The Lancer Spirit/Novembe

The Vaping Epidemic: Part 2 page 6

THE

LANCERSPIRIT

Volume 43 • Edition 2 • November 2019 • Londonderry High School

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CONTENTS

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Cover: Artwork with digital enhancement by Hailey Mosher

THE

LANCERSPIRIT

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Mission Statement

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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.

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November 2019

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EDITORIAL Editorials represent the opinion of The Lancer Spirit editorial board.

Would you like to share a comment on this editorial?

Scan this QR code to read it and comment on LSO.

Substitute teachers deserve a pay raise

Substitute teacher Gerry Gulezian can get more money rolling burritos at Chipotle than he can for being a sub in the classroom.

He’s in charge of children, not burritos, and yet he makes less as a substitute teacher at LHS than he would as a Chipotle worker, who makes $10.50 an hour.

Is that fair?

No, it’s not.

A man who has given 21 years of his life to this school should make more than a 15-year-old kid pushing carts at Market Basket or scanning items at Target.

Gerry (as his students lovingly call him), his wife Mrs. Gulezian, and Mr. Wagoner, to name a few subs in the district, care not only about our education, but our future, and ultimately put our happiness above the size of their paychecks.

Even though these subs aren’t actively going on strike or leaving the school district for better opportunities, that doesn’t mean they don’t want and deserve a change in their pay.

In fact, doesn’t their loyalty deserve appreciation? Subs like Gerry will show up no matter what, so we want to show up for them, too.

As of right now, LHS is one of the lowest-paying schools in the state for substitute teachers, with certified subs only receiving $65 a day. This averages out to about $9.28 an hour. Shockingly, this figure has not changed since 1989.

Yes, you read that correctly: 1989. That is 30 years without a raise.

In those 30 years, the minimum wage has gone from $3.35 to the current rate of $7.25 an hour. The U.S. Department of Labor raised minimum wage to account for inflation, so why hasn’t the Londonderry School district acknowledged it?

Also, the U.S. Inflation Calculator states that what cost $65 in 1989 would cost $134.59 in 2019. Never mind giving the subs a raise, just keeping up with inflation would mean that our subs should be earning a minimum of $134.59.

After all, people simply want to be fairly compensated for the jobs they do. Even teenagers want this. And the subs wants this too.

The difference between teens and the subs, however, is that the starting pay of the jobs we, the less experienced workforce, are receiving is usually $10.00 an hour or more.

How is it that fast food establishments pay their workers more than a substitute teacher is paid in the district?

It’s not only our district that’s struggling with this problem though. Admittedly, other districts are also finding it difficult to find subs. Members of the school board have said this is because of how well the economy is doing. There simply aren’t enough

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people to fill in the many spots that districts have open because people don’t need the work like they did during the recession.

But this isn’t a valid excuse for why the pay hasn’t been increased.

The Concord School District pays their subs $130 a day and Pinkerton pays $75. So if there are subs out there, wouldn’t they choose to go to one of these higher paying districts?

Shouldn’t the fact that subs like Gerry, Mrs. Gulezian, and Mr. Wagoner, who have remained here for years out of loyalty to the Lancer family, count for something?

We think it should.

With the lack of subs, the pressure is always on the teachers and office administrator Mrs. Carasquillo to cover classes when teachers are absent. Carasquillo wakes up at 4 a.m. every morning to coordinate teacher absences and schedule substitute teachers.

When no outside subs are available, Carasquillo spends much of her time coordinating with teachers, asking them to give up their lunch or prep period to cover a class. Each teacher receives $20 for each class period they cover. As stated before, subs make $65 a day. The cost of paying five different teachers to cover five class periods is $100. It actually costs the district more money to do it this way.

This begs the question: If the district is paying teachers $20 dollars a class, why are we paying substitutes less than half that amount? It makes sense certified teachers would make more than a substitute teacher would. We get that. But for them to be making less than a McDonald’s worker is just plain insulting.

Shouldn’t we be paying them a wage that shows them what they mean to us and to fairly compensate them for the job they do? Shouldn’t we be giving these hard-working, loyal individuals the respect and dignity they deserve?

The subs are not being greedy for wanting to be paid fairly.

After all, these substitutes aren’t here for the money. If they were, they wouldn’t be working in Londonderry. They’d go to Concord or Pinkerton or any of the other school districts in the state that pay more. No, they are here for the students, the staff and the district.

Together we’ve rallied behind our football team through the years of painful Mack Plaque defeats and triumphant victories. As a school we’ve marched along with the band as they’ve traveled around the world. We’ve been instilled with the philosophy that no child should be left behind, which has helped us achieve a 99% graduation rate. All in all, we are a pretty awesome school district.

Except in this one area.

It’s time we fix this and rally behind our subs. They deserve it.

After all, students in a classroom are a little more challenging to deal with than burritos are.

Th e Pol ar oi d » Josh Truesdale, FreeLancer

Zachary Park put one hand on top of the black mailbox as he

unlatched the door with the other. He removed the contents from the box and flipped through the many letters and subscription magazines as he made his way back towards his house. Typically, the majority of his mail was credit card bills and sports publications, but something was unusual. A tiny, bright red letter was on the bottom of the pile, almost slipping between his fingers and into the grass. Zachary caught it, and shoved it into his grasp with the rest of the junk.

Once inside, Zach tossed the pile of mail onto the kitchen table and snatched up the red letter, examining the envelope.

There was no return address, no delivery address, no stamp. The letter had been delivered by hand. After dismissing the idea that it was from the IRS, curiosity got the best of him and he tore it open along the fold. He shoved his hand into the envelope, feeling a glossy card between his fingers. He pulled it out and found himself to be looking at the back of a Polaroid photo.

He flipped it over and in a split second he threw it across the kitchen. It landed safely on the counter-top, facing upwards.

Zach collected himself, then made his way back to the Polaroid.

In the picture was something terrifying. It seemed to be a very tall humanoid figure, floating a good few feet above the forest ground. Its eyes were black voids, and its mouth was a sickly twisted frown. Long rags were loosely hanging from the demon’s arms and legs, and the parts of its body that were exposed were nothing but pale skin and bone. The photo was in black and white, only enhancing the shadows in the background. Zach cursed at himself silently for being such a baby, and threw the picture in the trash. The rest of his mail gave no more surprises, and he plopped down on his living room couch to relax.

Some time later, Zach found himself dozing off on the sofa as the sunlight slowly disappeared outside. He would drift off just slightly, then snap awake after only a split second.

It was during a particularly boring episode of a crime show that he decided to turn off the TV and retire to his room.

He groggily made his way along the hallway that ended with his bedroom, and threw himself onto his bed. Pulling up the covers to his chest, he yawned dramatically and gave in to fatigue.

Dark grey and white swirls filled his sleep, and he dreamt of them spinning around each other, eventually forming a square.

The next thing he could make out whilst unconscious was a trash bag, which opened before him, spilling its contents on the floor.

The face of the demon in the Polaroid was on top of the pile of garbage, and Zach snapped awake in a cold sweat.

The first thing he registered was the glossy card stock piece of paper in his right hand. The Polaroid. The second observation was his new location. He was no longer in his bedroom, but kneeling down on the kitchen floor in front of a pile of garbage.

He had been sleepwalking, and had dug out the photo while doing so.

“What the—” It was still dark outside, and the oven clock read 3:42 AM. He slid the photo across the floor away from him, and grabbed a broom and dustpan. Miserably sweeping the trash back into the bag, he constantly glanced back at the horrific image of the demon looking up at the ceiling. He used a paper towel to pick up the last piece of disposed chicken wings he had ordered the night before, and threw it in the trash bag. He picked up the bag and dropped it the wastebasket, leaving the top open to finally get rid of the Polaroid that still lay on his floor. He turned to it, and jumped backwards, slamming his head into the wall. The demon in the photo had turned its head and was now looking directly at him.

To finish “The Polaroid” and read the runner-up submission, scan this QR code.

First Place Winner of the Lancer Spirit’s 2019 October Writing Contest: Josh Truesdale Creative Writing

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VAPING EPIDEMIC PART 2 » Marissa McKay, Online Chief » Courtney Clark, Opinions Editor

News Commentary

At first, schools were just worried about minors bringing drug paraphernalia onto school grounds. But with the increasing number of deaths and illnesses linked to vaping, it has become way more than just consequences from the law.

Vaping is nothing new to Londonderry. It gained popularity a couple years ago and with the vast majority of teenagers attempting to use vape products, it became one of the main concerns for schools in our town.

With more than 1,000 cases of illnesses and 27 deaths linked to vaping, medical professionals are raising concerns and attempting to warn users. From commercials to articles, doctors are trying to show the dangers of vaping and if users don’t quit, the epidemic will continue to spread.

Just by looking at the statistics, it is clear to see that this outbreak will not stop unless the users do too. When I first started to write this article last month, I wrote in my first draft that there were eight deaths and 530 cases of illnesses. This means that in less than a month, the number of illnesses have almost doubled

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and deaths have tripled.

But luckily the news reports and informative commercials seem to be helping to get users to quit or cut down on the amount of times they vape in the course of a day. However, this still hasn’t affected everyone who vapes, especially if they are severely addicted.

To those who apply to that statement and don’t want to quit using vape products, it is highly recommended to at least fully inform yourself on the effects of vape before continuing to use them on a regular basis.

Everyone knows that addiction is hard to break. That’s why doctors don’t recommend quitting cold turkey. All they ask from users is to evaluate how often they vape and from there, slowly limit the amount of vape being used. Then, if possible, stop using the products entirely.

Though any amount of vape will cause a build-up of oil in the user’s lungs that create a pneumonia-like illness, any attempt to stop the use of vape products will be beneficial to the user. » continued on next page

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This past February, The Lancer Spirit covered the Vaping Epidemic and how it is affecting LHS. To read that story, scan the QR code to the right. In the current issue, we cover the recent developments in the harmful effects of e-cigarette use and how they have—or haven’t—shifted the perspectives of some of our students.

However, these recommendations do differ in regards to people who use vape products containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Because most deaths are linked to people who prefer vape products containing THC, doctors don’t want users to wean off of the product. They want them to stop immediately.

Unlike the recommendations for vape products with nicotine, people who vape THC (like dab pens) are told to stop entirely with little to no helpful cut back, though this is only

recommended until the causes of the deaths are figured out.

Since the amount of disease that is hospitalizing a vast majority of vape users is rapidly increasing every day, it is highly recommended by not only doctors but the government as well, to limit the use of these products or quit entirely. Though the cause of acute respiratory distress syndrome in vape products is still not certain, it is better to take the suggested precautions instead of risking the consequences.

From the voices of teens who vape Teens respond to the recent deaths and hospitalizations caused by vaping.

Names have been omitted to protect the privacy of sources.

Junior girl

Senior girl

“Hearing about the recent deaths has definitely made me slow down and think twice about vaping as much as I used to.

It’s scary. It’s hard to stop fully, because I have been doing it for a little bit, so I am just trying to slowly get out of it.”

“All of the recent vaping news has definitely made me think twice and pretty much stop all together using other people’s vapes, because it’s really scary, and I don’t want something as dumb as vaping to ruin my life.”

Senior boy

Junior girl

“I’ve heard about them, but I don’t think any of that stuff will happen to me. It scares me a little, but I think the people who it happens to just aren’t being safe. I’m never gonna quit though.”

Senior girl

“I’ve slowed down, but it doesn’t really scare me, because I don’t do it that much.”

Junior girl

“I don’t vape anymore, because of all the recent deaths. I haven’t used a Juul in months, and I’m happy about that.”

“I’ve heard about all the complications, but I just don’t care.

I don’t really care if I die, I really don’t. This is how I start my day, and I’m not gonna stop. If it kills me, at least I don’t have to go to class.”

Senior boy

“I’ve heard about the recent deaths surrounding vaping. They scare me a little bit, but not that much. I don’t think too much about it before vaping. I’ve slowed down a little bit recently, but it doesn’t really have anything to do with the news.”

Senior girl

“It’s kind of scary, but I don’t really vape daily, so it hasn’t really impacted anything.”

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New Life of a Lancer policy takes a restorative approach to substance abuse » Matt Palmer, Reporter For almost four decades, Londonderry has had one of the state’s strictest punishment policies for things like drug and alcohol abuse. In the past, if students broke the Life of a Lancer code, they would be suspended from co-curriculars and sports for 180 days, but as of the 2019-2020 school year, this has changed.

In the current policy, if a student breaks the Life of a Lancer code by using drugs, alcohol, nicotine, etc., that student will be suspended from any sport or co-curricular activity for 20 days and have to complete 10 hours of community service. (See infographic for the specific information on the policy.)

“We felt like the 180-day suspension was archaic,” said Mrs. Rich, assistant principal for House 3. “Originally, [the policy] was from about 1979, so it had been in place for a very long time, and it wasn’t really applicable to what is going on nowadays.”

In the past, according to Rich, there was a restorative policy for out-of-school offenses, but not one for in-school offenses.

“It didn’t really make sense,” Rich said. “That’s where we decided it was time to make a change. We ended up sort of meshing the two [policies] together.”

Rich said she was also concerned that the past policies, in terms of suspension for in-school offenses, were just too harsh. “[The previous policy] would, for lack of a better word, ‘annihilate’ the student,” Rich said.

In the new policy, however, consequences for in-school offenses include a 20-day suspension for a first time offense, which is the same as the out-of-school offense suspension.

For a student’s second offense, everything doubles. That means a 40-day suspension, 20 hours of community service, and that student must go through a substance abuse prevention course.

“I think they were right to make this change,” junior Isabella McCutcheon said. “We are high schoolers. It is unrealistic to

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expect us to never make a bad decision, and it’s unfair to have our entire high school career demolished over one mistake.”

With all these new rules and policies put in place, the real question is: Is it working?

“I would say [the policy] has gone fairly well,” Rich said. “We haven’t had a ton of infractions, which is awesome. We don’t want to have a ton of infractions.”

Ms. Sullivan, the assistant principal for House 4, said Life of a Lancer suspensions are “slightly down this year” in House 4, but she’s not sure yet of the full impact of the policy.

“I can only hope that kids think twice before making a poor decision that would break the contract and get them in trouble,” Sullivan said.

Yet, when a student does break the contract, the consequences have built-in second chances.

“We feel better appropriately addressing a situation and giving a punishment knowing that a student will have a chance to restore themselves in the same way that they were before,” Rich said.

Rich also said that it was really hard in the past years giving students suspensions for these types of offenses, which was telling students they can’t play any sports or be in any cocurricular activities for an entire year. But with this new restorative model, that will change.

Matt Jones, a senior on the football team, said that the old policy was “a little harsh,” and it penalized people in a disproportionate way compared to the severity of the offenses.

“The students have their high school experience ruined because of a simple mistake they made,” Jones said. “The new one is a lot better. It gives a chance to learn from their mistakes and hopefully never do it again.”

Rich said she also likes the change.

“When we see kids who take that opportunity to make themselves better people and make better decisions it makes that change well worth it,” Rich said.

Principal Mr. Parent also believes the change is a good one.

He said he didn’t think “a zero tolerance policy is as effective as this new [restorative] model.”

Even without the zero tolerance policy, McCutcheon doesn’t think a lot of kids will abuse the policy.

“I know people were scared of it before it changed and are still scared of it now,” McCutcheon said.

Another motive behind the new policy was the effects of the old policy on the offenders. The 180-day suspension from co-curricular and sports activities left the offenders with virtually nothing to do.

“We didn’t feel that there were a lot of healthy outlets for a student that had a 180-day suspension from activities,” Parent said. “If they didn’t go home, who knows what, where or what they were doing.”

Rich and Parent agree that the old policy took students away from a beneficial structure that would otherwise be in their lives if they weren’t suspended. This structure could be found in sports, clubs, theatre, music, or any other extra-curricular activities, but when it is taken away, the students are in a rough spot where they can’t access that same positive atmosphere. This negative environment can lead students down a dark path, increasing the chance of them abusing a substance once again.

“The concerns we, and a lot of high schools, have is that gateway drug use has been getting worse throughout the years,” Parent said. “So even as young as middle school and high school, you are seeing vaping with nicotine or marijuana, drinking, and the [illegal] usage of prescription medication.”

According to the Prescriber’s Letter, a resource base that pulls information from the CDC, FDA, and other organizations, nicotine e-cigarettes can contribute to affected cognitive brain function, memory loss, and attention loss in teens all the way up to adults in their mid-20’s.

“There is a progression of drug misuse and it starts with us [the high school environment], and can end in death,” Parent said.

“And that has been the biggest fear for us and a lot of schools.”

As Parent and the entirety of the school administration can attest to, all they want is for their students to learn, be good people, and to stay safe. But, unfortunately, some students and parents don’t really feel that way and believe that they are being targeted or being mistreated in these situations.

“I am big on accountability, I want people to take responsibility for their roles, actions, and decisions, but that is hard for them sometimes,” Parent said. “I try to share my perspective and convince them that I am in the ‘kid business,’ love students, and I want them to do well. I’m not going out looking for this. I don’t want to punish students, but I do want to hold them accountable.”

Consequences for violating the Life of a Lancer policy Past School Years • 180-day suspension from extra/co-curricular activities

• 20 day suspension from extra/co-curricular activities • 10 hours of community service • A meeting for the parents and the student with administrators • Drug prevention course

In-School Offenses

Out-of-School Offenses

2019-20 School Year • 20 day suspension from extra/co-curricular activities • 10 hours of community service • A meeting for the parents and the student with administrators

• 20 day suspension from extra/co-curricular activities • 10 hours of community service • A meeting for the parents and the student with administrators • Drug prevention course

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Community service club takes initiative to make a positive change » Matt Vogel, Reporter

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From volunteering at soup kitchens to hosting numerous clothing drives, the community service club is always working to improve the lives of those struggling in the town of Londonderry.

The community service club is advised by history teachers Mrs. Marzik and Mrs. Wakelin and meets every other Wednesday in room 621. All students can join the club at any point during the year, but must attend a minimum of six meetings and volunteer for at least eight hours to be counted as official members.

The main purpose of the group is to serve as a place for students to come together and participate in public service events. Whether these activities are volunteering at senior breakfasts or painting messages on the walls of the elementary schools, the club offers many volunteer opportunities that attract the attention of its members.

“The [club] board asks members nearly every week if they have any new ideas for fund-raisers or have heard about upcoming volunteer opportunities,” said senior Beau Spillane, the president of the group. “Anyone can have a role in what we do if they take the initiative.”

Spillane became the head of the organization after

Photo Captions

1. Members of the Community Service Club volunteer to help run the Heal the World yard sale.

2. A community service club member creates several boxes to collect donations for a sweatshirt drive.

3. Students in the Community Service Club make posters for the sweatshirt drive.

4. Community Service Club members volunteer at the Heal the World yard sale.

All photos courtesy of Jaime Aranzabal.

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winning the election at the end of last school year. The victory made him ecstatic, as Spillane saw it as extremely important to be granted the position.

“The club was deeply impactful in my life, and I wanted to make sure it continued running smoothly so that it could do the same for others,” Spillane said.

Spillane views the community service club as an entity that extends opportunity to the less fortunate. While the volunteer work he does may be a small deed, Spillane knows he is achieving his goal of spreading happiness and aid.

“When I donate to the Upper Room, I know I’m helping a struggling family get on its feet,” Spillane said. “When I volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club, I know I’m putting kids on the right path to lead successful lives.”

Spillane is able to confidently say that the group is causing positive change in Londonderry. Constant growth in membership proves that the work of the club is inspiring a rising number of students to get involved in helping the community.

“We’ve become a reputable group, and I’m very proud of this.

When people in and around town need volunteers they can trust, they look to us,” Spillane said.

The community service club has always received requests from institutions and organizations seeking volunteers, even when it initially began in 2010. As the years have passed, specific activities like volunteering at a Toys for Tots drive have become annual occurrences.

“We tend to do some of the same things every year,” Wakelin said. “Some things are kind of like our standards.”

From being the president of her high school’s key club to having membership in a co-ed service group throughout college, community service has always been an important component of Wakelin’s life. She sees the club as an outlet where she and students who are willing to put the time and effort in are able to give back to the community and make a difference around them.

“I hear stories of people in other countries who are really suffering, and I don’t know how to help them,” Wakelin said.

“I feel like if I can help people around me then I’m doing something.”

While some students may view membership in the community service club as a way to enhance the substance of their college transcripts, Wakelin hopes that participants wanting to get involved do so for the right reasons.

“I would hope that you would join something like [the club] because you really just want to help people,” Wakelin said.

While there are other clubs at LHS that focus largely on volunteer work, the community service club isn’t competing with these groups to have the most members. The main purpose is to get as many people involved in volunteer work as possible, with whatever group they can be a part of.

“Just get involved and help somebody who can’t help themselves,” Wakelin said.

How YOU can give back to your community:

Join the Community Service Club The club meets every other Wednesday in room 621. See Mrs. Wakelin or Mrs. Marzik with questions.

Donate Blood

Come donate blood at the LHS Student Council’s blood drive on Nov. 20.

Give joy with a toy

Community Service Club works with WMUR at their collection drive at the Manchester Wal-mart as well as Toys for Tots. Be sure to donate and give a child a gift for the holidays.

Help prepare baskets for those less fortunate

Join the Pay It Forward Club in helping to prepare Thanksgiving baskets for families in town.

Bring in a can

Bring in a non-perishable food item for the upcoming Student Council’s Can Drive.

Help decorate your class’s hallway during the holidays

Each group selects a charity to raise money for during the holiday season.

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Should teachers have a poetry unit every year?

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Yes, let’s not lose Langston Hughes » Eliana Patterson, Asst. Editor-in-Chief Essay after essay, we as students slave away writing thesis statements, trying to encapsulate the main idea of the book that we had just read in a few short sentences. We endlessly work on Noodletools trying to get the perfect works cited all the while wishing that our ten-page papers would be finished on time.

Just when we think we’re about to get another book to read or paper to write, we’re handed a poem. You breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the poetry unit is finally here, and you’re finally going to have a chance to show your true talents in writing.

Every year in English class a poetry unit is taught. For two weeks, students are not tied down by all the thesis papers, books, and literary articles that they are required to read. The poetry unit gives students the ability to work on skills such as interpreting, annotating, and discussing. And these are just some of the reasons why poetry should be taught every year in class.

In a curriculum where there’s very little room for interpreting books like Of Mice and Men and Night, poetry gives us the freedom to interpret words and stanzas, allowing us to find new meaning than what our neighbors might find. We are given the freedom to look at one single word and come up with our own opinions as to why that one word was picked. Poetry in class also gives students the ability to make their own inferences relating to the piece.

For example, in Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken,” there is no right analysis of the work. Frost wrote it in an

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ambiguous style allowing the reader to fill in the gaps themselves.

Most people analyze the poem based on their own experiences in life, and no two analyses are going to be the same.

In terms of writing poetry, the sky’s the limit. We’re no longer constricted by any MLA formatting rules or proper punctuation.

We have the freedom and the ability to write as we please, as long as it makes sense to us, the writers. If I was to write a poem with five stanzas, and each stanza had no periods or punctuation marks that would be fine to do. Because in poetry there are no restrictions or rules to limit your own creative style.

Now some people don’t agree with the idea that poetry should be a unit in their English classes. Some people think that it’s a waste of academic time that could be better used to learn techniques that will help them succeed in the future. Others don’t agree with the poetry unit because they think it’s unfair in how the unit is graded and taught.

When analyzing poetry in some classes, it’s either the teacher’s way or the highway when it comes to what a poem’s meaning is. Some teachers won’t share the same opinions that you share and because of this, they might mark you off a few points.

But this rarely happens because even though a poem might have a meaning that you didn’t get, you usually get points for attempting to understand it.

To make poetry better for everyone in the class, it should be stated at the beginning of the unit that you won’t be graded on how well you analyze a piece of work. Grading poetry should be based on how much effort you put into the piece you read, write and analyze. When you write a poem you shouldn’t be graded on if the teacher understood the message you were trying to write about. You should be graded on your creativity and if you wrote a good poem.

The poetry unit in class is one that’s not like others. It allows students to get in touch with their creative side and lets them experience non-restricted writing. Overall, the unit teaches students how to become better analyzers, thinkers, and writers.

Without it, where would we be?

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-Counterpoint

No, Robert Frost should be tossed » Courtney Clark, Opinions Editor Spending hours annotating yet another poem. Taking tests that are unreasonably graded and have no way to study for. Creating poems with basically no guidelines so you don’t understand the criteria. These are all reasons why poetry should not be taught every year in English classes.

Though it may not cross students’ minds, when looking back on past English classes, each year features the same struggles.

Nearly every year, a poetry unit interrupts class discussion of books, essay topics, or other lessons for an entire week. This means that practically every year there are five days in which teachers deem their analysis of a variety of poems as correct, and everything else as wrong. Of course, this can damage grades just because a teacher disagrees with an opinion, which is all an annotation of a poem really is.

This is one of the main reasons that makes me dread the poetry unit every year because I don’t understand why a style of writing, which is supposed to allow freedom, has many limitations put onto it when taught in a class.

For example, if a poem shows the struggles of a woman throughout her life, not everyone will interpret the same reflection of her inner thoughts. So if a teacher sees the curtains of her bedroom being closed as her distancing herself from the world, and I see it as the darkness she feels during the hard time she is facing, it doesn’t mean either one of us is wrong. It just means we interpreted the author’s words differently.

Not only is the grading of annotations unfair during poetry units, but with the creation of poetry too.

At the end of every week-long poetry unit, the class is typically told to create a poem of their own. Starting even back in middle school, the criteria for an assignment is always virtually the same. Extremely vague, but harshly graded.

After creating a poem which you wrote keeping in mind symbolism, flow, and story progression, you may think you created an “A” worthy poem. But if your teacher doesn’t catch the symbolism and different styles you attempted to incorporate into your piece, that “A” may turn into a grade that will negatively impact your overall average.

Going back to the example used before, say you wrote that poem for an assignment. And say you did write the curtains into your story as a reflection of the loneliness she feels, but your teacher just sees them as curtains. Now you may end up with a zero in that category of the rubric just because your creative thoughts weren’t blatantly stated due to an artistic choice.

Artwork by Olivia DeWinkeleer So, if poetry is to continue being taught in the future years of English classes, there are a few things that should change.

Examples are that teachers shouldn’t be as harsh when grading and let their students express their opinions as well as writing freely. During this unit, there should also be either no tests, or tests should be graded based off of effort and the ability to defend their thoughts on the poem since poetry is very fluid.

If poetry was taught like this, and wasn’t as repetitive year to year, I would have no problem with a unit or poetry being incorporated in a lesson. It’s just when annotations become so meticulous and based off of accuracy, as well as poetry you wrote being graded without explanations, is where it can become frustrating.

Overall, it’s not that I just don’t like poetry, but the style in which it’s taught. I understand that lessons may differ from teacher to teacher, but in the five years that I have had a poetry unit in my English classes, I found them to be redundant and restricting. Meaning either the teaching style of the poetry unit should change, or it should not be taught every year in class just to interrupt other lessons and frustrate students.

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How the unified family supports athletes’ families

By joining the team, these athletes have not only affected their own lives, but the lives of their families as well. » Olivia Windisch, Reporter

Photo by Mrs. Tebbetts

The Unified soccer team stands together just before the game against Con-val. Since it was Con-val’s senior night, the other team presented Londonderry’s seniors with roses.

When Junior Cam Therrien started high school, he sat alone at his lunch table. However, after becoming a part of the Unified program (an inclusive sports program that unites Special Olympics athletes and student helpers as teammates for training and competition), he found himself sitting with a new group of loving and accepting friends.

“It brings tears to my eyes every time I try to explain to others what the Unified program has done for my kids and for our family,” Unified parent Nick Therrien said.

Lisa and Nick Therrien are parents to two children in the LHS Unified program. Their kids participate in all three Unified sports offered: soccer, basketball, and track.

Photo by Olivia Windisch

Cam and Cody Therrien’s family came out to support them at their senior night game at Lancer Park.

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“Unified has been a Godsend for our family,” Lisa Therrien said. “I love everything about the program.”

Having both children, Cam and Cody, in the Unified program, the Therriens have been greatly impacted by the positivity and acceptance that it provides for their children. Cam and Cody were both shy coming into high school, but Unified helped them grow and come out of their shells.

“These benefits are what every parent wants for their children, no matter the endeavor they choose to pursue,” Nick Therrien said. “But as a parent, the most important factor I feel Unified brings is the ability for our athletes to fail. Probably not what you expected to hear. Truth is, all of us become better versions of ourselves when we bounce back from failures and teach ourselves to ‘fail forward.’”

Along with the acceptance Unified provides for families, it also gives parents an opportunity to teach their children important life lessons and exposes them to a variety of unforgettable experiences.

“Failure is not final,” Nick Therrien said. “In fact, success only comes from overcoming our failures. Not giving up. It’s a life lesson that’s often difficult to teach when our athletes are not always given the same opportunities as others.”

At first the Therriens’ kids were shy and weren’t sure if they wanted to join.

Scan this QR code to get to LSO for another article on Unified.

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The team’s atmosphere and support is amazing.

—Michelle Morani

“We went to a few of the basketball games his freshman year, and after seeing how much fun they were having he decided to try track and fell in love,” Lisa Therrien said. “Neither one of my boys has missed a sport since the first one they tried.”

The games give families an opportunity to spend time together and give parents an opportunity to show support for their children. The Unified program at LHS has a very special bond that stays with the members beyond practice and games.

Michelle Morani, mother to senior athlete Brandon Morani, describes Unified dances as “a perfect example” of how Unified unites athletes and gives them equal chances to participate in school events.

“His social engagement has grown, he’s definitely a lot more

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popular and known among the broader student population,” Michelle Morani said. “It’s instilled a sense of accomplishment and he looks forward to it. The team atmosphere and support is amazing. He’s lost his voice a few times too because of his cheering.”

The opportunities that the program provides for the children gives them an equal chance to socialize and participate in school activities.

Unified does many amazing things for the athletes, parents, helpers, and the overall community.

“The best part of Unified is the bonds, friendships and shared pride,” Morani said. “It not only boosts their confidence, but having ‘typical’ kids integrated gives them a chance to model positive behaviors, and best of all, they all learn from each other.

Colleen Ellis also has a special connection to the Unified Program. She has a son that has gone through the program as an athlete, as well as three children that went through as helpers. As time goes on, members graduate and new people join, but one thing that is guaranteed when you become a member, you will always be a part of Londonderry High School’s Unified family.

“Unified means so much to our whole family,” Ellis said. “We could never give back as much as we got out of the program.”

Photo by Kathy Batchelor

The Unified soccer team circles up to do a team cheer before their game versus Exeter.

After every game, I'm given opportunities to discuss my boys' successes and the challenges they overcame.

—Nick Therrien Features

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Photo by Kathy Batchelor

Brandon Morani leads an encouraging cheer for his teammates on the field.

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Family, team and love, that’s all there is to it.

—Julie Boyle

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The season has changed, It’s time to fall into new ways » Jazz Conde, Lifestyle Editor The leaves have started changing and the temperatures have been getting much cooler: the best season of the year has arrived.

Now I don’t know about you, but fall is definitely my most anticipated event of the year (yes, I said event). There are so many things going on through the month of November that it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that fall is one of the most beloved seasons.

Get out of the house, plan a scenic trip up north

While the weather may not always be on your side during the fall season, a road trip during this time of year calls for a beautiful afternoon. One amazing thing about living in New England is that we simply have to walk outside in order to see the myriad of different colored leaves.

Think of packing some delicious foods, such as (but definitely not limited to) a fruits and dip tray, sandwiches that you cut the crust off of just to make it look cute for Instagram, any junk food to ever exist, and probably some ice cream (that one’s definitely a strong suggestion).

Pick a spot up north—a quick Google search should help you find a very scenic location—you can make it a day for yourself or take someone along with you to enjoy the day (sharing your food is optional).

Not only do we get to enjoy the last two months of fall and all the thrill[er] it brings, the weather starts to get colder, and we get to pull out all those amazing outfits that have been locked away for the last year.

Just because summer is long gone doesn’t mean we have to stop enjoying our lives. If you’re unsure of how to move forward this season, keep reading for some fun-filled ideas.

Make a play list: of all your favorite fall jams

For some odd reason, the music I listen to throughout the season is constantly changing. I feel like all the songs I listen to bring on a different mood for me, therefore I must listen to music that matches that mood.

For example, during the fall season, I always find myself listening to more mellow music. My music taste for fall consists of a variety of different artists, such as Rex Orange County and Frank Sinatra. It’s a big difference, I know, but their music happens to be very soothing in different ways.

While we all have a different taste in music, it never hurts to take a few minutes and make a play-list to match your mood— trust me, it definitely helps with the fall blues.

Go camping

One thing that I love to do is go camping whenever I get the chance. I camp so often that my mother finally bought a fifteen person tent just for me and my brother.

While you may not be a camping fanatic like myself, camping is a fun experience that everyone should attempt at least once. It’s as simple as setting a tent up right in your backyard, and maybe inviting a friend to spend the night. If you don’t have a tent, head on over to Wal-mart and you should be able to find yourself a small tent for $25.

There’s plenty of activities that you can enjoy throughout your night, such as stargazing, setting up a bonfire, telling scary stories, etc. If you do decide to tent out in your backyard, make sure to dress warm and take a lot of blankets with you, as it may be a bit chilly.

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Photo by Jazz Conde

Records from the Beatles to the Beach Boys are perfect for any day in the fall season.

Use this QR code to get to the apple crisp and pumpkin pie recipes recipe on LSO

Bake fall themed desserts

I have two words for you: apple crisp.

If you’ve never had this amazing sweet, then shame on you. If I’m being honest here, the only reason I know it’s fall is because I wake up to the smell of apple crisp once every few weeks.

Apple crisp is perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and it’s a very easy recipe. And if you enjoy baking, try making a pumpkin pie.

Now, I’ve never made a pumpkin pie myself, but I know that they taste like heaven on Earth. What better time to bake them than now? Pumpkins are in season; it’ll make the pie taste all the better. [Check out LSO for these two recipes. See QR Code]

Make a bonfire

One good thing about the weather cooling down is the fact that you can start up a small fire outside to sit by.

During summer, sitting by the fire is brutal, considering that you are already sweating from the outdoor heat. Now that the temperatures are well below 70 degrees, it’s the best time to get cozy by an outdoor fire.

Whether you feel like gathering a group of friends together or just unwinding with your family, a bonfire is the perfect way to end a crisp fall night.

If you’re feeling extra ambitious, make sure to grab some s’mores supplies to satisfy your sweet tooth. Take the night for yourself and reminisce of a less stressful time in your life.

Photo by Jazz Conde

A warm apple crisp or pumpkin pie is a delicious way to get into the fall spirit.

Fall into a pile of leaves

There are plenty of activities to fill your fall season with excitement, and hopefully these ideas will get your mind thinking. When you try out these simple activities, you may find that you’ll be starting up some new fall traditions.

Photo by Jazz Conde

A bonfire will be sure to warm you up on a chilly fall afternoon.

Use this QR code to get to LSO where you can find out about more fun fall activities you can do.

Let’s face it. The only downside of fall is the fact that we’re going to have to do a lot of yard work. It’s almost that time again when our parents push us out the door, and we spend the next three hours raking the leaves in our yard (even though we have a leaf blower).

On the bright side, you have an opportunity to relive your childhood. I bet after you get those leaves into a nice neat pile, your mind automatically says, “What if I just jumped into those leaves?”

Let’s be real, you have to jump into those leaves—it’s your only option. Never mind that you’re going to have to rake them again, live a little!

Even if there are some activities on here that may not appeal to you, a quick search online could help get those ideas flowing. Feel free to take a peek on LSO for more fall activities, and you just may find that fall is your favorite season after all.

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How four students bu

The struggle is real: » Lilly Tharrington, Reporter With honors classes, sports, clubs, and everything in between, high school can sometimes feel like a never ending to-do list. However, the rushing around and jam packed schedules isn’t always a bad thing.

That being said, it isn’t always easy. Making time

for a social life, a job, and whatever else you need to do that isn’t school-related isn’t an easy gig.

Hear from these class officers, club members, and athletes on how they manage their stressful, crazy, lives and love every minute of it.

Senior Kerry Daley

Clubs: 2020 Class President, NHS Vice President, Project Lancer, Mu Alpha Theta, Latin and Spanish honors societies, Spanish club, Green Council, Math team Sports: varsity cross country, indoor track and outdoor track

Senior Abbie Ellis

Clubs: Math Team, NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, Project Lancer, Green Council, and Athletic Leadership Council Sports: varsity soccer and Unified Track

Junior Nikki Longua

Clubs: SAC board member, 2021 Activities Coordinator, NHS, Spanish National honors society Sports: fall/winter cheer and spring track

Senior Pete Misiaszek

Clubs: Math Team, Student Council, 2020 Class Secretary, NHS Secretary, Project Lancer Activities Coordinator, Student Activities, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Green Council, and Athletic Leadership Council Sports: varsity soccer captain, Unified Track and Field

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ts busy schedule Find out how four LHS students balance their busy schedules What is it like to be so involved?

Daley: Being involved maximizes my high school experience.

There isn’t any other way I’d rather be spending my time than doing what I love to do everyday.

Ellis: I love being involved, it keeps me busy and is very fulfilling.

Longua: I am always very busy, but I love being a part of something bigger and getting the opportunity to give back to my community.

Misiaszek: [Being involved] gives me a sense of fulfillment and makes me feel like I am a big part of something. Contributing to various activities gives me a sense of pride because I can see the progress I make and [that] the club makes as a whole.

What would your daily routine throughout the week consist of?

Daley: I always wake up at 5:30 in the morning. I like to do homework when I wake up, sometimes, or I like to meditate. I start getting ready by 6:30 A.M. and leave by 7. I have 8 straight classes from 7:20 A.M. to 2:14 P.M. I have practice around 3 o’clock, so I try and take advantage of the time I have in between school and practice to go to clubs. Practice ends at 5 pm, and then I go home. Once I get home, it’s grind time, homework time.

I usually go to bed pretty late.

Ellis: I have five class periods a day, a meeting after school, and then a soccer practice or game afterwards. Sometimes I’ll try and watch other sports games if I can.

Longua: I wake up and go to school. During off periods, I try to get done as much homework as I can. On most days, I’m after school for a club meeting or extra help. Then I have cheer practice for about 2-3 hours. After [practice], I go home and finish my homework.

Misiaszek: I get up, get ready, and go to school. I stay the whole day because I almost always have a club or commitment every day after school.

After my meetings are over, I’ll go home and try to get some rest before practice. I have about an hour to sit down, eat a snack, listen to some music, or watch television.

Then, I go to practice. After practice is over I come home, eat dinner, shower, and do my homework. I usually finish around 10 P.M. I go to bed after [my homework] and prepare to do it all again the next day.

How do you feel throughout the week? How do you cope with all of the emotions you have?

Daley: Sometimes it’s a lot, but what I do, at the end of the day, makes me happy. I actually don’t get too stressed that often, but when I do, I meditate and work on building my mental wellness.

Ellis: Some weeks are better than others as far as stress goes.

I usually use Sundays to just chill and get stuff done, so I’m ready for the week Longua: I have a lot of things on my mind because there’s a lot to get done; it can be stressful sometimes. But, I love going to cheer practice and seeing all my friends; this relieves my stress and makes me happy. I love cheerleading and getting to see my friends for a few hours before getting back to work.

Misiaszek: It’s definitely very stressful, and by the end of the week, very tiring. But, it’s also very rewarding, I love what I do.

To cope with the stress, I have at least one day during the week to focus on what I want to do; usually it’s Saturdays. I’ll hang out with friends or family, watch television, or just do anything to relax.

What tips and tricks do you have to help get through the week?

Daley: Talk to your close friends and family when you are feeling stressed, they will help you. Also, take little naps whenever you can, they help ease your stress and take fatigue away. Also, try and keep your nutrition up, it’ll leave you feeling good.

Ellis: I would say to make the time count and not to feel like you have to get things done when you are feeling stressed. Always go in for extra help and get things done when you need to during your free periods. Your free periods are the best time of day to accomplish what needs to be done, that’s when I feel the most productive.

Longua: My biggest tips would probably be to try and take advantage of your free periods, to get your work done before you get home, then you won’t have to worry about it later. I also think you should always find time throughout the day to relax and have some fun, whether it’s at practice, after-school clubs, or relaxing at home.

Misiaszek: Never be afraid to ask for help. Whenever you are struggling, or are super busy and stressed, always talk to someone or ask for help.

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