Coginchaug Regional High School Student News
crhsnews.com
October 17, 2014
Volume 21, Issue 1
HOW THE FAIR GROWS WITH US By Ava Altschuler Even though the Durham Fair generally remains the same each year with all of its traditional events and booths, you may be surprised by the difference in each age group’s views and interests regarding the fair. You may not remember the first time you went to the fair, but you might have gotten carried around on your father’s shoulders or sat in a stroller and saw the bunny exhibit, which was all it took to make you a happy little kid. Old Lyme resident Eva, who brought her 4-yearold daughter Clarissa to the fair, said, “I have no problem driving the 35 minutes to expose Clarissa to the animals and crafts here at the fair.” “I like how mommy lets me eat pink cotton candy when we come here,” Clarissa said as she gripped onto her mother’s leg. Most young children, such as Clarissa, are introduced to the Durham Fair on a fresh, autumn Sunday morning for a few hours when the rowdy Saturday night crowd is still sleeping off their eventful night. As children enter elemen-
Inside This Issue
Freshmen Tips ------Falcone Interview -DF Talent Show ----WISE Preview ------Going to the Sun ---CRHS Sports ---------
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tary school, their perspective on the fair has already undergone a change. When the teacher asks who has been to the fair, everyone jumps in eagerness to raise his or her hand, and children look around the room seeing everyone else’s hands raised the same way. By first grade, boys and girls are fully aware that the Durham Fair is something all of their friends attend, and they brag to outof-town kids about how they go the one day extra when the other kids have to be in school. Nine-yearold Braidon from Middletown says she enjoys rides and the fried pickles at the fair. This was her family’s second year attending. From a child’s perspective, the fair is meant solely for his or her enjoyment of going on rides and munching on favorite foods exclusively found at this event. Usually in 7th grade, as one of the first real steps of having freedom, parents let their children walk alone with their friends all weekend at the fair. Once teens enter high school, they’re stressed about their outfits or who they’re
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going to hang out with on Saturday night instead of worrying about the homework that teachers assigned them over the fair weekend. “The Durham Fair makes the transition of going back to school easier because you know it’s the month of the fair,” said 16-year-old Chloe Manguilli from Durham. Many high school students have commitments at the fair such as volunteering for the Benchwarmers or performing on the Center Stage. Sixteen-year-old junior and member of several Coginchaug performance troupes Abbey Coogan from Durham said, “The week before the Durham Fair is one of the craziest rehearsal-wise. It really boils down to everyone’s commitment to the group.” By senior year, most students drive friends and themselves to the fair instead of getting dropped off by their parents. Many teenagers can only make it to the fair a few times because of their busy schedules and jobs. “Working gives me a re-
Strange Fair Food - 4
Sister Funk performed at Center Stage after dusk Sat. night. The female pop-rock band has been performing across the east coast for the past ten years. PHOTO BY CORY HASSMANN
striction on my time spent at the Durham Fair, but it definitely doesn’t restrict the fun I continue to have there,” 17-year-old Coginchaug senior Jeremy Cannon said. When graduates go off to college, there are only two things that bring them back home: holidays and the Durham Fair. Twenty-year-old Sophia Robinson, a Southern CT State University student and Durham resident, said, “I really look forward to seeing friends that I never get to see anymore. The fair is a tradition to me, and it’s a shame that I don’t have time to go every day because of work.”
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There are so many fair goers who are in their midtwenties, such as the young teachers at Coginchaug. The fair becomes such a tradition that many younger adults pause their new and active lives just to make it to the grounds of the fair. The timelessness of the Durham Fair can also be seen in many older residents and visitors who cruise the fairgrounds, continuing to enjoy all the fair has to offer. The Durham Fair isn’t just something to do on a late September weekend; it goes through all of the changes and milestones of growing up on a personal level with each individual who attends it, especially Durham residents. What is it that keeps you marking your footprints in the dusty, 98-year-old midway of Connecticut’s largest agricultural fair? Visit our website to see photo spreads from the Durham Fair. CRHSnews.com
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October 17, 2014
Ten Freshmen Tips
Opinion: Feminism
By Caroline Gervais
By Emma Ackerman
Just a bit of advice on how to survive here at CRHS. 1. Be positive in the morning unless you want Ms. Mattei to nail your bunzi to the wall! 2. Treat the hallway like a highway. Walk on the right side of the “road” (a.k.a. hallway). Please try not to stand in the middle of the hall talking with your friends. Three minutes is already a short amount of time without having to make detours! 3. Join a club! It is a great way to make new friends and explore your interests. Also, they’re a good thing to have on college applications. (But that shouldn’t be the only reason you join one…) 4. Go to sporting events! They are all really fun, and the more the merrier. From football games to volleyball games to cross country meets to soccer games, we’ve got something for everyone to enjoy. Go Blue Devils! 5. Do your homework. It is assigned to you to reinforce or introduce the material the teachers are
teaching you. Most homework is also designed to help you do well on future assessments. This is why it is a good idea to go back and review your assignments before a test. 6. Don’t stress. It just simply isn’t worth it. 7. If you need help, don’t hesitate to ask one of the upperclassmen! We don’t bite... unless we haven’t had our coffee… 8. Don’t procrastinate! Netflix will always be there… 9. Stay organized! Organization is the key to success, especially in school, but also can be applied in the real world . I personally like to have a different color binder for each class and I also order my papers by date. You should find a system that works for you. 10. The biggest tip I have for you is just to be yourself! Don’t try to fit the “status quo”. Follow Oscar Wilde’s famous words, “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
Devil’s Advocate Editorial Staff: Editor-in-Chief: Dena Branciforte Managing Editor & Social Media Coordinator: Caroline Gervais Sports Editor: Jennifer Crandall Opinion Editor: Dana Hoffman Design Editor: Cory Hassmann News/A&E Editor: Emma Ackerman
Most girls today are at least a little bit feminist. They hold the belief that a woman can make choices regarding career paths, marriage, and children without the societal expectation that she becomes a housewife. They think that women deserve the freedoms and liberties appointed to men, and they fight for those rights if they are being withheld; however, are they truly supporting their gender? Here is where I begin to doubt that most girls are actually pro-gender equality and not just pro-themselves. All over social media, in texts, and in person, girls are tearing each other down. They use words like ‘slut’, ‘fat’, and ‘fake’ to shame each other into being self-conscious. How is it productive to tear anyone down that way? For the most part, tearing down famous celebrities or flame-texting some girl seems to boost the ag-
Volume 21, Issue 1
gressor’s confidence, but does causing other people to doubt themselves seem like something to feel good about? I won’t pretend I haven’t made judgements about another girl or used those words, but recently, I’ve thought about it more. If women as a whole don’t start respecting and loving each other enough to stop all the hate, then how do we expect anyone to treat us as equals? This goes for what women say towards men too. If we want to be treated as equals, then we need to stop seeing men as objects. Girls can be just as bad as boys when they say, “Oh, he’s so hot!” or comment on an actor’s abs. Why is it any more sexist for a man to comment on a woman’s breasts than it is for a woman to comment on a man’s body? If we wish to stop being objectified by men, then women shouldn’t objectify men either. Equality for all or equality for none.
Opinion:Net Neutrality By Miranda Cronin Recently there was a bill passed in Congress that got rid of net neutrality. Before this vote not many people knew about net neutrality because they hadn’t thought of it as something that could affect them. Ninety-percent of people who submitted letters to the Federal Communications Commissions were in favor of keeping net neutrality. What is it? Net Neutrality is the equal value of all sites on the web or the ability to use all websites at the same speed without any extra cost to the website or the user. As Anne Flaherty from ABC News said “Net neutrality is the idea that Internet service providers shouldn't block, manipulate or slow data moving across their networks.” For example, YouTube
can be accessed by anyone and can’t be restricted by the service providers just because people are receiving free entertainment. The loss of net neutrality means the service providers, such as AT&T, Xfinity and others, can choose whether they slow down a certain site. While it may take years to have any impact on Coginchaug students, eventually the loss of net neutrality can lead to the cable companies to have the ability to “block” sites or at least slow them down if the site doesn’t choose to pay extra for speed. The death of net neutrality could even lead to the loss of the freedom of information. Let’s say the government pays the cable company to block an article from coming to the public’s view; theoretically
Opinion: Mass Hysteria By Dana Hoffman During late-November 2012 in Sri Lanka, several instances of mass hysteria occurred at fifteen different schools, affecting 1,900 students and five teachers. These people were treated for a variety of symptoms including rashes, vomiting, vertigo, and coughing. Soon after, authorities closed down the schools for three days, and cases of hysteria were reported in other parts of the country as well. This word hysteria was introduced circa 1610, and it is derived from the Greek word “Hysterikus,” meaning “of the womb, suffering in the womb.” Therefore, the prefix, “Hystera” means “womb.” Now, hysteria is defined as a state in which one’s emotions (such as fear) are so strong that a person may behave in an uncontrolled fashion. Hysteria was often defined as a neurotic condition, particular to women, and was thought to be caused by a dysfuntion of the uterus. By 1939, it had acquired a new connotation of describing...
(Continued on page 6) the cable company can stop people from having information about certain events that are going on. This is like how the news networks can pick and choose their articles and sometimes ignore issues completely; this could put American citizens in the dark. Now that laws allow Internet providers to slowly transition from a neutral state of net to a more controlled place like cable. Imagine a world where the service provider has a bigger control over what you can and can’t do on the web, that could be what happens.
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October 17, 2014
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Coginchaug Teacher Feature: Mr. David Maher Falcone By Caroline Gervais Interview Recycles By Cory Hassmann What brought you to CRHS? I wanted to teach in a place that I felt shared my values as a person and as a parent. I wanted to teach in a place that I would feel happy with my kids attending, which was not the case in Ansonia or Harlem. When the position here became available, I read up on CRHS, and it turned out to be exactly what I was looking for. Of course, it only took me a few weeks to run the place; people recognize that I’m the person in power, and ultimately all decisions are made right here at this desk. It’s not an easy job; there are a few more grey hairs, but it’s for the children, and as Whitney Houston said, “the children are our future.”
Do you have a favorite child at home? Personally, I don’t really care for any of them. I tolerate them, change their diapers, but I don’t really talk to them. My daily favorite is whoever poops the least that day. There’s so much poop. One day I will finally live in a poopless environment, but that day isn’t here yet. What is your favorite thing about CRHS? Caroline Gervais is by far the greatest person I’ve met. What else do I like? Honestly, it is very refreshing having a student body comprised of mature and likeable kids (for the most part), who really take “Habits of Mind” seriously. I have had no need for disciplinary measures because
For the full Teacher Feature interview with Mr. Maher, go to our website! CRHSnews.com
#AskMattei By Emma Ackerman What was the most difficult situation you had to deal with at Coginchaug? I don’t think I’ve ever told anyone this story. I had a sweet young girl in my tenth grade class; it was British Lit. in those days. I had turned my back to the class to write something on the board, and one of the boys mooned the entire class. He was sitting in the front and mooned the entire class. I had heard a little bit of giggling but hadn’t noticed. This girl was such a straight arrow and wonderful kid; she felt like she had to tell me that this boy had mooned the entire class. So I said, “Okay, I’ll take care of it,” and actually, the principal and I created a little sting because we knew he had bragged about this to his friends. The principal told him that he knew what the boy had done in
people tend to do the right thing. This may be a testament to my excellence which I can sometimes see oozing out of my pores. What do you do for fun? Fun? What is fun? I haven’t experienced leisure in about 5 years. Hypothetically, I would enjoy staring at a wall, doing absolutely nothing and perhaps drooling. Seriously though, I like running, being fit and among the outdoors, walking my dog and hanging out or wrestling with my kids. From time to time I do indulge on human flesh. It is not exactly moral... but it is a tasty meal, and who am I to deny that to myself? What is your greatest weakness (as a person)? One time in 1987, I was wrong about something... I don’t know what it was, but I was wrong... and it was the only time I’ve ever been wrong... I’ve always been right ever since. Maybe it was a dream, but it may have happened...once.
Oh Say Can You Sing! By Samantha Kinell This fall, auditions were held for a new team of National Anthem singers Ms. Mattei is poised to de- who will perform at variliver a lesson to her ous CRHS sporting events. European Studies class. The team consists of one PHOTO BY student from each grade: EMMA ACKERMAN senior Michael O’Sullivan, class. Even though we had junior Olivia Haglund, never mentioned her name, sophomore Lauren Donand this was all conjecture, nelly, and freshman Julia he confessed. I thought Filiault. All four members that was kind of cool. Be- are also in concert choir. cause we had to protect the Michael O’Sullivan sings girl’s identity and be care- in the school musicals. In ful about how we played it. last year’s play “Spamalot”, O’Sullivan played Dennis To see the rest of who transformed into Sir Ask Mattei, go to Galahad during the perforCRHSnews.com. mance. He is also in Show Choir, along with Olivia HaTweet your questions glund. to @crhsdevilsadv with Julia Filiault has been singing since a very young age. the hashtag Even though Filiault has #AskMattei.
By Morgan Cunningham
CRHS has had several rule and event changes for the 2014-15 school year. This has raised numerous questions and concerns from the student body. CRHS video production students asked Falcone several interesting questions regarding Homecoming, embarrassing high school experiences, and even Crocs. Falcone was asked, “If you could be any candy, what type of candy would you be?” He responded, “I would have to go with Dove chocolate just because inside the wrapper there are inspirational messages, and it’s like a fortune cookie for me. So when I open it, I get inspired to do different things.” Although there were a few humorous questions like this one, the students cleared up several rumors going around the school about next year’s schedule, new technology, and events leading up to Homecoming.
To view the complete interview with Mr. Falcone, visit The Devil’s Advocate online at CRHSnews.com.
performed many times before, she says she still get nervous before performing. Practicing in front of small audiences is a good way to work up to bigger and better experiences. “You can’t let the fear of other people watching you
A rumor has spread that Coginchaug, as a school, does not recycle what ends up in the recycling bins placed around the school. It has been said that at the end of the day, the material in both the trash and the recycling bins are combined. After delving deeper into this alleged practice by our school, it was revealed that this is not the case at all. Mr. Wayne Kaminski, head custodian at Coginchaug, stated in a walkthrough of the recycling process, “We [the custodians] make every attempt to recycle 95 percent of the material that we can.” The recyclables from all of the classrooms are collected at the end of the day and combined into multiple bins behind the school. The collected material is transferred into bins that will later be grouped by material type in order to separate the bottles and cans from the paper products. Aside from the classroom recycling bins, all of the boxes from the shipments and deliveries that the school receives are broken down by hand and put into a dumpster. “We feel that we do a good job of [recycling] here,” Kaminski said. Aside from the rumor, our school puts a lot of effort into the recycling program here at Coginchaug. The custodians should be recognized for their hardwork and dedication in keeping our campus clean and reducing our impact on the environment. or their opinions get in your head,“ Donnelly said. “You kind of just have to go out there and do it for yourself because after all, you’re the one who has enough guts to do it. Plus, you feel pretty great about yourself afterwards!”
Volume 21 Issue 1
Durham Fair Talent Shines at ‘Durham Idol’ By Ivy Linden-Dionne There was an air of nervous excitement permeating the Center Stage area of the Durham Fair at 1:15 p.m. Sat., Sept. 27. Contestants dressed in extravagant costumes paced back and forth backstage while the audience gathered to sit in the little shade they could find. Judges with bottles of water and notepads sat under a tent, waiting for the start of ‘Durham Idol’, or the Durham Fair talent show, as it is commonly known. Although more than 40 people originally demonstrated their talents for the judges, only 13 performed due to the rigorous auditions held beforehand. Bill Currlin, a talent show director and announcer for 11 years, stated that the audition process was one of the most difficult parts of organizing the talent show. “This is our 11th year, and it’s attracted some very impressive talent,” Currlin said. Kara Drenzek, a 3-year talent show director and lead singer for the band Jackson Hill, agreed and added that one of the former talent show winners is now recording in Nashville. As contestants prepare backstage, the judges are introduced. They are looking for everything from “the heart of a musician” to “the perfect pair of jazz hands”. Sheila Jay, who has been a talent show judge for more than five years, is looking for “presence, professionalism, raw talent, and someone who engages the audience.” Although some of the competitors were from Durham, others came from places such as Me-
riden, and even Rhode Island. Most sang, with Disney songs “Let It Go” and “Part Of Your World” being crowd favorites, but some danced, played instruments, or performed as a band. Diversity is part of the reason why the talent show is important, according to Morgan Moore, a sophomore from Meriden who performed “Girl In A Country Song”. “[The talent show is important] because it showcases different talents and gives kids a chance to perform,” Moore said. Bill Currlin added that the talent show “is an opportunity for young people to get up in front of friends and family and perform.” Although the talent was great, there could only be one winner. That honor went to Alex Woznyk who performed an impressive dance number to “I’m Gettin’ Good At Being Bad”. A close runner-up was the Strong Classics, a band made up of three seventh graders who performed “Johnny B. Goode”. They were such a crowd favorite that they also snagged the People’s Choice Award, which gives audience members a chance to vote on their favorite act. Bill Currlin and Kara Drenzik were awed and impressed by the number of participants entered in this year’s ‘Durham Idol’. The Durham Fair talent show has been growing in popularity since its debut 11 years ago, as it gives kids a chance to shine and perform in front of friends.
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and maple cotton candy, but have you ever thought about what the weirdest food was? People had differing opinions on the subject. Sharri D’Errico, a Durham resident, said “eating the over-cooked brown fries when the frying went awry” was one of her strangest food experiences at the fair. Even though they were overcooked, everyone was eating them on the midway ‘Durham Idol’ winner Alex anyway. D’Errico’s daughWoznyk poses proudly with ter thought fried raviolis were the oddest. her trophy. Younger kids articulated PHOTO BY NIKKI WOZNYK their entertaining responses to the fair food. Eleven-year-old Liliana said very seriously, “Fried pickles are the strangest food because I never wanted to imagine something sour fried.” Liliana’s friend Diana By Miranda Cronin added, “Chocolate-covered bacon is the weirdest food The Durham Fair has albecause that doesn’t usuways had an abundant ally happen in life.” amount of strange food. Many other fair-goers Anyone who has gone to talked about the deep-fried the fair has seen the fried or chocolate-covered food, twinkies, lava cookies,
but the one that came up the most was gator bites. The people at the gator bites booth were very enthusiastic as they clarified that they came to Durham from Florida, and the gator bites are actually made of real gator. The staff even displayed their real taxidermied gator head to prove it. The booth’s owner Ivan Bellotto said they came all the way up to the Durham Fair to share with New Englanders the special taste of gator bites--for those who were adventurous enough.
What’s Really in Your Favorite Fair Foods?
Gator Bites taxidermy gator head was on display at the Durham Fair.
Strangest Fair Food?
PHOTO BY MIRANDA CRONIN
By Ricki Barton As you order your fried oreos or take a bite from your fried dough, do you ever think of the nutritional value? Probably not because you’ll walk it off later, right? Maybe not. These fair foods may be worse for you than you think. Devouring a nice, hot plate of fried oreos, I asked a few people how many calories they thought was in their meal. Hamden fairgoer Barbara Lezzi said, “Wow; probably about 2500.” Not quite, but the nutrition facts show that dish isn’t something you would want to eat every day. According to
calorieking.com, the truth is that one average serving of fried oreos, which is usually 5 deep-fried goodies, is an astounding 891 calories and 48 grams of fat. That’s almost half of your daily recommended intake of calories. If you want to burn these off, you can walk around the fair for about four hours and seven minutes...or you can choose to order a deep fried twinkie, which is 361 calories and 252 grams of fat. Durham fairgoer Gina Gallagher guessed that there were 650 calories in this treat, which again was
pretty far off, but at least people aren’t in denial about the foods they’re indulging in. The amount of calories in a fried twinkie isn’t as bad as the oreos, but there’s a lot of fat in just one twinkie. Durham fairgoer Ryan Lojewski said, “It may be terrible for you, but it only comes once a year. It just tastes really good.” Next time you decide to stop for a bite at the Durham Fair, remember that what you’re putting into your body may not be good for you, but it’s still delicious to reward yourself after walking up that big hill.
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October 17, 2014
crhsnews.com
‘Something to be Proud Of’
Choir Hippies
By Caroline Gervais
By Dena Branciforte
The Durham Fair hosted three major acts: Tower of Power on Fri., Montgomery Gentry on Sat. and Jo Dee Messina on Sun. Montgomery Gentry’s perfomance attracted many fairgoers, young and old. As you walked up the hill, all you could hear was the roar of the crowd and the loud twangs of the guitar as they started their set. The whole area near the Main Stage was overflowing with excited fans. It was nearly impossible to see anything; you had to use your other senses to guide yourself through the crowd and hope that you weren’t stepping on people or their belongings. As the concert progressed, the audience really got into
it; they were singing along, dancing in their seats and recording their favorite songs on their phones. “My Town” (released in 2002) and “Something to Be Proud Of” (released in 2005) seemed to be two of the most popular songs that were performed. Montgomery Gentry is a country duo comprised of Kentucky natives Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry. The band was founded in 1999 after each singer spent time performing separately throughout the 90s. In 1999, they debuted with “Hillbilly Blues” and have released seven albums since then. Over 20 of their singles have been on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart,
including “Roll with Me” and “Lucky Man”. Ten of their songs were in the top 10 of the country charts. Their songs are heavily influenced by Southern rockers such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Charlie Daniels, but they have a down-to-earth, blue collar feel. The mix of Montgomery’s baritone and Gentry’s tenor is a perfect complement and attracts a variety of listeners. In 2000, they were named the Duo of the Year by the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association and have been nominated every year since for the same award. They were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2009. They have switched record companies three times and are currently working with Blaster Records, as of February 2014. Their most recent single “Headlights” is the first new song to be released by the duo since 2011 and will head up their new album, set to be released in early 2015.
Trash Busters
By Dana Hoffman
CRHS juniors and Show Choir members Caitlyn Kranich and Olivia Haglund celebrate their performance. PHOTO BY DENA BRANCIFORTE
For more Durham Fair photos, check our website! www.CRHSnews.com
The CRHS Eco-Club, along with Boy Scout Troop 27 of Durham and Middlefield, has taken an active role in the maintenance of recycling and composting at the fair. Each morning before the fair starts, students and scouts collect the compost and recycling from the vendors between 6:30 and 8:30 a.m., as well as re-line all the containers and bins. Even before Coginchaug science teacher and EcoClub adviser Mrs. Michael and her husband were involved with the program, the Eco-Club had been in charge of the recycling and composting for six years. “We really wanted to start gaining the bottles out of the garbage stream,” Michael said. “It’s such a
Show Choir had three weeks to learn, practice, and perform their routines at the Durham Fair. “With only a month to practice, it’s really impressive that everyone is able to get down the dances within such a short amount of time,” CRHS senior and Show Choir member Erin Blecha said. This year the Show Choir took on a hippie theme, sporting tie-dye t-shirts. They sang a hippie melody, “Gone, Gone, Gone” by Phillip Phillips, “Beautiful City” from the movie “Godspell”, and “Footloose”. “It’s a really good blend; we sound really good together,” said senior Garrett D’Amato. The audience is “casual” and “more relaxed” according to senior members John McLaughlin and Garrett D’Amato. Having Show Choir perform at the Durham Fair
gives the performers a different experience and audience than their performances at CRHS or other high schools. “Performing was so much fun, and it’s nice to be in an outside environment,” said junior member Michael Brady. “They look like a fun group that gets along and enjoys the performance as much as the audience,” said CRHS math teacher Mrs. Diane Walsh. The Jazz Band also performed at Center Stage along with the male a Capella group No Refund and the girls a Capella group Nothing But Treble. The girls group just formed this year with the Durham Fair being their first performance. “Everybody loved it, and everyone was clapping and singing along,” said Mrs. Walsh.
*Videos from various Durham Fair performances can be viewed on our website: CRHSnews.com. waste because you could recycle it.” In the pilot year, six years ago, twenty-one vendors acted as non-profit volunteers. This year, forty-one vendors participated in composting through Eco. These volunteers were responsible for giving their compostable waste to Eco members when it came time to collect it. The Eco team collected 1.67 tons (or 3,000 pounds) of compostable waste . Eco aims to collect 5,000 pounds of compostable waste next year. Donations from DurhamMiddlefield Clean Energy & Sustainability Task Force, CAT, or Coginchaug Area Transition group, HQ dumpsters and Recycling LLC, and Coginchaug Valley Education Foundation (CVEF) cover most of the expenses for the supplies. Last year, the DurhamMiddlefield Clean Energy &
Sustainability Task Force, a group of Durham and Middlefield residents, completed several projects using part of a $1200 CVEF grant in an attempt to reduce the community’s carbon footprint and global impact. The team was able to pay for posters, gloves, bins, liners for containers, and other supplies. This year Mrs. Micheal joined the Durham Fair Committee and the maintenance crew in order to gain more say in the organization of this program. She highlighted the diversity of the group as a showcase of the Durham-Middlefield community’s commitment to sustainability and one another. Mrs. Michael said, “I love that it’s so many people from so many different aspects and age groups coming together to do some good for the environment. It’s really fun.”
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October 17, 2014
Volume 21 Issue 1
WISE on the Rise
Book Review: Swallows of Kabul
WISE projects provide an opportunity for seniors to explore an interesting topic beyond their school’s curriculum. There are six students this year who took this opportunity to delve deeper into a topic of their choosing with the help of mentors. Erin Smith will learn about how to fundraise, particularly for a local non-profit organization that serves as a day camp for children and adults with special needs. With mentor Madame Cashore, she plans to spread community awareness for Camp Nerdern in Middlefield with the hope of raising money and gathering donations to support this cause. Erin plans to study social work and psychology in college. Noelle Khalil is interested in criminal justice and forensic science and wants to create her own adaptation of the show “48 Hours”. This includes writing the script and finding actors, as well as producing the spin-off. Noelle will explore her interest in forensics in college. Jacob Burt plans to build a high-performance computer that is capable of performing graphics-intensive tasks. This includes running Outerra which tests the stability of the constructed computer rig as part of his presentation. Jacob will conduct all of his own research about the compatibility of parts, their general function and
their efficiency together, all while maintaining a budget. His purpose is to familiarize himself with the technical structure of computers, as well as how to assemble computer components. After spending her summer volunteering at Yale Hospital in New Haven, Monica LaRosa decided she wants to focus on not only raising money for cancer research but also “putting a face to cancer” by incorporating those who currently have cancer. Monica plans, with the help of her mentor Mrs. Anderson, to interact with kids who have cancer and find clothing that helps them feel comfortable with who they are. She wants to embark on this project because she enjoys helping others and making them feel better about themselves. Amelia Bianchi will explore her interest in biodiversity by studying species in the area. With her mentor Mrs. Micheal, she plans on collecting bugs and pressing leaves and other foliage in order to study the assortment of species that populate the surrounding ecosystem. Marissa Berry plans on researching the evolution of evolution and focus on how the idea of it changed over time, starting with the early creation theories. Her interest in science as well as in history inspired her to study how humanity has viewed evolution.
The Swallows of Kabul By Yasmina Khadra Rating: 10/10 Summary: Life in Kabul is harsh under the strict, oppressive rules of the Taliban. The land is scorched to death, the people of the city seem to be walking on delicate eggshells, and hope for a better tomorrow has dissolved completely. Worn down from watching the city’s slow decline, many residents have begun to accept Kabul’s dreadful destiny.
Introduced by Freud’s doctrines as a condition affecting Continued from page 2 predominantly women, the Conversion ...something very funny Theory considers wide(hysterical), as hysteria scale presence of hysteria was often accompanied by to be a psychiatric disornotions of uncontrollable der that “may arise from fits of laughter. Hysteria stressful situations” during was also used to explain which time anxiety is cona sexual illness diagnosed verted into physical sympby (mainly) male doctors toms including numbness, that sought to further un- blindness, paralysis and derstand the female condi- fits without definable ortion; however, their efforts ganic causes. proved ineffective. Originally, the term ‘hys-
teria’ was used to describe any generic behavior of a woman but began to be perceived as a mental malady. For example, in 16921693 in the town of Salem, Massachusetts, a group of girls by the names of Abigail Williams, Betty Parris, Ann Putnam Jr., and Elizabeth Hubbard experienced fits “beyond the power of epileptic fits or natural disease to affect” (Wikipedia). The result of these collective fits was the infamous
By Cory Hassmann
Hysteria
By Nora Khalil
Opinion: One of the first things that stood out to me was the author’s wonderful writing skills. The voice of Yasmina Khadra displayed delightful elegance and grace from the first page to the last. The author’s exceptional ability to craft together words into an alluring work of literature is only one of the many things that made this book memorable. I can’t possibly get you to understand how fantastic this author’s writing is. (Full review online)
Nora’s Blog: www.bookcoverswillbejudged.weebly.com
‘Let’s Get Lost’ in a Good Book By Ivy Linden-Dionne
There’s Hudson, a small town mechanic who’s attempting to break out of his routine life, Bree, a rebellious hitchhiker determined to “seize the Tuesday” with some dark secrets, Elliot, who loves romantic comedies but finds his own life depressing, and Sonia, who is haunted as much by her future as she is by her past. These four teens live in different places and don’t know anything about one another. The one thing they have in common is a mysterious Let’s Get Lost girl named Leila and her By Adi Alsaid cherry-red car. Leila, who is Summary: driving as far north as she Four teens across the can go in hopes of viewing country are facing four the Northern Lights, stumvery different problems. bles into the lives of each
character just when they need her most, and she finds herself helping each of them, whether it’s overcoming a personal problem or hopping the border into Canada. Opinion: Road trip novels are tricky, so easily steered wrong and so difficult to do right. “Let’s Get Lost” is unquestionably the best road trip novel I have ever read, simply because it doesn’t rely on the road trip. The bones of this novel are the characters who appear throughout the story, both the five main teens and their supporting characters. Each perspective is wonderfully fleshed out and developed. (Full review online)
Ivy’s Blog: www.readingismycupoftea.weebly.com Salem Witch Trials. During this scare, twenty-five people were hanged for witchcraft. These cases of hysteria occur all over the world, almost solely in women. The connection between how many people believe that women are more susceptible to hysteria and the mentality that women are more submissive and weaker coincide because society still leads people to believe that males are
the solely dominant figure. As seen with the 2012 Sri Lanka case, the Hysteria outbreak cannot actually be linked to any organic factor. Therefore, the origin of these outbreaks are unknown. More scientific research needs to be done before we pinpoint uterus dysfunction as the culprit of hysteria, but we can safely assume that not every strong emotion a woman feels is linked to a psychological disorder.
crhsnews.com
October 17, 2014
7
Football
Girls XC
To the Sun Opinion: NFL Image
The football team has powered through adversity and continues to shine. They are currently 4-0 and have already shut out two teams. They have only allowed 28 points going into week five of the regular season. “We’ve done great this season so far, but we know we are far away from our goal of making the playoffs again,” said senior captain Jake Ober. The team has strong leadership, especially in seniors Josh Smith, Jake Ober and Antonio Lockwood.
This season, the girls cross-country team has their standards set high with much desire to win the Shoreline Tournament and place at least fifth in States. They have a good mix of experience on the varsity team with three new runners to help bring the team success. A key runner for the girls is junior Sam Drop who places high in each meet. Senior captain Bailey Thayer said, “Our Shoreline conference is very competitive. We hope to come out on top by training hard.”
On September 18 the annual Going to the Sun race took place at CRHS, with 650 runners from 20 teams tackling the three-mile course. The overall varsity girls winner was Sabrina Chesters from Parish Hill High School in Chaplin. CRHS junior Samantha Drop placed third. The overall varsity boys winner was CRHS senior Christian Alberico who finished with a time of 16:09. Both Chesters and Alberico were repeat winners of the race. Coginchaug girls varsity won first place overall, and the girls and boys won the combined second place trophy. “The meet has been successful thanks to careful planning and fantastic support from our AD Nick Barbieri, Facilities Manager Rob Francis, our booster organization Coginchaug Track Supporters, Coach Vigue, parents and our Cross Country athletes,” Coach Dave Bellemare said. Going to the Sun was first organized by Isha Murphy 27 years ago. This year, the cheerleaders attended the race to encourage the runners.
The NFL is a multi-billion dollar industry and, according to ESPN, “the most popular sport in the US.” With so many people watching the sport and paying attention year-round, every player and coach is under a microscope. Lately, many players have gotten into legal trouble. Problems began before the season did. At the start of training camp, allstar running back Ray Rice was accused of hitting his girlfriend (now wife) after a video of him dragging her out of an elevator surfaced on the Internet. Rice was suspended for two games. Some of the NFL owners were upset with the ruling, saying it was not enough. Commissioner Roger Goodell is undergoing a lot of criticism about this issue and is now under even more pressure since a video of Ray Rice knocking out his wife inside the elevator surfaced. Everyone is questioning whether Goodell knew about this video when he handed out the first twogame suspension or if he really just found out about the video when the whole world did. Ray Rice is now
suspended indefinitely and was released by Baltimore. AZ Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer was arrested for aggravated assault for hitting his wife and throwing a shoe at his 18-month-old son. He is also suspended. Other players who have not dressed at the beginning of the season are 49ers DE Ray Mcdonald and Carolina Panthers allstar DT Greg Hardy who also committed acts of domestic violence on their girlfriends. Adrian Peterson is one of the the NFL’s brightest and best running backs who just two years ago was nine yards short of breaking the single season rushing record. Now he’s no longer playing because he “disciplined” his 4-year-old son by hitting him with a switch nineteen times. Peterson is still with the Vikings but has not played since he turned himself in. These events show us that even the richest and most famous NFL stars can lose everything they worked their who lives for. We can learn from their mistakes and not make the same in our lives that they did.
a different locker room at the end of practice. People adapted to the change quickly. Now, she’s just part of the team.” Many CRHS students support Breton’s football career. “I think it’s awesome that there’s a girl playing football. It shows that girls can do anything boys can do,” said sophomore Lauren Donnelly. “I think it’s amazing,” said sophomore Emily Stanwood. “It shows that you can honestly do anything if you put your mind to it. I know some people are probably skeptical about having the girl on the team, but in my opinion, it’s inspirational to have someone as confident and amazing as she is in our
school.” Although the majority of students interviewed expressed encouragement for Breton, some students were hesitant about the idea of a female on the CRHS football team. “It would be nice to see women play football competitively, except I don’t think it’s right for her to play against males who, most of the time, are a lot stronger and quicker,” one student said. It seems that those students who disagreed with a female playing on the football team were opposed not because they believe women are incapable of playing football but rather because they view the coeducational team as a danger to women. The debate
is no longer whether women should play football but whether men and women should play football on the same team. Online research proves that football is still viewed by some as a sport that should not be played by women, co-educationally or otherwise. Some boys feel women playing football would be an “invasion” of their space. Commenters argued that if some boys joined a female volleyball team at their high school, their actions would not be seen as “breaking boundaries” but as overly feminine. Despite controversy surrounding the idea of women playing football, the purpose of sports is to allow people to unite with the playing of a game.
By Jordan Cowles
By Jenn Crandall
Boys Cross Country start their race. Going to the Sun brought over 500 runners to CRHS. PHOTO BY REBECCA SUCHY
Females and Football? By Nora Khalil Across the nation, football is categorized as a man’s sport. With gruesome tackles, exhausting runs, and plenty of physical contact, many believe that the fragility of a woman’s body wasn’t built for football. Some argue that the physical contact in football would be inappropriate if played between opposite genders. Many agree that football seems unfit for co-educational teams and ideal for male players only. In its short tenure, CRHS football has had an allmale roster. This year, female freshman Jamie Breton joined the team. “I’ve wanted to [play football] for a couple years,” Breton explained. “This was my one chance to, so I took it. I started playing.” Breton, who grew up in
a house full of men, grew accustomed to the atmosphere of the team quickly. “It was a bit [awkward] at first. In the beginning, they just kind of gave me weird looks. I think they were thinking, ‘Oh, she’s not going to be around for too long.’ ...I’ve been knocked down a couple of times. I just get up and keep going.” Breton said she is determined to put in the hard work required to keep up with the rest of the team. After months of practice and games together, Breton feels as though she is just any other player. The male players of the team accept Breton as their teammate. Sophomore player Ricky Sorenson said, “The only time it is different is when she goes into
By Ricki Barton
By Tim McDermott
8
October 17, 2014
Volume 21 Issue 1
CRHS SPORTS REVIEWS By Jenn Crandall
Boys Soccer
Volleyball
Girls Soccer
The boys soccer team is maintaining good standings with a record of 4-51. They hope to qualify for the Shoreline and State tournaments. The team is made up of many inexperienced players who are fulfilling the roles of many players who graduated last year. The boys are working hard to keep a good prospective position in both tournaments. Junior Kyle Judson said, “We as a team hope to continue our hard work and to achieve our goals of competing in the State tournament.”
The volleyball team is really determined to make a statement in the State and Shoreline tournaments. They had a big win against East Hampton and hope to keep up the intensity. Senior captain Megan Quinley said, “We’ve been working hard after losing some big players last year. We’ve improved a lot as a team and skill wise. We hope to continue through the tournaments.” The team is putting together two events to support breast cancer awareness; Oct. 15 they are having a “Dig Pink” game, and they are holding a Zumbathon Oct. 18. They hope to have a big outcome for both events.
The Coginchaug girls soccer team has set out for a competitive season. After losing many players from last year, the girls will have to maintain high intensity to keep their ranking in the conference. The team has qualified for the
Boys Cross Country
Cheerleading
The boys cross country team is made up of hardworking men. They have ambitions to place well at the Shoreline Conference and Class SS meets. The team has doubled its size from last year and is made up of many underclassmen runners. Senior Captain Connor Stewart said, “I’m honored to be the captain of such a great group of guys. We’ve been working hard preparing for Shorelines lately; everyone’s committed. It’s bittersweet to think that this is my last year, but it’s been a great run (pun intended) and one of the best experiences of my high school career.”
The cheerleading team is working very hard after losing 11 seniors from last season. The girls have been developing new stunts and routines to keep the football crowd entertained while showcasing their skills. The team hopes to surpass the level of skill that they’ve had in previous year. Junior Jackie Stevens said, “The cheer team is really working hard and improving a lot.” The cheerleaders attended the Going to the Sun cross country meet to support their fellow athletes. They also plan to sell baked goods at the football games in October to raise money for breast cancer research.
Big Blue Skies Ahead By Ava Altschuler As soon as the clock read 1:00 pm September 13, crowds of fans, parents, students, and band members were lined up on the bleachers at the stadium of Coginchaug to welcome back the “boys in blue” who were to take on Old Saybrook. Despite midgame sprinkles, skies were looking extremely optimistic that the Blue Devils would continue to be a winning force within the class S Pequot division. Good vibes were already in the mid-September, pre-game air as cheerleader Lauren Donnelly, a sophomore, belted out the National Anthem to an anxious audience. Senior Joe Prifitera was first to kick the ball off, and the game moved immediately in Coginchaug’s favor. Half way through the first quarter senior captain Jake Ober carried the ball down the field to score the season’s first touchdown. CRHS kicked the ball through the goal post for the extra point, stand-
State tournament and hope to qualify for the Shoreline tournament as well. Many of the players are inexperienced but full of potential and drive. The girls hope to stay at the top of the Shoreline Conference. Junior captian Shaun Whitaker said,
“Coming into the season, a lot of our competitors counted us out because we lost a good number of our starting 11. Our team has worked hard all preseason and season. We are confident we will do big things.”
ing 7-0. During second quarter, 3 minutes in, the Devils had second down. Junior Parker Tregonning continued to work for points as he took the ball to the Blue Devil’s territory for touchdown number two. Struggling, the Rams attempted to travel down the field, but the pass was intercepted by Joe Prifitera with 4:25 left on the clock. He ran for it, scoring another touchdown. Disregarding a missed field goal, the Devils stood at a strong 20-0 against Old Saybrook. Big Blue continued their quest after a short timeout at 3:53, with Jake Ober running 15 yards for his second touchdown of the game. To make up for the field goal that was missed earlier in the game, Coginchaug made a two point conversion to create the comfortable lead of 28-0. There was a timeout called to discuss. Parker made a return with first and ten on offense at the Rham’s 32 yard line, with a pass complete to Senior Kevin Crompton ushering in yet another touchdown. Now there were 35 wellearned points up on the scoreboard for Coginchaug.
The first half of the game came to a close and the pep band, led by Mr. Coutsouridis, played traditional songs with life and spirit. The Coginchaug cheerleaders were then welcomed onto the center of the field by announcer Dr. Nystrom to perform. The cheerleaders’ voices echoed about how, “The devils are back and better than before” which was quite the appropriate statement for how the first game was unraveling. The second half of the game shut down Old Saybrook, with Jake Ober scoring his third touchdown with a 35 yard carry, and Zachary Light making a perfect field goal, now 420. By the time fourth quarter rolled out, underclassmen were sent onto the field in the rain to finish up the job. The game closed off with celebration from the crowd and the cheerleaders chanting, “We are proud of you!” Captain Jake Ober, a senior, summed up the day by saying, “Once we knocked the rust off we did what we know how to do, win. All the boys are excited as a family for a great upcoming season.”