December 2019

A Salute to Service page 6

THE

LANCERSPIRIT

Volume 43 • Edition 3 • December 2019 • Londonderry High School

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CONTENTS

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Cover photo courtesy of Mike Evers

THE

LANCERSPIRIT

Mission Statement The Lancer Spirit is the news publication of Londonderry High School, which includes both a news magazine and a website.

The staff of student journalists strive to accurately and ethically report events and topics that are relevant and interesting to the LHS community.

Scholastic Press Affiliation: The Lancer Spirit has been recognized by the New England Scholastic Press Association and has been nationally recognized by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and National Scholastic Press Association.

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Matt Palmer Taylor Palmer Nina Perry Koryn Sawyer Jonathan Stark Ava Tedder Lilly Tharrington Jacob Tonelli

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December 2019

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Editorials represent the opinion of The Lancer Spirit editorial board.

LANCER

SPIRIT

EDITORIAL Did you know you can make LSO an app on your phone?

Here’s how: On your web browser, go to

LancerSpiritOnline.com.

Click on the “share button.”

Then select “Add to your home screen.”

Now enjoy your very own LSO app on your phone.

It’s so easy to stay informed.

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Show up.

Or shut up and get kicked off the island.

Looking back on history, let’s review the events that have cast shame upon our society: Watergate, climate change, sexism, and worst of all: the destination of our 2020 class trip.

Thompson Island was chosen as our destination. The horror!

This trip is supposed to be a day spent having fun with your closest friends. Instead of an enjoyable day, we’re being forced to reenact the Lord of the Flies. What a travesty!

Give me a break. If you didn’t want to become Piggy on an island with your peers, then you should have grabbed the conch and voted when you had the chance.

The destination for a class’s senior trip is voted upon during junior year at a class representatives meeting that is open to everyone. This gives students the chance to share their opinion and the coordinators and the class advisers ample time to put together an unforgettable day of fun activities and memorable moments.

Voting is important. The outcome may be exactly what you were looking for, and you have yourself to thank for it. But if it’s not, then cry me a river, build a bridge, and get over it.

If you feel strongly about what happens with your class, then take a small portion out

Art by TJ Ruzicka of your day to express your feelings.

If an hour or two of your time is too much to ask, then guess what? You don’t get to rant about how much you hate the final decision. You were given a chance to vote, you didn’t take it, so stop complaining and just enjoy the opportunities you’re given.

Not every school gets to have a senior trip, so the fact that we have the chance to go somewhere is already a privelege. Why do you have to focus on the fact that it wasn’t your idea?

Besides, it’s not like we’re just going down the street to visit Mack’s Apples, we’re going to an island. I’m sorry, but what’s so bad about a beach day with your friends? You can’t tell me that doesn’t beat sitting in a hot classroom in June.

It doesn’t matter if the destination of your trip isn’t your ideal choice. Wherever we go, we can still have fun with it and make it a good day.

But if you do care that much about decisions involving your senior year, then take part in the voting process. Otherwise, shut up and suck it up.

Or at least quit your whining, Piggy, because we will vote you off the island.

Editorial Policy on Letters and Comments

Readers are encouraged to express comments and opinions about content or other relevant topics.

Leave a comment beneath stories on lancerspiritonline.com or write a Letter to the Editor.

Letters can be sent to mdewinkeleer@londonderry.org or simply use the “Contact Us” tab on LSO. To see the full editorial policy visit lancerspiritonline.com and click the “Editorial Policy” tab.

Op-Ed

New Year’s Resolutions Reality-Check It’s that time of year again—time to make completely attainable resolutions for the new year. Yeah, right. » Marissa McKay, Online Chief

Ah, New Year’s. With your resolutions set, it’s time to make these drastic, long-term changes in your life to improve yourself.

So get up early and pretend like you know what you’re doing at the overcrowded gym before school or work, along with all of the other overweight people who vowed to lose a few pounds this year. No, of course you don’t look dumb lugging those half pound weights around and drowning in your own sweat. It’s a good thing you ordered those brand new workout clothes and sneakers from Amazon in preparation.

I’m sure you’ll get a good use out of them.

Can’t wait for the dry salads you choke down during lunch time, because it’s definitely time to crack down, skip the chips, and eat healthy now.

No, it’s not an unrealistic expectation at all to think that you can cut junk food cold turkey and transform your lifestyle in a day. Stick to it and remember: kale is your favorite food now.

And buy that expensive guitar that you’ve been wanting to learn how to play forever. So what if you’re not musically inclined or you haven’t touched an instrument since the recorder in fourth grade. I’m sure with your miniscule amounts of practice, you’ll be as good as Hendrix in no time.

And there’s no way that the overpriced instrument will end up collecting dust in your closet after you get frustrated with your

lack of talent, so don’t even sweat about dropping the funds for it.

Besides, to make up for the abundant spending on the guitar, you have your resolution to save more money.

Don’t worry, I believe in your ability to drive past Dunkin’ every day without stopping for a coffee, and your self-control to eat at home and not swing by Chipotle for dinner. You can definitely go without all of that needless spending and resist the temptation of your friends asking you to go out on the weekends, no problem.

And easiest of all, spending more time with your family is a piece of cake. I mean, you do love them, right?

What’s not to like about eight-hour Scrabble games with your grandma, hearing enough terrible jokes from your dad to make a podcast out of or helping your weird uncle check out that ‘oh, what-could-it-be’ spot on his back? Is it ringworm? Is it cancer?

Or is it just a mole? It’s up to you to find out, so get all up in there, kid.

Sure, these resolutions may seem daunting and not as fun or easy as you thought they would be, but don’t worry, because there’s a silver lining in all of your new life changes: you’ll give up on all of them one by one in a few weeks time and revert back to your old unhealthy, mediocre life.

Happy New Year everyone!

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A Salute to Service Former Marine and LHS grad Mike Evers discusses his experience with the military.

» Elliot Gray, Reporter LHS alum Mike Evers’ life was forever changed when he decided to join the Marines.

His childhood dream finally came to life when he signed his name and enlisted, unprepared for the hardships that would overcome him and his loved ones.

Ever since he was a four-year-old boy, Evers had a sense of duty to serve his country.

“It was probably when I was around nine when I found out what the Marines was,” Evers said. “Before that, it was just a feeling I had that I needed to help my country in some way.”

Evers’ entire childhood was centered around joining the military, although it was not common in his family. The last time his family was involved in the military was his grandparents’ generation.

The movie Flags of Our Fathers had a huge impact on Evers, and as he was watching it, he was focused on scenes where the soldiers made extreme displays of devotion to their country.

From then on, Evers had his future planned out; serve his country as much as he could.

Throughout his teen years, Evers became

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more involved and interested in the military.

Evers was recognized in the inaugural year of the Blue Star Lancers, a student organization focused on helping those who are involved with or know someone in the military. At his last high school pep rally, Evers’ name was announced and he was given a care package, along with the other students who were recognized. Soon after graduating, he decided to seal the deal and officially enlist.

Before he joined the Marines, Evers’ father tried to stop him many times. They would constantly have fights, and it put a wedge between him and his father for four years.

“From my perspective, I think he treated me poorly so that I would give up on the idea of joining the Marines,” Evers said. “It didn’t really work though, since I enlisted anyways. He was just afraid of his son getting hurt; I completely understand why a parent would feel that way.”

Evers’ father was overwhelmed by the idea that his son was heading for the Marines, a branch known for its history in brutality and fighting, but most of all, being in the front of the battle field.

“The first time I ever saw my dad cry was during one of our last big fights,” Evers said. “It was right before I officially signed the papers.”

Evers’ mom and older brother were much more accepting of the idea but, understandably, they both had their doubts as well.

“My brother didn’t seem to mind or ask much, but he would sometimes ask me why I didn’t do what Dad and Mom wanted,” Evers said.

Being in the military in general is hard enough, but many people forget about the families involved as well. Evers was home a total of 2 months in his 4 years of service, 8 months in the Middle East being his longest deployment.

When he was on the battlefield, Evers’ family would be filled with nerves and emotions.

“My dad said that my mom cried every day that I went to war,” Evers said. “It’s not easy at all for anyone.”

During his deployments, Evers met many different people. The Koreans were one of the four other militaries that would always welcome the Americans with gratefulness. Many of them

had never seen U.S. Marines before, so they were very fascinated.

One man, named Chok,stuck out to Evers after their first encounter with his unique approach.

“He came up to me and the other dudes I was with and said ‘My name is Chok. Picture? Yes, take a picture.’ Even with the language barrier, I love that guy.”

“It was the first time I met a Korean Marine and they were super grateful for us being there,” Evers said. I felt like I had a connection with my grandfathers who both fought in the Korean War. The guys were super nice and funny.”

When he returned from his final deployment, Evers quickly realized how different his environment was. Transitioning back into civilian life was more difficult than he anticipated.

“There’s been many times where I thought I heard a gunshot but it was something completely different,” Evers said. “It definitely gets better with time though.”

Evers picked up on how different he was being treated, both by his family and random strangers. continued on page 8 Top left: Evers stands in line with a gun during the Combat Marksmanship Shoot aboard the USS Essex in the Arabic Sea, 2019. (Combat Marksmanship Shoot aboard USS Essex somewhere in the Arabic Sea 2019) Bottom left: Evers stands in uniform at a banquet with a fellow marine at the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines Marine Corps Birthday Ball. ( 2016 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines Marine Corps Birthday Ball with LtCol. Ogden) Bottom right: LHS alumni Evers stands in uniform. (Loaded out for a raid, March 2017 off the coast of one of the Japanese islands)

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continued from page 7 “When you get back, people look at you like you’re a ticking time bomb,” Evers said. “Even my family would always ask me if something was okay for the first few months that I came back.

It does get irritating after a while. If anything, it makes me think more about what they’re trying to have me not think about.”

Most people treated Evers with respect, but there are always some people who don’t agree with the concept of the military.

“I had a woman come up to me and say ‘How many kids

have to die before you think about gun control?’” Evers said.

“It was upsetting to say the least.”

There have been many difficult situations like this that Evers has faced while out in public. Some of them are completely unrelated to the military, but still hurtful. In rare cases, things even get a little physical.

“I was actually berated on a plane while I was leaving for my deployment in the Middle East,” Evers said. “The woman hit me with one of her bags on purpose while putting it in the overhead bin and then called me a baby killer.”

These situations occur in almost every place a person could think of. Evers recently started classes in college, but tense and uncomfortable questions relating to his service still get asked by his classmates.

“I had a guy that sat next to me in my college class ask how many people I killed,” Evers said. “It took him a few seconds to realize that it wasn’t a good thing to ask, then he felt bad. There was another girl that asked me the same thing.”

Evers has gone through a lot during his service, including loss.

“I’ve had friends who’ve killed themselves. I’ve lost friends in battle,” Evers said. “The stuff you see in the Marines always stays with you. It doesn’t just go away.”

In June, Evers had a “freak-out” that was caused by anxiety.

“All I could remember was staring out the window for an hour,” Evers said.

In September, Evers had another “freak-out” and explained that he couldn’t breathe. Not long after, the doctor told him that he has a panic disorder. Over time, Evers has figured out different techniques to calm down during and after his panic attacks.

His panic disorder isn’t the only aftereffect of the Marines that he’s had to deal with. Evers still struggles with injuries that carried over from the marines to his civilian life.

Evers suffers from bad knees, a bad back, a bad shoulder, and most of his hearing is currently gone.

Soon, he will start to take physical therapy, as well as psychological therapy.

Although there are many struggles he has to deal with, Evers is confident in his choice.

“I would do it all over again if I had to,” Evers said. “I’ve never regretted it and I never will.”

Top photo: LCpl. Michael Evers takes advantage of using a chair (since he usually has to stand) while on overwatch in the Mojave Desert, Twentynine Palms, USA during July 2016.

Bottom photo: Evers stands with his fellow Marines.

Photos used with permission from Mike Evers

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Voices of LHS: What does the military mean to you?

“Before I went in, I was a scared little girl and when I came out I was the person I am today, very straightforward and strong and independent. I was able to defend our country and its freedoms and rights.

“I would sneak out to the f lightlines with my girlfriends and we’d lay down on the ground while the jets were f lying over. We would scream about whatever was bothering us or anything that was inside that we needed to get out and we would feel better.”

“I used to be afraid to talk to people, but now I can at least talk to people because of the interactions.”

—Tina Casey, Air Force veteran and LHS custodian Photo used with permission from Mike Evers

Evers gets promoted to Sergeant aboard USS Essex (left to right: Major Brian Kimmins, Captain Kevin Hegerberg, Sgt. Robert Bloxton, Sgt. Michael Evers, Sgt. Anthony Stevenson, Sgt. Colton Ciufo, Sgt. Matthew Hennies and Major Randy Diggins) Taken November 2018

“I wanted to join since I was 11. I wanted to join because I want to better myself in a lot of ways. I want to be more disciplined, strong, and skilled and the military is definitely the place for that.

“I also have a great love for my country which pushed me to enlist. My MOS excites me, too. I chose that job because it will provide me with computer, data analysis, and STEM skills that will travel with me into civilian life and will help me find a career that suits me after my enlistment.”

—Jessica Popoloski, Future Military Intelligence Analyst and LHS senior “It was an important part of my character development.

It’s why it’s so important to me to do my best. When you’re a Marine, that’s just what you do.”

—Joe McCune, Marine Veteran and LHS English teacher

Photo used with permission from Mike Evers

March 2019, Cpl. John Salcedo promotion to Sergeant. (Left to right: Sergeant Jellison, Cpl John Salcedo, Sergeant Michael Evers)

“I always wanted to be a teacher and I was always a rule follower. Tried to figure out how everything worked and always wanted to help people around me. That’s just how my mind worked. I went into the Army because they paid for my college, but once I got into the Army, it was all about teaching and helping others to reach their full potential. Day in and day out you help in people reach their full potential. The Army resonated with my personality of doing the right thing and safe guarding others.

“Mike always seemed to have a strong sense of right and wrong. He was at one time a person in charge of the police explorers. Always interested in helping others to be the best that they can be. Always asked lots and lots of questions.

The combination of wanting to do good and wanting to help others were all qualities that Mike demonstrated that led to him being qualified for the Marine Corps.”

—Anthony Cariello, Army Veteran and LHS Science Teacher “There’s a lot of prestige with being a Marine . . . It’s a brotherhood. If you can make it there you can do anything.

I wanted to be a part of that. I played football and it’s a similar atmosphere. It’s strategic. It’s a lot of discipline. It’s structured. Those are the things that I think young men [and women] need. It was an environment that I could excel in.

“The Marine Corps completely changed my life. I was immature, undisciplined, prone to doing stupid things that could get me in trouble. I had no direction. I didn’t do well in high school, and I had poor study habits, and that’s a direct result of being lazy in high school. All the things I warn current high school students about, I went through. I tell them, you’ll regret being lazy and doing stupid things and being immature when you could have been getting ready for college.

“I regret getting out of the military. I should have stayed in 20 years because I was doing well in that environment . . . To this day, I keep my life structured.

“You make decisions that are right for you at the time.

Enlisting in the military was right for me at the time. Not reenlisting was right for me at the time.”

—Roger Sampson, Marine Veteran and LHS IT Specialist

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What is Hanukkah, anyway?

A guide to everything you need to know about the “Festival of Lights.” » Laura Haas, News Editor The Jewish celebration of Hanukkah is a holiday that occurs every year, normally around Christmas.

The story of Hanukkah is simple: When King Antiochus was the king in Jerusalem, he decided to abolish the practice of Judaism, because he wanted everyone living and praying the way he did. One group, the Maccabees, wanted to fight for their religion and most importantly for their Temple back.

They fought against the king and had won the Temple back.

However, when they had entered their beloved worship area, they noticed the king did not take care of it. They found that he had only left enough oil to light a menorah for one day.

The Maccabees decided to light the candles, and that was when a miracle occured. The oil that was only good for one day lasted eight days, which was the amount of time needed to get new oil.

Those miraculous eight days became what we know as Hanukkah today. Through each candle that we light, we are reminded that we must work through the darkness to find the light.

The Menorah The menorah is the main part of the Hanukkah celebration. The candles are placed from right to left, meaning the first candle would go to the far right on the menorah.

However, the menorah is lit from left to right, meaning the second candle would be lit before the first candle on the second day. The menorah has nine spots for candles, one of which is normally separated from the other candles.

This is because this candle is called the shamash. The shamash is lit first, then is used to light the other candles.

Some menorahs, like the image above, only have seven candles, however the most common menorahs have nine.

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The Food Traditional food eaten during the holiday range from latkes to gelt.

The latkes are potato pancakes fried in oil, then sometimes dipped in sour cream or applesauce.

Another food eaten are jelly filled doughnuts fried in oil, as a way of symbolizing the oil from the menorah.

Gelt is chocolate coins given to children on the nights of Hanukkah.

For a more substantial meal, brisket, a type of meat, is often enjoyed at Hanukkah dinners.

The Dreidel On the eight nights of Hanukkah, a common game played is dreidel. To play this game, you need a dreidel and any type of game piece. The game pieces could be coins, small candies, or anything you can think of.

To start the game, each player will be given ten to fifteen game pieces, and will put one of their pieces into the middle, also known as the pot.

Then, the first player spins the dreidel. If it lands on the gimel, then the player takes everything in the pot. If it lands on the nun, then the player does nothing. If it lands on the hey, then the player takes half of what is in the pot.

Finally, if it lands on the shin, then the player puts one of their game pieces in the pot. Once a player has no game pieces left, they are out. This repeats with every player, until one person has all the game pieces.

Gimel

Nun

Hey

Shin

The Presents Historically, gifts were not given on the eight nights of Hanukkah.

However, over time and due to the gift giving of Christmas, presents are generally given on the nights of Hanukkah.

Depending on the family, presents can be given on the first night, the last night, or even one present per night.

The Spelling

December

There are sixteen different ways of spelling this holiday, yet the two most common ways seen are Hanukkah or Chanukah.

The Days There are eight days and nights of Hanukkah. This year, the holiday falls on December 22 and ends on December 30.

For more information on Hanukkah and Judaism, go to https://www.chabad.org/ Features

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Lancer Lengths continues the tradition of hair donations at LHS » Kat Hallee, Features Editor

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“They love to do something to help out,” he said. “It’s a sense of accomplishment the school hopes to provide.”

As long as there is a Day of Giving, there will always be that person who pledges their hair first, and this year that person is senior Lilly Law. Law donated her freshman and sophomore year and knew she wanted to end her high school years strong with one final cut.

“I think the majority of people have experience with family and friends losing their hair or battling cancer, so that drives them to want to make a difference and help others,” Law said.

Because Law’s hair grows so fast, whether or not she was going to donate wasn’t even a question for her. She found the strength to cut her hair in those who surround and support her. ge “I like to donate a lot of my ts em oti hair, so that others who can’t donate on al b efor can still be helping the cause when they cut e she cuts her hair. my hair,” Law said.

Law likes that donating her hair makes her feel like she’s “making a difference.”

“I love knowing I am helping to make a very difficult time in someone’s life a little easier by helping them get a wig,” Law said.

Another angel junior Nicole Raza watched her grandfather battle the behemoth of cancer and knew she had to donate.

Raza has already donated two times, during her eighth grade and sophomore years.

“I am excited, but I am also nervous,” Raza said. “When I donated in the past my hair was much longer than it is now, so I’m scared it’s going to be very short.” m Alu

As the much anticipated Day of Giving fast approaches, the angels of LHS don their wings once again to take flight.

Preparations for this year’s Day of Giving ceremony on January 10, began last year with the closing of the Pantene Beautiful Lengths campaign. Mr. Juster and his Pep Rally Aids worked tirelessly to find donation campaigns that matched their criteria.

“It’ll be brand new, exciting, and something no one has ever seen before, making the process that much more exciting,” LHS English teacher and Pep Rally Coordinator Mr. Juster said.

With Pantene no longer accepting hair donations, the Pep Rally Aids had to decide where the donations would go. The search was extensive, but they knew ending the event was not an option.

“I think in a way it opened people up to thinking about donating,” Juster said. “There are other places that donate, and now that Pantene isn’t here, they’re looking for something new.”

Every year the pep rally organizers strive to show appreciation for angels past and present who gave up their wings while also recognising those who put in effort to other good deeds during the year.

“We want to enlighten everyone on the Day of Giving about all the positive things that go on over the course of the year,” Juster said. “I’m always excited to see how we put the event together, and [how we can show] people what we’ve done and what this school has done.”

The Day of Giving gives people the opportunity to “give back to the school which so many people are anxious to do,” Juster said.

Sophomores Deyanna DeJesus, Lacey Demeo, Abbie Whitley, and Maddie LeClair

Senior Juliana Hamel and sophomore Olivia Hamel

Senior Olivia Galluzzo

LHS alum Maddie Laudani

Lancer Spirit file photos

Sophomore Kendall Wilson is yet another past angel who will be donating her hair once again. She has already donated two times during the Day of Giving, but has donated elsewhere countless times, every time she cuts her hair.

Wilson found her motivation from her own life experiences with hydrocephalus, a condition in which fluid builds up in the brain and cannot be drained on its own, so she utilizes a surgically implanted tube as an external drain. Each time the drain bursts, Wilson must have another surgery, which requires her to completely shave her head.

“I remember having to cut my hair for every surgery when I was younger and for some kids it doesn’t grow back, but for me it did grow back so I felt like I should give back to them,” Wilson said.

Fighting with this condition has always been a part of Wilson’s life, so she knew she would donate every chance she had because it could be gone at any moment.

“It gives me a lot of anxiety because I never knew when the next time was going to be or when the next surgery could be,” Wilson said.

With this chance she has once again been granted o ot ph e the opportunity to cut her hair in January and give to l fi ri t Spi r e c others what they can’t have themselves.

La n “Lancer Lengths is about giving back to people and being comfortable with who you are,” Wilson said. “Everyone in their life has gone through hardships and a lot of people have been touched by cancer—there’s a certain type of people who take what’s wrong in their life and use it to make other peoples’ lives better.”

Ready to spread their wings, the angels of LHS prepare to cut their lengths so that there is at least one less woman out there who is no longer quite so flightless.

“The word ‘angels’ definitely motivates people. Everyone wants to be an angel,” Raza said.

Campaign information for donating hair

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Donate to Children with Hair Loss: Wigs with a donation of at least 8 inches go to adults and children.

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LHS students deck the halls with

Chr istmas

spirit

» Makenzie Gagne, Business Manager

Twas the week before the break, when all through the halls, Not a student was vaping, not a cloud in the stalls.

The grades on x2 were anything but fair, Not that it would matter, we’re just too tired to care.

The students were nestled all snug on their desks, While visions of homework kept them from rest.

All the teachers in sweaters and kids in their sweats, Not doing their homework but hedging their bets.

Photo captions and credits 1. LHS decorates the halls for the holiday season with a Christmas tree in the front lobby. Photo by Kait Bedell.

2. Junior Damon MaCleaoud poses with his family in front of their Christmas tree during the holiday season. Photo courtesy of Damon MaCleaoud 3. Senior Kelly Calawa poses at the tree farm as her and her family pick out their Christmas tree. Photo courtesy of Kelly Calawa.

4. The Calawa family went to the tree farm in Londonderry to the day after Thanksgiving to pick out their Christmas tree. Photo courtesy of Kelly Calawa.

5. Junior Hannah Paradis dressed in holiday clothes at a family party when she was a baby. Photo courtesy of Hannah Paradis.

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When out by the busses and all through main lot, Kids run rushing out of their spots.

Everyone racing to try and beat the light, While giving the crossing guards quite a great fright.

The day before break calls for excitement to quit, We wait through the pep rally watching all of its skits.

We see the teams dance and the band play songs, As we wonder why the assembly is taking so long.

The rest of the day we patiently wait, Thinking about how we’ll be sleeping in late.

We finish our tests without even trying, And try not to think about how our brains are frying.

“Now Sully! Now Sloper!

Now Parent and Smith!

On Sanborn! On Sampson On Willis and Rich!

To the end of the week!

To the end of the day!

Please get me through, get me through, Get me through the day!”

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Junior Hannah Paradis

“It means everyone getting together and family time. It’s not about the presents but it’s the time you spend with everyone.”

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Sophomore Zach Booth

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“Christmas to me means putting a smile on other people’s faces and making sure that everyone around is happy whether you are or not.”

Senior Kelly Calawa

“Christmas is my favorite time of year because I get to celebrate the birth of my savior which is really important to me and an important part of who I am.”

Freshman Lexi Small

“I love Christmas. I think it’s amazing. I love just hanging out with family and I like giving presents.

I just love doing that. I like buying presents for my family, for my friends and I just think that’s awesome.”

Junior Damon MaCleoud

“We hide a pickle in the tree and whoever finds it gets to open their present first.”

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Dogs Cats

vs.

“Kiera the cat likes to use Lucy the dog as a ‘launch pad.’ She’ll ‘parkour’ off the dog.

—District Electrician Brian Costigan

The battle of the beasts » Jacob Tonelli, Reporter Cats have always gotten an unusually bad rap among noncat owners, especially dog purists. I’m sure you’ve heard it all before from a snot-nosed kid; “Cats are boring,” “They don’t do anything,” “They’re so mean.”

In contrast, it’s dogs that get all the praise from children and families alike.

Dogs are supposedly the bees knees. Always up for a walk or a run, eternally loving and playful, and loyal until the very end. They’re perfect for humans in every way, so it would seem.

They’re just the superior pet! That’s what every movie, TV show and comic book seems to think, at least. No pure-hearted protagonist is complete without his loving dog, and every cartoon villain has a precious, white-as-snow cat to stroke while they laugh triumphantly at their evil master plan.

So why the bias? Why are dogs seen as bastions of all we hold good while cats are annoying trouble makers at best and the actual devil at worst? What makes dogs the “superior” pet, while cats are rancid little brats that should be left to feed on fish heads, specifically the ones with Xs in the eyes and the entire spine still attached?

“Baby (left) is cmpletely unfazed by having the camera shoved in her face, as she’s too entranced in her favorite pass time: staring out the window. Snoopy (right), who usually stands at the height of an average person’s hip, has decided a nap in the smaller dog’s bed is in order.”

—Senior Jacob Tonelli

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It’s because dogs exist just for us.

They weren’t always this way, though. Wolves are powerful creatures, natural born killers and are social beings from birth until death. They work well with creatures they trust, can recover much faster than a human, and will go out and collect their own food. Wouldn’t it be great to have one of those on your team?

Apparently someone 15,000 years ago thought so, and decided to make nice with these savage beasts.

Humanity basically grabbed the wolf by the neck and said “You’re ours now.” And by God did we make the wolf ours.

There’s a dog breed for anyone. Over 360, to be precise.

You want one that can keep your family safe? Grab a Great Dane. Your kids need a friend and you can’t be bothered to actually spend time with them? The Golden retriever is a time tested classic. Are you constantly busy and just don’t think you have time for a dog? Nonsense, bulldogs are super independent!

Dogs have been crafted, molded and refined for our modern world, having nearly every scrap of wolf DNA torn from them at birth, brought into this world for no other reason than making humans happy.

Cats meanwhile, they just shrunk.

Everything I just said about dogs goes out the window for cats. Cats are as independent as they come, mildly bossy and don’t have the same sense of loyalty as wolves. While pack loyalty and prides of wild cats are nothing unusual in the animal kingdom, the majority of wild cat species are known to just do their own thing. They hunt for themselves, sleep by themselves in the trees, and come and go at a moments notice. It wasn’t until humanity began to keep livestock and grow grain in the Fertile Crescent that the ancient African wild cats just sort of domesticated themselves.

They saw an abundance of rodents living in the places humans kept their food and saw their chance. Humans saw how these furry little monsters killed their pests, and how gosh darn cute they were, and thought to themselves, “Yeah, I’m okay with

this.” Cats hunted anything smaller than them; rodents that spoiled stores of grain, poisonous scorpions hiding in every blind spot and crevice, and snakes making their home in any pot they could find.

This made any home with a cat much safer, encouraging humans to keep the little creatures around. The Egyptians found them so helpful they started worshiping them! As pests became less and less of a problem, cats became cuter and cuter in order to keep living the easy life with humans, but also became less and less useful. Now, cats fill the same niche as dogs; being cute. Just with extra sass. Dogs and cats are the two go-to animals when looking for a pet, but from the very start they’ve been fundamentally different.

Humans found the dog, and humans were found by the cat.

Dogs were made just for humans, and many breeds just can’t function without being nurtured by one. Teacup pomeranians are cute, but wouldn’t last two minutes in the forest. Black labs make the goodest of boys, but a stray would get captured and thrown into the pound near instantly in the city. Dogs were little more than tools for early humans, and are little more than toys for the humans of today. This has created an incredibly needy beast, one that will desperately do anything to stay with humans. They will eat anything you give them, trust you with any action, and remain obedient no matter how viciously you beat them.

“Toby is my number one cuddle buddy and most loyal friend (he kind of thinks everyone is out to get mom so he is VERY protective). Dogs are the best because they really do make you feel better. If I am stressed, sad, or sick, Toby always finds a way to cuddle so close to me. There is also nothing better then coming home to someone who is so happy to see you!”

—Mrs. Gordon, social studies teacher

“Midnight used to walk my daughters to the bus when they were in school, and he’d be waiting for them at the end of the driveway when they returned home from school.”

—Ms. Giguere, English teacher

Teachers’ pets get A’s for cuteness Use this QR code to see more pet pics & stories.

Cats, on the other hand, don’t need us. They don’t need a human to be fed, they don’t need the attention, and they don’t need the love. But they want it. We rewarded wolves for doing what we wanted, and rewarded cats for doing what they already were. If you don’t feed a cat, they leave, if you hit a cat, they won’t hesitate to fight back, and if you don’t like a cat, they won’t like you.

The undying, pre-programed loyalty of a dog is certainly attractive. Just fuel it with dog chow and watch it love, no batteries required. The relationship with a cat, on the other hand, is much more symbiotic. Cats are cuddly, sweet and easygoing pets if you have the right mindset. They’re certainly not as automatically loving as dogs, and rarely listen to their owner’s commands. They just do their own thing, to put it simply. They’ve always just done their own thing, and humans happened to enjoy it. That’s not to say they’re unloving, not at all. It’s just not their purpose.

If a cat shows you love, that cat is going out of their way to give you love. Even if it’s just a gentle lick with their sandpaper tongues, or softly bashing their skull into your leg, that cat made a conscious choice to give you affection.

So think twice before calling a cat a spawn of Satan when it doesn’t respond to being called 50 times. You get out what you put in with cats. What you choose to put in is up to you, so don’t be surprised when you don’t get the results you want.

“Willow is very friendly and has a nice tail and very nice feet. I am not altogether sure she likes to wear holiday clothing.”

—Mr. Prince, School Counselor

“Her name is Princess Diesel Rosa-Blackburn.

Diesel (she goes by her middle name) doesn’t like hands.

Every time I go to pet her, she barks at my hands. She enjoys lounging in the sun and boat rides. She also has her own Instagram account where she posts selfies, mostly.”

—Mr. Rosa-Blackburn, Spanish teacher

“This is my yellow lab named Costello. This picture shows how handsome he is on a ‘clean’ day. He is known as the thief of the dog park because he likes to take people’s gloves, hats, leashes, doggie bags, etc. at the park. Everyone at the park is on guard when he is in “thief mode “ and they put their things in a basket on the fence out of his reach.”

—Ms. Bartlett, Spanish teacher

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» Audrey DeAngelis, Reporter » TJ Ruzicka, A&E Editor

2012

As the decade comes to a close, we high schoolers can look back on the songs that have shaped our teenage years. Each year brought a different, iconic playlist that has burned lyrics into our brains, ensuring we will be embarrassing our children when it plays on the radio in the years to come.

2010

“Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars With this one, Bruno Mars had every girl swooning over him, and every guy wishing they could be a 5’5”, R&B singer from Hawaii. Just vague enough to make every girl think the song was about her, but just personal enough to make it seem genuine, this track was a masterclass in love songs that still holds up today.

2011

“Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen Literally everyone knows this one. It’s the perfect pop song. There’s not a wasted note, the chorus is so memorable and the premise of the song is simple enough that anyone can relate to it. At the same time… it’s unbelievably annoying. Many of us just wanted this one to die in 2011, but call us Dr. Frankenstein because “it’s alive,” and will always be a prominent part of pop culture.

“Somebody That I Used To Know” The syntho-strings of the only Gotye song any of us know still plays in our minds today. The mellow melody had us swaying side-to-side in 2012, and maybe, ashamedly, still today.

Pair the song with that really weird music video we all watched a million times on Youtube, and you’ve got yourself a 2012 music classic.

2013

“Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus We all know the music video that went along with this one, featuring the wrecking ball that completely destroyed Miley Cyrus’s Disney Channel personality and a bit of our childhood in the process. But, when it comes to the actual song, “Wrecking Ball” was still a classic, no matter who performed it.

2014

“Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift As much as all of us yearn for the days of old country Taylor Swift, you have to admit, this song is a banger. After just one listen, we’re forgetting about those good old country days and embracing the new. Taylor Swift’s iconic vocals, paired with the upbeat tempo, make this song a fun, dance bop.

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2015

“7 Years” by Lukas Graham Lukas Graham took us on a journey through his childhood, so it’s only right that he was made a part of ours. Graham brought to life his hopes and dreams for his own future, making us think about what ours had in store. It not only connected with us, but made our mothers tear up thinking of their childhood and what they hoped for us in our lives.

2016

“Hotline Bling” by Drake Coming in as the sole rap song on our list, Drake made a banger with this one. Whether it be the “Call me on my cell phone” chorus, or the countless memes that spawned from the music video, “Hotline Bling” rightfully earned a nod onto our list.

2019

“Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus Rap or country? Who knows and who cares with this song. We love to hate it, but Lil Nas X won over our hearts with the easyto-remember chorus, country twang and the addition of Billy Ray Cyrus, Mason Ramsey, and other countless stars in all of its remixes.

To read about more songs that defined the decade, scan the QR code and check out the rest of the story.

2017

“Hard Times” by Paramore The hard times were over once Paramore released this one.

The humming xylophones open the song up, setting the mood for the tropical-feeling, pop-bop. Accompanied with killer instrumentation, and the iconic vocals to really hammer home its greatness, “Hard Times” is quite simply fantastic.

Photo captions and credits 1. Singer Justin Beiber performs at his concert in 2015. Fair Use photo by Melissa Rose.

2. Singer-songwriter taylor Swift performs one of her songs at a concert. Fair Use photo by Eva Rianldi.

3. Miley Cyrus sings during one of her holiday-themed concerts. Fair Use photo by Stejskal.

4. Singer-songwriter Bruno Mars performs one of his songs in concert. Fair Use photo by Brothers Le. 5. Korean pop artist Psy performs his hit song “Gangnam Style”. Fair Use photo by Gabbot.

6. Rap artist Drake tells stories about his life during an interview. Fair Use photo by The Come Up Show.

7. Carly Rae Jepsen performs her hit song “Call Me Maybe” in concert. Fair photo use by Brothers Le.

2018

“thank u, next” by Ariana Grande The queen finally made her comeback with this one. After yet another breakup scandal, Grande did not disappoint with the perfect release to stop the haters in their tracks. “thank u, next” stands out amongst her past songs, reviving her fanbase and sparking her rise back to the top.

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