surrounding the word are symptoms such as “feeling worthless” and “can’t concentrate.”

The posters trigger unhealthy thoughts in my head. They constantly remind me of what I’m hiding from everyone around me. These posters say “you are not alone” across the bottom, and they suggest going to meet with your guidance counselor if you are experiencing any of the listed symptoms. It is hard to believe that a student might see one of these posters in class, relate to them and decide to talk to his or her guidance counselor.

Although the Newton Youth Cards and depression posters are the administration’s attempts to help students, these efforts feel like demonstrations of the school’s initiative to help, rather than real venues of change.

In order to help students with mental illness, we need to be educated on what

dealing with a disorder such as chronic depression or bipolar disorder is actually like. I am surprised by how frequently jokes are made about suicide or self harm.

I don’t think people know that they could be hurting another student by making a joke of mental illness because they don’t realize what the person next to them could be hiding.

If our school provided all of its students with a basic understanding of how an imbalance of chemicals in your brain can make you depressed, I think we would all take this issue a little more seriously.

Sometimes it is assumed that having a mental illness means being crazy or making bad decisions, but depression, anxiety and countless other disorders are illnesses that require treatment. Not all people with mental illness are the same.

It’s true that South is trying to reduce the stigma of mental illness by starting to educate its students. An effort has been made to reach out to students who might not think of talking to someone at school about how they’re feeling. There is support available from guidance counselors and adults throughout the building.

And we have programs throughout the Newton Public Schools for people suffering from mental illness.

We’re on the right track, but we’ve just started the journey.

page 15|October 17, 2014|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

FEATURES

students found feminism club

lessons from a composting business

pAGE 18

pAGE 19

FEATURES@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 31, ISSUE 3

Are Your Fingers Crossed?

By Karin Alsop, Mona Baloch & Liza Sockwell The Roar investigates the role of superstitions in the lives of students and faculty

ic by

graph

Ollie

E

ac Cheb

A SUPERSTITIOUS NATION

51%

of Americans knock on wood

13%

of Americans carry a good luck charm

16%

of Americans won’t open an umbrella indoors

10%

of Americans avoid black cats

Source of information: CBS

very time English teacher Kelly Henderson drives over railroad tracks, she puts a finger over a screw and makes a wish. “It’s usually not a very bold wish, … but I still make a wish just in case it’s going to come true,” she said.

According to several members of the South community, superstitions, while varying in extremity, can serve different purposes in peoples’ lives.

For freshman Samantha Smith, superstitions run in the family. “My family is very superstitious. ... I don’t think I’m going to break my mom’s back if I [step on a crack], but if it’s Friday the 13th, I’m extra careful,” she said. “My grandma happened to be [very] superstitious.”

Junior Dalia Schneider agreed that superstitions are often linked to family background. “It becomes part of your family culture to a point that if you don’t do it, it’s out of your nature,” she said.

Smith, a softball player, said that her superstitions manifest themselves in specific routines she performs before batting.

“Before I go up to bat, I rub my handle along the barrel, and then I take a practice swing, touch the corner of the plate and then look at the pitcher and get ready,” she said. “It … calms my nerves, ... but if I don’t do it, I don’t feel ready at all.”

According to psychology teacher Rebecca Ledig, superstitions are psychological explanations of life experiences. “[Superstitions are] connected to people’s ideas of trying to explain why something might happen or why they should do something,” she said. “It’s in many ways an explanation.”

These explanations bring comfort in the face of uncertainty, sophomore Grace Leuchtenberger said. “People will come up with these superstitions to explain why things happen if they don’t have the tools to delve into why it actually happens,” she said. “It’s a coping mechanism.”

“Humans find comfort in [a] greater force in their lives,” junior Winston Jiang agreed. “If they avoid certain things, they will not have bad luck. Some people find comfort in that.”

According to Schneider, superstitions also give people a sense of control over their lives.

“I don’t know if I believe in all superstitions, but sometimes you want to believe that something so easy as wishing on a star ... will help you in your life

because there are things you can’t control, and when you think you can control them, it becomes motivating to do anything to control it,” she said.

To senior Nadav Fürgang, however, superstitions are manifestations of negative feelings.

“The first feeling I have when I think of superstition is fear, because negative feelings generally have more of an impact than positive feelings. … Negative fear can follow you throughout the day and the week,” he said.

Ledig, on the other hand, said that fear and superstition do not always go hand-in-hand. “A superstition doesn’t always involve a fear. ... It can be a reason for somebody practicing a superstitious behavior, but it doesn’t have to be connected to fear,” she said.

Ledig added that there is a clear line between being superstitious and having a mental disorder that causes fear, like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

“When a psychologist makes that diagnosis of OCD, a patient has to meet certain criteria. Superstitious behavior isn’t really a criteria,” she said. “There might be some things that the person does that [another person] might describe as superstitious, but the idea is that it’s rooted in the disorder, and there has to be a pattern of behavior and a pattern of interaction.”

The difference between superstition and OCD is the extent to which something impacts someone’s daily experiences, Henderson said.

“People with OCD can’t escape [it].

If I drive over a railroad track, and I don’t put a finger over a screw, I don’t think that something bad is going to happen,” Henderson said. “If I had [OCD], I would be consumed that something bad would happen. ... Superstition can affect how people experience their day, but OCD, if it’s severe, can really determine how a person experiences their life,” she said.

Although superstitions impact various people in different ways, Henderson said that most people are merely looking for ways to understand their experiences and circumstances.

“We all take comfort in doing small things that may either bring good things or prevent bad things from happening,” she said. “I think that everybody is always either hopeful that something good is going to happen, or afraid that something bad is going to happen.”

page 16|October 17, 2014

Features|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE

Multilingual?

Students discuss how language has influenced their cultures and identities Nighat Ansari & Andrea Lirio

Features Reporter, Features Contributor

photos by Hyunnew Choi and Maia Fefer

Spanish teacher Viviana Planine, a native of Italy, first experienced the cultural difference between the United States and Italy when she was served salad as an appetizer rather than as a palate cleanser at the end of her meal. While this experience may have seemed insignificant, Planine said that it came as a culture shock.

As her English improved, she began to feel more connected to American culture, she said.

“Being bilingual or multilingual gives you different eyes. A language is not just a language,” she said. “You can also learn a culture through language.”

Planine and several students agreed that their linguistic skills have influenced their perception of other cultures as well as their identification with their own heritage.

Junior YoElena Tkebuchava said that developing her language abilities facilitated a connection to her Georgian background. “[My grandmother] taught us all there was to know about Georgia — the culture, reading and writing. It is important to retain your culture, your roots and language. [Language] helps you stay in touch.”

Sophomore Nishant Varma said that his proficiency in English and Hindi has allowed him to feel comfortable in a variety of cultural spheres.

“I feel like I belong. I can fit in an environment where people only speak English or only speak Hindi and be fine,” he said. “If you speak [someone’s] language you are one step closer to being in their society.”

Although being multilingual has its benefits, Planine said it can also result in cultural confusion.

“There are times that you [feel like you] are a citizen of the world and sometimes it can be exciting, but many people also feel that they don’t have one specific place anymore,” she said.

Although junior Sakshi Das, who is fluent in Hindi, Bengali and English, said she experienced the benefits of being

bilingual upon mastering English, her second language, there were several obstacles that she faced as she adjusted to American culture.

“If you are open to learning new ways, changing yourself and adapting to be better, [there is no barrier]. That being said, barriers certainly exist — in accent, dressing, speaking and culture. Those can be hard to overcome,” she said.

Despite these potential challenges, freshman Catarina Martins said that being bilingual is a gift; she feels more connected to the Portuguese culture because of her proficiency in the language.

“Knowing two languages is cool because with the Portuguese community, whenever you find someone, you can spot them even from their accent,” she said.

“When you just find one, you have a conversation with a complete stranger. That’s normal, and I find that really cool culturally because that is usually not normal here.”

Varma agreed that his language skills have broadened the range of people with whom he can connect.

“I feel like I can relate to more people in the world than I could if I just knew one language,” he said. “Language is not solely a means of communication — it is part of something bigger too.” “[Being bilingual] is really cool because then you also get to know another culture besides [the] one that you live in,” Martins agreed.

On the other hand, senior Nooriya Cheema, an Urdu and English speaker who has had few opportunities to speak Urdu outside of her home, said that being bilingual has not influenced her life as profoundly.

“I don’t really speak Urdu in school, so [that] hasn’t been instrumental in changing my perception,” she said. “People who have others in school to speak to in their language probably see the benefits of being bilingual more clearly than [I do}.”

According to Das, however, language goes beyond simply allowing people to interact with others at school.

“It’s all about ... having an open mind,” she said. “By being bilingual, you’re more open to seeing how other people live and more appreciative of cultures.”

october 17, 2014|page 17

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|FeatureS

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

graphics by David Gorelik

L

eo* has been in touch with a coach from Elon University and has added Vanderbilt University to his list of schools.

He said that he found the essay writing process to be relatively easy. “I had a college counselor, … [who] was super helpful,” he said. “It wasn’t as painful as I was expecting.”

Leo added, however, that the process has often been frustrating.

“The most annoying part [of the application process] is the activities, because … it’s the same thing every time,” he said.

“Each college is kind of different if they’re not on the Common App, and I have a bunch that aren’t, ... so it’s just tedious.”

E

lizabeth* is applying regular decision to Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt), Savannah College of Art Design and Boston University.

She said that she feels good about the school year so far.

“I am doing a lot better than I thought I would do,” she said.

Elizabeth has continued to work on her art portfolio, the bulk of her applications.

“There are so many things that I love doing that it is hard to narrow it down to just focusing on just one,” she said. “I like painting and printmaking and sculpture a lot, so those are three choices.”

A

ndrea* has removed Cornell University from her list of schools.

She is applying Early Action to the University of Michigan, and is applying Early Decision to Washington University in St. Louis.

She recently changed the topic of her Common App essay. “It was really stressful, … [but] I like my essay a lot better now. I’m very happy ... [and] confident with it,” she said.

Andrea took the SAT on Oct. 11 and plans to take the ACT on Oct. 25.

She decided to try the ACT after trying to increase her math score on the SAT. “The ACT math is a lot easier for me, so I’ll just see what happens with that,” she said.

G

regory* has completed his essay for the Common App and has begun to consider more safety schools. “Case Western I know has free application, and then I’ve been looking at Rice and BU a little bit,” he said.

Gregory said he will likely speak with a few college representatives when they visit South.

He said he was surprised at how smoothly the college application process has gone so far. “I was kind of expecting during the summer that I was going to have to hunker down and get to work at some point, but I kind of haven’t, and I realized I’m already halfway through,” he said. “I’m actually feeling pretty happy.” *Names have been changed to protect students’ identties

Students seek means for financial independence Carina Ramos & Nicole Yu

Features Contributor, Features Reporter For junior Feli Kuperwasser, managing her finances and earning her own money has become a routine part of her life. Over the past three years, Kuperwasser has been working two days a week as a junior teacher at Rec Place, a Lower Falls after school program for elementary school kids whose parents are not available weekday afternoons.

She said that having her own source of income has taught her a lot about the value of money and spending it sensibly. “[Having my own job] has made me a lot more conscious about how much things cost and [not] taking it for granted,” she said. “I have learned how to be responsible in terms of not overspending money or not buying something that I really want if it is not useful.”

According to students, including those who do not have a direct source of income, learning how to manage one’s finances in high school is critical to maintaining financial independence in the future.

Freshman Gil Alon, a student in the peronsal finance class at South, said that she signed up for the class in order to learn more about managing her money.

“I don’t have any knowledge on how to do it now, and I never learned how to do it, but ... I can learn how [in the class],” she said.

According to Kuperwasser, practicing personal finance skills and independence before graduating high school provides people with experience when they become financially independent of their parents.

“You have to start … learning how to be indepen-

dent, so when you need to be, it’s not a new shock to you,” finances may lead to large-scale problems in the future, Kuperwasser said.

Derkoski said.

Junior Stephanie Man agreed with Kuperwasser on “Once kids are out of high school and away from the importance of learning to manage one’s finances early home, they lack parents to support them, [and] if they on. mistake their accounts for having larger balances than “You are not always going to have your parents to they do, it would not be good,” she said. help you manage your finances,” Man said. “You are evenKuperwasser, however, said she believes some tually going to learn how to, so it is better to learn while South students might not feel the need to be aware of you have people to teach you and while you are younger their personal finances. “We are really lucky to live in so you can take it up quickly.” an affluent community such as Newton in which a lot of For this reason, Alon said that students should people are really well off financially,” she said. “I feel like a take advantage of the resources available in high school lot of people tend to take it for granted that they can just to learn these skills. “It is very important to have some get whatever … they want.” general knowledge about it because Man agreed and when you go out into the world, said that although there is … [nobody] to teach you she relies primarily how to do it,” she said. on her parents, she Although business teacher recognizes the need Jenna Derkoski agreed that learnto carefully consider ing managing skills from others and her finances, which she through classes is valuable, taking the hopes to soon make personal iniative to weigh one’s finanindependent. “I know it’s cial options is most significant. not technically my own “[It’s] never too early to start money because it is comwondering where your money should ing from my parents, so I go,” she said. “You need to know how should not just spend it reckmuch money you’re making to understand lessly on whatever a budget, because a lot of times, we want to I want,” she said. spend more than we make, so it’s super “If I want to purimportant to understand what you have chase something, and what you don’t have.” it should probably be graphic by Charlotte Osborn A lack of experience handling through my own efforts.”

page 18|October 17, 2014

Relationships: Balancing Commitment 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.

The hardest thing in any relationship, in my opinion, is the commitment balance. That vague sensation that you like your girlfriend more than she likes you can be terrible, but the worst feeling is the guilt of knowing that you are the person less engaged in the relationship.

I find myself, as I think most people do, a little busier on most days than I would like to be. When I think about a girl, it’s easy to feel like I’d be a decent boyfriend and that I’d appreciate having someone to whom I’m that close. What that has solidified into certainty with my last girlfriend, however, is that even when I really like someone, I can’t find the time to be with her and still manage all of the work I need to do.

So, I have to ask myself: What do I want most? In every case, the answer is, easily, her. I feel self-conscious about the fact that although I’m committed, I cannot be the kind of guy I think she deserves.

My last girlfriend was — and is still — extremely intelligent; she, who takes multiple honors classes and still makes the high honor roll every term, is the kind of girl people talk about with a mixture of dislike and envy.

Despite her involvement in school, she always seemed to manage her time so that she could see me in the halls or hang out on weekends.

Eventually, with my last girlfriend, I felt that I couldn’t be good at the things I wanted to be good at and still have time to be with her. So, I decided that we needed to just be friends (and for the skeptics, it has worked — she’s one of my best friends now).

But I felt awful. I was angry with myself and ashamed, but I ultimately felt like I made the right choice.

Now, in any relationships column, certain questions are bound to surface.

For instance, would you rather dump someone or be dumped? Having experienced both, I would say without hesitation that I’d prefer the latter.

Back in middle school, I was in a relationship with a girl who was, quite frankly, out of my league. I think, and most guys will agree with me, that dating girls out of your league is more fun. And it was. Until she dumped me. But the lesson I learned from that relationship is that I could deal with being dumped.

After the unmanly tears and the sympathetic friends, I got better at moving on and not making eye contact with her in the hall.

Based on my previous relationships, I can confidently say that I am, at least for the time being, far better at being single.

I’m better off enjoying the little flirtatious moments I get when I’m not a half of an item than when I am trying too hard to be the kind of guy that a girl would want to date.

Features|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

FEM Club discusses gender inequality Alex Dobin, Natalie Harder & Amelia Stern Features Contributors, Features Editor

“Was she hot?”

“Don’t be such a pussy.”

“Man up!”

According to the founders of the new Feminism Empowerment Movement (FEM) Club, the frequency of comments like these in typical hallway banter is disconcerting.

“It hurts on the inside because no one should be put down because they feel like they are being compared to a woman,” senior Emma Spector said. “No one should have that feeling of sexual objectification where they feel that the only thing important about themselves is their body and not their mind.”

This is one of the many issues FEM club co-founders Spector and senior Hannah Elbaum set out to face in the school community. The incentive to start the club was sparked by their junior history class projects involving third-wave feminism and abortion rights. “[The club] is called Feminist Empowerment Movement. We felt really strongly about picking that particular acronym, because there isn’t a definition of feminism that we uphold,” Elbaum said.

“We really want to bring attention to … how everyone can, in their own way, identify with feminism and empower [oneself] to understand and be proud of it.”

The club has been met with a range of reactions, according to Spector. “There

were a number of students and faculty who were very supportive and very excited about the club,” she said. “There were [also] definitely students who [expressed that they do] not agree with feminism, [do not] understand what it is and really didn’t think the club had a place at South.”

History teacher and club advisor Jonathan Greiner said he considers the club’s message especially necessary for South’s social atmosphere.

“Its something that’s a nog

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by O hic rap

brainer for me. Its something that’s so obviously needed on every level,” he said. “I see [the problems] at school with the way people behave, with the way I see some young women hiding their intelligence or deferring to male students in the discussion.”

One of the club’s central missions is to promote feminism as a general philosophy of equality rather than a prejudiced ideology.

“What our club aims to do is acknowledge that everyone can be and should be feminist,” Spector said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a guy. It doesn’t matter if you’re a girl. It doesn’t matter if you’re anywhere in between. [Feminism acknowledges] having those equal rights and making those rights known and …

#HeforShe

THE CAMPAIGN Emma Watson gave her speech at the UN headquarters

The Impact

In less than 48 hours of the launch, He for She collected 85,000 signatures from male supporters around the world.

2.5

million views on YouTube in less than 48 hours

infographic by Hyunnew Choi

heard.”

Senior Adam Josephson, the club’s only male member, said that he recognizes the significance of feminism, in spite of his extensive involvement in predominantly male activities.

“I’m the football and wrestling captain, and I’m supposed to be a manly man figure,” he said. “I’m starting to consider myself a feminist because I want promote equality between both men and women.”

The club’s focus on gender equality is particu-

A look at the viral feminist social media campaign Actress and United Nations (UN) Global Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson delivered a speech on Sept. 20 promoting the UN Women’s HeforShe campaign. According to the campaign’s website, HeforShe is a movement for gender equality that encourages men to speak out on behalf of women’s rights. The campaign has gone viral on various social media platforms under the hashtag #HeforShe, and several celebrities have tweeted their support for both Watson and the campaign. The HeforShe movement has not come without controversy, however, as several people have expressed criticism of the campaign’s message.

bac Che

larly relevant to the modern day, junior Emma Paterson said.

“I believe in equal rights between women and men, and I believe that this is a pressing issue in the world right now,” she said. “I feel that everywhere in the world, people are trying to find each other through stereotypical gender generalizations and instead should allow the individual to find themselves.”

Meetings are focused on discussions determined by current events and the interests of the members, according to Elbaum.

“We want discussions to be driven by what the people in the club want to do,” she said. “Maybe we’ll have a Beyoncé or eating disorders [discussion], or we’ll talk about masculinity.”

Although many believe that feminism allows for female participation only, the club puts the notion to rest, Paterson said. “[Contrary to] the common misconception of the world, men can also be feminist. It just means that you believe in rights between men and women, and the club welcomes both genders,” she said.

Despite often being ridiculed by his peers for involvement in the club, Josephson said that he stands firmly by feminism’s ideals and aims to spread them throughout the community.

“Most of my friends [who] know I go to FEM Club think it’s hysterical, and [that] it’s a joke, but I’m serious about it,” he said. “I am going to lead a discussion on women and high school wrestling.

There’s a lot of controversy on it, so I want to talk about that.”

The ultimate goal of the club, according to Spector, is to create a platform for open discussions and awareness of feminism and gender equality.

“We want to create a voice, we want to have a voice and we want to use the voice to educate people and make them not be afraid of feminism as a label,” she said.

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|Features

october 17, 2014|page 19

Grant Berman is...

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

FROM WASTE TO WORK

Junior Grant Berman shares his experience of launching a composting business

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By Maia Fefer

is] not just selling something for someone to use,” he said.

For customers new to composting, Grant personally installs compost bins. He also informs the customers about the compost process. After a few weeks, he returns to their homes to assess the customers’ work, giving them feedback for improvement.

According to Dirty Boys Composting’s co-founder and junior Max MacKenzie, persistence is esepcially important for self-employed workers.

“You have to be willing to work for a long time,” he said. “Finding the patience in [investing] all the time [the business] can take up is really important.”

Grant agreed with MacKenzie that dedication to learning the fundamentals of business is essential for launching a company. Initially, neither Grant nor MacKenzie knew how to properly compost, install bins, gain customers or keep a budget, so they learned the basics with the help of family, friends and an organization called SCORE, which provides free advice for small businesses.

“We went to different seminars and educational sessions just to learn about composting and running a business,” Grant said.

According to customer Lisa Cohen, who received her composting bin over the summer, Grant’s and Mackenzie’s efforts to thoroughly educate themselves paid off. “[Grant and MacKenzie] provided me with pamphlets to teach me how to compost [and] ... they answered all my questions,” she said. “Even though they were high school students, it didn’t matter, because they were very knowledgeable and they had literature to back up what they were saying, so I really felt like they were professional.”

Grant, however, has learned more than just the basics of business and composting, according to Berman.

She said she believes that Grant has also gained a bettter understanding about his personal strengths as the owner of the company.

“He found that he was good at connecting with people and selling [his] services and representing what photo by Max Baker Junior Grant Berman sifts through a compost bin that he installed at a customer’s home while explaining the process. he was doing. ver since junior Grant Berman was swarmed by fruit flies last year, he has opened compost bins with caution, prepared for the worst.

Since this incident, however, all of Grant’s experiences working with his composting company, Dirty Boys Composting, have been positive.

“Every experience is a good one, but … we have [smelled] some bad smells,” he said. “There were never any bad moments though.”

Although establishing the Dirty Boys Composting company was challeging, Grant said that the rewards of being self-employed and sharing his passion through his business outweigh the costs.

Grant said that while he has developed a strong passion for his work, he originally started the business for practical reasons.

“It initially started

out as me and a friend. We were looking for a job together over the summer, and we couldn’t really find a place that was willing to hire two 16-year-old boys for the same hours, same place. So we decided to make our own job and make our own business,” he said.

According to Grant’s mother, Lauren Berman, her initiative to establish an independent clothing line may have imfluenced Grant’s decision to start his own business.

“Grant grew up watching me run my own business, and I think that probably helped him in the idea that he could possibly run a business, too.”

Initially, Grant wanted to organize his own landscaping business, but instead decided to pursue composting, which he thought would be a unique way to engage in a less competitive similar activity.

The business provides customers with appropriate composting services as well as education on proper composting practices. “[Grant has] been able to talk to people who have never composted and make them into successful composters,” Berman said.

Junior Anthony DeNitto, one of Grant’s friends, said that the teaching services enhance Dirty Boys Composting’s appeal.

“I think it is [a unique business] because it’s sort of like a class.

[He

Grant’s Guide to Composting 1. Find a relatively flat and shady spot for the compost bin 2. Construct the compost bin 3. Layer the bottom of the bin with prepared compost to supply nutirents to the system 4. Fill up the bin with carbon (leaves, printer paper) and nitrogen (kitchen scraps) in a 3:1 ratio 5. Add appropriate nutrients (carbon and nitrogen) each week to fulfill the ratio 6. Water and turn the bin each week 7. Continue this process for eight to 10 weeks People seem to like working with him, and they appreciated his honesty when he said he didn’t know about something,” she said.

“I think he’s learned over the past several months that he was good at communicating with people in a way that he didn’t realize he was before.”

These skills are just one of Grant’s many strengths that allow him to succeed in his business, Mackenzie said. “[Grant] is dedicated and driven towards growing the business and being the best entrepreneur that he can [be] at this age,” he said. “He sets goals and makes sure we accomplish them in the best way possible and in the most honest way possible. People might have a hard time taking young people seriously so the fact that we can get customers [is] credit to Grant.”

Grant said he plans on further developing the company by hiring another person to help him during the week. He said he hopes to ultimately help bring composting to the Newton community as well as others.

“One of my goals is to have everyone composting, through [the city] or through us.”

page 20|October 17, 2014|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

SPORTS

A talk with the New athletic director

AGAINST THE ODDS: golf TEAM QUALIFIES FOR STATE

pAGE 21

pAGE 23

Sports@thelionsroar.com|VOLUME 31, ISSUE 3

25 Years

photos by Maggie DiMarco

Junior Anthony DeNitto and senior Zach Grossack (right) embrace after the team’s 32-28 win against Acton-Boxborough. Team members attributed this success to their effective teamwork.

South’s football team beats Acton-Boxborough for the first time since 1989

Helen Haskin & Darren Trementozzi

T

Sr. Sports Editor, Chief Copy Editor

he Lions beat the Acton-Boxborough Colonials 32-28 under the lights in Acton on Oct. 2, winning their first victory over the Colonials in 25 years.

According to team members and coaches, this win was important not only for the team’s progress this season, but also for the football program itself. “[The game] was kind of a statement game. We haven’t gotten a lot of respect in the [Dual County League] for a bunch of years, and I feel like we opened a lot of eyes of our critics or even people in our school,” sophomore and quarterback Austin Burton said.

“It just shows that we are able to compete at that level,” head coach Ted Dalicandro agreed.

Although South football’s move from Division I down to Division II last year resulted in a change of many opponent teams, senior Michael Garfinkle said that the Lions continue to match competitive teams, including Acton-Boxborough.

“Against the better teams in the DCL, like LS, AB and Westford, we’ve had a tough time keeping up with

those bigger teams,” he said.

According to senior captain Wesley Fabrizio, South’s strong offensive line was essential for their victory. “Burton and Anthony DeNitto had three touchdowns, and that’s huge when you have one player who scores three touchdowns,” he said.

Burton agreed and added that the coordination between players on the offense of the field was especially important. “Our [offensive] line stepped up big, and our receivers ran great routes which helped me out,” he said.

“Our running back, Jamyre Soberanis, had some big runs that really helped us.”

According to Dalicandro, however, the team has not changed its past tactics.

“It’s more that we’ve been improving the past few years, and, really, the kids were more committed in the weight room this summer and put in the work to make things more effective,” he said.

The players on the defense also contributed to the team’s win, Burton said.

“Defensively, one of our captains, Adam Josephson, had like, 17 tackles. And he led a huge stop down at the end of the game with a pick from Josh Lee, one of our safeties, that really ended the game and allowed us to win

it,” he said.

Although the players’ individual skills were instrumental to the game, senior Chris Wood said the win was a collective team effort.

“We couldn’t have done it if everybody hadn’t been working as hard as they were,” he said. “It’s a family out there, and that’s what it takes to win games.”

Dalicandro said that the win was not only important for the team’s season, but also for the coaches.

“I was an assistant over at Concord for eight years.

We never beat [Acton-Boxborough],” he said. “[This win is] probably the best win that I’ve ever been associated with in terms of being an assistant or varsity coach here at South.”

According to Fabrizio, the win was one that the South community will remember. “We haven’t beaten [Acton-Boxborough] in 25 years, and that right there is special,” he said.

On Saturday, Oct. 11, the team qualified for the playoffs with a 29-22 victory over Westford Academy in its second night game at South in the last three seasons.

The team will play Waltham on Saturday and Cambridge the following week, and will begin its playoff schedule the week after.

The Pursuit of College Athletics Two recent South graduates share their experiences of continuing their high school track careers at Cornell University

D

By Ryan Boey, David Kim and Jack McElduff

avid Melly, a 2011 graduate who currently runs the 3,000-meter, the mile and the 3-kilometer steeplechase, said his past few years as a student athlete at Cornell have given him an invaluable life experience. “It’s really rewarding. [Track] is basically a major part of my life. It’s one of those things where I really do get excited to go to practice every day.”

Melly, who was recruited by several other schools in 2011, feels that his decision to commit to Cornell came mainly from an instinctive feeling. “I came on a visit toward the end of my senior year, and there was just some sort of factor,” he said.

Melly said that his rigorous experience at South has prepared him for pursuing both academics and sports at Cornell. “You have to sink or swim, and I was ready ... to manage time, balance a big workload and prioritize the important things,” he said.

One of the priorities for prospective collegiate athletes, according to Melly, must be willingness to commit to sports at a high level. “If you feel that this is something you’re going to commit to, commit to it 100 percent.”

J

ung Park, a 2013 graduate, said that pursuing the 110-meter hurdles at Cornell has given him the opportunity to form close relationships. “There’s a lot of bonding [on the team]. You’re in a certain group and you have more of a team identity,” he said.

Park said that he appreciates his coach’s emphasis on learning over winning. “[The coach] cares what you take away from track and field. He wants to leave a bigger mark on you and your future more than he cares about winning,” he said.

Although Park said that South’s rigorous courses helped him prepare for Cornell, he said that he had to develop certain skills on his own. “South is really demanding, and that’s helped me, [but] college is different. Professors don’t really care if you do homework. They will fail you with no remorse,” he said.

Park said that athletes should pursue collegiate athletics only if they are truly passionate about their sports. “Don’t pursue college athletics if you don’t love it,” he said. “If you don’t put in the work in college, you can’t do it.”

october 17, 2014|page 21

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|sports

Q&A

A TALK WITH PATRICIA GONZALEZ

By Jack McElduff

The newly hired athletic director speaks on her first few weeks at South and her plans for the department photos by Max Baker and Adam Verga

1

How have the first few weeks gone for you?

The first few weeks have been very exciting. All the things we put into place during the summer [are starting to] happen.

I’ve been here since June, and I couldn’t wait to start. [Working at] South is hectic, but it’s also very rewarding.

2

What sports did you enjoy growing up?

I grew up with soccer because my father and my grandfather were professional soccer players. But I learned to play volleyball when I was 11 years old, and I still play. I played field hockey in college. I love rugby.

In Argentina, they don’t play American football, but they play rugby. I coached swimming for many years, so I was exposed to different sports.

3

What made you want to come to South?

All my professional career was a build-up to being able to come to a school like South.

What I like about [the school] is the diversity of the student body. Having not been born here, you’re always self-conscious about where you come from. From my first visit, I felt at home. And to have so many people with so many different interests, so many ways of living and [backgrounds in] many different cultures, it was very special.

4

What about South is different from your old school?

The diversity. The number of teams is the same. I’m used to having a lot of teams that run during the sports season.

5

What are your thoughts on the MIAA’s decision to limit practice hours?

I ask coaches to keep practices at two hours max. There are times where you need to sit down with a team and speak a little longer. Practices should stay within the two hour frame. Two hours and 15 minutes is okay, [but] three hours is not. That was something I addressed with the coaches right away. [We] retrained them and asked them to go through a specific course that is four hours of classroom time and three hours on a computer.

They have to pass a test and recertify themselves. They have all been great. On Aug. 23, we had 26 of our coaches going through that [course], and we have another one in October.

6

What have you learned so far while you’ve had this job?

I learned that people are very passionate about how people see South. We sometimes mistake that South is all about academics. Yes, it’s about academics, but [sports are a part of] South too, and it has to be respected.

The sense of pride also has to be respected.

7

Why do you enjoy doing what you do?

If you can make a small difference in one child’s life, [that] is worth everything. It’s worth the time, and it’s why I enjoy this job.

I know that in athletics, every day I make a difference with a lot of kids. Some of them, it’s the only chance they have all day to have a fun time in their day. And for others, it’s just a chance ... to sit down and talk to someone, I know that will make a difference in that child’s life.

8

What has been the hardest decision you have had to make?

So far, it’s [been hard deciding] how to organize this program.

We changed the way the athletic program was organized, and I gave people different roles and hired a person that is not within us to help with organization. People are used to their own roles. Giving a sense of team within a team is one of those things I decided to make [happen].

9

How do you feel about working with your staff this year?

You have to trust the people you’re working with. I always tell them [that] they are my team. I told my team that I have expectations, kind of like your math teacher would have expectations for your class. It is my role to support them. I am confident that they will work out things. Everybody has room for improvement; me included. The day you think you know everything is the day you stop growing. I don’t believe in terminal degrees. We’re all growing to get better, and some people are easier to change than others.

It’s a partnership. I want to change and get better. If they don’t, then it’s a different conversation. But I am confident that we will move in the right direction.

Gonzalez’s position requires the management of:

10 32 56

athletic facilities teams levels of play

A Look at Gonzalez’s Career

1993-1999

Track/Soccer coach, Assistant Athletic Director Academy of Notre Dame

1999-2008

Athletic Director Ursuline Academy

2008-2014

Athletic Director Austin Prep High School

2014-PRESENT Athletic Director at South

@NSHS_Athletics on Twitter Recieve updates from Gonzalez on scores, schedules and upcoming events

page 22|october 17, 2014

sports|THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM

Ping-pong club promotes relaxed atmosphere Yu-En Chang & David Kim Sports Reporter, Sr. Sports Editor

Each Thursday J block, students gather around two ping-pong tables in the student center, engaging in friendly games that foster laughter and conversation.

As it looks to promote a casual atmosphere with minimal competition, it is perhaps the only sports club at South emphasizing entertainment and relaxation over competition.

Although the ping-pong club has attracted a few competitive players, it is geared more toward students seeking to have fun and relax from school stress.

Several students, including senior club co-leader Zhe Wu, agreed that the relaxed nature of the club motivated them to join.

Senior Dan Likoff said he decided to join the club after seeing how much fun students were having.

“I just came in here one day and I saw that these guys were having a lot of fun and being casual. I said ‘why not,’ and joined,” he said.

Wu said he remembers joining in his sophomore year because of the welcoming atmosphere of the club.

“I joined two years ago because my friends were playing it. I didn’t have much confidence in playing it at first, but it still looked like I was welcome to play,” he said. “I think people join because ping-pong is a fun sport, and basically they just want to play and have fun.”

Although the club has appealed to students looking for relaxation from school, it is suffering several hardships, such as poor equipment and low membership.

photo by David Flynn

Two club members face off during a Thursday J block. The ping-pong club struggles with low attendance and poor equipment.

Co-leader senior Ben Dorfman and Wu both said that the quality of ping-pong equipment, especially the paddles and tables, has deteriorated over the years.

“Some of the tables are not functional and some of the paddles have their padding ripped off,” Dorfman said.

“We don’t have the equipment we need. We currently only have two tables that are playable,” Wu agreed.

The club is also facing low membership, which has been in decline in recent years.

Senior Arturo Kuang said that he observed decline in net membership during his years in high school.

“I remember at first [in my sophomore year] it was more busy, but then it began to decline, and then now there’s only a few members left,” he said.

Wu said that for this reason, he hopes to see more students join. “I want people to join. Sometimes, I see people wanting to play but unwilling because they are too shy or afraid of being new to the sport. People are welcomed and take part even if they are not as good as others.”

Moving forward with these difficulties, Dorfman and Wu agreed that maintaining the relaxed nature of the club and making sure students have fun is their priority.

“Advertising is not our main concern. Our real concern is that the club [should] keep being about just playing and having fun,” Dorfman said.

Wu reiterated this concern. “I want people to have fun. I want people to enjoy the fast paced nature of the game and forget about school for the moment, like I did when I first joined two years ago,” Wu said.

Morning basketball offers social activity for faculty Josh Goldenberg & Noah Shelton

“There are a lot of times to be goofy as a kid,” he said. “As a grown up, there are only a few opportunities to let loose and just have fun. And that’s what basketball is — a time [where] there is no If students were to venture the halls of South at 6 responsibility. You are not fulfilling the role that you a.m., they would be empty, with the exception of a few have to the rest of the day.” custodians getting the building ready for the day.

Lenzi, a second year teacher, said participating In the field house, however, a very different scene in morning basketball has helped him integrate into unfolds: 10 teachers clad in athletic clothing hit the South’s teaching community. courts.

“Last year was my first year at South. It’s kind For several teachers at South, morning basketball of like being a new student — I don’t really know has become a staple of their days. Often, gym lights are on that many people. And being before 6 a.m., and games continue a teacher ... can kind of being for almost an hour. isolating, being in your classAlthough engineering teacher Matt Briggs remembers the start “As a grown up, there are only room by yourself,” he said. “Once of morning basketball in 1991, he a few opportunities to let loose I started playing, I met a lot of said the games have recently become and just have fun. And that’s faculty, and it made me feel a lot more welcome.” much more accessible. what basketball is — a time Despite the academic set“When we got the field house built, we were finally able to get it [where] there is no responsi- ting, all games retain a distinct competitive edge, Briggs said. going,” he said. bility. ” “It’s just like anything; we Briggs said he attributes the - Brian Baron, English dept. head try to have fun. When things get success of the morning basketball going, arguments ensue — nothprogram to the younger teachers. ing more than that,” he said. “We “Eventually, we were able are always going to come back the next time. We are to get enough of a contingent,” he said. “We were really collegial and competitive.” able to get it over here with some of the younger faculty.”

“While you are in it, you are trying to do the Many of the game’s regular participants have past best that you can — to beat the other guy,” Baron basketball experience. agreed.

“I played basketball in high school,” English According to Lenzi, the activity remains positeacher Michael Lenzi said. “I was a two-year varsity tive despite any competitive tension. player as a center, even though I am only 6’2.”

“We had to remind ourselves where we are Other players, such as English department head and what we are doing, [and] we realized that [the Brian Baron played at a younger age, but gave it up in arguments] probably [weren’t] that important,” he order to pursue other endeavors. said. “That’s just because we play hard and because According to Baron, the activity offers adults a we care.” rare opportunity to kick back.

Sports Reporters

photo by Cael Howell

English teacher Michael Lenzi (right) defends wellness teacher Alan Rotatori (left) during a morning game.

THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|Sports

STRIVING FOR THE HOLE-IN-ONE Golf team qualifies for state tournament despite initial doubts about season Nathan Elbaum & Jack Mcelduff

Sports Contributer, Sr. Sports Editor The South golf team qualified for the MIAA Boys State golf tournament on Wednesday, Oct. 8.

Although team members said that the season began with many doubts, the team finished the regular season with a record of over .500.

Junior Justin Feinberg said that he was initially concerned about the team’s talent after many strong players graduated last year. “I didn’t think we would have any chance of making it to the state tournament because of all the seniors we lost,” he said. “I didn’t know how good the other [players] were playing over the summer.”

Senior co-captain Jack Hooker said he had similar concerns and thought that the returning players would need to undergo major retraining. “We lost about six out of our eight starters from last season,” he said. “So going into the season, I thought the team was going to have a rebuilding year.”

Jack, however, added that some of the graduated athletes were consistenty low-scoring players, which allowed the remaining members to maintain the team’s competitive edge.

According to Feinberg, many younger players trained rigorously over the summer, contributing to the team’s success. “We have juniors who got better over the summer,” he said. “We’re getting more points.”

Senior co-captain Sam Hooker agreed that the summer training, which was focused on the short game, was essential for the team.

“I think a lot of kids individually put in a lot of hard work on their own over the summer, and focused on getting better,” Sam said.

Although the focus has improved the players’ individual skills, the pressure on the field remains as an obstacle for players, Feinberg said.

“People having to make a lot of putts [and] playing under pressure has been really hard,” he said.

“There’s a lot of pressure.”

Despite the sport’s independent nature, the team has overcome the pressure through collaboration.

“People think of golf as an individual sport, but in school, it’s a team sport because we’re playing for the same goal: to win the state tournament,” Feinberg said.

Team members agreed that this teamwork allowed them to win several matches against competitive Dual County League teams this season. On Sept. 15, the team defeated Acton-Boxborough by putting up 115 points on the Waltham Hawks course. The team again upset the rival team on Sep. 17 by a score of 100-92.

Senior co-captain Simon Osorio said that in order to continue this success, the captains are making an effort to build a better team atmosphere, since the team’s success is dependent upon teamwork.

“In any sport, you’re only as strong as your weakest link,” he said. “All games include the whole team, so you’ve got to make sure that everyone is prepared and playing their best.” photo by Cael Howell

Senior Sam Hooker drives the ball during a golf team practice. The team has focused on honing the skills of new and returning members alike.

NFL: COVER-UP? T

The Roar surveyed 87 students about the NFL domestic abuse scandals

wo NFL football players were recently accused of committing domestic violence: the Baltimore Ravens’ Ray Rice for hitting his wife and the Minnesota Vikings’ Adrian Peterson for abusing his son.

In response, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell initially penalized Rice with a two-game suspension and later extended the suspension indefinitely. Peterson has not been penalized and is currently on the Vikings roster. Other players have also been accused of committing domestic violence, but Goodell has not suspended any other players for their actions.

75%

53%

60%

NO YES said that their perceptions of NFL players has changed as a result of recent events.

said that Commisioner Roger Goodell should resign or be fired for his actions.

think players accused of domestic violence won’t be able to recover in NFL.

October 17, 2014|page 23

Above the Influence

ANDY WANG & SUMIT HARIAWALA sports columnists

Working it out “Drinking is bad.” “Don’t do drugs.”

While the adults who repeat these statements to us are founded in their concerns, many only cite a vague reason when warning teenagers to not consume alcohol and drugs; that is, alcohol and drugs are bad for your health.

Adults, however, should emphasize more specific reasons if they are to effectively educate students about the harms of using these substances.

One of the inhibitory effects drugs and alcohol have on students’ athletic performances is that they function in a complex manner in the human body.

Often they can restrain athletes’ physical capabilities.

In relation to alcohol, one of the most prevailing issues with over indulgence of alcohol is weight gain and dehydration of student athletes’ bodies.

Alcohol can affect an athlete’s weight due to its composition and energy value.

The main macronutrients, proteins, carbohydrates and fats, each have four, four and nine calories per gram, respectively.

Alcohol contains seven calories per gram, making it almost as calorically dense as fat itself.

For example, a bottle of beer can have over 100 calories. Drinking beer, therefore, is like eating fat in terms of calories, leading to significant weight gain for students.

Alcohol is also metabolized differently in the body as it travels into the bloodstream and the brain. In the brain, alcohol acts a stimulant, leading to blurred vision, slurred speech and slowed reaction times.

In the blood stream, it will travel to the intestine like other forms of nutrition and be released from the body in the form of sweat, urine and saliva. Because alcohol stimulates excessive perspiration in the body it ultimately dehydrates the body, tiring athletes faster and excrete performances.

Students should not only be conscious of alcohol consumption, but also be aware of the use of so-called recreational drugs, such as marijuana or molly.

Athletes need to be fully alert in order to excel in their sport, but drugs like marijuana hinder their vigilance even more than alcohol does.

Drugs also reduce athletes’ hand-eye coordination. As the body metabolizes drugs, the drugs instantly reduce the efficiency of oxygen flow.

Decreased amounts of oxygen in the muscles and bloodstream minimize the efficiency and work capacity of muscle movements. Additionally, the lack of oxygen makes athletes pant, tiring them out.

Marijuana increases your heart rate which can lead to disorientation, dizziness, paranoia and short term memory loss. As an athlete, you need to be alert in order to perform your best.

We cannot make you do or stop doing anything. All we can offer is a way to educate you about the effects of drugs and alcohol on your athletic performances.

Here’s just some friendly advice from your fitness friends: Be smart. Be safe. Take care of yourself.

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