2023-24 MOR Issue 1

See page 34 for

Mouth of the River

Publication of Oyster River High School

Cover art by Miruna Dospinescu

“Conflicting Confidence”

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Music Honor Society pg. 4

On-Call-Counselors pg. 6

Law in Order pg. 7

ORHS Photography pg. 14

Perron is Carin’ pg. 17

Balancing Act pg. 18

Dariia pg. 20

Beyond the Cut pg. 22

The Rise of Pickleball pg. 24

Apple vs. Android pg. 25

Revitalizing Reserve pg. 26

Concerts pg. 28

Opinion

Dear Readers,

Born Bloodthirsty pg. 30

Freshman EPW pg. 33

Confidence pg. 34

ChatGPT pg. 36

We are so excited you’ve decided to pick up this year’s first issue of Mouth of the River! This quarter, MOR has been busy covering fall sports, exploring opinions, and discovering their voices on staff.

The cover is inspired by Hannah Klarov’s feature article, “Conflicting Confidence,” which dives into the misconception that quiet people are inherently unconfident. The artwork was done by junior artist Miruna Dospinescu. The front depicts a girl struggling between who she is and how she wants to be perceived by others. After reading this story, we hope your perspective on confidence might shift, alongside the shift in that girl, newly depicted on the back. Now, she poses for a picture, full of confidence.

This issue contains a range of articles, from Kevin Kell’s op-ed arguing freshmen should have more options to fulfill the EPW requirement, to James Li’s coverage of the new Criminal Law elective. Our staff also spent time getting to know recent additions to the ORHS staff through mini-profiles and Delaney Nadeau’s feature, “Perron is Carin’,” on ORHS’ new assistant principal. If you want more, check out our website, mor.news, to read more about events happening in our community!

Thank you to our wonderful sponsors who allow us to cover the stories we care about! You make MOR possible, and we are beyond grateful for your support. If you’re interested in becoming a sponsor for our upcoming issue, reach out to mor@orcsd.org. If you’re an ORHS student who’s not on staff, but are interested in having your voice heard, scan the QR code on the flyers posted in the hallway.

Catch you for the next issue,

Mia Boyd and Abby Owens

Meet the Staff

Curated by Maeve Hickok

Byline Photos by Micah Bessette

Mia Boyd is one of our co-editors in chief and very own segue queen. Not like the twowheeled vehicle, but an excellent topic transitioner. She keeps us focused but considers herself a slotted wooded spoon, because she can be forgetful, and things fall through the cracks. I would argue and say that she drains out all the unwanted items and only keeps the good stuff, classic Mia.

Abby Owens is our very own co-editor in chief. You’ll likely see her peeling around similar to her favorite kitchen utensil, the potato peeler, #irish. AO is an exceptional journalist and is evidently anti-ChatGPT, but I’m not, so this blurb was created with the help of AI.

Abby Owens (she/her) (‘24)

Co-Editor in Chief

Mia Boyd (she/her) (‘24)

Co-Editor in Chief

Micah Bessette is a multi-media extraordinaire, taking good flicks and writing ‘bout pics. He is known for his magic behind the lens but also has many hot takes, one of which being that sporks should be the ultimate replacement for the common forks and spoons.

Maeve Hickok is our newbie Business Manager who always manages to keep us on our toes. She initially identified most with a turkey baster before quickly realizing she couldn’t be summed up in one single utensil. In fact, she is the whole kitchen. She holds all the knowledge of the universe, not soaking things up like the baster since she already knows everything there is to know.

Hannah Klarov is our layout editor and would be a spatula. You know Hannah, always flipping flapjacks. She also is an android user, which is the reason the group chat can’t have a name. I forgive her though because of her cool style; how can I be mad at her when she’s wearing cool pants? Hannah also loves butterflies.

James Li is a shocking returnee to the staff, since everyone assumed he would be taking over for Mr. Kelly after taking him down. “Jamie-wamie” is a self-proclaimed “boring person” and therefore identified with the spoon. Wait until Hazel hears about that one. James is a man of many talents and manages to juggle his workload quite well, making him an excellent addition to the paper.

Kevin Kell (or should I say kevy-wevy) is the serious lad who handles all things pertaining to social media and our website. Go follow @mormagazine, self-promo moment. Not only can Kevin handle social media he also can handle a fork, the kitchen utensil he identifies most with. Kevin’s quite a tool, a very versatile one.

Delaney Nadeau is pronounced (nay-doe). Don’t get it twisted. Delaney is our pasta loving news editor and unsurprisingly identifies with the ladle. You never know how important a ladle is until you’re without one. You can’t spell ladle without Dela, which is almost all the letters in Delaney.

Micah Bessette (he/him) (‘24) Multimedia Editor

Maeve Hickok (she/her) (‘24) Buisness Manager

Kevin Kell (he/him) (‘25) Social Media & Website Manager

Hannah Klarov (she/her) (‘25) Layout Editor

James Li (he/him) (‘24) Sports & Culture Editor

Delaney Nadeau (she/her) (‘24) News Editor

Amelia Rury is always cooking up a good story, or should I say baking. She identifies most with the sponge, her reasoning being that “you’d be surprised how much water I can hold.” I would argue the sponge is not truly a kitchen utensil. When confronted, Amelia stands by her original statement and tells all the haters (me) that kitchen utensils are relative. Word.

Hazel Stasko is not only a returning staff member but is a super-fast runner. If you happen to pass by Hazel (which is rare because of her speed) you might catch her petting her cat, Ben, or reading a book. She’s multifaceted just like the spoon which she most connects with. The spoon can handle a multitude of foods:, soups, pasta, you name it. Hazel is not just any spoon, she’s a little spoon. Because little is better.

Mairtin Sweetman makes plays both on and off the court as our opinion editor, but in my opinion the utensil he identifies with is overrated. He connects with the spork but he won me over when he said the type of spork with the knife on the side. As some might say, Mairtin’s a sharp guy.

Mouth of the River Mission Statement

Mouth of the River seeks to reliably inform the student body, as well as the surrounding community, of interesting and newsworthy content in a modern, compelling format. Our goal as a staff is to give voice to the students of Oyster River, and have it heard by all our students. The opinions expressed in Mouth of the River represent those of the writers and staff.

Hazel Stasko (she/her) (‘24) Creative Manager

Martin Sweetman (he/him) (‘25) Opnion Editor

Amelia Rury (she/her) (‘25) Features Editor

Music Honor Society

TheTri-MMusicHonorSocietyLogo

Many have heard of the National Honor Society (NHS). Everyone’s either in it or constantly hearing their friends complain about it. This may be the most popular, but there are many honor societies around the high school, including a new one this year.

This year, the Oyster River High School (ORHS) music department is starting a chapter of the Tri-M music honor society. This society will allow passionate musicians from around the school to take part in developing the music program and get credit while doing it.

ORHS, explains a major benefit of joining the honor society. “It allows us to all come together and kind of learn from each other, even though we don’t sit in the same classroom or ensemble.”

The ORHS music department is divided into en sembles: orchestra, band, guitar, and chorus. Each of these ensembles rarely get the opportunity to inter act, and this honor society would give many mem bers a chance. During monthly meetings, members from all the different groups would be able to collab orate on ideas with each other to develop the music

“It allows us to all come together and kind of learn from each other, even though we don’t sit in the same class room or ensemble.”

This new honor society is an exciting endeavor for musicians around ORHS. Will Blandini (‘24), a student in the band who plans to attend the Berklee College of Music, is excited about the opportunities it will bring, “If it means I’m doing more music stuff, that’s what I want to do.”

Anyone who joins will be doing plenty more music stuff. Andrea von Oeyen, the orchestra director at

department.

Blandini is excited about the idea of bringing all different types of musicians together because it will spark new ideas and develop creativity within the department. “I feel like bringing musicians closer to gether within Oyster River is an excellent idea.”

This idea started years ago, when the music di rectors tried to start a chapter of the honor society.

Right before Covid, Marc LaForce, the band director, collaborated with a student to start this society, and it almost worked. Lack of interest and limited resources due to remote learning caused the project to be put on the backburner, until now.

The process for establishing the honor society was relatively simple. All the directors had to do was sub-

events could ensue. These could include things like an induction ceremony performance by the members, a halftime show for a sports game, and a dinner ceremony with live music.

Any achievement takes work, and being part of any honor society requires some sort of service hours. The cool thing about the Tri-M honor society

“I feel like bringing musicians closer together within Oyster River is an excellent idea.”

is that the service revolves around music, like playing during a community dinner, organizing sheet music, or performing for any public event. Von Oeyen mentions how the service aspect will open many opportunities for members.

A lot goes into being a part of the music honor society, so what do members get out of joining? According to von Oeyen, students can develop many of their responsibilities like organization, community

LaForce thinks that joining is “a good opportunity to gain some leadership skills. […] It’s a good feather to have in your cap, and it speaks intrinsically to

Von Oeyen also mentioned how students will be able to do what they want with it and make the organization their own. “I think that we will give a lot of ownership to kids in this music honor society,” she

Another huge benefit of joining any honor society is getting a fun ribbon at graduation! Von Oeyen was excited to mention that the music honor society

The music department and student musicians of ORHS are all excited to see where this honor society might lead. Everyone is hopeful to see a future of events, performances, and community. Kickstarting the music honor society could spark development for the ORHS music department in the coming

- Micah Bessette

Changes to ORHS On-Call Counselors

This year, it was announced that instead of having one counselor on call for the duration of the school day, all counselors will be available for students in need of that “on-call” help. If their assigned counselor is in a meeting, students now have the option of either waiting to meet with them or meeting with one of the other counselors who is available.

With these observations, Shannon Caron, Oyster River High School (ORHS) Director of Counseling and the ORHS Counseling Department made a drastic change to the dayto-day of their department. The traditional on-call counselor system was designed so the on-call counselor rotated daily. Counselors took turns blocking off their whole day to be available for student’s needs; be it scheduling, mental health, or a multitude of other things. Now, students can meet with their own counselors for those on-call needs regardless of the date.

Students used to end up seeing a different person every day. Counselors would be sure to update each student’s assigned counselor after an on-call meeting, but due to confidentiality policies, they weren’t updating everyone in the department. “[Mental health concerns] then became longer sessions because there wasn’t that history,” shared Caron.

With the new system, Caron said she hopes that the issues of different counselors knowing different amounts of information will be minimized. This will hopefully lead to students getting more beneficial help, because they can try different techniques and are able to check in on how those are working with the person who suggested it, more directly.

Faculty and students alike are adjusting to what things in the counseling department now look like. When a student enters the counseling department and asks Mrs. Ficker if they can talk to their counselor, rather than going to whichever counselor was blocked off for the day, she goes straight to that student’s assigned counselor to check their availability.

Jason Baker, one of the counselors, shared his thoughts about the new system, saying, “at any given point, any given day last year, a student would come in and had a 25% chance of getting their counselor. If anything, now, they probably

have a higher chance of getting their [assigned] counselor.”

Baker recognized that as a good thing and discussed how it’s impacted counselors’ day to day positively. He added that “it’s back to the old days where you plan your day and what you need to get done. Some days you get to do it and other days you don’t because of course responding to a student’s need is the most important thing.”

When Caron went about making this change, she wanted students to be able to have access to one of the counselors faster, give students chances to build relationships with their assigned counselor, and make it as easy as possible for students to go in and get the help they need.

Marlise Hyde (‘24) likes being able to meet with her own counselor explaining, “I’ve had to meet with other counselors, and they just don’t understand my situation and it’s kind of awkward because I have to re-explain everything to them, but when I get to meet with my own counselor, she knows what’s up.”

Other students aren’t sure what they think of this adjustment yet but are interested to see how it plays out. Henry Strawbridge (‘24) has his doubts about the program as he knows that students often have quick questions about things like SAT’s, ASVAB’s, and other academic or career related subjects that anyone in the department can likely answer and doesn’t feel that students need to wait for their own counselor in those scenarios. This is feedback that Caron is looking to hear so that she, and the rest of the counseling department, can continue to tweak the system so it best serves the students.

Hyde, while a fan of the program so far, can see how it may have its downsides, “I could also see [the program] being detrimental because if you have a meeting with your counselor set up and then someone comes in and they have to meet with them that screws up your [meeting].”

Overall, Caron thinks the program is working well and is interested to see what will come from it as the year goes on. She welcomes feedback – from anyone – as she continues to improve the counseling department on a student-focused mission.

- Delaney Nadeau

Law in Order

Have you ever wondered what happens when you’re incarcerated, but don’t want to test it yourself? The new class at Oyster River High School (ORHS) gives students a view into the world of law.

Criminal Law and Justice in America is a semester long course with suggested prerequisites of U.S. History and Citizen Education. According to the program of studies, students will learn about justice, police procedure, criminology, trial procedure, correctional systems, and juvenile justice. After a survey reported a considerable amount of student interest, Criminal Law was added this year to the program of studies. Because this class is new, teachers are more reliant on student input, allowing for more creativity and classes oriented toward student interests.

Because it is the first time this class has been run, social studies teacher Scott McGrath lets his students decide what topics they want to learn about. “We kind of make it up as we go – that sounds bad, but it’s Mr. McGrath’s first time teaching the class, so he’s kind of constructing the curriculum as we go. He gave us a very general syllabus, but it is student led, which I appreciate.” Said Rory Flynn (‘24), who’s currently taking Criminal Law.

During the first unit, which is an introduction into different approaches to justice, students made posters* discussing various problems in the criminal justice system. However, the lenient structure of the class allows students to explore a concept more thoroughly, as long as it relates to the general topic, something Flynn is taking advantage of. “I’m doing it all about exonerations. We looked into a ton of different cases where people were wrongfully convicted based on different problems like wrongful confessions or forced confessions, stuff like that.”

Many students taking the class, including Flynn, plan to go further in this social science field. “In an ideal world, I want to go to law school. I figured that’s as close to the curriculum as I’m going to experience in high school,” he said.

However, you don’t necessarily need to be interested in becoming a lawyer or attorney to take this class. “I think if you’re interested in understanding how a big part of our country works, or if you’ve seen a court case and have ques-

tions about why things happen the way they did, I think this class would be really important and beneficial for you to take,” said Hayden Spires (‘24). Spires is looking to get involved in social work in the future, and she believes taking this class will help educate her in the field.

The idea of running a new class came to McGrath when he noticed that many students in his Sociology class were interested in diving deeper into the Crime and Punishment unit. After suggesting this idea to his peers, Criminal Law was put on a survey of new classes to be added, which came back with positive results. Out of 230 students who responded to the survey, 143 showed interest for Criminal Law. This year, 45 students signed up for Criminal Law as their primary social studies course.

After receiving this positive feedback, McGrath worked with other teachers in the social studies department to write up the curriculum for Criminal Law; most notably Matt Pappas, who this year moved to the middle school. “I sat down for a little bit, wrote down some of the stuff that I wanted to create, did some investigating and some research – found out what other high schools were teaching it, what topics they taught, just to get a flavor of what should be in the class and what shouldn’t be,” said Pappas.

Moreover, Pappas and other social studies teachers wanted to make sure that the content in Criminal law didn’t overlap with other classes covering similar subjects, like Cit Ed and Sociology. “I wrote the competencies, and Mr. Cangello looked at it as well. We both taught Cit Ed class together. We wanted to make sure that it wasn’t a duplication of that class: It was taking what you learn there and going deeper into a lot of the issues,” said Pappas.

More specifically, the Criminal Law course will expand on the amendment unit in Cit Ed, and talk more about “elements of the law, and how law is processed in our lives,” he explains.

In the future, the class may contain guest speakers, field trips to different law-oriented places like the Rockingham County jail, and mock trials as well. Although these haven’t been fully ironed out, students are excited to see what else this class brings.

- James Li

Who’s That Teacher?

When walking around Oyster River High School (ORHS), you might’ve seen some new faces. Whether it be coaching basketball, para-educating, being a cool social studies teacher, and letting students use 3D printers, Mouth of the River is highlighting some of the new teachers through mini-profiles. To read more about Brianna Arsenault and Eden Suoth, go to pages 10 and 11 .

Even after working on a farm, Chris Quirke still wanted to be a history teacher. “[History] was my favorite class in school from the very beginning. My family thinks about history a lot; we have a more history focus,” he said. But why teaching? Quirke has always looked up to his “cool” social studies teachers in middle school, and since 6th grade, he has made that his dream.

Quirke’s affinity for history is also shown in his teaching, says Greg Caron (‘25), who is in Quirke’s Cit Ed class. “He has a creative way of teaching and gives a wealth of knowledge on the subject. He’s getting kids moving around for history, which is better than sitting down and listening to somebody yap.”

Interestingly, Quirke attended an agricultural high school, where he had jobs like milking cows, baling hay, harvesting crops, and more. “[Working on a farm] was really pivotal in me becoming me. The agriculture community where I grew up was really strong, and that had a positive influence on my work ethic, on my identity, how I look at the world, and my perspective,” he said. After a year of interning at Portsmouth, he is excited to be the cool social studies teacher at Oyster River.

“In another world, I would have gone into game design,” said Oliver Philbrick. Philbrick, an Oyster River alumnus, is the new computer science teacher, replacing Cathi Stetson. Throughout his life, Philbrick said he loved making things, whether it be through video editing, Lego stop-motion, or game development, which got him really invested in computer science. “Most of it was just the drive to make things, and computers were a tool I had at my disposal to do that.”

In the classroom, Philbrick is a resilient teacher, which students like about him. “I like that he really knows what he’s teaching, and even if people are being disruptive or not doing the right thing, he can get them back on track,” says Niko Turell (‘26).

One thing Philbrick really loved about Oyster River is the support he received to follow his dream of being able to create things, leading him to encourage other students to find their passions as well. “At Oyster River specifically, I felt like there was good support for creativity – I think it’s a brilliant way to learn,” said Philbrick. Since moving in, he’s set up 3D printers and other items available for tinkering, which he hopes encourages students to explore their interests. “That’s kind of what I valued when I was a student here and that’s really what I want to provide.”

When Victoria Sickler first met new Exercise Physiology and Wellness (EPW) teacher Nick MacGregor, her first about him were “down to earth, relaxed, enjoys what he does in teaching, and truly wants to teach kids.”

MacGregor grew up in the seacoast region, where his love for physical activity was very present in his life. “I’m very active and can’t really sit still for too long. I like to be moving,” he said. “I was always interested in physical education, and I also love basketball and coaching as well. I knew I’d be available to do both of them as a teacher, so that was a big draw for me.”

After a six-year stint at Merrimack Valley High School, MacGregor is filling in for the recently retired EPW teacher Don Maynard. “I’ve had a really positive experience so far, and it’s been a pleasure working with Mr. Morin and Mrs. Sickler as well and getting integrated into that team,” he said.

Additionally, MacGregor gets to do what influenced him to become an EPW teacher. “I have plans to be one of the basketball coaches this year […] I worked with [Lewis Atkins] during the summer, so I’ve gotten to meet some of the guys and coach them up a little bit already. It’s going to be a nice opportunity.”

As a child, paraeducator Jackie Casey never thought about being a teacher. Although her parents were both principals, she never thought about working with students. “I kind of said my whole life, ‘no way I’m not going to be a teacher,’ or ‘I’m not going to like it,’” she said.

However, after majoring in Business at UNH, she couldn’t stand working in the field. “I had gotten a business job right out of college, and I really, really hated it. So, I was like, ‘I don’t know, I’ll work at a school and see what happens,’ but I ended up loving it,” said Casey.

She started her para-education career teaching at Spaulding, Rochester, and Exeter high schools, but is rapidly assimilating to Oyster River culture. “I love the smaller school, and I love the advisories. I feel like it’s nice to be able to really get to know a group of kids and see them often,” she says.

Additionally, her experience working at other schools reflects well on fellow paraeducators, like Cam Calato. “She came here with experience, like she knew how to do the job from day one. It just makes everything easier and fit better,” he says.

Apart from school duties, Casey also waitresses at Cartels. “It’s a little pizza place in Dover, and I’ve been there since high school, which is a little embarrassing.”

Although these new teachers have a lot to get used to at ORHS, they also have a lot to look forward to, as Arsenault put it best. “I’m really excited to connect with my advisory and all my students and see them grow from freshman to senior year and watch them graduate.”

- James Li

Salutations Suoth

Having fresh ideas and perspectives has always been a goal of the social studies department, and Eden Suoth is the perfect example.

Suoth currently teaches World Cultures and Citizenship Education classes at Oyster River High School (ORHS) but has a variety of other experiences that go beyond the district. He is a young new teacher, making him relatable and understanding of students.

Suoth takes the time to understand how his students learn best and aims to make these classes as inviting as possible. “I think that school is tortuous enough, and if to any extent I can make it not that terrible, I think that I’m successful,” said Suoth.

“He was friendly and very open with us, that’s one of the first things we all got from him… I think that having a teacher like that makes students feel

more comfortable asking questions and asking for help,” said Eleanora Gelsey-Drees (’27), a student in one of Suoth’s World Cultures classes. From just her first impression him, Gelsey-Drees found Suoth to have a more personal relationship with students than her other teachers.

One example is how inviting he makes his classroom feel. “I love how he plays music when we’re walking into class,” said Chloe Hatfield (’25). “It feels like a chill environment.” He also makes his class very engaging by keeping that more personal approach. “I feel like some teachers just go on long tangents… but he is engaging. Sometimes teachers are talking at you, but he talks with you,” said Hatfield.

Suoth is always interested in what he teaches and wants to ensure that every student gets the most out of his class. “I just remember going through high school and learning pretty incredible things, but it was kind of taught to me in the most boring way possible.” Now, his goal is allowing students to love learning as much as he does. “I just want to help folks realize that the things we learn in school are important, and they can be taught in a way that is kind of interesting and relevant to your life,” he said.

Nate Grove, another social studies teacher here at ORHS, has been assigned as Suoth’s mentor as he becomes acclimated to this school district. “I just think Mr. Suoth is an incredibly interesting person with a variety of experiences that go beyond the Oyster River bubble, and that is one thing that as a department we’re really interested in,” said Grove.

Suoth’s passion for philosophy, as well as his hands-on experience learning about history in Indonesia, contribute to his teaching style and what makes him such an engaging teacher. “It’s more discussion based than memorization based. He really teaches you how to critically think,” said Gelsey-Drees.

While attending college at UNH, Suoth had the opportunity to study in Indonesia for a year on a grant, researching a genocide that occurred in 1965. This experience opened his eyes to lesser-known history, as well as helping him realize what he wants to be like as a social studies teacher.

“I think a lot of the times in social studies history is taught through great names… a lot of history doesn’t capture the struggles from the people working together on the ground, outside of the realms of government,” said Suoth. “That’s helped me gain a different perspective on how history can be taught.”

During the rest of his time at UNH, Suoth studied mechanical engineering, and ended up graduating with a degree in philosophy and math. Suoth’s plan after UNH was to get his PhD in philosophy and eventually become a professor. Suoth had always wanted to be a teacher, but he said, “I took a very roundabout way of doing it. I had to explore all the things that I actually didn’t like before I settled into what I actually did like.”

He did, however, have several teaching experiences prior to coming to Oyster River. At UNH, Suoth was a teaching assistant to an undergraduate logic class and business ethics class. He taught at Spaulding High School for three years, teaching Junior English as well as Freshman Literacy Seminar: a class for freshmen to improve their reading level. Suoth’s experience at Spaulding is what

changed his decision to become a professor.

Suoth’s main reason for switching paths was the fact that he would need to get his PhD, which he decided against. “A lot of my life had been within a school, and I really just felt the urge to get out there,” said Suoth. But he realized that as much as he wanted to get himself out into the world and get a job, he also enjoyed school and learning, just from a different point of view than where he had been for most of his life. Teaching at a high school became the best of both worlds for him.

While Suoth is still a new teacher, it is clear that he has already made an impact and will continue to be loved by his students. “He brings this incredible positive energy and spirit for learning and working with people, and building a community,” said Grove, who is confident in Suoth’s future success as a teacher here in the Oyster River district. “Mr. Suoth is going to be a tremendous asset to the Oyster River communities, never mind just the department.”

- Anna Klein

Arsenault: Through the District

When you come home from a long day of school and start the ever-growing pile of homework on your desk, do you ever realize your economics teacher is rushing home to do the same thing?

Brianna Arsenault has taught in the Oyster River Cooperative School District (ORCSD) for three years, now at Oyster River High School (ORHS). She is currently teaching personal finance, intro to Adobe, and economics. She’s facing substantial changes from working with students at Moharimet and Oyster River Middle School, however she is handling it well as she also balances graduate school. Her views on teaching are shifting as she faces different age levels of students with different responsibilities and levels of engagement.

Arsenault is not only settling in at this new school, but she is also completing her Master of Education at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). Teaching and simultaneously taking classes is something

many would struggle to do. Arsenault’s ability to manage multiple responsibilities adds relatability to her students, who are also crushed with a large workload most nights. “She just says really relatable things, like ‘I stayed up until 12 o’clock writing this paper,’” says Mia Boyd (‘24), a senior in economics. Not only does she teach, she also connects with and understands the students.

Arsenault discovered her love for teaching during covid while working as a fourth grade classroom assistant in Raymond, NH. This job opportunity has led her down a teaching path to the ORCSD.

Even though Arsenault had spent the start of her teaching career with younger kids, she has fit right into the environment at the high school. Arsenault went to college for business, graduating from UNH during the peak of covid, where unfortunately her senior year was online. Her previous teaching related experiences include being a TA for a macro-

economics class and working with kids at a summer camp.

With this being her first year teaching at the high school, she has taken a lot of inspiration from her younger grade level classes and pulls material from them. “[The activities] make the class much more approachable, because econ can be a big, more mathematical space,” said Eliza Buck (’24), a senior in Arsenault’s economics class.

Like her middle and elementary school classes, she sets the vibe by playing music and turning on her salt lamp. “I like to keep a chill environment.” While the subjects in high school economics don’t translate to the classes for younger grades, she uses similar get to know you activities and tricks to keep the class quiet.

High schoolers need more to engage them, whereas younger students fully enjoyed what was being taught. “Those kids are still excited about life.” Arsenault says.

One of Arsenault’s changes has been dealing with distractions, since her younger students don’t have the same addictive struggles with their phones. “You have to be very, very engaging to get [the students] off their phones,” says Arsenault. The exciting activities work to keep students engaged, and she continues to find more ways to keep the classroom an intriguing space.

“I really like being creative,” said Arsenault. Instead of just sitting at a desk, she has students walk around the classroom and converse, and uses whiteboards to encourage more participation.

When a student answers in class, Arsenault passes out a “business buck” as a form of extra credit.

“It’s been interesting to see how she has changed so much as a teacher from the beginning of the year to now,” said Boyd. Many of Arsenault’s students have already seen some differences in her teaching style as she adapts to teaching high schoolers. Boyd notices that Arsenault has started to become more assertive, not letting the highschoolers get away with as many things and becoming more confident in her teaching.

Adam Lacasse, another economics teacher and the mentor of Arsenault, describes her as “highly motivated, which you can’t really … teach people.” He goes on to say that Arsenault is ambitious, smart, and funny, and that he is beyond excited to get to work with her. As her mentor, Lacasse is responsible for helping her settle into the economics world at ORHS.

Lacasse meets with Arsenault frequently to see how she is doing with her classes and to answer any questions she may have. “If I need help with something I can go to him… I know that he is willing to help,” says Arsenault.

“I’m actually really looking forward to seeing what she comes up with,” said Lacasse. During the second semester, Arsenault will teach another class of economics, along with marketing and Adobe. Lacasse is confident that their relationship will become less of a mentorship and more of a combined team, as they will be able to collaborate on many things. Right now, he is making sure she is comfortable at ORHS and adapting well.

The positive reviews for Arsenault don’t come just from her mentor. Her students have nothing to say other than compliments. “She has a very positive energy; she brings a positive vibe to the school,” shared Buck.

Sydney Haines (‘25), is taking Arsenault’s economics class and said that “I look forward to the class” even though she doesn’t enjoy the subject itself. Arsenault transforms the class into something exciting for everyone.

Arsenault could have directed her career to the business world, but she’s loving her time at ORHS. For the near future, she says that “this is the plan.”

- Rose Goldsmith

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The Photographers of ORHS

As someone who has been taking photography for five years, I’ve always been interested in capturing the beauty of the world and sharing it with others, and I often ask myself why I take photography. What am I getting out of it? I’ve discovered there are a few reasons I do it. It’s a wonderful feeling being able to capture the world from new, unseen angles. When I find a new way to take a photo, I want to share it with everyone because it feels so great. I also like doing it for memories. It’s always nice being able to look back on that hiking trip or that family vacation, and these photos are mento of the past. The main reason I became a photographer is just because it’s fun.

Many students around Oyster River High School (ORHS) have taken up photography, igniting a passion that might just stick around forever. Hettie Haudenschield, one of the photography teachers at ORHS, agrees. “When a [student] really goes all in, you know that it’s going to be there for life. That is one thing that they can enjoy for the rest of their life, no matter how old they get, if they’re rich or poor. Whatever happens in their life, if they connect with an art form, it’s theirs forever.”

Maya

Maya Grainger (‘24) has been a photographer for seven years. In that time, she has learned the ins and outs of cameras, and has taken pictures of everything from waterfalls to senior sports. Grainger’s passion sparked during a camp many years ago. “We got those disposable cameras. So, we went and walked around the town just taking pictures of stop signs or stuff like that.”

After this summer camp, Grainger started taking pictures more and more. “I taught myself with resources online, figuring out the manual settings from online infographics, and just experimenting.”

Since her first camera, she’s gotten good at controlling different settings for different styles of photos. “I’m definitely focused more on nature photography because I like traveling and being able to capture places because then I can look back on it and it’s like I’m there again.”

Although she prefers nature, she’s tried many genres. “I really like waterfalls, lighthouses, and mountains. Those are probably my top [subjects], but I’ve also dabbled in sports photography and portraits.”

Grainger recently started an Instagram where she posts senior portraits, sports, and nature photography. You can find her at @maya.g.photography

Gabi

Lily Fitzgerald (‘24), a photographer who specializes in sports, started photography around three years ago. Her interest first started when she began taking artistic pictures on her phone. After taking the photography class at ORHS, she started thinking about investing in a digital camera.

At that time, she was also inspired by photographers at sports games, and wanted to try her hand at sports photography. “I think what made me want to invest in [a camera] was that I wanted to start taking photos, and be more involved in the sports, so I was like, ‘in order to do that obviously I have to get my own camera.’”

Before falling in love with action photos, she liked to capture the natural world. “I started off with nature photography. I would just sit outside my house and take pictures of the birds or even my pets, but it’s definitely formed into sports since I took pictures for the lacrosse team last year.”

Fitzgerald has been considering how she can incorporate her love of photography into her future. “I do want to have photography in my future, but I don’t really know how. I’m taking a forensics class right now, and there’s always a photographer for the investigations; that really spiked my interest.”

You can find her photography on Instagram at @flicks. lil, where she posts sports, and occasionally portraits.

Gabi Selig (‘25) has been taking pictures for most of her life. Both her dad and grandfather were always into photography, and she inherited her interest from them. At a young age she had access to some of her dad’s equipment and was able to develop her skills from there. “I’ve always been surrounded by it.”

While taking a photography class at UNH, Selig realized one of the reasons she loves taking pictures. “When you go to take a picture, you could just take a picture of something, but you could take it from so many different angles and perspectives, and you can get a totally new picture by just adjusting where you are.”

Selig has experimented with many different angles and styles and likes to try out new things. In the past she’s taken photos of food, nature, and people, and recently she’s been getting into taking pictures for sports teams and events. Her favorite subject to get pictures of is dogs. There are many reasons to be interested in photography, and Selig likes it because of the mindset it gets her in. “I take pictures because it helps me get out of my head. […] I can be in the moment and I feel more connected to people.

You can find Selig’s sports photos on Instagram at @gabis_pics_

Ana Figueiredo (‘25) has taken some photography in the past, but only started getting into it around a year ago, after taking the photography class at ORHS. “I used to take pictures here and there, but never [consistently] like I do now.

This year, she’s become passionate about taking pictures for our school’s sports teams. At first, she was skeptical of whether her photos would be appreciated by the teams, but the positive affirmations she’s received have excited her to keep taking sports photos. “Especially after I posted some pictures online, I’ve had some people come up to me asking if I can go to some of their games to take pictures. […] I’m so happy that people actually like it.”

Aside from sports, Figueiredo likes to take close up shots of things to be able to see all the little details. “I love taking close ups of eyes. I used to take a bunch of those when I was in the photography [class] last year. I love getting the pupils. It’s so cool.”

She’s learned a lot from taking sports pictures, and the biggest thing she’s figured out is that confidence is key. “Sometimes you’re scared people are going to judge you on the side of the gym taking pictures, but in reality, literally nobody cares that you’re there and the people playing the game will be so grateful for you taking pictures.”

In the future, Figueiredo hopes to maintain her hobby as a creative outlet. “I can definitely see myself doing it, not as a serious thing, but as a fun hobby.”

You can find her sports pictures on Instagram at @inactionwithana

- Micah Bessette

Advice from the Photographers

“Just keep taking pictures. I mean that’s all you can really do. That’s how you grow, you just keep taking pictures and showing up.” -Fitzgerald

“Just start doing it for fun. Don’t even post it until you’ve figured it out and you can experiment without having people see what those photos look like because everyone’s first photos don’t look as good because you don’t understand the concepts of lighting and composition.” -Grainger

“Put yourself out there and don’t care about what people say.” -Figueiredo

“If you’re interested, go for it. You don’t have anything to lose.” -Selig

“You can have the worst equipment, but if you have a good eye, you can take a picture anywhere.”

-Haudenschield

Perron is Carin’

Who is Mrs. Perron? Oyster River High School students’ first thought of the new assistant principal Kristen Perron might be her shoe game, or her dance moves when directing traffic at the end of the day, or the dreaded parking emails. But what else is there?

I first met Perron when she met with students in the library as one of two finalists for the Assistant Principal job, and I knew she would be a great addition to the ORHS community. Noe’s first impression was “energetic, positive, and fun,” and I have to agree.

Perron was the unanimous choice among all the hiring committees. Her major talking points were connecting with students, taking care of students’ mental health, and helping create and maintain a fun environment. I’ve since interacted with her on a handful of occasions and each time she’s been nothing short of positive and welcoming. From the second she opened the door to let me into her office, I could immediately tell what a fun interview this was about to be.

She has a whiteboard outside of her office with markers, as well as post-its, for people to leave notes with questions, comments, or concerns. Her office is full of pictures, plants, her parking vest, and the door is almost always open. She has an infectious smile that makes you want to get to know her and have a meaningful conversation.

felt like I could be me and was very comfortable,” Perron reflected.

Administrators have the tough job of both disciplining students but also fostering connections with them, and that’s something that seems to be a priority for Perron She loves her shoes, be it her Nike Dunks or various heels (which I hear she’s quite fast in). She’s a big basketball fan and is always down for a three-point contest. She loves to try different things especially outside, highlighting wake boarding, snowmobiling, and four-wheeling. Not only are these things important to Perron for who she is, but she also feels that they give her a chance to connect with students over things they’re also passionate about.

Perron tries to spend as much time out and about around the school every day as she can in order to connect with students. When she has to meet with a student for any sort of disciplinary (so far that’s often been parking) action she tries to connect with them first over music, sports, or something they seem passionate about. She also tries to connect with students outside of school.

Both Perron and principal Rebecca Noe were quick to bring up Perron’s take on traffic duty. “She’s out there. She’s dancing. Kids are playing music really high and she’s just having a good time with it,” Noe said.

Perron is loving getting to know the community by attending sporting events and as the year goes on she looks forward to attending class fundraisers, concerts, dances, and other school-sanctioned events. She’s loved going to events and encourages students to invite her to things saying, “you tell me the date and time and I’ll be there.”

Perron has been in the world of education for nearly 15 years, starting as an English teacher at Pinkerton Academy (PA) (alongside another familiar ORHS administrator!) for 12-13 years. Perron then began her administrative journey with a one-year “internship” at PA before spending two years as a dean at Salem High School. Oyster River came with a stellar reputation that Perron has found to be true, noting that the community believes in each student and really lives by that, “not just talking the talk, but walking the walk.”

Perron comes from bigger schools and one of her favorite things so far has been getting to know students, faculty, and even parents on a more personal level. “It’s been very easy to adapt and get into the swing of things from day one. I

“So far she seems pretty chill,” shared Mason Kasprzak (‘24). Kasprzak and his friends were discussing Perron during lunch as some of them had never really interacted with her while others had only had brief interactions but overall, they seem impressed with ORHS’s new admin hire.

It’s still super early in Perron’s time at ORHS but so far students have begun to interact with her and get to know her.

Perron hopes that students will take time to introduce themselves to her saying, “my goal is to by, if not the end of semester one, definitely by the end of the year, be able to look at my students and say their name.” So, to the roughly 425 of you with last names A-K be sure to introduce yourself, even if it’s just a quick hi in the hallways!

- Delaney Nadeau

The Balancing Act

“I would have been annoyed with myself if I was Ms. Sekera with the amount of times I went to go visit her,” said Max Quinn (’24), after substantially editing his senior year schedule during the first ten days of the school year. He dropped five classes and added three during this time, ranging from Intro to Adobe to AP Physics.

When selecting courses during the end of the previous school year, students are largely allowed freedom, rising juniors and seniors even more so. Although during the start of the new term, there is significant commotion surrounding switching classes. With this newfound academic freedom, students can find a benefit in being able to create an ideal situation for their school year.

Oyster River High School (ORHS) follows a policy during the start of each school year where students have five full days of attendance in each class period to add classes to their schedule, as well as five weeks to drop a class without penalty on their transcript. During the current blue/white day schedule, the time to add classes stretches over the first ten days of school.

While it’s important for students to be able to take time to attend and get a feel for a class, the length of this adding period can cause its own set of problems. During this

window, students miss anywhere from 80 to 400 minutes of class time, stretched over 3 weeks.

“For at least the first three days of school, there were lines out the counseling door, and I think the impact of that is good, to allow students to attend the class, see the syllabus, hear from the teacher what they’re going to be learning, get a sense of the pace and expectations of the course,” Shannon Caron, head of counseling, said.

Sometimes, attending the class isn’t even necessary to know these changes should be made. “I tried to drop it over the summer, but the meetings never lined up because of their time at school. So, on the first day, I got it done,” Erinn Doherty (’25) said.

It isn’t always as simple as going to the counselor on the first day of school and immediately getting switched. Ainsley Beaupre (’25) found that more communication with her counselor was important and made a meeting or sent an email almost daily to check availability in certain classes.

“The classes I really wanted to take had some senior priority, and so I didn’t get into any of them. So, I despised my schedule,” Beaupre said. This is one of the more common reasons for switching classes, especially when elective seats are hard to come by after registration has closed. These lim-

ited availability classes fill the seats first with older students, who have been waiting longer for access to the spot. Someone in Beaupre’s position may have to wait for the opportunity to open up if another student drops the class in the fall.

Electives, which are mostly selected based on personal preference, are common for students to want to change after being able to test out the classroom environment. “In some classes, I just didn’t feel like I would be enjoying my time in

with them during flex, and even go to math lab.”

In certain instances, the desire to switch one class may cause more readjustment than the student anticipated. Counselors often have to act as though they’re solving logic puzzles to balance out a student’s need for their schedule. They might be placed into other sections of a class, during a different time or with a different teacher.

“Multiple classes change… so there’s a delay also in some

“I despised my schedule.”

there.” Quinn said.

Heather Machanoff, a counselor, noticed a common issue that contributes to changes in elective scheduling. “When we are creating the schedule, we say ‘ok, they couldn’t get into art, but they said they’d be interested in basic wood… so we put it in and students inevitably come down and say ‘I never signed up for basic wood.’ You did, but had it as a backup,’” Machanoff said.

When completing course registration during the previous year, some students put more thought in than others, especially surrounding their backup courses. Counselors try to stress this during their class presentations and individual student meetings, but they’ve always had to make readjustments the following year.

Art teacher Maria Rosi recognizes that this may not be the case for those with more specific paths they want to follow. She said, “I think in some instances, students signed up for the electives they knew would be a good fit. When a student decides to take an art course, if it’s not what they need to graduate… not many kids leave that course. Nobody has left my Drawing and Painting Two course, nobody has left Advanced Studio Art.”

In classes that fall outside of the elective model, like a math class or a lab science, there may be fewer fluctuations, but more of an effect on the student’s learning experience when there is a readjustment. ORHS teachers strive to make sure every student feels comfortable in their classes as soon as possible. Math teacher Erica Cooke said, “When they come in at the end of the drop period, they’re two weeks into the class. So, we try to get them caught up, and meet

of that just getting into a routine by having that add window. But again, it also helps practice flexibility, adaptability, and self-advocacy,” Caron said. She thinks students can grow all of these skills by figuring out how to create balanced schedules that work for personal needs or preferences.

All teachers have individual ideas surrounding the fluctuation of their classes, but there’s also adjustments they need to make during this period. “It holds me back a little bit from taking out complicated supplies or getting into major things,” Rosi said.

Advanced placement classes (APs) are another type that comes up in conversation about scheduling readjustments. For students who have never taken one, the immediate introduction to a more intense courseload may seem a little too overwhelming. AP Physics teacher Jim Thibault said, “I think some students signed up for it thinking that, this might be good, I’ll give it a try, and some of them decide, ok, I’ll stick with this. And then some would say, well, this is even more difficult than I was anticipating, and choose to drop.”

Counselors and teachers alike are devoted to helping students, to create the most enjoyable, while productive, year. Even though the counseling offices are flooded during the first window of school, they’ll still make it a priority to make sure each student feels their needs are being met.

Your counselor is there to support you. Their priority is to ensure that your schedule can best support you too.

A Conversation With Dariia

As I write this article it is now day 576 of the War in Ukraine.

There is a morbid fascination, almost romanticized in American culture, about war in a far-off country. I assumed within this interview I would gain a better understanding of the tragedy of the Ukraine war. The war, however, is a less defining feature in Dariia’s life and personality. I was captivated by her passion for soccer and music, drawn in by her laughter as opposed to her shift in tonality when referring to the war.

Dariia Konashuk, (‘26) a current sophomore, is originally from Holovne, Ukraine, and came to America at the start of the 2022 school year. She has built a community here in Durham similar to the connections she made in Ukraine. Approachable and spirited in the way she presents herself followed her from Ukraine and allowed her to make instant connections.

announced, “Girls Soccer?” At the time of the question Dariia said she had only been speaking English for a few weeks. Soccer was the first thing Dariia became involved in at Oyster River, and when I asked about her experiences playing soccer in Ukraine, Dariia’s response gave me goosebumps.

“I really liked soccer, but we didn’t have a team. So one year I decided that I really wanted a team, and I went to every class and asked some girls. Do you want to play soccer? How are you doing, do you want to play soccer? They said no and I said, I know you do. I wrote a list of girls and friends to the coach. He was just a teacher who played soccer. I said, ‘I have girls who want to play soccer.’ But we didn’t have a good soccer field, so we played futsal (indoor soccer) . . . It was okay for girls in Ukraine to play soccer, but it wasn’t as much as here in America.”

The first time I met Dariia was through soccer. She was directed up to Nick Riccardi’s room where the team was watching a film. Everyone’s head turned as she confidently

Dariia could only pull the group of girls together for one year. I was curious how she became so talented with out ever playing on a rec or school team. When asked, she responded, “I played with boys. I really wanted to play but I didn’t

Konashukcelebratingagoal

have the opportunity. Because I’m a girl they said it’s not a sport for a girl, just do dancing.” When I asked her what she told them in response, she said,“I told everyone that I don’t care and I’m going to play soccer, it’s not a boy’s world, we are equal boys and girls, and I can do whatever I want.”

There are few moments in life where I feel a mic drop is appropriate. That line took the cake. A few minutes after I had this thought, her strength striking me in the gut, Dariia pulled out a video of her shredding ‘Bad Guy’ by Billie Eilish on the accordion. Back in Ukraine Dariia took 14 classes, consisting of literature, Ukrainian literature, world history, Ukrainian history, geometry, physics, and chemistry all within the same day. Not to mention she would hop on a bus to get to music school from 6-8. The life she built here is just as busy.

A huge part of what defines Dariia is her ability to effortlessly form close relationships with everyone around her. Dariia’s distinct personality pulls people in. Her friend Neely Roy (‘26) claimed, “she wore socks to the beach. She would not take those socks off. She eventually took them off to go in the water.” After knowing Dariia, that story checks out. Dariia is certainly captivating, and it continuously surprises, setting her apart from others. But her background in the Ukraine war has added tragedy to her story. Although it has does not overtake who Dariia is at her core, not acknowledging it would be like leaving out a chapter.

When I finally asked Dariia about the war I saw a window shut in her. She didn’t shy away from telling me her story but rather told it in a way that emphasized it was just one moment in her life. She told her story as follows,

“I remember this day. It was a bad day because my mom came to my room, and she was crying. It was like 5 or 6 am and she said, ‘you’re not going to school today.’ I said ‘yay’ because I didn’t do any of my homework because I was hanging out with my friends.” In true Dariia fashion her initial reaction was lighthearted. When she told me this part of her story, she humanized those moments in a way that reflected her bubbly nature.

Her voice shifted back to a more serious tonality when

telling the rest of her story, describing the events very placidly from there on. “When my mom came into my room, she said that it was starting. I didn’t understand how I was living life and war. One month before people were talking a lot that it was coming, but nobody believed it.” The same day the war started I went to live with Martin Zlotosch’s (‘26) great grandparents. We were friends with them for a long time and when the war started, they said we could come to their house to stay safe.” The Konashuk family stayed in Poland for 1 month but decided to go back home after the initial shock of war settled. Dariia recalled the moment arriving back home stating, “when I went back people became very different. Before, the town was alive every single day. It was so beautiful and happy. They didn’t have a lot of money, but they were happy. But after the war it was hard to talk with people. Some of them just cried every day when the war started. For the first week when the war started, the people who lived in Ukraine, they didn’t sleep at all. Maybe one or two hours because they were so nervous. I used to live very close to Belarus and they [Russians] could get to us and it was very dangerous. . .In the village, life stopped for six months. After six months people started to live again for the first time.”

After describing the war that brought her here, she said this, “I’m only one student here from Ukraine. And when you live in a different country you have a different experience.”

The war brought Dariia here, but it doesn’t define who she is. It does speak for her character. every person that I interviewed – whether it be directly or indirectly – called Dariia, outgoing, passionate, sweet, and enthusiastic. After hearing Dariia’s story, it’s easy to add resilient.

Ukraine is often associated with sunflowers. They are a symbol of peace and resilience planted after Chernobyl in the devastated areas. The flowers are heliotropic, meaning they always follow the sun. Dariia carries that light with her every day.

- Maeve Hickok ImagesCourtesyofLilyFitzgeraldandDariiaKonashuk

Konashuk and her brother Nazar

Beyond the Cut

As every new sports season rolls around, there’s a good chance one of two things is on every athlete’s mind: “Am I going to get cut?” or “Who’s going to get cut?”

When someone gets cut, taking it the wrong way can be very easy. Finding a way to continue to still get the thrill of sports after quitting or being cut as an upperclassman can be challenging. The same goes for upperclassmen who are overcoming being cut in prior years. A few students at Oyster River High School (ORHS), however, have been able to make these things happen.

For juniors and seniors, it can be a little clearer who’s possibly in danger of getting cut. For those who recognize this, it can impact whether they even try it out or not.

Ryan Michaud (‘24), who played soccer most of his life, felt like he was one of the players who

might not make the cut. “I don’t know if it was a rumor, or if it was true about how [Varsity coach Akan Ekanem] was going to remove some spots on the team, and I just fell in the position I was last year that I don’t have the skills to make the team.”

Avery Merrill (‘24) was in a similar position as Michaud. “I weighed out all my options, and I looked at my extracurriculars and school and decided it would be more beneficial to focus on those things.”

When players get cut from the program altogether, most quit the sport and focus solely on school and personal life. Others try out again the next year, but reserve soccer coach Jake Baver said he’s never seen a player get cut from the program and then make the varsity team later in their high school career.

Cam Fournier (‘25) didn’t like either of those

“Don’t let it hurt you too bad or let it get in your head. Go find a new hobby that you would like. Focus and show your love for that.”

options after being cut from the soccer team freshman year, so he picked a third option: finding a new sport.

“Soccer tryouts for me did not go as well as I expected. I wish they ended up better for me, but I started playing football, which I enjoy a lot more than soccer.” Fournier is now on the varsity football team.

When asked if Fournier is happy with how it all turned out, he said, “Yeah, because I feel like if I didn’t get cut, I wouldn’t be in this position I am right now.”

Merrilllookingforpassingoptionsduringseniornight

Michaud, like Fournier, picked up a new sport. He joined the golf team. “It’s fun to learn a new sport,” says Michaud.

Even Merrill, despite wanting to take time for other extracurriculars, joined the unified soccer team, saying he still loves soccer and sports all together.

Joining a unified sport is something a lot of people do when cut from a team. Unified soccer coach Cam Calato really encourages people to pick up unified if they get cut from their sport and still want to have the thrill of playing and winning.

Whether it’s players or coaches, nobody likes cuts. So, some coaches decide to not do cuts at all. This is the route varsity field hockey coach Anne Golding decided to take. “I feel like if people want to be playing hockey, I want to provide an opportunity for them to do that.” She adds that she doesn’t mind adding extra teams if that means everyone can play.

For teams who do cut, it can be a long process. Baver says he and the other coaches break it down like this. “For those that are younger, you know that you don’t have finished products yet. You’re making cuts based on some other factors.” These factors include players’ potential, training habits, and what they would bring to the team if they’re brought on.

“If I didn’t get cut, I wouldn’t be in this position I am right now.”

Although Fournier, Merrill, and Michaud had to go through the pain of getting cut or accepting the fact that you will get cut, they all agree that cuts are something that needs to happen in high school sports. Fournier added that getting cut can be beneficial for your growth as a person.

“We are in a competitive unified [division]. They keep standings and scores,” says Calato. He also says that he and all the other coaches of the various unified teams (soccer, basketball, volleyball) love it when kids already have some knowledge of the sport come play.

To all the kids out there who end up getting cut, Fornier has some advice for you. “Don’t let it hurt you too bad or let it get in your head. go find a new hobby that you would like. Focus and show your love for that.”

-Kevin Kell

The of Pickleball Rise

Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday night a secret group of eager pickleballers awaits at various doors surrounding the Oyster River High School (ORHS) gym or multi-purpose room.

I have played a rally or two but nothing extreme. My quest to discover what has caused the dramatic increase in pickleball participation began with advanced pickleball night hosted by Durham Parks and Rec and I continued my exploration with the help of pickleball experts. The numbers of involvement are staggering and pickleball has become a phenomenon not only in Durham but throughout the world.

John Morin, a pickleball enthusiast, passes on his knowledge within Exercise Physiology and Wellness (EPW) classes, where he teaches an entire unit on pickleball. But forewarning: if you mention pickleball to Morin get comfy, because as I began to say the word ‘pickle-’ he swiftly handed me a dusty copy of Pickle-ball For Players and Teacher. The book is a 1985 second edition which describes the origin and player development.

If you’ve already taken EPW you are likely familiar with the pickleball lore, but if not, here’s a brief description. Pickleball was created in 1965 by the Pritchard family as a backyard game. The pickle in pickle ball was named after Pritchard’s dog. With my new knowledge in the universe of pickleball I continued my mission to discover why pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the world.

The Durham Parks and Rec, who initiated this league around seven years ago, have more than quadrupled their numbers from a dozen initial players to 50. To accommodate the increase, Durham Parks and Rec created three separate nights, which range from beginner, intermediate, to advanced. Eileen Wong is the brains behind the operation running these pickleball nights. Wong and I sat watching the intense rallies of the advanced session, mesmerized by the fastpaced hollow pop. Every court had a doubles match with people waiting to play on the sidelines. The age demographic spans from 27 to 76. Kelly Lacoste – a weekly player – loves this array of ages. She said, “When you’re playing with people of all generations it builds a greater sense of community, especially since there aren’t a lot of activities an 80-year-old and 20-year-old can fairly compete in.”

current sign-up rates, saying, “sign up is at seven in the morning and within a half hour, it’s gone.” Teenagers, many of whom are professional procrastinators, aren’t signing up on time or are even aware of the program’s existence.

Maureen Tartaglia, the founder of HotStuff Pickleball, out of Weston, Connecticut, got her start in pickleball by coincidence. She was staying at a resort in Mexico which was hosting the international pickleball tournament. She spoke about the tournament saying, “there were all these young people, it’s not an old sport at all. There are people playing from Argentina, Spain, and France.” Tartaglia used her time in Mexico to partake in some pickleball. She began taking lessons and at the end of the week competed in a tournament. She reported on her performance saying, “I came in second to last place and my friend came in last place, but we were in it. So then, ever since, I was hooked.” It wasn’t just her, the pickleball phenomenon began to spread like wildfire.

Tartaglia has traveled around to many urban areas including Chicago and New York City and recalls the pickleball epidemic, saying, “there are probably a 120 kids out there playing on 20 courts with four people each. They’re jammed from 6:00 at night till 11:00 at night. It’s incredible.” There are not enough courts in her hometown, so Tartaglia set up her own pickleball courts transitioning from a passion project to a full-on league and business. A similar spread has taken place in Durham.

There is a high demand for places to play but a low supply. Pickleball courts are popping up all throughout the country, but some are against the new wave of pickleball mania. In York, Maine, the Mill Lane Pickleball League has faced a lot of heat for a possible violation of the York noise ordinance. In Durham, this has prevented any new construction of courts because they can’t be constructed in residential areas.

Surprisingly there are no highschoolers competing, despite its popularity in EPW. Wong referenced that in correlation with the

We remain at a crucial standstill in the pickleball progression. With a high demand among residents of all generations in Durham and Durham Parks and Rec, as well as the world, we have struggled to keep up. Maybe sharing this secret, hidden, pickleball society, that has now embedded itself in our community, will push the pickleball progression out of its standstill: the next signup begins November 13th.

- Maeve Hickok

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Revitalizing Reserve

After a regular season record of 12 wins, 3 losses and a tie, plus outscoring their opponents 41 goals to 8 through these games, the Oyster River High School (ORHS) boys’ varsity soccer team has added another successful year to their streak of winning seasons. During this time, the boys’ soccer program has seen its peak popularity, which has brought some unforeseen effects to the team.

This year, about 75 students tried out for boys’ soccer (last year, this number was in the 60s), which resulted in a team of 73 total players (after a couple of players quit). However, due to the previous three-team system, this would have forced coaches to cut at least 18 of the remaining players, which no one wanted to do. To resolve this issue, a fourth team was added, splitting the reserve team into reserve white and reserve blue, with the latter being for more experienced and skilled players. Every team still has a schedule, which allows players to show coaches their capabilities in match play. While many enjoy the competitiveness the system brings, others feel they lose opportunities because of it.

For a long time, the boys’ soccer team consisted of Varsity, Junior Varsity (JV) and Reserve, varsity being for the best players, reserve for the players who require the most improvement, and JV being somewhat in the middle of the two.

However, if the team kept its old layout this year, Reserve White coach Jon Bromley believed it would harm the players. “Had [the coaches] gone with just a normal three teams, we would’ve been cutting an entire team’s worth of players, then recognizing that if you cut a whole team, you’re cutting kids that can actually play,” he said.

This left coaches with two options: either cut the players who are the least developed for the team or create a new team where those players can practice and increase their skills. Of course, the coaches wanted everybody, especially freshman and sophomores, to have a chance to prove themselves, so they created the new reserve teams.

“You might have a freshman who starts out on Reserve, and as a sophomore, he’s on JV. Then his junior/senior season, he’s nasty. But, if you cut those freshmen before they have the opportunity to really develop and become that, you’re ultimately just sort of culling a herd that doesn’t need to be culled,” Reserve Blue coach Jake Baver adds.

And, the high school program will only become more competitive. Coaches—who have been scouting the middle and elementary school soccer programs—have noticed increased interest among players on both school and local teams, like Seacoast United, Maximum Velocity, and the ORYA travel team. “Everything points to the fact that the upcoming eighth graders, incoming freshmen, there’s a

CoachBaverrallyinghisReserveBlueteamforascrimmageagainstJV.

lot of competition; there’s a lot of interest in soccer,” said Bromley.

Another benefit coaches have noticed is players are more coaches to see who deserves to be moved up to JV or reserve blue, and in turn creates greater drive for players to show that they deserve to be promoted. “[Reserve Blue’s] practicing with JV a lot of times, so they can sort of prove us coaches wrong whenever they want in training,” says Baver.

However, this does raise some controversy. Some seniors who try out for varsity don’t make it, as it is a highly competitive field with limited roster spots. But, instead of being cut from the team like they would’ve been last year, these seniors are offered spots on Reserve blue.

Although coaches think it’s a great way to keep players engaged, some players disagree. “Last year, I was on JV. So, it’s kind of a downgrade,” says Mitchell Leonard (‘24), the captain of the Reserve Blue team.

Although Leonard feels disappointed that he’s not on varsity, his position on Reserve Blue is also very important for the others on that team. “I want to help [Baver] create this extra team to help players continuously improve and

have something to strive for. Even if they think they’re on reserve and can’t get pulled up to JV, they can get pulled up to this next level that’s not quite JV, but almost there, so they can still improve and have something to strive for,” he says.

Unlike Leonard, Tyler Flynn (‘24), another senior cut from varsity and offered a spot on Reserve Blue, decided not to accept the offer. “It was a really enticing offer. I think Baver’s a really great coach. The reason I didn’t take that was more because I would be too focused on playing each game [for the Reserve Blue team] […] I was more worried about improving than playing,” he said. After becoming the boys’ varsity team manager, Flynn has been practicing with the team.

While some players, and even coaches, are not 100% sure if they are necessary, it is easy to predict what measures need to be taken because of the increased popularity in lower grades, says Baver. “The population size of this freshman class we just had is not an anomaly. It’s kind of the way it’s going. Who knows a year after that, but it does seem like the trend is more and more soccer.”

Coach Bromley overseeing warm-ups for a match againstNewmarket

Leonardduringascrimmage - James Li

Stage Lights on School Nights

Monday, September 25th. I could have been studying for my Unit 1 Pre-Calc test, but it was the last thing on my mind during the drive to Fenway Music Hall. As soon as Boygenius stepped on the stage, all thoughts of school were replaced with the screaming joy of fans surrounding me, many of which were other teenagers.

Attending concerts has joined the list of hobbies for many high schoolers in recent years. For many, concert culture is such a unique and fun experience and is worth the struggle a typical teenager might face by filling their free time with live music shows.

This is no different at Oyster River High School (ORHS). As an ORHS student, I can’t walk through the halls for a full day without seeing at least one piece of concert apparel.

The words ‘concert culture’ don’t have a real definition attached to them. While everyone has their own reasons for what shows they go to and what stands out to them, the general idea is that live music and the crowds provide an incomparable feeling. Emily Walsh (’24) said, “it provides so much happiness. When I’m there I can see everybody else is so happy, and I love that energy.”

She’s not the only one that feels this way. Eventbrite, a popular app for organizing concerts, reports that within the past three years, 58% of teenagers say that they enjoy live music. 42% report that they attend live music concerts or festivals at least once a year.

Since so many concerts and festivals happen over the summer, going once during the year seems reasonable. Many tour schedules do coincide with the school year, which students, like Eliza Sekera (’26), don’t let limit them. “I can prepare the day before and then recuperate the day after. Missing one

afternoon of homework isn’t too detrimental,” Sekera said.

Being a high school student is stressful, so effective time management is a huge component to feeling secure in how I spend my nights. Any of these stressors, like an upcoming test or overloaded homework, are easily outdone by the euphoric feeling of falling into line on a crowded street, barcode open on my phone, surrounded by a group of people there for the same reason I am.

If a concert happens to get in the way of school, Luke Sul

livan (’25) finds it still easy to organize. He said, “I think for most people, you can communicate and have everything figured out beforehand. You can likely get something pushed back a day, or take a test a day early.”

Sullivan had no problem taking a test early if it meant he also got to see Boygenius live in Boston, even on a Monday night. “Music is a really special thing to people, and I think that seeing those people you’ve been listening to forever, and hearing the songs you love in that environment is just a really special experience.”

One of the biggest factors I associate with concert culture is the unity of an energetic crowd. There’s something so comforting about making eye contact with someone wearing the t-shirt I just bought, knowing that even in a mass of strangers, I could make conversation with any of them about the one thing I already know we share a love for.

Abby Trojan (’25) found herself in the middle of one of these conversations at Paradise Rock Club in 2021, before Girl in Red made her appearance on stage. The venue’s floor was packed from wall to wall, and right at the center, Trojan was noticed by the group of teenage girls who had just been informed the headlining artist would be late to perform.

“We were talking, and ended up connecting over being the same age. So, we swapped our socials and took a ton of pictures, which actually was helpful since I didn’t end up videoing most of the show,” Trojan said. She doesn’t actively talk to any of the girls now, but still stays updated through social media of all the shows they’ve seen since then.

Unfortunately, this “special experience” isn’t the cheapest. Since the pandemic, the average concert ticket price across all North American tours has increased by 17.8%, and now falls at around $150. This number doesn’t take into account certain venue fees or any kind of transportation, and these prices can stack up quickly.

Being a working high school student, Walsh finds freedom in allowing herself to make these purchases, especially for an experience with someone she loves. “I consider concerts something worth coming from my savings, but I would say I’ve budgeted well,” Walsh said. “I buy people tickets too. It’s kind of like a love language.”

Expenses don’t necessarily mean that budgeting has to happen to feel connected to live music culture. Erinn Doherty (’25) shared how she’s been able to see five concerts this year, and barely felt a burden financially. “I tend to like smaller artists, anyways, so the tickets aren’t as expensive. They are usually less than forty dollars… it’s easily worth that expense.”

Even concert tickets on the more expensive side of the spectrum are arguably just as valuable for a fan. “My father says concerts are a great experience, and they’re a good thing to spend your money on as long as it’s in your budget. I don’t go out and buy stuff all that often, so I have available money for it,” Sullivan said.

His parents, along with other families, are willing to support their kid’s love for live music. Sekera said, “My parents have driven us a lot of times, to the ones I’ve been to in Boston… My dad went to the first three Lollapaloozas, so they’re big music fans too.”

These ORHS students, myself, and the many other concert enthusiasts, won’t let school stop us from doing what we enjoy. To anyone feeling like they’re an amateur in the live music hobby, Walsh says, “It’s always a hard day the next day, but it’s so worth it. Go get a coffee and go.”

WalshandDelaneyNadeau(‘24)atBankofNHPavillion

Sullivan,Sekera,andKeiraJohnson(‘24)atMGMMusic HallatFenway

BORN BLOODT HIRSTY

WhenI was seven, I learned how to kill. I enjoyed learning, but I wouldn’t call myself bloodthirsty.

I’m not sure if anyone has ever asked me whether I enjoy hunting. Which is interesting, because I have both claimed to do it because I enjoy it, and I’ve emphasized that I do it because it’s practical and a morally superior option to buying meat. The answer was always dependent on my crowd; on the assumptions that I’d assumed they’d already made.

I have hunted once since I moved to Durham in

eighth grade. It was youth weekend, and I broke the law. I killed two turkeys with one shot. The limit is one per person. My target had been between trees, and the cloud of pellets went through its head and into the heart of a turkey behind it.

There are so many words to describe the feelings that arose within me: revulsed, nauseated, sad. But I think what made it worse was that I felt like I had disappointed people – like my dad – who take so much pride and respect in what they do when hunting. Following the limits, the regulations, and a moral and

ethical obligation which befall you when taking a life.

There is an MOR article from years ago by George Philbrick titled Why I Hunt. In it, he describes a stereotype that many hunters are faced with. “Our societal image of a hunter has a neck that is roasted red, hands that are always filled with guns and Budweiser, and eyes that smolder with a distaste for life.” Philbrick wrote.

In that moment, my neck was flushed only from embarrassment, my eyes probably reflected more distaste for myself than for any of the life around me, and my hands held no beer. And yet, in my mind I had become the stereotypical hunter Philbrick so perfectly illustrated. It’s part of the reason that by this point, I’d decided my hands had held a gun for the last time, too. I would not let that stereotype become me.

hunt. Prior to going, we had practiced in a shooting range.

The shooting range was a place you could run into someone from school. The store where we registered the bird was owned and run by our neighbors. Pictures of my friends and their cousins, brothers, and moms were all pinned to an old bulletin board above the register inside. They were all holding deer, fish, birds, and a variety of other animals. It was almost engrained in the culture of this little town. I would go as far as calling it a symbol of status.

“Oursocietalimageofahunterhasaneckthatis roastedred,handsthatarealwaysfilledwithguns andBudwiser,andeyesthatsmolderwithadistaste for life.”

All of my morals were brought into question because of this single incident. It led me to wonder not why I hunt, but whether I should hunt. Was it too late for me to redeem myself? In that moment, the solution was to unlearn the skill that had led me down this path.

The closest thing I could get to unlearning was forgetting, and forgetting is easier when you move to a new town, and that town isn’t full of the people you are trying to unbecome. Unlearning was made easier because I was now in a place full of people who disliked people “like me” just as much as I disliked myself.

I learned from my dad. I still remember the first time I went out with the intention of killing. It was in the back woods of a house down the street from us. It was youth weekend for turkeys, and I went with my older sister, Zoe. I laid in a sleeping bag on the cold ground of a pop-up plywood box covered in leaves. I slept, and they sat and watched, silently, for the birds.

I woke up when the shotgun shell hit me on the head. When we went out to track the bird down, the gaggle had scattered, squabbling loudly. She might have been the one to shoot, but this was our bird. We learned how to register it, the purpose of youth weekend, and the rules of the

Day two of youth weekend was my turn.

I’ve never admitted this aloud before, but I didn’t want to kill a turkey. I wanted to try, I wanted to be there with my dad and older sister, but to be utterly honest, I didn’t want to be responsible for death.

The kickback from the gun knocked me off the stool, into my dad. When we looked for the animal, finding only feathers and blood, I was relieved. He made us search for hours. Afterall, I’d hit it. Wherever the animal was, it probably suffered, and then died. I was content knowing it could’ve lived.

What this says about my morals, I’m not quite sure. Did it even matter whether I was the person killing those animals and bringing them home if I was eating their meat, regardless?

I’ve hunted deer, but I’ve never harvested one. Growing up in elementary school, when I tried to donate to food drives using the cans and boxed pasta from our pantry, I was scolded if I took more than two. As a kid, there were not many times I remember feeling rich. But when my dad got a deer? My lunch box spilled gold. Bringing venison – otherwise referred to as deer jerky – made me a lunch table commodity. And that’s exactly what I did; I brought entire gallon bags of jerky to share. My dad packed them for me. He must’ve seen the weight it added to my backpack. Maybe I stood a little taller to carry it. Our freezer was full, and it fed us through the winter when he couldn’t hunt, or when prices of plastic and Styrofoam wrapped meat skyrocketed.

Many people where I lived did the same thing. When I was around eleven, I remember a dead deer hanging in our shed while my dad helped some family friends butcher it. People here

were carnivores. What seemed to be forgotten when I moved to Durham, was that people here are also carnivorous.

It was forgotten, because following any version of the words “I hunt” was an almost immediate shift in the tone of the conversation. Sometimes laughter, and other times distaste. Often, it was a joke. Hunting isn’t something people wanted to perceive as a part of me, because it didn’t fit. And how could I blame them or want to do anything more than play along with the jokes, when I didn’t want to perceive it as a part of myself anymore, either?

Afterall, I felt like I had become a part of the problem. I was now part of the reason people could assume hunters have little respect for life, when in fact, I knew many that have plenty.

In reality, I think that this is something I had forgotten about myself. I think, as an Oyster River community – and possibly as a community much larger than that – we have forgotten to allow people to be more than a politically associated stereotype, and to do that without shame. A large piece of my shame was self-inspired. But it was inspired because I wanted to meet an expected perception of myself that didn’t exist whilst also being a hunter.

I didn’t like talking about it. If I mentioned hunting in a conversation where the topic had surfaced it was usually by mentioning that, “oh, yeah, my dad hunts.” Do I enjoy hunting? I’m not sure. Did I enjoy being able to share something like that with my dad when I was younger, when it was with a man who I sometimes felt like I otherwise shared very little with? Yes.

So, if I knew why I hunted from the very beginning, sitting on that hard wood ground, against bark that stuck into my back, in cold wood boxes that smelled like dirt, and on three-legged stools that made sitting painful, why didn’t I justify it with the truth?

The truth was that I hunted because I had an immense amount of respect for my dad, and the way that he hunted with respect. I hunted because I enjoy

learning. I hunted because it is a skill different from so many others that we learn in today’s world.

In the world I grew up in, I allowed people to perceive me as a hunter who enjoyed the hunt as much as they did, when in fact, I did not. And I allowed the world I joined when I was 13 to perceive me as someone who was lucky enough to leave a world where hunting was expected of her, and the only reason she participated. Not because she was a hunter, or liked it, or had any type of respect for the sport. Both of which are stories I wrote for myself that are untrue.

Instead, maybe I should have allowed myself to exist outside of those perceptions; including my own. I have hunted, and I am a hunter. Will I ever hunt again? I don’t know. However, I do know that, active hunter or not, being a hunter is not synonymous with being a bad person.

That is not to speak for all hunters. There are people, like my dad, who truly enjoy the sport in ways I do not, and probably never will. And I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. Then, there are people who truly fulfill the stereotype. Which, with some exceptions, there can also be nothing wrong with. There are also people – as there are in every part of life – who hunt and lack strong morals.

But what is wrong, is preventing the stereotype from evolving, because those – like myself – who don’t fit it, feel so ashamed someone might start putting that imaginary Budweiser and gun in their hand, they don’t allow themselves to exist beyond it. Today, I can exist beyond the stereotypes of hunters that I projected onto myself, and that, perhaps, were also projected onto me by others. Can you allow me to exist in that space as well? If it’s needed, can you allow yourself to exist in that space? Because, I speak this truth as its living proof of existence: I may have killed, but that does not mean I was born bloodthirsty.

- Mia Boyd

The Future Of Freshman Fitness

When every student walks in freshman year, one of the very first classes they will have to go through is Freshman Exercise Physiology and Wellness (EPW). A class that’s overdue for improvements, and maybe even a replacement.

Freshman EPW, which is required for every Freshman at Oyster River High School to take, is something lots of upcoming freshmen look forward to. Only, because of lack of effort, due to kids not being interested in the units and classes packed with kids, it can be disappointing for some. One way to fix it is to switch to the elective system. Smaller classes, freshmen get to pick something that they have interest in, and more fun, which is what gym class is supposed to be.

Because of the state of New Hampshire’s law where every high schooler must take a minimum of one year of gym class, the school can’t just completely get rid of freshman EPW being a requirement and call it a day. One way to solve this is to use the type of system that our computer science program is on. Students don’t have to take Introduction to Computer Science, which is basically what freshman EPW is, an introduction to certain sports or games. Instead, you can take classes like Adobe, programming with Python, and programming with Java.

The school can make this switch fairly easily, considering they already have classes that would work for this system. These include team and individual sports, weight training and fitness, yoga and mindfulness, and adventure education. These are all semester classes which means taking two would get you that year of gym that’s required while also adding a variety of new skills into your life.

great introduction to the class, as well as an opportunity to get to know expectations and talk to each other.

All these things would be true, but the curriculum makes it, so freshmen feel like they’re still in middle school. Casey Pirtle (‘25), said “That was the part of the worst part of gym class.” It all leads to frustration and a disappointing way to start a class.

I understand where she comes from but connecting athletes with non-athletes is difficult in a class where most of the time, you’re playing sports. Max Scople (‘26) says that in his Team and Individual sports class, which is a class mainly athletes take and would be the class many athletic freshmen would choose, there is no awkward dynamic that he saw in EWP. Also, because most of the classes freshmen take are required freshman classes, getting to know people is hardly a problem.

Once you get past the CATS program, the sports or games that you play should be fun and can be fun for some people, but for a portion of people, they are not. “There were people in that class that really didn’t try. They would just stand around, wouldn’t be active and I feel like that was just kind of a waste,” said Kai Nield (‘25).

“A lot of people would be more interested.”

Giving the Freshman a choice of one of these electives instead of the current broad EPW can go a long way in having a more successful class. If the students are physically picking the class that sounds the most beneficial to them, they will have more interest, as opposed to it being handed to them. Lucas Pellitier (‘24) said “If you were able to choose what you wanted, I think a lot of people would be more interested and they’d be happier doing something they like.”

When asked about this, EPW teacher Victoria Sickler quickly said that she is opposed to this and wants to keep freshman EPW required. “It allows the freshman class to know each other in a unique way.”

At the start of the year, in the current class, you do a monthlong unit called “CATS program.” This program is designed to do exactly what Sickler said, have students get to know classmates and learn how to work on a team. Sickler says that is a

Another reason to believe that an elective-based system would work is that the current electives are doing very well. EPW teacher John Morin doesn’t want to see freshman EPW no longer be required but agrees that the current electives are doing very well. “Weight training alone, which is an elective, it’s not the requirement, but I have three classes and then maybe even a fourth one building for next semester, and they’re packed with people.”

Another thing an elective-based system would do is let freshmen build connections with people in other grades. So many people connect over sports and freshmen who choose to fulfill part, or all of their gym requirement freshman year can use that to connect to with kids who are completing their requirement in later years. These connections can help introduce freshmen to the school and give them kids they can talk to and ask questions about the school.

While making the switch to the elective system, it also gives you a great opportunity to add new classes to give students an even bigger variety. This could include opportunities in stuff such as martial arts, dance, and foreign sports and games. All this would do is ensure that everyone can do something they are interested in and make it, so everyone is putting in effort.

- Kevin Kell

Conflicting Confidence

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be an extrovert.

Someone who had a tall, confident posture, a permanent smile on their face, and could just talk to anyone they wanted to with little to no effort. Even as early as elementary school, I was envious of those people. They were never told to speak up in class, because their voices were loud and clear, saying anything they had on their minds without a care in the world. They were never left with legitimate fear after the teacher told the class to get into pairs.

As the years passed by, I realized what I really wanted was confidence; not necessarily to be more extroverted.

I believe that there is potential for confidence in every single person. But people express it differently, whether you are more

It feels like everyone in my life over the years has said that I should be more confident. But they word it strangely, like it’s a compliment: “Your personality is so interesting, more people would want to be your friend if you were more confident,” or “What you wrote in your essay about this topic was spectacular, if only you were more confident and said exactly what you wrote, you could add so much more to our class discussions!”

However, it seems like there’s some type of “prerequisite” to being confident that I apparently do not possess a lot of. Particularly being loud, outgoing, and sociable. Without that, I’m, definitely, 100% not confident, right?

Kara Sullivan, an English teacher at ORHS and the debate team advisor agrees that the meaning behind confidence has been overtaken by the extrovert standard: those who get energy

“Your personality is so interesting, more people would want to be your friend if you were more confident!”

extroverted or introverted. The polarization between extroversion and introversion has altered the way confidence has been viewed, especially with being successful. Confidence isn’t a onesize-fits-all, despite what society has created as the norm.

from other people are supposed to be confident, and those who get it from solitude are supposed to be all meek and shy, having a fraction of the confidence that extroverts possess.

This is far from the truth. Sullivan sees on the debate team that there are people who are more reserved but have this undeniable confidence that makes them just stand out, other times more than their outgoing peers. She states, “There are a lot of [reserved] people who are like that because they’re able to grasp…and support the arguments well, but they don’t talk a lot otherwise so they kind of sit back. They observe a lot and then when it’s important for them to speak during the debates, they do, and people really respect that…” When people picture a typical debater, they may see them as extremely talkative and bold. But someone who doesn’t embody those traits and could be the complete opposite, can still run a debate just as well.

When I think of my desire to be extroverted, what sits at the core of it is success. I wanted to succeed in being well-liked, advocating for opportunities that I truly wanted. I thought that introverts couldn’t do any of those things, that I had to change to be successful.

Both Sullivan and I are (diehard) fans of a book called, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. In the book, Cain explores the depths of introverts being underestimated in our society, one that focuses much on achieving material, tangible success. Introverts are known for focusing on success internally, sticking to their own logic and feelings rather than bouncing them off to other people.

You can see how this can become an issue when so much of American work and school culture is built off teamwork. Group projects are so common and respected in the workforce, compared to working alone which is often ostracized. If some introverts are pushed into teamwork and are counted on to be as sociable and verbally expressive like their peers and they just can’t…they may think something is wrong with them. They would want to change all in the name of success.

“They would want to change all in the name of success.”

I remember one teacher I had in middle school. When showing up for extra practice one day, I asked a question in my softspoken tone. He replied, his voice loud and almost taunting, “Oh, she speaks, finally!” Some of my classmates laughed and the others gave me pitiful glances. I felt my face turn red and was on the verge of tears. This wasn’t the first time, and it wasn’t the last when he made those comments.

After that, I tried to prove to him and the other people around me, that I wasn’t quiet or weak. I hoped, I prayed every single night that I would wake up tomorrow morning and somehow transform into this new, shining self that could be as easygoing and loud as I wanted to. That I could finally be the leader with all my brand new, sparkling ideas that I was not afraid to say, instead of a follower that had the worst people-pleasing tendencies.

A chapter of Cain’s book is focused on charismatic confidence through leadership. Results from an experiment between one introverted and extroverted leader per category leading a t-shirt folding team was mentioned as one of the key parts of

the chapter. It was shown that, “…the team members reported perceiving the introverted leaders as more open and receptive to their ideas, which motivated them to work harder…” (Cain, 57). The experiment results showed that the introverted leaders had outperformed the number of shirts folded by 24% compared to the more extroverted leaders.

We could say that both leaders had an equal amount of con-

“...the team members reported perceiving the introverted leaders as more open and receptive to their ideas, which motivated them to work together.”

fidence. However, the ones that were more passive were more self-assured. They had faith in their ability to lead and guide and welcomed input from their team, not worrying whether the new ideas were going to overtake theirs.

Although I have been focusing on introverts and how they can be just as confident as extroverts, this can be the same vice versa. Those who get their energy from other people aren’t always the most confident in the room and it can be damaging to think so (especially as an introvert).

Paige Haug (’25) is an extrovert by nature, but she doesn’t feel confident 100% of the time like she’s “supposed” to be. She states, “…I just have to fake it until I make it and…it works.” Although Haug is not always 100% confident, she says that if you think you look and feel good, others will think you look and feel good. It’s all a state of mind for her and less like a lifestyle.

Even people who have the most visible and tangible confidence have some moments where they aren’t at their best, particularly when anxious thoughts get to them. Sullivan has taught many students who she knows have that confidence deep inside them but anticipate too much before jumping into a discussion or debate.

She says, “I just see in a lot of students that…the anxiety beats them too much and…recognizing that the anxiety…will always be there…it’s a way of figuring out how you can manage that anxiety…” Although many people may feel held back or trapped by their anxious thoughts, it is still possible to work through them, rather than eliminate them completely to feel confident.

Looking back at my childhood, I’ve spent a lot of time groveling in jealousy about the people who looked and talked visibly more confident than me. And it didn’t help that the pressure to be like them was added on by adults around me.

It was not until last year that I was able to take a step back and recollect. I don’t need to prove myself to anyone; if I feel confident, I am confident. Being able to love myself and trust that I know what’s best for me the most powerful thing has been I’ve ever done for myself, even if it’s a lifelong process.

And all it took was just a little confidence.

- Hannah Klarov

ChatGPT didn’t ruin education.

It

reflects a system that’s been broken for generations.

When my UNH professor walked into Elementary Arabic last Monday, I could immediately tell something was off.

Instead of cheerily announcing “Assalamu alaikum ya shabab” to his tired class of seven, he entered the room quietly and connected his laptop to the projector. In a matter of seconds, the screen flashed to display UNH’s Academic Integrity policy, which, without hesitation, my professor began to read aloud.

“Plagiarism: The use or submission of intellectual property, ideas, evidence produced by another person, including computer generated text, in whole or in part as one’s own academic assessment...”

As he finished, I noticed the eyes of my classmates shifting around the room, nervously looking at the homework they hastily scribbled down before class. With frustration in his voice, my professor began to speak, then paused, as if he couldn’t believe what he was about to say next.

“I need you to know that when I saw that, I was so sad” he told us, placing both hands over his heart. He then indirectly spoke to the students who had used ChatGPT, asking them not only why they were taking this course, but why they were attending university in the first place. He said he couldn’t comprehend why someone would pay $50,000 a year to become a good cheater instead of an educated human being.

He told us that as he was grading our one-page reflections on Muhammed: Legacy of a Prophet—a film in which American Muslims tell the story of the Messenger God—an AI writing detector identified that two out of seven papers had been written using ChatGPT.

Strangely enough, although I was not one of the students who used AI to generate their papers, it’s possible my professor’s remarks resonated with me most. For weeks, I had been investigating how students and teachers at Oyster River High School (ORHS) were adapting to the ways ChatGPT changed how they think about education.

So, when my professor announced that college students were using ChatGPT to get by in a class they chose out of interest, I realized that passing off generated text as original work extends beyond my little high school bubble. That this issue is deeper than students who don’t care about Of Mice and Men or a few STEM kids who generate an essay, because they think close reading will be irrelevant to their future success. It’s possible that’s where it starts: some students don’t want to “waste time” writing as-

signments for classes they don’t care about.

But, according to Forbes, 43% of U.S. college students admitted they used ChatGPT to complete assignments for their major, with over 20% believing generative AI didn’t qualify as cheating. If young adults are using ChatGPT in classes designed to prepare them for their future, simply “not caring” can’t be where it ends.

So, how did we get here? When did academic shortcuts somehow become more valuable than the process of learning itself? And most importantly, what will happen to my generation, and the ones that follow it, if we grow up in a world that values the efficiency of ChatGPT more than the process of thinking and communicating orignal, critical thought?

I.

When ChatGPT was released for public use in November of 2022, it was never intended to pervade the education system the way it did. However, about a week after one of my friends showed me the program, I suddenly noticed more and more students using it to workshop essays, draft resumés, and even complete lab reports.

“I think now, you can ask any person in this school,

up getting a better grade than his friend, who spent the weekend researching and writing

“Now, I use ChatGPT for pretty much every type of assignment you can think of. If I don’t feel like the stuff my teacher’s assigning me brings me any value, it’s getting plugged in,” S told me.

What S told me brought me back to the explanation E gave me when I naively asked why she copied down notes from ChatGPT instead of taking them herself.

“You think I actually read the book?” she asked me. “It’s from the like 1800s, so it’s boring, and I can’t even understand what’s going on. ChatGPT like makes it so I’m able to read a summary and know what’s going on so I can participate in class.”

Most of my conversations with peers about why they use ChatGPT almost always funneled down to the experiences S and E described. They either weren’t interested in the assignment and didn’t want to put in the time. Or they didn’t feel confident enough in their own writing and knew they could get better results in a shorter amount if ChatGPT did the thinking for them.

Currently, the ORHS English department treats AI generated student work like any other form of plagiarism.

However, some students said they felt they used it in a way that wasn’t cheating. Instead of generating an

“Now, I use ChatGPT for pretty much every type of assignment you can think of. If I don’t feel like the stuff my teacher’s assigning me brings me any value, it’s getting plugged in.”

and they won’t be able to tell you they don’t know at least two or three kids who have used ChatGPT to do their work for them,” said E (‘24), who was hunched over her desk, frantically copying down a ChatGPT summary and analysis of a book she was discussing next period.

Intrigued by E’s comment, I wanted to know how kids at ORHS were using ChatGPT and whether, almost a year after the program’s initial release, students had begun to think about their learning differently.

When senior S (‘24) first found out about ChatGPT from his Spanish classmates, he vowed never to use it.

However, that changed when, under a time crunch, he used ChatGPT to generate a lab report, and ended

entire essay, they used ChatGPT only to brainstorm ideas and write outlines, making it easier to fill in the rest. Or they would generate entire essays but reorganize and add in information to “make it their own.”

“Writing an essay is super hard for me so I always tell myself, ‘OK, let me get like the first paragraph from ChatGPT and see what it gives me... And then, I can use that in my own writing but like not actually take anything from it so I’m not cheating; it just kind of gets me started. It’s the prewriting I don’t want to take time to do,” said S.

Some teachers, like ORHS economics teacher Adam Lacasse, believe that because generative AI will only become more prevalent, we should teach students

Generative AI was bound to seep into a system that’s already sullied by doing whatever it takes to get ahead.

how to use it as a tool.

“As an educator, I use ChatGPT all the time. For me, it helps with creativity. I could create in my brain 20 different practice questions about supply and demand, or I could go to ChatGPT to have it generate those 20 questions for me. You know, I already have this knowledge; so, ChatGPT is a tool for efficiency that provides opportunities.”

Lacasse says that as long as ChatGPT isn’t getting in the way of students building foundational knowledge or replacing “independent thinking,” it should be embraced.

But, part of me wonders whether ChatGPT could ever serve a valuable purpose in education, given how fine the ethical line seems to be. I mean, what if my definition of ChatGPT inhibiting independent thinking is vastly different from my peers’? What’s the real difference between having ChatGPT write your outline and having it write your essay? What do you tell students, like senior M (‘24), who believe it’s impossible for ChatGPT to be unethical because “humans aren’t original either.”

During our conversation, M mentioned that teachers who’ve been teaching the same books for 20 years have seen recycled ideas, just written differently. “How many times have you had an original idea about a classic? I’d argue never,” he told me. “Like, since when have original ideas been a big part of education? I think it’s pretty much just regurgitation at this point.”

M continued: “I actually think the argument that ChatGPT isn’t original is dumb because it’s just doing what humans do. It’s just taking external information and recombobulating it in its brain,” said M. “Going by that logic, we don’t have original thought either. That’s just what humans do. It’s just a smart human.”

In the days following my conversation with M, I tried to grapple with what he had told me. I knew I didn’t fully agree with him, but I had trouble placing my finger on where, exactly, his logic was flawed.

So, when I met with Jake Baver, head of ORHS’ Writ-

ing Center, I asked him what he thought about what M had told me.

“I think that if we look at thought as only being valuable if it’s original, and if our assignments in school give the impression of ‘true originality,’ then those [who feel everything’s been thought] aren’t willing to break thoughts that existed before to make it original in their own sense. That’s a problem,” said Baver.

“There needs to be an understanding that the experiences that I’m having and the life that I’m living probably has been lived already in some way, shape, or form. And yet, I’m still this original product that can break off from the path,” he continued.

That’s when I realized M’s way of rationalizing using ChatGPT to bypass actual effort was not some mega-genius thinking that had gone over my head. In fact, both M and I had forgotten to consider one important thing: education is not solely about the final product; it’s about the process of getting there.

There is no way to make that sound less trite. But, then again, if most students have forgotten that the process of learning the thing—of getting excited to uncover new information through research or finding new, innovative ways to think about dusty, age-old ideas—is the reason we go to school in the first place, maybe the cliché hasn’t been drilled in enough.

In my reporting, and even during casual conversations with my peers about ChatGPT, I remember searching for kids who had a moral aversion to AI’s invasion of the education system. But I never found any.

Of course, there were students who didn’t use it, but that was because they were scared they were going to get caught or knew ChatGPT’s writing was inferior to their own. No one ever told me they feared ChatGPT would detract from their ability to learn, a response I initially thought would be the most common.

Actually, I remember prodding a student to give me the answer I was looking for, asking him what he thought the purpose of coming to school was if students were going to have ChatGPT spit out ideas for them.

“You think I come to school because I want to learn?” he asked me, letting out a laugh as if it was the most outrageous thing he’d ever heard.

I was shocked.

But, in the same vein, I also don’t know why I expected another response, when that’s how my peers and I have been indirectly taught to think about education since we started getting graded.

II.

“One of the things I worry about is the way we generally suck the joy out of education,” said ORHS English teacher Sherri Frost, who’s been teaching since 2006. “I think about little kids and how excited they are to go to school. That’s when everything’s fun and everything’s great. Then kids get to high school and all you hear is, ‘Is this going to be on the test?’ It’s all about this arbitrary grade you want to get so you can stay competitive.”

The way kids view education as some twisted competition has been obvious to me for a while but became even more clear when I sat down to meet with U (‘25), who was writing an article about why it’s valuable for high school students to engage in philosophical discussions.

As he was speaking, U kept having what I can only describe as revelations: “What if we didn’t only value grades? What if we enjoyed the feeling learning and discussing gave us more than the feeling of doing better than our peers or getting an A?” As he rhetorically asked me these questions, I wondered if it was always supposed to be this way.

In U.S. History, we learned about Horace Mann, who fathered the free compulsory education system in America in the 1850s. Sure, one of his motivations was to train and prepare America’s emerging working class for a newly industrialized society. But what we would now call “career planning” was not the backbone of American education like it is today.

Mann was mostly guided by his belief that, in a time where the country was starkly divided, a basic level of literacy and a discussion of common ideals would promote the critical thinking necessary for a healthy democracy. Thus, our education system was built to nurture good communicators not good competitors.

So, what would Mann say if he found his vision of the American education system had rotted? What would he say to the parents who struggle to find value in their child’s humanities degree, or the multi-million-dollar corporation that profits from telling stu-

dents standardized test scores measure intellectual potential? What would he say to those who consider learning beyond the context of As and Fs revelatory, when that’s where the education system started?

Maybe he would find that most students don’t enjoy learning in school because, over time, learning has become synonymous with competing. Competing with your peers and also with your past academic self. Maybe he would find that generative AI was bound to seep into a system that’s already sullied by doing whatever it takes to get ahead.

This is why I’m sick of the narrative that ChatGPT has “ruined” the education system.

This system has been broken for generations. Just ask your parents. How many of them used Cliff’s Notes for English or used an essay their sibling wrote three years earlier? What ChatGPT has done is make cheating more available and efficient. In fact, its efficiency is so irresistible that even students like U, who deeply value the process of learning, have turned to it once or twice.

Now the question for educators becomes what to do next. Although some teachers can easily identify ChatGPT’s hollow writing or have AI detectors at their disposal, determining whether a student has used it is accusatory at best.

It seems the only way to fully deter students from replacing independent thought with this bullshit technology is to remind them of why they go to school in the first place. For educators, this means fostering a learning environment that is not competitive and grade oriented. It means encouraging students to think and share out of the box ideas without labeling them as “academic risks.”

Baver told me a story about a kid who came to him for help with an assignment in which the student had to analyze a quote and say how they felt about it.

“He was consistently ChatGPT-ing it, and I could tell he just didn’t get why I kept telling him to write it... Then, when he came to me the last time, I asked him how he really felt about the quotes.”

The student told Baver he thought the quotes were terrible and that they sucked. Baver told him to be honest and write that instead of the “ChatGPT garbage.”

“There’s this weird vibe that students are completing these assignments for their teachers, but this writing is for you. Don’t give your teachers the info you think they want to hear. Be the person to tell them that the quote sucks,” Baver said.

- Abby Owens