December 2017

nhspawprint.com--- nhspawprint@gmail.com --- @nhs_pawprint

The Norwalk High School

Paw Print “How

the

Bears

make

their

mark”

VOLUME XII, ISSUE II December 2017

IN THIS ISSUE:

These are just a few of the over 850 plus girls at NHS who break media stereotypes being the leaders of sports teams, clubs, and organizations.

News A&E Feature

Norwalk Stands Together Wiktoria Piktel

Sports

ABC’s television show, “American Housewife,” set in Westport, CT, made a series of jokes and derogatory comments regarding Norwalk and Norwalk High School girls, resulting in a myriad of reactions from Norwalk citizens.

One of the biggest issues was when the teenage character from Westport and her teammates dressed up as “Norwalk prom girls” for Halloween. The girl dressed in a beautiful, floral gown, once she turns around, she reveals her pregnant appearance.

“I found ABC’s comments to be offensive because they are enforcing stereotypes about our generally lower-income community being of a lesser quality than the rich and privileged citizens of Westport,” explained Ashley Maldonado (’18).

Another insult was directly aimed at the Norwalk Girls Basketball team, claiming while the Westport Soccer team is on a juice cleanse, Norwalk girls have a pregnancy pact as a part of team bonding upsetting team members.

“When all you know is judgment, it is hard not to be judgemental of other people. I wouldn’t want to be apart of a subculture where all you are exposed to are ‘juice cleanses,’ there’s more to our school, specifically sports teams, where the girls are healthy, happy, and successful throughout the years,” Ajsa Vega (’18), the captain of the NHS Girl’s Varsity Basketball team, commented.

In fact, many girls hold leadership positions at NHS. There are many female team captains and club officers. The National Honor Society as well as the Spanish and Italian Honor Society are both under the presidency of young women. Many girls hold accomplishments in the music and art departments, academics, and JROTC as well as other programs that NHS offers.

As funny as some might find it, the issue is that many people around the world might not be aware that Westport and Norwalk are real places. To have between 4.5 to 5.1 million viewers learn about Norwalk as a city filled with pregnant teens is offensive

Opinion

Photo Editor

to many.

“I’m not going to go on about how upset this makes me, it’s implied, all I have to say is that the statement is completely inaccurate, Norwalk is a very diverse, safe, and community-based city where you are exposed to all different types of people which makes it an amazing place,” added Vega.

Since one of the producers is a Staples High School graduate, some wonder if the jokes referring to NHS are a true reflection of what Westport really thinks of this town.

The show’s producers claimed that the show was never made to offend and they “heard the concerns of the people of Norwalk and have made the decision to omit any mentions of the city from future episodes.” Even though there will be no more degrading comments, these stereotypes are in the public eye and anyone in this country now can easily make false assumptions.

After Norwalk resident and parent, Andy Ross started a petition, Superintendent Dr. Steven Adamowski wrote a letter to the president of the ABC Entertainment Group, Channing Dungey. In the letter he expressed his concerns for the “jokes” made about Norwalk, calling them “pejorative, demeaning and divisive.” Not only do the comments on the show negatively affect the feelings of people currently living in Norwalk, but they may also deter possible new residents from wanting to move to the town.

Adamowski explained that there are major accomplishments that Norwalk is proud of, and not showing these to the world is misleading. He stated that Norwalk is recognized for the sports teams, music programs, impressive marching band, as well as above average graduation rates.

In an interview, Senator Bob Duff stated that the comments made “are really a form of bullying because it is setting up their community to be better than another community, while we try to teach people that no one is better than anyone else.”

In the photo presented above is only a glimpse of the talented, young women that are leaders in the NHS community. The reality is that Norwalk’s citizens and specifically, young women, are far from the stereotypes presented on ABC - and their accomplishments prove it.

Table of Contents:

News................................2 Arts & Entertainment........5 Feature.............................8 Editorial.........................10 Opinon...........................11 Sports.............................14

NEWS

Student Spotlight: James Roberts Elise Sullivan Co-Editor In Chief There are hundreds of students at Norwalk High School that continue to make a difference everyday. Whether it is playing a sport, being involved in the music or art departments, participating in student government, creating a club, or helping others within the community, these students deserve to be recognized by their teachers and peers.

Every issue, there will be a new student featured in this column who has impacted NHS in extraordinary ways. The Student Spotlight for the December issue is James Roberts (’18).

In addition to a long list of AP and honors classes, and a strong grade point average, James is involved in a myriad of activities within Norwalk High, as well as outside of it, through which he holds leadership positions and has demonstrated dedication and commitment. James is a captain of the NHS football team, and is the treasurer of the NHS National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society. Additionally, he dedicates his time to the NHS 3D Team, of which he is the president, is a part of the NHS Peer Tutoring Program, mentors at West Rocks Middle School, and works part time at Pump It Up outside of school.

James is particularly passionate about his involvement in the NHS 3D Team, where a printer is used to print 3D prosthetics. James has demonstrated immense passion on this team, so much so that he has turned it into his Project Explore. “For my project explore, it started in December last year, and we raised money to get a $3,5000 printer, which we then got in January, and we’ve been printing with it,” James explained. He continued on to say, “We always had the idea of printing prosthetic arms, and in May we printed an arm for a boy named Ryder from South Carolina and we sent that arm to him. His arm broke slightly, so we’re making him a new arm right now.”

James’s favorite teacher at NHS is Ms. Morrison, whom he had for engineering for three years. He explained, “We just have a really close relationship and she is also my Project Explore advisor.”

In addition to James having a close relationship with Ms. Morrison, there is also a special role model in his life. “My role model in my life is my father, as I only live with him,” James noted.

One of the most memorable experiences James has had at Norwalk High occurred just recently, as he stated, “My most memorable Norwalk High School experience was winning the Thanksgiving Day Game against Brien McMahon.”

In regards to the future and college plans, James expressed, “I am planning to study Chemical or Biomedical Engineering in college, and I am looking forward to internships and a new lifestyle, just living somewhere different.” As for what he will miss most about Norwalk High, James said, “I’m going to miss the football team, and I’ll definitely miss Ms. Morrison a lot, as well.”

James Roberts is an incredibly passionate and driven individual and NHS wishes him the best of luck in the future.

December 2017

The Next Street Driving School Briana Cortese Opinion ediitor For many years, Norwalk High School has offered Driver’s Ed right here on campus via The Next Street Driving School. Taking this course is an excellent way to ensure that a student is fully prepared to pass their driver’s license test, as well as equipped with knowledge pertaining to driving safety.

The first session of classes begin on January 17th, 2018 and end on January 29th. This is a series of four two-hour class periods, an eighthour total Safe Driving Course. If unable to attend, another session begins on April 16.

The Next Street offers FlexScheduling; this means that if the student is unable to make the class as scheduled, they may make up that session at any other time it is held, at any of their seventy-plus locations within the area.

The cost of the eight-hour Safe Driving Course is $99 per student. This eight hour classroom training program fulfills the minimum State of CT requirements in order to get a Driver’s License. Though this course does not include private driving lessons, they can be added at

time of enrollment. Classes are held right after dismissal at 2:15 at Norwalk High School.

The Full Driver Education Course costs $599 per student. These classes are also held right after dismissal at Norwalk High and include thirty hours of total time spent in the classroom and eight hours of private road lessons. In addition to fulfilling all CT state driver’s ed requirements, after completing the course teen students will have a shorter wait time for their license than those who did not take the course. Completing this course also offers a discount on teenage car insurance.

“Learning to drive should be an easy and worthwhile experience. Anyone can teach you how to drive – but no one can do it like us.

How? We know you just want your license, so our team makes things clear and simple – because the quickest road to get you anywhere is straightforward,” according to The Next Street website.

Training to pass a driver’s license test can be a long and tedious process, so The Next Street has shortened this process and made it easier than ever to receive a license. Sign up now for classes by going online to www.thenextstreet.com.

FBLA Partners With Toys for Tots Hannah Keyes Co-Editor in Chief A small but forward moving club here at Norwalk High is the Future Business Leaders of America, or FBLA club.

FBLA, a national club that has been in existence for nearly eighty years is rooted in business but also does many projects and fundraisers throughout the year. During the month of December the club is collecting toys in the main office for an organization called Toys For Tots. The toys are given to underprivileged children during the holiday season. Collections are being held until December 16th, and donations from any NHS students, staff, or parents are greatly appreciated.

Co-president of the FBLA club Marisa Swanson (’18) mentioned, “FBLA partners with this organization every year and our goal is to be able to fill at least six boxes for the charity.

The gifts do not have to be expensive or ornate, anything counts. And if every student in Norwalk High were to donate one toy it would give 1,700 presents to children who need them.”

Mrs. Masek, the club advisor, explained that there are many other ways in which the club fundraises and promotes community service such as, “The Alzheimer’s Walk on October 8th, a bake

sale at 8th grade parents night for Alzheimer’s, the March of Dimes campaign in the spring for premature babies and families, and we promoted Business Enterprise day on November 15th.”

Along with the various fundraising events, FBLA competes every year at a state leadership conference, consecutively placing within the top five. Last year, now current co-presidents, Marisa Swanson and Gabriela Nunez (’18) won first place.

“Winning first place at a state leadership conference was so fulfilling because we did introduction to business where our prompt dealt with fundraising to attend the national leadership conference,” stated Swanson. She continued on to say, “Since I’ve never taken a business class, I thought as if I was at a disadvantage but winning first place reassured me that you don’t have to be a part of FBLA to win a business competition at a state level.”

Many would think that the only way to join the club is to have expressed interest in business, however this is not the case as anyone can join.

Gabriela Nunez affirms this by adding, “I think FBLA is a lot more than a business club. It truly is a community service that’s just business oriented. FBLA teaches us students how to develop leadership skills which are quintessential in college and beyond.”

NEWS

December 2017

Energy Drinks Torie Morin Reporter

Many teens cannot go a day without some sort of caffeine. Without it, they are in a slump and can barely get anything done. Teens need the energy, despite harmful energy drinks.

“In the morning, I just need a boost,” claimed Quint Bartush (’18), “It helps to get me running and get my day started.” Caffeine is a completely legal stimulant that causes the body to release adrenaline, which gives people more energy. Typically, many students reach for a coffee, but there is a whole other group of students who turn to energy drinks for a morning boost.

Whether it be Red Bull, Monster, or any of the other hundreds of brands, everyone has definitely heard of energy drinks. These drinks do just what one would think, they give energy.

This “energy” comes from their two main ingredients: sugar and caffeine. Some drinks may have as much as eighty grams of caffeine in them. “The energy definitely doesn’t come from the best places but it still helps me, so I’ll drink it,” stated Bartush.

These boosts of energy come at a high price.

High levels of caffeine and taurine (two of the drink’s main ingredients) can increase a person’s heart rate, which is something that many drinkers experience. Dr. John Higgins of the McGovern Medical School stated that “There’s been several cases described of people that have gone into cardiac arrest after consuming more than one energy beverage, and when they’ve done sort of further analysis on these individuals, they haven’t been able to find anything abnormal other than the very high levels of caffeine and taurine in the toxicology.” In very serious cases, they can even impact how one’s arteries function, or potentially even lock up the heart.

Energy drinks also impact sleep. “I’ve never really been someone who gets a lot of sleep,” remarked Bartush, “I’m up pretty early almost every day.” They disrupt the normal sleep pattern and cause periods of complete exhaustion throughout the day. Furthermore, a common ingredient in energy drinks, guarana, is mentioned in the NCAA’s 2016-17 banned drugs list, which is provided online.

Bartush is a tri-season student athlete, participating in cross country, wrestling/diving, and lacrosse. No matter what season it is, people can always catch him, and many other athletes, drinking a Monster. “I feel like I perform better with more energy,” claimed Bartush. Many students find themselves tired before games, and some turn to energy drinks for that added boost.

If anyone is considering drinking an energy drink, please first consider the possible consequences.

3

Helpful Freshman Tips Mateo Roldan-Vasco Reporter With the first semester coming to a close, freshman are now getting a little taste of what the next four years of Norwalk High School will be like.

Coming straight out of middle school into a new, big school with intimidating upperclassmen can be really overwhelming to freshman. They also have to deal with higher level classes than they were used to, with more work, and more hours staying up.

According to Mrs. Carlson, “The first five weeks of school was really rough for most students in my freshman class. Most of my honors students had trouble meeting deadlines, but after the interim mark, things started to pick up and progress in a more positive direction.”

“High school was a really big transition. It was hard finding my way to every class and some of my classes are really hard. Trying to manage my time so that I can balance school and sports was also a big challenge too. I can now say that I feel more adjusted to the school, and high school isn’t that bad anymore,” explained Miranda Hanlon (’21).

Some freshman may not have felt ready for high school.

School can be really hard for students, especially when they are a part of an extracurricular, but some students show a lack of effort. Another big factor of success in high school is how their middle school prepared them for high school.

Alejandra Roldan-Vasco (’21) stated “for some students, middle school did not prepare them for high school because many of them thought that middle school does not matter, so they did not take it seriously, and many teachers did not enforce better behavior.”

Hopefully, first quarter was a wake up call for some freshman who had no idea what to expect at NHS. The underclassmen now have to complete more requirements and earn twenty-five credits. These credits include a capstone credit, a STEM elective credit, and two credits in life skills electives. With these new graduation requirements, freshman need to focus on passing their classes, and making sure they understand all of their material..

When describing her first quarter at NHS, Roldan-Vasco said, “It was a lot harder than I had anticipated, but I made it by with all A’s” These four short years of high school help to determine the rest of our lives, and if they want to succeed, students should focus on their studies.

#MeToo Movement Ta’Myshia Taylor Reporter #Metoo is a social media movement to speak out and stand up against sexual harassment. This hashtag gives people a voice by telling their stories on how they were sexually harassed by someone. It shows people that they are not alone during a life threatening situation like sexual abuse and sexual harassment.

#Metoo has spread to eighty five countries of where both men and women speak out using #metoo as their vehicle. Around 1.7 million women have come out and talked about their personal experiences with sexual harassment using #Metoo. Celebrities like Lady Gaga and Gabrielle Union have also spoken out. #Metoo came along when the Hollywood movie producer Harvey Weinstein was accused of sexually harassing women. Women have came out recently and spoke out saying he has assaulted them. By women coming out it has given people who were sexually harassed a voice. According to The Telegraph News, 30.1% of men have joined the #metoo sexual assault

Harvey Weinstein

Louis C.K.

hashtag. This shows that not just women experience sexual assault or sexual abuse, men do too.

Tarana Burke created Just be Inc. It is a nonprofit organization that helps victims of sexual harassment and assault.

In 2017 she created #metoo with the help of actress Alyssa Milano who promoted #metoo. According to CNN, actress Heather Lind has spoke out saying that former President George H.W. Bush touched her inappropriately while he was sitting in his wheelchair during a photo op. George H.W. Bush apologized to the actress.

Ms. Sarah from E house said, “I think #metoo plays a role to raise awareness, I saw so many facebook statuses with #metoo and it really moved me and made me realize how big this issue is.” She also mentioned, “I think using hashtags can make people come together because hashtags are great for raising awareness and bringing people together. Especially young people because they are the ones that use social media the most.” She went on to say, “I think #metoo is a campaign helping raise awareness but there is always more we could be doing.

I think that having an open discussion can help. People should be able to share their stories and come together to figure

Al Franken

Matt Lauer

out ways to support one another.”

Ms. Clervil stated, “It creates a conversation, but it does not stop there.

We need to do more than a hashtag. We should acknowledge it and we should find a way to change this issue.” She continued and said, “It makes people come out of the shadows so they will not blame themselves anymore for what happens to them. We should come together and make sure this issue do not happen to others.”

Below: Six of the men who were accused of sexual harassment and assult sparking the #MeToo movement

Charlie Rose

Kevin Spacey

4

NEWS

December 2017

Blame It On The Teenage Brain Wiktoria Piktel photo editor Many teenagers are referred to as young adults, yet they are not taken seriously or considered mentally developed enough to act as an adult. Due to these differences, there is existing controversy about whether teens should be treated as adults in many situations.

Many people claim that teenagers are old enough to make decisions, understand the difference between what is considered “right” and “wrong,” and are aware of the possible consequences to their actions; positive and negative. Teens go to school

every day making hundreds of decisions anywhere from whether they should use a pen or a pencil to which college they will be applying to. Even though most of these people are expected to act like adults they are simultaneously expected to ask for permission for simple tasks such as using the bathroom and often not taken seriously when asked for a pass to the nurse. Even though many teachers try to treat their students equally, many do not realize that sometimes teens simply cannot control their impulses and emotional reactions.

It is not that teens were to be careless and on edge. Some stereotypes that describe teenagers are “lazy,” “negligent,” and “reckless.” In reality, teens can blame those passionate, emotional, and rash impulses on the brain. Maybe not literally

blame it on the brain. The brain does not give complete control to the little devil sitting on your shoulder while the little angel is tied in a closet helplessly watching the poor decision making. What teachers and parents can blame is the fact that the brain is not fully developed.

Mrs. Carlson explained that when a teenager is in conflict with their peer, they can get very attached to that negative emotion that is evoked. Since the prefrontal cortex is responsible for decision making and impulsivity. As it develops we have better control over how we behave and deal with situations of conflict.

“What we find is that a lot of times teenagers act in the moment of how they are feeling at that exact time without thinking about the consequences of their actions.”

Mrs. Carlson offers an explanation on how the teenage brain differs from an adult’s brain. “You’re coming into the age of being an adult but really, biologically, you’re not.

The prefrontal cortex is not fully developed and the signals are not as fast resulting in the teen reacting faster than processing the situation.”

She further explained that many teens will look back onto their reaction and regret as well as see the flaw in their actions, but in that moment they truly could not help themselves. She added, “Many parents are not aware what is happening hormonally in the brain causing the outbursts. We cannot blame it on brain, we have to understand the environmental factors such as peer pressure and upbringing affect behavior.”

New Year, New Improvements Torie Morin news editor Many Norwalk High School students and outsiders alike can be quick to judge the school for its exterior qualities.

The first thing people comment on is the “look” or the cleanliness of the building.

Many point to the leaks, or the front entrance. The school board has taken note of some of the issues, and in the upcoming year will be working to improve them.

“Last year, all of the schools in the district had a facility study, and there were lots of things the city wanted us to improve on, ranging from sidewalks to painting,” states Principal Reginald Roberts. But, the students at NHS have also played a part

in getting these things done. The School Governance Council, whose membership includes both the junior class president (Stephanie Corrales ’19) as well as the senior class president (Colin Baker ’18), has met and come up with improvements that they would like, such as new bleachers and a new sound system. “What we as administrators are doing is comparing the list from the School Governance Council to the facility study and figuring out which improvements will can make that will satisfy both,” noted Roberts.

Some tasks that have been agreed on include, refurbishing the cafeteria to give it a more “college-like” feel, making the library into a “learning commons’ in which students have incorporative learning space, painting wall paneling. They have also considered adding a second culinary

kitchen, which teachers are very hopeful about. There are also plans on improving the auditorium sound system and expanding the Digital Media Innovation center. “We are trying to grow the courses,” stated Digital Media teacher Mr. Seaburg, “Next year we are planning on adding two new courses, and expansion or new equipment will likely be necessary in order to properly accommodate the classes. On top of this, amenities such as courtyard benches, elevator modifications and increasing the number of outlets per classroom.

“We have been given a budget,” claimed Roberts triumphantly, “and over the next two years all of these tasks will be accomplished.” Be on the lookout for these upcoming renovations over the next few years.

A&E

December 2017

The Raging Bull Forza Motorsport Richie Cordero Reporter Martin Scorsese’s “Raging Bull”, was released to American audiences nearly thirty-seven years ago and continues to reign as one of the most eminent and influential motion pictures of all time.

Robert De Niro portrayed 1940s boxer Jake La Motta, a violent character who inevitably self-destructs due to his overwhelming feelings of insecurity, jealousy, and paranoia. The biopic provides glimpses of La Motta’s animalistic nature both inside and outside of the ring as well as the impacts it has on his familial relations.

Convincing displays of the 1940s Bronx scene and the corruption of the mob were also exhibited.

Scorsese’s innovative directing style and cinematographer Michael Chapman’s use of black and white photography produced a consistency of unique camera angles and rich visual effects that are unparalleled to most films today. Fight sequences were expertly shot; slow-motioned close-ups of La Motta’s face were immediately interrupted by fast-paced shaking of the camera as

frenzies of punches were unleashed.

The size of the rings that La Motta had fought in had also decreased in every subsequent fight, mirroring the world that was seemingly closing in on him.

The screenplay written by Paul Schrader and Mardik Martin was also very intelligent for incorporating the language and dialect of the characters given their social backgrounds and the time period.

Marlon Brando’s famous monologue from 1950s film “On The Waterfront” was also featured and brilliantly expressed La Motta’s disparity towards the later stages of his life.

He was shown reciting the monologue in a grotesque dressing room prior to his stand-up comedy gig in a decrepit night club.

“Raging Bull” was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Robert De Niro’s ingenious performance and Thelma Schoonmaker’s excellent film editing had earned them Oscars in their respective categories. De Niro’s method acting and Scorsese’s insightful directing set the standards for fu-

Sazzad Hossan Reporter Microsoft and Turn 10 studios have recently released Forza Motorsport 7. As the tenth installment in their hit Forza series, the popular racing simulator for Xbox, and PC has gone stale.

The game has over 700+ different cars including production cars from famed companies such as Audi, Bugatti, Ford, Mercedes, Lamborghini, Nissan, and of course the manufacturer of this edition's featured car, Porsche. Racing cars from GT, Le Mans, the F1 car, Indycars, and stock cars used in Nascar.

Throughout the years, the Forza Franchise has continued to improve though it still has an ways to go. Like its Drivatar system, the Artificial Intelligence uses one’s driving style to generate semi realistic avatars for them to race against.

But if the difficulty is turned up after eighty

percent or professional A.I, they become what has been dubbed “Forza A.I.” Which usually means after the first lap the top three in front begin to pull away, and is very difficult to catch up to them unless they’ve already passed them. Which then means they’re behind for almost the entire race.

With thirty tracks and many different versions the “New” tracks added are mostly just old tracks from previous Forza games. Of course they never added the most wanted track, in my opinion one of the greatest tracks in Forza to drift, is Fujimi Kaido.

Overall Forza is a really good game, but tiny things must be added/ fixed so it becomes a great game. Preferably, the A.I., the amount of tracks, and multiplayer.

Turn 10 has to really increase production and development on each aspect of the game, because so far it just feels it is the same thing but with changing weather.

Be sure to buy tickets and come see Norwalk High’s annual Candlelight on December 18th, 19th, and 20th at 7:30pm

Black Top Lines Concert Review Sean Essig Reporter Black Top Lines is a band that consists of people from Norwalk High School. The band has five members: singer Julia Breen (’19), guitarists Angelica Martin (’19) and Felix Rosales (’18), bass guitarist Mateo Roldan (’19), and drummer Asha Locke (’18). It has been a year since the band was first founded and has played in many shows since then. On November 10th, 2017 they played in Toquet

Hall in Westport.

The band started off playing at the NHS talent show in 2016. There they performed three cover songs while the judges were counting the votes and finding out the winner.

They never thought they would be able to get to where they are now, a year later.

The show started off with a band called Nova where only one of its members showed up. That did not turn into an issue however, as the one member Corey Duncan, former NHS student, was able to still play. When he finished, Black Top Lines took the stage with the hopes to

steal the crowd full of their friends and family. They got their audience very involved as well, as they even asked if anyone had a joke to share.

The band played songs from many popular groups such as Muse and Paramore. They also had many original songs that were written by the people of the band. While singing these songs, their talent immediately shined. The band had great rhythm and tempo with all of their songs.

The audience was said to be smaller than their usual ones but that did not stop them from putting on an amazing show.

Do you have a band? Do you perform? Do you have a club? Contact us 107D or 116B Email: nhspawprint.com @nhs_pawprint nhspawprint.com

6

Coco Mateo Roldan-Vasco Reporter

A&E

A Wonderful Movie Frideriki Koletsos Reporter The movie “Wonder” was released into theaters on November 17, 2017 directed by Stephen Chbosky.

“Wonder” is a book and movie that presents an idea on the current climate of American bullying regarding people who look different.

The book “Wonder” is a New York Times best seller which tells an inspiring story of a boy named August Pullman, who struggles with facial deformity due to past surgeries and craniofacial deformity. It perceives the struggles and problems August faces while attending an elementary school for the first time in his life. This movie depicts and focuses on the values of friendship and confidence one has reflecting their appearance. “Wonder” shows how determination and strength can turn the hard, negative aspects of life into a positive outcome.

The book “Wonder” was written by Raquel J. Palacio.

Raquel stated that the book “Wonder” was inspired by a real-life encounter with her own kids six years ago. This heartfelt story has been thriving throughout the world.

On October 22, 2017, Pixar released a movie by the name of “Coco” into theatres.

The movie follows the story of Miguel Rivera, a young Mexican boy who dreams to be a musician like his idol and role model, Ernesto de la Cruz. His biggest obstacle though is his family's ban on music, since his great grandfather abandoned the family to become a musician and travel the world.

In the hopes of showing off his musical talent to the rest of his town in their “Dia de los Muertos talent show,” Miguel runs away from his family, and ends up traveling to the land of the dead.

In the land of the dead, along with a new friend by the name of Héctor, Miguel searches for a way to get back home, while uncovering the real story behind his family history.

Just by looking at the movie trailer, along within the first ten minutes of the movie, it is easy to tell that the animators worked really hard to bring the film to life. So many elements and layers were added in the making of this movie, it makes it easy to appreciate the hard work of all involved.

It is easy to tell this is a Pixar movie by looking at how it is animated. There is so much detail added to the characters, and the world in which they live.

Also, the bright and colorful characters can remind us of color schemes of other movies such as “Inside out” or “Up.” The story line for the film is very moving. Since it is about family and togetherness, the movie is guaranteed to bring tears to the eyes of the viewer. This film takes the viewer on an emotional roller coaster.

Filled with bright color and an accurate depiction of Mexican heritage, Coco is definitely the family movie of the year.

December 2017

Many people have been amazed and astonished by how this movie was directed. “Directed by Stephen Chbosky, who wrote the screenplay with Steve Conrad and Jack Thorne, the movie has a cast that’s wonderful from top to bottom,” stated Glenn Kenny from the New York Times.

In the movie, August has a nickname, “Auggie.” His journey through attending a real elementary school after being homeschooled all his life, which brings him obstacles that he has to face internally and externally. His strong and kind character brings his classmates to realize that the appearance of someone should not be a reason for them to be bullied or treated unequally. Auggie has a craniofacial disorder which makes his facial features differ from those of a “normal” child or person. “Why fit in when you were born to stand out,” quoted by Raquel J. Palacio. The message that this movie and book convey is very admirable and should be an inspiration to all.

The morals the film presents are eye opening for the viewers. Auggie is not only known as a character in a novel or movie, but as a symbol of strength and expanding the definition of the word “normal.” The world today is believed to have certain social standards, but “Wonder” breaks that standard and creates a new social cue that being different is the new “normal.”

Old School Sam Alegria Reporter Every decade has some sort of trending genre or subgenre.

Today’s music industry is dominated by hip-hop, funky artistic names, and a shocking unity between differing cultures and races.

If one were to ask people who lived during the Sixties, Seventies, or Eighties, they might say it was the complete opposite. Rock, subgenres of rock (psychedelic rock, southern rock, New Wave, Prog rock, etc), folk, and soul had control of the music industry, and the amount of division that these genres created between people was incredible. Soul and R&B were dominated by the black community and rock and folk were dominated by the white community.

But even though the music industry was divided during this time there was also some unity. During the sixties Motown surged and many prominent artists came out of it, such as: James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, The Isley Brothers, etc.

Due to the the popularity of soul many rock artists included soul, R&B, and blues elements into their material.

One of the most famous bands to do so was The Rolling Stones and CCR (Creedence Clearwater Revival). The Rolling Stones covered the song “I Just Want to Make Love to You” which was recorded by Muddy Waters (who was African-American) in 1954,

and then adapted by other black artists such as Etta James.

Then there is CCR who covered “I Put a Spell on You”

by Nina Simone, and one of their most famous covers “I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” originally recorded by Marvin Gaye.

Cultural apropriation of music is constant and important, i.e. Jimi Hendrix. But music has come a long way since then, now there are not such vast racial gaps in the music industry. R&B and rap are not only done by African Americans, it is done by white people as well, and we all connect because the people that listen to those genres now are everyone from every race.

Even spanish-language is becoming prominent within the english-language radio stations and community.

We have made incredible progress within race relations in music and this trend will only continue.

Second Season of Stranger Things Hannah Keyes Co - Editor In Chief With the arrival of Stranger Things’ second season, social media has gone crazy with fans’ expressions of anticipation and excitement, preceding with positive reactions and continued 80s nostalgia. The second season was released on Netflix on Friday October 27, 2017, giving viewers the opportunity to spend the weekend binge watching every episode.

Warning: spoilers ahead! Season two picks up a year after the season one ending, in Hawkins, Indiana in 1984.

Iconic characters reappear such as psychokinetic Eleven, leader of the group Mike Wheeler, police chief Jim Hopper, frantic mother Joyce Byers, and the list goes on.

The love triangle that fans speculated about in season one with Nancy Wheeler, Jonathan Byers, and Steve Harrington takes form in the new season as Nancy and Steve begin to grow a part due to their conflicting views about how to deal with the death of Nancy’s best friend

Barb. All the while Nancy and Jonathan grow closer as they try to seek answers.

Fans are also able to see new sides to characters never seen before. For instance there has been a huge buzz over Steve and his dramatic transformation as a character.

Instead of being the bad boy who bullies Jonathan, he becomes the babysitter of the group and forms a

close relationship with comedic and endearing Dustin Henderson.

New characters appear such as California natives and step-siblings Billy Hargrove, the hot-headed new bad boy and Max Mayfield, the fiery red-head who garners the attention of group members Dustin and Lucas. There is also kind hearted Bob Newby, Joyce’s new partner who surprises everyone with his heroic actions and genuine gestures. A new threat emerges in the form of the Shadow Monster and its’ demodogs who come from an alternate dimension known as the Upside Down.

Will Byers, who became lost in the Upside Down and was rescued by the end of season one, is now back with his main group of friends: Mike, Lucas, and Dustin.

However, there is still a lingering darkness where he often sees visions of the Shadow Monster, which consumes his thoughts leaving him with fear about the future of Hawkins.

The amount of surprises, suspense, and emotions will leave the viewer glued to their T.V. and eager to watch the next episode and ultimately the next season.

WINTER HOLIDAY 2017 going out

TOP HOLIDAY ALBUMS

Last-Minute Gifts Under $25 FOR HER:

staying in

TOP HOLIDAY ALBUMS (continued)

FOR HIM: All clothing can be found in stores at H&M or online at hm.com

GINGERBREAD COOKIES DIRECTIONS: Sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon; set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the shortening, molasses, brown sugar, water, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, until they are completely absorbed. Divide dough into 3 pieces, pat down to 1 1/2 inch thickness, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When the cookies are done, they will look dry, but still be soft to the touch. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on wire racks.

When cool after about 4 hours, the cookies can be frosted with the icing of your choice. (allrecipies.com)

INGREDIENTS: 1 egg 1/2 cup water 6 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup shortening, melted and cooled slightly 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup molasses DETAILS:

FOR HER: BECCA Glow on the Go Highlighter Set ($20, sephora), TARTE Tarteist™ Pro To Go Amazonian Clay Palette ($23, sephora), Rollerball Glitter Fragrance Oil ($20, Antropologie), Earmuffs ($5.99, H&M) BENEFIT COSMETICS Big Lash Blowout ($24, sephora) GLAMGLOW Let it Glow! Little Sexy Duo ($25, sephora) FOR HIM: JACK BLACK Shave Essentials™ ($25, sephora), CLINIQUE Great Skin To Go Kit ($19, sephora), LOKAI bracelettes ($18 each, lokai.com) ,Hat and Scarf set ($17.99, H&M), Five O’Clock Whistle Shaving Cream ($13, lush), BUMBLE AND BUMBLE Tonic Lotion ($25, sephora) Page Design By: Briana Cortese

These are but a few of the major events that occured throughout 2017 that shaped the country

President Trump removes James Comey from his position as FBI Director as Trump said, “The FBI has been in turmoil.”

The Supreme Court reinstates President Trump’s executive order temporarily banning travelers and refugees from six Muslim-majority countries.

JUNE

APRIL

FEBRUARY

MAY

Mike Flynn resigned after 25 days of being National Security Adviser , for lying to the FBI under oath.

MARCH

JANUARY

On January 20, 2017, Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States.

The Trump Administration releases a preliminary draft of its 2018 budget request.

Increases include: the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs.

Trump drops the MOAB Bomb on an ISIS cave complex in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan.

Pre the at lot cal res

Trump’s Infamous Tweets NHS reacts to Trump’s tweets:

Colin Baker (’18)

“These Tweets represent who Trump is. He does not comply with the political correctness of past standards. He speaks his mind, in many cases the truth. He has changed the way politicians communicate. Don’t expect him to stop tweeting anytime soon.

Asha Locke (’18)

“Having such high power in our government and spending exuberant amounts pf time on Twitter equals chaos.”

Maya Gooseman (’19) “Trump has taken the Twitter thing too far. Insulting enemy world leaders online is just unprofessional and immature, and immediately claiming that every news source that isn’t on his side is ‘fake news’ makes him seem untrustworthy to me.”

and the new presidency.

President Trump signs executive order directing cabinet agencies to expand access to less expensive, comprehensive insurance policies with fewer benefits and protections for consumers than in the ACA.

President Trump officially recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, which holds the possibility of threatening Middle Eastern peace.

DECEMBER

President Trump declares in a proclamation that September 15 to October 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month.

OCTOBER

AUGUST

resident Trump condemns e violence from all sides a far-right rally at Charttesville, Virginia, and lls for law and order to be stored.

NOVEMBER

SEPTEMBER

JULY

President Trump states, “the United States Government will not accept or allow. transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military.”

President Trump announces that North Korea will be reinstated to the United States’ list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, from which it was removed in October 2008.

Trump’s Promises

President Trump has made many promises during his Political Campaign and time in office so far: “I will build a great, great wall on our southern border and I will make Mexico pay for that wall.”

No Progress

In Progress

Delivered

Trump promised to raise tariffs on goods imported to the U.S., as he noted, “I would do a tax. and the tax, let me tell you what the tax should be … the tax should be 45 percent,” in regards to relations with China.

No Progress

Delivered

In Progress

Trump promised to “appoint justices who, like Justice Scalia, will protect our liberty with the highest regard for the Constitution.”

No Progress

In Progress

Delivered

nhspawprint@gmail.com - @nhs_pawprint - nhspawprint.com

STAFF BOX The Paw Print

E DITORIAL

Unresourceful Centers Hannah Keyes CO-Editor

in chief

This may not be a new topic, but it is one

Norwalk High School 23 Calvin Murphy Drive Norwalk, CT (203) 838-4481 The Paw Print would like to thank all journalism students for their work in the creation of the paper.

Advisor Mr. Karl Co-Editors in Chief Hannah Keyes Elise Sullivan ______Designers______ News Editor Torie Morin Opinion Editor Briana Cortese A&E Editor Jorgie Villalobos Photo Editors Wiktoria Piktel Staff Writers Sam Alegria Richie Cordero Sean Essig Alex Francoeur Jadyn Grant Sazzad Hossan Savana Jaques Frideriki Koletsos Mateo Roldan-Vasco Ta’Myshia Taylor Masira Vahora Jaquell Wilson

POLICY: Our newspaper reserves the right to edit all submissions for space and clarity. All entries must include name, year in school, and phone number for verification. The opinions expressed in the opinion section are those of the writers, not the entire staff.

of importance and something that I believe has been glossed over far too often; that is that the student resource centers here at Norwalk High, are completely unresourceful.

In case if one does not know, there are student resource centers for each major subject area: Math, English, Science, Social Studies, and Foreign Language. The purpose of a resource center is to provide students with access to a computer, printer, as well as an open space to study or seek help with homework and concepts. However, there are many problems with this system specifically here at NHS and oftentimes students are left baffled by the state and availability of these centers.

Firstly, the resource centers are outdated. A majority of the computers either do not work, or are very slow. For students who do not have access to computers at home and must rely on those available at school, this is disappointing and troubling. As well as for teachers who want to bring their class into a resource center, if the computers do not work or take a long time to start up, there is simply no point. Yes, there are chrome carts and chromebooks now, however, this is for exclusive teacher handling. Meaning that the teachers reserve them for their classes and students cannot freely use them within a

resource center.

Students also are too often turned away from going into student resource centers. With the title “student resource center,” one can assume that it was created for the intended use of students. The reality of the situation is different. From personal experience, as well as listening to my peers, there have been many instances where students were not permitted to work in a resource center. Also, if a student wishes to print out their lab report in the English resource center, they should be able to without intense questioning. It is true that the lab report is not an English assignment, but there is really no difference whether it is printed out in one resource center over the other. There should not be added pressure and induced guilt when a student simply wants to study or print out an assignment quickly before class starts.

However, it is understandable that teachers have reservations about students as there are times when students will treat property badly, leave food and scraps behind, print out way too many sheets of paper, and act irresponsibly.

Thus, students must also take responsibility for their actions. Both sides should seek to build a fundamental base of trust between one another and come to a happy medium.

My request to department chairs would be to allow students to use the resource centers more often and to create a calm and productive work space for students. The purpose of a student resource center should be fulfilled as a center in which students can use as a resource, nothing less than such.

Focus on The Positives Elise Sullivan CO-Editor

in chief

Every morning beginning even before 7:30

a.m, students at Norwalk High, myself included, express their “complaints of the day,” including things that bother them and annoyances regarding school. Whether the classrooms are burning hot or if they feel like Antarctica, or that their unreasonable teacher is responsible for their lack of sleep and need to empty their wallets on Dunkin Donuts coffees every morning. In addition to these complaints, every time the news channel is turned on TV, there is almost always a depressing or negative event being broadcasted.

Despite the many complaints that we express everyday about the “bad things,” or that things seem to be unfair, there are also so many good aspects of the world that are often not focused on.

Every now and then, comedian and talkshow host, Ellen Degeneres, shows a segment called “A Remarkable Act of Kindness,” which displays many of the kind things that people have done for others around the world, such as giving a homeless person their winter boots on a frigid January night, giving cookies to the local fire department on Christmas Eve, sending cards to remember our veterans on Veterans Day, and donating canned food, water, and blankets to those impacted by the numerous natural disasters that have taken place this fall.

This caused me to realize that there are so many profound people in the world who perform acts of kindness everyday, even if it is on a much

smaller scale, such as holding the door for the person behind them or writing a handwritten thank you note. This year, my teacher told me that it is so rare to see students, teenagers, or even adults give someone a handwritten thank you note to express their thanks anymore. Therefore, when a person does take the time to write a thank you note, it should never go unnoticed.

At Norwalk High School, there are many kind acts that students demonstrate every day, such as congratulating a friend on an accomplishment, giving back to the community through clubs and organizations, including B.R.O.W.N, or aiding incoming freshmen in adjusting to high school life.

Throughout my time in high school, only a select few teachers of mine have taken time in class on Veterans Day to commemorate the bravery, strength and honor that the veterans of our country have expressed. To be completely honest, I never truly recognized how much veterans have witnessed and experienced until this year, when one of my teachers showed me the documentary, “High Ground.” After watching this, I learned more about veterans’ stories and memories, why they chose to go fight, and how it has impacted their reintegration into society.

Now, when people start to discuss the scary and negative events that currently take place in the world, whether it is about a turbulent time in politics or an act of violence in the country, try to remember the good in the world, represented by the acts of sincerity and kindness that people have shown. Maybe this will make everything else seem less...scary.

OPINION

11

The 0 v. 100 Decision Jorgie Villalobos Reporter Beginning the quarter with a zero versus a hundred would prompt the students to turn in work to boost their grade. This would motivate students more, starting off the quarter with a zero or a one hundred.

Should teachers put a zero in for assignments they just created to show students what their grade would look like without the assignment being handed in? Should they keep doing what they are doing currently and put in grades as the work is handed in?

Many teachers have said this or something close.

“You start every quarter off with an A and you decide where the grade goes from there.” It never really made sense, I always used to think that starting off with a zero and working the way up to a higher grade is more satisfying.

Think about it; if teachers entered in a zero for all of the assignments that have not been completed or the ones just created, thus showing the students where their grade would fall without turning in the assignment.

Education is a fifty fifty process and it takes both a teacher and a student to make a grade. Teachers give opportunities to students to raise their grade and make

the best of the quarter; what happens when the student does not take the opportunity that was presented to them, they start to suffer and blame either themselves or the teacher for the failing grade without even acknowledgement that an opportunity was given.

Hopefully it would encourage more students to turn in work on time and not bombard their teachers with all of their late and missing work at the end of the quarter. Expecting the teacher to happily grade the work that could have been due the first week of the quarter.

With this change, it is believed that there would also be a little more of a sense of accomplishment. Personally when I hand in an assignment, I eagerly wait to see my grade move up on Powerschool; it is a small pat on the back from your future self saying thank you for boosting our grade a little. Students would happily see their B+ go to an A- or possibly an A. It is a small victory, but a victory nonetheless that could make all the difference.

Having Homework Over The Holidays Mateo Roldan-Vasco Reporter Students often wonder why teachers give out homework during their time of rest with close friends and family over the holidays.

Sometimes it seems like school can be overwhelming, so holiday breaks are the perfect time to relax with family and friends while celebrating a holiday.

Some students say that when teachers assign homework over these week long breaks, they find themselves stressing out and completing these assignments last minute because they were so busy spending time with their loved ones.

The constant pressure from AP and Honors classes can pile up, and students often end up needing time to just slow down from these fast paced classes.

On the other hand, teachers will argue that when students do not reinforce what they have learned right before break started, their progress in that class and knowledge of the material they learned is lost.

AP teachers will often say that there are not enough days in the year to prepare for the AP exams in May, and that they need to fit in as much material as they can to

make up for lost time. If students forget about what they have been learning in class, their AP exam may not go as well as their teachers hoped.

If the worry is to keep the mind refreshed and material in, maybe assign a couple pages to read, or a review page. Not an entire packet with a three page essay at the end. Instead of assigning big packets and projects, teachers should assign less than an hour worth of homework. This way, students can keep some of the material they learned prior to break in their head while being able to celebrate the holidays with the people they love.

While it is important for students to retain the information taught to them before break, it is also important to keep in mind that teenagers live really busy lives with sports, homework, jobs, clubs, and so much more. Students do need to take at least a week to just sit back and relax with close friends and family.

Cafeteria Alternative Briana Cortese Reporter Throughout my high school years I have never enjoyed eating lunch in the school’s cafeteria, and I am not the only one. The Norwalk High School staff seems to have an extreme problem with this.

Being an NHS student means being forced to report to the cafeteria for lunch break. The staff never considered the small population of students with moderate social anxiety before declaring it almost “illegal” to be anywhere else in the building except for the cafeteria during the lunch period.

Personally, I like to eat in peace… not with hundreds of immature adolescents occasionally throwing food, fighting, and screaming in a dirty cafeteria. Yes, some students behave properly and adult-like, but far too much of the majority act younger than they are.

On “A” days I eat lunch with my boyfriend and in our third period class, our teacher has been lenient about it and allows us to continue to eat in her room. Not to mention we are very clean people and never leave trash behind in her room.

On “B” days, we do not eat lunch. Period. Not to be dramatic, but I would rather starve than be forced to sit in that god forsaken cafeteria. Usually my boyfriend and I will go in resource centers on “B” day lunch periods and just talk. The resource centers have made it pretty clear that food is strictly prohibited in there so we can not eat.

One time a staff member walked into the resource center barking orders at us to get out, not even asking anything about our current situation.

Let us not forget about the recent sewage leakage that occurred in the cafeteria which forced students to have lunch outside. I do not recall any problems occurring between students when this happened, which proved the cafeteria is not the only place inside this entire campus where food can be consumed.

It is utterly disappointing and frankly unbelievable to think that I would rather starve than eat lunch in the NHS cafeteria. I know for a fact that I am not the only student who strongly dislikes eating lunch there. Social anxiety is a real condition that lots of students are faced with everyday.

This condition does not allow certain students to be in crowded hallways or even consume lunch in the public cafeteria. Sadly, these issues do exist and there should be other means of eating grounds offered to students who feel discomfort in crowds.

Don’t Forget To Be Thankful Torie Morin news editor The month of October consists of people putting out their pumpkins and decorating their homes. Everyone obsesses over and anticipates Halloween. But, the second November 1st rolls around, all anyone can talk about is Christmas. This holiday season, do not let visions of sugarplums and the magic of Christmas stop the celebration of this forgotten holiday, Thanksgiving.

To say that Thanksgiving is “forgotten” may be an overstatement, it is simply overlooked. The holiday serves as a symbol of both American history and gratitude, but still gets pushed under the rug. The main reason it is ignored is mainly because it falls between two more “exciting” and materialist holidays. As sad as it is, people nowadays are more drawn to materialism than they are to celebrations of gratitude and history. It is hard to blame them! It is fun to dress up as a character, or to receive gifts.

Those are things that pretty much everyone enjoys. But, it is equally gratifying to give thanks and eat some turkey with your family.

Many people also forget that the holiday is more than just stuffing, turkey, cranberry sauce and football. When people picture Thanksgiving, they picture going to their school’s football game in the morning, eating a huge meal with their family, and then watching football on the television in the midst of a major food coma. No one thinks about the historical significance. Thanksgiving serves as a thanks-giving to our forefathers who set foot on Plymouth rock, and the Native Americans who helped the Pilgrims plant edible crops. The holiday is about American culture and history.

This was not written to pick on anyone who simply does not like Thanksgiving. Maybe they think that stuffing is gross and completely hate the feeling of being so full you could burst. This was written to bring awareness to the fact that a major American holiday is being neglected. So, in future holiday seasons, it is advised that everyone gets excited for both the cranberry sauce and the history that comes along with this holiday.

12

Opinion

December 2017

Artist Spotlight

Danielle Jeune (’21)

Gotta Pay To Win Winter Wonders Alex Francoeur Reporter There are a wide array of video game publishing companies out there, from EA to guys producing games for the app store on their laptop. They are all making games to earn cash, whether it comes from the three dollar purchase for the premium version of an app or the full price of a sixty dollar console game. As businesses do, they are trying to maximize their profits, always pushing the limit of what people are willing to pay.

One of the most popular new console games of the Christmas season, Star Wars Battlefront II, came under fire from their community after they added a “pay to win” system into their game. The basic concept is “pay to win” games have a system where a person can substitute real money for in-game play time. This was popularized by app store games where players could substitute money for weeks and weeks worth of playing.

This discouraged some of their players from investing more time into the game because it made their achievements brought about through long hours feel worthless.

They no longer felt the reward every time they progressed because some other player could buy their way to the same place. This system is common in app store gaming because many people are not willing to pay up front for games and would rather play a free game that makes their money through ads and “pay to win” micro purchases.

The problem arises when “pay to win” tactics come up in more expensive games.

The Call of Duty franchise has had problems with “pay to win” in the past. Their games right out of the box have a hefty price tag on them, so most players rightly assume they

should be getting full access to all the content in it. They came up with one ingenious solution; allow players to purchase cosmetic or non gameplay related items so they can still spend money, but not turn away players who cannot.

Star Wars Battlefront II is exploiting most of the money grabbing tropes out there. The game comes into the box with a price tag of sixty dollars for the standard edition or eighty dollars if one would like a head start in the game and some exclusive items. Unlike their last game, they may not have premium paid content or season passes, but that may be because they are making so much off of their “pay to win” system of loot boxes. These are paid items that give you an item from a random selection including non divisive cosmetic items as well as offensive game altering ones. A few players are not going to get the game because they are not getting satisfaction from it, and the few who will pay may not even get everything after dropping ninety dollars due to the random nature of the loot boxes.

Frideriki Koletsos Reporter

The temperature drops, as the icy frost on the ground is peaking up through the grass. Putting on heavy coats, thick boots, sleek gloves and fuzzy hats, I walk outside to indulge in the white wonderland which arrives in winter. As snow falls, and layers of white cover all of the ground like a enormous white blanket of frost.

Snow is overall the most glistening image to the eye.

As kids begin to run outside to play in this element that comes around once a year, I heat up the car and see the collision between hot and cold. Beginning to drive down the street, a vision and action of creativity is grasped onto my eyes. Snow has the ability to shapeshift into any creation brought to it through the human imagination. Snow is rolled into balls as big as boulders and piled onto one another to be formed into a man made of snow. Piles of snow begin being placed around the yard to create a wall made of snow to have playful snowball fights. Igloos being attempted to be made correctly, so children can crawl into it and experience something other than a lit up screen.

As the days become shorter and the

nights become longer, the nightfall sneaks up. Looking up into the dark sky just to get a glimpse of the stars peeking through the thick, foggy clouds. The moon glows with luminescence while the sparkling small snowflakes proceed to fall onto my face. Walking into the kitchen just to have an excuse to sip on a warm, smooth hot chocolate and crunch on the sugary, crispy homemade gingerbread cookies left on the stovetop. Grabbing all of the fuzzy blankets around the house and rewatching all the cliche christmas movies that are the most ideal to see every year.

As the winter begins coming to an end, the blanket of white snow foreseen through all of town begins to slowly disappear and go away in a stream of water by the edges of sidewalks. The last of the tiny snowflakes begin to come down and melt. As large trucks with snowplows come around taking all of the snow off the streets, piles of snow are built up all over town. So looking up one last time to see the little white flakes come down, I reach my finger out and as the last snowflake falls on the tip of my finger it melts away, as fast as the transition to spring comes around. As the love and lust of snow and winter fall back, flowers begin to peek out through the withered grasp and until next year, snow will be set back and sun and rain will take its place.

13

Opinion

December 2017

Cosmetics Represented By All as Instagram and Youtube. This includes people such as Jeffree Star, Manny MUA, and HeFlawless. They inspire others by posting beauty tutorials ranging from smoky eyes to applying highlight also to having a full beauty face.

Men should wear makeup more often, although some are hesitant because society has not fully accepted the fact that men can wear makeup. However, times are indeed changing and makeup on men has become more and more of an accepted concept within society.

When men put on makeup, it is the same feeling that women have when they apply makeup. It gives them a boost of confidence and makes one feel fierce and better about themselves. According to Allure, “the money spent on beauty routines among men is only about 20 percent less than women who spend $175, 680 in a lifetime.”

Hopefully from this article, people can see that everyone should accept men who wear makeup. This is a way in which they are able to express themselves and it is no different from a woman trying to express herself. Men are

Jaquell Wilson Reporter Women have dominated the makeup world and beauty community for many decades, but in recent years men have really come to the beauty forefront and it is their time to take over.

On October 12, 2016 Covergirl announced that James Charles will be the first ever “Coverboy.” For the longest time men were not widely recognized for their makeup skills because everybody thought that makeup was for women only. However, makeup was meant for men before women took over. During the Shakespearean time men had to wear makeup and play both men and women parts in the play because women were not allowed to.

Nowadays, there are a lot of men in make up who get recognized on the daily for their makeup skills and are huge influencers on social media and on big platforms such

setting the bar higher and are trying to accomplish more in all categories, whether it is a category dominated by women or dominated by men.

It Is The Most Wonderful Time of The Year Briana Cortese Opinion Editor Christmas is without a doubt my absolute favorite time of the year. It is so much more than just a holiday, it is “the most wonderful time of the year.” With Christmas music, movies, candles, Christmas themed foods, and of course gift giving and gift receiving there is no escaping this extraordinary time of year. *Insert Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You* There is truly something magical about Christmas themed music, no matter what time of year it is (holiday season or not); Christmas music automatically lifts my spirits and brings people together. The holiday would not be the same without music, nor would people be able to get into a festive mood so easily.

Family time is also an important aspect of this holiday. “I especially love Christmas because I enjoy spending time with my huge family during the holiday. Family is so important to me,”said Norwalk High School student Ma-

ria Bonaddio (’18). It is important to recognize that people will not be in your life forever, and you have to enjoy the time you get to spend with them while you can.

Decorations are crucial to fully embracing the holiday spirit. Nothing compares to New York City at Christmastime, it is truly a magical feeling to walk through the city at night and see all the holiday decor. Towns closer to Norwalk such as Westport, New Canaan, and Greenwich are

Netflix Removing Shows Sean Essig Reporter Netflix, everyone’s favorite streaming service, has been slowly dying. Tons of shows are being taken off without much reason behind it and it is starting to happen for way too many of my favorite shows.

Great shows such as How I Met Your Mother, House of Cards, and Family Guy are being taken down, and without any outside knowledge, someone who enjoyed those shows would not know why. The next show that will be taken down that is one of my favorites is It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Netflix has done this in the past when certain shows have a contract that the company decided not to renew, but it has been suddenly increasing by a drastic amount. The question that needs to be asked, why did these shows and their creators not renew their contract?

One answer could be another streaming service called Hulu may have all of these shows on their service. On the Hulu official website, it shows that the cheapest contracts that TV shows can use do not allow that show to be on a different streaming service.

This would mean that not renewing with Netflix and signing with Hulu would give the creators of the TV shows more money.

On the official Netflix website, there is an option to request TV shows or movies to be put on the streaming service. It may be helpful if someone were to like some very obscure and forgotten show that currently is not owned by a company because after you give your suggestions, it states that there are reasons such as streaming rights not being available, or content rights being owned by a different company. They already gave the example of “Game of Thrones” being owned by HBO which means that a lot of shows that are popular and constantly suggested may never be on Netflix.

Students or parents in the school community can anonymously submit any suspicious activity, bullying or other student related issues to a school administrator(s). We encourage you to report important issues. You can report things at the Norwalk High School website with a link to https://www.anonymousalerts.com/norwalkps/.

also admirable in the nighttime. I always loved walking through town just to see the decorations. Holiday decorations make day to day activities seem much more delightful and pleasant.

While we all enjoy opening gifts around Christmas time, it is not the only thing this holiday has to offer. I enjoy Christmas shopping for others’ gifts, especially if there is something specific I want to get them. It is also fun to spontaneously find an item in a store and think to yourself “Mom would love this!” The cliche of “giving is better than receiving” plays an important role in this season and it feels amazing to give.

Though my Christmas cookies often never come out as festive and pretty as planned, I love baking, especially around the holidays, particularly Christmas. Decorating cookies is a fun (and delicious) way to spend time with your family during the season.

Christmas is a beautiful time of kindness and joy.

There are countless ways to embrace the holiday spirit and spend time with loved ones. You cannot deny the uplifting of your spirits during the season. Happy holidays everyone!

14

Sports

December 2017

Boys Swim Team Striding For PRs Jorgie Villalobos A&E Editor The boys swim and dive team is expecting to make a splash in competition for their season this year. The team has over thirty swimmers and two new divers accompanying Kevin Bradley (’19).

The season is looking promising as Norwalk High School captain John Kruy (’18) had this to say “We have a lot of great swimmers on the team, but to name a few that look promising, I would have to say Chris Dauser (’20) and Mateo Roldan-Vasco (’19) from NHS and Kyle Lumsden (’18) and Henry Velasquez (’20) from Brien McMahon High School.”

Kevin Bradley (’19) mentioned the divers and what he looks forward to this

season. “I think the divers are going to do really well and will learn a lot quickly. I’m looking forward to the Darien meet when I dive against some of my teammates.”

As we look forward to the boys swim and dive season, Mateo Roldan-Vasco (’19) mentioned his hopes and expectations for the season. “My hopes for the season consist of getting a bigger showing for the state finals and state opens. I look forward to the Wilton meet because they are the biggest competition we have and our greatest rival. I hope to best them in the competition and blow them out of the water. I also would like to see more spectators at our swim meets cheering us on.”

So come to the home meets and check out the boy’s swimming and diving team and support NHS and BMHS.

Mateo Roldan-Vasco Reporter The running Bears have their hearts and minds set on getting better and faster this winter. They hope to make a big appearance at their indoor track meets and FCIACS by improving track form and increasing speed.

With the beginning of the winter season coming up, the NHS indoor track team is looking to make improvements. Captain of the girls indoor track team Frideriki Koletsos (’18) said, “One goal that I have for the team is improving the track form and speed for freshmen who are new to the team.” Frideriki has gone to FCIACS in prior years and has also placed in the 55M hurdles and the 300M dash. She added, “A personal goal of mine is to PR in the 300M race.”

Co-Captain for boys indoor track, Katrell Clay (’18) also said, “One of my goals for the team this season is for more people to qualify for FCIAC championships. We have a big group this year and I want to see everybody stay together through the end of the season.”

Looking forward in the season, both captains are excited for performing at their track meets. Frideriki said, “FCIACs and

our other track meets are so much fun, and something that I always look forward to, because you get to hang out with everyone on the team for a whole day and you also get to show off how much you’ve improved.”

Katrell Clay said, “I want to try to beat my times from last year and I want to have fun doing it. Track is all about just having fun and spreading it to the people around you.”

Indoor track can be a really difficult sport, but our runners are ready to step up to the challenge. The NHS indoor track team is a close-knit, hard working group of individuals who are ready to train hard so that they can show Fairfield County just what the NHS runners are made of.

Boys Basketball Girls Basketball Alex Francoeur Reporter The boys basketball team is getting ready to start a successful season. Coach Keyes commented “The season hasn’t started, but I know if we work hard, play as a team, we will have a good season.” The tryouts were held over the first weekend in December, and the team captains coming

out of that are Jadyn Grant(’19), Zyaire Sellers(’19), Joey Benincaso(’18), and Connor Mastropietro(’18). The team is going to have good leadership with many senior players.

In the 2016-17 season varsity finished with a 7-15 record that does not truly represent the skill on the team. This year they are hoping for a better representation of their team.

The boys team is working hard in preparation for their next game at New Milford High school on December 18. It is in New Milford high school gym at 7 p.m. They are looking to pick up an early win, so do not miss it.

Sometimes it is difficult to get to a late game in a different town. The first home game is on December 22 versus Fairfield Warde at six o’clock. If you cannot make the Fairfield Warde game, luckily this season they have sixteen league games and eight are at home. Make sure you get to see this year’s Norwalk High boys basketball team.

Richie Cordero Reporter As winter approaches, so does the beginning of Norwalk High School’s Girls Varsity Basketball team’s season. After winning fifteen of their twenty-four games last school year, the Bears

aspire to obtain a better record this upcoming season.

There are some new players this year that are showing major potential, as well as many strong returning players.

There are three captains this year, which includes: Katie Sciglimpaglia (’18), Ajsa Vega (’18), and Ashley Wilson (’19). Girls Basketball coach and NHS English teacher Mr. Fuller has high hopes for this years team as well.

Coach Fuller said, “The Lady Bears return this season as the defending division champs after a 16-4 campaign last season that ended with a heartbreaking loss to Norwich Free Academy in the second round of the state playoffs.” He continued, “Earlier in the 2016-2017 season, the Lady Bears lost to division rival, Fairfield Warde, by 1 point in the first round of the FCIAC playoffs.”

The Girls Basketball team has a lot to prove this season and are striving for redemption and an overall strong season with many wins.

Do you have a club, event, or organization?

The Digital Media Pathway will create advertisements, posters to promote the event, and the can film events.

See Mr. Karl, Mr. Seaburg, Mr. Pagano, or Mr. Franco for more information.

Stop by the Innovation Center first floor B House

15

Sports

December 2017

Boys Ice Hockey Torie Morin News Editor

Nothing screams winter like skates on ice.

After a successful 2016-17 season, the Norwalk McMahon Boys Ice Hockey team returns for another winter on the ice. Last season, the team did not do as well as they had hoped. “We had a new coach and we were still getting used to his coaching style, but I think this season will definitely be better,” claimed Brien McMahon captain Remy Gibson (’18). Though the team had a losing record of 5-14-1, they still made it to States. “Our goals for the season are to make it to States again and end with a winning record,” claimed Norwalk captain Kevin Remson (’18).

A lot of work and preparation has gone into this season. “We have been doing pre-season training since the summer,” stated Remson, “We had workouts three times a week throughout the fall, including running

and weights. Overall, I think we’ve really prepared ourselves for a good season.”

The team made their return to the ice in mid-November for their first practices.

With all the preparation that has gone into this season, the four captains, Remson, Gibson, Brian Denke (’18) and Dylan Persons (’18) are very enthusiastic for the upcoming season. “A lot of our starting defense graduated last year, but that just means that our other players need to step up and work hard, which I’m pretty confident that they can do,” Gibson explained.

As a co-op team with Brien McMahon, they do occasionally see some challenges.

“Obviously we are rivals in almost every other sport, which we tease each other about sometimes,” said Gibson, “But, overall we are a family and we work really well together.” Whether you are a Bear or a Senator, come out and support the boys ice hockey team. Their first game takes place on December 27 at 8 PM at the Sono Ice House.

WINTER HOME OPENERS

Be sure to come out and support the Norwalk winter sports teams!

Boys Basketball - 12/22 @ 6:00 PM v. Fairfield Warde (Thomas B. Scarso Gymnasium) Girls Basketball - 12/15 @ 5:30 PM v. Fairfield Ludlowe (Thomas B. Scarso Gymnasium) Boys Swimming and Diving - 12/20 @ 3:30 PM v. Fairfield Lud./Warde (Pat Spinola Natatorium)

NHS Wrestling Sam Alegria Reporter The wrestling team here at Norwalk High School is starting off their season with positivity and high hopes. With new captains, new teammates, and a new assistant coach it seems as though the team has strong potential coming their way.

Last season, the NHS wrestling team did not do as well as they had hoped, but the two captains, Sam White (’19) and Max Schwartz (’18), still had a positive outlook.

White stated, “I think we could have a winning team. We have a lot of new people, they seem to pick up everything quickly, and a lot are super athletic. I have high hopes for this year.”

Schwartz added, “We are really only a few practices deep, but so far with all the new kids that came in and the returning wrestlers, it really is looking like a promising season.”

Over the course of the past few years, the wrestling team has improved exponentially, and this improvement will only continue due to the fierce leadership and skilled team members.

Schwartz said, “The wrestling team definitely has seen some improvement over the years, we did indeed lose some people but we have others that are ready to fill their spots and take hold of the challenge of being a varsity wrestler.”

Although being in a team in high school may be hectic the boys are getting everything together. Do not miss the match against Westhill on December 13th.

Wrestling - 12/21 @ 7:15 PM v. Greenwich (Thomas B. Scarso Gymnasium) Boys Ice Hockey - 12/27 @ 8:00 PM v. Newington Coop.

(Sono Ice House) Girls Ice Hockey - 01/04 @ 6:30 PM v. Conard Hall (Sono Ice House)

Girls Ice Hockey Torie Morin News Editor One very talented team at Norwalk High School many seem to forget about is the girls ice hockey team.

Just a few years ago, the team made its return to NHS and has been on the ice every winter since. The team may be a co-op with Wilton and Brien McMahon, but the players representing NHS are definitely not ones to forget. These players include Grace Decesare (‘20) and captain Shannon McEveney (‘18). McEveney is joined by Anna Bean (Brien McMahon), Molly Thomas (Wilton) and Izzy Najah (Wilton).

Though the team wears a Wilton logo, all three schools are well represented by their athletes. As a captain, Shannon really values this aspect of the team. “It’s so much fun being able to meet with and play with people from other schools. I wouldn’t have met a lot of the girls if I hadn’t played,” claimed McEveney.

This year, it’s all about hard work and improvement. The team has been working hard through the late fall season to prepare for this year. “We definitely want to make some improvements this year,” stated McEveney, “We’re mainly just trying to improve everyone’s playing skills and make it a good, fun season overall.”

Come watch the team’s first home game of the season on January 4th at 6:30 PM against Conard Hall at the Sono Ice House.

The Winners are: 1st place, Kevin Bradley 2nd place, Liam Bleakley 3rd place, John Hogan. Staff champion is Mr. Devine.

Special thanks to JB’s Deli and Pizza and all staff and students who helped Bears Beating Cancer raise over $2,000 for the Norwalk Hospital’s Whittingham Cancer Center.

Photo Credita and Page Design: Wiktoria Piktel