Volume XIII; Issue 12
Friday, February 13, 2015
cavchronline.com
Theater’s new challenges Evan Maloney ‘15 News Editor
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to Hollis-Brookline High School, and any student has always been able to find a unique series of opportunities, between arts, technology, teacher quality and school reputation. But with recent developments, the theater department in particular may be facing drastic challenges, and some classes and programs may no longer be offered at the beginning of next year. HBHS Theater teacher Elyse Tomlinson has worked at this school for fifteen years, and has announced to SAU-41 her plans to retire at the end of the 2014-2015 school year. Tomlinson was hired for the purpose of building a theater program at HBHS, and the vast majority of the school’s plays, musicals and stage-performance classes have been her creations. For a period of six years, she entirely worked in theater, and for her entire time at HB, she has had at least a few classes in that department. As Tomlinson leaves, the blatant reality is that some of the more central aspects to the theater program may leave with her. The shows Hollis-Brookline students have created under her guidance have been highlighted for their excellence, not just in the immediate community, but in the wider region as well. The student theater community at Hollis-Brookline is thriving and tight-knit, and there is little to no chance that there will be no more plays or musicals at the school in coming years. There are other faculty at the school with the appropriate credentials and experience to direct shows, and the student
network performing naturally creates will adapt to accommodate the new challenges that come with a change in leadership and direction. However, at much higher risk with Tomlinson’s departure is the school’s theater classes–Acting, Theater Studies and the Improv classes. These classes have grown because of, and in some cases been created by Tomlinson. And while Theater Studies and Acting pull mostly from disciplines in performance, technical work and writing that are also at play in after-school performances, the Improv classes particularly are on the chopping block. While some schools have after-hours troupes, there are no known schools in the United States that offer a full-year Improv course, let alone a multi-tiered program. And the HBHS Improv classes have been popular since their inception, a creative, spontaneous sub-culture at the high school. While Tomlinson has the credentials to teach the courses, having trained in improvisational theater with the famed Second City improv enterprise, there are no other teachers with similar experience. The class is a rarity, but so are its teachers, and with Tomlinson’s departure, the possibility grows that the class may not be included in the curriculum in years to come. Improv I, Improv II and Advanced Improv are all offered in the 2015-2016 curriculum, and students can select these options for the upcoming school year. However, classes in the past have required no fewer than 15 enrolled students to be included in the next year’s curriculum, and this or something similar is likely to be the case in this coming year. And with Tomlinson’s retirement, the program is unlikely to be as popular
Basketball battles cancer Tommy Johnson ‘15 Sports Editor The varsity basketball teams fought against something more than the Timberlane Owls on Friday night. They participated in the annual Coaches vs. Cancer game, which fundraises money for the American Cancer Society. Coaches vs. Cancer is a unique way to fight the disease. The National Association of Basketball Coaches teams up with the American Cancer Society to raise money and awareness for the disease. Raffles, ticket sales and con-
Photo Credit: Evan Maloney ‘15 among theater-community students who would often take the courses as they performed with their teacher after school. Should the Improv classes have demand enough to be offered in the coming year, they will continue under the supervision of another teacher, likely one who already works at the school. But if the classes don’t meet the minimum requirement for enrollment, they may well be removed from the course list for next year. And once a class so dependent upon year-afteryear involvement by key members isn’t offered, it is unlikely to ever gain the momentum to resurface in the future, especially given that Tomlinson will no longer be here to teach it. Altogether, the Hollis-Brookline theater department has been a force to be reckoned with for over a decade. Many students and alumni at HBHS are known to have taken the full-Theater path, enrolling in every course the department offers and working
Peace corps professor
cession revenues are all donated to the cause. The double header with both the boys’ and girls’ teams against Timberlane brought out a large crowd. The girls put together two games in a row winning 57-36. After losing by a point to Conval in overtime, the boys were not about to let it happen. They won 6254 game in double OT with solid performances by players Matt Fothergill ‘15 and Patch Zorn ‘15.
awesome to see everyone in the basketball community come together and raise a lot of money for something completely unrelated to basketball,” said Fothergill. This event raised lots of money for a great cause.
The game meant more than just a win in the record books. “Coaches vs. Cancer is for a great cause and it’s always
More information on Coaches vs. Cancer and the American Cancer Society can be found online at cancer.org.
in every show. Tomlinson and the department have produced dozens of students who went on to study theater in college and perform professionally, with one still performing at The Second City, the same Improv company where Tomlinson herself trained. And as classes are brought before the chopping block this year, so too is a powerful legacy the school has created. There is time left for these programs, as course selections continue. But any student who has even considered taking one of the classes must take the opportunity to sign up, now, simply because this year may be the final opportunity to ever enroll in such a class. While Tomlinson is set to retire at the end of this year, her students and the theater program she will leave behind are nowhere near ready to fade away. The HBHS theater department has flourished for fifteen years, and if all goes well, it may well continue far into the future with a legacy today’s students left behind.
New horizons for class of 2016
Just horsing around
Nicole Landry ‘15 Staff Writer
Juliana suffered a horrific truck and trailer accident. Standing at about 16 hands, the beautiful halter horse was sold to her new owners for $10,000. Little did the family know what they were getting themselves into; Juliana’s mental scars troubled her new owners. After numerous trainers, the vet agreed with them, perhaps euthanasia was the only solution for a “crazy” untrainable horse like Juliana. She bucked, charged, bit and kicked. Juliana couldn’t get it together and everyone was just about fed up, except for Cassie Kendall ‘15. “I feel as though horses shouldn’t be treated any different than humans. We all can persevere to find a valuable purpose in the world. Horses, if given the opportunity, can redeem themselves too. Knowing I can be a part of that is by far the best feeling in the world,” said Kendall. Kendall had to approach Juliana with poise and caution. Challenged by Juliana, Kendall struggled to catch her. ` It all began around winter time. Kendall had one goal, to be able to groom the horse from head to tail in a safe manner, meaning no kicks would be fired. Kendall’s method included working with Juliana four times a week, taking a half-hour to an hour focusing solely on grooming. At first, Kendall couldn’t get her hands anywhere past the horse’s face without Juliana trying to kick her. Through time and patience, though, she and Juliana bonded, and the progress was noticeable. By April, Kendall could pick Juliana’s hooves and touch her rear with no difficulties. It was time for Kendall to hop on. Juliana’s progress was put to the test during the Salvation Army Applefest, when another horse was diagnosed with an abscess the night before the big day. It was Juliana’s chance to prove herself. Despite the doubt the barn members had, Juliana ended up behaving better than all the other horses that attended. Her slow pace allowed for minimal discomfort for children of all ages. Juliana was in a new environment with countless unfamiliar people. Kendall led her around and because Juliana trusted her, Kendall knew that no harm would come her way. Kendall has learned a thing or two about perseverance when it comes to horses. She shared another story regarding Theo, a Persian and Paint crossbreed, who would buck her off at least three times in 40 minutes. “If you don’t get back on in that moment, you’ll never get back on out of fear of what might happen,” Kendall shared. And she’s completely right; the horses remember those days their rider faced defeat. Kendall never gave up, and through her actions, a superstar was created. Theo is now leased by a sophomore at Souhegan High School. Theo has proved his skills ,entering his first horse show [in dressage] this year. The Cavalier Chronicle is produced by Hollis Brookline High School students. The articles published represent the views of the staff and do not represent Hollis Brookline High School, HBHS faculty, or administration. As this publication is intended to be a tool for learning, please bring any concerns related to the newspaper to the attention Adviser Lin Illingworth. She can be reached at lin.illingworth@sau41.org
HBHS teaches future scientists Maggie O’Hara ‘17 Staff Writer
Since January 30, the Hollis-Brookline High School Chemistry Club has held Junior Chemistry Club seminars for kids in first grade and up. This is the initiative’s second year, and the club is really looking forward to “spread[ing] science in the community” said club president Cassie Kendall ‘15. The club is going to be working with Amye Renaud, a second-grade teacher at Hollis Primary School, in order to inspire younger kids by teaching them “bigkid science” in a lab setting. Each of the four sessions, taking place on Jan. 30, Feb. 13, March 13, and April 10, will be a 45-minute session with its its own lesson plan. During the seminars, the club will be teaching the basics of chemistry in an understandable way for the young attendees. These kids will learn in a safe and hands-on way about energy, changes in state, states of matter, pressure, polymers, and
possibly even acids and bases. Last year, in the first official year of Junior Chemistry Club, 80 aspiring young scientists got the chance to experience the seminars, and this year, the club is more organized, excited and ready for the young students. The Chemistry Club is a small club at HB, a group of people that enjoy science. Kendall said
Photo Credit: Maggie O’Hara ‘17
that members of the club don’t have to be particularly good at chemistry itself, but that most members do have a passion for the subject. The members of the club look forward to continuing the spread of science in the community through future sessions, both during this year and years to come.
Horror movie addiction Wendy Courtemanche ‘15, Staff Writer
Horror films have been around for as long as anyone can remember, and they aren’t going to disappear anytime soon. These days there are movies from the time-honored films like Psycho, which are more strongly based around suspense, to movies like Saw, full of blood, guts, and gore. Again and again, there are always going to be people who make their way back to the movie theater or television to catch the latest horror-flick, or just to revisit the classics. So what’s so special about scary movies anyways? And why do humans choose to witness the disturbing and abnormal occurrences these films have to offer? While watching a scary movie, the human body will naturally react by releasing dopamine in the brain, as well as adrenaline. According to Dr. Margee Kerr in the article You Asked: Is Scaring Myself Healthy? by Markham Heid, “[The release of dopamine] happens because fear floods your brain with “a powerful chemical punch” of fight-orflight hormones and neurotransmitters.” Kerr continues, “Those include endorphin’s and dopamine–feel-good chemicals that dull pain, excite your mood and create an incredible natural high similar to falling in love (or doing some illicit drugs).” All the instinctive responses the human body releases have a major effect on whether or not a person enjoys watching a horror film
or not. Georgia Giles ‘15, is someone who enjoys watching horror movies. Giles expressed that while watching horror films “I get scared, which I like because it’s a different feeling than normal. I do get anxious about parts though, and I don’t like that. But I like them because of the adrenaline.” The adrenaline rush experienced is more than just a feeling, it’s also tapping into the instinct of survival. Adrenaline itself is a hormone released by the adrenal glands, especially in stressful situations, increasing rates of blood circulation, breathing, and preparing muscles for exertion. So while watching a suspenseful or disturbing movie, it gives the observer the experience of fear, while also avoiding real physical danger. There are always going to be people who do not enjoy the experience of a thriller. This can be for any number of reasons. For some, the feeling of suspense and the rush of adrenaline can be too overwhelming. Some viewers cannot handle what is physically being projected on the screen as well, and images can leave them paranoid and have unsettling images in their minds after recently watching. When asked what makes her want to watch a horror movie again Giles said that “they are entertaining, and more interesting than other movies because they’re about things that are different from normal life. I watch for both the scary parts and the feeling.” For the people out there who enjoy a good scare, horror movies are at
Photo Credit: Wendy Courtemanche‘15
the top of the list for the next movie night out, or a late night at home.
Tri-town trifecta