Volume XIII; Issue 24
cavchronline.com
Friday, May 22, 2015
HONORING OUR VETERANS Michaela Dinman ‘16 Staff Writer
Veterans come to HB and talk abou their experences with the civics students
eran and agrees, adding, “We wouldn’t have been where we were if we didn’t believe it. We wouldn’t have been where we were if it wasn’t in our soul.” Memorial Day Memorial Day is not, as many think, just a day off from school or work. It is a time to recognize the men and women who have sacrificed every-
Food for Thought
The Decision to Go
“I wore the uniform, I put it on because my ideals said [that] my job is to protect our Constitution,” says David Larkin, a veteran from the U.S. Army. Bruce Moran is also a U.S. Army vet-
US Veterans that came to HB. Photo Credit: Michaela Dinman ‘16.
have given their lives over to the military w h i l e protecting our country.
Every year, the Civics classes, in tangence with their study on the American government, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, have the opportunity to meet veterans from the U.S. Military. This gives them a chance to see the sacrifices that are made to defend the basic civil rights that every American citizen is guaranteed. The men and women who have enlisted in the U.S. Military believe in the American ideologies and believe in the living documents such as the Constitution and the Bill of Rights that uphold these principles.
we can to them. “I encourage as many [people] as possible to participate in the Brookline and Hollis [Memorial Day] ceremonies,” says Moran. Memorial Day ceremonies can show respect to the veterans and honor those who
thing to fight for what is right and to memorialize those who have passed away in doing so. “We remember the past,” says Larkin, “[and] we celebrate the lives that contributed to this country.” For all that the veterans and the current members of the U.S. Military do to protect us, we should give back all
But honoring the veterans shouldn’t be excluded to a single weekend. “Do not take citizenship for granted,” urges Moran, “It is a gift [given to you by] the blood of the veterans.” The best way to honor the veterans, however, is to use the rights that they and many others have fought to earn and to protect. “Think about what you believe,” encourages Moran, “And
when it comes time to vote, vote for your own conscience, not [anyone else’s]. That would be my advice.” Final Thoughts Though America may not be currently fighting for rights on its homeland, the U.S. Military continues to serve and protect the United States. The importance of our military isn’t a concept that can be taught in a traditional classroom setting; having veterans come in to speak with the students can often reinforce how important this military protection is to American citizens. Trevor Duval, Hollis-Brookline High School Civics teacher, says, “I want [the students] to understand they [the military] do to protect and defend the Constitution.” He urges them to take a moment to reflect why we have Memorial Day off from school and from work. Our veterans enlist in the armed forces to provide that protection, and every one of them is willing to sacrifice their lives at a moments notice. “We will go to war for you. And we will fight the fight for you,” says Moran, “and if need be, we will die for you. Think about that.”
Drop out rates: do we have them? Emma Dougherty’16, Staff Writter
The Hollis-Brookline Cooperative was dubbed one of the Daily Beast’s top high schools in America in 2014 and is accredited by the New Hampshire Department of Education and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. HBHS has also been named one of America’s Best High Schools by Newsweek for seven consecutive years. These achievements by the school have often been attributed to HBHS’s mean and median GPA, both above 3.0, or the fact that over 148 courses are offered in the school’s curriculum with the standard course composed mainly of an exacting level of college preparatory work. But perhaps the school’s dropout rates could also show what makes HBHS different from other public schools: according to the Board of Education, the State’s Annual Percentage Dropout rate for the academic year of 2014-15 was 1.05% . While the Hollis-Brookline Cor-
poration’s Annual Percentage Dropout rate was only 0.12%. HBHS’s annual dropout rate was 0.93% below the state’s average which compares very favorably to most of the other schools listed, some of which had averages ranging from a slightly lower 0.46% to a hefty 11.84%. So what might be causes for such a wide variability in dropout rates across the state? One could speculate on a number of influential variables such as population size of each school; for example a smaller school with fewer students attending may find that teachers and students have more time to interact, while a school with a larger student body may not be able to connect and communicate on the same level. Likewise, The economic health of the community and school
Student walks out of HB. Photo Credit: Emma Dougherty’ 16
district can impact the number of opportunities that a students is presented with while deciding whether or not to further their education. An affluent community will likely offer more options such as contemporary teaching programs, as well as a wide variety of courses to choose from than a school with minimal resources and school funding. The stress of the environment may also influence dropout rates; students might find it more difficult to complete their schooling requirements in a stressful, urban environment than they would in a peaceful, rural setting such as at Hollis Brookline High School.
Hollis Brookline’s drop out rate is 0.12% which is 0.93% below the New Hampshire average
Senior Spotlight: The Bontas Nellie Putur ‘15, Cheif Copy Editor
Illustration Credit: Nellie Purtur’ 15
convinced their mom to participate in, icines. and in sixth grade they got their first “The experience [of caring for foster “batch” of kittens. kittens] helped me understand the diffiIn general, the kittens come in culty of taking care of animals. We can’t batches of two or three when just walk out the door quickly without they are about four weeks old. making sure they have food and water The Bonta sisters are then and are in a safe room,” said Sarah. “The set to the task of getting the hardest part is returning them to the Hukittens accustomed to living mane Society.” in a home, returning them to Meghan agreed with this sentiment, and the Humane Society at about added that she knows “they’re going to a eight weeks of age. good home when we return them.” This The kittens start off in cages, with no access to the rest of the house. This is due to the fact that the Bontas have other cats and dogs in the house that must also get accustomed to the temporary visitors.
When Meghan Bonta and Sarah Bonta were in sixth grade, they discovered the world of hosting foster kittens. After their cat passed away in fifth grade twins to convince her otherwise. Though her mom was reluctant to
own a new pet, Sarah took it upon herself to find a way to get another animal into their home, and what she came up with was foster care for kittens The Nashua Humane Society runs a foster care program that the twins
Five steps for the perfect garden Sophia Bruzik ‘15, Staff Writer Starting a garden is a great hobby to begin in the spring. It is a great way to exercise and spend time outdoors. Many people do not know where to start when it comes to gardening, but it is truly a lot easier than expected. The first step is to buy something that you can use as a border, like wood. This will give your garden a definite shape and make the planning of planting seeds much easier. The second step is to build a fence around your garden, which can be done with chicken wire. The fence will ensure that no animals will be able to get into your garden, which will give you a greater production rate. The third step is to get moist, rich soil. Soil can be bought at a local garden or hardware store, such as The Cavalier Chronicle is produced by Hollis Brookline High School students. The articles published represent the views of the staff and do not represent Hollis Brookline High School, HBHS faculty, or administration. As this publication is intended to be a tool for learning, please bring any concerns related to the newspaper to the attention Adviser Lin Illingworth. She can be reached at lin.illingworth@sau41.org
the Home Depot. This will guarantee that all of your plants are grown to their full potential. The fourth step is to plant your seeds so that they receive 6 to 8 hours of sunlight each day. Also, be sure to read any specific instructions on the seed packets so that you are following the needs of each type of plant. By doing this, your plants will grow to be colorful and rich in nutrients. The final step is to make sure that your plants sustain enough water each day. Your garden should receive at least one inch of water per week. The water can come from the rain or sprinkler. If you follow these steps, your garden will be more successful than you ever imagined.
Surviving the SATs- a chart showing how students can prepare for the exam. Credit: Anna Giles’ 15
Slowly, the cats are given access to more and more rooms in the house until a few weeks have passed and full roaming privileges are granted. Sometimes the young cats show up to the Bonta house not entirely healthy, so the girls have learned to give the animals necessary treatments, varying from eyedrops to liquid med-
experience has obviously been educational and paws-itively enjoyable. From this, the Bontas have gone on to adopt two of their foster kittens and both hope to continue to care for pets in the future.
As the days in high school dwindle and you think of a senior who should be featured in my Senior Spotlight (or you want to be featured), feel free to reach out to me or any member of the CavChronline, or email us at thecavchron@gmail.com. Your achievements and experiences deserve to be recognized, 2015!