LONDON CALLING
ROCK THE NIGHT AWAY
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HEART Volume 30
Sacred Heart High School, Kingston MA
May 10, 2013
CONTENTS News......................................2 Features..................................4 Profiles...................................9 Arts & Entertainment...........10 Opinion.................................11 Sports...................................12
EAT
Stay strong, Boston
Number 6
BY THE HEART BEAT STAFF This year’s Boston Marathon was unlike any other. On April 15th , two improvised explosive devices made from pressure cookers and metal pieces detonated on Boylston Street, a few hundred feet from the Marathon finish line, killing three people and injuring 264. The first bomb exploded outside Marathon Sports, across from the marathon grandstands. The second bomb was located one block farther west at 755 Boylston Street and exploded about 10 seconds after the first one. Soon after the quick initial response, the FBI took over the investigation, and released photographs and video stills of two suspects wearing hats and carrying backpacks near the finish line. The suspects were identified later that day as brothers Dzhokhar “Jahar” Tsarnaev and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, two Russian nationals from Chechnya who had lived in the United States for over a decade. Tamerlan was a champion boxer and Dzhokhar attended the University of Massachusetts/Dartmouth. Dzhokhar even became a U.S. citizen last year. The night after the FBI released the images, the suspects allegedly killed 27 year-old MIT police officer Sean Collier, after carjacking an SUV and kidnap-
ping the driver. An exchange of gunfire with the police in Watertown, Massachusetts followed. During the shootout, the Tsarnaev brothers threw pipe bombs at police. An MBTA police officer was critically injured, Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed, and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was injured in his escape. A massive manhunt ensued, with thousands of police from all across the state and country, searching a 20-block area of Watertown. Watertown residence Montserrat Lascher experienced firsthand the police chase and lockdown in the Boston and Watertown area. Lascher is a co-worker and personal family friend of Sacred Heart parent Maryan Pappas. She was on her way to her house in Watertown from her shift at Brigham and Women’s Hospital when she heard the news. “I could hear the gunfire and I saw the flares from the bomb. I heard on the TV that the younger brother had escaped the gunfire. I live about 3 minutes from where the brothers had the first encounter with the police and I have no idea what was truly happening.” On April 19, police put a temporary lockdown on Watertown and the surrounding Boston areas in order to search for the suspect. “There were groups of 8
The view down Boylston St. moments after the first bomb detonated.
Staff Photo by Sophia Pizzi
armed soldiers dressed in SWAT gear performing tactical maneuvers at surrounding houses,” Lascher said. Around 7 P.M., a Watertown resident, named David Henneberry, walked outside his home and noticed a pool of blood near his boat and an injured individual hiding inside. The police and officers identified the individual in the boat as the missing bombing suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. After an hour-long standoff, Dzhokhar was arrested and taken to Beth Israel/Deaconess hospital. One of the controversies surrounding his arrest was that he was not read his Miranda Rights, at first. Officials said that Tsarnaev was a “public safety exception.” As the events in Watertown were taking place, police from Cambridge & Somerville raided the suspect’s apartment. “SWAT personnel, National Guard, FBI, EMTs, Firemen & Bomb Squads were in the neighborhood from around 6:30 a.m. Friday,” a resident of the suspect’s neighborhood stated to the Heart Beat staff writer. “All residents in homes abutting the house in which they lived and a few houses beyond were ordered to evacuate around 7:00 a.m.” During an initial interrogation in the hospital, Dzhokhar said his brother was the mastermind. He Side-walk chalk covering Boylston St. displaying prayer messages said they were motivated by ex-
tremist Islamist belief. While still in the hospital, Dzhokhar was charged with use of weapons of mass destruction and malicious destruction of property resulting in death. Under state law, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. Sacred Heart had its own vigil in honor of the victims and people touched by the Boston Marathon bombings. Students, teachers, and administrators gathered in the auditorium on the morning of Monday, April 22nd, exactly one week after the bombings occurred. Deacon Chris Connelly addressed the small crowd, telling everyone to not be afraid in the face of the darkness that was the Marathon Bombings, but instead to look for the light. Vice Principal Mr. Shaun Morgan also said a few words. He spoke of his childhood in Ireland that was riddled with bombings and atrocities just like the Boston Marathon bombings, and he left everyone with a powerful message: do not let them break you. Morgan explained that acts of hatred and violence only truly win when they have us living in fear; when we compromise our daily lives and routines to accommodate that fear. The service closed with a reflection from Senior Sophia Pizzi, who was in Boston with hersisters at the time of the bombings. Pizzi sent out a message of
Photo courtesy of CNN.com
hope. She placed new emphasis on the slogan “Boston Strong” and created a new one: “Sacred Heart Strong.” The term stuck, and we be-
“I could hear the gunfire and I saw the flares from the bomb” -Montserrat Lascher
came “Sacred Heart Strong” in the days to follow. Eighth-grader Yanni Pappas posted blue and yellow flyers around the school with hopeful messages. Some read: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that,” or “The dead are never really dead; through us, they live on.” Also, on the next no-uniform day, students each donated $1 and wore Boston apparel. The money went to the One Fund, the official charity organized to support the victims of the bombings. “I hope at the end of all of this there is a good lesson for all the citizen of this country,” Lascher said. “We all should be grateful for what we have.”
News
2 May 10, 2013
HEART BEAT
¡La clase de espanol visita Nueva York! BY KELSEY MALONE Staff Writer This past April, Sacred Heart Spanish students said “hola” to the Big Apple! The Spanish trip to New York City held from April 26th to April 28th immersed young students into the Spanish-inspired Latin and Central American culture. Sacred Heart shared the trip with Rising Tide students who brought their chaperone and former Sacred Heart teacher, Senora Luz Sprague. Sacred Heart was accompanied by Spanish teacher, Mrs. Justine Murphy. The two schools shared a coach bus and a tour guide by the name of Yuriko, also known as Coco. For every leg of the journey the tour guide was present with fun facts galore to spice up every moment. Students felt that Coco was rarely at a loss for words. “Coco definitely had a number of rules,” Sophomore Nichole Henderson said, “but I felt it was all in the name of safety.”
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Sullivan-Hasson
Seniors Stephanie Rodway and Leighann D’Andrea pose in central park.
Henderson also felt that the Rising Tide students added to the fun of the trip. “I made a couple friends while there and we hung out a lot,” she said. On Friday when the students arrived, they were armed with a fact-finding Mission to complete in Spanish Harlem. “I felt the challenge was a lot harder to do considering we had no idea where we were going in Spanish Harlem,” senior Stephanie Rodway said, “but after I felt more educated about the area.” “It really resounded with me how evident the Spanish culture was throughout the town,” senior Leighann D’Andrea said. Students also enjoyed the typical tourist attractions. For instance, the group took a cruise to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. “I liked getting a closer view than ever before of the statue,” Henderson said. In addition, the two schools also visited he 9/11 Memorial. “I found the 9/11 Memorial extremely moving, knowing that every name inscribed was a living person and that it was still fresh in the minds of so many people,” junior Robert Norris said. What trip to New York is ever complete without seeing the legendary Times Square? Even though only a brief time was spent there, it was still very memorable. Norris admitted that he visited Times Square numerous times before, but is still in shock at the sheer number of people one can see there. “Just walking around Times Square, you can see the different cultures of New York City colliding,” Norris said. Students also visited Central Park. “It was absolutely beautiful there; the trees and flowers were blooming and it was so big that if you kept walking straight you would get lost in the park,” Rodway said. “It was like another world in there, so much so that you could actually forget you were in the city.” To help provide the students with a more hands-on involvement with the Hispanic culture, the students attended two workshops: one for cultural masks and the other for percussion instruments. “I was enthralled by the artistic background of the Dominican people,” Norris said. The percussion workshop also included a speaker teaching a traditional Dominican dance. That wasn’t the only dancing to which the students were exposed to. Rodway was most impressed with the live band playing during the salsa lessons. Even though the
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Sullivan-Hasson
A mural on a building in Spanish Harlem
lesson took place pretty late at night, students felt it was overall very lively and a good time. Students greatly appreciated the museums. Rodway was impacted the most by the sculptures of the Greek and Roman gods and portraits from medieval times. “I learned a lot about the past through studying the portraits,” she said. “I was also extremely fascinated by the number of older sculptures that have survived throughout the ages.” Senior Michael Nee admitted that while he has visited the Met before, there’s always something new to be seen. “I liked getting a guided tour in order to learn more about each piece I saw,” he said. “However, I was most captivated by the Hispanic Society of America Museum; the paintings were fantastic; the vases were intricate; and the ancient door knockers were intriguing.” When it came to food, there was no lack of interest. The first two nights, the students and chaperones were treated to traditional Dominican foods. “I’ve had some of the foods before, but they were so much better coming from real authentic places,” Henderson said. The real test of a trip is whether or not the students would return. Using this criteria, the trip was considered a success. “It was definitely eye-opening because we learned so many new things,” D’Andrea said.
Race for the Massachusettes Senate begins Ed Markey and Gabriel Gomez get ready to fight for the spot in the Senate BY PATRICK MACDONALD Staff Writer
On April 30, Massachusetts residents voted to choose who would take our state’s senate seat, vacated by Democrat John Kerry who was chosen by President Barack Obama to be the next Secretary of State, succeeding Hillary ClintoN. In the meantime, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick appointed his Chief of Staff, William “Mo” Cowan as an interim senator.
Photo courtesy of ABC News
Republican candidate Gabriel Gomez gives a thumbsup after winning the Republican primary.
The Democratic ballot included Representative Stephen Lynch, from Boston and Representative Ed Markey, from Malden. The Republican ballot was represented by Daniel Winslow, justice of the Wrentham District Court, Michael Sullivan, former Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives during the Bush administration and Gabriel Gomez, a political newcomer and former Navy SEAL. On the night of April 30 votes were counted and the results came in for both parties. Markey received 57 percent of the vote, while Lynch received only 43 percent. Lynch declared defeat shortly after results came in, saying, “The voters have spoken and I respect the decision they made. I look forward to working with Ed Markey going forward.” Markey acknowledged Lynch by saying, “Many people went to the polls today to say I am Stephen Lynch. If we were all a little more like Stephen Lynch, this state and this country would be a better place.” The Republican results were met with surprise when Gomez won the largest portion of the votes, with 51 percent compared to 36 percent and 13 percent won by Winslow and Sullivan, respectively. Gomez said in his victory speech that, “I will approach this job with a military man’s discipline, a father’s sensitivity and a businessman’s experience.” Now that the primaries are over, the next step is the senatorial election, which is scheduled for June 25. Even though the primaries are a month away, political tensions are already mounting. On May 6, Ed Markey asked Gomez to sign the People’s Pledge, a pledge created
during the Senate race between Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren, limiting funding from national organizations and third-party groups. Gomez refused to sign. “I’m taking one pledge and one pledge only: to protect and defend the constitution. That’s the pledge I made when defending my country, that’s the pledge my mother and father made when they came here from Colombia, and that’s my pledge to the people of Massachusetts,” said Gomez. Recent polls show that both candidates are nearly neck and neck, indicating that this race will be very tight and contentious.
Photo courtesy of The Washington Post
Democratic candidate Ed Markey celebrates his victory over Stephen Lynch in the Democratic primary.
News
3
May 10, 2013
Forsooth! Chorus and Shakespeare class pleaseth the crowd
Photo courtesy of Joeseph Masi
BY ELIZABETH SULLIVAN-HASSON Staff Writer This year’s chorus and Shakespeare show had the audience rolling in the aisles at the short Hamlet parody, and then wiping their eyes while listening to the beautiful medley of Les Miserables songs. The show took place on Tuesday, April 30th. Seniors including Michael Née, Patrick Rowan, Deirdre Kelly, Thomas Gerhard and John Beatson were showcased in the Shakespearean play. The actors had a chance to display their comedic side; Ophelia (Deirdre Kelly) drowned in a cup of water, Polonius (John Beaston) was half blind, and Laertes’s (played by Patrick Rowan) was outfitted in a tight-fitting, sparkly gold costume, the best garb for sword fighting, of course. Senior Emily Johnson said she thought the Shakespearean play was hilarious. “I thought it was wicked funny, I was laughing the whole time,” Johnson said. “I liked Pat’s gold costume, and John (Polonius) was fantastic.” Librarian Karen Arnold agreed with Johnson, saying “I thought it was fun and well done.” She also made sure to give credit to English teacher, Mrs. Winifred Dick, who coordinated and masterminded the skit. “Ms. D had been working really hard to get everyone together and organized,” she said. The new approach to the chorus show was also well received. Having smaller groups of students clustered at the mike made the voices sound more powerful, and the moving words of Les Mis helped create a somber, poignant atmosphere. Johnson loved the chorus show style, “Actually, I thought it was the best chorus show ever. I thought it was nice how they had three people at every mike.” Miss Arnold had nothing but praise for the chorus’ interpretation of Les Miserables, “Les Mis is a fantastic musical, I’ve seen a number of renditions of it,” she said. “I think they (the chorus) did a really good job, a great job, in fact.” There is no doubt that the Shakespearean play and the
“Actually, I thought it was the best chorus show ever, I thought it was nice how they had three people at every mike.” -Emily Johnson ‘13
chorus show were well-liked and kept people entertained. The assembly, however, was still marked by the absence of the variety show. Started by former art teacher, Mrs. Evelyn Dunbar, the variety shows have been a favorite of students and staff for a number of years now, but this year it was missing from the list of performances. English teacher, Mr. Michael Duchaney, is the new organizer of the variety show, and as recently as the week prior to the show it was still scheduled to go on. Duchaney had been working on coordinating the show and the different acts in it since the beginning of the year, asking students what their talent was going to be. He explains that part of the reason the variety show fell apart in the end was because of scheduling conflicts among the students, who were mostly seniors, and also a slight lack of commitment. “There just didn’t seem to be any common time for people to rehearse together,” Duchaney explained. “I hate clichés, but it was becoming a square peg in a round hole.” There was also a general lack of communication surrounding the scheduled performances. “Usually it goes hand-in-hand with the art show, and in the past the problem was that it was too close to the spring musical,” said Duchaney. This year, however, the spring musical was presented in the form of short skits and was preformed much earlier. Hence the problem of conflicting rehearsals was not an issue for students who partook in both the skits and the variety show. In addition the art show was not as publicized as it had been in the past, so some teachers and students didn’t even have an idea of when it was. All of these factors contributed to the cancellation of the variety show. Mr. Duchaney explained that although he regretted having to cancel it, he did not want to give a sub-par or shoddy performance in front of the school. For seniors like Sophia Pizzi, Emily Johnson, Sarah Kieran, Jeff Millman, Deirdre Kelly, and Vanessa Daily this would have been their last chance to share their talents with the rest of the school. All of these seniors had been working on their performance in anticipation of the variety show, only to have it canceled. Johnson was upset by the late cancelation of the show, and she attributes it more to a lack of rehearsal time rather than a lack of commitment on the senior’s part. “We had been planning it for over a month, but we had only had one rehearsal about a week before, and some people’s schedule conflicted with that one day.” Johnson said. When asked if planning more rehearsals before the show would have helped, Duchaney responded that “in hindsight it might have been better to have more rehearsals prior to the show.”
Above starting on the far left: Seniors Deirdre Kelly and John Beatson put a humorous spin on a Shakespearian classic. Freshman Katie O’Neil and Sophmore Emily Weystack sing a chorus medly from the hit musical “Les Miserables”. Below: Seniors Patrick Rowan as Laertes and Thomas Gerhard as Queen Gertrude (Hamlet’s mother) showcase their comedic talents.
During the past year Sacred Heart has seen many new changes. Some of these have gone very smoothly, but others have had a rockier path. The variety show is an example of a Sacred Heart activity that is undergoing changes, and may indeed be different in coming years. With enthusiasm and motivation from both students and teachers, however, the show will continue to remain a part of Sacred Heart. Duchaney insisted that there was still “a lot of hidden talent” at Sacred Heart which he feels deserves to be showcased. He hopes that the variety show will make a comeback performance next year.
4
Features
The last supper
May 10, 2013
BY MEAGHAN DUPUIS Staff Writer
"Here we are, look around you. I'll tell you what I see Just a small town with big hearts And even bigger dreams. We've come so far from the playground Home of sweet simplicity Now it's our time to leave that behind And find out who we're gonna be....”
Photo courtesy of TangLong YuWen
Seniors Michael Nee and Lauren Price announce the winners of the senior superlatives
So went senior Sophia Pizzi’s original song dedicated to the senior class. This captures the feeling of the Senior Dinner, an annual event held at Sacred Heart’s lower gym. The night is often known as the “beginning of the end,” because it is the first of several events reserved for the senior class as they say goodbye to their high school years. The dinner was organized by the senior class officers and catered by the Plymouth House of Pizza. After the meal, as tradition goes, the seniors announced the winners of the 2013 senior superlatives.
Photo courtesy of TangLong YuWen
Each senior was given novelty mugs filled with candy
Photo courtesy of TangLong YuWen
Mr. Olson greets students and parents as they arrive at the dinner
Senior Superlatives 2013 Friendliest Stephanie Rodway
Best Personality Meaghan DuPuis
Most Likely to be President Andrew Buckley
Most Likely to Succeed Leighann D’Andrea
Best Car Alex Abboud
Most Likely to Become Famous Sophia Pizzi
Best Dancer Emily Johnson
Best Nickname Thomas Griffin (Steve Jobs)
Cutest Couple Michael Nee & Elizabeth Sullivan-Hasson
Most Sarcastic Theresa Higgins
Person You’d Want to be Stuck in an Elevator With Kathryn Mullen
Worst Driver Kelsey Malone
Most Likely to become a Sacred Heart Teacher Molly Greenwood
Class Gossip Kelsey Gailes
Most Changed Tian Yang
Best Friends (Boy & Girl) John Beatson & Patrick Rowan
Most Likely out of Dress Code Devlin Flaherty
Drama Queen Christopher DeCamp
Most Intellectual Elizabeth Sullivan-Hasson
Quietest Yeyi Ma
Wittiest Theresa Higgans
Life of the Party Nicoletta Pappas
Most Courteous Dafei Lu
Teacher’s Pet Abigail Drosdik-Cole
Most Dependable Alison Hagg
Class Clown Patrick Rowan
Happiest Lauren Price
Most School Spirit Thomas Griffin
Should Have Been a Couple Sophia Pizzi & Jeffrey Millman
Worst Case of Senioritis Acacia Towers
Most Artistic Abigail Drosdik-Cole Most Musical Sophia Pizzi Most Likely to Marry a Millionaire Colleen Kelly Most Athletic Erin Bracken & Thomas Gerhard Best All Around Sophia Pizzi & Thomas Gerhard Cutest Vanessa Dailey & Quichao Zha Best Eyes Meaghan McKenna & Patrick Rowan Best Smile Samantha Slavik & Anthony Jordan Best Hair Brooke Belden & John Beatson
Features
5 May 10, 2013
Sacred Heart crashes into reality SADD organization presents the consequences of drinking and driving BY SOPHIA PIZZI Staff Writer Smoke spewed from underneath a beat-up black Ford Bronco parked in front of the senior parking lot. Students gathered on the hill outside of the library to watch the scene. What they saw that day was an image they will never forget. Every year before prom, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) organizes a school presentation to raise awareness about making decisions involving underage usage of drugs or alcohol. This year, SADD officers and moderator, Mrs. Karen Horan arranged a mock car crash, which was then followed by guest speaker Corey Scanlon. “We did a mock crash several years back,” Horan said. “Back at the beginning of this school year, one of my officers suggested that we do it again. I called the police department to see if they would voluntarily assist us with it, and they agreed to come. That’s what got the ball rolling, and from there the presentation took off.” As students filed outside, they first noticed the car smoking. Senior Tom Gerhard then emerged from the driver’s seat throwing beer cans out of the vehicle. Soon enough, the police and fire department arrived with their sirens wailing as if it were a real emergency. Gerhard was given a sobriety test as firemen used the “jaws of life” to extract the injured and deceased passengers from the vehicle. Senior Meaghan Dupuis was declared dead and carried out onto the pavement as a hearse from Cartwell arrived. The next scene was dramatic and perhaps the most chilling one of the day. DuPuis’ mother, Samantha DuPuis,
arrived on the scene, hysterical over the passing of her daughter. The police officers calmed her down as her daughter was placed in the hearse and driven away. “It really hit me when Meaghan’s mom came and when the hearse took my best friend away,” sophomore Kelley O’Donnell said. “It showed me that this can happen to anyone.” Meanwhile, Gerhard failed the sobriety test, was put in handcuffs, and was taken away in a cop car. Seniors Lexi Nash and Anthony Jordan were also removed from the back of the car. Suffering what appeared to be major injuries, the two were driven away in an ambulance. Staff photo by Thomas Griffin After the scene was finished, stu- Senior Anthony Jordan is pulled out on a stretcher during the mock crash. dents filed into the auditorium for Many students were curious about what happened to the the second half of the presentation. third passenger, Brenden. Scanlon later noted that Bren“I knew it couldn’t be just the mock car crash,” Horan den was not ejected from the vehicle. He walked away said. “It needed to be followed up with a speaker that from the accident with minor injuries, and is currently in could hold the attention of the kids and make a direct and school and doing well. emotional connection to what they had seen outside.” “You don’t have to remember me,” Scanlon stated in his Students could hear a pin drop in the room as guest speech, “but please, I am begging you, to please remember speaker, Corey Scanlon, shared his story. A Halifax, Mas- Mike and PJ. When you are making a decision, even if it’s sachusetts native, Scanlon is twenty nine years old. One just for one second, take the time to think of them.” night, when he was nineteen, he went out to a bar with his The presentation overall clearly expressed a strong mesfriends. Making the poor decision to drive while intoxi- sage that the students took to heart. “This was the best cated, Scanlon was in a fatal car accident. The next morn- presentation I have seen since being here at Sacred Heart,” ing he woke up in the hospital to find out he was respon- O’Donnell said. “It was way different having people I sible for the deaths of two of his best friends, Mike and PJ. know and love in it rather than strangers.”
e e t n r i y h t e a g n i r t s a r b e l Ce
BY SHAUNA SWEENEY Staff Writer Being given the title of Sacred Heart “lifer” means that you have attended Sacred Heart from kindergarten through grade twelve, totaling thirteen years in the Sacred Heart school system. These students have formed relationships and friendships that will be everlasting and have experienced all aspects of Sacred Heart life. A "lifer" is a Sacred Heart role model inside and outside of school, and the "lifer" luncheon is Sacred Heart School's way of recognizing them for all of their Sacred Heart accomplishments. The Lifer celebration has
Lifers pose outside of the East Bay Grille. Top: Andrew Buckley, Jamison Johnson, Thomas Griffin, Anthony Jordan. Middle: Meaghan DuPuis, Emily Johnson, Kelsey Malone, Nicoletta Pappas, Sophia Pizzi, Kathryn Mullen, Abigail Drosdik-Cole. Bottom: Michael Nee, Vanessa Dailey, Leighann D’Andrea
Photo courtesy of Sue Giovanetti
been a tradition dating back to roughly 1998, when the distribution of a “lifer” pin began. Though the number of ”lifer” students varies depending on class size there are usually about twenty to twenty five percent of “lifers" in each year's graduating class. The "lifer" luncheon began as a connection to alumni but has slowly been transformed to a true celebration of all the years spent at Sacred Heart. "Being a lifer is really special because you get to share memories and experiences with the people you have gone to school with
for 13 years. We have literally grown up together at Sacred Heart. This school has built us," reflects senior Emily Johnson. This year's Luncheon took place at the East Bay Grille on Plymouth's waterfront on April 29th from noon to 2:45. Fifteen "lifer" students arrived at the restaurant by school van or their own vehicles. When they arrived they were met by their parents. This year's luncheon was inspired by Sacred Heart President Pamela Desmarais with Ms. Janet Clifford,
assistant to the President doing the bulk of the luncheon organization and implantation. The "lifer" luncheon was a success and was a good way to dedicate special time to say thank you to "lifer" families. East Bay Grille dedicated a party room for the luncheon and each person was assigned his or her seat. Along with the “lifer” families were administration members: President Pamela Desmarais, Principal Dr. Michael Gill, Vice Principal Mr. Shaun Morgan, Director of Advance-
ment Mrs. Suzanne Giovanetti, Guidance counselor Mrs. Susan Gallitano, and Athletic Director Mr. Robert Duquette. Also, in attendance were Sister Ann Therese, Sister Lydia, and Sister Angela. Each attendee had their choice of meal: steak, chicken, or fish. After enjoying a high quality lunch each student received a "lifer" pin (bottom right) and a paperweight given to them by President Desmarais. In addition, the "lifer" parents will be rewarded with graduation seating preference. “I really wanted to celebrate the students and their perseverance in Sacred Heart throughout the
years and wish them happiness and success and that as they leave Sacred Heart I wish them well and hope they know that the door is always open and to come back and visit as we are all family. To the parents I wanted to give them special recognition in terms of support, time, and finances, and to allow their children to experience so many years of the Sacred Heart education. I wanted to celebrate those kids and those families for being with Sacred Heart for so long,” said President Desmaria.
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As long as I got my Suit & Tie... By Nicoletta Pappas Staff Writer
The smell of fresh nail polish and newly done spray tan wafted through the halls of Sacred Heart. Girls walked around with no makeup and guys were rushing to pick up boutonnieres and tuxes. It’s that time of year again. Prom season! Sacred Heart’s annual junior and a senior prom took place on Thursday, May 2nd at 7:30 p.m. at the Venezia in Boston. Officially the day began with an 11:30 dismissal of juniors and seniors, giving them ample time to make appointments and get ready for the prom. “I had a nail appointment, hair appointment, and I had to get my makeup done,” said senior Sarah Keiran. “I am glad the administration let us out Staff Photo by TangLong Yuwen so early because I would have never been Sacred Heart Students and their guests dance the night away. ready in time!” This year was especially busy because “154 students attended prom this year out “The food was great and the venue of the newly implemented trolley system. of the junior and senior class. That’s more couldn’t have been nicer,” junior Benjamin Students were required to be at school by than 90% of both grades combined,” Mrs. Bianco said. “I was skeptical about the 6:00 p.m. with a 6:30 p.m. departure. New Murphy said. “Doctor Gill decided on the whole trolley system, but it came together principal, Dr. Michael Gill, decided on venue but the junior officers took control of fine. I had a great time.” implementing the trolley system because of organizing everything from the food to the The favorite aspect of prom for all the an enthusiastic response from parents. DJ.” juniors and seniors was the photo booth, “I sent out a survey a few months ago A little rain didn’t stop dozens of parents provided by Silly Gorillas. Set in the corner, to the parents asking how they felt about from showing up at the school to take students could pick from various props and general transportation to prom,” Dr. Gill pictures before the trolleys left. Once the enter the booth with any of their friends. said. “The response was almost unanimous. students boarded the trolleys at the school, Once the pictures were taken, kids could Many parents loved the idea of taking the off they went to Boston. The Venezia is on immediately receive their own mini photo trolleys because it ensured their children Boston Harbor, and students could watch reel. were making it up to Boston safely, and no planes come into Logan Airport. Food “The photo booth was Kelly Rathje’s child was left out.” was provided by the Venezia and included idea,” said Mrs. Murphy. “Once we The parents association organized and chicken parmesan, garden salad, ziti with red looked into it we realized it was extremely donated $1,000 dollars to the school to sauce, and even an alfredo dish. But dinner expensive, but Kelly really pushed the idea. defray the cost of the trolleys. They worked hard to make the “before prom” an enjoyable didn’t stop there! The Venezia also provided The officers dug into the junior dues and a dessert table full of chocolate covered found money to pay for it without raising experience. Junior moderator and Spanish strawberries and mini cakes. DJ Cubey took ticket prices. It’s the juniors you have to teacher, Mrs. Justine Murphy, knew exactly thank for the photo booth.” how much work was put into prom. She and the turn tables for the second time, having All photo booth photos can be viewed on four junior class officers organized the prom DJed prom last year. Facebook at Silly Gorilla’s fan page. to ensure everything was perfect.
Staff Photo by TangLong Yuwen
7
Say Cheese!
Students and teachers could take a break from dancing to take some photos in the Silly Gorilla’s photobooth. The company provided several fun props to make the photos silly and memorable!
Photo Courtesy of Silly Gorilla
After three and a half hours of dancing, eating, and picture taking, 11 p.m. rolled around and the trolleys returned the students to school. Another requirement of the new administration was that students had to be picked up at school by an adult over the age of 21. Dr. Gill explained his decision. “I have seen accidents happen after prom in Cohasset because kids are too tired to drive home, so because of safety reasons I asked parents to pick up their children after the prom,” he said. “I allowed parents to come and speak to me personally if they allowed their children to take their own cars and drive home.” Not every student agreed with Dr.Gill’s decision. “I didn’t understand how we needed to get picked up by our parents when some of us were 18 and the law already stated we could drive after 12:30 a.m.,” Senior Patrick Rowan said. All in all, even with the changes implemented by the new administration, everyone had a great time at the prom. “I haven’t heard one student or teacher say anything bad about the prom,” Mrs. Murphy said. “I loved chaperoning and seeing all the kids dressed up and having a wonderful time, I’m glad all the hard work paid off.”
Left: Students gather round to hear the announcemnet of Prom King, Queen, Prince, and Princess.
Right: John Beatson and Samantha Slavik, share a dance as Senior Prom King and Queen.
Staff Photo by Tang Long Yuwen
Features
8 May 10, 2013
When in London... BY CHRISTOPHER DECAMP Staff Writer
Over April vacation, eighteen Sacred Heart students and three chaperones traveled to England for five days. Students from grades nine through twelve along with English teacher Mr. Michael Duchaney, librarian Ms. Karen Arnold, and Mrs. Kathy Duchaney visited London. The trip took place between the eleventh and seventeenth of April. Students departed from Boston at 6:35 P.M. and arrived at London’s Heathrow Airport at 8 in the morning. They flew for six and half hours before they landed. In typical London fashion, the entourage from Sacred Heart was treated to an overcast, rainy day upon arrival. After an arduous flight the students were immediately taken to Stonehenge, which junior Jennifer Habeeb said she “could’ve lived without.” After Stonehedge, students traveled to other attractions including : Westminster Abbey, the London Street Market, the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum. Junior Jennifer Habeeb loved the trip and really treasured her experience in London. She said that her favorite sights were the London Street Market and the Parliament building. Jennifer says she liked the London Street Market “because it was more like what everyday life was like there. You got to see the locals and got a really good feel for the city.” She said she enjoyed visiting the Parliament building “because it was really historic and iconic so to be there to see it in person was really cool.” Habeeb’s only regret was that she felt too much time was spent visiting tourist attractions. She wished that she “could’ve seen more parts of London that aren’t tourist destinations because I feel like there was so much to do in London and we barely scratched the surface.” Another junior on the trip, Ariana Viscariello, commented on the cultural differences between England and America. She said that the first difference was that “everyone was dressed incredibly nice. It seemed like they all cared a lot more about their appearance; especially the guys. In America you’ll see guys wear whatever, but in England you could tell guys were more into high fashion.” Another thing Ariana noticed was that the food was much better than anticipated. She said that “whoever said food in
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Habeeb
Seniors Deirdre Kelly, Alison Hagg, Emily Johnson and Tian Yang pose in front of the Stonehenge England was bad is wrong, I never had a bad meal.” Chaperone Michael Duchaney loved visiting Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral. “Climbing to the top of the dome at St. Paul’s Cathedral was the most exhilarating part of the trip for me,” said Duchaney. Another fun part of the trip for Mr. Duchaney was all the ‘birthdays’ that were celebrated. Almost every time they went to a restaurant, it was someone’s ‘birthday’. “I had two ‘birthdays’ on the trip,” Duchaney said. “The first time it happened, I heard the kids singing Happy Birthday in the other booth and I was wondering whose birthday it was. Then the waitress came up to me and wished me a Happy Birthday!” Freshman Benjamin Novak also really enjoyed the trip. He said that his favorite part was when the group was “taking photos in The Eye (the giant ferris wheel in London) while looking down on the city we had just toured and being able to point out the places we had just visited.” The entire trip was considered a huge success and everyone involved had an awesome time. There were so many highlights, and it seemed like everyone on the trip took away an experience that he or she will remember for a lifetime. Habeeb said that “despite the ridiculous travel, the trip was completely worth it and I can’t wait until I can go back.”
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Habeeb
Group of students ride “The London Eye”
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Habeeb
Students visit Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guards
Profiles HEART BEAT
9 May 10, 2013
Yanni Pappas: the man of many talents BY SARAH KAMP Staff Writer
Staff photo by Sophia Pizzi
Left: Pappas poses before track practice.
Sacred Heart eighth-grader, Yanni Pappas, has been in the news a lot recently for his many achievements both inside and outside of school. His latest achievement is as a track star. He won first place in the 400m at the Bristol-Plymouth meet held at Sacred Heart High School. He began running track this year, originally he ran the 100m and 200m, but latly he’s been trying his hand, an feet, at the 400m. “It’s certainly a challenge and I’m more than up to it and I’m determined to bring my time down to 58 seconds,” said Pappas. Another one of his in-school achievements is his first place win at the Sacred Heart Science Fair for his project called “Wind Turbines: Most Efficient Blade Design” in which he made his own small wind turbine composed of various wooden dowels, a small motor, voltmeter, and a blade fashioned out of Styrofoam. He received honorable mention in the Regional Fair and will now move on to the state competition. After school he participates in the Roots and Shoots club moderated by Social Studies teacher, Mr. Edward Gray. Roots and Shoots members involve themselves in projects that improve the environment. He became a member in seventh grade and has played a major role in motivating others to also participate in the club ever since. When asked about Pappas, Mr. Gray remarked, “Yanni is one of those rare individuals who transcend time by finding more
time in the day than the rest of us. What makes him unique is that he doesn’t only strive to make himself better; he strives to make us all better.” Outside of school Pappas plays piano, tennis and loves photography. “I’ve played the piano since I was 5 and I love playing and learning how the style of music changes through the different eras,” said Pappas. “Yanni is not only self-motivated but he also strives to motivate his peers to get involved,” said librarian Ms. Karen Arnold. His biggest achievement outside of school is the Pine Street Inn cereal drive which he single-handedly put together with the school’s approval. To get the word out he emailed students and parents about the drive. He collected boxes of cereal in Spanish teacher Mrs. Nancy Swanson’s room and over the course of three days he collected 200 boxes. He then took the 200 boxes to Boston’s Pine Street Inn, a homeless shelter located in Boston, MA. “It was brilliant helping out all those people and I don’t know what I want to do when I grow up, but I know I want to do something to help others,” Pappas said. Pappas’ inspirations are Harry Potter and Kim Possible. When asked about his success Pappas replied, “Essentially my goal is to be the best I can be. I know it sounds cliché but it’s true. Competition is good and all sometimes, but my main thought is to try my hardest at everything and this is fueled by my belief that I can do anything.”
Michael and Mark’s major win BY LILY BESSETTE Contributing Writer On August 18th, 2012, the Khalil brothers of Sacred Heart High School, Mark and Michael, competed in the Philadelphia Spiritual Book Competition and led their team to victory against approximately fifty other teams. The competition was based on the knowledge of three assigned books and was hosted by St. George Coptic Orthodox Church of Philadelphia. Teams were asked highly specific questions and gained points by answering correctly. Another aspect of the competition was the individual option where a participant would read all three books and is then quizzed on that material. Freshman, Michael Khalil, tied for first place in the individual competition, while junior, Mark Khalil, answered his last question in the final round perfectly for 25 points. The three assigned books all focused on religion. The books are: The Heresy of Salvation in a Moment, by Pope Shenouda III; Remember Thy First Love, by Archmanidrite Zakaria; and Have you Seen the One I Love, by Pope Shenouda III. “Nothing motivates me more than winning, but I also benefitted spiritually and that was another part of my motivation,” Michael Khalil said.
“It’s one of the hardest competitions for God because everyone is praying to win.” -Michael Khalil
Each assigned book was read by certain members of the eight-member team. Mark Khalil specialized in the book, Have You Seen the One You Love. The book was about the application of symbols to life and was essentially a series of lectures from the Orthodox Pope. Mark admits, though, that his younger brother Michael was the true “MVP” of the team. Michael did not specialize in just one of the books, rather he read all three books and studied them
Mark (left) and Michael (right) Khalil smile and hold up thier trophies
diligently. Michael was the only member of the Boston team who also participated in the individual competition. In order to prepare for this competition, traditionally held on St. Mary’s Feast Day, the eight-member team read and studied hard. Mark took notes, memorized passages and verses, and researched possible answers. 130 possible questions were posted prior to the competition. Most of the team’s efforts went into researching and memorizing the answers to these practice questions. This intense preparation was a key component to their success. Mark explains that the questions asked during the competition “were extremely specific, to the point that they would reference a single paragraph.” The question would be asked and then contestants would be able to consult their team of eight people for two minutes. After this discussion period, contestants had five minutes to present a final answer. As the competition progressed through rounds, the questions increased in difficulty, and more time was given for discussion and presentation. When asked about the difficulty of the competition, Michael responded with a quote by S. Ibrahim, “It’s one of the hardest competitions for God because everyone is praying to win.”
Photo courtesy of Micheal Khalil
This was the first time that the Boston community has won this book competition. For the last ten years either Philadelphia or East Brunswick, New Jersey, has won. Stepping up to the plate, Mark, Michael, and fellow teammates worked hard this past year to redeem themselves from their previous year’s performances. Mark joined the annual book competition during his freshman year of high school through his church, St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Church of Boston. As a freshman, Mark Khalil recited the Lord’s Prayer incorrectly. The competition was televised on Agaby TV, an Egyptian religious channel. After this embarrassing defeat, Mark was determined to do well the following year. He gathered some of his friends from his church and they began to study for the 2012 competition. This year Mark was able to redeem himself as he spoke his last answer on Agaby TV, helping his team achieve a perfect 25 out of 25 points and aiding in the team’s victory. They won the competition by a single point and were rewarded with trophies and medals.
Arts
10 May 10, 2013
HEART BEAT
A Man without his Suit, Iron Man 3 BY JAY MEYER Staff Writer For those of you who haven’t seen Iron Man 3, don’t want to see it, or probably won’t see it until it winds up on Netflix; please put down this paper, dig for change in your car, and go see it. No doubt, the number “3” at the end of the title screams a warning for sequel disaster; but have no fear, just like any superhero, Iron Man 3 goes against the odds and will impress you. Iron Man 3 is different than its predecessors, in the sense that it attempts to differentiate between the man and the suit. In the beginning of the movie, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is in the process of making a suit that comes right to him when he calls it. Unfortunately, there are still a few errors in the system and this suit attempts to fly onto him at 60 mph; imagine trying to jump from a moving vehicle into your clothes, you get the image. The movie is also loaded with flashbacks to Tony’s pre-Iron Man days. Many years earlier Tony Stark evaded the rant of a psychopathic nerd, Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce), who would later star as the villain in the film. Kill-ian, blessed with a cliché name that puts all other villain names to shame, later kidnaps Pepper Potts (Gwyn-
eth Paltrow), Tony’s girlfriend. However, like almost all movies, this “plot twist” was seen from miles away. Stark spells out the movie’s message for us in the opening narration, warning that “we create our own demons.” The theme is so clearly stated, its almost like the director (Shane Black) wrote it down in sharpe and underlined it three times for emphasis. In the movie, the United States has been mercilessly struck by random bombings. Tony’s and Pepper’s body guard, Happy Hogan (John Favreau), is struck down by a odd explosion, later claimed by “The Mandarin” (Ben Kingsley), a mysterious villain without a clear cause. Later, “The Mandarin” is exposed to be nothing more than an actor with a recreational drug problem, who merely took credit for the crimes in exchange for narcotics and a speed boat. Do not worry, he does not get away with it; Iron Man takes the speed boat. Do not worry, the spoilers will end soon. The movie ended well, I’ll assume we all know who won and who didn’t. The final scene reverts back to Tony’s narration as the billionaire super hero casually drives off into the sunset in a $250,000 Audi R8. Yes, this is a classic super hero movie that follows all of the normal plot twists and cliches, but Iron Man 3 just follows them better.
Box Office Opening Weekend: $174,144,585 (USA) (3 May 2013) Gross: $174,144,585 (USA) (3 May 2013
Photo courtesy of www.scifinow.co.uk
Things I learned from Iron Man 3: 1. One cannot simply have 1 multimillion dollar super suit 2. Do not forget to wear your security badge 3. Even body guards who spend 20 minutes on camera, can find love in the last 5 seconds of footage 4. Everything you need to become a super hero can be purchased from Home Depot 5. When you do purchase the dangerous materials needed, no one questions that fact that you are wearing sunglasses, baseball hat and a hoodie, and you paid in all cash. 6. If you can get through the long credits at the end, you can see just who Tony Stark was talking to. Hint: Its not the audience
Smells like school spirit
Sacred Heart student council hosts the annual Heart for Heart celebration, featuring events like Mr. Sacred Heart and Ugly sweater day BY TIAN YANG Staff Writer
This past April, Sacred Heart’s ‘Heart for Heart’ week returned, and with it came some ugly sweaters, foolish boys, and tons of school spirit. This was only the second Heart for Heart week held at Sacred Heart. Last year, the Student Council organized the week in hopes to boost the school morale. Last year was such a success that they decided to make it a yearly tradition. The week consisted of several theme days that the students could wear unique shirts with their uniforms. There were four different dress-up days. The first day was spirit day, in which students could wear anything Scared Heart-realted. Tuesday was “ugly sweater day,” which is usually considered the funnest day because students enjoy watching their friends and other classmates dress up to be as “ugly” as possible. The third day, sports day, students
wore shirts to support their favorite sports teams. The final day was a no uniform day, allowing students the freedom to pick out their favorite outfit to school. “I loved heart for Heart week” seventh grader Mia Camelio said, “my favorite part was Mr. Sacred heart and that was really funny.” The biggest event of Heart for Heart week was the second annual Mr. Sacred Heart competition. The show is one of the funniest events that could happen in a high school. Two boys from each grade volunteer to compete in three stages: the best dressed, the most talented, and a Q&A with four teacher judges. This year it was quite a spectacle of both classy and strange outfits, crazy dance moves, saxophone playing, and even a serious reading of Lady Gaga lyrics. “What I loved about Mr. Sacred Heart was that I was able to see students in a different light that I usually would not.” Mrs. Arnold said. “William Kelly did a great job on
his performance and that was hilarious. I was also amazed by Jamie dancing and playing piano. I like to look at different side of students.” In order to decide a final winner, the two boys with the highest scores battled it out in a round of Just Dance. The two senior participants, Michael Nee and Jamie Johnson, danced a very close round, but senior Jamie Johnson came out on top. He was crowned Mr. Sacred Heart, having impressing the judges with both his dance moves and piano playing. “I think Heart for Heart week was not only fun but also very relaxing,” Junior Tanglong Yuwen said. “I enjoyed that a lot.” Students felt that the week went by fast because each day was interesting. By having fun and doing silly things, we are also brought together as a school. We get to know our classmates and enjoy the school experience in a unique way.
Staff photo by Kathryn Mullen
Sacred Heart senior and Mr. Sacred Heart contender Jamie Johnson shows the audience his moves.
Opinion
11 May 10, 2013
HEART BEAT
From the bottom of our hearts
“Be dedicated in whatever you do.
There’s a lot of crazy stuff going on out in the world, so try to stay informed on current issues, it definitely comes in handy. Try new things in high school, you’ll never imagine what passion you might discover. Also appreciate our school’s tech crew, not that I’m biased or anything.”
Over the course of our time here at Sacred Heart, we have learned the do’s and the don’ts, the ups and the downs, and the rights and the wrongs of high school. In -Patrick MacDonald honor of this final edition, the Heart Beat staff would like to leave you with our wisest advice. Read care“Read a lot of books, and write a lot. Find fully!
something that you’re passionate about, and just go with it. Never doubt your talents. It will make your time here at Sacred Heart so much more fun and worthwhile. Most importantly, hold on to all of the moments that will mean the most to you. These are some of the best years that you won’t ever want to forget!” -Sophia Pizzi
“Do your work. Naps will wait. Appreciate the people
around you now because come end of senior year, you’ll be saying goodbye to them. #yolo #swag”
-Kelsey Malone
“You’re young and you’re probably still trying to find
your niche and that’s okay. Mine is newspaper. Writing and photography are where I found my place this year. Don’t worry, you’ll find yours too. Give newspaper a try because if you don’t, you’ll never know what doors it can open for you. Have fun in high school and don’t take the time you spend here for granted.” -Kathryn Mullen
“Well, I’m only a photographer so I really don’t have
that much to say. Just a simple notice to whoever is gonna shoot for Sacred Heart’s first football game: Dude, bring as many lenses as you can and extra memory cards of course. That’s such an honor! I am jealous. Be well and shoot for life! ;-) ” -Dafei Lu
“Set a goal,
and go for it. Don’t be afraid to try new things and activities, you will find like-minded people and friends almost anywhere =). Take advantage of ALL the time you have at high school, I know between the drama and homework it can get tedious, but time flies my friends! Stay true to yourself, and keep up with your work, trust me you’ll thank yourself when college time rolls around. Well that’s about it. And oh yeah, join newspaper, the
Heartbeat is the best thing, like ever. GO GOATS!” -Elizabeth Sullivan-Hasson
“School’s a lot shorter than you think it is. If you can
help it, don’t miss out on an opportunity to do something really cool and meaningful, and take every opportunity you have to just hang out with your friends, because you’re going to miss them when you go off to college.”
-Christopher DeCamp
“Mr. Boccalini dislikes procrastination, unless you
spend it drawing random animals, coming up with creative slogans, or making a fool out of yourself. Also forget that you have a first name, he will never use it.”
-Jay Meyer
“Take newspaper!! Even if you’re not the best writer,
there will still be a way for you to contribute. It has been one of the most amazing experiences of my high school career and I strongly recommend it to anyone!” -Meaghan DuPuis
“Have a great time at school by getting involved…it’s a
fantastic way to meet people and try new things like the Newspaper! Don’t stress yourself out too much. Study hard and have fun! And never forget your MERMEDS.” -Shauna Sweeney
“While you don’t think it is now, high school is short.
You’ll never get these years back so make sure in the end you have no regrets.” -Sarah Kamp
“Hello Sacred Heart community. My advice to you is ALWAYS be yourself. The Heart Beat staff has experienced a side of me NO LIVING BEING would ever want to see (trust me), yet they still found a way to accept me. Don’t be afraid to argue in class and fight for what you believe in. Don’t regret anything because your time here at Sacred Heart flies by. So young grasshoppers, I want you to live your life, what happens is going to happen, just get ready for the ride. Just always remember, Shauna Sweeny
is CRAZY. DON’T UNDERESTIMATE HER!” -The Relentless Nicoletta Pappas
“You are going to have so much fun. Trust me! All I can
say is to enjoy your newspaper experience!! The Columbia trip was the best part :). Be different and be creative. Stay
COOL. Oh one more thing, Mr. Boccalini is always right.”
-Tian Yang
“Friendships you make here will last forever. Learn to be a yes-man. Play sports, you’ll meet some of your best friends there, and don’t be afraid to forge your own path. p.s. WE NEVER LOSE!” -Thomas Griffin “Take advantage of every opportunity thrown your way. Do everything once, for all you know you could find something you love that you never thought you would, like newspaper for example. And don’t forget, FRESHMAN YEAR COUNTS!”
-Thomas Gerhard
“Sit outside for lunch every day (even when it’s raining).
Talk to everyone. Make funny faces at people you don’t know. Listen to Captain Beefheart. Find out what you love, and do it even if people will think that you are strange. And for the love of god, be excellent to each other.”
-Jeffrey Millman
THE HEART BEAT Editors-in-Chief: Sophia Pizzi Elizabeth Sullivan-Hasson Photo Editor: Thomas Griffin Front Page Editor: Jay Meyer News Editor: Patrick MacDonald Features Editor: Sarah Kamp Double Truck Editor: Kelsey Malone A&E Editor: Nicoletta Pappas Opinion Editor: Christopher DeCamp Profiles Editor: Tian Yang Sports Editor: Thomas Gerhard Photographers: Dafei Lu Kathryn Mullen Staff Writers: Meaghan DuPuis Shauna Sweeney Contributing Writers: Lily Bessette
THE HEART BEAT is the student newspaper of Sacred Heart High School, located at 399 Bishops Highway, Kingston, MA 02364. The views expressed herein are those of the staff. Responsible letters should be addressed to the Editorial Staff c/o Mr. Boccalini or via e-mail at vboccalini@sacredheartkingston.com. THE HEART BEAT welcomes readers’ opinions on all topics. Letters must be signed. The editors reserve the right to reject, edit, or shorten letters. THE HEART BEAT is printed by Graphic Developments, Inc.
Mission Statement The Heart Beat is Sacred Heart High School’s newspaper. As the present custodians of this long-standing and award-winning publication, we pledge ourselves to the following threefold purpose: To inspire and foster a sense of passion and love for journalism, journalistic ethics and the integrity of the written word; To create and develop an atmosphere of responsible leadership, commitment to truth and dedication to the highest standards of journalistic principles; To recognize that in all we do, we are in the service of our Provident God who has blessed us with the opportunity to minister to the Sacred Heart community. -Vincent Boccalini Moderator The Heart Beat
Press Affiliations Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) New England Scholastic Press Association (NESPA) American Scholastic Press Association (ASPA) Suffolk University (SU)
Sports
12
HEART BEAT
May 10, 2013
Spotlight on Simonetti
Junior Mark Simonetti and Coach Tom MacDonald join the Saint’s ranks BY THOMAS GERHARD Staff Writer The 2012-13 Sacred Heart hockey team brought with it a couple new additions that would bolster its reputation. For one, Coach Tom McDonald joined the squad, a very successful hockey coach who looked to turn the team around .Also, a talented junior joined the team; Mark Simonetti. Simonetti joined the Saints after playing hockey in Weymouth his whole life. He came out of Weymouth High School’s hockey program after Coach McDonald suggested that Simonetti help him spark the program. “It was actually Coach Tom’s idea for me to come. He asked me to play for one of his teams but I couldn’t. Then he told me he was coming here and that it would be a good idea to come down to help start the program with him,” Simonetti said. After making the big decision to leave Weymouth’s successful hockey program, Simonetti had to adjust to small school life at Sacred Heart, which included joining fledgling hockey team. “The kids on Weymouth’s varsity hockey team were mostly Juniors and Seniors, but all the kids had spent a long time in the program. The kids here are much younger and didn’t all grow up in the same program so there isn’t an initial team aspect like there was in Weymouth,” Simonetti said. With students coming to Sacred Heart from many different towns, not everyone comes from the same program and therefore has had a different coaching experience. “I had learned things when I was younger, not even in high school, that [Coach] Tom taught me differently this year,” Simonetti said, “it was all hard to learn at first
Staff photo by Thomas Griffin
Junior Mark Simonetti was named to the Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic Team in his first season with the Saints.
since it was so new to me, but once I got used to it I caught on quick.” While it might have been tough for even the very talented Mark Simonetti, or Simma, to adjust to the Sacred Heart hockey program, it worked out in the end. Bringing Coach McDonald to town would prove to be a good move because he brought much more experience to the Saints hockey program.
After branching off from Carver this past season, many people were skeptical as to how the hockey program would do, or if they would even have enough players to field a team. Without any Seniors to lead the way, the Junior leaders Mark Simonetti, Adam Pagliuca, and Luke Tompkins stepped up and led the young team to an almost .500 record, coming up on the short end of the stick of a 9-11 record. “A lot of people didn’t think we were going to do as well as we did, and we actually did pretty well. We were 9-11 at the end of the season and even though we didn’t make tournament, nobody even thought we were going to have 9 wins,” Simonetti said. But having a 9-11 record didn’t come easily for the Saints. The team broke down their season into very manageable goals, ones that could be completed easily, yet efficiently. According to Simonetti, “We set small goals along the way, from just having a practice to playing a game to winning a game, and we ended up going beyond those goals. We never thought that was going to happen.” After such a successful season with the team and an even more successful season individually, Simonetti was not only awarded a League All-Star, but the very prestigious All-Scholastic Player award, a very prestigious award. Looking forward to next season, Simonetti has high hopes that the team will improve further. Simonetti has set high standards for next year’s hockey team, where he will be one of the senior leaders. Coach McDonald is also trying to recruit more players to come join the team. Through hockey, Simonetti says that he “got closer to the kids and felt more comfortable at school and doing things at school.”
Springfest is a success!
BY DAFEI LU Staff Writer It seems like just yesterday the Sacred Heart teams were battling it out on the athletic fields for the annual fall homecoming games. Since then the Saints have fought hard for the past two sports seasons, and here we are at our second ever Spring Fest. It was a day filled with exciting sports, delicious food, and Fighting Saint’s spirit. All the fun took place on Saturday, April 27th, a gorgeous day without a cloud in sight. The sporting events were the spotlight of Spring Fest, and almost all spring sports had a
either a game or a scrimmage that Saturday. Both the Sacred Heart Intermediate School and High School participated in this exciting day. The day consisted of boys’ and girls’ track, lacrosse, tennis, baseball, and softball. The weather stayed beautiful for the games. Despite pristine conditions the boy’s lacrosse team and both tennis teams lost their matches, but guidance counselor Susan Gallitano thought the day went well despite the losses, “we still had fun,” she said. The events that day were also very family-oriented. One fun activity for the children to enjoy was face painting. The face painting tent was located next to the student athletic center. There, boys and girls could choose their favorite pattern and a Sacred Heart volunteer would paint it for them; the face painting created quite an array of characters; people attending the festivities saw “Uncle Sam” chasing around the “Sun Devil” on the soccer field. The Art Show was also held on the same day, in the gym. Sacred Heart art teacher Ms. Julie Trohan arranged several students’ art works there. The pieces included paintings, sketches, and portraits that students had been working on all year. Over-all, Spring Fest sent a wonderful message: another beautiful spring is here, and importantly, it showed us that Fighting Saints are ready to face all the new challenges that will test them in the coming athletic seasons. Here’s to finishing up the spring sports season strong. Keep fighting Saints!
Staff photos by Dafei Lu
Left: The lacrosse team battles Pope John Paul II. Top Right: Sophomore John Storer races to the finish line during the track meet. Bottom Right: The face painting tent is a popular activity at Spring Fest.